We’re nearing the end of peach season in the south, a bittersweet time of year for peach lovers like myself. Bitter because I dread the peach-less months of the year that loom ahead, but sweet because I try to fit peaches into nearly every meal of the day in order to savor the peak of their juicy freshness.

Here is a delicious way to add some fresh peaches into your dinner menu. The grilled swordfish pairs perfectly with this sweet and tangy salsa. Add some fresh diced jalapeno if you are looking for some heat with your sweet!

Grilled Swordfish with Fresh Peach Salsa

2 swordfish steaks
Salt and pepper to taste

1 large fresh peach, peeled and diced
1 large tomato, cored, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of one fresh lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat your indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides until the fish reaches your desired done-ness. Don’t be afraid of using a meat thermometer if you don’t have experience cooking this type of fish!

Combine the peach, tomato, onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Cover and allow the flavors to meld for at least 10-15 minutes before serving.

Top your swordfish with the salsa and serve immediately.

Dear readers, I was eating some beautiful strawberries the other day. They were sliced into beautiful heart-shaped pieces, and it made me think of my oldest friend, who is awaiting a heart transplant. She and I grew up next door to one another, romping and playing together since we were in diapers. She is just barely 29 years old, and is in need of a new heart. Her life depends on the generosity of some yet-to-be determined individual who decided to become an organ donor.

When we were growing up, our moms would take us to this wonderful breakfast place in Atlanta called the Original House of Pancakes. Our moms’ favorite item on the menu was the famous strawberry waffle. Up until recently when my friend’s mom moved away to be with her as she awaits her transplant, our moms  were still in the pattern of meeting every Thursday morning to eat a strawberry waffle at the OHOP and to share news of our families.

This morning, my husband and I had strawberry waffles for breakfast at home, and I thought of my dear friend, waiting for her new heart.

Have a heart? Then I hope you will consider becoming an organ donor today. The lives of my friend and many others depend on our caring and generosity today.

Click on the heart to learn more about organ donation.

Strawberry Waffles for Two

1 cup strawberries, sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 waffles, made from your favorite recipe or a mix
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Whipped cream

In a small bowl, combine the strawberries and the sugar. Toss gently to combine

Make your waffles so that they will be nice and warm when served.

Sprinkle the waffles with the powdered sugar. Top with a dollop of whipped cream. Spoon over the strawberries and any juice. Serve immediately.

Happy (belated) Fourth of July, dear readers! Among the many American traditions that go along with Independence Day, one of the greatest is EATING! This dish is based on a recipe from one of my favorite old fashioned American cooks: Nathalie Dupree. She calls this deliciously fresh dessert “Liberty Cobbler” for its red, white, and blue hues. It is essentially a strawberry cobbler with a blueberry sauce. The flavors are every bit as colorful as these pictures portray: a terrific combination of crispy cobbler, sweet-tart berries, and cool and creamy topping.

My dad even said that this was the best cobbler he had ever eaten. It’s definitely a winner!

PS: I need to add a special thank you to my father-in-law for picking the blueberries I used in this recipe from his blueberry patch!

Liberty Cobbler
Adapted from Natalie Dupree’s recipe in New Southern Cooking (1986)

Cobbler:
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 cups strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 scant cup milk

Blueberry Sauce:
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix 1/4 cup of the sugar with the sliced strawberries. Toss gently and set aside.

Put the butter in a 9×13 inch baking dish and place in oven to melt. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a whisk, stir in the milk and the remaining cup of sugar to make a smooth batter.

When the butter has melted, remove the dish from the oven. Pour the batter into the melted butter. Spoon the strawberries and any juice evenly over the batter.

Return to the oven and bake about 30 minutes. You will know the cobbler is done when the batter has risen up around the berries and turned golden brown.

To make the sauce, combine the water and sugar in a saucepan. Put the pan over medium-high heat so that the mixture boils. Meanwhile, coarsely puree 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries in a food processor. Add the puree to the sugar syrup along with the lemon juice. Bring the mixture back to a boil, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add all but a few of the remaining whole blueberries to the mixture. (The rest will be for garnish.) Cook for about 1 more minute, until the whole berries begin to soften.

