Heirloom Tomato and Mascarpone Pizza

This grilled pizza is a gourmet version of the cheese and tomato classic.  Flavorful heirloom tomatoes on a mascarpone-spread crust topped with feta, fontina, and mozzarella cheeses. Simple is good when you start with fresh, amazing, local flavor.

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Sometimes it's good to keep things simple on a pizza. Just some cheese and tomatoes.  You could order in a plain cheese pizza or you could make it yourself, a variety of ways. You could pick up a box on the shelf of the grocery store, grab a fork, and have a simple cheese and tomato sauce pizza.
You could pick up a bag of dough, a jar of sauce, and a wedge of cheese and get busy. Or you could get an heirloom tomato in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share and decide to go gourmet, like I did.


One of the reasons I like to eat locally grown produce is because it tastes better than something trucked in from off. That flavor discrepancy is never more pronounced than in a tomato. There's something about a fresh tomato, picked at the height of it's ripeness, that cannot be matched by anything trucked into a grocery store.

When tomato season starts, I make it a point to enjoy a fresh tomato sandwich every week. That sounds easy, now, in the beginning of the season. Let me tell you--it can be a drag come September. But I do it anyway--changing it up with bacon, avocado, whatever looks good that day to me.



I also like to put fresh tomatoes on pizza. The trick to keep your pizza from getting soggy is to slice your tomatoes a good 30 minutes to an hour before you put them on a pizza, like I share in my Tomato Basil Pizza recipe. If I'm using my oven, I'll have my pizza dough sitting on the counter for a couple of hours before I plan to bake, just to get up to room temperature so I can work with it. I'll slice my tomatoes and leave them on a cutting board to drain, then turn on the oven to preheat my pizza stone for an hour. By the time the dough has relaxed and the stone has warmed up, the tomatoes have given up a fair amount of juice. I can tip that off the cutting board and I am good to go.

Peach Gooey Butter Cake

A delightful summertime dessert, this gooey butter cake is topped with fresh peaches. It starts with a boxed mix and is ready for the oven in no time!

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Half this year is over. I think it's time to set a few goals. One of my goals is to get better at actually using fresh fruits when they are ripe and abundant. Not to toot my own horn, but it is my blog and I do work to pay my hosting fees and all so . . . I'm pretty good at putting up fruit by freezing it.

shown here: peach jam, peach salsa, frozen peaches, shrimp gumbo, shrimp cocktail, shrimp salad . . .

I'm also pretty good at using that frozen fruit in a wide variety of ways. From Blueberry and Sweet Corn Waffles to Cheater Margarita Smoothies, I figure I've got a handle on the endless pints of blueberries I freeze each year.

What I lack in decent photos of the finished product, I make up in messy kitchen photos. My life!

For fresh fruits I make a variety of savory dishes. I've shared Black Raspberry Goat Cheese Crostini, Cherry Peach Salsa, Sweet and Spicy Chicken, Peach, and Chile BBQ Pizza, and Beet, Blueberry & Goat Cheese Appetizers on this website as a few examples.

No, what I need to work on is using fresh fruit, in season, as dessert. Last night I made (and ate,and didn't photograph) a peach and blueberry cobbler using the last of The Peach Truck peaches and some blueberries from the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share. [I got a fruit share this year. Score!] Tonight I'm going to make a patriotic Cherry Blueberry Cobbler to eat with the vanilla ice cream my son made this afternoon. I'll try and remember to take pictures so I can share it.

Today I want to share a tasty dessert that I have lousy photos of. See, along with using more fresh fruits while they are in season, I need to work on making more desserts for my family. Dessert seems to be something I make for other people, not for just us. After I get the entree and any sides going, I just don't have the energy to make a dessert. When I take a page from Alanna's playlist, and cook something every day, I have leftover sides a plenty and can take the time to make a dessert.

Hot and Spicy Zucchini Pickles

Use that zucchini or summer squash in a delicious new way. These spicy pickles are a terrific accompaniment to bratwurst, and bring a feeling of summer all year long.

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When I mention that I've been canning something, people respond 'oh, I'd like to learn how to can . . .'  like I say I'd like to learn how to weld. As if canning is something that requires schooling, apprenticeships, or anything more involved that just boiling water.

