Summer Recipes

We tried a few new recipes this weekend that are good enough to share!  These were both adapted from recipes in my Southern Living June edition (the pics are from there too).  So fresh and summery...and delicious!  I highly recommend them!

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Black Eyed Pea Salsa

(adapted from here)

Via

Ingredients:

2 lbs. assorted heirloom tomatoes

1seedless cucumber, sliced

1/2 small red onion, halved and sliced

Black Eyed Pea Salsa (see recipe below)

Fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Cut tomatoes into wedges. Gently toss tomatoes with cucumbers and onion. Top with Black Eyed Pea Salsa and fresh basil.

Black Eyed Pea Salsa

Ingredients:

3 peaches, diced (leave peels on)

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

1 Tb sugar

3 Tb fresh lime juice

1 tsp orange zest

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 cups cooked fresh black eyed peas

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup diced red onion

Directions:

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and let stand 15 minutes.  Add peas, cilantro and onion, and toss to coat.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.  

(This is totally good on its own, and I've already got plans to make some veggie tacos this week with leftovers.  I thought about topping a veggie burger with it too!)

Strawberry Icebox Pie

(adapted from here)

Via

Ingredients:

2 cups finely crushed pretzel sticks (I just put them in a Ziploc bag and banged the heck out of them with my rolling pin)

3/4 cup light butter, melted

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 can fat free sweetened condensed milk

4 oz. (1/2 package) light cream cheese, softened

1 small box sugar free strawberry gelatin

2 cups whipping cream, divided

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Stir together first 3 ingredients; firmly press on bottom, up sides, and onto lip of a lightly greased 10-inch pie plate.  Bake 12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool completely.

2. Process strawberries in a food processor (or Magic Bullet) until finely chopped.

3. Beat condensed milk, cream cheese and gelatin using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer (or just use your handheld mixer).  Add strawberries and beat at low speed just until blended.  

4. In separate bowl, beat 3/4 cup whipping cream at high speed until soft peaks form; gently fold whipped cream into strawberry mixture.  Spoon into prepared crust.  Cover and freeze for at least 8 hours or until firm.

5. Beat remaining 1-1/4 cups whipping cream at high speed until foamy; gradually add granulated sugar, beating until soft peaks form.  Spread over pie.  Freeze 1 hour or until whipped cream is firm. 

(If you wanted to be a little healthier, you could just top the pie with light Cool Whip, but seriously, homemade whipped cream is hard to beat.)

Peach Mojitos

(followed exactly)

Via

Ingredients:

2 large peaches, unpeeled and chopped

1/2 cup superfine sugar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 large lemon)

1/2 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves

4 cups club soda, chilled

2 cups white rum

fresh mint sprigs and peach wedges to make it fancy

Directions:

Process first 3 ingredients in a blender (or Magic Bullet) until smooth.  Muddle mint leaves against bottom and sides of a glass pitcher to release flavors.  Add club soda, rum, and peach mixture; stir to combine.  Serve immediately over ice.

(This makes around 8 servings, so you could just cut it in half if there are just a couple people imbiding, or not....)