Let's Get a Jump on the Lazy Days of Summer

A gift for you, plus three mind-blowingly easy recipes

Hello, faithful readers!

It’s my birthday today! I’ve been reveling in so many people celebrating me, but I want to also celebrate you with a gift. As a thank-you for being here and supporting this newsletter, I’m offering a special treat:

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Back to the regularly schedule content….

Let’s start out June with some easy ideas for the month that is my personal favorite of the year. The days are glorious in New England. Bright blue skies, puffy clouds, lush flowers, a world filled with a such a green, it makes you want to cry. Nature is singing to the high heavens, despite what is going on outside of us that we cannot control (e.g., most things). We can sink into it and take a long, deep breath. Ahhhhhhh.

Happy birthday to anyone who has a birthday this year!
Mushroom Flatbreads

First up is this cheater pizza. If there’s an easy route to homemade pizza, I’ll take it. Save yourself a trip to your local place and make one with a pre-baked crust. I admit I was skeptical, but I always rise to a challenge. Turns out, it was a brilliant idea in the Department of Easy Suppers. Precooked flatbreads are extra thin. The crust is crispy and cracker-like rather than thick or chewy. So, it’s not really a pizza in the true sense of the category, but I’m a sucker for crackers.

Top the flatbreads (find them in the bread aisle; I like these) with sautéed cremini mushrooms, softened red onions, and creamy Italian fontina cheese. To cook the mushrooms, use a large skillet and give them space. Let them cook undisturbed so they turn a deep golden brown. Don't add salt to the pan until after they're cooked because it draws out extra moisture, which you're trying to avoid so the mushrooms brown nicely. Pop it directly on an oven shelf with a foil-lined pan on the shelf below to act as a safety net and catch any spills.

Mushroom Flatbreads Recipe
Makes 2 rounds enough to serve 4 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 12 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons water, or more if needed
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Olive oil (for brushing)
2 pre-baked 12-inch ultra-thin flatbread pizza crusts
8 ounces fontina cheese, cut into slices
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
METHOD
1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place it on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Adjust another rack to the middle position. Have a rimless baking sheet on hand (or use an upside-down rimmed baking sheet.) Set the oven at 425 degrees.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the mushrooms and cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms brown on the bottom. Stir in the thyme leaves and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan and stir to loosen the brown bits on the bottom. Add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time, if needed. Let the water evaporate from the pan. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate.
3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Cook the onion, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until they soften.
4. Brush the flatbreads with olive oil. Divide the mushrooms and onions between the rounds. Spread the cheese slices on top.
5. Bake the pizzas one at a time. Slide the middle oven rack out halfway. Set 1 pizza directly on the rack. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
6. Slide the rack out halfway again. Place the rimless baking sheet flush with the edge of the rack. Use a wide spatula to coax and slide the pizza onto the baking sheet. Transfer it to a cutting board and cut into wedges. Sprinkle with half the parsley. Bake the second flatbread in the same way.
SWAPS
•Think of this recipe as a blueprint—tomato sauce, mozzarella, etc., (the usual suspects) or whatever you crave and can dream up can go on top.
TIPS
• Don’t overload the toppings (true for all pizzas).
• Halve the recipe for 2 people (obvious, but just in case)
• Add a salad on top: I love a bit of arugula, a few tomatoes, etc. tossed with a little vinaigrette. You can feel so smug if you do that!
• Most of the crusts are shelf stable until you open them (check package directions.)To store extra unused crusts once you open the package. wrap in foil or plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 or 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Halloumi and Greek Salad Wraps (hold the feta)

I am never tempted by wraps in most grocery stores or fast food places, but I am now craving this one on repeat. It’s a whole new flavor adventure when you create your own wrap at home. Golden halloumi, creamy hummus and a crunchy salad inside, what’s not to like?

Halloumi (like this) is a semi-hard, salty, and tangy cheese made from goat’s and sheep’s milk, and more recently with the addition of cow’s milk. It originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, most famously in Cyprus. Because it has a high melting point, you can fry or grill it until browned and crisp on the outside yet soft and creamy in the middle. Sheer magic!

In this wrap, pair it with your favorite homemade or store-bought hummus and a salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and sumac. You can find ground sumac, made from the dried berries of the sumac plant, in most Mediterranean grocery stores. The deep red powder is packed with lemony tart flavor, worth buying for using in rubs or marinades as well as in this wrap. Add fresh oregano, mint, and parsley and you have a party of flavors and textures wrapped up in a handy package. Bring on the iced tea, because you are going to want to eat this all summer long.

