Peach dumplings stuffed with goat cheese and prosciutto

This is a sponsored post by Challenge butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

I think we can all agree, there’s just something truly out of this world special about biting into a fresh, juicy peach. We all know peaches are delicious in pies and as sweet treats, so I wanted to show off their versatility with a dish that also incorporated their ability to pair well with more savory items.

Here’s what my Kylee brain came up with: I stuffed whole peaches with a goat cheese mixture, wrapped them in prosciutto, and then encased them in pie dough. But not just any pie dough—cheesy pie dough. Then I drizzled lemon thyme honey on top.

This dessert (we’ll call it a dessert even though it’s a perfectly acceptable breakfast, lunch, or dinner menu item) was inspired by Erin Jeanne McDowell’s whole apple dumpling recipe and golden cheese pie dough recipe from her book “The Book on Pie: Everything You Need to Know to Bake Perfect Pies,” which I highly recommend.

First, let’s talk peaches. All types of peaches can be classified as freestone or clingstone. The pit in freestone peaches isn’t attached to the flesh, so it’s easy to remove. That’s what you want to buy! Whereas clingstone peaches have a pit that is attached to the flesh, making it difficult to prep for baking or cooking. For the most part, grocery stores usually sell freestone peaches, unless you’re trying to buy peaches out of season. Then sometimes they're clingstone. So keep that in mind when you want to make something with fresh peaches not in the summer months.

Also, there are white peaches and yellow peaches. White-fleshed peaches are lower in acid and have a more subtle, delicate taste than yellow peaches. That said, white peaches are great for eating, but not the best for baking because their flavor isn’t strong enough.

I purchased peaches from Meijer a few days ago, and I noticed there were two varieties of yellow peaches: yellow peaches from Ohio and yellow peaches from South Carolina. I purchased both varieties to test them out. The Ohio peaches were significantly smaller than the South Carolina peaches and their pit was a little harder to remove, but they tasted the same to me.

My least favorite thing about working with peaches is peeling them. Yes, there are a lot of tricks for making the process easier, but I still think it’s a pain. I would just rather not do it at all, and fortunately with this recipe you don’t have to.

Fruit paired with cheese is an absolutely divine combination. I can’t resist a sweet, savory, and salty combination. It may seem strange to add goat cheese to dessert, but this tangy cheese actually balances the sweet peaches perfectly. The creamy texture also makes it a great match, and it melts into the peaches while they bake. Additionally, the prosciutto slice around the peach takes this dessert over the top. You can certainly skip the prosciutto if you're a vegetarian. But I tried the dumplings with and without the prosciutto, and its addition makes the dessert just THAT much better.

Now, let's talk pie dough. You can absolutely buy pie dough or puff pastry from the store if you're short on time. But I highly recommend making this white cheddar pie dough. In fact, my husband William said it was his favorite part of the dessert! It's a basic pie dough recipe with the addition of shredded white cheddar cheese. I only use Challenge unsalted butter when I make pie dough. It is 100% real cream butter but with no salt added. You can truly smell the difference between Challenge butter and other butters.

I know some dumpling recipes want you to cut the pie dough into squares and pinch the corners together, but I prefer to just lift the dough and bring it to the top of the peach, repeating the process untill all of the pie dough comes together where the peach stem would be. The dough will naturally fold and pleat at the top. It's going to look like a dough softball.

I bake the dumplings on a rimmed baking sheet as opposed to a dish so that the hot air hits all sides of the dumplings, creating a crisp, golden crust. 

A simple honey drizzle is a great sweet topping for the dumplings, but I wanted something with a little more pizzazz for this extra special treat. So I stuck a few sprigs of thyme in a mason jar with lemon juice and half a cup of honey, heated it up, and voila, lemon and thyme infused honey! I highly recommend making a double batch and keeping it around to drizzle in your tea, on muffins, or other desserts.

Peach dumplings stuffed with goat cheese and prosciutto

Yield: 4 dumplings

Ingredients

For the pie dough

• 150 grams all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp (3 grams) salt
• 113 grams Challenge unsalted butter, cold, cut in 1/2” cubes
• 113 grams white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 60 grams cold water

For the filling

• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 Tablespoons (40 grams) honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 yellow peaches, cut in half, pit removed
• 4 slices prosciutto

For the egg wash

• 1 whole egg
• 1 Tablespoon water

For the lemon thyme honey

• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup (170 grams) honey

Directions

For the pie dough

1. Stir flour and salt together. Add cubes of butter and mix until butter is coated in flour. 
2. Cut butter into flour with hands or pastry cutter until butter is size of walnut halves. Alternative method: Add flour/butter mixture to food processor and pulse until butter is size of walnut halves. 
3. Stir in cheese.
4. Add water to flour mixture and use hands to mix until dough holds together easily. It shouldn't be totally smooth.
5. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, form into disk, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Dough can be made up to 2 days in advance.

