Cherry Picked

If zucchini is the most prolific garden vegetable, cherry tomatoes are certainly a copious second. These red and yellow orbs burst from the vine almost faster than we can pick them. Just a few minutes in the garden and I have a bowl overflowing with tiny sun-sweetened goodies. It seems they just go on...and on...and on.

What do I do with them all? As good as they are just to pop into my mouth plain, there are a few favorite salad recipes that I turn to in order to make the best of my summer harvests. Pineapple and Cherry Tomato Salad has a slight Asian influence with fish sauce in the dressing. The saltiness enhances the crisp, fresh cucumbers and the heat of spicy peppers. Sweet pineapple and (of course) tomatoes and earthy cilantro round out the flavor profile.

It is a robust salad that holds up well to almost any summer grill pairing. Steaks, chicken, seafood? No problem. Fire up the grill. I pick Pineapple and Cherry Tomato Salad On My Plate.

Pineapple and Cherry Tomato Salad

(adapted from Gourmet)

1 clove garlic

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons Canola oil

1/2 teaspoon Asian fish sauce

1 medium cucumber, sliced

2 cups fresh pineapple, chunked

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 jalapeno, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Grate garlic into a large bowl using a microplane grater.
Add salt, lime juice, sugar, oil, and fish sauce and and whisk to blend.
Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat with dressing.
Flavor best if allowed to rest at least 10 minutes prior to serving. (Serves 6)

Healthy?

We have all seen the commercials with the harried mom serving a breakfast of milk and toast to her fussy kids before they run out the door. She extols the virtues of spreading that toast with generous portions of sweet and chocolatey Nutella hazelnut spread. If you are like me, your mind did a quick spin, you raised an eyebrow, and said, "Really?!?" You knew that a daily breakfast of Nutella shouldn't be categorized as healthy, but there it was televised for the world to see.

It seems that some of the world believed it. A class action suit was filed against Nutella for its health claims, and reportedly, a $3.05 million settlement was reached. Wow. That is a lot of unhealthiness.

I am not someone who believes that any foods should be off limits. (Well, except Fluff...yuck.) I seriously do believe that a healthy diet is about moderation and balance. Nutella is a delicious treat that can be balanced with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy. Balance. Moderation. And, not believing everything you see in a TV commercial. That is what is healthy.

So...if I grill some fresh pineapple to char some of the sugars and release warm, flavorful sweetness, then top it with a drizzle of melted Nutella and a sprinkle of toasted hazelnuts, is that healthy? Compared to a huge slab of chocolate cake, maybe. It is fruit. Nuts are loaded with essential fats. Nutella is used moderately.

I won't make any healthy claims. Class action suits aren't really my thing. I will just tell you that Grilled Pineapple with Nutella is delicious way that I try to find balance and moderation.

 Grilled Pineapple with Nutella

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

3-4 tablespoons Nutella

1-2 tablespoons whipping cream

2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted 

Heat grill. (Gas, charcoal, or just an indoor grill pan...your choice.)
While grill is heating, toast the hazelnuts in a hot, dry pan. Watch carefully and remove from pan immediately (they will continue to toast to a crisp if left in contact with the heated surface). 
Grill the pineapples slices over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per side, just to heat through and create grill marks. (Some recommend brushing the grill with oil, butter, or Pam before grilling the fruit. I don't, and have had good success.)
Meanwhile, combine Nutella with whipping cream and heat in a saucepan or in microwave until smooth. (Don't overheat, as the oils in the nut spread will separate.)
Arrange the pineapple on a platter.
Drizzle with Nutella mixture.
Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired, but I think it is good just as is. (Serves 4)

Classics

A few years ago, a friend and I built an Adirondack chair for my patio. I scoured the internet for free patterns, printed a couple, chose one, bought the materials, and on one very, very hot and windy Saturday trekked to her house to build it. When I got there, she inspected the plans and concluded that I would be happier with a style other than the one for which I had specifically purchased the lumber. Sure. Why not? We charged ahead.