Really. The mystique needs to be swept away. I'll be teaching a salsa making class at my local community center in September (when all of those tomatoes and peppers are overflowing the markets) to do my part to dispel the illusions. I hope this recipe will help nudge you into canning if you're uncertain. It makes a small amount--just 2 pints--and that fits easily in a tall pasta pot if you've got one.

I decided to try this recipe because, as with all gardeners, hope springs eternal. Despite my previous squash pickle failure (which resulted in my Pickled Pork Sliders . . . salvaging a canning failure into a decent meal) I wanted to try again. Between my volunteer squash and those in my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share I was awash in squash.


I hit up my local library for cookbooks. Who says Summer Reading Programs need to be limited to novels? In the Better Homes and Gardens Can It! Cookbook  (Amazon affiliate link) I found the inspiring recipe. I modified it based on what I had on hand while keeping the key elements (acidity of final product and length of processing time) intact.

The recipe notes suggest eating these alongside bratwurst. While my cousin Jim would probably disagree (he thought mustard on my bun was heresy), I thought the spicy slices were a nice addition to a brat. I'm also glad to find a way to use the abundant garden volunteers that pop up throughout the yard.

For more recipes using zucchini, please see my Zucchini Recipes Collection. I've also got a Summer Squash Recipes Collection if you're waffling on what to call the squash in question (those bicolor ones can be tricky). These collections are part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating from the farm share, the farmer's market, the garden, the neighbor's garden, and great deals on ugly produce at the grocery store.

CSA Farm Share Chopped Salad

This salad is filled with a variety of colors, flavors, and textures. A mixture of raw and cooked vegetables with grains, proteins, and herbs, this hearty vegetarian salad can be eaten as a main dish or used as a side salad.

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Today I want to talk about maximizing time.

Do you bring reading material, knitting, or your laptop with you when you know you'll be sitting and waiting somewhere? I do--either my Kindle at the doctor's office, or my knitting in the car, or my laptop while waiting for my daughter's sewing class. I like to be prepared when I know I'll be stuck somewhere for a while.


It's amazing how much focused effort I can accomplish toward a task when I am free of the distractions of laundry, the dogs wanting out (and in and out and in and out and in), or the lure of social media.


This recipe came about precisely because I was stuck without preplanned waiting materials. We'd dropped the car off for routine maintenance first thing in the morning and decided to swing by the dealership eight hours later, en route home from an errand.


The car wasn't ready.

Grill the farm share vegetables. It's what's for dinner.

Got a lot of vegetables in the crisper? Next farm share due soon? Throw the veggies on the grill.

If I'm unsure what to have for dinner, I'll start with what vegetables are on hand.  One of the lovely benefits of participating in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share is that we always have vegetables on hand.

In the Fall/winter, that means I gather vegetables from the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve in the basement, turn on the oven, then start peeling and chopping while I figure out what will go alongside a pan of roasted vegetables.  Examples of a Roasted Farm Share Dinner and Roasted Potatoes with Squash and Peppers are two recipes I've shared using this technique.


In the summer, I swap out roasting in the oven for throwing the farm share on the grill.  I use the same preparation as if I'm roasting, and the results are equally flavorful.  Examples of grilled vegetable recipes I've shared on the blog are Grilled Garlic Scape Pesto Smashed Potatoes, Grilled Green Beans, Grilled Mushrooms, and Grilled Butternut Squash and Peppers.

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There's no limit to what you can grill. In addition to the usual suspects above, I've grilled Bok Choy, Kohlrabi leaves, and Napa Cabbage. I've grilled naan bread for pizzas. I've grilled pineapple for pasta salad and next week I'll be sharing a recipe for Grilled Cherry Muffins.


Grilled vegetables can be used as is, or put up for later meals by freezing. I use grilled vegetables in salads, spaghetti sauce, lasagna, and on pizza. I'll toss them with pasta served in both warm and cold preparations. Having a pile of mixed grilled vegetables is an excellent building block in your What To Eat For Dinner arsenal.

