Cheese Ravioli with Burst Tomatoes & Mascarpone

I don't know what it is, but I've seen recipes for "burst" tomatoes in pasta several times lately.  It's like the culinary fairies were trying to send me some sort of subliminal message.  When I came across this fabulous looking recipe in the August issue of Southern Living magazine, I thought, "That's it!  I have to try this!"  

Burst tomatoes sound fancy and elaborate.  The truth is, they are simply mixed with olive oil and freshly minced garlic and placed underneath the broiler until they "burst" and become beautifully charred.  The process only takes 5-10 minutes.

Other than that, all you have to do to enjoy this delicious dish is cook the pasta and mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. 

Easy peasy.

I used a gorgeous yellow heirloom tomato for the additional tomato the recipe calls for.  It added a beautiful contrast of colors that made Brad and I want to dive right in.  I adore heirloom tomatoes this time of year and use them every chance I get.  The parsley and basil add a wonderful flavor that only FRESH herbs can.  And then there's the mascarpone melting into cheesy, creamy oblivion over the top.  Yes, please!

I added chopped chicken from a juicy rotisserie chicken at the end.  To Brad, it isn't dinner without some sort of meat.  It was the perfect addition.  Rotisserie chickens are my best friend, especially during these hot summer months.  They make life easier!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Pasta with Burst Tomatoes & Mascarpone
Adapted from:  Southern Living magazine, August 2013

Ingredients:
1 (24-oz.) package frozen cheese-filled ravioli  
3 pt. assorted grape tomatoes  
1 large tomato, chopped, preferably heirloom
2 garlic cloves, chopped  
2 tablespoons olive oil  
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice  
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small rotisserie chicken, meat removed and chopped  
1/2 cup torn assorted fresh herbs (such as parsley and basil)  
1 (8-oz.) container mascarpone cheese

Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, preheat broiler with oven rack 4 to 5 inches from heat. Stir together tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil in a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Broil 5 to 8 minutes or until tomatoes are charred, stirring halfway through.

Transfer tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in butter, next 4 ingredients, and 1/4 cup fresh herbs.  Spoon over hot cooked ravioli; dollop with cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

Fabulous Homemade Granola

Lately, I've been loving granola.  I can't get enough of it.  I love sprinkling it over greek yogurt and fresh blueberries for a healthy, yummy snack.  Or, it's equally as mouth-watering by the handful.

So, I got to thinking...Why don't I come up with my own recipe for the crunchy, satisfying goodness that is granola?  This recipe was the fabulous result.  It's perfectly sweet, thanks to a combination of light brown sugar and wildflower honey.  Sliced almonds, roasted sunflower kernels, and sesame seed also make an appearance.  Plus, a smattering of ground cinnamon only adds to the wow factor.

If you're a granola fan like me, you will really love this recipe!  It comes together easily and is ready in a flash.  Store it in an air-tight container, and you've got a snack that will last for days (if it doesn't disappear faster!).

Bon appetit, my friends!

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup roasted sunflower kernels

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup honey, preferably wildflower

1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Mix the first six ingredients in a large bowl. 

In a separate small bowl, vigorously whisk together the honey and canola oil until well combined.  Pour over the dry ingredients.

Using your hands, thoroughly mix the granola until the honey mixture is fully incorporated, lightly squeezing as you go.

Press the granola into an even layer on a large silicone-lined baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown; stirring every 10 minutes to promote even browning.

Cool completely;  granola will harden as it cools.

Easy Lemon Blueberry Jam + An Itchy Berry-Picking Experience

Blueberry season.  

Those two words make me incredibly happy.  

I literally wait all year until glorious summertime, when I can get my hands on heaping gallon-sized buckets of the little spheres of blueberry goodness.

This year, Brad and I got adventurous and took a short drive to a nearby blueberry farm, where I excitedly picked berries to my heart's content.  After almost 2 hours of hand-picking the finest berries, we had TWO gallons to lug home with us.  Visions of blueberry jam and countless blueberry desserts were swimming through my head.  I was thrilled...

Until.the.bites.started.itching.

Have any of you ever had the unfortunate experience of practically being eaten alive by little demon bugs called chiggers/red bugs?  Oh my dear...Over 40 of those little buggers got a hold of me and had quite the snack.  At first, I thought they were simply mosquito bites, but OH NO.  Brad and I were both itchy, scratchy messes.  The thing that's so bad about chiggers is that you have no clue they've bitten you until it's too late.  Once you start itching, they are long gone.

Was it worth it?  That's a hard question to answer because the berries are so incredibly delicious, but those little demon bugs sure made their presence known.   After 2 weeks, the bites still haven't gone away completely.  However, we will be enjoying these two mountains of blueberries for a LONG time, so I'm a happy camper.  Next time, I'll just be sure to cover myself with about 10 layers of bug spray before we venture out into the blueberry bushes!

