Cantaloupe-Pancetta-Feta Pasta Salad

"I love thee to the depth and breadth..." // Instagram @kguymon

Good grief, how do I appreciate a refreshing variation on the good ol' pasta salad? Let me count the ways.

The summer standby is always a go-to for holiday get-togethers and backyard barbeques (duh!), but sometimes you just want a new and exciting flavor combination, you know?

I stumbled upon a list of Bon Appétit's list of "30 Memorial Day Side Dishes That Eclipse the Mains" and instantly decided to make my own version of their melon-pancetta-ricotta salata salad, one that promised a hefty amount of leftovers. 'Cause it's one of those weeks where Matt and I are passing ships in the night, and the sit-down family dinner just isn't happening.

The dressing is nowhere near the star of the show (you could double the amount, if you'd like); however, the sweet-salty mix of the melon and pancetta/feta definitely is. The fresh mint cools the spice of the red pepper flakes perfectly.

Gotta say, I am thrilled with the results! This one's a keeper.

Cantaloupe-Pancetta-Feta Pasta Salad [adapted from Bon Appétit]

-1 lb. campanelle pasta
-4 oz. sliced pancetta
-6 oz. crumbled feta
-16 oz. cantaloupe, diced into 1/2" pieces  
-3 green onions, thinly sliced
-3 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped
-5 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
-4 tablespoons of olive oil
-1 teaspoon of kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon of pepper
-pinch of red pepper flakes (or more, to your liking)

1. Boil the pasta in a big pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain and run under cold water so pasta does not clump.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a foiled roasting pan, spread the pancetta slices out so that they do not overlap. Bake until crispy, approximately 20 minutes. Let cool, then break into bite-sized pieces.

3. To make the dressing, add together the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk well. 

3. Add pasta, pancetta, melon, feta, and dressing to a large bowl. Toss well, then garnish with onions and mint.

Zucchini Bread

Photo by Katie Guymon

My lovely father visited this weekend with gifts from his home garden: tomatoes, summer squash, and, yup, zucchini. Last night, around 9:45, after grading was complete, I got a wild hair to put those zukes to use. I mashed together the best parts of multiple recipes from the web, and came up with one that suits my lack of an overly sweet tooth. If I took an ad out for potential taste testers, it would include the following four words: Must Love Brown Sugar.

Once the bread was in the oven, I sat down to watch Fast Times at Ridgemont High (dude, the '80s were kind of gross...but I heart them so), and drank some wine. The end.

Zucchini Bread
-3 cups of all purpose flour
-1 cup of sugar
-1 cup of brown sugar
-1 teaspoon of kosher salt
-1 teaspoon of baking soda
-1 teaspoon of baking powder
-1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon of nutmeg
-1 cup of vegetable oil
-4 eggs, beaten
-2 cups of grated zucchini, drained (approximately two medium zucchini)
-splash of water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the zucchini, eggs, oil, and water.

3. In a large bowl, place the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg and whisk until combined.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well until just combined.

5. Spray loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Add the batter to 2 standard loaf pans and cook for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Alternatively, bake in four small loaf pans for 45 minutes.

Bourbon Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

Photo by Katie Guymon

Last night, we all got together to celebrate my in-laws' wedding anniversary. I was in charge of the dessert. Now, because I've been on a sugar-avoidance-where-possible diet, I needed a splurge that was worth it.

Mmmm, fruit, all liquored up // Instagram @kguymon

After seeing that Eckert's peaches had recently invaded the produce section at Schnucks, I decided a cobbler was on the horizon. (And look! The colors in the finished product are so horizon-like. I digress.)

The end result--one last hurrah for a summer that's rapidly coming to a close--was nineteen kinds of yummy. Even Matt, who admitted most cobblers just remind him of his elementary school's cafeteria food, became a Beliebbler. Yup, that's my new term for all the cobbler fanatics out there.

PS - Don't worry about the bourbon. I don't usually sip it like my sophisticated, elderly husband does, but the addition of the liquor adds an awesome depth of flavor. The actual taste cooks off. I mean, we served this to kids. It's okay.


Bourbon Peach and Blueberry Cobbler [adapted from Tyler Florence]
-6 large peaches, peeled and sliced, about 6 cups

-1 cup of blueberries
-1/4 cup of bourbon
-3/4 cup of sugar, plus more for dusting
-2 tablespoons of corn starch
-1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
-1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons of baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
-2 sticks of cold unsalted butter
-3/4 cup of heavy cream, plus more for brushing

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl add the peaches, blueberries, bourbon, 1/4 cup of sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon and mix well to coat the fruit evenly; set aside.

3. Prepare the dough: in a bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut 1 1/2 sticks of butter into small pieces. Add it to the flour mixture and cut it in with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs. Pour in the cream and mix just until the dough comes together. Don't overwork; the dough should be slightly sticky but manageable.