I have no official recipe, just a technique.  I try and make the pieces as uniform in size as possible. I toss them with cooking oil (vegetable or olive) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I've got a basket and a perforated pan for vegetables that are too small to lay across the grill grates.



Typically I've got the grill set at medium heat and covered during grilling.  After about 5 minutes I'll check on the vegetables and flip or stir them. Small items in a basket, like peppers and cubes of squash, will get multiple stirs. Larger pieces like eggplant and zucchini will only get turned once.

After the vegetables are tender, browned, and/or crisp I'll toss them with additional flavors. I really enjoy a dressing made from Garlic Scape Pesto thinned with olive oil. Depending on the eventual use of the vegetables, tossing the grilled vegetables with soy sauce or balsamic vinegar adds an additional layer of flavor over the salt and pepper.

If you've got a grill, try throwing the farm share on it this summer!

Grilled Eggplant & Chicken Parm Pizza

Take the classic flavor combination of eggplant parmigiana or chicken parmigiana and turn it into a pizza! This grilled pizza keeps the kitchen cool during the summer months.

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When I mention that eggplant is often one of the summer vegetables found in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share box, I hear 'oh I love eggplant parm'.  So do I. However, I hate to bake a hearty casserole in the summer when the eggplant is ripe. I've had success this past winter with using frozen (but already grilled) eggplant in baked dishes, but that's a recipe for another time.

Quick Crispy Sugar Snap Peas

A fast and flavorful side, these sugar snap peas are quickly sautéed with spring onions for a crunchy accompaniment to any meal.

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I plant peas each Spring, hoping to get a jump start on the edible goodies coming out of my back yard. I never seem to remember succession planting, though, so I mostly get just a handful of peas harvested at a time. An amount that generally gets snacked on as I walk back into the house.

It's rare for me to get a working amount of sugar snap peas.  Peas are so yummy raw, or dunked in hummus or our favorite Spiced Cottage Cheese Chip Dip that I tend to just eat them that way. In an effort to broaden the family's culinary horizons I've also made a Cold and Creamy Pea, Avocado and Mint Soup--but it turns out that chilled soups are not something the other household residents embrace. All the more for me.

Simon's interest put all my other meh photos of peas and pea blossoms to shame this morning.

Waffled Carrot and Turnip Fritters

Shredded carrots and turnips, combined with a bit of spring onion, make an earthy and sweetly savory side dish or appetizer. Topped with some parmesan cheese and butter, it's a tasty way to enjoy the farm share. Use a waffle iron to make this fun snack.

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I find the start of each Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share season to be rife with promise. We'll have high expectations to eat ALL THE THINGS and then get bogged down in sheer volume of vegetables.


What helps me the most is to have a few 'go to' methods to deal with different types of produce. For example, when I'm overwhelmed with greens I know I can whip up a Fast Greens & Pasta dish to use up a large bunch in a way my family will enjoy.


I shared last week how I turn to my grill, in the summer, or to my roasting pan (in the Fall when I'm not worried about heating up my house too much) to turn root vegetables into building blocks for future meals.

Today I'd like to share another method--fritters.  I like to fritter away my time in the kitchen. It's much more productive than frittering away my time on Facebook, and the results are far tastier. I've shared several recipes for shredding vegetables to make vegetable pancakes or fritters. One summer standby (that you can make off season if you shred and freeze your summer squash) is my Zucchini Pancake recipe. I've shared a previous plain Turnip Fritter recipe here. I've even waffled up some St Patrick's Day leftovers in my Corned Beef Hash Brown Waffles.

Grilled Ciabatta Pizza with Chicken and Vegetables

Skip messing with raw dough and use ciabatta bread for this grilled pizza. Topped with grilled chicken, eggplant, peppers and zucchini, this flavorful pizza comes together quickly and keeps your kitchen cool.

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This pizza is an easy one to throw together during the summer. It uses previously grilled zucchini, peppers, eggplant, and chicken. These are combined with feta cheese and mozzarella, then used to top a grilled ciabatta loaf. I topped it with fresh basil for a real summer treat.

It's a common theme, for me, to use what I've got on hand for our meals. During the growing season I am using what I've got from the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share. During the colder months I'm using whatever I've put up--by freezing, dehydrating, or canning--combined with whatever looks good on sale at the grocery store.

