Last week I had lunch at a friend's house and it was totally delish, and pretty to boot. Also, it was not something that required running around last minute.

She served a caramelized onion galette (room temp), a cucumber and peach salad, and a spring pea salad. She also served a lovely almond cake for dessert. I am totally duping the whole menu, except I will make a mixed berry Eton Mess instead of cake.

Here are the recipes:

https://www.sugarlovespices.com/caramelized-onion-galette-with-parmigiano-cream/

The salads:

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cucumber-and-peach-salad-with-herbs

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/lemony-pea-salad-3640768

And I will make this for dessert:

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/eton-mess-with-summer-berries.html?print=true

I'm going to have to wrap my brain around cucumber peach. I saw cucumber, blueberry and feta salad once at Wegman's and I thought about trying that. I still have time to wrap my brain around fruit and cucumber melding well, because blueberries and peaches are at least a month away . . .

Cucumber is so mild --- if you have ever had peach or nectarine in a salad, you are half way there. Lettuce ~ cuke.

Cucumber has a sort of watermelon vibe, if you can imagine that, so it can blend well with other fruit flavors.

Meyer Lemon Semifreddo is one of my favorite summer dessert recipes. I've made it countless times and always a hit. The recipe calls for sliced summer berries, but I prefer to make more of berry sauce to serve over. Make sure you take it out of the freezer at least 20 minutes before serving

Meyer Lemon Semifreddo

Ive long made and enjoyed simple vinaigrette dressed salads combining cucumbers with nectarines. pineapple or mandarins. a fresh crisp note in a meal.

a favorite quick summer supper for me is a full plate salad with any nice greens, esp something a bit sharp such as arugula, smoked fish (peppered mackerel or hot smoked salmon are good) extra veg that i find in the fridge, good tomato (either local or Cherub grape tomatoes) maybe a few sprigs of dill, + whatever vinaigrette i have in a jar. finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt. Almost hard cooked egg if extra protein is warranted (steamed for 9 minutes is perfect for me). nice bread of course.

all this typed at a glacial pace.

Czarina, I had a passion fruit semifreddo at a Danny Meyer restaurant that I remember 10 years later! I love your recipe, and lemon is certainly a more popular flavor. Thx

Mtn, thanks for these recipes. I eat a ton of cucumbers. I think they go with everything.

I'm swooning over the Lemon Semifreddo!

Me, too! Lemon Semifreddo and Eton Mess, which Mtn continually tempts, are both on my list now.

Last week, a new-to-me neighbor (I recently moved) rang my doorbell and presented me with 2 massive handfuls of fresh basil from her garden.

I had some blueberries I needed to use, so made up this:

-equal parts blueberries and fresh basil.

-crumbled feta

-a few pepitas (not really needed, but I wanted to add more protein)

-homemade white wine/apple cider vinaigrette (don't remember how I made it but it had the slightest sweetness, along with some dried oregano).

Obviously, it was heavy on the basil, but I really enjoyed it, and am now looking for ways to expand upon the ingredient list.

Which store-bought dough would you use for the galette? Pizza dough? I do not trust my dough-making ”ability,” especially for company. Printing these recipes, they all sound yummy.

The gallette sounds wonderful - will definitely give it a try. I love doing a riff on Ina's Orzo with roasted vegetables. A great side that can be served at room temperature or just a meal in itself. I just use whatever veg look good that day or that need to be used up.

Orzo with roasted vegetables.

Those recipes look amazing, Mtn. Thank you.

Here is a twist on Eton mess from Sky McAlpine. If youmare not familiar with her, I highly recommend looking at her IG feed- truly a feast for the tummy and especially the eyes. I have her latest cookbook and have loved everything in it.

From The Sunday Times Magazine, by Sky McAlpine:

One of my favourite ingredients to use in summer is rose. A dash of rosewater in cooking and baking transports me back to my childhood and the box of rose creams my mother would ration out for special occasions. Just a dash of the heady scented water (which you can find in the baking aisles of most supermarkets) works a kind of ethereal magic on the plainest light sponge or dark chocolate cake. Try a teaspoonful with strawberries and a little sugar; as the berries macerate they produce the most delicate pink floral juices.

