Sizzling=Wilting=Who Wants To Cook??

If you obey all the rules

you miss all the fun.

By Katherine Hepburn

This quote got me thinking about something I had read once where the author suggested we should all try to step out of our box once in awhile and try something we don't usually do. Perhaps give yourself permission to put on some sparkly pink glasses and look at life through a new lens. Just an idea...

As temperatures rise and the heat puts a sizzle in our day many of us feel a bit wilted by the time dinner time rolls around. To avoid heating up the kitchen I have picked easy recipes to assemble and some grilling favorites. Please check back during the week as I will be posting more recipes.

In honor of a very small crop of raspberries I recently picked from newly transplanted bushes I am posting recipes using raspberries. Unfortunately the raspberry photo I had in mind did not work in this blog so I substituted another favorite berry.

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Raspberry Balsamic Sauce

serve over fish or poultry during last minutes of grilling

and use rest of sauce as a side

adapted from CuisineAtHome.com

Saute

1/2 cup shallots in 1 TB. olive oil

Whisk in a bowl

• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 1/4 cup each balsamic and red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. each Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce
• Sauteed shallots
• salt, pepper, red pepper flakes to taste

Simmer

Sauce 10 minutes and season-reserve some of the sauce for serving

Baste on meat last minutes of grilling

Serve meat/fish with sauce topped with fresh raspberries

Chilled Raspberry Souffle

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 TB. confectioner sugar
• 2 TB. Amaretto
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 -1/2 cup crushed berries
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp. creme of tartar

Directions:

• Beat heavy cream with vanilla and confectioners sugar till stiff
• Clean beaters and beat 3 egg whites with 1/4 tsp. creme of tartar
• Fold egg whites into cream mixture
• In a small bowl add crushed berries, Amaretto and sugar
• Fold into cream/egg white mixture
• Pour into small souffle bowl and refrigerate several hours
• Garnish with whole berries to serve