This mouth-watering blueberry jam is one way I put those berries to good use.  The rest are either snuggled away in the freezer, or have been turned into other desserts.  This recipe is easy, yet is packed with the sweet flavors of summer.  The tart lemon juice is the perfect addition to the sweetness of the fruit.  Y.U.M.M.Y.

Bon Appetit, my friends (and don't forget the bug spray)!

Easy Lemon Blueberry Jam

Ingredients:
6 cups fresh blueberries
3 cups sugar
Juice of 1 large lemon

Directions:
Place blueberries in a large bowl and crush them with a potato masher or fork, to release their juices.

Next, pour the crushed blueberries into a large saucepan, over medium heat.  Add the sugar and lemon juice.  Stir until all ingredients are mixed well, and continue to cook over medium heat for 25-35 minutes, stirring often.  Be careful not to let the mixture bubble over, and lower heat as needed.

Once the desired consistency has been reached, carefully pour the jam into mason jars or other heat-proof, covered containers.  Place in the refrigerator (jam will continue to thicken as it cools).

Enjoy!

Delicious Peach & Blackberry Cobbler

A warm cobbler right out of the oven possibly screams "Summer!" better than any other dessert that I can think of.  They are easy to put together and are a wonderful way to showcase summer's bounty of fresh fruits.  My personal favorite always involves peaches, and this particular recipe adds fresh blackberries to the mix.  

Speaking of blackberries, I was pretty excited to discover several blackberry bushes on one of our nightly walks with the pup, very close to our house.  I have to give my hubby, Brad, a special thank you, because he hand-picked the blackberries for this dish!  After all, food always tastes better when you pick the fruit yourself.  :)

I've made a lot of different cobblers throughout my dessert-making adventures, but this one is definitely going to be my new go-to recipe.  It was inspired by a Paula Deen dish that I tweaked here and there.  My secret ingredient is cardamom, in addition to the traditional cinnamon.  It adds a scrumptious depth-of-flavor that I love.  I also used buttermilk and substituted half of the white sugar for brown sugar.

I have to admit - I've made this cobbler THREE times over the past several weeks.  I took it to a family get-together recently, and then it was requested again at our July 4th celebration.  I wanted to make sure that there was plenty to go around, so I made 2 dishes of it for the holiday.  And you know what?  It's already all gone...This stuff doesn't last long!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Blackberry Peach Cobbler

Adapted from:  Paula Deen

Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, sliced peaches

1 cup blackberries

1 cup white sugar
 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar 
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/2 cups buttermilk  
Extra sliced peaches & blackberries, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the peaches, blackberries, 1 cup white sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and water in a saucepan and mix well.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

Whisk together 1 cup brown sugar, flour, and buttermilk slowly to prevent clumping.  Pour mixture over melted butter.  Do not stir.  Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup.  Batter will rise to top during baking.

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Garnish with fresh peach slices and blackberries.

Classic Buttermilk Biscuits

After the 2013 Southern Baking Retreat, I couldn't help but come home and bake biscuits.  This resulted in a delicious explosion of flour in my kitchen, but it's so worth the mess.  Homemade biscuits have always been a favorite thing of mine to make.  Mostly in part because it brings back all those wonderful memories of being in the kitchen with my grandmother, cutting biscuits with an upside-down sweet tea glass.  Plus, I'm a self-proclaimed "bread girl," so no meal is complete without some sort of biscuit, toast or roll on the side.

When it comes right down to it, is there any food more quintessentially southern and delicious than a well-made buttermilk biscuit?  

It's an art form in itself.  Even though there's really only 3 ingredients involved - flour, butter & buttermilk - so much can go right, or so much can go wrong on any given biscuit-making day.

It's all about the technique and ingredients that you use: 

• Southern flours, like White Lily, are made from soft winter wheat, and therefore have much lower levels of protein.  This results in lighter, fluffier and more tender biscuits.  

• In addition, always use COLD butter and buttermilk.  

• Work quickly while making the biscuits, so that the ingredients stay cold.  Once that cold butter hits the hot oven, it will create steam, which helps the biscuits rise higher. 

•  And most importantly - Use a gentle hand and do not over-mix.

This recipe is a delicious, yet basic one that I've always used.  Biscuits only get better with lots of practice, so don't be afraid to make a flour-y mess of your own.  :)

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Classic Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups Southern, self-rising flour (such as White Lily brand)
1/4 cup COLD, salted butter, cut into cubes
2/3 to 3/4 cup cold buttermilk 
2 Tbsp melted butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or coat with no-stick cooking spray.

Pour flour into a large bowl.  Using a pastry blender, cut 1/4 cup cold butter into the flour until butter pieces are the size of peas.

Slowly blend in buttermilk using a fork, just until dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl.  Do not over-mix!

Place dough onto a lightly floured work surface and very gently knead the dough 2-3 times, just enough to bring it together.  Do not over-knead. 

Pat or roll the dough until it is 1/2 inch thick.  Cut biscuits using a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, being careful NOT to twist as you cut.  (This will seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising as high.)

Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, so that they are almost touching.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

While still hot, brush additional melted butter on the top of each biscuit.