summer

Personal Sized Bourbon Peaches & Cream Trifle

August 18, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

We’re the kind of people who order one big dessert and get 4 spoons. The folks who say “taste this! It’s AMAZING!” and let everyone sip the cocktail we ordered. Ones who drive everybody crazy because we want to dip our fork into your plate because what you got just looks so darn delicious. And then we pass you our plate whether you wanted it or not. Sharing food is our thing. (Unless you’re my dad. He wants the food on HIS plate and don’t you dare take a bite unless he gives it to you. But then, if you ask for a taste he’ll always give you the best bite anyway because he’s just kind like that. Must be the PRINCIPLE of the thing, huh?)

Anyway, this dessert is great for our kind of people because you can A) make one and pass it around so you can share it or B) make 4 and everyone gets their own damn delicious dessert.

…

Roasted Summer Tomato Soup, OR Papa al Pomodoro, Southern Style

August 16, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Well lovelies, it’s the tail end of tomato season in south Mississippi, which is making me act a lot like Gollum in The Lord of the Rings about each and every plump bright red orb that comes off my vines.

There’s really nothing better than the acidity and sweetness of a ripe summer tomato, and sometimes you want something other than a BLT or caprese salad, ammIright?

…

Old Fashioned Blueberry Doughnuts

August 11, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com 2 Comments

Once upon a time Shirley, my mother in law, baked amazing cakes and other delicious treats as a side hustle from her home, and now she just makes them for people she loves and on special occasions. Dubs had a gorgeous coconut cake for his first birthday, the Christmas cookie spread is INCREDIBLE at their house, (plus homemade beignets are a Christmas morning tradition!) and Saturday morning banana bread or sour dough bread toast is a thing that you just don’t want to miss.

…

Peach Granola Sundaes (and a kitchen fail)

August 8, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Failure is part of life. I’ve learned that failing is one of the best ways to learn something new, and the best way to get better at something. People often think of failure as a bad thing, but for me, it’s important, and necessary and a sign that I’m taking the right risks.

And thank goodness, because I fail in the kitchen A LOT.

…

Quick, Easy, Elegant supper. Fig, Balsamic Pork Chops

August 2, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Fig week is technically over, but I couldn’t give up on them just yet. I still had a half pint that I wanted to use, and then when I made this sauce for supper liked the result so much that I took pictures. While I had a honey and a toddler sitting at the table slightly (ok, very) impatient to dig in. It wasn’t my finest moment.

But they waited while I frantically grabbed my camera and put the plates on the table… and then my 2 year old said “Mama! I DON’T WANT YOU TO TAKE A PICTURE OF SUPPER!” and made a frowny-pouty-irritated face. “I’m FRUSTRATED!” he said, a very descriptive emotional word that sounds silly coming out of a 2.5 year old’s mouth, except no truer words have ever been spoken because what 2.5 year old isn’t frustrated 75% of the time?

I know when I’m in the wrong, and when I’ve gone overboard, and stopping everything at 6:15pm on a Friday night when you’re having family supper to take pictures of the plate for this blog is definitely one of those times.

…

Here, Figgy Figgy… Cocktail

July 30, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Fig Week is wrapping up here at Mess of Greens (though I have ONE more recipe to share next week! I just can’t stop!) but what’s a summer weekend without a libation?

I don’t usually drink bourbon in summertime- I have some weird belief that it’s a fall & winter spirit and that gin and tequila are best for warm weather- but I just knew that the sweetness of a figs syrup would complement the bourbon JUST right.

And it did.

My friend Shelton taught me about the perfection that is Bourbon & Ginger Ale, and this is a nice summer alternative. Fizzy seltzer, sweet fig syrup, warm lovely bourbon. Can you go wrong?

…

Honey Roasted Figs, Whisky, & Bacon Ice Cream

July 28, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com 3 Comments

I told my Instagram friends that this week is Fig Week here at MoG… and today I bring you almost a too-good-to-be-true Fig, whiskey, and bacon ice cream.

