{ Pineapple Coconut Sorbet }

 In honor of my husband for father's day, I made him a batch of his favorite ice cream, Pineapple Coconut Sorbet. This stuff is so good. I use a can of coconut milk in place of any whole milk or cream and it gives it the most amazing tropical flavor. Perfect for an after dinner treat on a hot summer evening. You have to make sure that the pineapple is blended well and is liquid, otherwise you will get bits of pineapple in the ice cream and the texture isn't right. I try to make this once every few weeks and freeze what my hubby doesn't eat so he will have ice cream to eat throughout the week. *This is  perfect recipe for those of you who are not into dairy.

{Pineapple Coconut Sorbet}

1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c water
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained well
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Make the simple syrup by bringing the sugar  and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir until liquid is clear. * This does not take long. Only a minute or so. When the liquid is clea, take off the heat and let cool while you  put together the other ingredients.

In blender, blend the drained pineapple until it is smooth and frothy, about a minute.
In a large bowl, whisk together the simple syrup, the pineapple puree, the coconut milk and the lime juice.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours( I usually pour the mix into a plastic pitcher with a lid to put in the fridge. It takes up less space than a bowl and it is easier to pour into the ice cream cylinder when I am ready to make the ice cream.)

Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.

Sweet Corn Pasta

*Repost  from last June!

Since the weather is warmer and we really do not want to heat the kitchen up or fuss with long  recipes, I have a few summer pasta dishes that are full of flavor with a few short steps  for preparation. This recipe is one of my favorites. I love sweet corn and this dish showcases it perfectly. The lemon gives it a fresh flavor that is great for warmer weather. Don't skimp on the fresh parmesan cheese. It enhances the dish and  gives it a layer you don't want to miss. I use organic whole wheat pasta , lemons and garlic. The parsley and basil are fresh from the garden. This pasta would be great for a picnic lunch as well.

Summer Sweet Corn Pasta

1 lb whole wheat angel hair pasta

2 c cooked sweet corn kernel

1 c small grape tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 c chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 T fresh lemon juice

scant 1 T lemon zest

salt & pepper, to taste

1  to 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese 

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest , basil and parsley . Mix well. Add the corn kernels and the tomatoes. Stir until mixed thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to a large serving bowl. Pour the corn mixture over the pasta. Mix together. Top with lots of fresh parmesan cheese.

Blueberry Corn and Basil Salad

I get so excited when I think I am being creative in my food. Like I am on to the next big thing. Well, last night I had a bit of everything in the refrigerator, yet not enough of any of it to make a complete meal. I had half a pint of blueberries, a bag of corn, tomatoes, cucumbers. I made a tomato cucumber salad.That was a given. What to do with the blueberries and corn? While my husband was grilling chipotle chicken , I got a hairbrained idea to add the corn and blueberries together. I added fresh basil, salt , pepper, olive oil, a pinch of garlic salt and a bit of white wine vinegar. No measuring, just threw it together. I let it sit in the fridge for a bit to meld the flavors.My husband and kids looked at it when I put it on the dinner table and turned their noses up. But I made each of them , (hubby too) try it. And they all said it was good. And ate it all. I have to admit the flavors really did go great together. The slight tartness of the blueberries, the sweet corn, the basil. I loved it and instantly wished I had made more. So I snapped a pic and had these huge plans to reveal my great recipe to the masses this morning. But I googled. And quickly realized I was not on to anything . It has been done before. Sure, some corn blueberry salads have more ingredients. Some not. Some use roasted corn, some use small Maine blueberries. But, all in all I am not original....this time. But here is my version of the salad, nonetheless. Oh, and I learned something else last night. After so many years of marriage, I found out my husband does not like raw blueberries. In muffins, cakes and sweets, they are ok. But just popped in a salad or eaten from the fridge, not so much. Huh? Why has he never said anything? Men. But he ate the salad . And said it was good. I like to think he wouldn't tell a little white lie to make me happy. Or would he? ;)

Blueberry Corn Basil Salad

2 cups corn
1 cup blueberries
4-6 leaves of basil, cut into thin strips
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of garlic salt
2 T olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar

Mix all ingredients together . Refrigerate to meld flavors. Serve cold.

{ Rustic Balsamic Strawberry Galette }

This is one of my favorite desserts to make with fresh strawberries. I bought a flat of strawberries last weekend at one of our local farms and I canned strawberry jam and strawberry coulis, and we ate strawberry spinach salad , strawberry ice cream and strawberry shortcakes  And last but not least I made a galette. I love , love love these! I use blackberries, peaches and cinnamon apples to make these all year round. These are so easy to put together and you can't mess up the presentation. Just flip over the dough onto the fruit and brush with egg wash and dust with sugar. Enjoy!
*If you do not care for balsamic vinegar, just omit it from the recipe. It is sill super yummy without it.

PS- My husband and kids are over strawberries for the summer. On to something else. :)


Rustic Balsamic Strawberry Galette

1 pie crust ( homemade or store bought)
2 cups fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced in half
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 35 degrees.
Place the piecrust  on a  lightly greased cookie sheet (or you can use parchment paper)
In a medium bowl, stir together the berries , balsamic vinegar, cornstarch and sugar.
Place the berries in the center of the pie dough.
Pull up the corners of the dough around the berries and pinch to hold together.
Using a pastry brush, brush egg was over the dough and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.
Let the galette sit for about 5 minutes before cutting.