Friday Delights Summer Cooking

August 2013/Issue 2

Friday Delights

Summer Cooking DIGITAL MAGAZINE

It is with great enthusiasm, I present to you the second issue of Friday Delights’ Magazine.

The summer issue of Friday Delights includes some of my favorite desserts, grilled foods and summertime drinks. I also have some amazing snapshots of the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival. So dig in and enjoy some of my Summer Cooking!

Creative Director & Founder Rachel Meullion [www.fridaydelights@blogspot.com]

Editor, Photography, Author, Styling, Design Rachel Meullion

For All enquires please contact Rachel at fridaydelights@yahoo.com ©2013 by Friday Delights. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is prohibited without written consent from the copyright owner. This publication can be shared online via its active link and can be embedded on websites and/or blogs, which have non-commercial means. All photography within Friday Delights’ magazine collection cannot be used without prior author’s permission. To use any photographs, please contact fridaydelights@ yahoo.com First Publishing of second issue August 2013

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ON THE WEB

Check out Friday Delights on fridaydelights.blogspot.com with a brand new blog

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Avocado Chocolate Mousse Visit the new FridayDelights.blogspot.com/Blog, where the editor of Friday Delights share her latest recipes.

Also, tell the editor what you think about Friday Delights’ Summer Cooking. Share your thoughts and ideas at fridaydelights@yahoo.com.

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Strawberry Salad Issue #2 | 3

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Summer Produce Photos: By Rachel Meullion

IN Season SUMMER PRODUCE

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CONTENTS 11 Welcome 12 The Essence of Summer

Avocado Provolone Bruschetta Potato Salad with a Twist Grilled Zucchini & Squash Blackberry Sauce for Ice Cream Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes

24 Summer of Cycling: A Photo Essay 32 Breakfast In Bed - Blueberry Pancakes 42 Summer Drinks Made with Fresh Herbs

Frothy Lemongrass-Basil Lemonade Rosemary & Peach Fizz Cilantro Limeade

48 Summer Grilling 56 In Season: Apricot 61 Click ‘N’ Cook 62 TRAVEL: Ponchatoula “Celebration of the Berry”

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SUMMER HERBS

Adding fresh herbs is an excellent way to transform your meals into something extraordinary.

Photo: By Rachel Meullion

Welcome One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.

Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

The Essence of Summer

foods that are undeniable this season.............................

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Foods of Summer

Rich In Folate Magnesium Potassium Fiber Vitamin K

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Avocado Provolone Bruschetta

Foods of Summer

Photography, Styling, Recipe Rachel Meullion

Serves 2 1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted and peeled 2 slices of Provolone cheese ½ tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 slices of baguette bread, cut ½ inch thick 2-tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Sea salt & Freshly ground pepper to taste Slice avocado in half and remove the pit. Cut the avocados into chunks. Carefully toss with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Cut the bread into diagonal slices. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet; add the bread slices and arrange the avocado chunks on the bread, sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper and add the sliced provolone cheese. Take the other slice of bread and place on top of the avocado provolone and smashed down. Grilled each side of the bread until golden brown.

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Foods of Summer

Rich In Potassium Manganese Vitamin B6 Vitamin C

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Potato Salad with a Twist

Foods of Summer

Photography, Styling, Recipe Rachel Meullion

Serves 2 6 small red or white potatoes Âź cup Vegenaise 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard Âź cup green olives 4 small sweet red peppers, chopped Âź cup chopped parsley Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring the water to a boil, and then lower temperature to simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander. Allow the potatoes to sit until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the vegenaise, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, you can peel the skins or leave them on. Cut the potatoes into quarters or in half. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl while they are still warm and pour the dressing over them. Add the chopped parsley, olives and chopped sweet red peppers. Toss well, cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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Foods of Summer

Rich In Fiber Potassium Vitamin A Calcium Zinc

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Grilled Zucchini & Squash

Foods of Summer

Photography, Styling, Recipe Rachel Meullion

Serves 3 1 zucchini, halved lengthwise 1 yellow squash, halved lengthwise Feta Cheese Salt & Black Pepper to taste Dressing: Olive Oil Lemon Juice Mint Parsley Basil Salt & Pepper to Taste Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Place the zucchini and squash in a ziploc bag and season with grapeseed oil, salt, and pepper.

Shake the bag until the zucchini and squash are well coated. Place veggies cut side down on the grates and grill until grate marks are visible on the veggies, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove and add the feta cheese and dressing.