For the goat cheese filling

1. Mix everything but the peaches and prosciutto together. 
2. Use melon baller to scoop out some of the center of each peach half to make room for goat cheese filling.
3. Add about 2 Tablespoons of goat cheese filling to cavity of one peach half. Place other peach half on top. Wrap slice of prosciutto around peach. Repeat with remaining peaches.
4. Set aside while rolling out dough.

For assembly

1. Roll out pie dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4" thick. 
2. Cut dough into 4 even pieces. Place peach on center of one piece of dough. Gently pick up part of the dough and stretch it upward to top of peach. Continue all the way around the peach. Dough will pleat naturally. Lightly press dough down in the center at the top of the peach to seal.
3. Repeat with remaining peaches and transfer dumplings to refrigerator for about 15 minutes or until dough is firm.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Make egg wash by mixing together egg and water.
6. Remove dumplings from refrigerator and place on baking sheet. Brush dough with egg wash. Place in oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until dough is crisp and golden.
7. Remove dumplings from oven and cool for 5 minutes while you make honey.

For the lemon thyme honey

1. Stuff thyme sprigs into microwave-safe container and pour lemon juice on top. Add honey to container and heat in microwave for 2 minutes.
2. Drizzle honey over dumplings and serve.

Ladybug fruit tart

This is a sponsored post by Challenge butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

One of the first things I learned how to make in my baking classes is fruit tarts. The two main components of tarts, the shell and the pastry cream, are basic skills that are clearly very important because I've had to prepare them time and time again. I had an internship at a local bakery over the summer (more on that later), and the very first thing my supervisor asked me to make was pastry cream. I was quite nervous because it had been at least half a year since I last made pastry cream, but fortunately it turned out perfect. Over the next few weeks, I made a lot of pastry cream, and really, once you get the hang of it, it's like riding a bike.

My internship course at Ivy Tech concluded with a final exam in which I had to make numerous desserts over the course of 4 hours (once again, more on that later). One of the dishes was, you guessed it, a fruit tart. So I thought this would be a good opportunity to walk you through how to make that tart shell and the pastry cream. The fruit tart recipe I'm sharing today has a lemon pastry cream and is made to look like a ladybug because I thought it would be a fun summer dessert.

First, let's discuss the shell, also known as pâte sucrée. Pronounced pat-sue-cray, pâte sucrée is the French term for sweet pastry dough. It is similar to the American short dough, and I think it tastes like a shortbread cookie when it is baked. 

There are two main mixing methods for pastry dough: the sanding method and the creaming method. The sanding mixture is what you think of when making pie crusts—breaking up the butter with your hands or a pastry cutter into tiny, pea-sized pieces and cutting it into the flour. The creaming method is what I use when making cookies in which I beat the butter and the sugar together until creamy before adding egg and the dry ingredients. Pâte sucrée is traditionally made using the creaming method, but it can also be made using the sanding method. Personally I prefer the creaming method, so that’s what I did. Traditionally, when using the creaming method with cookies, you want the butter to look “light and fluffy” before proceeding. However, that isn’t what we want here. That’s because when you’re beating the butter and sugar together you’re incorporating air, which is great for reducing the spread on cookies, but that isn’t what we want here. So just beat the butter and sugar until well combined, but not any longer. I like to use Challenge European Style Butter. It has a higher butterfat than regular butters (83% versus 80% for standard butters), and the lower moisture content yields a flakier crust.

This recipe calls for almond meal because I think it gives the tart shell a boost in taste and texture. But it is important to note that almond meal isn’t the same as almond flour. Yes, they are both made from ground almonds, however, almond flour is made from peeled almonds and finely ground, whereas almond meal is made from unpeeled almonds and is coarser. That said, it won’t contribute to the texture in the same way as almond meal.

The classic formula for pâte sucrée (using baker’s percentage) is 100 percent flour, 50 percent butter, 50 percent sugar, and 20 percent egg. But I also like to use a little baking powder in my pâte sucrée because I found that it lightens the texture.

