Pizza is probably my favorite food. In all seriousness, I could eat it daily. As it is, I try to limit myself to one pizza-day a week, and to stick with various healthy (okay, healthy-ish) toppings. As I generally purchase dough from a pizzeria in my neighborhood, throwing together a great pie is literally a matter of minutes, and with only ten minutes or so of cooking time, homemade pizza makes for a delicious and quick dinner.
I don’t like recipes called “Decadent This” or “Sinful That” or “Better than Sex Something-or-Other” (what? really?). The names annoy me, but my bigger problem lies in the overwhelming richness or cloying sweetness that usually accompanies desserts with such names. This Cherry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake is the perfect response to all those sugar-surge confections. The cherries are sweet, yet complex, thanks to a splash of balsamic vinegar. The cake is moist and light, yet satisfying and beautifully rustic. Served with a dollop of barely-sweetened whipped cream, this cake is the perfect summertime dessert.
Sunday means one thing to me. TrueBlood. Yes, the vampire show. Yes, that makes me a bit of a creepy dork. No, I do not even care much for season two, and yet I cannot stop watching (and I’m rather certain the reason for that has a name, and its name is Alexander Skarsgard). So, out of boredom, a surplus of basil, and a mutual love of TrueBlood, Emma and I decided to whip up an appropriately sinister-colored drink. Enter blackberry-basil soda. Or pop, as Emma calls it.
A confession: I don’t like bell peppers. Really don’t like them. And I want to love them, I need to love them, I’m convinced there is a recipe out there that will bring me back from the dark side (suggestions, anyone?). This rainbow slaw, with its spicy dressing and red cabbage-shredded carrot base, is so flavor-packed that the addition of bell peppers doesn’t bother me a bit. Its a brightly colorful alternative to the ubiquitous mayo-coated cabbage coleslaw of summer. Try it out alongside broiled fish, grilled steak, or even a classic burger.
I adore lobster rolls. They remind me of everything I love about sunshine, the ocean, and New England. Now, while I will always love the classic mayo-based roll of my childhood, I have recently been looking for something new, something a bit more fresh and lively. I’ve found all that and more in this vinaigrette-based version, adapted from Kay Chun’s recipe (Gourmet, June 2009). Succulent lobster mixed with creamy avocado, tossed in a zippy lemon dressing…it practically screams summer.
Yes, this is the trillionth zucchini recipe in a row. Or third. But I have about seventeen baseball bat-sized zucchini to get through, and I am running out of patience with grilled zucchini sandwiches for lunch. Thus, Orange-Pecan Zucchini Bread. This slightly sweet version is neither very citrusy nor very dense, making it a perfect breakfast or snack bread. And it will use up at least two normal-sized zucchini, which makes it worth a try in my book!
My mother’s organic garden is flush with zucchini, and it seems every stall at the green market is offering zucchini and yellow squash for just pennies. Apart from simply grilling the squash or mixing up a batch of my sister Emma’s killer zucchini-walnut bread (more on that early next week!), I don’t regularly make that many zucchini-based recipes. I threw this lovely little brown rice salad together to use up a few leftovers, and was surprised at how healthful and delicious it was. Nutty brown rice, tender chicken breast, and fresh summer squash, all tossed in a zippy Asian-inspired dressing. Yum.
One of the best things about living in New York is the sheer number of fantastic cultural events that take place throughout the year. A particular favorite is the free summer performance of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in Central Park. Thousands of people crowd the Great Lawn bearing picnic baskets, pizza boxes, and bottles of wine, and settle in for a night of wonderful, inspiring music. With the plan of meeting four wine-and-fruit-toting friends, I volunteered to provide two light vegetable-topped pizzas. I quickly settled on one pesto-tomato-mozzarella pizza, and one zucchini-summer squash-goat cheese version that I spotted over at Smitten Kitchen, and have been dying to try out.
