Apples & Spice & Everything Nice

I don't need to tell you again how much I love fall, how I smile more in cooler air, how cider sets my heart a flutter, the smell of wood burning stoves gets me out of bed on the most difficult mornings, how the colors in the treetops continue to inspire and drive me. Surely I've said enough about this while extolling the virtues of butternut squash salads and tarts, warm spiced nuts, melt in your mouth pot roast, and gooey pear laden pumpkin spice sticky rolls.


And as if you haven't gotten enough apples with apple crisp and cider donuts, I'm back to overdose you and every friend I can gather on my favorite fruit. This time it comes in the form of a lovely carrot cakesque layer cake, complete with cream cheese frosting. While this is no friend to the calorie counter, it will be a welcome guest at any fall birthday or dinner party, and it's currently auditioning for a role in my annual Thanksgiving line up.

Apple Spice Cake


2 medium Gala, Fugi, Braeburn or other sweet firm apple, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch cubes
2 Tbsp cognac (you can substitute bourbon or caldavos)

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
3 jumbo eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp pecan extract (if you can't find it use almond or more vanilla)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp freshly ground green cardamom (one of those ingredients that you can leave out, but it will be missing some depth)
2 cups toasted pecan halves, divided

8 oz cream cheese at room temp
1 stick unsalted butter at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp pecan extract
pinch of salt
3 cups powdered sugar


After dicing the apple, allow it to macerate in the cognac for about an hour (the addition of macerated dried apple is also great in this).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft then cream in the sugars. Beat in each egg, one at a time, followed by the extracts. Sift in 1 cup flour and mix, then add 3/4 cup applesauce, mixing again, followed by another cup flour and remaining applesauce. Finish by sifting in the remaining flour with baking powder and soda and spices. Mix until just blended. Crumble in 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans and add macerated apples, then stir to combine. Divide evenly between 2 cake pans and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, blend cream cheese and butter until creamy and soft. Add extracts and salt, mix thoroughly. Sift powdered sugar into cream cheese mixture and beat until well combined. Apply liberally between and around cake layers. Top with remaining 1/2 cup pecans.

You Got Canned (sort of): Episode 2 - Molly, you're a genius!

If you've managed to grab a copy of Molly Wizenberg's (the face of Orangette) new book "A Homemade Life" or you've been paying attention to anything on Tastespotting lately, then you've probably seen this recipe already. But it is too good to pass up. Who would've known that a grape would taste so interesting pickled? Well...um.. apparently Molly would. You've got to be the next to try this recipe - easy pickles in your fridge - no canning skills necessary (Although it's certainly possible to can these if you so desire).

Of course I have to modify everything - so I subbed some grape juice for some of the vinegar - it was a bit strong for my taste and changed the spices up a little.



Pickled Grapes


1 lb. seedless concord grapes
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup grape juice
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp pickling spice
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise pod
1/4 tsp salt

Clean the grapes, then cut the stem end off just a bit, removing the "belly button" to expose some of the flesh to the pickling liquid. Stuff the grapes into a quart sized jar. Heat the remaining ingredients in a saucepan, bringing the mixture to a boil.


Pour the hot mixture down over the grapes. Refrigerate for at least two days - they should keep for at least a few weeks.

CSA Week One: Maryland's First Harvest

As you may have noticed, I've been suffering with a bout of uninspired cooking, which coupled with busy days has resulted in fewer and fewer posts. To remedy this situation, I've signed up for a CSA to force me to step outside my fall-back meals and try some new things. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and is a program where consumers buy "shares" of a farm's harvest before the season begins (I paid for mine in full in April), providing funds that help the farmers to plant and maintain their fields, and then pick up their shares as the produce reaches its peak. If you'd like more information on CSAs, or to find local farmers markets, click here.

My CSA comes from One Straw Farm, an organic farm less than 3 miles from my house. Once a week, I make a pickup. Since this was my first one, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was greeted with massive quantities of the freshest produce, sure to improve my vitamin intake!


