Two Simple Summer Treats

These are so simple I feel silly for even posting them.

Frozen bananas on a stick.  Okay, not really a recipe but it does go to show that something as simple as a banana can be served, if not as desert, you can at least call it a treat. 

Easy peasy.  Bananas seem to get sweeter when you freeze them.  Of course you can dip them in chocolate and roll them in nuts, but we keep it simple around here.  We dip them in peanut butter as we eat them. 

Silly, I know.  But just a reminder that dessert can be simple, too.  I toasted large shred coconut in a skillet and sprinkled it on top to make it look more like a dessert than just a bowl of cantaloupe.  I bet your impressed, huh?   Well, I did tell you I would be sharing “simple” recipes this month. You were warned. 

What are some of your super simple recipes? 

Summer Sampler

Nothing says summer like homegrown tomatoes.

Thanks to a sweet family sharing their garden’s abundance with us we were able to have tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers.

Today we made salt and vinegar cucumbers, as my husband calls them.  He loves these and I love that he’s so easy to please.  He looks forward to having them.  So easy and so yummy.

Peel and slice cucumbers and onions and put in a container.  Pour equal parts vinegar and water over slices.  I use filtered water.  And salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate. 

We just eat these as a side to whatever we are having for dinner.  My husband has been known to eat them between slices of bread.  Mostly, everyone just eats them straight from the jar. 

Another easy summer side is tomato cucumber salad.  Peel cucumbers and cut into cubes.  Cube tomatoes.  Put in container and drizzle with olive oil and a splash of wine vinegar and Italian seasoning.  I like to chop up some fresh basil and toss that in as well. 

I love it when dinner is simple!  Clean, fresh, uncomplicated flavors.  Blasted Chicken, cucumber tomato salad,  salt and vinegar cucumbers, and sauteed mushrooms.  And Julia, I’m sorry, but I did crowd the mushrooms.

It doesn’t get much easier than Blasted Chicken.  Yes, I know it’s somewhere around 90 degrees these days and turning on the oven is the last thing you want to do.  But considering how simple this is I’m willing to make concessions.  I’ll suffer the bit of extra warmth in the kitchen for this super simple dish. 

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  You heard correctly.  500 degrees.  You can use a whole roasting/fryer chicken or parts.  Today I used thighs and drumsticks with skin on.  That part is very important.  It must have the skin on.  For a whole chicken put in a baking dish drizzle with just a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Put in oven for about one hour.

For thighs and drumsticks, I lined the bottom half of my broiler pan with foil.  You could use a cookie sheet I suppose.  Bake only about 30 minutes. 

Don’t be alarmed if you see a little bit of smoking.  It’s just some splattering.  I usually don’t experienced that, but that’s what the range hood fan is for.  Right?

I love how this chicken comes out with crunchy, salty skin but locks in all the juices making a really moist, juicy chicken.  It should look very golden and crispy.  When you cut into it the juices should run clear.  Remember, at 500 degrees it doesn’t take long.

Of course there is always just simple sliced tomato with salt and pepper as a summer side.

What are your favorite garden dishes? 

Coconut Custard Pie

Came across this old recipe the other day when I was looking through my recipe box for something for dinner.

Remember the “Impossible Pie” recipes?  This quick and easy (two of my favorite adjectives) recipe takes just minutes to whiz up in the blender. 

Don’t forget to sprinkle a little nutmeg (or a lot if you’re like me) on top before you pop it in the oven. 

Who doesn’t like a lovely, warm, custardy pie on a cold winter day?

This pie actually forms it’s own crust while baking. Then you have the yummy custard layer. On the top layer, is the golden, toasty coconut.

If memory serves me correctly–and it usually doesn’t–there was also a pumpkin pie recipe similar to this one. There are savory pies too. A taco pie comes to mind.

Do you have any “Impossible Pie” recipes to share?

Beef Goulash

I love meals that are fast, easy, and tasty.  This recipe is from my step-mother Debi. I think it was a recipe that her mother made for their family when she was a child. It’s a great meal on those cold winter evenings, especially with some homemade bread.

I’m sure there are many variations on Goulash, but we like this one. Actually, we’ve never tried another. But I’m always open to trying different things.

Brown the beef and drain grease.
Add rest of ingredients and cook until noodles are done. I like to add a can of corn (drained) the last few minutes of cooking.

To make this an even quicker meal, I buy ground beef in bulk and cook it all at once.  I’ll share how I do that in another post. I package the beef in plastic bags in one pound quantities and freeze. I love having these on hand for those days when I forgot to plan ahead or when we need something quick.

Do you have a Goulash recipe to share?