The shell is blind baked with parchment paper and pie weights (or dry beans). Blind baking is the process of fully baking a tart shell. We want to fully bake the tart shell because the pastry cream doesn’t need to go into the oven. We cover the tart shell in parchment paper and pie weights to prevent the crust and sides from becoming misshapen during the baking process. The pie weights should completely fill the pie pan. I’ve seen a lot of pictures that show pie weights just on the very bottom, but that doesn’t prevent the sides from slouching.

After about 15 minutes, remove the parchment paper and pie weights from the shell and continue baking about another 10 minutes, or until the bottom is baked through and turns golden brown. Once the shell cools, it is ready to be filled.

Now, let’s talk pastry cream. It is a cooked-stirred custard with very basic ingredients, including milk, sugar, egg yolk, cornstarch, and butter. Additional ingredients can be added for flavor (like in this case I added lemon zest for a lemon pastry cream.

When making pastry cream, the first thing you want to do is bring your milk up to a boil. While it’s heating up, whisk the sugar and the cornstarch together for even dispersion and then whisk in the egg yolks until just combined. Don’t overmix because you don’t want to incorporate too much air into the mixture. Once the milk comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and slowly pour about half of the milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously. This is called tempering. You’re slowly heating up the egg yolks so that they don’t scramble. Then return the mixture to the pot and heat it to its boiling point once again. It’s important to continuously whisk the custard, making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom or the sides.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, continue to whisk and let it boil for 2 minutes. This is important in order to thicken the cream and fully swell the starch. Once you’ve finished cooking it, remove it from the heat and stir in butter. Butter increases the pastry cream’s richness and flavor.

If made correctly, you shouldn’t have to strain the pastry cream. However, if you see that your pastry cream has small lumps in it, strain it through a chinois or fine-mesh strainer.

Finally, the pastry cream is poured into a shallow container, covered to the surface with plastic wrap (otherwise a skin will form), and refrigerated until you're ready to use it.

Ladybug Fruit Tart

Yield: One 9 or 10-inch fruit tart, or about 12 servings

Ingredients

For the pâte sucrée

• 180 grams (1 stick + 5 Tablespoons) Challenge European Style Butter
• 180 grams (1 1/2 cups) confectioners’ sugar
• 94 grams (2 large) eggs
• 4 grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
• 360 grams (3 cups) all purpose flour
• 54 grams (1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons) almond meal
• 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder

For the lemon pastry cream

• 550 grams (18 fluid ounces) whole milk
• 6 grams (or zest from 1 lemon) lemon zest
• 140 grams (1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons) granulated sugar
• 39 grams (4 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) cornstarch
• 110 grams (6) egg yolks
• 67 grams (4 Tablespoons) Challenge unsalted butter

For assembly

• 2 pints raspberries
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 pint blackberries
• 125 grams (1/2 cup) apricot preserves
• 1 Tablespoon (14 milliliters) water

Directions

For the pâte sucrée

1. Cream butter and sugar together until combined; don’t overmix
2. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth
3. Gently mix in flour, almond meal, and baking powder until just combined
4. Gather all ingredients and form a ball and then gently flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Grease bottom and sides of 9-inch or 10-inch tart pan
6. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness and lay over tart pan, carefully pressing the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan; trim excess dough
7. Use a fork to dock the bottom of the crust all over
8. Place the tart pan in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
10. Line the tart pan with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dry beans
11. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, remove from oven, and remove parchment paper with weights
12. Return tart shell back to oven and bake uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tart becomes golden brown, cooked through, and crisp
13. Remove the tart pan from the oven and cool completely

For the lemon pastry cream

1. Add milk and lemon zest to stainless steel pot and heat on medium until it begins to boil
2. While waiting for milk to come to a boil, mix sugar and cornstarch in large bowl
3. Add egg yolks to sugar-cornstarch mixture and whisk until combined; don’t overmix
4. Once milk comes to boil, remove pot from heat and slowly pour 1/2 of it into egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously
5. Return mixture to pot with rest of milk, set heat to medium, and continue to cook while stirring constantly
6. Cook until custard has boiled for 2 minutes; at this point it should be thick and difficult to stir
7. Remove from heat, add butter, and stir until mixed completely
8. Pour pastry cream into shallow pan and lay plastic wrap on the surface so it doesn’t develop a skin
9. Refrigerate immediately until ready to use

For assembly

1. Fill tart shell with pastry cream
2. Arrange raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries in ladybug pattern
3. Heat preserves and water in microwave until mixture is liquified. Brush glaze gently over fruit tart.
4. Remove tart from tart pan and serve

Salmon burgers with lemon-dill feta sauce

 

This is a sponsored post by Challenge butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

I’ve been experimenting with a lot of unique burger recipes throughout the past year, mostly inspired by Trader Joe’s impressive selection. I love their shrimp burgers because you can see and taste big chunks of shrimp—the seafood isn’t all ground into a paste. On the other hand, the salmon burgers are kind of subpar. They look like pink hockey discs all stuck together. So I wanted to make my own salmon burger that tasted fresh with a lot of texture and flavor.