Why? Well..

1) Because it’s fig season in Mississippi, duh. How can you NOT take advantage of figs that you can pluck from neighbors’ trees or buy at produce stands and farmer’s markets all over the place? The season feels so short, and so special.

2) When my mama was going through chemo last summer and no food would stay down, I found some figs (her favorite) at one of aforementioned produce stands. They were one of two things I remember her wanting to eat during that hard time. Fig season will always, always always remind me of how strong my cancer-surviving mama really is. I decided that figs will now forever represent mama’s tenacity and strength.

3) At a 2 year old birthday party last weekend (we’ve been going to one of these fun, adorable events every weekend this summer… apparently all of Dub’s buds got born in June & July. :)) a pretty mama asked me if I had a fig ice cream recipe. I didn’t…but at that moment I knew I wanted one real bad. so bad in fact, that I posted a facebook plea to help me find more figs.

4) Thanks to said Facebook plea, I now know where all the figs in Jones county are. All of them.

5) Lastly, um, Because figs, whiskey and bacon. Really. Did I really need to explain all those other things to get to this one?

…

If the Gods ate Pizza, this was it. Fig, Honey, Basil, Bacon Balsamic Heaven

July 26, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com 2 Comments

So I don’t know about where ya’ll are from, but down here in South Mississippi Figs are in their prime. Honestly, because their season is so short and because everyone I know has to contend with the birds for the pleasure of eating them, I treasure them.

I’ve been buying them at every farm stand I can, and since my aunts, cousins, and neighbors know my mama and I love them so much, they’ve been bringing them by if they have extra to share. Isn’t that some of the most fun of growing/finding/making your own food? Sharing it??

I’ve been disappointed my tomatoes haven’t produced as much as I’d expected since once of my greatest joys over the past few summers has been doling them out to friends and leaving extras on neighbors doorsteps… next year, we’ll be back in business.

This pizza was so good I made it TWICE in a day. Once as a sweeter breakfast pizza and then later as a more savory appetizer for some of my mama’s old friends who were coming over. I mean, what says “you’re special to us and we are so glad to see you” more than figs, honey, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, and bacon?

…

The easiest Pizza Dough alive, plus a rad chantrelle/bacon topping

July 19, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

Ok lovelies, its time for me to share a secret with you.

I have the easiest, fastest, most delicious pizza dough recipe and I’ve been keeping it from you. I know. It’s terrible and mean and horrible that I haven’t already shared this because it’s so darn amazing. And to top it off, I made pizza this weekend with fresh chantrelle mushrooms, bacon, ricotta cheese and arugula. Do you hate me?

…

Bacon & Corn Pie

July 14, 2016 by biz.w.harris@gmail.com Leave a Comment

I was flipping through a cookbook the other day and found a recipe for a sweet corn pie (as a dessert.) I wasn’t really feelin that, BUT it struck me that a savory (sweet) corn pie wouldn’t be a bad way to leverage all this gorgeous summer’s bounty that I picked up at a farmer’s market the other day.

THEN, like it was fate or something, my cousins went flea market shopping with me and found me a copy of their favorite-of-all-time quiche and souffle cookbook… it recommended bacon and corn as one of those flavor combos that once you’ve had you just can’t stop thinking about, so, I went with it. And y’all, it is just simply GOOD. This is the PERFECT side for a big pile of fresh summer tomatoes, or skirt steak, or even a tomato sandwich. Considering how hot kitchens get in the summer, and how little I want to cook on the evenings when we’ve all been out swimming at the neighbors or drinking beers on the deck, this easy, pretty speedy, can-be-made-in-advance recipe is basically my Godsend. Plus it’s just the right about of sweet, savory, and creamy to make you want to eat the whole thing by yourself with a fork (this almost happened, but i stopped with 2 slices left in the pie plate. eek).

Cook it in a rectangular or square dish and cut into squares and serve as an appetizer if you’re feeling fancy.

…

summer

Footer