Fruit - - Page 4

by Emily

Sometimes It’s OK to Cheat: Dump Cake

So I know that here at ES (and in my life in general) there is a no-cheating policy. That is, make your own damn food, don’t use a bunch of boxed, pre-made mixes and shortcuts. Basically, don’t be Sandra Lee. Sometimes, just sometimes, though… there is a time to break the rules.

Now is that time.

Have you ever heard of “dump cake?” Kind of a gross-sounding name, I know. My mom used to make it for us when we were younger. It’s a very easy, quick, and delicious dessert comprised solely of peach pie filling, cherry pie filling, and yellow cake mix. After dumping those in a cake pan and baking, it kind of comes out as a cross between an actual cake, a cobbler and a pie. Anyway, this summer I got to thinking about my mom’s dump cakes and decided I wanted to bust out my grownup version of the old favorite. It still uses some of the “cheater” ingredients—canned pie filling and cake mix—but I changed up some of the flavors (coconut instead of cherry) and added a few more interesting elements to the topping (toasted coconut-almond crunch versus just cake).

I wasn’t sure if this old recipe would stand up, but the acclaim I received from everyone who tried it confirmed my actions. Sometimes it’s okay to be a cheater.

Peach, Almond, and Toasted Coconut Dump Cake

by unsightly

Endless Ice Cream: Peach Basil Mascarpone

This is one of the first ice creams I dreamed about when I got my ice cream maker this past spring. I’ve been patiently waiting for those perfectly, drippingly ripe peaches that signify that the end of summer is inevitably near.

Well, my wait is over, and this ice cream is every bit as delicious as I imagined. If you have extra peaches, I recommend doubling up the roasted peaches and saving the extra puree to mix with your yogurt, oatmeal, or to toss with fresh raspberries.

Peach Basil Mascarpone Ice Cream

by Twin Tastes

Cocktail O’Clock: Waquila

One of the best things about summer is buying a big, ripe striped green watermelon on a scorching afternoon. While a few slices are great, the remaining bright pink interior remains, calling to you on the kitchen counter. So what do you do with it? Make it booze!

Last summer, we decided to feature the leftover fruit in a cool and refreshing cocktail, pureeing the watermelon with tequila and a splash of lime. Our friend, Kristen thought of the clever name, ‘Waquila.’ It has since become a summer staple for us, perfect for any summer fiesta.

Waquila

in Drinks / Endless Cocktails / Recipe 1 comments

by J.Alter

Put It In a Jar: White Sangria

I don’t know about the rest of you, but all weekend long I have been reaching, itching, longing for some crisp fall weather. I toiled for a while about what the hell to put in a jar this week. Fruit…again? I wanted comfort food. Something sweet, with chocolate…maybe some peanut butter and malt! Ok. OK. I told myself to get a grip. It’s August. I’ll have months and months of savory food up ahead. So, what did I decide to do instead…?

in Drinks 0 comments

by hungry monster

It is STILL Summer: Coconut Shrimp Meatball on Crostini with Fruit Salsa

Soooo, are any of you folks on Pinterest? I am and I waste hours (yes, hours) of my life looking at pins, pinning pins, liking pins and thinking about pins. Clearly, I have too much free time (at work).

It’s bumming me out lately that people are pinning Halloween stuff and (gasp) Christmas stuff. I mean, slow down, y’all.

It’s still totally summer, if you ask me. I literally just started buying and wearing tank tops because I sort of have a tan (a tan for me is not really a tan by normal standards, but at least nobody is blinded by my upper arms anymore). Also, all the summer clothes are on clearance now and that makes me happy.

Let’s just relax.

And enjoy summer.

How about a coconut shrimp appetizer for your cocktail party? It screams SUMMER!

Quit trying to plan ahead and live in the present…mostly just so I can enjoy my tank tops and flip flops for a little longer.

Coconut Shrimp Meatball on Crostini with Fruit Salsa

in Recipe 0 comments

by J.Alter

Put It In a Jar: Pickled Blueberries

“So. Pickled blueberries, huh?” …was along the lines of what I was thinking when I decided on this as my next victim. To be perfectly honest, I was a bit hesitant at first. Once I began looking up ways to use pickled blueberries though (more on that later), I was sold.

I used this recipe from Saveur, and lemme-tell-you, it is the perfect way to stretch out those pickling muscles. Minimal ingredients, no stovetop prep, plus it’s ready to be devoured in 24 hours. All y’all lazies out there who think pickling takes days and weeks to take effect will love this. Do yourselves a favor though and make this recipe now while blueberries are in season!

Pickled Blueberries

in Cheese / Sandwich 2 comments

by Miss K

Peach Cake: A Dessert So Nice I Made It Twice

I don’t like baking. I don’t like cake. And I really don’t like turning on my oven in the summer. Why then, did I recently find myself making this peach cake twice in the same week? Let me tell you why. It is freaking delicious.

Every summer since I discovered my favorite farmer and his one-man market, I have gone ~~a little~~ peach crazy. Each week beginning in mid-July, he sets aside a box of bruised, super-ripe or otherwise slightly inferior peaches, which I then purchase at a deep discount, typically about 80 cents a pound. I usually buy 10-15 pounds at a time. People ask me what I do with all these peaches—can them or freeze them or something? But here’s my guilty little secret: I really just eat them all, with substantial help from my husband and son.

Somehow, though, a few weeks ago, I ended up with a bowl of cut-up peaches in the fridge that were a little ripe to eat raw, even for me. So, I got it in my head that I would use them to make a peach cake. I even went so far as to purchase a little bottle of buttermilk so that I could follow the recipe, which I have now slightly adapted from Lisi’s Luscious Desserts. Company was coming, so I figured that I better do this up right. And it. Was. Good. So good, in fact, that a few days later, with my new crate of peaches on hand, I made another one for an Olympic-themed party. Apple pie may be the quintessential American dessert, but the peak of apple season is still a month away, so peach cake was it. And let me tell you, there was no complaining about my substitution.

Super-Moist Peach Cake Deliciousness

in Desserts / Recipe 0 comments