This is pretty much a classic Eton mess. My only addition is a dash of rosewater, a delicate complement not only to the flowery strawberries but also to the richness of the double cream. Feel free to buy ready-made meringues from a bakery or supermarket for ease.

Serves
4-6 people

Ingredients
For the meringues
2 egg whites
100g caster sugar

For the mess
450g strawberries
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp rosewater
700ml thick double cream
Rose petals, for decoration (optional)

01 Heat the oven to 120C (140C non-fan). Grease and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites in an immaculately clean bowl until frothy, then add the sugar one spoonful at a time, whisking all the while, until stiff peaks form.

02 Spoon the glossy white mixture onto the tray in three or four generous dollops. Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 1 hour, then switch off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven (without opening the door) for at least a further hour, or even overnight.

03 To make the Eton mess, hull and halve the strawberries, toss them into a bowl and then spoon over the sugar and the rosewater. Toss together and leave to macerate for 15-20 min.

04 Meanwhile in a second bowl, whisk the cream until stiff. Take care not to overwhisk it — you want it pillowy and stiff enough that peaks form, but not clumpy like scrambled eggs. Crumble the meringues into a large mixing bowl or serving dish, add the whipped cream and mix together. Now fold in the strawberries along with their syrupy pink juices.

For the galette, if you can find a frozen pie crust that has little to no sugar (although the recipe uses some sugar in the crust), I would use that. Just take it out of the pie tin and flatten it out. I don't think you would want a yeast dough like pizza dough; it would work but would be more like a caramelized onion pizza.

All of these recipes sound wonderful. Thank you.

I love salads in the summer, here a few simple but good ones. The cucumber talk reminded me of them, now I need to get a watermelon.

https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/watermelon-cucumber-feta-salad-recipe

Deb’s watermelon salad, very refreshing:

https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/06/watermelon-cucumber-salad/

I love corn salads. I add black beans to this one:

https://smittenkitchen.com/2019/07/corn-salad-with-chile-and-lime/

I have not made this yet, but plan to:

https://sweetsavoryandsteph.com/summer-penne-with-zucchini/

Watermelon and tomato salad with black pepper, balsamic reduction drizzle, and chiffonade of fresh basil:

Its an assemblage rather than a recipe, very easy and delicious. we had this in Key West a couple of years ago. The dish is supposed to have crumbled feta, but I requested none as i dont like cheese on salads ( or fruit).

I made a cherry pie last week of fresh and dried cherries cooked with sugar and lemon juice, with lemon zest and a bit of almond extract and a bit of clear gel from King Arthur baking. Also made almond praline with sea salt and nutmeg (and brown sugar of course) which i cooled and broke into bits to sprinkle on top of the whipped cream on the pie. The crust had walnuts in it… it was divine!

Olychick—-thanks for the dough substitute info! I didn’t read the recipe closely enough to see it didn’t call for yeast.

Joanie, you could definitely use thawed frozen puff pastry. it would be more of an onion tart than a galette but would still work.

We went to the same restaurant twice last week in Asheville, and DD had this salad both times. We’ve decided we need to copy it this summer.

I also really like kale/brussels sprout salad. Usually just slice up both and mix with a viniagrette, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta or goat cheese.

In re the galette, I strongly strongly suggest a pate brisee, which is the dough in the recipe I linked to.

Do not get intimidated by the French name, I swear it is an easy dough! Honest! Also, it has a tad bit of sugar in it, which works very nicely with the natural sweetness of the onions. It is rustic so you can hardly mess it up, honest. But to me it really makes the dish. It has a sort of crumbly texture almost like shortbread, and it is just perfect in the recipe.

It won't be *bad* with another crust, but I think you will be very pleased if you try it. See how rustic the edges are? It is supposed to uneven and imperfect!

Jinx, did you know Deb now does youtube videos?

Smitten Kitchen

SueB, that salad sounds wonderful. I'd ask for the recipe, since at least three of the elements are complex.

Coco, no, I didn’t, thank you!

