Category Archives: Recipes

boozy ice pops: midori sour

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I fondly remember the days when my brothers and I used to chase down the ice cream truck, with our money tightly wadded up in our hands, to get our afternoon popsicles.  I always got an Orange Big Stick, and I would hurry up and eat mine pretty fast because I hated when it started to melt and drip down, making my hand sticky.  To this day, I don’t know which I hated more – the brain freeze resulting from eating my popsicle too fast or having a streak of sticky orange-flavored syrup running down my arm.

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hazelnut frangipane and nutella-dark chocolate ganache tart and another giveaway

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Hazelnut Frangipane and Nutella Chocolate Ganache Tart

I can’t believe that it’s been over three months since I’ve baked anything with chocolate.  How could I have let that happen? To remedy this dire situation, I adapted my Fig, Almond Frangipane, and Orange Tart to make this nutty tart. I recently received a complimentary bag of hazelnut flour from Bob’s Red Mill to try out, so I took this opportunity to use it in both the crust and the frangipane.  Continue reading →

creamy herbed polenta with mushroom ragout

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We tend to associate comfort food with winter but this creamy bowl of polenta is also good on a summer evening.  Simple and comforting, it is like sunshine in a bowl.  It is luscious without being heavy and satisfying without being overly rich.  Well-made polenta, with plenty of butter and parmesan cheese, is delicious by itself.  Topped with an earthy mushroom ragout, it’s even better. I served this polenta alongside Grilled Lamb Chops marinated in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and a green salad with a simple meyer lemon and olive oil vinaigrette.  The whole combination was hearty, yet still fitting for supper on a warm summer evening. Continue reading →

miso-glazed japanese eggplant

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It is Japanese eggplant season at my house.  Every week for the past few weeks, I have been harvesting two to three eggplants from the seedling I planted in early June. As it turns out, the variety I planted, called ‘Ichiban’, is a fast-growing and prolific producer of slender, purplish-black fruit. Like all eggplant, this Japanese hybrid thrives in warm weather, so it is very content in a warm, sunny spot in my garden. Continue reading →

blueberry corn muffins with blueberry-flavored mascarpone and my first giveaway

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Corn is one of my favorite vegetables, and I enjoy eating it in many forms – grilled corn on the cob, cornbread with honey butter, and, yes, canned creamed corn. Actually, when I was younger, I used to eat creamed corn with evaporated milk and sugar. I loved it!  Even as a kid, I had an insatiable sweet tooth. Continue reading →

fried shishito peppers with sea salt and lemon

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I have never liked peppers, partly because I don’t have a high tolerance for spicy foods and because I don’t really care for their taste.  When I do use them, mostly in the form of bell peppers, it is mainly to add color to stir-fries, salads, and kabobs.  Then, last year, I discovered one exception to my great dislike for peppers in the form of the jalapeño. They have a moderate “kick” to them, but they’re not intense, especially when seeded and their membranes are removed. They became a slight obsession, even planting them in my garden so I could have a steady supply of them.  Continue reading →

market fresh summer salad

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Take advantage of the season’s best produce and prepare a simple, one-dish meal on a hot day – perhaps without even turning on the stove. There really aren’t any rules — just toss your favorite fruits or vegetables in the salad dressing of your choice and you’re done!

This salad is full of summer’s best produce – fresh corn, tomatoes, avocado, and string beans. To read the rest of the article and get the recipe, click the link to follow me over to A Lucky Life blog.

I hope you’re enjoying your summer!

~ Daisy

© Daisy’s World, 2011-2012. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Daisy’s World with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

burrata with roasted vine-ripened tomatoes and pesto

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Tomato, basil, and mozzarella is a classic combination that’s perfect for summer, when tomatoes and basil are at their peak.  This quick and easy appetizer is extra special when you use fresh burrata*, a fresh Italian cheese made by stuffing mozzarella with a mixture of more mozzarella and cream.  On the outside, the burrata looks like mozzarella, but on the inside it is oozing with soft creamy goodness.  It has a clean, milky taste that goes well with sweet roasted vine-ripened tomatoes and the slight saltiness of the basil pesto. Continue reading →

parmesan basil biscuits

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I just love baking (and eating) biscuits, and this recipe elevates them with the addition of parmesan cheese and basil. The cheese gives the biscuits its savoriness and slightly crumbly texture, while the purple and sweet basil, which came from my garden, adds a subtle peppery, yet sweet flavor. These rich biscuits make a wonderful accompaniment to pastas, soups, and salads. They’re also great for making Italian breakfast sandwiches filled with slices of prosciutto and eggs.  Above all, they are absolutely delicious to eat plain, with only a generous dab of butter. Continue reading →

heirloom and cherry tomatoes with peach-basil vinaigrette

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We suffer from bland, watery, and mushy tomatoes most of the year, but each summer, we get a reprieve when these deeply-colored, and tasty fruits make their appearance at farmers market and grocery stores.  There are so many varieties, ranging in size, color, and shape.  Depending on the type, tomatoes vary in taste, from highly acidic to very sweet. Continue reading →

lemon blueberry cheesecake cookies

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Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

How many of you use Pinterest?  Don’t you just love it?  I use it most often to keep track of the many recipes I find on the internet that I would love to try.  However, I keep “pinning” these delicious-looking recipes, but I never seem to actually make any of them.  Well, today, I decided to peruse my “Recipes to Try” pinboard and picked out a very popular one, these Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies. I was intrigued by the combination of flavors.  Sounds good, huh? Continue reading →

“red, white, and blue” berry shortcake

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Red, White, and Blue-Berry Shortcake

The warm and sunny days of July means that a variety of fruits are plentiful and at their peak of flavor. One of my favorite summer fruits is the strawberry – and I can’t think of a better way to showcase it than in a shortcake!

This classic American dessert is a great addition to your holiday picnic menu. To get the recipe for the shortcake, with a little added twist, click the link to follow me over to A Lucky Life blog. Continue reading →

rhubarb ice cream

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rhubarb ice cream

As I grow more confident in my culinary skills, I find that I am more easily inspired by the foods around me.  When I’m dining out, I scrutinize the food I’m eating more closely, and remember the flavors and other characteristics I want to recreate at home. Case in point: I had never eaten rhubarb ice cream until last week when I wandered in to a small ice cream shop called, N’ice Cream, in Santa Monica.  Actually, it was a sorbet, and it was incredibly delicious.  It was very light and refreshing!  The rhubarb sorbet had a fresh, clean taste and a beautiful pale pink color.  I heard the voice in my head say “I can make that!”  Actually, I love hearing the voice inside my head say that more and more. Continue reading →

strawberry mojitos

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After all of the weekend’s chores were done, Chris and I had a chance to relax and enjoy an absolutely gorgeous Sunday afternoon.  We sat on our deck and welcomed the cool breeze under a shady spot, amidst the swaying bamboo and peaceful sound of the water in the nearby pond.  We watched an orange butterfly flutter around and a couple of colorful birds splash around the water. For a short while, we were transported to a distant tropical island, without a care in the world, sipping these refreshing Strawberry Mojitos, and enjoying each other’s company. Continue reading →

fig, almond frangipane, and orange tart

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Right off the bat, I will say that this is one of the best things I have ever baked in my entire life. While I cannot take credit for developing this tart recipe on my own, I can acknowledge those who did – Paule Caillat, renowned French cook and cooking instructor for the tart shell and Anita Chu from Dessert First Girl for the frangipane. I did add my own tweaks to the recipe as well, as you will see. You might be wondering how I came about putting this recipe together. Well, read on and I will tell you the story of how this lovely tart came to be.

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