Fresh Chive and Ricotta Muffins #MuffinMonday

Creamy ricotta cheese and fresh chives are the highlight of these savory muffins. Adding potato flakes to the batter, and using bacon grease takes the flavor of this quick bread over the top.

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Growing herbs is supposed to be easy. For the most part, herbs flourish when you harvest them frequently. For basil, it's pretty easy to make a massive batch of pesto and freeze what you don't use. Here's how I make my pesto. But chives have proven to be a problem for me. I take a few pieces at a time but don't use a whole bunch, so the clump tends to get scraggly from under-use.

Chive blossoms are another matter--I covet those and have even asked the neighbors for their blossoms so I can make Chive Blossom Vinegar, Chive Blossom Focaccia, and Chive Blossom Potato Salad with Egg. I'm on a mission to use more of my clump of chives this year, so I got the hankering to make some savory muffins.

Grilled Asparagus and Salmon with Dill Butter

Use the right tools for the job to grill a Father's day meal of Grilled Asparagus and Salmon with Dill Butter.

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Why do Father's Day foods have to be all red meat? Dads may enjoy a nice piece of fish for a change.  A healthier swap--especially with so much flavor--is a welcome addition to a summertime table. Plenty of vegetables never hurt anyone, so sharing the limelight with a fresh seasonal vegetable makes good sense and is good for you as well.

Fresh Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream Pie

This Fresh Strawberry Sundae Ice Cream Pie takes the flavor of a strawberry sundae and makes it easy to serve a small crowd all at once. Great for graduation parties, Memorial day cookouts, or just because local strawberry season should be celebrated.

Ice cream pies are a fun way to make a special dessert and still keep the house cool in the summertime. A few shortcuts (I use store bought everything but the local berries, but you could make each component from scratch) and you've got a sweet treat to eat with very little effort.

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Strawberry season has arrived here in Ohio, and it's the perfect time to appreciate the sweetness of a locally grown berry. Kick off the summer with this pie--you could serve it for a Memorial day cookout, or a graduation celebration, or just because you deserve a treat.

If you're new to making ice cream pies, I've shared a photo-rich How To Make An Ice Cream Pie At Home tutorial. I put my years of experience making ice cream desserts at Baskin Robbins to good use, and shared all the tips and tricks I've picked up along the way. You can find that ice cream pie recipe here.

My son is graduating high school today and family has flown/driven in for the occasion, so there's a lot more of us around than usual to commemorate the event. When you're a military family and move often, you tend to be a pretty self-contained nuclear family unit at school functions because you haven't been part of the community for generations.   

It was nice to fill up a pew at baccalaureate last night, even though I didn't have any tissues in my purse. You need an emergency chocolate or dog biscuit? Need to floss, have a cup of decaf tea, or repair a hem? I've got you covered. I have catheters and ear plugs, but do I have a hankie when I need one? No.

Red Potato Salad with Chive Blossom Vinegar

A recipe for new potatoes bathed in a chive blossom vinegar-mayo dressing and accented with carrots and parsley.

I've got a terrific potato salad today that celebrates the fresh flavors of the season. This perfect picnic side dish has the mild flavor of chive blossom vinegar paired with tender new potatoes. It's a great accompaniment to a cook out, graduation party, Father's day, or just because it's lovely weather outside.

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If you grow chives (simple--it's a perennial clump that you plant once and harvest for years) you'll have chive blossoms. Just like with my beloved garlic scapes, the blossoms are an edible plant part that's often overlooked.  I've already shared a few recipes using them (Chive Blossom Focaccia and Chive Blossom Potato & Egg Salad) but if you've got plenty, please make Chive Blossom Vinegar. It's got a great flavor and really adds to your dishes.

Do you have a vinegar hoarding problem, too? I've already got a bunch of vinegars in my pantry--rice wine, apple cider, balsamic, red wine--and white in the basement for laundry/pickling. Why make another one? Because it's easy, and it's fun. If you had access to enough chive blossoms (anyone want to give me some?) this would make a lovely gift. I was sad last year when the last of my vinegar was used up--mostly in potato salads--and will be glad when this year's batch has finished steeping.

