Grapefruit Margaritas....Grilled Honey Peaches with Mascarpone and Pistachios

Well I'm back at it after a wonderful, relaxing vacation. What a great way to cap off the summer. My friend, Jen, looked absolutely glowing on her wedding day. She literally exuded happiness. It was such an honor to be able to stand up for her. It was great to see all of my friends in one place celebrating friendship, family, and love. Scott and Jen congrats! I hope you're having a great time in Thailand :)

After the wedding festivities died down, I spent the large part of my vacation eating incredible food and drinking incredible wine at the local vineyards. I was only able to squeeze in one beach day, but it was a perfect day so it was worth it. I ate everything from real NY style pizza to lobster rolls to authentic greek fair to a delicious homemade feast made by the beautiful Doreen (aka the best Mom on the planet).  I made a small contribution to the feast so I thought I would share these winning recipes with you all. Many of you were there to taste the end product so feel free to leave a comment on what you thought of them! Follow these links for the original recipes: Grilled Peaches and Pink Grapefruit Margaritas

These cocktails, to me, were the perfect summer drink. Sweet and tart at the same time with a wonderfully vibrant color.

Grapefruit Margaritas (makes two large pitchers) 

4 cups Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice (100% juice)

1 1/2 cups Lime Juice (freshly squeezed)

1 cup Triple Sec (or orange liqueur of your choice)

2 cups Silver Tequila

Ice

Kosher Salt (garnish for glass)

1 lime, sliced (garnish for glass) 

Fill two 2-quart pitchers with ice. Combine grapefruit juice, lime juice, triple sec, and tequila. Stir until completely mixed. Rim each glass with kosher salt and garnish with a lime. Enjoy your margarita on the rocks!

This next recipe was quite the find. It's the perfect summer dessert, not too heavy and not too sweet. Use farm stand fresh peaches for the best results. The best ingredients make the best dishes. You can find mascarpone cheese in the specialty cheese section of the grocery store. It is cross between a cream cheese and creme fraiche (either of these would work as well if you can't find mascarpone). 

Grilled Honey Peaches with Mascarpone and Pistachios (Makes 12 single servings) 

6 large ripe but slightly firm Peaches, pitted and halved

4 Tbsp. Honey, divided

1/2 cup toasted Pistachios, chopped

2- 8oz. containers of Mascarpone Cheese 

Place halved peaches on a large baking sheet. Using a pastry brush (silicone works best) brush the cut side of the peaches with honey (1 Tbsp.). Grill peaches cut side down on a grill or grill pan for about 5 minutes or until the peaches are heated through and there are nice grill marks present. In a bowl combine mascarpone cheese (at room temperature) and 2 Tbsp. of honey. Remove the peaches from the grill and place back on the baking sheet. Top each peach with about 2 Tbsp. cheese/honey mixture, sprinkle with pistachios, using remaining honey drizzle over top. Serve warm. 

Eggplant, Mushrooms, Cherry Tomato Sautee with Israeli Couscous

I'm averaging one blog post a month...man am I a bad blogger or what?! Well at least I saved up all my writing juices for this next recipe. It's a doozy! I thought up this recipe as I was groovin' to some summer jams for a road trip play list I was putting together. I'm prepping for my journey up north this coming Wednesday. One of my dearest friends from high school is drinking the kool aid and getting hitched! I'm so psyched for all the festivities and to be a part of her big day. Congrats Jen and Scott!! Then to top it all off I'm spending a week at home lounging at the beach, going on the boat, and hitting up all the North Fork vineyards have to offer. I CANNOT WAIT!! So I thought I would leave you with this scrumptiously fresh recipe that will definitely be seen in my kitchen again. If you're lucky I may even blog from the beach with a seafood recipe. We'll just see how ambitious I am :) I couldn't think of a good name, so the ingredients will just have to speak for themselves!

Eggplant, Mushrooms, Cherry Tomato Sautee with
 Israeli Couscous, Pine Nuts, and Goat Cheese 
1 small eggplant, cubed
1 small red onion, sliced
3/4 cup white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatos, halved
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted*
1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp. basil, chopped
1 cup Israeli couscous (prepared using directions on the box)
Salt and Pepper to taste

*To toast pine nuts, add nuts to a dry saute pan over medium high heat. Toast for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Be sure to stir to avoid burning.

In a large saute pan, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Add red onions cooking for 2-3 minutes, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add eggplant and mushrooms cooking for an additional 5 minutes (they should be nice and caramelized with a beautiful golden brown crust). Add cherry tomatoes and garlic, cooking until tomatoes are heated through. Serve vegetables over couscous garnished with a sprinkle of goat cheese, a sprinkle of pine nuts, and basil.

This has the perfect combination of textures, smooth and velvety from the couscous and cheese, crunch from the pine nuts and the fresh hit you get from the basil tops it all off. If you don't have israeli couscous on hand orzo, acini di pepe, or any small pasta would work great. I usually can find israeli (aka pearl) couscous in the international foods section at my grocery store. I had this as my main entree but it would go great as a side dish to steak or a nice meaty fish. I think the key to this dish is the fresh ingredients from the farmer's market. You can't beat the produce mid summer at your local market. This summer is shaping up to be the best yet. Let's enjoy it while it lasts...fall will be here before we know it!