Peach and Tomato Pasta

Ok, before you freak out at the weird combination...just trust me. Trust me. I have to tell you I thought it was weird too, but I am always willing to take a gamble and try out new flavor combinations. That and the fact that I still have a zillion peaches from the case I ordered a week ago...

But really, trust me. The acidity of the tomatoes cuts the sweetness of the peaches. The sweetness of the peaches cuts the acidity of the tomatoes. It is seriously a match made in heaven. And something that should only be enjoyed in summer...because peaches are a summer fruit, and you shouldn't be eating peaches that have been trucked to you from another country during the dead of your local winter...

Peach and Tomato Pasta

• 1 pkg of spaghetti (16 oz)
• 4 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 7 peaches, pitted and chopped
• 4 oz sliced olives
• 2 tbsp dried basil (or a handful of fresh if you have it--I didn't)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
2. In a large skillet, cook garlic in olive oil over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Add peaches and cook until soft. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Add mixture to cook spaghetti along with pasta water. Toss to combine.Serve warm or room temp. Yum!

Peach and Corn Salad + Bonus: Roasted Peaches

This uses produce from my Bountiful Basket, although the corn is from a couple of weeks ago. I got some in my basket, but at the same time, it was on sale at the grocery store, so I had a LOT. I cut it off the cobs, blanched it, and froze it in quart sized bags. And it's white corn--YUM!  Anyway, in this week's basket I had peaches and limes, and I had green onions on hand, so I didn't have to go to the store for anything (always a plus!).

Peach and Corn Salad

• kernels from 2 cobs of corn (or about 2 cups), cooked
• 2 peaches, pitted and chopped
• 4 green onions, sliced
• juice from 1 lime (about 2 tbsp)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

Mix together corn, peaches,  and green onions. In a small seperate bowl, whisk together lime juice and olive oil. Drizzle over salad. Devour. Yum!

Roasted peaches are so easy and so yummy. And since I have an abundance of peaches, there will probably be a fair amount of peach recipes. :)

Roasted Peaches

• 1 peach per person, halved and pitted
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt OR ricotta
• honey to taste
• 1/4 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place peach halves, skin side down, in an oiled baking pan. Roast in oven 20 minutes, or until peaches are cooked through but still retain their shape.

Mix yogurt or ricotta with almond extract and honey to taste. Serve with roasted peaches.

Variation: serve with a scoop of your favorite flavor ice cream (vanilla is yummy, and it starts to melt over the peaches. Sooooo yummy!)

I'm a slacker - Pineapple Black Bean Salad

I know, I know. I've been MIA for a while. I attribute it to a new-veg funk. Being veg and trying to figure out what to eat got very overwhelming. So I was cooking normal for my family and eating very blah for me. It's not easy. :)

I've been trying to change that though. Lots more searching on the internet. I spent a week with my daughter in Cedar City, where she did the cooking for a change (she's veg too).

I also joined a fruit and veggie co-op called Bountiful Baskets. The basic premise is this: At the beginning of the week (Monday - Tuesday OR Tuesday - Wednesday depending on what state you are in) you go to the website to make a contribution. On Saturday you drive to your pick-up site and pick up your produce. The produce is sorted into two laundry baskets--one for fruit and one for veggies. You need to bring your own container to bring the produce home in, as the baskets stay at the site.

When we first started this, the closest site was a 45 minute drive away, and that site was every other week. The next closest site was Las Vegas, which is a 60+ minute drive. I was hooked after the first time, though, and decided that this was something that needed to be in my neighborhood, so I contacted BB to figure out how to get a site started closer.

The fruits and veggies have pretty much saved me this summer. As a veg with almost no inspiration on veggie meals, it's no big deal to roast up some veggies or throw together a salad. And that funk is starting to pass, and I'm starting to get inspired by the produce I'm getting--some of which I don't normally buy because of expense (example: pineapple), and some which I've never even had the opportunity to buy (example: white asparagus).

Anyway, we've had pineapple enough in our baskets that I decided to buy a pineapple slicer. This recipe is on the back of the package (although, you know me--I've made some change-ups!).

Pineapple Black Bean Salad

Dressing

• Juice from 1 lime (at least 3 tbsp--4 is better though)
• 3 tbsp no sugar added apricot preserves
• reserved pineapple juice (from below)

 Salad

• 2 cans (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium pineapple, sliced and chunked (tidbit size is good), juice reserved or 1 large can of pineapple tidbits plus juice
• 2 medium ears of corn, cooked and kernels cut from cob (or about 2 cups of frozen corn, thawed)
• 3/4 cup diced roasted red peppers (about 3 small)
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 handful of cilantro, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

For dressing, mix together lime juice, pineapple juice, and apricot preserves.

In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients. Add dressing and toss well. Chill 2-3 hours before serving to blend flavors.

Sorry about the pic--my good camera is floating around somewhere 

between here and New Orleans and I haven't tracked it down yet.