Grilled Apricots with Honey Greek Yogurt

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Grilled Apricots with Honey Greek Yogurt

Grilled Apricots with Honey Greek Yogurt

Kids are funny little creatures (as I'm sure you know). As a camp counselor, I see the side of children when they are far away from their parents—a little bit more wild, a little bit more adventurous, and just a little bit more fearless. Diving boards, ticks, and snakes are no longer items of scary dreams, but play things. Kids wear ticks on tape as bracelets, enjoy a good belly flop, and swing snakes like whips above their heads (much to my dismay).

Given the chance, children are also very good at advertising.

On the bus, I often hear boisterous renditions of the many jingles from FreeCreditReport.Com. Even the tune from the Education Connection commercial has made an appearance or two. It's very strange to sit on a bus and have 20 children serenade me with a song I would normally run to mute on my television. Sweet serenade or not, I wish children had a remote.

That isn't too much to ask for, is it?

Grilled Apricots with Honey Greek Yogurt Grilled Apricots with Honey Greek Yogurt

Because children are so susceptible to good advertising, even our traditional camp songs have become muddled with commercialism. The counselors tried to keep the songs pure, innocent, and bias free (we really did), but the voices of 70 children could not be swayed. We sing a song about Fried Ham. Amongst the cheese and bologna, there's a line about "onions, pickles, and pretzels" that the kids have changed to "Funyuns, pickles, and pretzels." Ordinarily I wouldn't mind this except that, because they think they are being "rebellious" by singing their version, they shout it at nearly three times the volume. My ears cry.

We also sing a healthy song all about staying fit and exercising. It ends with a sound off—"Sound off, eat right! Sound off, exercise! Subway, Eat Fresh!"

Did you catch that little ad in there? Kids are sneaky.

Note to those in marketing: The secret to success lies in small children. Come up with a catchy jingle and they will sing it so often their parents ears will bleed. It doesn't matter that they have no idea what a credit report is or won't be a consumer for another decade. Playing to the kids will turn you into a money-making machine.

Grilled Apricots with Honey Greek Yogurt

After a long day of camp songs and commercialism, it's nice to just sit in the peace and quiet of my home, with the television turned off, and enjoy a simple, elegant snack. These Grilled Apricots with Honey Greek Yogurt fit the bill exactly.

The apricots are a snap to grill, spending little over a minute on the coals. The grill warms the flesh while keeping the fruit firm. With a dollop of Greek Yogurt and a drizzle of honey, ripe apricots turn into a little delicious dream. Perfect for breakfast and snacks, these grilled apricots are not only a healthy choice, but a special treat.

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Roasted Pineapple

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Roasted Pineapple

Roasted Pineapple

Would you believe I bought a pineapple for the first time this week? The only pineapple I've eaten up to this point has been canned, buried somewhere in a Jello salad, or served pre-cut at a potluck. While these are certainly not bad ways to enjoy pineapple, sometimes you just need the real deal staring you in the face. Even if it is intimidating.

And it's sharp. With spiky hair reminiscent of a troll doll.

Roasted Pineapple

I'm afraid to let my kitchen inexperience show by telling you I spent nearly 15 minutes trying to figure out how best to cut a pineapple. As someone who enjoys food and likes to call herself a decent cook, I feel there are some things I should inherently know in the kitchen. Boning a chicken, properly braising meat, and cutting a pineapple all fall in this category. Do I actually know how to do any of these techniques? Well, no.

Then again, I've always been more of a baker.

But in my defense, I've watched someone bone a chicken (does that count?). Someday I plan on actually learning what the term braising means (it's good to have goals, right?). But as for the pineapple? I think I can finally cross that one off my list.

Roasted Pineapple

This Roasted Pineapple is fresh and pleasant. The pineapple is cut into rings, roasted, and sprinkled with brown sugar, which brings a deep, well-rounded flavor to the pineapple. For a twist, I added a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper. It adds a subtle, unexpected kick to the pineapple and surprisingly complements it well. Although unusual, I recommend you give it a try; it turns this simple dessert into something really special.

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Meyer Lemon Curd

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Meyer Lemon Curd

meyer lemon curd

Today, I bought Meyer lemons for the first time. I've seen these praised in recipes before, but I had never tried one. For those of you that don't know the difference between a lemon and a Meyer lemon, a Meyer lemon is a true lemon crossed with a mandarin orange. It's a hybrid (and a delicious one at that).

Meyer lemons taste like a lemon taken a deep breath and had a chance to calm down. It isn't trying to knock out your taste buds. They are less tart than a true lemon, but still have that signature flavor. I can eat them raw without puckering up my face into a frightful look.

Finally, a lemon I can handle.

meyer lemon curd

In the depths of winter, I love to see a splash of citrus sunshine on my plate. It's a little reminder that spring is on its way. With such a bright, vibrant color, these lemons are sunshine.

In many ways, I believe The Temptations were really singing about this lemon curd for the song My Girl. Oh, you know it. "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May."

I imagine they hesitated because lemon curd wouldn't sell as much sex. Pity, really.

meyer lemon curd

This Meyer Lemon Curd is bottled sunshine. It's creamy, tangy, and smooth as silk. Feel free to eat it on toast, crackers, muffins, or place a dollop on top of your oatmeal for a lemon touch. But, if you're like me, you can just eat it plain and by the spoonful.

meyer lemon curd

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