Peach and Cherry Pie

OPEN KITCHEN with NATHAN SCOTT

Peach and Cherry Pie

Depending upon the water content of your fruit, you may need more cornstarch to thicken the filling.

Ingredients

            Makes one 9-inch pie

	2	pounds (6 to 8 medium) ripe peaches, peeled and cut into wedges
	1½	cups granulated sugar
	½	cup cornstarch
	1	tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
	1	teaspoon ground cinnamon
	¼	teaspoon ground nutmeg
	¼	teaspoon kosher salt
	2	pounds fresh or frozen red cherries, pitted
	1	teaspoon pure almond extract
		All-purpose flour, for dusting
		Pastry for 1 double-crust pie, or 2 store-bought refrigerated pie crusts
	2	tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus more for greasing
	1	large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash

Directions

1.    Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Butter a 9-inch pie plate, and set aside on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  In a stockpot, combine the peaches, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Set over medium heat and cooking, stirring often, until the peaches have released their juices and the filling has thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.  Then, remove from the heat and stir in the cherries and almond extract.  Set aside.

2.    Working on a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pie crust to a 13-inch round.  Transfer the crust to the prepared pie plate, and fill with the peach and cherry mixture.  Dot the top of the filling with the butter.  Roll out the remaining half of the pie crust to a 10-inch round.  Place the top crust over the peach and cherry filling.  Trim the crusts of excess dough, leaving about a ½-inch overhang.  Pinch the edges of the crusts together, crimping to create a decorative crust.  With a paring knife, cut several slits in the top crust.

3.    Brush the egg wash over the surface of the pie crust.  Then, place the pie in the preheated oven and bake until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly, 50 to 60 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

A Bit of Schmaltz

Do you have a wedding anniversary coming up soon? Well if so, you are probably feeling a bit obligated to purchase that customary anniversary card and inscribe said card with some schmaltzy message. But let's be honest here, unless you're newly weds, you're probably running a little low on schmaltz and need a couple of new loving messages to write inside that card. So today, I'll offer you a few new ideas. With any luck, one of the following notes will sum up your feelings and satisfy your partner's need for all that anniversary mushiness. Or... well... until next year, that is...

• Like my evening glass of beer, I find that I love you more and more each year.
  
  
• What's true love? True love is holding hands... taking long walks through the park... and buying his and her towels. True love is growing old and fat together... laughing at the same old jokes... and ignoring each other's gas. True love is what we share, and writing silly little notes like this to prove that we still care.
  
  
• You know how much I love bacon, right? Well, if I had to choose between you or bacon. I'd choose you – probably...
  
  
• I still reminisce about our first date. Thanks for taking pity on me and agreeing to go out a second time.
  
  
• If I had the money, I'd fly you to Paris. If I had the time, I'd knit you a sweater. If I had the talent, I'd write you a song. And if I had the abs, I'd... well... you remember. But since I don't, I guess you'll have to settle for this – a simple love note that's sealed with a kiss.

End of Days, Part XXIII

Well, it just wouldn't be a party without some fun party decorations.  And that sentiment especially includes your upcoming end-of-the-Mayan calendar party.  After all, whatever decorations you choose, will have to last you well into the apocalypse.  So be certain to choose your decorations carefully.  And in an effort to help save you the embarrassment of any post-apocalyptic decorating faux pas, today I'll offer you a few creative decorating ideas that are perfect for this December 21st.

• Decorate the outside of your house with barb wire fences, lookout towers, and a mote.  That way when the zombies start roaming freely, you and your party guests will be well protected inside your house.
• Arrange grocery store-like displays of canned fruits and vegetables throughout your entire house.  Not only will this provide for some comic relief when your intoxicated Uncle Harold knocks over that pyramid of creamed corn, but it'll also be an invaluable source of nourishment when the world's food supply runs out.
• To create a festive table centerpiece, fill large gift baskets with duct tape, batteries, glow sticks, water bottles, and those little aluminum foil blankets that keep you oh so warm.  The centerpieces might not be very pretty, but they sure will be functional when the lights go out...  
• Consider hauling out those giant inflatable Christmas lawn ornaments.  Not only are they festive, but in the event of a planet-wide flood, such decorations will also serve as a flotation device!

Baby Shower Do's and Don'ts

When hosting a baby shower:

• Do: Invite all the female friends/family of the expectant mother (even crazy Aunt Joyce and her daughter, Toshiba).
• Don't: Invite any male of any sort – that's just cruel and unusual punishment.
  
  
  
• Do: Serve some delicious alcohol-free drinks to all your guests.
• Don't: Serve all those delicious alcohol-free drink in baby bottles – it's just too many bottles to scrub afterward.
  
  
  
• Do: Purchase a thoughtful gift for the expectant mother and wrap that gift in pretty pastel paper.
• Don't: Regift your son's/daughter's used changing table. You saw what that kid did on that table – it should be marked as a biohazard and burned...
  
  
  
• Do: Serve your guests a light buffet of civilized tea sandwiches, canapes, and other finger foods.
• Don't: Serve the expectant mother anything spicy. (Unless of course, you're hoping to induce labor...)
  