Keep in mind this is one full share for just one week! This week's share included 1 bunch each of collard greens, curly kale, red chard, yellow chard, arugula, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, and romaine lettuce. Also included was a bunch of wacky looking garlic scapes (new to me), a small head of cabbage and 2 pints of super sweet Maryland strawberries.

So what to do with all of this bounty? The lettuce of course has been devoted to salads, one of which was a lovely vietnamese concoction topped with noodles and shrimp, inspired by Nim Chow. The chard was blanched and became a star player in a creamy mushroom, sausage and orzo gratin - recipe to come.


I have big plans for the collards and kale, braised with ham hocks to go alongside barbecued chicken and cheddar scallion biscuits. The cabbage will probably end up in cabbage & noodles - a favorite around here.


The strawberries begged to be vibrant strawberry ice cream - this time I modified my previous recipe and used port instead of creme de menthe. It's the best strawberry ice cream you can imagine. (Recipe below)


The biggest conundrum was what to do with those funky, curly garlic scapes. Some of them ended up chopped fine in an omelet. The rest made their way into a pesto with peppery arugula and pistachios. It's great for pasta, as pizza sauce or for a sandwich spread. See the recipe below.

Strawberry Ice Cream with Port


2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup port
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 vanilla bean, split and seeded
14 oz. freshly picked strawberries, washed and hulled (please, please seek out local ones - don't buy from across the country!)

Whisk eggs and sugar together in a heat proof bowl until well combined. Heat cream, port, milk and vanilla bean with seeds over medium heat in a heavy saucepan until mixture reaches a simmer. Remove pod of vanilla bean and reserve for another application. Slowly, whisking constantly, add warm mixture to the egg mixture in a thin stream, tempering the eggs. Return to the pan and bring mixture up to 175 degrees F while whisking. The mixture should thicken significantly- you've made a creme anglaise. Let cool to room temperature.

Combine strawberries and creme anglaise in a blender. Blend until well combined and chill overnight. Freeze according to the manufacturer's directions in an ice cream maker.



Garlic Scape and Arugula Pesto


1 bunch garlic scapes (about 6 large)
1 small bunch of arugula, washed and dried
1/2 cup roasted & shelled pistachios
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmeggiano reggiano
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano
1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Buzz garlic scapes and arugula in a food processor until well chopped. Add remaining ingredients and buzz in remaining ingredients until well combined. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 6 months before using.

The Big Melt

It's been a balmy weekend in Bal'more, with the temperature rising from 8 degrees on Friday morning to 68 midday Sunday. As the inches deep ice of two weeks ago melts and sends rivulets of muddy water streaming down to replenish our pond, I entertain dreams that spring is here. I'm sure that in the coming weeks more snow will fall, and once again I'll break out the jackets and boots and once again my thoughts will be occupied with chilis, soups and braises. But right now I'm dreaming of summers off, reading a book in the sun on the deck, napping in hammocks.



My daily attitude towards life is always reflected in my food. Today it was tropical, sun-loving and light. This meal would probably enrage any locovore. But its just what we need to cut through the grey cold of winter.

Sear roasting lends great flavor to the fish, while locking in its moisture so it cooks perfectly. One note - it will smoke. Do this on a day when you can open the windows.

Sear-Roasted Mahi-Mahi with Coconut-Macademia Crust and Tropical Cous Cous

2 tsp coconut oil
8 oz mahi-mahi, skin removed and cut into two 4 oz pieces
2 Tbsp chopped macadamias
2 Tbsp shredded coconut

14.5 oz light coconut milk
1/4 cup orange mango juice
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp Tom Yum paste
1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
1 1/2 cups cous-cous (I used tri-color)
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 large scallions, sliced thin on the bias

1/2 cup chopped fresh pineapple
store-bought mango peach salsa

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In an oven-safe skillet, heat oil over high heat, then add fish. Sear until bottom is golden brown, then flip. Sear until that side is golden. Press macadamia nuts onto fish, then press on coconut. Put in the oven to finish cooking. Fish is usually perfectly done when coconut becomes a beautiful deep brown.

