Utilizes fresh in-season fruit. check
Pretty enough to present to guests. check
Takes 5 minutes to make. check
Crowd pleaser. check

There are very few dishes that I think are just perfect. I love so many things and appreciate a myriad of flavors but I often have the urge to tweak just one last thing or try something new in its place next time. Ahoy! Not with this recipe! This goes on my list of perfection. A favorite from my mom’s old Junior League cookbook, this Blueberry Crisp recipe is found in the “children’s section,” I suppose only because it is so easy to make. I daresay, this dessert would please teething toddlers, picky children, brooding teenagers, sweet-toothed adults and octogenerians alike.

I highly suggest serving the warm crisp alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The warm berries burst and turn the bowl a crimsony-purple-magenta, which against the backdrop of cool, creamy vanilla ice cream, is enough to make you want to sing from a mountain top.

Blueberry Crisp

Fill a pie plate with blueberries and sprinkle with lemon juice. Blend flour sugar and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the berries. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm in a bowl with vanilla ice cream.

It is about that time of year when corn is reaching its best. For the first time, I think that I will cut a bunch of corn off the cob this summer and freeze it for winter treats. Considering how much I love everything corn… I looked back and realized that I have not posted any corn recipes! What a shame. Well, get ready… here they come!

I stumbled upon a web page which has a brief history of corn and the sweetest essay by a young 7th grader named Jemima. (scroll down to see her report) Remember when essays were hand written? And, look at those wonderful little drawings to illustrate her subject. I was so drawn to the childlike wonder and excitement for something as simple as corn. “Did you know that corn is just a huge grass?” Jemima’s report is as refreshing to me as this cold, summer soup.

White Corn Chowder with Shrimp and Avocado
Adapted from Everyday Food
3 cups corn kernals, fresh or frozen
1 cup low fat yogurt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
pinch cayenne pepper
1 pound cooked shrimp, roughly chopped
coarse salt and pepper
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

If the corn is frozen, thaw it under hot water. For fresh corn, boil in hot water until tender then rinse under cold water. In a blender, working in two batches if needed, puree corn, yogurt, milk, lime juice, cilantro and cayenne. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. This takes some time to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped shrimp and avocado. Serve cold.

If you could dive into a swimming pool filled with any edible (or drinkable) substance, what would it be?

Salads and I have come a long way. As a child, I refused to eat them due to my distaste for lettuce and tomatoes. I also was not and still am not a fan of bottled salad dressings. During the last decade, with the discovery of ’spring mix’ greens, good olive oil and vinegar, arugula, good cheese and various other salad accoutrements, I learned to eat them. However, it was truly not until this summer that I have actually come to enjoy salads and as perhaps you can tell from my growing list of recipes…. seek them out!

This Asian-inspired chicken salad was found in Everyday Food last month in a “no-cook” meals section. (music to my ears during hot summer months) Although the cilantro dressing was memorable, my true romance with this salad was with the red cabbage. I have never been drawn to red cabbage and always imagine it mushy and sogged next to a droopy bratwurst. In this dish, it adds a flavorful crunch and is oh so pretty.

Asian Rotisserie Chicken Salad
from Everyday Food

In a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. In a large bowl, combine chicken, cabbage, bell pepper and scallions. Seals with salt and pepper. In another bowl, toss lettuce with 1/2 cup dressing. Divide amount four bowls and top with the chicken mixture. Drizzle all with the remaining dressing and sprinkle with cashews.

Lately, I have been in a bit of a funk. And, there is nothing that cures my ills like baking. With loads of fresh, Michigan blueberries in my fridge, I rememberd my favorite muffin recipe.

If you have been reading for awhile, you know that I love EVERYTHING with buttermilk whether pancakes, cakes or muffins. When I first read this recipe, I knew that oats and buttermilk soaking overnight were a foundation for success. And, not only is this recipe moist and flavorful, it is quite healthy, made with all whole wheat flour and almost no fat.

Overnight Oatmeal Muffins
slightly modified from Cooking Light Magazine
1 cup regular oats
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 2/3 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each of 24 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately; place on a wire rack.

Find a list of baking tips here.

Oh Yesterdog, I will love you until the end of my days.
So many things make you so delectable, let me try to count the ways:

Although I cannot even count my visits to your door, please believe me that this is just the start.
For over twenty years you have tantalized my taste buds, secured my loyalty and forever captured my heart.

Yesterdog, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Best hot dog in the world. Anyone who disagrees has obviously never tried one.

Is it too boring to post another orzo salad so soon? Well, the last was such a hit, I had to use up the rest of the orzo and my fresh herb garden continues to lure me in for clippings. So, this salad was born. I added chopped basil to the orzo and broccoli with a sherry vinegar and olive oil dressing. Next time, I would puree the basil with the dressing to make a fresh Basil Vinaigrette. It will add better flavor to each bite of the salad as well as some nice color to the pasta. The recipe below includes the adjustment. Enjoy!

Broccoli and Orzo Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
1 head of broccoli
1 cup uncooked orzo
pine nuts (optional)

Cut broccoli into bite size pieces and steam it. Cook the orzo according to package directions. Toss with pine nuts and basil vinaigrette.

For the Basil Vinaigrette
This recipe yields more than you need for the above salad. Try it with grilled lamb or steak.

Puree first five ingredients in a food processor or blender. Slowly add oil in a thin stream to incorporate.

This past Wednesday was Independance Day. I did not do anything special or see a single firework this year. I did enjoy time with friends and family, relax outside, attend a few barbeques and eat fresh blueberries every day. We are sweltering here in Chicago and it is too hot to cook or prepare anything complicated to eat. Luckily, we can bask in the bliss of fresh berries. To me, there is almost nothing more delicious than a bowl of fresh blueberries with cream.

One of my dearest friends, Stephanie, sent me the most beautiful apron for my birthday last week. (Along with a pad of Mad Libs- she knows me so well!) The card said that she hoped the gift would inspire a yummy dessert for Whipped. I wrapped that hot pink sash around my waist and wanted to bake all weekend long!

I have saved this recipe for ages but had never made it. Ripped out from a 2004 In Style magazine, the cake was a suggested dessert for an Indonesian themed birthday party. It was the perfect summer cake - light and airy with exotic fruit flavors.

Purists beware!!! There is a yellow cake mix in this recipe. But, it looks so fancy and tastes so good, your guests will never know. (Unless you are like me and blurt it out the minute someone compliments you on the cake.)

Tropical Coconut Cake with Mango Sauce
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
2 tsps fresh lime juice
1 box (18.25) yellow cake mix
1 can (11oz) mandarin oranges
1 stick (8Tbs) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 can (8oz) crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
2 cups heavy cream
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin
1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

In medium bowl, whip cream. Stir in gelatin and pineapple. Place one cake on platter. Spread with cream mixture. Top with second layer and frost sides and top. Cover all with coconut. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before eating. Serve wtih mango sauce drizzled on the plate.