Serve the sauce warm over the cobbler topped with either whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Dear readers, I have a special treat in store for you today.  This is a cake that I save for special occasions because it is so close to my heart.  It’s a perfect way to celebrate spring, whether it’s Easter, Mother’s Day, or a special family event.  Daffodil Cake – a light and lemony angel food cake marbled with beautiful batters and topped with a citrusy glaze.  When you make this cake for someone, you will make them feel truly special and loved.

This cake always reminds me of my dear Auntie Gladys.  The first time that I made it, I was about ten years old and she had come to town to visit us.  She raved and raved about how wonderful it was, and over the years she continues to ask whether I have made one lately. So when I made it for my mother-in-law, my mom, and my grandmother this mother’s day, I thought fondly of my sweet Auntie Gladys in California.  If only she were closer, I could have made one more for her!

Daffodil Cake
from my trusty old Betty Crocker Cookbook

1 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons of sugar
12 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

Lemon Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Stir together the cake flour and the 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.

In a large electric mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, ,beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt for about 60 seconds, until foamy. Add the 3/4 cup of sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. Gently fold the vanilla and lemon zest into the meringue.

In another electric mixer bowl, beat the egg yolks for about 5 minutes, until they are very thick and lemon colored. Set aside.

Sprinkle the flour-sugar mixture, one quarter at a time, over the meringue, gently folding the flour in just until the dry ingredients disappear. Pour half the batter into the bowl with the whipped egg yolks, and fold gently together.

Get out an ungreased tube pan, about 10×4 inches. Spoon the yellow and white batters alternately into the pan, and gently cut through the batters with a knife to swirl.

Bake on the bottom shelf of your oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top springs back when gently touched with a finger. Invert the pan on its funnel and let the cake hang until it is completely cooled.

While the cake is cooling, it’s time to make the glaze. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and add the lemon zest. Add the lemon juice one tablespoon at a time to the powdered sugar, whisking vigorously until the mixture is smooth.  The mixture will thin very quickly as you add the juice so go slowly and stop when you get to your desired glaze consistency.

Carefully remove the cake from its pan and spoon the glaze over the top.  Enjoy!

I think you can tell from the photograph where this delicious treat gets its name!

This creamy and delicious salad was a favorite in my family when I was growing up.  My mom first found it in The Congressional Club Cook Book (8th Edition, 1970) and it has been a tradition in our house ever since.  We usually have this around Christmas time, ,but I think that it makes a gloriously green addition to any St. Patrick’s Day or Easter table, too!

Sea Foam Salad

1 14-ounce can of pears, with their juice
1 3-ounce box of lime Jell-O
6 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1 cup whipping cream

Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the pears. You should have about 1 cup of pear juice – if you fall short, just add water until you have 1 cup of liquid. Heat the pear juice in the microwave for about 1 minute. Dissolve the Jell-O in the hot pear juice. Let set until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, mash the pears with a fork and mix in the cream cheese.

When the Jell-O has thickened slightly, whip it with an electric mixer until frothy. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold all the ingredients together until fully incorporated.

Chill the mixture in one large mold or in several smaller molds. Chill overnight or until set. Turn out of molds, and garnish with cherries or greenery.

I wanted to create a really hearty yet sophisticated dessert using some beautiful seasonal pears that I had on hand.  As I’ve mentioned before, I love making up a good crisp or cobbler recipe on the fly!  I thought that honey would be a wonderful flavor to pair with the pears, and with a subtle hint of spices and some toasty walnuts on top, this Honey Pear Crisp turned out absolutely perfect.

Honey Pear Crisp

3-4 large pears, peeled and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons salted butter, divided
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
a pinch of ginger
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease a small oven-safe dish – an 8×8″ square will work fine.

Layer the pear slices in the prepared dish. Dot the top with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Drizzle the honey over the top of the pears.

In a small bowl, combine the rest of the butter, the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Use a fork or a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pears. Finally, sprinkle the walnuts on top.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the topping is browned and the filling is bubbly. Serve warm with whipped cream, ice cream, or frozen yogurt.