Meanwhile, combine coconut milk, juices, tom yum paste and sriracha in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then stir in cous-cous and veggies, then remove from the heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir in scallions and fluff with a fork.

Serve fish on top of cous-cous, with fresh pineapple on top and salsa on the side.

A Dieter's Dilemma

Like most brides-to-be, the thought of myself in pictures that I'd be looking at for the rest of my life sent a chill up my spine. I want to lose some of those extra pounds, but I've had such a miserable time on diets of old. I always found myself sacrificing home-cooked for prepackaged, if only because then I didn't have to spend tedious hours calculating how many calories I consumed, I could just look at the label. And I was always sabotaged by desperate cravings for my favorite sweets or breakfast foods. It would go something like this.

Saturday 8am.
Woke up. First thought: "I want pancakes!"
Looked up nutritional information on favorite pancake recipe. "Damn" And that's without syrup!
Ate an apple.

Saturday 9am.
"I want pancakes!"
Scoured all of my cookbooks and the internet for a low-calorie pancake recipe. Found nothing. "Damn"
Ate a cup of sugar-free, fat-free (taste free) yogurt.

Saturday 12pm.
"I still want pancakes"
Contemplated working out 2 extra hours to accommodate said pancakes. Decided there was no time for that. "Damn"
Ate a salad. Stuck my tongue out at the salad because it wasn't pancakes.

Saturday 5pm.
"I REALLY want pancakes"
Broke down and made myself fattening, maple syrup drenched pancakes cooked in lots of butter. Felt good while enjoying them. Felt fat and guilty afterwards. "Damn!"


Now, this time I was determined it will be different. I will not sacrifice time in the kitchen. I will not sacrifice my favorite foods. I will eat pancakes dammit! And I will lose weight. So here's my oh-so-yummy, crispy, creamy, sweet and buttery yet diet-friendly pancake recipe. Four - yes FOUR generously-sized hot cakes and 1/2 of the syrupy fruity goodness clocks in at just about 400 calories! That means if you have awesome willpower (which I don't), then you could presumably get by on 2 pancakes and keep your breakfast to 200 calories. But I wouldn't know anything about that, nor do I want to. I'm loading my plate with goodies and still smiling afterwards!

Four Berry Diet-Friendly Pancakes
Makes 8 pancakes and a syrupy berry compote topping


1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 Tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup liquid egg substitute
1 tsp vanilla
zest of an orange (or lemon would be yummy too)
1/3 cup splenda or equal (or 1/4 cup stevia - which is all natural) - if you use sugar here it will be more calories, but still not bad
2/3 cup Trader Joe's Multigrain Pancake Mix (or any whole-grain mix - or make your own, but don't forget baking powder and soda)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 egg whites, beaten into soft peaks
butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray

2 Tbsp Trader Joe's reduced sugar raspberry preserves
heaping 1/2 cup blueberries
heaping 1/2 cup blackberries
4 large strawberries, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp splenda, equal or sugar (or 1/2 Tbsp stevia)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cheese, buttermilk, egg substitute, vanilla and zest. When it is well combined, stir in dry ingredients, then fold in egg whites.

Spray a pre-heated pan with cooking spray and return to medium heat. Ladle in batter, cooking 3 pancakes at a time. Let cook until lots of bubbles appear at the surface and underside is golden, then flip and let continue to cook until golden on both sides. Repeat with additional batter.

Meanwhile, combine preserves, berries and splenda in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until berries are slightly softer and a nice syrup has formed.


Serve pancakes hot off the griddle for best texture. They should be light and fluffy, crispy on the outside and slightly creamy inside (from the cheese). Top 4 pancakes with 1/2 of the berries and syrup for a delicious treat of a breakfast that won't break your calorie bank or land you in the gym for hours every day for the rest of the week. Then tell yourself how good you are for making sacrifices. Then laugh.