Jinx, that penne looks yummy. Now second guessing my decision to stop growing zucchini this year.

Watermelon and tomato salad with black pepper, balsamic reduction drizzle, and chiffonade of fresh basil:

Yes, love it. It has been a standard of mine for a long time. It's so pretty, tho i like it with a good feta too.

Zalco, I made a dessert with rosewater once for cooking club. Makes me want to look it up now... Family does not like the flavor, tho and i kinda get that.

PS I receive not financial remuneration of any kind from the Eton Mess Society. Or from Serena and Lily.

PPS This was the dessert I made where I used rosewater. It was great, and snazzy. ; )

I kind of have a thing for egg whites, eh? ... pavlova, _ton _ess, and ile flottante! I guess because it is a light, healthy base for starters, and pretty!

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017447-ile-flottante-with-fresh-cherries

Jinx, that reminds me of a summer penne spinach salad I make that's delicious.

NO to any fruit in a veggie salad. I cringe when someone puts raisins in broccoli salad. I would have to be born and raised in the NE to eat what you all eat. :)

The best summer dessert and I mean the best, is my Purple blueberry Jello salad. Which we talked about a few years ago. Some of us actually like Jello. I'll find the recipe but it leaves an aftertaste so good you have to go back for seconds. It's made in a 9x13 glass casserole.

My kids love Jello, I like it too. NEbraska? ; )

I want to try out that galette for a dinner next month and am thinking a choir potluck in a couple of weeks will be the perfect test run. I would just cut it in thinner slices.

I'd probably cut way back on the sugar in the pastry. The onions will already be sweet, no?

I liked the sugar in it, it was not too much, but yes you could certainly half it? I would not get rid of it altogether. I think the fact that onions are sweet is why it works, if that makes any sense.

A local restaurant serves one of my favorite salad this time of year. Grilled chicken over greens with mandarin oranges, cranberries, red onion and candied pecans. i absolutely love it. Another restaurant serves a similar salad but instead of grilled chicken, its topped with a scoop of chicken salad. Yum!!

I think NE eats what OK eats. Our nicer restaurant's cuisine is much like the N East. :)

Below is a picture I stole online. If you have a dark blue 9x13 Pyrex casserole, it looks like a piece of art. Wish I'd have taken a picture when I last made one.

I'm not a fan of cream cheese or cheese cake, but in this recipe the cream cheese isn't overpowering like it is in cheese cakes which is why I could sit and eat the whole thing. Hard to believe sour cream and cream cheese is in this.

Classic Blueberry Jello Salad, aka Purple Jello Salad

Filling:

• 2 (3 oz.) packages grape Jello
• 1 c. boiling water
• 1 c. cold water
• 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (21 oz.) can blueberry pie filling

Topping:

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans (I do NOT use any nuts, but a few blueberries on top is nice!)

FILLING: Slowly pour Jello powder into boiling water, stirring until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water.

Add drained pineapple and blueberry pie filling; stir until well combined. Pour mixture into a 9x11” (or 9x13”) dish. Chill until set, about 3-4 hours.

TOPPING: Place softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined and smooth (be careful not to overmix, though, or the topping will become runny).

Spread cream cheese mixture on top of the blueberry layer. Sprinkle with chopped pecans OR BLUEBERRIES.

Chill until ready to serve.

Now imagine this in a dark blue pyrex dish.

It's not summer without a Texas Sheet Cake. You pour frosting over the hot cake.

The texture and flavor is so much better than a regular chocolate cake.

Oak, does the jello salad end up seeming like Jello? It seems more like it would have the texture of a blueberry pie? I think the topping would taste an awful lot like cheesecake; how can you not like cheesecake it's sooo good.

Going to lunch with a group of girlfriends, so dinner tonight will be light. We love all the salads and fresh veggies this time of year. During the summer, we have many meatless meals. Tonight I will make chicken salad with red grapes and almonds (or pecans, haven't decided). Love the sweetness of the grapes, but I will add chopped red onion for a bit of tart. Stopping at the produce market on my way back from lunch and will pick up fresh cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes and hopefully melon. If they have the Amish fried pies, it will be awfully tempting to pick up one of those too!!

