Peach and Plum Bruschetta & the Utah State Fair

When I attended the Utah State Fair this year I noticed an abundance of canned peach items.Some of them sounded very tasty (vanilla bean peach pie filling) while others might take me a while to get use to (green tomato, jalapeño and peach salsa). It was amazing to see what creative cooks abound in Utah. The peach syrups were lined up in different size jars and colored from light to dark amber- each of them having something extra to make their syrup just a little special. Jams, jelly’s, pickles, it was enough to make my head spin!

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I came home and made a recipe I picked up at the fair a couple of years ago when I was demonstrating in their kitchen. Kelsey Nixon was on just before and she made a version of this delightful peach bruschetta. It’s an appetizer, but could be used as a dessert or afternoon snack I suppose. I’ve used a variety of fruit in this from nectarines to pears, but I especially love plums paired with peaches. The lime juice adds just the right tang to bring the sweet together. Make a couple of loaves of Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day and you've got a delicious fall appitizer where you can taste the sweetness of summer all mixed up- it's delightful!

What will be your final farewell to summer's peaches?

Balsamic Vegetable Salsa with Cheese Toasts from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day

The other day I took a simple savory dish to a sweet baptism of a friend of mine. Many wonderful cooks had brought something to share to the bounty of this table and everything was very tasty- from the baked sandwiches, fresh salads, crackers and pepper jelly to the out of this world fabulous homemade Bear Lake raspberry ice cream. It was lovely to be together to celebrate with this family.

I made a simple salsa from some garden veggies served with cheese toast from the basic boule recipe of Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day. The toast was crunchy and a hit on it’s own, but with the salsa, it was delicious. It all came together very quickly and it’s one of the reasons I so love the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day- fresh, versatile and tasty. I used my balsamic rosemary reduction to flavor the salsa, so it was a quick fix as well.

I plan to do a post on the cheese crackers, and grilled pizza with Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, but if you are interested in the recipe before then, check out this blog, More Than A Mount Full with Chef Dennis for a great write up.

What is your favorite savory appetizer?

Balsamic-Rosemary Syrup and a Multitude of Ideas of How to Use It

One of my favorite things to have on hand is my bottle of Balsamic-Rosemary Syrup. I keep it in a squeeze bottle in the side door of my refrigerator and you’d be amazed at how often I put it out.It’s so simple to make and the flavor is a power punch that can send a simple meal into the extra special category.

So how do I use this deliciousness in a bottle?

· A flat bread with feta cheese, dried tomatoes and olives with just a drizzle of Balsamic-Rosemary Syrup to finish it off.

· Strawberry Crepes with powdered sugar with an aioli on the plate of Balsamic-Rosemary Syrup.

· Dress simple greens with some crunchy croutons and garden vegetables

· Drizzle it over pork chops and you have a perfect finishing sauce

How about an appetizer made up of cubes of fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, your choice of black or green olives threaded on a skewers, drizzle Balsamic-Rosemary Syrup on top, just before serving sprinkle some chiffonade basil on top and add another few additional drops of the syrup. Your guests will love you for it. I served it at this memorable event.

Do you have a delicious sauce that is your favorite multi-tasker?

If you haven't had a chance to check out my give-away, take a minute to look at the great cookbook with Melissa Peck's beautiful artwork. I think you'll fall in love, I did.

Never Say Never & Fruit Dip Deliciousness

This afternoon while preparing for a family Easter egg hunt and BBQ I did something I have told classes a number of times would never happen. I can hear myself saying "If you want to give your kids a tool to cut with that is fool proof, one that they can't injure themselves with, hand them a pair of kitchen sheers."

Bad advice. I was cutting some grapes into clumps, thinking about the other 10 things I needed to do, talking and SNIP. My finger got in the way of the grapes! It happened so fast. Grateful for adult children and a friend that came to help, we decided it didn't need stitches, but what a mess and such a bother!

Lesson: kitchen sheers are more safe than a sharp knife, but not fool proof, especially if someone is distracted, talking or doing too many things at the same time.

Despite the interruption, the family gathering was great. Every last grape was eaten, and so was all of the fruit dip that went with the salad.