The temps were well over 100 degrees that day and the wind was so strong that we had to close the garage door to keep the saw dust from blowing around and blinding us. It was like a sauna, but we were not daunted as we sweat over each board, and cut, and screw, and nail. The basic construction was simple and with the help of my husband's collection of DeWalt tools, the chair took shape pretty quickly...until we hit a snag.

Remember that I had purchased the lumber for one chair, but we had decided to make another? Well, when it came time to cut the boards for the back of the chair, we didn't have enough of the right size of lumber. This didn't stop my friend. We marched into her house, passed her husband sleeping in the recliner, and into her bedroom. There, I watched with my mouth open as she pushed her bed away from the wall, grabbed a section of baseboard, and ripped it from the wall. Seriously. I could barely suppress my giggles as we tiptoed back to the garage carrying this "reclaimed" piece of lumber. Her husband woke up briefly and asked what we were doing. Her reply: "We just grabbed this from the bedroom." Seriously.

The rest of the construction was pretty uneventful, and that evening, when my husband joined us, we grilled dinner and took turns trying out the new chair. I loved it. I couldn't wait to build more. But, things and stuff and life got in the way and we didn't find time to expand our furniture building. I purchased additional Adirondack chairs from L.L. Bean and World Market to fill my patio. Our lone custom chair creation was sanded and painted a couple of times in a couple of different shades. A few winters, it stayed on the patio when other furniture went to storage...so that I would have somewhere other than just the steps to sit during random nice days. It was loved, but neglected. And, now this classic beauty is showing it's age. One side is starting to rot.

I am faced with the dilemma of what to do with my beloved, classic, hand-built-from-reclaimed-lumber Adirondack chair. Do I attempt to take it apart and replace the damaged wood? Do I give it another coat of paint and hope for the best? Do I convert it to some kind of planter for my flowers? Do I just give in and burn it in the firepit? What would you do with a classic?

I faced that question last weekend, too. Hubs sent a text and asked if I wanted to go out to dinner with friends. On the high of a freshly mowed lawn and flowers blossoming on the patio, I suggested that they come over to our house for a simple cookout. Awesome. Plans made. Then I panicked. People coming over in just a few hours? Yikes. What to make?

I settled on grilling burgers and hotdogs, slices of watermelon, a "pizza" salad with pasta, veggies, pepperoni, mozzarella, and Italian dressing, baked beans, and Frog Eye Salad. Two little girls would be in the mix, and I had hoped they would like the sweet pasta salad made with Acini di Pepe. (I was wrong, but oh well. haha) As I trolled the internet for an exact recipe, the first ones that came up were the classic versions with homemade vanilla pudding requiring eggs and all. Even though I had made this several times before, I was feeling a bit frazzled for time and decided to go with a short-cut instead of the classic. A recipe using instant vanilla pudding grabbed my attention. I messed with the classic Frog Eye Salad and came away with something that was still every bit as good...at least if you want to take the opinion of my Hubs. He had 2 large helpings...as if that is anything but classic for him. :-)

Frog Eye Salad

(adapted from Food.com)

1 1/3 cups acini di pepe pasta (uncooked)
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained (reserving 1/4 cup juice)
1 3/4 cups milk
1 (3 1/2 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 (12 ounce) cans mandarin orange sections, drained
3 cups mini marshmallows

1/2 cup flake coconut (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Add the pasta and cook 8-11 minutes (or according to package directions).
Rinse with cold water to cool pasta.
Drain well.
In large bowl, beat reserved pineapple juice, milk, and pudding mix for 2 minutes.
Gently stir in pasta and remaining ingredients.
Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, but preferably over night. (Serves 12)

Revisions

I have been considering a revision of this blog. I think that the format could use some polishing. Perhaps a 3-column design that doesn't require scrolling to China to see the end of the recipe index? We will have to see. I have spent a little time browsing templates, but nothing has jumped at me...yet. I think that a revision for On My Plate might be a good project for the new year. 

