Fruit Lassi

There are some lassi recipe posted on this blog previously, but this is pretty much my go-to recipe now.  You can use just about any type of fruit that you want--I've done strawberries, blueberries, mixed berries, pineapple, and more.  This particular time I used a bag of mixed fruit that had strawberries, melon, peaches, and pineapple and it turned out great.  It is lightly sweetened with a slight tang from the yogurt and lime and a hint of aromatic spice from the cardamom.  It is a great cool-down drink for the summer, especially paired with a spicy Indian dish.

Fruit Lassi

Number of Servings: 2
Time to Prepare: 5 minutes

• 1 cup frozen fruit
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I've used regular plain yogurt and it works fine, the lassi is just not quite as thick and creamy)
• 2-4 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1-2 pinches cardamom

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Adjust sugar to taste (I prefer sweeter so I'm usually closer to the 4 Tbsp amount, but start with 2 and see how you like it).

Source: adapted from snack-girl.com
Produce Used: Fruit of choice, lime

Vanilla Bean Custard Fruit Tart

Each separate part of this tart is finger-licking good so you can just imagine how incredible it is when it all comes together.  I may or may not have taken a few (large) tastes of the custard before putting it into the crust.  Speaking of the crust, it has this little bit of sweetness to it that complements the custard perfectly.  Use whatever fruits tickle your fancy or whatever is in season at the time.  And not only does it taste great, it looks really pretty too. 

Vanilla Bean Custard Fruit Tart

Number of Servings: 8
Time to Prepare: 2 hours 15 minutes

• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 vanilla bean
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ice water
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam
• 1 Tbsp water
• 3 cups fruit (peaches, kiwi, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)

In a medium stainless steel bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together with a wooden spoon.  Sift the flour and cornstarch together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until smooth.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine the milk and vanilla bean on medium heat until boiling.  Remove from heat take the vanilla bean out.  Pour the hot milk slowly into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds out into the egg mixture.

Place the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, whisk constantly for another 30 – 60 seconds until it becomes thick like pudding.

Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the half and half. Pour into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap (touching the surface of the custard). Cool. If not using right away refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days.

Put the 1 1/2 cups flour in a medium bowl and cut in the butter until it resembles coarse meal.  Gradually add the beaten egg, beating just until incorporated.  Add ice water slowly, as needed, until the dough comes together.  Flatten the pastry into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.

Roll our the dough about an inch larger than your tart pan.  Gently lay in pan and lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan.  Cut off any excess.  Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill tart pan with pie weights, rice, or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface. Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes until crust is dry and lightly golden brown. Remove weights and bake 5 more minutes until the crust is completely cooked.  Cool crust on wire rack.

Stir the jam and 1 Tbsp water together in a small bowl.  Heat in the microwave until smooth, then let cool slightly.  Brush glaze on cooled crust and let dry for 20-30 minutes.  Spread the custard into the crust. 

Slice strawberries, kiwi, peaches, etc.  Arrange fruit on top of the custard in overlapping concentric circles, making sure to cover as much of the custard as possible.  Brush fruit with remaining glaze and serve.

Source: adapted from Karen in the Kitchen
Produce used: Peaches, kiwi, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries

Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler
Produce used: Peaches

• 8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted, and sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 3 T white sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

While that cooks, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Blend in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined. 

Remove peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Mix 3 T white sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.  Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

Recipe from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/southern-peach-cobbler-2/

1/21/2012 Basket - Southwestern Turkey Salad and Fruit Pizza

Southwestern Turkey Salad
Uses: Lettuce, Tomato

Can you tell we're on a turkey kick? :)

Coat cooked turkey (or chicken) with barbecue sauce. Toss lettuce with tomato, red onion, black beans, and cheese. You can also put in avocado and corn. Top with barbecue turkey and serve with barbecue ranch dressing (just mix your favorite barbecue sauce with some ranch).


Fruit Pizza
Uses: Kiwi, banana, orange, pear, pomegranate


1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

sliced fruit - strawberries, kiwis, oranges, bananas, pears, etc.

1/2 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice
2 T lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp orange zest

Mix sugar and butter. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract; mix thoroughly. Stir dry ingredients together, then blend in to butter mixture. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.

Press cookie dough onto a cookie sheet or pizza pan (I only used about 2/3 to 3/4 of the amount of dough made in the recipe above). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, then cool completely.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread over crust.