Potatoes in so many forms are a staple for my family.  In the Fall we got a large volume of them from our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share and I stored them in the basement. We've got a dry basement, and they lasted in baskets for a few months. So many dinners started with roasted potatoes, and of course on Thanksgiving I made my Make Ahead Irish Mashed Potato Casserole.

In the summer I switch to potato salads. My Confetti Potato Salad is the old family standby, but lately I've been using the chive blossom vinegar with it.  This time I wanted to play up the colors of the new red potatoes so I grabbed some parsley (planted next to my chives) and my mother's day present herb scissors (Amazon affiliate link) and went to town.

Robert Barker considers the backyard his own Edible Foodscape.

For more recipes using herbs, please see my Recipes Using Herbs Collection. Innovative titles are not my strong suit. For more recipes using potatoes, please see my Potato Recipes Collection.  These collections are part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating from the farm share, the farmer's market, the garden, the neighbor's garden, and great deals on ugly produce at the grocery store.

Grilled Greens Salad with Couscous

A concept recipe for using Spring farm share greens in a hearty main dish salad. Grill greens, a protein, and some other vegetables, then toss with a grain and some cheese for a simple salad supper.

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This time of year I'm often out grilling in my driveway. My neighbor comes over to see what I'm grilling, and I check in to see what he's grilling. Since I started throwing the farm share on the grill, my grill plan starts with vegetables. There's nothing like the flavor of meat cooked over flame . . . but don't forget about the effect that fire has on vegetables!

Today's recipe is another concept recipe for using whatever cooking greens appear in your Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share. I've used Napa cabbage, Bok choy, and pak choi in this type of recipe, but I am sure that Romaine and radicchio would also work. I know that grilling radicchio won't fly with my kids so I'll save that for another salad.

Inside the house, make a pot of couscous or another quick cooking grain (Trader Joes has some terrific 10 minute farro and barley bags, or if you've got more time how about wild rice, or jasmine rice, or bulgur wheat--there are endless possibilities). Once the grain is about done, head out to the grill.

You're simply going to take your greens, slice them in half, brush with cooking oil, and give them a few minutes on a medium grill. Easy.  While you're at it, grab some additional vegetables (peppers, onions, radishes, peas, and/or green beans) and give them the same treatment. Add a protein. I raided my freezer and grabbed a package of smoked sausage which added additional flavor.

Once all of the vegetables and protein are finished on the grill, chop them into small pieces and toss everything together with your grain. I do this in a large bowl. I drizzle a bit of olive oil over top, and toss again. Add a little drizzle of acid (half a lemon squeezed over the bowl, or a splash of balsamic vinegar) and toss again. A bit of cheese, another toss. Finally some salt and pepper--and the big bowl is ready to dig in.

It's a relaxed meal because there are no hard and fast rules of what needs to go into it, and you taste as you go. My kids like the chunks of meat, my spouse likes the filling-ness of the grain, and I like that leftovers can be served cold or at room temperature.

Grilled Mozzarella Stick Pizza with Pickled Peppers

This pizza has mozzarella sticks and pickled peppers for a gooey cheesy pie with a bit of a kick. Throw a few handy toppings on a pizza, then throw it on the grill for a fast, easy, and cheesy meal.

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I don't wish to give the impression that everything I make is healthy. What is "healthy" anyway? Different people define it in different ways, and I'm sure not about to tell you how you should define healthy. I'm here to offer choices in how you can eat the foods produced in your local area, and if that means putting them on a pizza--I'm all for that.

My family loves to eat pizzas and watch a movie on Friday nights. Most of the time I make the pizza, as I can fire up the grill, stretch out the dough, make the pizzas, and be finished within 30 minutes. And I'm slow in the kitchen! No need to call for delivery if I've got all the supplies at home. Unless, of course, my kitchen has been taken over with the 4 hour installation of a new dishwasher, as happened recently. I shared the photo on my Instagram feed, in lieu of an 'as it happens' pizza photo/video. In that circumstance I called for delivery and tossed the boxes in the oven. When the dishwasher was finally set up, we sat down to pizza.