4. In a large sauce pan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the fruit mixture and cook gently until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the fruit to a 2-quart baking dish.

5. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls over the warm peaches. There can be gaps; the dough will puff up and spread out as it bakes. Brush the top with some heavy cream and sprinkle with some sugar; put it into the oven on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling.

6. Serve with vanilla ice cream. 

Summer Garden Pasta

Photo by Katie Guymon

Tonight, my father-in-law stopped by to visit Avery. Thankfully, it wasn't one of those "fend for yourself" nights, and I already had dinner in the works. Even more thankfully, this summer garden pasta recipe is beyond simple (the sauce is no cook!), so it's great for spending time with your dinner guests and impressing them with this dish's fresh, summery flavors.

Summer Garden Pasta [adapted from Barefoot Contessa]

-4 pints grape tomatoes, halved
-olive oil
-2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
-18 large basil leaves, julienned, plus extra for serving
-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
-kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1 pound whole wheat angel hair pasta
-1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

1. Combine the tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, basil leaves, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for about 4 hours.

2. Just before you're ready to serve, bring a large pot of water with a splash of olive oil and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil and add the pasta. Cook al dente according to the directions on the package.

3. Use a fork to mash the tomatoes until their juices run.

4. Drain the pasta well and add to the bowl with the cherry tomatoes. Add the cheese and some extra fresh basil leaves and toss well. Serve in big bowls with extra cheese on each serving.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Lattice Pie

Photo by Katie Guymon

Rhubarb-Strawberry Lattice Pie [recipe from Martha Stewart Living] 
Confession: this was the first pie that I've ever made. If you count buying Pillsbury pie crusts as "making" a pie. Which, considering my attempt at fancy-looking lattice work, I do. But, despite my adventurous nature in the realm of criss cross crusts, I realize that my mine ended up looking more than a little janky. I've got some practice ahead of me before I master the art of the pie crust. But, I promise you that this pie actually tastes delicious. There's more rhubarb than strawberry so it's extra tart, and the addition of orange zest and juice is probably my favorite thing about this recipe.

Also, it's important to know that when I update my Facebook status as "My first ever pie is in the oven," that does not mean that I am with child. Matt got some congratulatory text messages from a friend who confused "pie" with "bun." 

-1 3/4 pounds rhubarb, cut into 3/4 inch pieces (6 cups)
-6 ounces strawberries, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
-1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
-1/4 cup cornstarch
-1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
-1 tablespoon orange juice
-1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
-2 Pillsbury pie crusts
-1 egg
-2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
-sanding sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make the filling by mixing the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, zest, juice, and salt.

2. Roll out crust to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Pour in filling; dot top with butter.

3. Roll remaining crust to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into at least fifteen 1/2-inch strips. Lay 8 strips across pie. Fold back every other strip, and lay a horizontal strip across the center of the pie. Unfold folded strips, then fold back remaining strips. Lay another horizontal strip across pie. Repeat folding and unfolding strips to weave a lattice pattern.

4. Trim bottom and top crusts to 1-inch overhang using kitchen shears, and press together to seal around edges. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar. Bake pie on middle rack, with a foil-lined baking sheet on bottom rack to catch juices, until vigorously bubbling in center and bottom crust is golden, about 1 1/2 hours. (Loosely tent with foil after 1 hour if crust is browning too quickly.) Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool for at least 2 hours (preferably longer) before serving.

Grilled Tuna with Pineapple Salsa

The last two Sundays have felt marvelously like summer. Couple that with the fact that my husband decided to give up red meat for Lent (don't ask me why, it's not like he was eating a cow a day or anything), that means that it's time to break out some seafood recipes, meant for the warmer months of the year. So far, tuna steaks have been my go-to protein for the onset of grilling season. Yes, tuna and I are good friends.

This is hands-down one of my favorite summertime recipes. It's a Paula Deen recipe that's actually healthy, y'all. PS - I could eat the salsa by itself. And I have. And I will again.

Grilled Tuna with Pineapple Salsa [recipe adapted from Paula Deen]
For the Salsa:
-1 cup diced pineapple, preferably fresh
-1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
-3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (white and light green parts)
-1 lime, juiced
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

For the Tuna:
-4 (8-ounce) tuna steaks
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-salt
-pepper
-garlic powder

1. In a small bowl, mix all the salsa ingredients together. Cover and let stand at room temperature until ready to serve.

2. Light the grill or preheat the broiler.

3. Coat the tuna steaks with the oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Transfer the steaks to a baking sheet, if broiling, or put them on the grill. Broil or grill the fish until cooked to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side.

4. Transfer to a serving platter and serve topped with the salsa.