Other revisions in my life include reworking breakfast. Broiled Grapefruit has been around f.o.r.e.v.e.r. Sliced in half, sprinkled with brown sugar, broiled until browned and juicy, and even garnished with a maraschino cherry, this warm, citrus delight is a classic. The problem for me is getting the darn fruit out of the rind. I know the serrated edges of grapefruit spoons are supposed to easily scoop the juicy bits out and into my hungry mouth, but it isn't so easy for a klutz like me. And the rind gets HOT under the broiler. *ouch*

Enter Warm Citrus Fruit with Brown Sugar. It takes a little more prep and dirties a ramekin, but in my book, the enjoyment of easily appreciating the decadence of the bursting flavors of the heated fruit makes up for the extra work. No revision necessary for Warm Citrus Fruit with Brown Sugar On My Plate.

Warm Citrus Fruit with Brown Sugar

2 medium red grapefruits, peeled and sectioned

2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned

1 cup fresh pineapple, chunked

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Preheat broiler.

In a medium bowl, combine fruit.

Transfer to 4 oven-safe ramekins.

Combine softened butter with brown sugar; sprinkle on fruit.

Broil 5 to 6 minutes until sugar is melted and bubbly. (Serves 4)

Please Don't Leave Me

Da da da da, da da da da
Da da da, da da
Da da da, da da

I don't know if I can yell any louder
How many time I've kicked you outta here?
Or said something insulting?
Da da da, da da

I can be so mean when I wanna be
I am capable of really anything
I can cut you into pieces
But my heart is broken
Da da da, da da

Please don't leave me
Please don't leave me
...

I had a birthday late last month. I had said that this celebration of 39 would be my "last best birthday" because with a '3' still in the number, I could maintain my claim to be young and dumb. Next year, I will just be dumb. However, there was nothing dumb at all about a spur of the moment offer thrown out by friend just a week or so prior to my big day. She realized that P!nk would be in concert a mere 5 hours from her home and sent out a request for anyone interested in joining her for the road trip. Never mind that her home was 8 hours from mine. I was in. What could be a more awesome way to celebrate my last best birthday than with P!nk live in concert?

It was a great trip with multiple stops for sushi and arguing with Naggy Maggy (as we christened the unrelenting TomTom GPS). Even with our last minute ticket purchase, my friend and I managed to snag pretty great seats and danced the night away through P!nk's high energy performance. It was an incredible Happy Birthday to Me with the entire weekend holding one outstanding event after another.

Then, I returned home. When I had packed my bags, my garden was still producing buckets of produce, and thoughts of finishing a few pending landscaping projects were on my mind. The crispness of autumn was in the air, but the days were still playful with the promise of late summer. My return found rain. Cold, wet, dreary, gray rain. Threats of garden killing frost loomed. The crisp, colorfully changing leaves had become soggy, droopy, wet misery. Perfect autumn was no more. Every day since my return, I have uselessly begged that the beautiful days please not leave me.

And, in that vein of thought, I am going to share a decidedly summer recipe even though I am sitting here in a turtleneck sweater and wrapped in a blanket. I love grilling in the summer, and grilled pineapple is a wonderfully sweet treat. I found this variation for Grilled Glazed Pineapple in the Aug/Sept issue of Food Network Magazine. The original recipe wrapped the pineapple in foil, but I like searing grill marks on the fruit. It makes a stunning presentation as well as a delicious dessert. Serve a wedge of Grilled Glazed Pineapple On My Plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I don't know if I can yell any louder to beg that summer Please Don't Leave Me.

Grilled Glazed Pineapple

1 whole pineapple
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
splash of dark rum

Slice the pineapple in half lengthwise (keeping the top attached).
Cut each half into thirds creating long wedges.
Combine all other ingredients.
Brush each wedge with spiced butter.
Grill over medium heat until the pineapple is soft and golden, about 15-20 minutes. (May need to move to upper racks to avoid charring.)
Serve wedges with vanilla ice cream or on their own.

Pink - Please Don't Leave Me (High Quality)
Uploaded by wonderful-life1989. - Watch more music videos, in HD!