Healthy & Seasonal Dinner Party Menu

I had a few girlfriends over for dinner last night and made a great summery menu.  For me the key to cooking for guests is being organized and having everything ready before so you can actually hang out and not be stuck in the kitchen all night!  I try and keep the menu simple and tasty and I think last night was just that.  I made two new dishes a peach cobbler and a grilled sourdough and quiona salad I cant wait to share with you!  We started with an heirloom tomato bruschetta,  main course was tilapia with veggies and a corn salsa, the sourdough salad, and for dessert peach cobbler.

Grilled Sourdough Salad (adapted from Ottolenghi's Plenty) The smell of how fresh this salad is with the lemon and red wine vinegar makes me hungry just thinking about it!  I made it a couple hours ahead so the flavors would mix well and it was perfect.

• 3 slices of sourdough bread
• 1/4 cup of quinoa
• 3 red tomatoes chopped into chunks
• 2 orange tomatoes chopped into chunks
• 3 mini cucumbers sliced 
• 1/2 red onion very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
• 2 gloves of garlic grated in
• 1 lemon juiced
• 1 table spoon red wine vinegar 
• salt and pepper to taste 

Directions

• Cook 1/4 cup of quinoa and put aside to cool
• coat bread in olive oil and salt and grill under the broiler put aside to cool
• mix all the chopped veggies in salad bowl
• grate in garlic and add parsley
• dump in quinoa and add bread in hand ripped pieces
• juice the lemon and add the red wine vinegar 

Peach Cobbler-  This was my first ever cobbler inspired by summer obsession with peaches.  If you haven't had them this year run don't walk to get some!  Pete said this was the best cobbler he has ever had but he may have just been being sweet.  Either way all the girls cleaned their plates and we have no leftovers today so that's a good sign!  Also don't be scared of blanching the peaches I was annoyed by that whole aspect but it really wasn't that bad and makes a huge difference. 

Cobbler filing

• 6 peaches sliced (blanch to remove the skins)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• tablespoon flour

Crust

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick of butter cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup buttermilk 
• brown sugar for topping

Start by blanching peaches.  All that means is put them in boiling water with the lid on for 5 mins take out and put in an ice bath.  The skin will just come right off.  Its actually really cool.  Ill show pics. 

Slice the peaches mix with the filing ingredients.  Bake on 400 for 10 mins.  Take out and add the crust and bake for 10 more mins. Take out top with brown sugar and bake again for 10 mins right before serving.  Don't forget the vanilla ice cream!  Perfect summer dessert!!!!!

I used for different types of tomatoes 

Bake on 400 until they brown and juices run out

Dust bread with olive oil before broiling

veggies for salad 

finished bruschetta topping  

salsa for fish

toasty sourdough yum 

assembling fish 

make sure portions are similar in size so they cook at the same time

My first blanching station 

get the water boiling first 

add peaches for 5 mins

add quinoa and grilled bread in chunks

finished

peaches take a bath

slice and cover baking dish 

add filing

crust looks lumpy dont be scared 

plop it on 

after 10 mins 

Petes pretty flowers 

My white arrangement 

Place settings 

ready to go