The personal sized Salad Nicoise... for hot summer weather this is perfect

This is a Julia Child recipe and I have it here if you would like to try it. :)

Simple Summer Pie...

When I was a little girl my Meemaw made several things that were standards with us.  In the summer she had two "go to" pies for those hot Louisiana days when we were there for a visit.  She made Peanut Butter Pie and Lemonade Pie.  They are both refrigerator pies and great on a hot day. 

The Lemonade Pie could be either a yellow or a pink lemonade pie.  Here is the simple recipe that she would follow. 

1 6 ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 10 ounce tub of whipped cream (or make your own whipped cream from whipping cream, vanilla and powdered sugar)

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a graham cracker crust.  Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.  This pie freezes well for future use, too.  :)

Crust:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (5ounces) graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup melted butter

Mix ingredients, press into pie pan and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees and then let it cool before filling.

We made this pie...

You could add lemon slices to decorate if you like but this is the plain and simple version.  It is very rich and very cold and very yum!  :)

Some recent treats....

I got this great freezer mug and have been making Italian Sodas in it as an afternoon treat on very hot days. YUM!!!

I also indulged in another round of that Potato and Leek Soup from MTAoFC by Julia Child

Simple quesadillas, salsa and raspberry tea! A quick and delicious lunch when one is tired of sandwiches. :)

A Frozen Treat...

On hot days like today there is just not a whole lot better things to eat than ice cream. I broke out the machine. I have had this particular machine for about 15 years and I love it! I made a trip to purchase a few items like a bag of ice and some rock salt and then I bought some Twist and Shout cookies. I dragged out the old recipe that I have used for years. The result was the most wonderful Cookies and Cream Ice Cream we have had in a very long time.


The particular cookbook I used was the one I put together from some old recipe cards and clippings my Meemaw used to keep. I put them into this notebook and now I have this great reference of family favorites. Here is a sampling... most things are written in Meemaw's own hand. It is a real treasure to me.


The old orange cards were actually made from cut up file folders. My Meemaw grew up and spent her early married years through the 20's and 30's so she became quite the saver and she used EVERYTHING. She never really threw anything away that could be used in some way somewhere else. She was very organized and reused things and labeled them and saved EVERY recipe she ever used. I am grateful for this wonderful resource. :)

When it is too hot to cook...

It has been over 100 for almost 2 weeks during the days here. We live in the desert southwest. If I turn the oven or stove on at all during the day the kitchen becomes unbearable very quickly. This often gives me the challenge of making mostly cold meals in the evenings. It is also too hot to really feel like eating heavy meals either so lighter suppers are a good thing.

I basically made a taco salad tonight. I only had to cook the meat and add some taco seasonings (I make my own mix). Then I cut up lettuce, avocado, tomato, cilantro and grate cheese then we put it all on top of a pile of tortilla chips and top with salsa and then just enjoy a cool summer meal. Add a glass of iced tea and finish off with some fruit and you have a completely satisfying meal without heating up that kitchen. :)

Key Lime Pie

Graham Cracker Crust

Authentic Key Limes grown in Mexico and shipped from California??? LOL

Basic ingredients of lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks

Baked for about 15 minutes until set and then cool thoroughly

whipping cream with powdered sugar to top and then some lime peel... YUM-A-LICIOUS!!!

By request... (this is from my American Regional Cuisine cookbook from school)

Crust:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (5ounces) graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup melted butter

Filling
2 cups sweetened condensed milk
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon Key lime zest

For topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar.
Add melted butter and combine until the mixture resembles wet sand; press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.
Whisk the condensed milk with the egg yolk and blend in the lime juice and zest.
Pour the mixture into the pan with the pie crust.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the filling is set; let the pie cool at room temperature for about an hour. Be careful not to overbake the pie.
Prepare the topping by whipping the cream and the sugar together, be careful not to overmix the cream.
Garnish the pie with the whipping cream.

Strawberry Chiffon Pie

I started with the pie crust

Chef New’s Recipe

1 cup flour (AP flour)

1/3 cup shortening or

( I used 3 Tbsp butter and 3 Tbsp shortening)

2-3 Tbsp ice water

I also did an eggwash before baking to shine it up a bit.

Here is how I started…

The recipe I used was from a book I recently picked up through PaperBackSwap online called Great Pies You Can Bake by Lois Hill.

First I made the pie dough recipe above.

The turned out lovely looking but were a bit thick. I should have rolled them out thinner and baked them a bit longer.

The recipe for the Chiffon filling is

Strawberry Chiffon Pie

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

½ cup sugar

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

¼ cup cold water

½ cup strawberry juice (I used my juicer and fresh strawberries for this)

1 Tbsp orange juice (I actually used OJ concentrate)

½ cup heavy cream

3 egg whites

Sweetened whipped cream for top

Sprig of mint and strawberry slices to garnish

Prepare the prebaked pie shell; cool completely.

Mix the strawberries with the sugar and let stand for 30 minutes. Combine the gelatin with the water. Set aside. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, bring the strawberry and orange juices to a boil. Add the gelatin mixture. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the strawberry mixture. Chill until slightly thickened. Whip the cream and fold into the gelatin mixture. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold the egg white mixture into the gelatin mixture. Turn the filling into the pie shell. Chill until set. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Note the fruit settling to the bottom. I should have waited a bit longer before incorporating whipping cream and egg whites.

Also the crust needed to be baked a bit longer and it needed to be rolled a bit thinner. The chiffon filling was well done, though and it had a nice texture… not too stiff with the gelatin. It was lightly sweet. I would definitely make this for a summer pie for friends and family with no qualms. It was fun to make this one.

Pasta Salad

Last night we had fresh veggies and some whole wheat pasta. I basically roasted up some squash, cut up some fresh cherry tomatoes and yellow pear tomatoes, grated some Parmesan cheese, and cooked some whole wheat Rotini pasta. I toasted off some pine nuts and added them, too. Mixed together and added some Italian dressing and enjoyed. Here is a pic I was able to snatch before it was gone. By the time I got this Dan had picked almost all the zucchini out to snack on. LOL It was a hit!!!


I will put more up as I go... Thanks for commenting to all of the ladies that stopped by!!! :)

Menu Plan - July 23-28, 2007

Chillin' Meals for Hot Days

Monday
Garden Fresh Cold Pasta Salad
Fruit and whipping cream

Tuesday
Zucchini Fritters
Raw veggie mix
a little homemade Buttermilk Dressing for dipping

Wednesday
Mediterranean Salad
Salmon
Quinoa

Thursday
Chicken Kabobs with peanut sauce
Vegetarian potstickers
Tabbouleh

Friday
Grilled chicken
Roasted Corn
Spinach Salad
Berry Upside Down Cake

Saturday

Leftover night