P.S. You will notice there are only 3 shown in a serving here. That's just due to my inability to resist eating one right off the griddle without accompaniment before I take pictures. Like I said - no willpower!

Ciderhouse Rules

Some of my best fall memories revolve around the apple. When I was young, my mother worked at the historic Slater Mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Each fall they had an evening craft show and tours of the old mill. All of the rough hewn pine beams and leaded-glass flooding the room with twilight created great ambiance, but what really permeates my memories is the smell of mulled cider, sipping a cup with folk music dancing in my ears as I rambled under, over and around the antique gears and looms.

Fast forward to eighth grade, when a passion for poetry had taken hold, and a writing retreat to Maine with childhood friends and cherished teachers. A football game in crisp air, then pulling ingredients from coolers and packing up dinner to take to a bonfire on the beach, shared with a thermos of cider under a ceiling of glitter. I never knew stars until that night.

And all of a sudden I'm a freshmen in college, awkward and lonely, stealing away to the neighborhood cafe for a steaming cup to help me plow through chemistry. Dashing home for weekends of apple picking, homemade caramel apples, apple sauce, apple pies...

Four years later, visiting my best friend in New Hampshire, the realization that this man had lapped me for most important person, but trading cider donuts and bushel bags none the less.


Apple cider has been one of the most central beverages in my life, and I don't even want to guess my lifetime consumption. I know that right now it averages about a gallon a week September through March. Although I don't think you can beat ladling out warm mugs of spiced nectar, cider donuts and apple crisp come close. In celebration of all things apple, I hope these recipes warm your body and your heart.

Cider Donuts (cake type) modified from Peabody's recipe


2/3 cup maple sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp dark rum
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup apple cider, reduced to 1/4 cup over high heat
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 3/4 - 4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
vegetable oil for frying

2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup apple cider

Cream butter together with maple sugar. Add maple syrup, rum and vanilla and mix well. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add in buttermilk and reduced cider.

Sift in all dry ingredients, starting with 3 1/2 cups of flour. Stir to combine. If dough is too wet, add more flour (you need to be able to roll it out without it being sticky. Turn out on a floured countertop and pat to an even thickness (about 1/2 inch). Use a juice glass of the desired diameter to cut out donuts. Use a small cookie cutter of your choice to cut the holes in the middle (or a shot glass works well).

Fill a deep pan with oil until it's about 3 inches deep. Heat oil to 375 degrees F. Fry 3-4 donuts at a time, flipping when first side becomes amber in color, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a cooling rack over paper towels. Repeat with remaining donuts and donut holes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, make the glaze by whisking together confectioners sugar and cider. Use a chopstick through the middle of the donut to dunk each one in glaze. Return to cooling rack to dry.


This makes about 16 donuts. I recommend you only make these for a crowd, because you've gotta eat them the same day.




Gluten-free Hazelnut Apple Crisp


6-7 large macoun apples
2 tsp lemon juice
zest of a lemon
1 Tbsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp freshly ground cardamom
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup hazelnut meal
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, skins removed and chopped coarsely
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick of butter, melted

Peel the apples and slice about 1/4 inch thick. Toss with lemon juice. Add zest, spices and cornstarch and toss to combine. Empty into a greased 13 x 9 pyrex baking dish.


Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl and mix with fingers to combine. Sprinkle over apples and press down lightly.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until topping has crisped and apples are bubbly but not yet completely soft. Enjoy warm with a dash of maple syrup, over oatmeal for breakfast, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Ushering in Fall

Autumn is my hands down favorite season. I love everything about it, the chill in the air, the musty sweet smells, evenings by campfires snuggling up together with mugs of mulled cider. All of my favorite events fall between September and December, starting with L & I's anniversary (8 years on Weds, sadly all unmarried - oh well, someday!), then the steeplechasing race we look forward to each year, Halloween (although it's not my favorite fall holiday), apple picking, leaf gawking, my birthday in early November, a full house at Thanksgiving and to cap it all off my favorite holiday of all, Christmas. I can't tell you how sad I am on New Years, knowing that it will be 9 long months.


