Saturdays

Saturdays are my favorite days, because it means that me and my guy get to do fun stuff. Like go to the arts festival in SLC. 

A few weekends ago we ventured out into the heat and spent an afternoon wandering around booths admiring the work of local artists.

It was a fun and hot outing, after we were thoroughly sweaty and borderline dehydrated we left. 

Always a fun time at the Arts Fest. 

Summer Berry crisp

This has to be the perfect finish to a meal on a warm summer evening. Sweet warm berries, cinnamon-y crumbly crust and cold vanilla ice cream. Perfection I tell you. I'm really in to seasonal cooking, it just makes sense...right? While berries are at their peak of freshness this dessert needs to be on your to do list. Let this be the reason you head to the farmers market this weekend.

Summer Berry Crisp

For the Berries: 4 pints fresh berries, any combination of raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the topping:1 cup flour
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up, at room temperature

In a large bowl combine berries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Stir to combine and set aside while mixing the topping. 

Preheat oven to 350 prepare a sheet pan by spreading with a piece of aluminum foil. In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers cut butter into dry ingredients until the mixture is a course, dry crumbly mixture.

Spoon berries into 6 small ramekins, or into one large baking dish (a casserole pan or 9X9 baking dish works great here). Sprinkle the berries with topping, place the ramekins on the prepared sheet pan and bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until the topping is golden and berries are bubbling. 

Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Fresh Strawberry Pie

When I was a kid strawberry pie was my favorite. In the warmer months my grandma would make it and I would be sure to eat it the only way I knew how equal parts pie and whipped cream. 1:1, pie to cream ratio is the only way to go. Truth be told not much has changed today. In fact recently when I made this pie I made little 4'' mini pies and for the sake of cuteness I piped on a little dollop of whipped cream in the center of each pie. But you better believe when it was eating time I sat with my pie AND piping bag, piping individual dollops of cream on each bite. It felt right and I'm not ashamed. This strawberry pie sets up beautifully, it's not runny and yet it's not gel like either. It's the perfect consistency. Big strawberry chunks create a great texture and an even better flavor. You'll love this pie, pick up some fresh strawberries and try it out! 

Fresh Strawberry Pie 
Ingredients: 
9'' blind baked pie crust or four 4'' mini pie crusts
6 cups strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup water
3 ounces cream cheese, softened

Sweetened Whipped Cream 
Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mash enough strawberries to measure one cup. Mix sugar and corn starch in a saucepan. Gradually stir in water and mashed berries. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Allow mixture to come to a boil, boil and stir for one minute. Cool mixture while you spread softened cream cheese on the bottom and sides of pie crust. This will keep the crust from getting soggy. Fill the shell with remaining strawberries, then pour cooked strawberry mixture over the top of fresh berries. Refrigerate pie until set, at least 3 hours. Enjoy with sweetened whipped cream.

* For the mini pies the process is the same, as for a 9'' pie, berries may need to be cut in fourths as opposed to just in half. And cooling/set up time could be a bit less as well.

Campers

Last weekend we decided to use our camping gear (for the first time...ever). We asked our friends Liz and Josh to join us for an adventure in Wyoming. We promised to bring the laughs if they promised to bring the s'mores. We both held up our ends of the bargain. 

On the way up we stopped at Rainey Creek Country store home of the famous square ice cream. Adam grew up going to Rainey Creek with his grandparents, and had fond memories of square ice cream cones. 

Mind = Blown! It really was square. 

After a long drive a hiccup with our original campsite and 3 miles of dirt road in a 

not-so-dirt-road-friendly-car we made it to a pretty little campsite with a stunning view of the Tetons. 

After we set up camp and ate dinner things got serious. I needed s'mores. 

So we built a fire and gorged ourselves on the gooeyness. 

The rest of the trip we spent eating yummy things, wandering around Jackson Hole, but most importantly laughing at inappropriate jokes mostly provided by the husbands.

Oh and yes we rafted the snake river. Wearing wet suits. We didn't die but we did swallow more river water than we'd like to admit. 

We had an awesome summer camping trip, thanks for joining us Horton's we can't wait till next time. 

Fourth Of July

 The fourth of July is up there when it comes to favorite holidays. Bar B Que, perfect weather, fireworks and my favorite people. I'm not sure it gets better. 

 My family picnicked at the eaglewood golf course with KFC (ha! 'merica) and watched a beautiful fireworks show. 

The next day we prepared the most delicious 4th of July spread! Mini pies, BBQ Coke ribs, grilled chicken corn, and a whole lot more. 

For the pies we made a chocolate cream, apple spice, peach crumble and strawberry. They were so fun to make and so, so cute. 

It was all crazy delicious! 

Of course as the sun went down we played with fireworks. 

(Maybe the 4th of July brings out the pyromaniac in me.) 

 

 Mom, sisters and sparklers

(sparklers have to be the best part of the holiday) 

It was a happy day. I am thankful for this country, and for our freedoms, and for the people that strive to preserve them. 

(These authentic reactions brought to you by our first aerial firework, haha classic)