What's Cookin'

Summer may be on its way out but there's still plenty of time to savor its bounty. Fresh fruits and veggies are still around filled with the season's best tastes. Check out this month's recipes and see how they can help soften your kitchen's seasonal transition from Summer to Fall. Enjoy!

Fettucine with Smoked Salmon and Vodka
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 C. vegetable broth
1⁄2  C. light cream
1⁄4  C. vodka
1 Lb. fettuccine, cooked and drained
4-6 oz. coarsely chopped smoked salmon
1 C. shredded watercress
1⁄4  C. capers, rinsed

Heat oil in large pot. Add scallions and tomatoes and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth, cream and vodka. Heat through being careful not to scorch.

Place cooked fettuccine in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable-broth mixture over pasta. Add salmon, watercress and capers; toss gently to mix. Season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Peach Melba
1 pint raspberries
1⁄2  C. plus 1 Tbsp. sugar  (can use Splenda)
1 Tbsp. butter
2 peaches, peeled cored and quartered
1 pint vanilla ice cream

Combine half the raspberries, 1⁄2  C. sugar and 1 Tbsp. water in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Turn off heat and add remaining raspberries. Stir to combine and pour into separate bowl to cool. Melt butter, then pour it over the peaches, toss with remaining sugar. Put fruit on a small baking pan and bake at 425°F for about 20 minutes, turning once. Serve with ice cream and a few spoonfuls of raspberry sauce. (Could use pears, nectarines or any seasonal fruit.)

Parmesan Crisps
1 C. grated Parmesan
1 tsp. flour

Combine Parmesan cheese with flour. Using a nonstick pan over medium heat, sprinkle thin layer of mixture into 2' or 3' circles. When circles begin to sizzle and the bottoms are golden, flip and cook the other side. Remove from pan when both sides are toasty brown.

Throw crisps into the Mixed Greens with Sauteed Pears. Will add something special to any salad with a vinegar and oil based dressing.

Avocado Salad with Peaches
1⁄2  red bell pepper, cored and seeded
2 Tbps. red wine vinegar
1⁄2  tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1⁄4  C. olive oil
2 almost-ripe avocados
8 C. arugula or any preferred green
2 peaches, peeled and diced

Roast the red pepper. Peel and chop. Puree with red wine vinegar, vanilla and sugar. With blender running, gradually ad 1⁄4  C. olive oil.

Halve the avocados. Drizzle with olive oil. Place cut side down on grill or pan and witha medium-high flame char the avocado for about 5 minutes. Peel and slice thickly. Toss with your preferred green and peaches. Drizzle with dressing and season to taste.

Mixed Greens with Sauteed Pears
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for dressing
2 pears, each cored, stemmed and cut into thin slices
6 to 8 cups mixed greens vinegar

In a nonstick pan over medium heat, saute pears in batches with olive oil. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Spoon warm pears onto greens. Drizzle with vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste. P.S. How 'bout trying peaches or plums or nectarines? Yum!