Last night I made NYC Street Cart Chicken, it’s a easy recipe and the flavors are spot on. I always make it in the summer when I have tons of fresh oregano in garden. The white sauce is yummy, I serve it with the turmeric rice and a side salad with lots of diced tomatoes scallions and cukes, last night I threw in garbonzos too. Serious Eats Cart Chicken

Local! I like that recipe, thx!

Oakley, Texas Sheet Cake is my all time favorite dessert! it has to be made correctly though- it cannot be too thick or airy- it has to be thinner and dense and lots if pecans on top.

I’ve never neen a fan of pies, I don’t like pie crust unless its graham cracker crust.

I love Texas sheet cake but I also want tons of pecans mixed in with the frosting. Basically fudge on top of cake. I made one last week.

I'm with you on crusts, Ollie. GC is so yummy.

I think, most of the time, traditional bottom crusts are soggy. I've tried all the tricks, but the concept is just flawed. I have very rarely found a good bottom crust on a pie, even by "professionals," and at best they have been just acceptable.

And don't get me started on pies with top AND bottom crusts, yuck. Overkill.

For fruit pies, I only make a top crust (or better yet, crumbs). A bottom crust is only used if it is fully precooked and then filled.

Does anyone love rhubarb? :) A friend got this recipe from a magazine many years ago. The combination sounded odd to me at the time, but I love this stuff. lol!

Recipe as given to me:

Cream Cheese - Rhubarb Pie

4 cups rhubarb, cut in 1" pieces

1 c. sugar

3 tbs. cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese

2 eggs

1/2 c. sugar

1 cup sour cream

1 9" unbaked pie crust

Cook rhubarb, 1c sugar, cornstarch and salt in medium sauce pan, stirring often, until mixture boils and thickens.

Pour into pie crust, bake 10 mins. at 425F.

Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix cream cheese, eggs, and 1/2 c sugar until smooth. Add sour cream. Pour over rhubarb, turn oven to 350F and bake 30-35 mins. until set. Cool on rack.

------------------

* MY NOTES: I top this with about 1/4 cup sliced almonds for the last 5-10 mins. of bake time. I think the almonds really make it good. And watch out for the rhubarb bubbling over! I just made one, crustless, in my deep 10" pottery pie dish and it's the first time it hasn't bubbled over on me. lol!

I can only do rhubarb w strawberries, where they appear to serve as structural integrity.

Not a rhubarb lover. i do love Texas Sheet Cake but have not had it in forever. I rarely bake a cake for two of us, usually only when someone is coming. Sweets are my weakness, sadly, but we try to limit sugar. 🥲

I have an 8 foot long bookcase with Caryatid.

yeah, I know, it needs to be "styled"

Mtn, the galette recipe has minced garlic that's cooked with the onions. When they're all caramelized, the recipe says to remove the fresh herbs and garlic. How is one supposed to hunt for tiny pieces of minced and caramelized garlic? Please tell me you didn't do that, because I don't plan on it.

Olychick, I made that black rice and watermelon salad. We loved it. Its so refreshing and different. Thanks for the recipe!

Mtn, I just now saw your question. It doesn't have that cheesecake taste. It has a looser texture than a set jello. Not a blueberry pie either. Just fix the d*** thing and taste for yourself! lol

Ollie, thin and dense is exactly why I like the cake. Plus when I'm alone I can eat it with my fingers. :)

I don't use nuts in the frosting. Just straight chocolate. The cake also freezes well.

The texture is better than brownies which I'm not fond of, but I'll eat them.

To me a Texas Sheet Cake reminds me of an old fashioned bakery cake. Yum.

texanjana, good to know about the watermelon black rice salad. I bought a watermelon to get us through the next few scorcher days and intend to try it, too. Glad you liked it.

This Strawberry Dutch Baby was a big hit with our guests tonight.

https://www.thekitchn.com/strawberry-dutch-baby-recipe-2-23042221

Corn salad is a favorite; so many good recipes. I agree with forbidden rice.