This pizza came about because my daughter and I went shopping when we were hungry. We bought a giant box of mozzarella sticks. I do not believe there were hundreds of sticks but at one point it seemed like it.  If mozzarella is good on a pizza, why not a mozzarella stick?

Potato, Tatsoi, and Caramelized Onion Enchiladas

Creamy mashed potatoes and tender tatsoi greens, flavored with caramelized onions and salsa verde, fill these vegetarian enchiladas. Topped with plenty more salsa verde and cheese, it's a filling meal.

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You can make this dish ahead, freeze it, and thaw it to bake later. I did--just to see if it worked and report back here.


In the months after the fresh farm share vegetables are long gone, when there's at best one pie pumpkin left in the Strategic Winter Squash Reserve, I turn to my freezer stash to keep us fed. I frequently freeze components of meals like pesto, caramelized onions, pizza dough, or grilled vegetables. I'll thaw and use these components later in the year, one of the ways I feed my family local foods throughout the year while living in a place with winter.

Freezing entire meals, though? Not my usual style. However, I had plenty of filling and tortillas and only 3 eaters while my spouse was deployed, so I figured instead of loads of leftovers I'd try freezing a pan of these to eat later.  It worked. You can do this, too.

Black Raspberry & Goat Cheese Crostini

This sweet and savory appetizer combines black raspberries with goat cheese and a vinaigrette, served on a red leaf lettuce-topped round of hearty bread, and sprinkled with pistachios for crunch.

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I need other women in my life. Women nurture me (and I hope I nurture them in return) via online interactions and in person. While I love my spouse and my kids, the support I get from my friends bolsters me in other, very necessary, ways.


So to my female readers of all ages: keep supportive friends in your life. Call to deliver birthday greetings to your college buddy when she turns 85. Have lunch with your sidekick who's moving back home after a job/relationship didn't work out. Chat online with your alter ego who needs a listening ear and some motivation. Take a walk with your pal who's having trouble figuring out the chemistry homework.

This appetizer is one that I brought to a gathering of women who nourish me: my book group. We meet once a month and discuss a wide variety of books as well as an even wider variety of other topics. Unlike other groups I've been in, there's not typically a food component to our meetings. If no one feels like hosting, we meet at a local coffee shop. No pressure to produce an elaborate spread--we just want to get together.

A typical Spring farm share box--plenty of greens and cool weather crops.

I liked the taste of the Black Raspberry, Goat Cheese and Pistachio Salad I made with the Spring Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share lettuces, and decided I wanted to use that combination in a handheld appetizer. My daughter harvested plenty of black raspberries from our patch so I didn't need to skimp. The pistachios provided a nice crunchy contrast to the creamy goat cheese, and the pink color was perfect for a ladies' gathering.

For more recipes using raspberries, please see my Raspberry Recipes Collection. It's part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating from the farm share, the farmer's market, the garden, the neighbor's garden, and great deals on ugly produce at the grocery store.

I'm sharing more recipes on my Pinterest boards, follow me there. If you like a good peek behind the scenes like I do, follow me on Instagram. Need a good read? I'm sharing articles of interest on my Facebook page, follow me there. Want to know How to Use This Blog?

Black Raspberry & Goat Cheese Crostini (makes a platter of appetizers)

Ingredients

• ½ cup goat cheese (I sliced off a log, but you could pack in some crumbles)
• ½ cup black raspberries (use red if that's what you've got)
• 1 Tablespoon salad dressing (any sweet vinaigrette type will do)
• freshly ground pepper
• a bit of butter, maybe 2 Tablespoons total
• hearty bread sliced thinly into individual rounds (a baguette works well)
• red leaf lettuce
• chopped salted pistachios

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese and raspberries until raspberries are mashed.
2. Mix in salad dressing and a couple of grinds of fresh pepper. Set aside.
3. Toast the bread if you like. I did not, but if you are--preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lay the bread in a rimmed baking sheet to toast for 5 minutes on one side.
4. To serve, spread a bit of butter onto rounds of bread. Top with a piece of lettuce, a teaspoon or two of raspberry mixture, a hit of freshly ground pepper, and a sprinkle of pistachios.