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Foods of Summer

Rich In Vitamin E Folate Managanese Vitamin C Copper

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Blackberry Sauce for Ice Cream

Foods of Summer

Photography, Styling, Recipe Rachel Meullion

½ cup of raw honey Ÿ cup water 2.5 cups Fresh blackberries 1 teaspoon of lemon juice 1 tsp. tapioca flour plus 1 tablespoon water In a saucepan, bring the honey and water to a slight boil over medium heat. Add the 2 cups of blackberries and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until berries break down. Transfer the mixture to a blender. Puree the berry mixture, and then strain it through a sieve into another bowl. Place the mixture back into the saucepan and bring the mixture back to a boil. Add the tapioca mixture: Stir 1 teaspoon of tapioca flour and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl until flour dissolves. Add to berries and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Mix in the lemon juice and remaining berries. Cool slightly. Serve on your favorite ice cream.

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Foods of Summer

Rich In Fiber Iron Potassium Vitamin A Vitamin B6

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Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes

Foods of Summer

Photography, Styling, Recipe Rachel Meullion

1 cup of red grape tomatoes 1 cup of yellow grape tomatoes 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped 5 cloves garlic, sliced ¼ cup olive oil Sea Salt & Freshly ground Pepper 12 ounces Spaghetti Cook pasta according to instructions on package. After pasta is done, reserve some of the pasta water.

Slice the tomatoes in half and set aside.

In a large skillet add the olive oil.

Add the garlic, jalapeño pepper and sauté until fragrant. Add the sliced tomatoes to the pot and stir for 3 minutes, coating the tomatoes with the infused garlic olive oil. Toss with the spaghetti, basil, the reserved pasta water, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning, add salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed.

Combine well and serve with Pecorino-Romano grated cheese.

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Summer of

Cycling

“I suppose that was what attracted me to the bicycle right from the start. It is not so much a way of getting somewhere as it is a setting for randomness; it makes every journey an unorganized tour.�

Daniel Behrman, The Man Who Loved Bicycles

Photography By Rachel Meullion

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Summer of Cycling: A Photo Essay

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“I love riding my bicycle around town. It’s the perfect way to explore new places.”

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“ I always bring a good book or two in my basket for the bike ride.

Because you never know when you will find that great place to sit and read.�

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Breakfast in Bed

Blueberry Pancakes for a Summer Morning

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Breakfast In Bed

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Breakfast In Bed

Menu Blueberry Yeast Pancakes Fresh Blueberries Fresh Squeeze Orange Juice Eggs Favorite Tea Maple Syrup

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Blueberry Yeast Pancakes 2 cups Unbleached all purpose flour 2 teaspoon active dry yeast 2-tablespoon coconut sugar 1 ½ cup almond milk, warm (110F) 2 large eggs, room temperature 2 tablespoon of coconut oil ¾ teaspoon salt Fresh blueberries In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of the flour, yeast and coconut sugar. Stir in the warm almond milk, mixing until everything is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for at least 30 minutes to active the yeast. In a small bowl, beat the eggs (making sure the eggs are at room temperature), and the coconut oil. After the 30 minutes, stir in the remaining flour, the egg mixture and salt into the yeast mixture. Stir well. The batter will be thick.

Fold ½ cup of the blueberries into the mixture, very carefully.

Heat a large skillet or griddle until hot and drop ¼ cup of the mixture onto the hot griddle and cook until golden brown. Serve immediately with fresh blueberries

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Breakfast In Bed

Photography, Styling, Recipe By Rachel Meullion

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SIMPLE SUMMER HERBS FRESH HERBS MAKE GREAT SUMMER DRINKS PHOTOGRAPHY, STYLING AND RECIPE BY RACHEL MEULLION

Frothy Lemongrass-Basil Lemonade 3 cups water 2 cups of ice 1/4-cup basil -16 leaves 1-cup raw honey 1 Lemongrass tea bag Fresh Lemon juice, from 3 lemons Directions Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the honey and stir until it dissolves. Add lemongrass tea bag, basil and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep until completely cool. Strain the mixture and discard the tea bag and basil.

In a vitamix or powerful blender add lemon juice, ice and lemongrass basil mixture. Blend until well mixed. Stir in additional sweetener or garnishes, if desired.

Pour lemongrass -basil lemonade over a glass of ice, and top with a sprig of basil.

Basil is a good source of Vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.

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SUMMER DRINKS

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Rosemary & Peach Fizz 5-6 peaches, pealed and pitted 1 spring rosemary 2/3-cup agave Splash lemon juice 4 cups water Directions Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the agave, peaches and stir until it dissolves. Remove from heat. Add rosemary and let steep for 30 minutes.

Remove rosemary spring.

In a vitamix or powerful blender add the peach syrup mixture, splash of lemon juice and puree. Pour pureed peach mixture through a sieve into a container and refrigerate. Stir in additional sweetener or garnishes, if desired. Fill glass with rosemary, 1/4 cup of sparkling water and peach mixture.

Rosemary is a good source of Vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C and folate.

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SUMMER DRINKS

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SUMMER DRINKS

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Cilantro Limeade 1/2 cup of raw honey 4 cups water Handful of cilantro Fresh lime juice, from 7-8 Limes Directions Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the honey, and stir until it dissolves. Remove from heat. Add cilantro and let steep for 30 minutes. Remove cilantro.