  
  
• Do: Compliment the expectant mother often throughout the baby shower.
• Don't: Tell the expectant mother that she “hardly looks pregnant” – it's not a compliment, and you might as well just call her fat...

Ten Terrible Pickup Lines

The other day I was having a discussion with a friend about pickup lines. You know what I mean? Those one-liners that people sometimes use to start a conversation in the interest of redirecting the festivities from the bar and into the bedroom. Well anyway, my friend was sharing with me a story of this “pathetic pickup” in which this “gawky little bald man” was hitting on her in a bar. And that got me thinking – what are some of the worst pickup lines out there? Well in case you were ever wondering the same thing, I've compiled a list of some of the worst. Enjoy!

10 Terrible Pickup Lines

(avoid at all costs!)

• You make that headgear look good...
• My parole officer over there dared me to come buy you a drink.
• Did you know that hair can migrate? Yeah, mine moved from my head to my back. Wanna see?
• You look just like that woman I saw on TV last night. What was her name? Umm... Oh yeah - Mrs. Doubtfire.
• I've got a Prius. Wanna go for a ride?
• You're as beautiful as an ostrich.
• Wanna go back to my place? My parents won't be back from bingo for at least another 20 minutes...
• I'm training to become a TSA officer. Can I practice my pat downs with you?
• You're hot, and I'm ugly. Let's go make some average babies.
• The last girl I was with called me The Flash.

Grilled Pizza Margheritas

OPEN KITCHEN with NATHAN SCOTT

Grilled Pizza Margheritas

These miniature pizzas are grilled directly on the grate to create a deliciously toasted and crispy crust.

Ingredients

            Serves 6

	2	packets (¼-ounce each) active dry yeast
	2	cups milk, warm (105°-100°F)
	1	tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and drizzling
	5	cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
		Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
		Cornmeal, for dusting
	1½	cups prepared tomato sauce
	1	pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
	8	ounces assorted tomatoes, trimmed and sliced
	4	cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
	¼	cup fresh basil leaves

Directions

1.    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, dissolve the yeast in the milk.  With the mixer running on low, incorporate the olive oil, flour, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon white pepper.  Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap.  Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

2.    Lightly dust 2 baking sheets with cornmeal and set aside.  Punch down the dough and divide it into 6 equal pieces.  Working on a lightly floured surface, use your hands to shape each piece of dough into an 8- to 10-inch round.  Arrange the pizzas on the baking sheets.

3.    Preheat the grill to medium-high and grease the grate with olive oil.  Working with only 1 or 2 pizzas at a time, transfer the pizzas to the preheated grill.  Cook until the bottom is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.  Then, flip the pizzas over and continue to grill until the other side is toasted, 1 to 2 minutes more.  Remove and set aside while you grill the remaining pizzas.

4.    Top each grilled pizza with some tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and garlic.  If desired, season with additional salt and white pepper.  Return the pizzas to the grill, and cook, until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes more.  Then, remove, top the pizzas with the fresh basil leaves, and drizzle with additional extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

College Food, Part II

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a posting entitled “College Food.” And since then, I have had many college students contact me and ask for additional college food suggestions. So today, I'll provide you with a few more tips that should not only keep all you college students well fed, but also (hopefully) save you some money.

First, don't try to cook like your mother. And that's not to say that your mother is a bad cook, because – well, if she's anything like my mother, she's unequivocally a great cook. No, the point I'm making here is – don't overdo yourself. You're not (or presumably not) a 40-something year-old with a couple decades of cooking experience and a fully stocked kitchen. No, you're a young college student with little cooking experience, living in a tiny apartment equipped with a hotplate and a couple of milk crates. It is perfectly fine to make yourself a large salad or a bacon and cheese omelet and call that dinner.

Second, go out and buy a couple of good cookbooks. (Or well... ultimately, you'll need to buy three cookbooks, but since my cookbook is not yet published, we'll stick with the first two.) Purchase an inexpensive Italian cookbook and inexpensive Mexican cookbook. Why those two, you might ask? Well, the Italians and the Mexicans have become masters of affordable eating. Truly, I think more than any other cuisine the, Italians and the Mexicans have developed a delicious repertoire of recipes that one can prepare on very little money. And buying both books allows you to mix it up once in a while. Because let's be honest here – spaghetti is a very cheap and delicious dish, but after a month of nothing by marinara, you're probably going to want a taco or two.

And third, share the burden. Starting a dinner club is a great way to not only save yourself from cooking every night, but it can also save you money. So get together with a small “family” of friends and take turns cooking. It'll give you a break from the kitchen. You'll learn some new recipes. And since you're buying everything in bulk, you might as well allow your friends to help you finish that 5 gallon pail of mayonnaise before it expires at the end of this month...

I hope these tips help. And good luck to all the college students out there who are heading into their first summer on their own.

End of Days, Part XXII

Let's be honest here, an ill-conceived guest list can ruin a party.  And that is especially true for your End-of-the-Mayan-Calendar Party.  After all, assuming that you and your guests survive the end of the world, you might be spending a rather long post-apocalyptic life together.  So in an effort to help you make the right guest list choices, allow me to offer you a few suggestions.