In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar, salt, cornstarch. Stir in orange juice (I used fresh squeezed from the oranges in the basket), lemon juice, and water. Cook and stir over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and add orange zest. Allow to cool but not set up.

Arrange sliced fruit over cream cheese mixture (coat bananas in lemon or lime juice to keep from browning).

Spoon orange sauce over fruit and chill for 1-2 hours.

7/30/2011 Basket - Wraps, Potato Skins, and Peach Tart

Wraps

Uses: Leaf lettuce, tomato

Spread garlic mayo on the inside of a flour tortilla. Add lettuce, tomato, bacon, and cheese. Eat.

Potato Skins

Uses: Potato

I used this recipe: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-potato-skins/detail.aspx

Peach Tart

Uses: Peaches

Combine 3/4 C. all-purpose flour, 2 t. brown sugar, and 3 T. butter in a bowl. Cut with pastry blender until it resembles coarse flour. Sprinkle with 2-3 t. water and 1/4 t. vanilla. Stir with fork until dry ingredients are moistened.

Shape dough into ball and press into lightly-greased pie plate. Combine 2 thinly-sliced peaches, 1/2 t. vanilla, and 1 T. brown sugar until all peaches are covered. Arrange peaches on dough and sprinkle with 2 t. of white sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

7/23/2011 Basket - Freezer Jam

I've watched my mom and sissy'n'law do this a thousand times, but I've never made my own freezer jam til now. It's so easy and such a money saver that I'm kicking myself for not having done it before!

Freezer Jam
Uses: any berry, mangoes, peaches, plums, etc.

4 c chopped fruit or berries (peeled if necessary)
1 1/2 c sugar
3 T lemon juice (only for peaches)
1 packet pectin

Mix the fruit, sugar, and lemon juice (only for peaches), and let sit for 10 minutes.  Whisk in pectin.  Put in tupperware and freeze.


I made peach, strawberry-peach, mango-peach, and peach-plum.  Can you tell we had a lot of peaches (and other fruit) that I was trying to get rid of!?

7/23/2011 Basket - Milk Shakes

This is my go-to plan for left-over fruits of almost any variety. Freeze em and make shakes.

Frozen Milkshake Fruit
Uses: any berry, mangoes, peaches, etc.

Freeze them, then throw a whole bag (sans the plastic) in the blender with some milk.  If you want to be healthy, drink it like that.  If you want to be fatty (like me), add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some sugar.

7/2/2011 Basket - Ramen Noodle Stir Fry, Spicy Pear Cookies, Fruit Tarts

Ramen Noodle Stir Fry

Uses: Broccoli, Carrots

This recipe is super easy but surprisingly good. The recipe calls for cauliflower but since we didn't have any this week, we used a little extra broccoli and carrots. We also added some onion.

1 cup chopped broccoli

1 cup chopped cauliflower

1 carrot sliced thin

2 packages ramen noodles

nonstick vegetable spray

2-3 T soy sauce (optional)

1 2/3 cup water

Wash broccoli and cauliflower. Cut into small bite size pieces. Peel and slice carrot.

Before opening the ramen packets, crush packet and break up noodles. Pour noodles into a bowl and set aside.

Spray frying pan with nonstick vegetable spray while on the burner with medium heat. Let the frying pan warm for 30 seconds.

Add the vegetables.

Stir fry the vegeatbles for about one minute.

Stire in the borken noodles, contents of the seasoning packets, and water.

Bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and simmer with the lid on for 3-5 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir twice during cooking.

Serve. Add soy sauce if desired.

Spicy Pear Cookies

Uses: Pear

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-pear-cookies/detail.aspx

I usually leave out the raisins and walnuts in this recipe, just out of personal preference.

Fruit Tarts
Uses: Pear

We still had some plums left over from a previous basket so I used those as well. You could also use peaches, bananas, etc.

1 package ready-made puff pastry
~3 T melted butter
Sugar
1 pear
4 plums
Warmed, strained apricot jam

Set the oven to 425 degrees. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface until it is about 1/8" thick.
Cut circles out of the pastry around a dish or lid. (I did four 6" tarts with a good amount of pastry left over--if you did a little bit smaller tarts you could probably do eight.)
Slice the plums and pear thinly. Then brush the pastry with melted butter and arrange slice of fruit on the circles.
Brush the prepared fruit with butter and sprinkle sugar on top.
Bake the tarts for 20 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and the fruit cooked. Put them on a wire rack to cool.
When the tarts have cooled, brush the fruit with a little melted, strained apricot jam to glaze the tarts.