So, while other people are still reveling in summer's bounty of peaches, tomatoes and corn, I've moved on, hurrying into fall. These sweet rolls are the perfect example. I've told you before about my thoughts regarding cinnamon rolls (nice but boring, and L hates them), so this time they get a makeover with fall flavors. Pumpkin and spice lend moistness and flavor to a brioche dough (based on Peabody's recipe), which hugs a filling of pears, pecans and dulce de leche. Start making these the day before, then you can just pop them in the oven and you'll have an easy and delicious breakfast.


Pumpkin Spice, Pecan & Pear Sweet Rolls


2/3 recipe Pumpkin Spice Brioche Dough
1 cup dulce de leche
3 small , 2 medium or 1 large pear, cut into small chunks
1/2 cup toffee bits, such as Heath Bar
1 cup pecans, toasted and crumbled
pumpkin pie seasoning

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp Frangelico liquor
4 Tbsp water

Roll out dough into a large rectangle, no more than 1/2 inch thick. Arrange rectangle so that the longer sides are the top and bottom. Spread with dulce de leche. Top with pears, toffee bits and pecans. Sprinkle with spices.

Grease a 9 x 13 or other large baking vessel. Roll dough up like a jellyroll, from bottom to top. Use a sharp knife to slice the roll into 2 inch thick pieces (for smaller rolls, make your rectangle much longer on the top and bottom and cut thinner slices). Place each piece into the baking dish as you slice it, with it's best looking end up.

Wrap loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to proof or let sit at room temperature one hour to rise. The following picture is what they should look like after proofing:


Preheat oven to 375. Brush with egg wash if desired. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

Mix together powdered sugar, liquor and water to make a glaze. Pour it down over the rolls. If desired, top with a sprinkling of toffee bits.




Pumpkin Spice Brioche Dough


1/4 cup warm water
1 packet active dry yeast
15 oz canned pumpkin
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dry nonfat milk powder
1 cup bread flour

6 cups bread flour
1 Tbsp pumkin pie seasoning
5 eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, softened

Combine water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir and let sit until foamy. Stir in pumpkin, sugar, milk powder, and 1 cup bread flour. Let sit until it's puffed in size, about 40 minutes.

Add remaining bread flour and spices and stir with the dough hook on low speed. Add eggs, one at a time, until all are incorporated. Turn speed up to medium low and add butter, 1 Tbsp at a time. Dough should become shiny and slightly moist. Knead for about 5 minutes in the machine. Turn out into an oiled bowl and let rest until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

If making sweet rolls, proceed from this point. With the remaining dough, roll it out into a rectangle as long as a loaf pan, brush with butter and top with a mixture of either brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice or chopped sage, fried pancetta and parmesan. Roll up bread and put into a greased loaf pan. Let rise 1 hour, then bake for 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Reduce heat to 350 for remainder of baking time, about 20 minutes.

Easy As Pie...Only Ice Cream...

I currently have a lot of overripe fruit in the house. And after having to toss a pint of molding raspberries, I decided it was about time I did something about it, starting with the progressively browning freckled bananas on my countertop. Ice cream fiend that I am, of course the first thing that came to mind was banana ice cream.

I came across a no churn ice cream by David Lebovitz that was chocolate in flavor, but with added sweetness and texture from bananas, which also served as the fat in the ice cream. [Sidenote: I bought my almost-mother-in-law an ice cream maker and his book, The Perfect Scoop, for her birthday and have since considered stealing the book several times] His recipe got me thinking. I'm not really a fan of chocolate ice cream (or chocolate flavored things in general, although I love a bar of chocolate itself).

So I thought, "well, bananas...hmmm....they taste good with caramel...and...Oh! Banana Cream Pie! I love banana cream pie! And caramel is so much better with sea salt... and some white chocolate could stand in for the chocolate...but I don't have caramel and it's too hot to play with sugar... I do have dulce de leche... Eh, we'll try it." And 5 minutes later, licking the spoon after putting the ice cream base in the freezer: "Mmmm... this was such a good idea. I must be brilliant."


