S'Mores Summer Fun

S'Mores are one of the best parts of summer. You can fancy them up or keep them traditional, but it's impossible to resist the fun of melting a marshmallow over an open flame on a warm summer night. Last summer in Ohio, we had a fire pit in our backyard that got a lot more use than we expected. There was something magical about watching the kids run around the flames, laughing, and licking marshmallow and chocolate off their fingers.

This summer, I'm partnering with the Motherhood and Hershey's on a special S'Mores promotion.  In a few weeks, I will be posting about a surprise theme involving Hershey’s and S’mores. I don't even have the full details of the surprise theme yet, but if S'Mores are involved, I know it will be mouth watering and fun.

You too can get involved in this summer's Hershey's S'Mores Campaign to win some fun prizes and share your love of S'Mores. Beginning this week, families are invited to capture and share their favorite S’mores moments on the Hershey’s brand Facebook page for a chance to win S’mores-themed prizes. The grand-prize is a Canon Rebel Camera, slate marble outdoor firebowl, $250 SnapFish gift card, roasting skewers set and all of the ingredients needed to make S’mores, including Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars. You can download the Say S’mores application on the Hershey's Facebook page to participate in monthly photo contests and receive coupons.

Stay tuned for my S'mores surprise theme post later this summer and enjoy your own melted chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker fun in the meanwhile. I'll be receiving a small stipend from Hershey's in compensation for helping to promote their campaign.

Caramelized Banana Chocolate Coconut Pie

For the last few weeks, I've been drowning in bananas. I'm putting them in cereal, eating them with Nutella, snacking with them late at night, but nothing helps. Perhaps they're reproducing on their own, no matter how many I eat, I am still overrun with mountains of bananas. Our new organic and local produce delivery service, TCF Organics, has been overly generous with their banana allocation in our weekly shipment. But this unexpected banana windfall has pushed me to get creative and inspired me to create a delicious caramelized banana and chocolate pie last weekend.

Between the caramelized bananas and the silky ganache is a thin layer of coconut, all nestled in a butter crust.

The pie looked and sounds fancy, but it actually took just a few minutes to come together thanks to a microwave ganache base and a quick and easy butter pie crust. The longest part of the process was using a kitchen blow torch to caramelize the bananas, an optional but fun touch.

This isn't the kind of dessert that you can make ahead of time as the bananas will turn soggy, but it's an impressive looking dessert. I love the combination of bananas and dark chocolate. It has a tropical flavor that is ideal on hot summer nights.

Caramelized Banana Chocolate Pie
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
For the butter crust:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
8 tbsps (1 stick) of butter
2 to 3 tbsps cold water
For the ganache:
1/2 cup of heavy cream,
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter,
8 ounces (2 bars) of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate. For the bananas:
4 bananas
2 tablespoons of sugar
1/4 cups of coconut

Make the Pie Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse 2 or 3 times quickly to mix. 
3. Cut the butter into 1 tbsp pieces and add to food processor. Pulse over and over again very quickly until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. You should not be able to see any more large pieces of butter. 
4. Scatter 1 tablespoon of tap water on the butter and flour mixture and pulse 5 to 6 times. The dough should begin to hold together. If the mixture still appears dry and crumbly, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
5. Remove the dough from the food processor. In your hands, roll it into a uniform ball. Place it on a silpat or countertop sprinkled with flour and roll it out with a floured rolling pin. Then press it and shape it into a greased pie pan.
6. Line the bottom of the crust with pie weights or a bunch of dried beans.
7. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned.
8. Remove from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Make the ganache:

1. Pour the heavy cream and butter in a glass bowl. Bring to a boil in the microwave by cooking for 1 minute increments until it begins to bubble. Don't let it boil over.
2. Break the chocolate into chunks and place in a mini food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. If you don't have a food processor, you can do this with a knife.
3. Remove the hot heavy cream from the microwave. Pour the chocolate in. Stir with a spatula until chocolate is melted and smooth.
4. Spread on cakes, cupcakes, or pies. Cover the leftovers with plastic wrap and save in the fridge for up to a week. To reuse, heat in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds and stir with a spatula.