My main goal when developing the salmon burger recipe was to eliminate filler as much as possible to allow for the salmon flavor to shine through. That’s why I didn’t use any bread crumbs or mayo. I used a little Greek yogurt and egg instead. That way the salmon binds together, but still remains light and tender. The only other ingredients are fresh herbs and some seasonings. 

I’ve seen two methods for making salmon burgers: starting with raw salmon or starting with cooked / canned salmon. I prefer to use raw salmon because I think the patties come together with less filler more easily, and I like to be able to control the texture of the salmon.

To get the best texture and mouth-feel for these salmon burgers, I prefer to combine everything except the salmon in the food processor. The last thing I add is the salmon, and I hit pulse until everything is combined. I pulse it instead of blending it so that it doesn’t all turn into a paste. If you don’t have access to a food processor, you can chop the salmon into fine pieces.

The herbs and seasonings are customizable depending on your taste preferences. I chose parsley, dill, and oregano to complement the lemon, dill, and feta spread I made to go with it. Ever since my friend Emily told me she likes to serve her shrimp burgers with whipped feta, I’ve been dreaming about creating a similar spread for salmon burgers.

The combination of lemon and dill with feta really brighten the flavor of the salmon. The salty-tangy combination tastes really fresh, and it’s absolutely perfect for summer. And of course I used Challenge cream cheese because they use real milk, cream, and natural ingredients, and nothing beats the superior flavor and ultra smooth finish. Honestly, I make this sauce pretty much every week because it tastes great on everything: sandwiches, crackers, vegetables, by the spoonful, etc.

Also, please take note that this recipe makes 8 decently large burgers (about 3.5 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick). You can certainly cook all 8 burgers, or you can do what I like to do and freeze half of them uncooked. I made the recipe with such a large yield because I hate it when you spend a ton of time making something only to get 4 servings.

Salmon burgers with lemon-dill feta sauce

Yield: Makes 8 burgers

Ingredients

For the lemon-dill feta sauce

• 1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese
• 4 ounces Challenge cream cheese
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons dill, chopped
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt, to taste

For the salmon burgers

• 1/4 cup dill
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, plain
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 pounds raw, wild salmon, skin and bones removed, cut into chunks
• Toppings such as lettuce, onions, tomatoes
• Optional: 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

For the lemon-dill feta sauce

1. Blend feta cheese and cream cheese in food processor until smooth 
2. Add everything else and blend until combined
3. Taste sauce and adjust salt and seasonings as necessary
4. Place sauce in bowl and wipe out food processor because you’ll use it for burgers

For the salmon burgers

1. Combine herbs, Greek yogurt, eggs, and seasonings in food processor.
2. Add salmon to food processor and pulse until everything is combined. Be careful not to over-process.
3. Cover and place in refrigerator for about a half hour (or up to 24 hours in advance).
4. Form the mixture into 8 patties that are about 3 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick (I used an ice cream scoop to portion).
5. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes to allow the patties to firm up before cooking.
6. OPTIONAL: Add panko bread crumbs to shallow bowl and coat salmon burgers in panko before cooking for crispy exterior.
7. Grill the patties on medium heat for about 4 minutes per side or cook in skillet on stove for same amount of time until inside registers between 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. (USDA requires salmon to register 145 degrees Fahrenheit, but that’s for well-done fish and salmon will continue to cook even after it’s removed from heat source)
8. Assemble salmon burgers by spreading lemon-dill feta sauce on both the top and bottom buns. Place lettuce and burger on bottom bun with salmon burger. Add any additional toppings and close with other half of bun.

Fun and healthy after-school snacks

When I was a kid, one of my favorite parts about finishing the school day was getting an after-school snack. I usually just had fruit or vegetables or some type of granola bar, but sometimes I went home with a friend from school and raided their pantries for "the good stuff." I'm talking Dunkaroos, Fruit by the Foot, and the holy grail, Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies. Obviously, I know now the reason my mom never purchased those snacks was because they aren't very healthy, but no one can deny they certainly are tasty!

