Guacamole {Tacos}

     The avocado is a standard on my menu. I'm not a huge meat eater and, so, this little green fruit makes a regular appearance as the protein on my plate. I love it. Sliced up plain with a sprinkle of kosher salt, splayed atop a salad, or sandwiched as part of a BLTA between bread, it's healthy and lovely in so many ways. Naturally, then, I adore a good batch of guacamole, as well. It mixes up quick and utilizes the cilantro and tomatoes that are happily taking up residence in my little garden plot. The following recipe is simple and just right every time. I usually sprinkle in a touch extra salt and a squeeze more lime before all is said and done. Just taste and add more as you go. And, of course, just multiply the recipe as needed for a crowd. 

      I must also report that I have recently developed no small obsession with corn tortillas. Seriously, what was I thinking ordering flour my whole life?? I've missed out on so many great tacos. They make such a difference. You simply must see for yourself. This taco, then, has been a favorite this summer: Warm corn tortillas topped with melted cheese, a healthy spread of said guacamole, sometimes a scrambled egg or two, fresh cilantro, a dollop sour cream/greek yogurt, a squeeze of lime. Yu-um. Take me there.  

Guacamole {Tacos}

makes 4 small tacos, or 2 servings

guac ingredients:

2 ripe Haas avocados

1/4 onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

juice of 1/2 lime, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

large handful of fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

several cherry tomatoes or one small tomato, diced

pepper/hot sauce, to taste

the taco extras:

4 corn tortillas

grated cheese of choice (chedder, gruyere, parmesan...), enough to cover tortillas

several sprigs cilantro, chopped

several dollops sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

directions:

1. Slice avocado lengthwise, circling all the way around. Twist the two sides, separating the avocado into two halves. Taking a spoon, scoop out the meat of the avocado into a medium bowl, discarding the pit. 

2. Add onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, and cilantro, mashing all together with a fork until at desired consistency. Mix in diced tomatoes. Add pepper and additional salt and lime juice as desired. Guacamole is done! Serve immediately with tortilla chips, or continue on to make the tacos.

3. Place tortilla on small skillet lightly coated with olive oil. Grate cheese on top, bring to medium heat, and remove all when cheese is slightly melted. Repeat for each tortilla you have and top each with guacamole, more cilantro, sour cream/yogurt, and additional pepper and/or lime juice as desired. Serve.

Butter Cake with Summer Fruits

         I stopped by one of our local produce stands the other afternoon to stock up. With a high summer sun glaring down, heating the thick, still air, I gladly approached the shady tent and was greeted by two older, red-faced women, one bending and reaching to restock the Roma tomatoes and straighten the rows of squash, the other ringing up someone's watermelon and repositioning the small oscillating fan behind the counter. I rounded the corner, grabbed a basket, and proceeded to take in every smell and glorious color I encountered. Heirloom tomatoes to my left followed by rows of purplish blueberries in turquoise cardboard cases, a line-up of jarred regional honey, and bins of shiny cherry tomatoes warming in the sun. The air smelled most of strawberries as they had the position just under the larger fan that carried their sweet perfume throughout the tent. I grabbed a pint of blueberries and made my way to the peaches in the corner. I can hardly contain myself when surrounded by warm, soft, ready-to-eat summer market peaches. I nearly melt, loading my sack with more than one person can possibly consume, and feeling no qualms for I will certainly find some way to gobble up every last juicy one. I checked out, snatching up a bundle of asparagus I'd eyed at the counter, and thanked the ladies for their hard work in such miserable heat (heat index of 102F at 10PM last night. now that's heat.). 

       Once home, I set out my treasures and got to work thinking up what to make. I recalled seeing a fruity dessert in the back of a cookbook I bought a few weeks ago, and flipped to find an entry for a "Butter Cake with Summer Fruits." Perfect! She (the author, Anna Thomas) discusses the cake's versatility as it is suitable for a casual family meal, as well as a nice dinner with company. It also works with most summer fruits, i.e. cherries (her first recommendation), blackberries, peaches/nectarines/apricots, blueberries, or any combination of the above. I gave it a go and it turned out fabulous. The cake base, moist and sweet with a hint of almond, and the peach filling, well, perfect of course. My work friends adored it. My recommendation: Take a trip to your local farmer's market, enjoy the sights and smells and support those sweet hard workers behind the counter, come home with your favorite summer fruits, make this cake, and share it with your friends. Everyone wins. :)

Butter Cake with Summer Fruits

adapted from Anna Thomas' recipe in her book "Love Soup"

serves 8-10

ingredients: 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 large pinches of salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus more to sprinkle on top

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds (optional)

2 generous cups fresh peaches/pitted cherries/blackberries/blueberries...

