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Fresh Figs With Cheese, Honey & Thyme
The figs on my fig tree are just starting to ripen. For me, this means making one of my favorite dishes. I love that it only has five ingredients. It is super easy and super delicious and is great to serve along with a charcuterie board if you are having guests over.
Recipe
- 1/2 pound of soft dessert cheese such as brie. I used Brillat-Savarin, a triple cream dessert cheese from the ile de France region. It is very creamy, decadent and luxurious.
- 4-5 fresh figs, cut into quarters
- 1/2 cup organic honey
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1/3 cup fragmented walnut pieces
Because it is still fairly warm here I don’t bake or warm the cheese, I just leave it out for about 15 minutes. If you would like to warm your cheese, you can cut off the top, then microwave for 10-15 seconds or bake at 350 for a few minutes. In my opinion, it is better to have a little bit of firmness than have the cheese completely melted. As Ina Garten, one of my favorite cooks says, “it should ooze but not melt”. Also, if you are planning to transfer the cheese to another platter, use parchment paper beneath it before warming it to ease the transfer process. Add your fresh figs. In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the honey and the thyme until it is silky smooth and begins to bubble. This only takes a few minutes. Drizzle the honey over the cheese and figs and scatter with walnut pieces.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe. I just love it and try to only make small batches because it’s so hard to stop eating it! You may also enjoy Find Your Zen Zucchini Bread Recipe and Sugar & Spice: My Favorite Fall Flavors. Wishing you peace, love, happiness, & beautiful vistas.
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Find Your Zen Zucchini Bread Recipe
The days are starting to get shorter and cooler, and I am gathering the last of my zucchinis and tomatoes from the garden. This is the time of year I begin to think about bringing out snuggly throws, building cozy fires in the fireplace, and baking my favorite fall fare. Nothing says comfort like fresh bread warm from the oven. I shared some of my favorite sugar & spice fall flavors on Tuesday. You can add this recipe to the list!
This is my all-time favorite recipe for zucchini bread. It has always been a favorite for my three boys too. This recipe makes two loaves of bread. Just cut all the ingredients in half (you can use two eggs instead of three) if you only want one loaf. It can also be made gluten free. It’s perfect to take on fall picnics with a thermos of coffee or tea. Or just cuddle up with your love bunnies and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups grated zucchini
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups unbleached flour (for gluten free bread use all purpose gluten free flour blend)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts OR pecans (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add grated zucchini. Gradually sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into mixture and continue to beat until smooth. Nuts are optional.
Pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake for one hour. Wait until cool to remove from pan. Run a butter knife around all sides of the bread and gently tap on the bottom to remove from pan.
Thank you for visiting my blog! You may also like Sugar & Spice: My Favorite Fall Flavors and The Very Best 2021 Halloween Pet Costumes. Wishing you peace, love, happiness & beautiful vistas!
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The Art of the Artichoke
If you are from the midwest, chances are, like me, the closest you have been to an artichoke is eating the spinach artichoke dip at your nephew’s graduation party. In the Monterey area, however, artichokes are big, so big that they have an annual artichoke festival. It is actually an artichoke and WINE festival, because hey, what is a festival without wine? If you are in the Monterey area this weekend you should check it out! it is being held at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center. I went last year and the highlights for me were eating the fried artichoke hearts (super yum!) and listening to chefs from local restaurants discuss the proper way to cook fresh artichokes. To me, this was important, because the first time I tried cooking them it was a disaster. I learned that you do not boil them, you STEAM them. Eating them was also a novel experience. Here’s how: you take a leaf from the cooked artichoke, put the base of the artichoke leaf in your mouth, put your bottom and top teeth together, and slowly pull the leaf out, skimming the savory artichoke goodness off the leaf. The artichoke is actually the official state vegetable of California, and did you know? Nearly two-thirds of America’s artichokes are grown in Castroville, a small town located north of Monterey. Another interesting fact: Marilyn Monroe served as honorary queen of the Artichoke Festival in 1948 before she became famous.
One of my favorite ways to eat artichokes is in Lemon Chicken Artichoke Soup. My friend Anushka (yes, I named my goat after her) actually told me about this delicious recipe and I adapted it. If you need a light and nourishing soup to warm your spirits this is it!
Monterey Farmgirl’s Lemon Chicken Artichoke Soup
1 lb. skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 leeks, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
(1) 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup kale leaves, torn
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tsp. thyme, chopped
Pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a large pot, sautee the leeks in the olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender and start to turn golden.
- Add the chicken, garlic, bay leaf, artichoke hearts, chicken stock, kale, and thyme and bring to a simmer, cooking for 30 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and pepper