Last week I hosted a cooking class with my friend, “J”. Each year we donate a cooking class to our school’s auction and this years theme was “Little Bites”. I wanted to not only come up with recipes that one could eat at a small cocktail party, but also, give ideas that could made in a few minutes, using pantry staples.
It took me a while to motivate, but once I did, it all came together. ”J” was in charge of cocktails, cheese + nuts, and setting the perfect environment. We collaborated on the menu and I typed up the market list.
Our little bites theme carried through to dessert. I made a double batch of dough so I would have room to play with it. I made a batch of these little cups. But they failed. I started to get a little nervous because I kind of procrastinated and waited until a few hours before the dinner to bake these off.
I baked off a batch of traditional style shortcakes which came out perfect. Eli tested and gave the thumbs up. I went back to the drawing board.
This is a dish that is perfect for all of the endless “end-of-school-year” pot luck dinners or for BBQs all summer long: Oven Roasted Potato and Green Bean Salad with Skinny Basil “Pesto.”
Walk through any farmers market and the bounty of summer will be on display in mounds of freshly picked carrots, beets, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers, peppers, onions, parsley, zucchini, corn, celery, green beans, tomatoes and spinach.
Cherries with their crunch, deep red color, and juicy flesh always bring me so much pleasure. It's easy for me to eat bowlfuls in one sitting. My favorite part of summer has always been waiting for the stone fruits to ripen, picking up cherries and sour cherries at the Greenmarket, and visiting local farms to pick peaches and plums right from the trees. Summer just wouldn't be summer without enjoying all its fruitful bounties.
It’s hard to believe that we’re already approaching Memorial Day weekend. So most likely, if you’re not hosting a gathering, you’ve been invited to one.