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Fruit-Filled Mini Galettes

August 23, 2015 / Jenny / 14 Comments

Blueberries, peaches, and plums are in season here right now, and they are such a summer treat. When fruit is this fresh, I like to keep it simple, allowing the flavors of the fruit to shine: a little bit of sugar to sweeten it, a little bit of flour to thicken it, and a delicious dough to wrap around the fruit like a hug. Fifteen minutes in the oven, and you have some miniature galettes, perfect for dessert. Or breakfast. We had them for breakfast yesterday morning, enjoying a sunny Saturday morning on the porch.

I am still enamored with making galettes, and the mini galettes are fun, because you can individualize them. I made some with just blueberry filling, and some with a peach-plum filling, using the fruit we had on hand. Four cups of any kind of fruit will work, and you can mix and match as you please. Making dough is therapeutic for me, and the dough for these galettes is a simple pie dough, cut into smaller squares. I love the fact that galettes are not expected to look perfect or fancy–the folds of dough can be uneven and the fruit can bubble over, and it tastes just fabulous.

Change is in the air, as summer has a tiny hint of fall, and our schedules are soon about to get a lot more regimented and full. We are squeezing in our summer wishes. This weekend we have been visiting with cousins and aunts and uncles we don’t get to see often, and that has been wonderful and poignant. As we watched all of our children running around together yesterday afternoon, climbing trees and playing ball, we remembered summers when we were children together, running around wild and free in that same yard, climbing some of the same trees (though they are much bigger now). Time passes and our worlds stretch, as we all grow and experience new things, find our different ways, and bring new people into the family. It is all good, but we are not able to see each other like we used to. It is bittersweet, just like the end of August.

However, these mini galettes are just sweet–nothing bitter about them. That is probably why I made them. There is comfort in making sweet things. I cannot control much of what happens, but in my little baking world, I can create sweetness for myself and others, and think about loved ones and memories. If you are looking for a way to use some summer fruit, these miniature galettes are a great way to do it. I hope you have a wonderful week!

Fruit-Filled Mini Galettes

Servings: 8 mini galettes
Time: about 35-40 minues
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Ingredients:

For the blueberry filling:

2 cups of fresh blueberries
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of flour

For the peach-plum filling:

1 cup of fresh peaches, peeled and chopped
1 cup of fresh plums, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of flour

For the crusts:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup of unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 to 7 tablespoons of cold water

For the egg wash:

One egg, beaten
1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Wash and prepare the fruit. In one small bowl, mix the blueberries, sugar and flour. In another small bowl, mix the peaches, plums, sugar and flour. Feel free to mix and match with different fruit if desired.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Gradually cut in the butter with a fork or a pastry cutter, combining until the mixture has the consistency of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cold water over the dough, and gently toss with a fork. Repeat until the dough is moistened, but not slimy. If you add too much water, add a little flour. Work the water through until the dough is a nice, soft texture, but don’t over-mix. Divide the dough in half, forming two balls. On a lightly floured surface, flatten one of the balls of dough with your hand. Roll the dough from the center to the edges, forming a rough square of about 12 inches around. Gently cut the dough into four smaller squares. Roll each smaller square to about 6 inches by 6 inches. Place one-fourth of the blueberry mixture in the center of each of the four squares, leaving an inch or two of dough around the edges. Gently fold the edges around the fruit, pleating all the way around the edges. Repeat with the the rest of the squares. Then repeat the process with the second ball of dough, making four 6 inch squares and filling each square with one-fourth of the peach-plum mixture, and folding and pleating the edges. Place the galettes on the baking sheets.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and add the tablespoon of water. With a pastry brush, brush the edges of the crusts with the egg wash.

Bake in a 425-degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the crusts are lightly golden and the fruit is bubbly. Enjoy!

My Favorite Pico de Gallo

August 14, 2015 / Jenny / 29 Comments

Luscious, juicy tomatoes, bright, distinctive cilantro, slightly spicy onion and chili pepper, and tangy lime juice with salt combine to create a fresh salsa just bursting with summer flavor. Pico de gallo, also known as Salsa Mexicana, is a beloved condiment in Mexico. It has become a summer staple in my home, and it goes great with tortilla chips, in tacos, or as a topping for chicken, among many other uses. I am not an expert in Mexican food, but I am definitely an enthusiast. And with tomatoes ripening on the vine in our garden (finally!), it is easier than ever to mix up a batch of this pico de gallo and capitalize on the freshness of the tomatoes.