• Never invite a marathon runner to your party.  You want all your guests to be slower than you - that way the zombies catch them first.
• Never invite your psychiatrist to your party.  Otherwise, you'll end up spending the next few years answering the question "And how does the end of the world make you feel?"
• Always invite that hillbilly cousin of your's to the party.  He can make moonshine out of anything.
• And don't forget to invite your old frat buddy.  It's just not a party without the old frat buddy!

Sorry I Made You Allergic...

Despite our best efforts, there are times when we can't help but forget our own ingredients. And before you know it, you're feeding your crab-laced potato surprise to your crustacean-intolerant cousin. And while he's breaking out in hives and falling to the floor to gasp for air like a fish out of water, you think - “Oh yeah, my potato surprise does have shellfish in it. Oops...” It happens to the best of us.

Well today, I'll share with you a few ways to apologize for such potentially hazardous culinary oversights. Of course, which option you select is dependent upon the sense of humor of your anaphylactic victim. But I think there is something here to suit the tastes of most allergic dinner guests.

• Of course, the obvious answer is a heartfelt apology detailing your negligent oversight and great remorse at causing your culinary victim any undo discomfort. This is, of course, served alongside a polite offer to pay for any associated medical fees, and a legally binding waiver that prevents the still woozy victim from pursuing any legal action.
  
  
• Tell your culinary victim of any food allergies you might have. Not only will this give you an opportunity to bond over the experience, but it might also give your victim a few retaliatory ideas to dish up at your next dinner party. (And with that said, I also recommend that you carry some allergy medicine with you and save the number of the nearest ER on your cellphone just in case your victim decides to bake you a wonderfully vengeful peanut surprise...)
  
  
• Offer to pay for a tasteful “I am allergic to ” tattoo. The tattoo can be placed on your culinary victim's hands, arms, chest, or forehead and serve as a permanent reminder that he/she is in fact allergic to .
  
  
• And if all else fails - blame the kids. A simple - “I'm so sorry, Andrew. I have no idea how the walnuts got into your salad. Maybe the kids were playing in the kitchen when I wasn't looking...” always works, because let's face it, who can really get mad at a child? All they have to do is dig out the puppy dog eyes and say “I'm sowwy,” and all is forgiven...

I hope that helps. And best wishes to your culinary victim on his/her speedy recovery.

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

From Nathan’s Kitchen                                                                                                  Episode 1

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

By using frozen strawberries, you can be sure that your lemonade will stay ice-cold even on the hottest of summer’s days.

Ingredients

            Serves 4 to 6

	1	pint lemon sorbet
	2	pounds frozen sliced strawberries, plus more fresh strawberries, for garnish
		Freshly-squeezed lemon juice, as needed
	½	cup granulated sugar, or to taste
		Kosher salt
		Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

1.    Working in batches, combine half of the lemon sorbet with 1 pound of the strawberries in the pitcher of a blender.  Pulse the machine until the strawberries are finely puréed and mixed with the sorbet.  If necessary, add a little lemon juice to thin the mixture.  Blend in ¼ cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt. 

2.    Pour into serving glasses and garnish with sliced strawberries and fresh mint leaves.  Repeat with any remaining ingredients.

Grilled Turkey Wraps

OPEN KITCHEN with NATHAN SCOTT

Grilled Turkey Wraps

A panini press may also be used to toast these Grilled Turkey Wraps to that perfect golden-brown.

Ingredients

            Serves 4

	¼	cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
	2	tablespoons balsamic vinegar
	1	tablespoon onion powder
	1	teaspoon garlic powder
	1	small eggplant, trimmed and cut crosswise into ¼-inch rounds
	1	medium zucchini, trimmed and cut lengthwise into ¼-inch strips
	2	medium bell peppers, trimmed, seeds and ribs removed, cut into quarters
		Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
	1½	pounds (about 4 to 6) turkey cutlets
	4	10-inch flour tortillas
	¼	cup fresh basil leaves
	8	slices Provolone cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high, and brush the grate with olive oil.  In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil together with the balsamic vinegar, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Toss the eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers in the marinade.  Remove the vegetables, allowing any excess marinade to drip off (reserve the marinade).  Season the vegetables well with salt and black pepper.  Then, arrange the vegetables on the preheated grill.  Cook, turning once, until tender, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Brush the turkey with the remaining marinade.  Season the cutlets well with salt and black pepper, and place them on the preheated grill.  Cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side.  Remove the turkey from the grill and set aside to cool slightly.

3. Top each flour tortilla with a turkey cutlet and some of the vegetables.  Then, arrange a few basil leaves and 2 slices of Provolone on top.  Season with additional salt and black pepper, and then roll the flour tortillas into wraps, tucking in the ends.

4. Lightly grease a skillet or grill with olive oil and warm over medium heat.  Arrange the wraps on the preheated grill of skillet and cook, flipping halfway through, until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are toasted, 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove the wraps and cut into halves before serving.