In a large container, add lime juice and cilantro mixture. Stir until well mixed. Stir in additional sweetener or garnishes, if desired. Pour cilantro limeade over a glass of ice, and top with a sprig of cilantro and lime.

Cilantro is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron and magnesium.

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Summer Grilling

There is nothing like the smokey flavor of grilled summer fruits!

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Summer Grilling

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Summer Grilling

Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapples Photography, Styling, Recipe Rachel Meullion

1 Pineapple, peeled and sliced into rings 3/4 cup Brown Sugar Heat a grill to medium high heat or build a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill. Place pineapple slices in a casserole dish and cover slices with brown sugar on both sides.

Add the pineapples to the grill and cook until grill marks begin to appear. Flip and cook again on the other side. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.

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Summer Grilling

Grilled Watermelon Photography, Styling, Recipe Rachel Meullion

1 Small Watermelon Sea Salt Olive Oil Wash the watermelon rind and cut the melon in half. Then slice the watermelon into 1 1/4 inch thick circles. Slice the circle into wedges. Brush the watermelon pieces with olive oil. Place them on a preheated medium-high heat grill or build a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill. Grilled watermelon until grill marks appear. Salt the watermelon and Serve.

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Summer Grilling

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Summer Grilling

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Summer Grilling

Dulce De Leche Grilled Bananas Photography, Styling, Recipe Rachel Meullion

1 can of Sweetened Condensed milk Bananas Slice the banana in half and keep the banana in its peel. Grill 4 to 5 minutes until grill marks are visible and slightly soften.

Dulce De Leche Boiling Method: Remove the label from the condensed milk. Do not open the can of milk. Place can in enough water to ensure that the can is submerged when place in a pot. Bring the water to a boil then reduced temperature to simmer. Place the lid on the pot. Simmer the condensed milk for 3 hours. Remember to add water if needed, you do not want the can exposed. If the can becomes exposed while simmering or boiling it will explode.

Remove the can and let cool. Open the can with a can opener and pour over your grilled banana.

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In Season

Apricot [ap-ri-kot, ey-pri-]

Noun A juicy, soft fruit, resembling a small peach, of an orange-yellow color.

Apricots are high in a number or vitamins and minerals. It’s a very good source of Vitamin A, Potassium, Fiber and Vitamin C.

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In Season

Photo: By Rachel Meullion

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Grilling makes sweet summer apricots even

s

weeter.

6 ripe apricots, halved, pitted and cleaned Preheat inside grill to medium heat or build a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill. Slice apricots in half and remove their pits. In a bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoon of grapeseed oil, 4 tablespoon of honey and a dash of salt. Toss sliced apricots in the sauce and coat well. Thread the apricots onto each skewer.

Place apricots flesh side down onto grill grates. Grill for 1-2 minutes until nice grill marks are visible. Flip and grill the skin sides for 1-2 minutes or until grill marks develop. When done remove from grill and add freshly ground crack pepper.

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In Season

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Photo: By Rachel Meullion

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Tomato Basil Soup

OK O C ’ ICK ‘N

CL

FRIDAY DELIGHTS BLOG RECIPES

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Photos By Rachel Meullion

TRAVEL

Ponchatoula “Celebration of the Berry”

The luscious strawberry- also known as the “heart-seed berry” in

Native American culture, is a legendary delicacy to the small-town of Ponchatoula. Every April, the town of Ponchatoula puts on a fun-filled, three-day weekend celebration to honor their beloved fruit. Local strawberry growers set-up roadside stands to sell their fresh-from-the-farm strawberries to festivalgoers.

This year’s celebration, which began Friday evening and ended Sunday night, had a country fair feel with attractions that included a grand parade, strawberry pie eating contests, sack races, egg tosses, amusement rides, and non-stop live music from local artists.

In addition to all of the fun activities, food vendors advertised all kinds

of enticing and delectable treats to tempt the palate- like straw berry shortcakes, strawberry daiquiris, strawberry beer, chocolatecovered strawberries, strawberry beignets and fried strawberries. The strawberry beignet was one of my favorites. It comprises 8 heavenly morsels of fried dough stuffed with homemade strawberry jam and covered with powdered sugar. The taste was unbelievable, so unbelievable that I called it-my little puffs of Heaven!

The Ponchatoula Strawberry festival was a delight to my senses. I could not have asked for a better town to host such a well-loved celebration.

So, the next time you are planning your summer road trip itinerary make sure you add the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival-it’s the place where strawberries are celebrated as far as the eye can see.

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TRAVEL: Celebration of the Berry

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TRAVEL: Celebration of the Berry

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TRAVEL: Celebration of the Berry

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Until Next Time...

Healthy Eating!

Summer Delights

Summer Cooking

2013