Peach and Blueberry Galette

As much as I love fall, I’m just not quite ready for summer to end. I’m already wistful about how much I’ll miss the little things I love about the season – seeing the flowers around my patio in full bloom, lighting a citronella candle and having dinner outside, taking the kids to the pool for a quick dip in the evening, and making lemonade or popsicles whenever we so desire. It’s the simplest things that make summer grand.

So as we ease into September, I’m clinging to a windowsill lined with tomatoes from my parents’ garden, defiantly firing up the grill every single night, and absolutely refusing to make my annual switch from white wine to red!

This weekend, in an homage to summer’s simple pleasures, I’m making this free form galette. It’s warm, sweet, and simple – just the way summer should be.

 

Peach and Blueberry Galette 

serves 8

Ingredients

1 refrigerated pie dough (1/2 of a 15 ounce package or make your own recipe)
3 cups sliced fresh peaches, peeled
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons white or turbinado sugar, divided
1 tablespoon apricot preserves, melted in microwave in small glass bowl

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle (it doesn’t need to be perfect); place on parchment. In a small bowl, combine sliced peaches, blueberries, cornstarch and 1 tablespoon sugar. Arrange peach mixture in center of dough, leaving a 3-inch border. Fold edges of dough toward center, pressing gently to seal (dough will only partially cover peach mixture – see photo). Brush half of melted preserves over peach mixture and edges of dough.
  3. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375° (do not remove galette from oven) and bake an additional 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature by cutting into 8 wedges.
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Getting Ready to Work is Not Working

This morning, it was time for me to write. I’d made up my mind last night. I’d decided, in fact I’d even declared my decision out loud. I’d gone so far as to clear space in my calendar for this writing time.

“I’ve drifted too far away from regular writing,” I’ve been saying to myself.

“It’s been too sporadic, and maybe even uninspired.”

“I’m getting distracted by business-y things and losing touch with my art.”

And then the killer, “How can I ever write a book if I can’t even write a decent blog post with consistency?”

“So this is it. I’ll start writing tomorrow. In fact, I think I’ll write every day! I’ll rearrange my morning routine so that nothing gets in my way – before I’ve even poured a cup of coffee, I will be w-r-i-t-i-n-g. Just imagine the possibilities.”

By this point in my inner dialogue, my brain is buzzing with enthusiasm and resolve and I can practically see the words pouring onto the page and feel the relief coursing through my veins.

And then morning dawns.

And I begin. But I don’t begin to write. I begin to “get ready to write.” Because how can you write when there are things left undone around you?

Gah.

Today, getting ready involved:

– Making the beds
– Sweeping the kitchen floor (can’t write with crumbs, can we?)
– Making coffee (because, please)
– Filing a few errant papers that were on my desk
– Answering emails (EMAILS! I mean, seriously.)
– Making toast
– Putting lotion on my legs
– Checking the weather forecast for tomorrow
– Googling the merits of the writing app Scrivener
– Cleaning the bathroom vanity and mirror

And finally, with a paper towel in one hand and Windex in the other, the reality of my morning thus far hit me like a ton of bricks. It was clear that if I kept getting ready to write, I would never write.

They’re not the same thing.  Just like:

  • Buying workout clothes and a running watch is not exercise.
  • Sharpening your knives and tearing recipes out of a magazine is not cooking.
  • Getting the piano tuned and arranging the sheet music is not playing.
  • Buying a Day Planner and a new set of Sharpies is not getting organized.
  • Talking about your passions and poring through Linked In is not getting a job.

Getting ready to work is NOT the same as working.

And here’s the issue. While the preparations can be rewarding in their own right, the real magic only happens when we take action. In fact, God Himself conspires with us when we act. You’ve likely seen it happen in your own life – the universe rising up to deliver exactly what you needed once you showed that you were serious. And how do you show that you’re serious? By taking action.

You know what you need to do – that thing that is calling out to you and practically begging to be done. So go do it. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You don’t need the right gear, or more training, or even a sparkling bathroom vanity.

Just begin. And watch the magic happen.

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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Pork Tenderloin Satay

Labor Day weekend is upon us and since we’re nearing the unofficial end of summer, you may have had enough of traditional barbecue foods by now! If so, here’s a new dish you can add to your Labor Day menu that everyone will love. You’re still using the grill, but hamburgers and hot dogs this is not!

If you’d like, you can make the sauce in advance and refrigerate it. You can also prep the pork and thread it onto skewers the night before your party. Taking these steps keep things nice and simple on the day you’re entertaining – just throw the meat on the grill and heat up the sauce!

 

Pork Tenderloin Satay

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons. peanut butter
4 teaspoons canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1.25 pounds boneless pork tenderloin, silverskin removed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Bring first 8 ingredients (through ginger) to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes. Set aside 1/2 cup of mixture to be used for dipping.

2. Cut trimmed tenderloin in half crosswise and then slice each half into thin strips. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat grill. Thread pork strips onto metal skewers and grill 3-4 minutes on each side until center reaches 145 degrees. Baste with remaining sauce and serve with additional sauce for dipping.

 

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