We’re in summer mode in the kitchen these days. But even with it being warm, I have been enjoying cooking and baking more than ever. I just turn on the overhead fan and it keeps me cool while I work.
This morning I had a smoothie, my favorite summer breakfast. Carrot, Banana, Pineapple, Yogurt, A few pieces of frozen strawberry, granola, and water. (I am not a fan of milk.) We have a Vita-Mix blender and it will make a smoothie out of anything. By the way, this is my No. 1 favorite thing I lugged with us when we moved here.
For dessert twice in the last few weeks (once to take to friends, and once for us at home) I made apple galettes. These are one pie crust gathered up around apples with cinnamon, nutmeg & sugar. Rolling out pie crust is kind of challenging when the kitchen is warm, but I worked fast and served it with an apology ready. (but not needed!)
I love to make pizza. The one at the top is red pepper, onion, garlic, and fresh mozarella. They are thin crust with not much cheese, so probably not that bad for you, right? The next day I made another with the remaining dough, of mozarella, fresh basil, and red peppers again, but no red sauce.
I made a wonderful salad that I ate for two days…small dice of red pepper, jalapeño, onion, cucumber, jicama, celery, carrot, combined with black beans. Herbs, lime, salt, pepper. It was delicious and refreshing.
Do you have a favorite hot weather meal? I’d love to hear about it.
John Calypso
May 25, 2009Would that I were close enough to get a piece of that pizza OMG!
teresa
May 25, 2009that pizza looks scrumptious and the salad sounds great too. ditto calypso!
American Mommy in Mexico
May 25, 2009Heck – want to come to your kitchen!
islagringo
May 25, 2009Great photo of a great pizza! It even looks like you made fancy pie crust type swirls on the edge! B made a fantastic cold pasta salad today. We’ll nibble on that for a few more days! The heat index here today was 104! I sure returned to some nice weather! LOL!
Michael
May 25, 2009I hope that you don’t have the oven cranked up to the proper pizza temp. of 500!
Nancy
May 26, 2009Thanks everyone, come on over and we’ll have a pizza party! And Michael, no I only put it to 450, but hey, next time who knows?
Mexico Joe
May 26, 2009Wow that pizza looks amazing, I wish I could make them like that. Is that from a regular oven?
Ever since moving to Mexico I learned how amazing al Pastor tacos were, that may be my new favorite summer food, although I usually eat them at night when it cools off a bit.
jillian
May 27, 2009awesome looking pizza, Nancy. I am way into chilled soups right now. The blender is the ideal kitchen appliance for summer in Mexico!
Nancy
May 27, 2009Mexico Joe, Thanks, I did bake it in my regular oven, on a pizza stone. No tacos al pastor for me, since I am a vegetarian, I think my favorite hot night food is jicama and watermelon salad!
Jillian, Thanks! What are your favorite chilled soups? I served Avocado Vichyssoise today to friends for lunch and it was a hit. Leeks, potatoes and avocados. Dinner tonight for sure, too.
Constantino
May 27, 2009Oh that pie looks so good, and is so bad….I’ll have to eat a salad for two days after that one, I can only handle one a month, to be good! We don’t have too much hot weather in the mountains up here, but we do spend a few month in Maz during the year. There I love to make great ceviches on salads. Fresh large shrimp that is so plentiful and cheap! One of the things I miss being inland so far. Can wait until October until we return for a bit!
Dave and Linda
May 28, 2009OH that pizza look like the moreno’s do… ja ja do you like works with us?
Nancy
May 28, 2009Uh Oh, I guess I am BUSTED! But really, you guys, sometimes you just want to make it yourself, you know?
We’ll see you tonight or tomorrow!
(Oh, and those of you who don’t know why I am busted, Dave and Linda own Pizza Moreno, our favorite pizza in Mazatlan…)
Zoe
May 29, 2009Fun to find your site, Nancy and Paul, after meeting you at Scott’s. That pizza looks wonderful and maybe I will try one on my barbecue as I dread the idea of my kitchen stove at full blast. (small kitchen) If Moreno’s looks like that, I will defintely have to give it another try! Hope to see you again one day. Just made a lovely gazpacho for our card group, topped off with cukes and chopped egg…I am having to learn to cook in a different way here.
Jackie
May 30, 2009I can’t top what anyone has alrady said about how great the pizza looks. Yum-O!
Nancy
May 30, 2009Zoe, Hi there! Thanks for commenting! We like Moreno’s pizza a lot, but sometimes you just want to cook for yourself! I made a cold avocado vichyssoise the other day with leeks, potato, and avocado topped with a dollop of sour cream. Mmmm.
Jackie, thanks. I think it mostly has to do with having a pizza stone and a hot hot oven.
1st Mate
May 30, 2009That pizza looks so good! Hope it didn’t heat up the kitchen too much. But then you could always evacuate the kitchen, you have at least three different places you can dine at your house.
jennifer
June 5, 2009I am a little late to the game here, but here are some of my favorite easy Summer recipes – all vegetarian, of course.
It’s Hot Salad:
Mix together 1 minced garlic clove, the juice of two limones, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 red onion, sliced thin. Let Macerate for 15 minutes. Toss with cubed cucumber and two diced roma tomatoes.
Pasta salad:
Mix 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp. dijon mustard, 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 tbsp. capers, minced, and 1/2 tsp. sugar.
Toss with 8 ounces cooked pasta, green olives, red pepper, and whatever else veggies turn you on.
Cold Cucumber Soup:
Ridiculously easy. In the Summer I buy boxed tomato puree and add water to thin it rather than make my own broth. Add diced cucumber and a squeeze of lime juice.
Cold Black Bean Soup:
Even more ridiculously easy. Buy a bag of Chata refried black beans and stir with water and ice chips. Top with a little crema if you like. Surprisingly good. And filling.
Tomato Sorbet:
Toss 8 roma tomatos, 3/4 cup tomato juice, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp ancho powder, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper into your Vita-Mix. Blend well, strain, and process in your ice cream maker.
Nancy
June 7, 2009Jennifer, Love your recipes! Not too sure about the tomato sorbet but it does sound interesting.
Hope you are finding a little time for relaxation lately. Hope to see you soon!
jennifer
June 7, 2009Okay, I know savory sorbet can be confusing to the palette, but you should really try it. It is spectacular served next to a cut tomato salad which has been dressed with some balsamic vinegar and goat cheese. Or try a small scoop in your favorite chilled soup.
If that doesn’t do it for you, try some wine sorbet on a hot night on your new terrace:
1 1/2 cups of your favorite wine
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
juice of 2 limones
heat water and sugar together until sugar dissolves. Chill. Add wine and lime juice. Chill well. Process in your ice cream maker.
In the Mazatlan Summer, I am willing to try freezing anything 😉