My son fell in love with pico de gallo at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants earlier this summer, and I have been trying to recreate it at home ever since. There are countless recipes out there, and variations as well, though most pico de gallo recipes seem to consist of tomatoes, onions, cilantro, chili peppers, lime juice, and salt. Some add cucumbers, avocado, or radishes–all versions I would like to eventually try. But first I wanted to get the basic version down, since the varying amounts of each ingredient can change the taste. I finally hit upon a version that my family and I just love! I will share it below, in case you are still searching for a pico de gallo recipe that you’d like to try. The amounts of the ingredients can be adjusted to suit personal tastes, but one thing is ultra-important: the freshness of the tomatoes is key. Roma tomatoes are typically used, but since we are not growing those in our garden this year, I used our tomatoes and just cut out the seeds (the seeds would make the salsa too watery). I like things only mildly spicy, so I cut out the seeds of the jalapeño pepper before dicing it. If you want to add more heat, add some pepper seeds. And if you have a variation of pico de gallo you love, I would love to hear about it!

It has been awhile since I have been in this space, and I have missed it. I have missed posting, and I have missed keeping up on what my fellow bloggers are up to. But it was for a good cause–I was on a lovely vacation with my extended family, and was “unplugged” for a few days. It was very relaxing and inspirational to be around so much nature and water. I fell in love with paddle boarding on a small, quiet lake, and we saw loons and a bald eagle as we were paddling. We also spent time at Lake Michigan, which is one of my favorite lakes on earth, and got a chance to go for a long sail on my brother’s boat. My mother coordinated the vacation in order to have time to spend with each other and to celebrate the memory of my dear father. It would have been their 50th wedding anniversary this summer. It is not easy to get everyone all together in this busy world, and we dearly missed one of my brothers, who was unable to come. But my other two brothers and their families came, as well as my husband and children. We rotated dinner-making duty, and had some delicious, simple dinners, enjoyed outside on picnic tables, with a view of the lake. The kids had lots of cousin time, which is mostly loud, crazy fun, making memories they will keep forever.

I hope you are all enjoying the summer, and savoring all the fresh fruits and vegetables available this month. August is one of my favorite months with its mellowing sun and humming insect noises at night. And with all the blooming around here, it is easy to find a bouquet of fresh flowers to brighten up any room. Have a great weekend! Fiesta Friday is beckoning, with lots of intriguing recipes and photos!

My Favorite Pico de Gallo

Servings: makes about 2 cups
Time: 15 minutes, plus at least one hour to chill
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Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups ripe tomato (about 2 medium-sized tomatoes), diced and seeded
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (and seeded, unless you want lots of heat)
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of lime juice (about 1 lime-worth of juice)
salt to taste

Directions:

Wash and chop tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Combine in a medium-sized bowl. Squeeze the lime juice into the bowl, and add salt to taste. Feel free to adjust amounts of ingredients to taste. Stir gently, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve with tortilla chips or use in tacos, or as a topping for many other dishes. Pico de gallo will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but is best when used within the first day. Enjoy!

Ode to the Fruits of Summer

July 26, 2015 / Jenny / 9 Comments

The past few days, my cooking and baking has been at a minimum. With all the fresh produce available this time of year, we have been eating lots of salads and raw fruits, because when food is this fresh, it tastes so good in its most natural state. Raspberries, blueberries, and cherries are in season right now, and they are some of the most flavorful fruits! This is the time of year to be outside as much as possible, and to let go of the schedule as much as possible. Sometimes the best recipe is no recipe at all, but just eating raspberries right from the bush, or stopping along the road at a stand that says “washed sweet cherries,” and eating the sweet, juicy cherries right there in the car.

Sometimes the best photo is the one you didn’t take, the one that shimmers in your memory like water in a lake.

Sometimes you just want to laugh a little longer and hug your loved ones a little tighter, stay up a little later, and drink a strong cup of coffee in the morning.

Sometimes the best stories are the ones you cannot possibly put into words, but remain in your heart forever.

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer, and I will be back soon with a recipe to share! I have been working on my favorite pico de gallo recipe, but it still needs some work, much to my son’s and husband’s pleasure in testing each batch.