(I used peaches and blueberries. 5 peaches, 1/2 cup blueberries. you can use frozen fruits here, as well, just thaw and drain them well first.)

zest of one lemon

1-3 tablespoons cornstarch 

(use this if your fruit mixture is pretty juicy. with my peaches i needed 3T. otherwise the extra juices will make the cake too soggy.)

powdered sugar to sprinkle on top

directions:

1. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 or 10" springform cake pan, lining the bottom with parchment paper, then buttering it, as well. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Beat the soft butter with 1 cup sugar for about 5 minutes until smooth and pale yellow. 

4. Beat in the eggs until combined, then gradually stir the dry mix into the wet mix just until combined (minimal mixing is a key to a light and fluffy cake). When still a little dry, add the almond and optional nuts, stirring them in. 

5. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading it out until evenly distributed. 

6. With your fruit ready in another bowl, carefully stir in as much cornstarch as needed to decrease the juices. Stir in the lemon zest. Then place your fruit evenly on top of the cake batter.

7. Sprinkle the fruit with the remaining 2T sugar (you can omit this is your fruit is sweet enough already, or add more if your particular fruit is on the tart side) and a bit of cinnamon. 

8. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until cake is light golden brown and pulling away from the pan a bit on the sides. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the pan and dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature, preferably with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream alongside.

Berry Cobbler Bars

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    Cobbler for breakfast? Heck, yes. I work tonight and have been planning to make this dessert to take, as it's the fourth of July and this is a sort of red, white, and blue treat. I had high expectations of these, first, because Joy the Baker adores them and I totally respect her taste in baked goods of all sorts, and second, because nothing can be bad that involves summer berries drenched in sugar, butter, eggs, sour cream, and lemon zest. Seriously, it just ain't possible. So, I rose this morning, stretched out of bed, and promptly made my way to the kitchen to get to bakin'. Lila, my butter-loving pup (who now weighs a lofty 55-pounds, scares big men when we pass on the street, and has an unfortunately noisy aversion to fireworks. oy.) could hardly keep from launching herself onto the counter to sink her teeth into whatever morsel lay just beyond her reach. An hour later, after mixing, crumbling, and impatiently waiting, my house was filled with the dreamiest, most intoxicating aroma, and breakfast was served. And let me just say...best breakfast ever (ok, so it's a bit of a spurge for 9am. but sometimes ya just gotta live a little.). I used raspberries and blueberries that I had on hand for this batch, but you can stick to one type of berry, or toss in some blackberries, as well (Joy noted that strawberries might be too juicy for these. I agree.). I'm pretty sure you'll love everything about them. Enjoy. And happy day of independence! 

Berry Cobbler Bars

adapted from joy the baker

yields a large baking sheet-full

ingredients:

for crust and topping: 

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, cold, cut into cubes

zest of 2 lemons

for fruit filling:

4 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

juice of 1 large lemon

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

6 cups fresh berries (or 2 16-oz packages frozen berries, thawed and drained well)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a large jelly roll pan/baking sheet (12x17x1"...or use a 9x13" pan if you'd rather have thicker bars). Set aside.

2. For the crust/topping, measure out 1 1/2 cups sugar on clean surface and zest lemons on top. Rub zest into sugar with back of spoon until it's pretty well mixed in.

3. Whisk lemon sugar, flour, and salt in large bowl, then add cubed butter and, using clean hands, squeeze the dry mix into the butter, pressing all the ingredients together until it is all combined and looks dry and crumbly. 

4. Reserve 2 cups of the crust mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mix into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes of until just golden brown. While it is baking, prepare filling.

5. For the filling, whisk eggs in large bowl (just rinse and use the same one as for the crust). Stir in the sugar, sour cream, flour, salt, lemon juice, and almond extract. Gently fold in berries. 

6. Spread filling atop baked crust, then sprinkle reserved crust mixture over the filling. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown. Cool for 1 hour before slicing into bars. These are also fabulous refrigerated. 

{zested lemons waiting on the sill to be juiced}

{berries bathing in their sugary, creamy mixture waiting to be cooked}