Category Archives: Fruit

Grilled Chicken, Peach, and Mozzarella Salad

May 25, 2020

Since it’s Memorial Day, which means the unofficial start of summer, I’m sharing something extra fresh and summery, perfect for grilling season! I actually posted this recipe on Instagram sometime last year but had never shared it on the site. It comes from our former next-door neighbors and friends the Mattsons. We rented a home north of Seattle for the first 3 years we lived here and they were the best part of that home/neighborhood. We’ve both since moved and we miss them so much! This salad was one of the delicious meals they made when we had cookouts in their backyard.

I usually just grill chicken with some salt and pepper but you could make extra dressing and marinate the chicken in that before grilling for even more flavor. The corn can go on the grill at the same time. Grilled corn is one of the best summer treats! (I remove the husks, rub them in some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill, turning occasionally until the outside gets nice charred marks and the corn is tender-crisp.) Toss with fresh greens, ripe peaches (which you can also grill, but they get a little mushy that way), tiny mozzarella balls, pistachios, avocado, and a sweet and tangy orange balsamic dressing.

Grilled Chicken, Peach, and Mozzarella Salad

INGREDIENTS

chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled
fresh peaches, pitted and sliced
mini fresh mozzarella balls (often called pearls)
unsalted pistachios, toasted
avocado, pitted and diced
fresh sweet corn, grilled and cut off the cob
mixed greens (I used red leaf lettuce, romaine/green leaf/butter lettuce would all be good)

Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/2 navel or cara cara orange, juiced
1 tsp. orange zest
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. pure Maple syrup (can use honey)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the dressing, whisk together all ingredients until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Place salad ingredients in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with dressing, toss and serve.

Recipe from the Mattson Family

Carrot Cake with Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting

April 14, 2020

Since its debut at a bridal shower my mother and I hosted last February (edit: now over 8 YEARS ago!) , I couldn’t wait to re-make this cake! Carrot cake is my favorite dessert. This one has a dense moist center-  full of crushed pineapple, chopped nuts, flaked coconut, and chewy raisins. But the frosting is what really sets it apart- real whipped cream and whipped cream cheese- not a speck of butter in site (in the entire cake actually). This is my all-time favorite frosting, on one of my favorite cakes. Enough said.

Carrot Cake with Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS

3 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I used 1/2 cup pecans)
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup raisins (optional- I use 1/2 cup)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan. (Or 2 9-inch rounds.)

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour mixture and mix well.

4. In a medium bowl, combine shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins.

5. Using a large wooden spoon or spatula, add carrot mixture to batter and fold in well.

6. Pour into prepared 9×13 inch pan (or two 9-inch rounds), and bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes (or about 25-30 minutes for two 9-inch rounds), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving or to cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Cream Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, slightly softened
1 cup white sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl (keep cold) beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

2. In a separate large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Frosts one 9×13 inch cake.

(Both recipes adapted from All Recipes- Carrot Cake and Frosting)

Hawaiian Fried Rice

February 18, 2015

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Fried rice is one of my favorite dinners. Once you complete all of the prep it cooks so quickly and you can include lots of protein and veggies, making for a relatively healthy meal (especially compared to take-out, though I love that too!). I have recipes for Shrimp Fried Rice (can sub chicken) and Pineapple Mango Fried Rice. This fried rice has a Hawaiian twist. It probably isn’t authentic Hawaiian because I didn’t use spam. If you’re brave, be my guest. I’ll stick with deli sliced ham or Canadian bacon. Fresh pineapple is a must though to achieve that perfect balance of sweet and salty (and spicy with some added sriracha)!

Hawaiian Fried Rice

INGREDIENTS

~2 Tbsp. canola, coconut or peanut oil
1 medium shallot, minced
1/2 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 carrot, peeled and grated
3 large eggs, whisked
4 cups cooked white or brown rice, cold (prepared ahead/leftover refrigerated rice)
1 1/4 cups ham or Canadian bacon, diced
~ 2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2/3 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped, to taste
sriracha or crushed red pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Prep all ingredients ahead of time. This is key because once you start cooking, it moves fast!

