Simple summer melon salad

We are still at the beach. A local olive oil merchant recommended this simple recipe: peel and cut cantaloupe and watermelon into bite-sized pieces, then drizzle with peach-infused white balsamic vinegar and basil-infused olive oil (in a 4:3 ratio). Lightly toss, then serve. This was refreshing and delicious. If we were home with our full… Continue reading Simple summer melon salad

Simple powdered sugar icing

We are at the beach, without access to our normal pantry or kitchen tools. We baked a boxed devil's food cake, but we didn't want to use prepared frosting. We tried this simple recipe for icing: https://www.culinaryhill.com/powdered-sugar-icing/ We used 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2.5 Tbsp half and half, and 1 Tbsp… Continue reading Simple powdered sugar icing

Smitten Kitchen’s pumpkin muffins

We were in search of a pumpkin bread recipe that utilizes a full can (15 oz) of pumpkin puree. We tried this recipe, but made it into 20 muffins: https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/10/pumpkin-bread/ Our modifications: first, we reduced the sugar in the batter to 1 and 1/3 cup (from 1 and 2/3 cup). Second, we doubled the cinnamon… Continue reading Smitten Kitchen’s pumpkin muffins

Whole orange snack cake

When I was a kid, my family loved an orange chiffon cake from our local bakery, Danish Bakers. Craving that childhood memory, we tried this NYT recipe for a whole orange snack cake: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022002-whole-orange-snack-cake?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share We used a regular-sized naval orange. For the icing, we used the zest from the entire naval orange and about 2.5… Continue reading Whole orange snack cake

Thai candied kabocha squash

Kabocha squash has become a recent obsession; it evokes the best qualities of a sweet potato and a custardy pumpkin. We tried this simple recipe for a kabocha dessert: https://praneesthaikitchen.com/2012/11/03/thai-kabocha-pumpkin-candy-recipe/ We made half a recipe (1/4 kabocha, which yielded 3 wedges, each of which we cut in half crosswise for 6 pieces.) The recipe instructions… Continue reading Thai candied kabocha squash

Fruit salad with lime-honey dressing

This is a simple and refreshing dessert. First, prepare approximately 4 cups of seasonal fresh fruit (here, quartered strawberries, halved red flame grapes, blueberries, and sliced banana) in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper. Drizzle with juice from half a lime and 1 Tbsp honey. Mix well and serve. (Nov.… Continue reading Fruit salad with lime-honey dressing

Low-key chocolate almond banana dessert

We threw together this dessert that’s fairly healthy yet tastes decadent. First, lightly toast 2 tsp slivered almonds. Melt 1 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave (it took us four 30-second intervals, stirring b/w intervals). Second, Peel and vertically split a firm banana in a wide bowl. Gently spread the melted chocolate on the… Continue reading Low-key chocolate almond banana dessert

Almond butter and maple crisped rice treat

We tried this recipe: https://beamingbaker.com/3-ingredient-healthy-vegan-rice-crispy-treats-gluten-free-dairy-free-v/ This was very easy to make. We microwaved the almond butter-maple syrup mixture in 30-second intervals (about 6 rounds). We froze the bars in a parchment-lined baking dish for 30 mins. While not quite a substitute for my beloved Rice Krispie treats, this was very tasty, pleasantly nutty, and not… Continue reading Almond butter and maple crisped rice treat