And so my next crazy icy concoction was born. And ooh is it good! It is couldn't be easier. The only piece of equipment required is a blender, although a food processor would work fine and I suppose that really and truly, a thorough mashing with a fork might even do the trick! So forgive me for talking to myself (and admiring my own ingenuity) and have some pie...I mean ice cream...

Salted Dulce De Leche Banana Cream Pie Ice Cream


3/4 cup lowfat milk
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 oz. white chocolate chips
4 oz. dulce de leche

3 medium overripe bananas
2/3 cup Bailey's Irish Creme
1 Tbsp dark rum

5 large marshmallows, torn into small chunks

2 Tbsp Heath Bar toffee bits
8 vanilla wafers, broken into coarse chunks

Heat milk in a small saucepan until it simmers. Remove from heat and stir in salt, chocolate and dulce de leche.
Let sit for 5 minutes before stirring to make sure everything melts into the hot milk.

Combine bananas, liquors and milk mixture in a blender. Blend well to combine. Add in marshmallow bits and freeze until almost set. Fold in toffee and cookies and let freeze completely (about 4 hours of freezing for soft serve-pictured here, 6-8 for hard ice cream).

Cream of the Crop

So I may have a penchant for heavy cream. Is that such a bad thing? OK so maybe it is- but it's so good. These are not dishes you should necessarily have every day. But they are lovely treats, and let's face it - summer produce just longs to be dressed in cream. This was an easy and delicious supper, and is equally delicious hot or cold.

Lemon Cream Bowties with Shrimp


1 tsp olive oil
1/2 large red onion, sliced
3 large cloves of garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
zest and juice of 2 lemons
2/3 lb. small shrimp
1 cup frozen sweet peas
kernals of one cob of sweet corn
1 lb. cooked al dente mini farfalle (Barilla now makes Piccolini -tiny- pasta, perfect for pasta salads)
4 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 large scallions, sliced thin
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped fine
2 Tbsp basil chiffonade

Saute onion in olive oil over medium high heat until slightly softened. Add garlic and saute until it starts to brown. Add cream, then lemon zest and juice. Bring to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes or until thickened. Add shrimp and peas, bring back to a simmer and add corn. Cook until shrimp starts to turn pink. Mix in other ingredients. Cook over medium low heat until pasta absorbs some of the sauce. Serve warm or chilled.





A tiramisu-like custard goes so well with sweet grilled peaches. The perfect summer dessert, this takes next to no time to make. You will only need about a cup and a half of the zabaglione at most - stay tuned to find out what to do with the rest!

Grilled Peach Tiramisu Parfaits



Mascarpone Zabaglione
8 oz mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp espresso powder
2/3 cup sugar, divided
5 egg yolks
2 Tbsp marsala wine
1 Tbsp dark rum
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp chocolate extract (optional - could sub chocolate liquor)

Combine cheese, cream, milk, salt, espresso powder and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk occasionally as mixture heats up. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining sugar and egg in a small bowl until it drops from the whisk in a ribbon. Once cream mixture starts to steam, ladle some into the egg mixture while whisking away furiously. This should temper the eggs. While whisking, add the egg mixture into the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer (keep whisking!) until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Bring to room temperature, then chill at least 2 hours.

3 white donut peaches, split down the middle along their length and pit removed (so that they are truely donut shaped)

1 Tbsp Godiva chocolate liquor
1 Tbsp amaretto
1 tsp espresso powder
1 tsp sugar
1/8 cup water
6 crisp Italian ladyfingers

Preheat a grill on high (make sure it was well cleaned with a wire brush!). Brush peaches with melted butter. Grill peaches briefly on each side.

Mix liquors, espresso powder, sugar and water together in a shallow dish. Break each ladyfinger in half. Briefly soak one full (2 halves) ladyfinger in liquor mixture, then place in the bottom of a parfait glass and cover with zabaglione. Add a peach half. Repeat with 2 more layers. (Makes 2)