Taking a Break from Blogging, Not Cooking

As much fun as I've had posting recipes and pictures of new foods we've tried, I continue to wonder how effective this blog is in inspiring people to try new recipes or cook more at home.  Although the page views tell me that someone reads this blog, there is no way for me to know how or what viewers have done with this information, and I continue to doubt the time and effort I put into it.  So, after much thought, I've decided to take a break from this blog through the holidays and hope to return to it refreshed and reinspired after the new year. See you in 2013!

Green Gin Cocktail

recipe courtesy Sunset Magazine

Green Gin Cocktail

1/4 cup parsley leaves

1/4 cup mint leaves

1/3 cup gin

2 tablespoons Celery Simple Syrup

1 cup cold club soda

Small celery stalks and mint sprigs

Using a wooden spoon or muddler, vigorously bruise parsley and mint leaves with gin in a cocktail shaker (or use a mortar and pestle, then scrape into shaker). Add simple syrup and strain into 2 small ice-filled glasses. Pour 1/2 cup club soda into each and stir. Garnish glasses with celery stalks and mint sprigs.  Serves 2.

Stone Fruit Galette

recipe courtesy Martha Stewart Living

Stone Fruit Galette

1 1/2 pounds peaches or apricots, sliced 1/2 inch thick (4 3/4 cups)

1/3 cup granulated sugar (1/2 cup if using apricots)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 disk Pate Brisee

All-purpose flour, for surface

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Sanding sugar (optional), for sprinkling

Whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then parchment. Stir together fruit, granulated sugar, lemon juice, salt, and cornstarch.

Roll out pate brisee into a 13-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick, on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to baking sheet. Arrange fruit in center, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold over border to enclose fruit, leaving center open. Brush crust with egg, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.

Bake until golden brown and bubbling in center, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 10 minutes, then slide galette on parchment onto a wire rack. Let cool completely. Serve with whipped cream. Serves 8.

Grilled Brined Pork Loin with Blueberry-Blue Cheese Salad and Maple Bacon Sweet Potatoes

recipes courtesy Martha Stewart , Cooking Light and Family Circle

Grilled Brined Pork Loin

4 cups water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

4 cups ice

1 bay leaf

1 small bunch thyme

1/2 orange, zest removed in strips and fruit reserved for garnish

12 whole peppercorns, plus freshly ground pepper

1 boneless pork loin (2 pounds)

Coarse grain mustard, for serving

Prep: Bring water, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a large pot, stirring to dissolve. Remove from heat. Add ice, bay leaf, thyme, orange zest, and peppercorns, and let cool completely. Place pork in a nonreactive dish, and completely cover with brine. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours. Remove pork from brine, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.

Grill: Heat grill to medium. Grill pork, covered with vent open, turning every 6 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees, about 32 minutes. (Pork will continue to cook to proper doneness as it rests.) Transfer pork to a cutting board, and let rest 15 minutes. Slice pork, and squeeze orange over slices. Serve with mustard. Serves 4.

Blueberry-Blue Cheese Salad

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon blueberry preserves

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons snipped chives

5 ounces (10 cups) baby spinach

12 ounces (approximately 2 cups) blueberries

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

In a small bowl, stir together vinegar, blueberry preserves, mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well combined. Mix in chives. Set aside.

Toss together spinach, blueberries, walnuts and blue cheese. Mix in dressing, or serve it on the side. Serves 6.

Maple Bacon Sweet Potatoes

4 sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)

1 tablespoon softened butter

2 tablespoons fat-free milk 

4 teaspoons maple syrup

1 1/4 ounces cooked and crumbled bacon (about 3 slices)

Pierce each potato with a fork 3 to 4 times on each side. Wrap each potato in a damp paper towel. Microwave at HIGH 8 minutes, turning after 4 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half; scoop pulp into a bowl. Mash pulp.

Stir butter, milk, and syrup into potato pulp. Top with bacon. Serves 4.

Cucumber Cape Codder

recipe courtesy Martha Stewart Living

 Cucumber Cape Codder

1 cup sugar

2 cups grated English cucumber (about 1 cucumber), plus cucumber wedges, for garnish

9 ounces vodka, chilled

12 ounces cranberry juice (no sugar added)

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)

Ice, for serving

Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a small pot. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in grated cucumber, and let cool. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl or large glass measuring cup, and discard solids (you should have 2 cups syrup). Cucumber syrup can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Combine cucumber syrup, vodka, and cranberry and lime juices in a 2-quart pitcher. Cocktail can be refrigerated up to 8 hours. Serve over ice, and garnish with cucumber wedges. Serves 6.

Grilled Pizza with Cheesy Corn, Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living

 Grilled Pizza with Cheesy Corn, Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Dough*

1 1/3 cups corn kernels (from 2 ears)

1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 cup)

3/4 teaspoon minced garlic (from 1 medium garlic clove)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Coarse salt

2 small tomatoes (5 to 6 ounces total), thinly sliced (7 to 9 slices)

4 to 6 ounces mozzarella, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

cooking spray

*For the pizza dough: in a small bowl, combine 1 package of active dry yeast with 1 cup of warm water.  Set aside for about 10 minutes or until creamy.  In a large bowl, combine 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 tsp salt,  and 1/4 c. wheat germ.  Mix well.  Make a well in the center of the mix and add 1 tbsp honey.  Pour yeast water in the center of the well and mix well.  Cover and set aside near a warm window for up to an hour to allow dough to rise and nearly double in size.

Meanwhile, puree corn, Parmesan, garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth with small chunks.

Remove pizza dough from bowl and roll out on a well floured surface.  Prick rolled dough with the tip of a fork several times to allow steam to pass through.  Spray surface of dough with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Preheat grill to medium.  Grill dough fork pricked size down until it starts to bubble and light grill marks are seen.  Then, remove from grill, flip dough and spread corn mixture on cooked side, and top with tomato slices. Season with salt, and top with mozzarella.

Return to grill, cover and cook until toppings are warmed through and mozzarella has melted, 5 to 6 minutes. Top with basil, and serve.

Grilled Caprese Sandwich

recipe courtesy Sunset Magazine

Grilled Caprese Sandwich

8 slices (about 11 oz.) rustic sourdough or Italian country bread

2 large garlic cloves, halved

1 tablespoon olive oil 

8 slices (6 oz.) mozzarella cheese 

2 ripe heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced 

1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers

16 large basil leaves 

About 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

About 1/2 tsp. pepper

Rub a side of each slice of bread with a cut side of garlic and brush with oil. Layer the plain side of half the bread with cheese, tomatoes, and peppers, dividing evenly. Top with remaining bread, garlic side up.

Cook 2 sandwiches at a time in a large frying pan over medium-low heat, covered, turning sandwiches once, until golden brown and cheese is melted, 6 minutes.

Tuck 4 slices basil into each sandwich. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serves 4.