Halloumi and Greek Salad Wraps (hold the feta) Recipe
Serves 4 | Prep time: 15 minutes
SALAD
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 ounces (1 heaping cup) cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved if large
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the vinegar, salt, pepper, and sumac together. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

2. Stir in the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onion, olives, and oregano.

WRAPS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 8-ounce package halloumi, cut into 8 slices and patted dry if necessary
4 (10- to 12-inch) round lavash wraps or burrito-size flour tortillas
1 cup store bought or homemade hummus
1/2 bunch mint, tough stems removed
1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, tough stems removed

1. In a large non-stick, skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the halloumi slices to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on a side or until golden. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

2. In a microwave or in a dry skillet set over medium heat, heat one wrap for about 10 seconds, or until warm and pliable.

3. On the bottom third of the wrap, spread 2 tablespoons of hummus in a line that is 3 inches from the bottom edge. Leave a gap of 2 inches on each side for folding inward. With a slotted spoon , place about 1/2 cup of the salad on top of the hummus. Place 2 slices of halloumi on top. Top with some of the mint and parsley leaves. Sprinkle with more sumac, if you like.

4. Lift the bottom edge of the wrap and fold it over the filling. Fold in the sides until they almost meet in the center. Roll the wrap away from you to form a package that tightly contains the filling. Cut it in half crosswise at an angle if you like and transfer to a plate.

5. Repeat with the remaining wraps and filling. Serve right way.

SWAPS
• I’d keep everything the same but switch out the protein (halloumi) with grilled chicken, lamb kebabs, sliced, cooked veggie burgers, grilled or baked tofu, felafel
• Double the salad and keep it on hand to serve with hummus and any leftover proteins.
• Use the ingredients in a flour tortilla or a pita pocket (great snacks if you have any leftovers)
TIPS
• Buy lemony hummus if you’re not making it yourself—it really goes well with the halloumi
• Drizzle the wraps with tahini and yogurt dressing
• The Greek salad has no feta in it because the halloumi is very salty, but if you swap out the halloumi, a little feta goes a long way.

Strawberries and Cream Dessert

Finally here’s a spectacularly refreshing, ultra-creamy, strawberry dessert. Back in the day, I’m not sure when, there was a recipe going around in my mom’s circle for grapes, sour cream, and brown sugar. The tart grapes, tangy cream, and vaguely caramel flavor of brown sugar came together in a flash. What goes around comes around!

This should be in your back pocket all summer long for those nights when company's coming and it's just too hot (or too much) to fuss with dessert. Thick yogurt, mixed with cream, gives the dessert a pleasant and ultra creamy tang. Brown sugar and vanilla infuse just enough sweetness to showcase the strawberries, which are at their peak right now. Start with a serving bowl. Spoon the yogurt mixture into it, sprinkle with brown sugar, and refrigerate for 15 minutes or for up to several hours. The sugar will melt in pretty ripples. Add the berries and crushed gingersnaps. You can use any favorite cookie, such as Biscoff, shortbread, or amaretti to vary the crunch. When strawberry season ends, swap in blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. Ideal for a hot night, or a rushed night.

Strawberries and Cream Dessert Recipe
Serves 6 | Prep time: 15 minutes
1 quart plain Greek yogurt (any kind)
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
4 ounces (large handful) gingersnaps
1 quart strawberries, stemmed and halved or quartered if large

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt, cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer it to a shallow bowl or serving dish.

2. Sprinkle the top of the dish with the brown sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to melt the sugar. If you want to get a head start, put it together a few hours before it’s time for dessert.

3. Place the gingersnaps in a zipper bag, seal the bag, and tap with a rolling pin to coarsely crush them. You should have about 1 cup.

4. Just before serving, use a skewer to make pretty swirls in the melted sugar. Top with some of the berries and some of the crushed cookies. Bring it to the table with serving dishes. Set out extra berries and extra crumbled cookies to spoon on top of each serving.

SWAPS
• Other berries, alone or in combination, are always welcome here once strawberry season ends.
• Cut ripe and juicy peaches, plums, or other stone fruits in bite-size pieces
• Swirl in maple syrup or honey instead of brown sugar
• Swirl in colorful, sweetened berry or fruit purees instead of the sugar to double the impact of the fresh fruit.
• Swap out the gingersnaps for Biscoff, shortbread, amaretti, or other favorite crumbly cookie
• Make a lower fat version with Greek yogurt and plain regular yogurt, adjusting the thickness to taste (it should be spoonable but not too thick.)
TIPS
• Make the base in advance, but don’t add the fruit and cookie crumbs until just before serving.

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Until next time… make something delicious and report back!
XXOO
Sally