I’ve made this nice cozy breakfast bread several times this season.  A slice of this bread is absolutely perfect with a cup of coffee or tea on a chilly morning.  It is packed full of tart apples, juicy cranberries, and toasty walnuts – with barely enough spiced batter to hold it all together!

Apple-Cranberry Bread
adapted from AllRecipes.com

3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup spiced rum or apple juice
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom (substitute with cinnamon if you don’t have this)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups of apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
3/4 cup walnuts

In  a small bowl, cover the cranberries with the spiced rum.  Cover and allow to sit for at least 1 hour (overnight is best).  Drain and discard the liquid.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a large loaf pan (or 4 mini loaf pans).  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and oil.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, stirring just until combined.

Gently fold in the drained cranberries, the apples, and the walnuts.  Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan(s).  Bake for 55-60 minutes for one large loaf; 40-45 minutes for four smaller loaves.

I’m not sure what it is about this appetizer, but for some reason, men seem to always love it!!!  It’s been a favorite of my husband’s for a long time.  There is something so unique about the mixture of the salty cured ham and the sweet chunks of melon.  It makes a wonderfully light and fresh addition to any menu!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon

12 ounces of cantaloupe, cut into bite-sized pieces
12 ounces of honeydew melon, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb. prosciutto ham, very thinly sliced
Toothpicks

Wrap each piece of melon with a slice of prociutto and secure with a toothpick.  Garnish with extra fruit, if desired.

Aaaahhh, the end of the summer. Tomorrow marks the first day of fall here in Georgia. Last night, the hubs and I enjoyed such a lovely evening at my parents’ house in Atlanta. And Nanny herself was there with one of her famous pies.

I admit it, dear readers: I’ve been holding out on you.

I’ve been saving some of the best of the best recipes in my family . . . saving them for a rainy day. Well, I’m not sure whether you’ve heard, but it’s raining buckets here in drought-ridden North Georgia, so it’s about time for me to share one of these precious gems with you all!

My sweet grandmother “Nanny” is famous for her pies. In the summertime, it’s all about the blueberries . . . Nanny’s fresh blueberry pie is delicious enough to bring tears to your eyes . . . and yet so wonderful in its simplicity. I think that most of Nanny’s recipes shine through in their beautiful simplicity – truly highlighting the fresh ingredients without need for masking them with a myriad of distracting flavors.

So here is my gem for you today, dear readers, as the rain pours down over Georgia. Happy autumnal equinox – have a slice of pie!

Nanny’s Fresh Blueberry Pie

Pastry:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 ounces of shortening
2 ounces of ice cold water

Filling:
4 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoons butter

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

For the pastry, sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add shortening and blend with pastry blender until the mixture reaches the consistency of small peas. Add ice water and chop mixture with a knife. Mix with your hand until a soft ball forms. Separate into halves. Take the first piece and roll in extra flour. Line a 9″ pie pan with the first half, leaving a small overlap around the edges of the pie dish. Repeat with the second half of the dough, and set aside.

For the filling, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Sprinkle 1/4 of this mixture on the uncooked bottom crust. Add blueberries. Sprinkle the remainder of the sugar mixture on top. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and dot with the butter. Flute the top crust, pinching it to the bottom crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees, and bake for about 25-30 more minutes, until the berries are tender. Cool before slicing and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Frozen Lemon Cake
adapted from Nanny’s recipe

1 cup crushed graham crackers, divided
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs, separated
1 lemon (all juice and all zest)
½ cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar, divided

Combine 3/4 cup of the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter, stirring until a crumbly loose mixture forms. Line the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan with the mixture.

In a bowl set over hot water (not boiling) mix egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sugar.Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. At this point Nanny’s instructions say “Keep cool.” – this is because it will take about 10 minutes for the mixture to thicken. Cute. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Beat egg whites until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar and continue to beat until glossy, stiff peaks form. Next, beat whipped cream until fluffy, and gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar. Then, gently fold all three mixtures together.

Spread the mixture in the pan over the prepared crust. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of crushed crackers. Place in freezer for at least 3 hours. When you’re ready to serve, remove from the freezer, and cut into squares and plate them. Then allow to melt ever so slightly – about 4-5 minutes. Serve immediately.