Top with Bananas and Coconut:

1. Spread the ganache on the cooled pie crust with a spatula. Don't be stingy! Biting into thick layers of chocolate in the pie is what makes it heavenly. You should have some ganache leftover from this recipe even if you are generous in your spreading.
2. Sprinkle the ganache with the coconut.
3. Cut the bananas into 1/4 inch slices. Spread on top of the coconut, overlapping the bananas slightly.
4. Sprinkle evenly with the sugar if you would like to caramelize the bananas. Using a kitchen blow torch, caramelize each banana until lightly browned. 
5. Serve immediately.

Avocado Mango Salsa and Other Summer Party Appetizers in 15 Minutes or Less

My latest post is up at Snackpicks.com. I'm highlighting some delicious but quick and easy recipes that are great for spontaneous summertime entertaining.

Once school lets out for the summer, I like to keep things loose and unscheduled as much as possible, just like the long, lazy summer days that I remember having as a kid. We live across the street from our pool club and kids tend to drift over to our house at the end of the day, often eventually joined by their parents. Having a roster of quick appetizers to feed everyone is invaluable.

My favorites are:

• Mango Avocado Salsa
• Chicken Almond Canape Spread
• Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Spread
• Steakhouse Bites

All of these recipes are quick to throw together and fun to pick at which keeps me outside longer with everyone, enjoying summer.

Gazpacho To Beat the Heat

Temperatures in Chicago are through the roof. I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong, it's lovely to finally be able to put away winter coats and bare our arms, but when the heat is in the 90s, my appetite and desire to cook disappears. Just the thought of turning on the oven makes me sweat.

On these sultry summer nights, I crave freshness. Ripe red tomatoes, crispy green cucumbers, and creamy avocado. All those flavors come together beautifully in a cold gazpacho soup. It comes together in less than five minutes with the help of a blender and topped with a few grilled shrimp, makes the perfect summer dinner.

Summer Gazpacho
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
5 ripe and sweet tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 or 2 cucumbers, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 a Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cups of olive oil
optional, but really lovely, 4 tablespoons of sherry
1/2 teaspoon of aroyo chili powder (optional as well, but gives a lovely smoky heat)

1. Chop the tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, and onion and puree in a blender or food processor. 
2. Pour into a serving bowl. Fold in the breadcrumbs. Drizzle with olive oil and sherry. Season with salt, pepper, and chili powder.
3. Serve at room temperature or after chilling in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. I served this with a few shrimp that I sauteed very briefly at very high heat on the stove and then drizzled with lemon. Chunks of avocado would have been another delicious addition had I had them in the house.

Roasted Pears with Prosciutto and Burrrata: a Rustic App That Packs a Punch

I've tried to meditate many times, but I can't seem to quiet my mind. Still, if I were to take up meditation, my mantra would be "Aaahhh Burrata."

Whenever I walk into Whole Foods, or any specialty food store for that matter, I head straight for the cheese aisle. While I love cheese in any form, especially the smelly, oozy kind, there's one cheese in particular that I'm on the hunt for: burrata. I only find it on occasion, and when it's there, I pounce, reshaping my weekly menu around its creamy curds.

If you've never tried this gift from the gods, let me describe it for you. Burrata is an incredibly delicious fresh cheese consisting of an outer pouch of mozzarella and an inner filling of a combination of mozzarella curds and cream. It can be made from either buffalo or cow's milk, but is richer with buffalo milk. The result is rich and decadent, like popping a little cloud of dairy heaven in your mouth. Burrata actually means butter in Italian. It was created in Puglia in Italy in the 1920s but is now becoming more widely available in the US.

In the summer, when the tomatoes are sweet and fragrant, I don't get fancy. There's nothing better than rough slices of burrata on fresh farmers' market tomatoes. But even in winter, when the tomatoes taste worse than cardboard, I still pounce if I find burrata in the store. And that's when things get interesting.

Last week, I cobbled together a homely looking appetizer that was so good I licked the plate. I roasted some pear slices with honey and balsamic then topped them with a sliver of prosciutto and a dab of burrata. Each messy bite was creamy, sweet, and salty at the same time, heaven in my mouth. Now I just need to refine it so it's not too messy to serve to guests.

