Just Peachy Grilled Peaches

My stepdaughter (hate that term, don't you?) found this recipe early this summer and made it for Father's Day for her Dad, who happens to be my husband.  Are you following?  Anyway, it was super easy and makes a very impressive dish.  The blue cheese is just heavenly on the top.  We have made it several times over the summer as a side dish or dessert.  You want to make sure you have nice big peaches that aren't overly soft and ripe, as they need to be a bit firm to hold up on the grill. 

We are going to have to make these one more time while the peaches are still really good.  I think I see some grilling on our agenda this weekend!   MMMMmmmmm....... 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grilled-Peaches/Detail.aspx

On Going Green

Last spring I took 3 drastic steps to improve my health and quality of life.  The first step was to stop drinking diet soda, the second was to start working out at the gym and lastly I vowed to make eating healthy a habit. Stopping the diet soda was really not a big deal and I really don't miss it.  However, the gym workouts have not been such an easy transition.  I still have to literally pull myself off of the couch to go, but I know that once I am there it will feel good.  And gaining shapely arms like Michelle Obama has been a wonderful benefit.  The hardest change of all has been the conscious decision to eat healthy every day.  That is just super hard for a girl who has never in  her life been able to pass a Dairy Queen without driving through for a Dip Cone or Blizzard.

Right off the bat I know I would have to learn to eat salad on a regular basis.  And I don't mean a Wendy's BLT salad with Ranch dressing to the tune of 2,000 calories.  No, it needed to be something more wholesome with veggies, maybe some chicken and a low fat dressing.  But mostly it needed to taste good so that I would actually want to eat it and easy to assemble so I would actually want to make it.  I credit my daughter, Jana, for getting me started in the right direction.  Last spring Jana went to the grocery store for me and came home with what Kroger calls its Artisnal Lettuce Pack.  Inside this big plastic container were four different varieties of fancy leaf lettuce's ranging from light green to red in color.  They looked so pretty and somehow I knew they would taste good.  So, we washed them off and put them in the fridge to chill and the next day at lunchtime we went to town customizing our own salads.  After a little bit of trial and error I have come up with what is my ideal "super salad."

SUSIE'S SUPER SALAD

Salad bowl full of fancy artisnal lettuce, try 2 or 3 types at a time while mixing red and green for nice color

Chopped carrots

Red, yellow or orange chopped bell peppers

Sliced cucumbers

Sliced mushrooms

Chopped or sliced chicken breast meat

Handful of Craisins (these add such a great sweet flavor)

Chopped walnuts or pecans (if you have them)

Crumbled Feta Cheese

Ken's Asian Sesame Light Salad Dressing 

The salad dressing is key to the tastiness of this salad.  The slightly sweet Asian dressing combined with the crisp lettuce, crunchy carrots and the rest of the fresh ingredients fools you into thinking you are eating a serious, restaurant style Asian meal.    

I am really proud of myself for maintaning these positive changes in my lifestyle.  Am I perfect?  Heck no!  I don't think I will ever "love" going to the gym, and I know I will never be the person that gets up early to get their workout in before the day starts, like my husband Chuck and my sister, Sharon.  I have driven on by the DQ a sevreral times now without driving through for a dip cone and it didn't kill me.  I order the grilled chicken sandwich on wheat at Chik-fil-a without missing a beat.  But take me into a Texas Style Cafe, like Massey's in Fort Worth or the Koffee Kup in Hico and I will always order the Chicken Fried Steak.  Always.  After all, there has to be some reason to go on living............. 

Thank You God for Chocolate Cake

Last Friday my husband Chuck and I took a mini vacation to Dallas and had a fabulous dinner at Dragonfly Restaurant, located inside the Hotel Za Za where we stayed the night.  Both the restaurant and hotel are very edgy and cool, with a decorating style we named "Bombay Deco."  Lots of monkey art and interesting sculptures blended in with rich, sultry textured fabrics everywhere.  You get the picture.....

Anyway, as part of our 3 course Restaurant Week dinner, we had the option of choosing from several desserts.  As expected, included in the choices was a decadent sounding chocolate dessert called "Oh God! Chocolate Cake, with fresh berries and raspberry sauce.  It was also touted as being

a flour less, gluten free option.  Sounds perfect, right?  Decadent and sinful, it was obviously one of those better than you know what desserts.  Then I had a flash back to the 90"s.....  I know this recipe!  I used to make this very same dessert for dinner parties at home when catering to the needs of a gluten intolerant guest.   It's super easy, impressive and every bit as sinful as the Oh God! restaurant version.  Interested in learning how to impress dinner guests at home?  Here is my super easy version:

FAUX FANCY'S "THANK GOD" CHOCOLATE CAKE

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate  (you can use chips, but I suggest you go for it and buy the really good stuff, like Ghirardelli

8 oz. sweet butter, room temp

1 cup sugar
8 eggs, separated (you know, the yellow part from the white yucky part)

Melt chocolate in a double boiler.  (You can use a microwave, just start out low and slow, until it's just melted)  Combine butter, sugar, and chocolate; mix well and cool.  Add egg yolks, two at a time, beating after each addition.  Beat egg whites until stiff.  (That means that when you pull the mixer out the whites form little peaks and stand up on their own.)  Fold whites into the chocolate mixture.

Pour 3/4 of the batter into a greased and floured 9-inch spring form pan.  If you are going gluten free, then substitute a gluten free flour or use parchment paper to line the pan.)  Bake 35 minutes at 325 degrees.  lake cake stand at room temperature until cool.  Spread remaining batter on top.  Refrigerate or freeze until serving time.  Serve cold, frozen or at room temp.  Top with fresh raspberries.

This is great to make ahead and pull out of the freezer before the guests arrive.  I really like that option when entertaining.  If you don't have fresh raspberries you could use strawberries or a fruit relish.  Drizzle a little chocolate sauce on top, top it with the berries and you are set!  It's basically fudge on a plate, so word to the wise, a little piece goes a long way. 

To be extra fancy, serve with a nice dry champagne and pop a few of the red berries into the glass before you pop the cork and pour.  Your guests will be so impressed it won't matter if you are serving with Waterford crystal or supermarket chic plastic. 

Then raise your glasses in a toast, and thank God for good friends, good food, good times and, of course, chocolate cake!