Yummy Summer Tart

This recipe is adapted from one found in USA Weekend's CookSmart section. The original recipe may be found at www.usaweekend.com

Carol's version used her made-from-scratch pie crust, but you can use the refrigerated variety if you choose.

• 1 8 oz package of cream cheese softened
• grated lemon peel to taste
• 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 whole egg separated
• 2 tablespoons sugar, plus a bit extra for sprinkling
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 refrigerated pie crust from a 14.1 ounce box (or your own home made pie crust
• 2 cups fresh fruit (Carol's pictured above used thinly sliced Black Plums and cultivated high bush blueberries)

Place oven rack at lowest position and preheat to 400 F.
Mix the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, the egg yolk, and lemon peel in a medium bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix fruit, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and vanilla extract.
Roll out your pie crust to a circle of about 13 inches on a well floured surface and slip on to a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on the crust, leaving a 2 inch border for folding.Scatter the plum (or other fruit slices over the cream cheese mixture and sprinkle the blueberries (or other berries) evenly over the top. .
Fold the pastry crust as shown in the photo and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Slide to a cooling rack. Serve warm. Should serve six.
 
 

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

by Teri Winchester 

 

Makes 2 quarts

 

2 15oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn

1/2 pound jicama, peeled and diced in small pieces

(If I don't have jicama, I substitute one can of water chestnuts, chopped)

1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced

5 green onions, chopped

2 fresh tomatoes, diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

 

Combine all above ingredients in a serving bowl.

 

Dressing:

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

 

Mix dressing ingredients well and pour over salsa. Stir gently and serve.

 

Mouths Meet & Eat

Magdalena Mouths held their regular 2nd Wednesday in August meet and eat at Danielle's Bear Mountain Coffee House and Gallery.
  The pot-luck theme was any dish or dessert that is a family favorite for Summer get-togethers.
  First timers were Lucia Bisbee and friend Ben, Susan Alexander and Sarita Johnson (of Albany, CA and Magdalena) Georgette Grey of Socorro, and Ian Jenness. Also in attendance were Danielle Fitzpatrick, Teri Winchester, and Carol and Harry Kroyer.

  The group meets monthly at Bear Mountain to enjoy sharing each others' foods and to talk about anything pertaining to food in Magdalena. Among the August discussions was an update on initial planning for the formation of a food purchasing cooperative, a fund raiser to benefit the Samaritan Center  (the local food pantry and thrift shop). and discussion about how the group might assist Villagers who are interested in growing their own produce.
   The group also talked about Anna Lear's recent article in the Mountain Mail about how to deal with our high Ph water by adding a bit of vinegar to it for watering and/or drip irrigating vegetable gardens. As Anna pointed out,  our plants prosper far better just after our infrequent rains and will benefit from a more acidic water.
   The next meeting will be on the 2nd Wednesday in September (9/14/2011). More information a little later, including the food theme for what sort of dishes to bring to share.
   We will try to bring you as many recipes as possible on this Blog.

A Scrumptious Dessert From Ian

Submitted by Ian Jenness

STRAWBERRY SOUFFLE

2 C fresh strawberries or 2 C whole frozen strawberries (without sugar)

1 C sugar

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

2 egg whites

Whole berries or chocolate shavings for garnish

In a large mixer bowl, combine berries, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and egg whites

Beat at medium speed for 15 minutes or until mixture is stiff and shiny

Pour into a lightly greased spring form or Angel-food cake pan and freeze for at least four hours.  Remove from freezer 5 minutes before serving.

This is a very simple and refreshing summer treat!

Ian Jenness

THE OT (Magdalena Oldtimers' Reunion) )DIET

If it's tasty and full of fat and carbs food that you want, you'll be able to get your fill this weekend at the Magdalena Oldtimers' Reunion at the Village Rodeo Grounds. Vendors were setting up Thursday evening in preparation for the event this weekend.
I'll probably manage to take a pass on the funnel cakes, but this is one of my twice a year treats of Navajo fry bread with mutton and green chile. Indian Village will have a dozen or more food stands for you to choose from.
Check out www.mountainmailnews.com/ for full details on the weekend's activities.
You can always go back to your healthy diet come Monday.

MEXICAN SHRIMP COCKTAIL-- Summer Supper #2

Coctel de Camaron is a Mexican creation that we enjoyed at roadside stands throughout Mexico.  From place to place along the Pacific Coast this "cocktail" was more of an entree than the appetizer we find on many NOB menus.

Should have photographed the dish last evening, but  I was more interested in  eating.

INGREDIENTS

(to serve 2)

•    18   Shrimp, shelled and steamed 
•    16 oz seasoned tomato juice.. V-8 will do 
•    1 diced avocado
•    1/2 diced cucumber
•    1 small onion - diced
•    2 stalks celery - diced
•    4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
•    Lime quarters
•    Salt and pepper to taste
•    Hot sauce to taste

Combine all, but the last three ingredients that may be added at table to individual taste, and place in refrigerator to chill for an hour or so. If you don't have time, you can serve in small bowls placed in larger cracked ice filled bowls.

It is a delicious and refreshing Summer Supper #2 served with crackers or a baguette.

SUMMER SUPPER # 1

Carol prepared a delightful and cool supper for a warm summer evening. Pictured at left: sesame crackers, wild caught canned Alaska Salmon*, a cold cucumber soup, and a plate of fresh and crisp vegetables (tomato, green onions, celery, yellow pepper, lime to squeeze on the salmon and avocado, carrot sticks, and the avocado).

Carol knew she wanted to make a cold cucumber soup and searched and searched for one to suit her. Many she found had ingredients like "a can of cream of celery soup," or wanted a can of chicken broth or some other ingredient that failed to entice.
She came upon a recipe for a cold cucumber soup that used yogurt. Not having any on hand, she substituted buttermilk and came up with a wonderfully tangy chilled soup.

COLD CUCUMBER-BUTTERMILK SOUP

• 2 Cucumbers (about a pound) peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 2 Finely minced cloves of garlic
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh dill or a teaspoon of dry dill weed
• 4 Cups of buttermilk
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped mint (we didn't have any on hand but did add a little chopped fresh basil

1. Place diced cukes in a colander,  sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Let stand for about 30 minutes and then drain off the water
2. Combine the cucumbers, buttermilk, garlic, oil, dill and buttermilk
3. Chill for an hour. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Add the mint if it's handy. If it is too thick toit you, dilute with ice cold water and serve

Carol served the soup in a medium sized bowls placed in cracked ice filled larger soup bowls (as pictured).

A simple, tasty, and satisfying supper enjoyed in our enclosed patio.

* We avoid farmed fish whenever we can. Having lived in Downeast Coastal Maine when the farmed Atlantic Salmon industry started and watching how they go about feeding, medicating, and caring for penned salmon, we believe it to be a seriously inferior product compared with wild caught fish.