Roasted Pears with Prosciutto and Burrata
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes (to roast the pears)
Ingredients:
2 Pears (the harder kind such as D'Anjou)
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of honey
3 slice of prosciutto
1 lump of burrata

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Peel and slice the pears into 1 inch slices. Toss with the balsamic vinegar and honey.
3. Roast for 20 minutes in the oven until lightly crisp. 
4. Once the pears have cooled slightly, top with a sliver of prosciutto and burrata. Serve with napkins!

Peach Tarte Tatin is a Great Way to Celebrate Farmer's Market Bounty

One of the first things I heard about Oak Park was that it has a fabled farmer's market. I kid you not, the word fabled was used by different, completely unconnected people. It was also described as a time-honored tradition, wonderful, and delightful. I was also advised to get there early for the cinnamon donuts. When Saturday morning rolled around, I hustled my husband and kids into the car so we could finally check out the Oak Park Farmer's Market.

The market didn't disappoint. There were over 30 vendors, offering ripe Michigan fruit and a wide variety of vegetables: yellow butter beans, spring green string beans, broccoli, and adorable baby carrots still covered with dirt.  One corner was anchored by a truck heaped with three different types of swollen sweet melons, your choice for $5. Juliette was smitten by this table of berries presented so beautifully. She refused to walk any further until she had a basket of raspberries and blueberries to shove into her mouth.

I splurged on some blushing peaches that smelled sweet like summer. After I bit into one and let the juice run down my chin, I used the others to make another tarte tatin, just like my tomato one, another cheating one with frozen pastry pie dough, now addicted to this easy summer dessert. The caramel topping melded with the tender peaches. It was the perfect way to celebrate this first bounty from our new farmer's market.  

Shortcut Peach Tarte Tatin
Ingredients:
5 Ripe Peaches
3 tablespoons of salted butter
3/4 cups of brown sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry dough
optional: vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche to serve

1. Cut each peach into inch wide slices, leaving the skin on, removing the pit. Don't worry about being even. This is meant to be a rustic, casual dessert.
2. Spread the butter evenly on the bottom of an oven-proof skillet. This will take a little elbow grease to keep rubbing the butter in concentric circles until you have a thick pommade coating the pan. 
3. Sprinkle the sugar on top.
4. Layer the peaches over the butter and sugar. Don't worry about overlapping, having more peaches is better than not enough.
5. Place skillet over medium heat. Cook, occasionally shifting the peaches gently to prevent burning. When the butter and sugar have turned into a bubbling, light amber caramel, take the pan off the heat.
6. Immediately add the vanilla extract by drizzling it on top of the peaches.
7. Lay your puff pastry sheet down. Cut off the corners to make it a very rough circle. Don't worry too much about geometry or presentation. I guarantee your pie will be gorgeous.
8. Lay the puff pastry over the caramelized peaches, tucking in the dough. Make 3 or 4 slits in the dough. 
9. Place pie in oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is golden brown. Watch closely to make sure the caramel doesn't burn, turning the peaches into cement. 
10. As soon as the pie is done, invert it onto a serving dish. Use silicone mitts to prevent yourself from burning but don't wait or you will be scooping your pie out with a jack hammer.
11. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche.

Fresh Salsa Inspired by Stress

For the last week or so, we've been busy saying goodbye to friends and wrapping up our lives in Ohio. Last night we had some friends over for a goodbye barbecue, a great excuse to get them to help empty our shelves. I've been on a mission for the past two weeks, pressuring virtual strangers to accept jars of exotic marinades or mint flavored hot fudge, all in the spirit of purging.

When our friends arrived for the barbecue, I was staring at a large bowl filled with our CSA produce for the week, made more ecclectic by the crippling heat wave: one cucumber, a dozen heirloom tomatoes, a tiny melon, one garlic head, and a couple of onions. I wasn't sure what to do with it all, emphasis on all, until I realized that I was staring at the ingredients for a mean bowl of fresh salsa.