2. Heat 1/2 Tbsp. oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, pepper, garlic, ginger, and carrot and saute for several minutes, until golden and slightly softened. Remove from the pan to a plate and set aside. Return the pan to the heat and lightly coat with cooking spray. Pour the whisked eggs into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked through. (They’ll cook FAST.) Remove the eggs from the pan and set aside on the same plate. Once cooled, break them up into tiny pieces with a knife or fork.

3. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. oil. Add the rice and spread into a single layer. Cook, only stirring every other minute or so, for 5-8 minutes until the rice is golden and warmed throughout. Add the ham and cook for several more minutes.

4. Stir in the vegetables/eggs that you set aside, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, the sesame oil, peas, and pineapple. Cook, stirring frequently, for several minutes until warmed throughout. Add the green onions, cilantro, sirracha or red pepper, and adjust seasonings to taste (adding another Tbsp. of soy sauce if necessary). Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

(Adapated from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe)

Orange Blackberry Muffins

February 12, 2015

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I first made these muffins six years ago (almost to the date!) when I first started this blog. Back then I tried to healthify them by using whole wheat and cutting down the fat. And they turned out great. But these are really really wonderful as a dessert muffin- with all of that white flour and butter. They rise high are pillowy soft and fluffy. They’re stuffed with orange zest and juicy tart blackberries, which is balanced with honey and sweet citrus juice.

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I’ve been baking at high altitude for six months (we moved to Colorado Springs) and almost feel comfortable with it now. This is my go-to guide for adjusting baked goods. I’ll try to include any adjustments* I use when I post recipes from now on. If you ever have any questions about baking at altitude don’t hesitate to ask!

Orange Blackberry Muffins

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour)
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup sugar + extra for sprinkling on top (optional)
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 navel orange, zested and juiced
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 Tbsp. honey
1 cup fresh blackberries (or frozen, thawed and drained)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease or line a 12 hole muffin tin.

2. Pour the orange juice into a large glass measuring cup or a bowl and pour in enough buttermilk to make 1 cup. Whisk in the eggs, honey and melted butter.

3. In a large bowl, rub sugar and orange zest together with fingertips until the sugar is moist and you can smell the orange. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently but quickly stir to blend. Stir in the blackberries. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin with a bit of sugar (optional- I like how it forms a crispy crust).

4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin.

*at high altitude: + 2 Tbsp. flour, halve baking powder and baking soda, – 1 Tbsp. sugar, + 2 Tbsp. buttermilk, increase oven temp to 400 F, decrease baking time by several minutes

Makes 12 muffins.

(Adapted from Genesis of a Cook)

Sugar Cookie Crust Fruit Pizza

May 30, 2014

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I keep starting to write about our day to day life (job searching, moving, the most annoying masters thesis in the world, toddlers who are this very minute singing while kicking the wall and NOT napping) and then decided I’m boring myself and all you’re really here for is a recipe. So, a recipe it is.

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We bbq’d on Memorial Day and tried three new recipes and loved them all. So I’ll be sharing them. Starting with dessert, naturally. A giant sugar cookie spread with a generous layer of lemony cream cheese frosting and topped with as much fruit as you can fit. Some people call it fruit pizza. I just know it’s delicious and the perfect thing to make when it’s 4pm and your guests are arriving at 5 and you need a dessert STAT. It does cook quickly, just be warned that you must let it cool completely before frosting or you’ll end up with a puddle of fruit on top.

Sugar Cookie Crust Fruit Pizza

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Spread:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon zest

Fresh Fruit:
strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, kiwi, mango, etc.

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until just incorporated. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the creamed butter and mix until blended. Remove dough from bowl and press into a greased 10 inch tart pan or pizza pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges just start to brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack.

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Spread evenly on the cooled crust. Arrange fresh fruit in desired pattern on top of filling and chill until ready to slice and serve.

Makes a 10-inch round cookie.

(Adapted from Kelsey Nixon via Lahatchita Eats)