A few minutes of vigorous, stress-reducing chopping later, and we were all happily digging into some fresh and vibrant tomato and melon salsa. I didn't reach for a recipe book - that would have meant confronting another room I needed to think about packing up. I went by instinct, tossing in some white vinegar, some cayenne pepper, a little salt, and some fresh parsley, and tasting along the way.

Sometimes inspiration strikes at the most unexpected moments. If I hadn't been completely overwhelmed, staring at the piles of stuff I've accumulated in a year's life, I might never have thought to combine all that fresh produce together, in the perfect summer appetizer.

Homemade Melon Salsa
3 Beautifully Ripe Tomatoes
1 large cucumber
1 vidalia onion
1/2 cup of parsley (or cilantro if no one objects!)
1/4 cup of white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper (or less if you don't like it hot)
1 teaspoon of Kosher salt

1. Chop all vegetables.
2. Toss veggies together.
3. Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper.
4. Sprinkle parsley on top. Taste and season again if needed. If you have time to refrigerate it for an hour, the juices will meld. But you will need some serious restraint to hold off eating all this freshness until then!

Clafouti, the Perfect Showcase for those Summer Berries

When I'm stressed, I bake. As warm smells waft through the house, I start to breathe again. It's not even about the end result, the sweet bite of dessert on my tongue, the simple act of baking soothes me.

With all these gorgeous summer berries around, the perfect comfort food dessert is a clafouti, the French equivalent of the American crumble. Imagine a warm, very fluffy, sweet crepe surrounding hot berries. Each bite is simple, deep satisfaction.

Just like a crumble, you can have a clafouti in the oven in under five minutes. All you need are ripe berries (or pears, apricots, plums), flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and, the magic ingredient: heavy cream. Whisk the base ingredients together, throw it in the oven for half an hour, and this homey summer dessert is ready.

Top it with a little vanilla ice cream, and you're in heaven.

Clafouti
Ingredients:
2 cups of summer fruit such as blueberries, raspberries, pitted cherries, plums, or quartered pears
3/4 cups of flour
3/4 cups of sugar
2 eggs
8 ounces of heavy cream
3 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Butter and flour a baking dish.
3. Fill the bottom of the baking dish with the fruit. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, slowly whisk together the flour, eggs, cream, and vanilla until just blended.
5. Pour on top of the fruit. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or golden brown.
6. Serve immediately, either plain or with ice cream.

The Perfect Picnic Salad

Chefdruck's Tasty Tuesday

We had a lot of fun last week dyeing and decorating eggs. We made sparkling eggs, Hello Kitty eggs, bunny eggs, and even tie dye eggs. We went through three dozen white eggs in two days. Many cracked, and now many sit proudly on our side buffet, awaiting their sad fate of a short trip to the garbage.

Easter eggs are an American institution. In France we don't dye eggs. We actually don't even believe in the Easter Bunny. Little kids are told that magic bells fly over in the morning and drop off chocolate eggs and chocolate bells for all the little girls and boys. Which is the bigger whopper to swallow? Magic bells carrying chocolate or a giant benevolent rabbit? Regardless, I never know what to do with all these colorful hardboiled eggs.

This week, Parent Bloggers Network has partnered with the American Egg Board to get bloggers to post their ideas to not let their Easter eggs go to waste. Rather than talk about the obvious, egg salad, I thought I would share my recipe for my favorite picnic salad, a filling lunch filled with tons of proteins and carbs.

Of course in order to make this salad, you can't use the eggs that have been sitting out, only refrigerated hard boiled eggs so be sure to use take some of the less beautiful Easter eggs and stow those in the fridge to make this recipe.

Perfect Picnic Salad
Ingredients:
3 Cups of Rice or Couscous
3 Ripe Tomatoes Coarsely Chopped or 1 1/2 Cups of Cherry Tomatoes Sliced in Half
1 Can of Corn
1 Can of Tuna, preferably in olive oil
3 Harboiled Eggs Coarsely Chopped
2 Stalks of Celery, Chopped finely
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped finely.


1) Except for the lemon and parsley, mix all the ingredients in one big bowl.
2) Squeeze the lemon on top and sprinkle the parsley.
3) Serve chilled.

Optional additional items: avocado, white beans, olives.

For a little extra healthiness, you can serve this in iceberg lettuce "bowls".