Food presentation is very important when kids are deciding what to eat. Bright colors, fun shapes, and familiarity are often the biggest factors when it comes to their willingness to try foods. That's why I wanted to transform some of my favorite healthy snacks into creative creations.

Hummus has become a fairly popular snack in recent years, and for good reason—it's packed with protein, iron, potassium, and plant fiber. But did you know with a little red cabbage and some baking soda, you can turn your favorite hummus blue? That's because red cabbage is a pH indicator and turns blue in a basic environment (hence the baking soda in the recipe). The key is you cannot use any lemon juice or other acid in the hummus because then it won't work. I added an orange bell pepper, candy eyeballs, and carrot slice "tentacles" to the hummus bowl to make it look like an octopus in the ocean.

Guacamole is another great snack. Avocados have lots of healthy fats and fiber to refuel kids' energy levels and keep them satisfied until dinner. But instead of serving the guacamole in a bowl, put it back in the avocado skin and use cucumbers, candy eyes, and carrot sticks to make it look like a crocodile!

Octopus hummus (Octomus)

Yield: Makes about 1 cup hummus

Ingredients

For the hummus

• 1/4 cup (64 grams) tahini, stirred
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 Tablespoons (30 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt, to taste (I used around 1/2 teaspoon)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I used around 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup (45 grams) chopped red cabbage, boiled 1 minute
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 Tablespoons (30 milliliters) cold water

For the octopus

• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 large carrot
• 2 candy eyeballs

Directions

For the hummus

1. Add tahini to bowl of food processor and run for 1 minute until tahini is lighter in color. And more creamy.
2. Add the garlic, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to the food processor, and process for another minute until well-blended.
3. Add half the chickpeas and process for 1 minute before scraping the bowl, adding the other half of the chickpeas, and processing for another minute.
4. Add the red cabbage and the baking soda to the bowl and process for another minute.
5. With food processor on, slowly add water until hummus reaches smooth consistency.

For the octopus

1. Turn pepper on its side and cut about 1/2 inch below the stem. Use a paring knife to cut out the seeds and the pith from the inside.
2. Slice carrot into thin circles.

Assembly

1. Transfer hummus to large, shallow bowl or deep dish plate.
2. Place pepper in center and use carrot slices to create 8 tentacles stretching from the pepper to the edge of the plate. Arrange the wider slices so they are closest to the pepper, and the slices should progressively get smaller as they get closer to the edge of the plate. 
3. Spread a dab of nut butter or honey on the back of each eyeball and stick on the pepper.
4. Serve with vegetables and crackers.

Crocodile guacamole (Guacadiles)

Yield: Makes 4 “guacadiles,” or the equivalent of 2 cups of guacamole

Ingredients

For the guacamole

• 2 ripe Hass avocados
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeño, no seeds, finely chopped

For the crocodiles

• 1/4 cup matchstick carrots, cut in thirds
• 8 cucumber slices, not peeled
• 8 candy eyeballs

Directions

1. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Save the avocado skin and set aside.
2. Scoop the flesh of the avocados out of the rind and place in a medium bowl.
3. Pour lime juice and salt in bowl with avocados.
4. Mash it all together until just combined (don’t over mix!)
5. Fold in the red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño and mix well.
6. Taste the guacamole and adjust seasoning if necessary.

For assembly

1. Place 1/4 of guacamole back into each of the 4 avocado skins
2. Add 2 cucumber slices sticking straight up at the back of the wider portion of the avocado. Repeat for each of the 4 avocado skins.
3. Stick 1 candy eyeball in front of each cucumber slice.
4. Arrange carrots around inside edge of avocado skins.
5. Serve with vegetables and chips.

Healthier Pastitsio

This is a sponsored post by Dishtory, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

My Yiayia and my mom were the biggest influences in my life in regards to developing my passion for cooking. I spent many hours learning from them in the kitchen and watching them construct baklava, spanakopita, tiropita, and other incredible Greek dishes. They didn’t even need to look at a recipe. I joined the fun when I was a bit older, making sure to pay close attention to their idiosyncrasies.

Later in life, I asked my mom to send me one of Yiayia’s recipes. The recipe she sent me was written in Greek. And then once I translated it, I realized it only had very basic directions—it didn’t include all of the tips and tricks Yiayia showed me when we made it together. I called her to ask about it, and it was only until she explained it to me over the phone that I remembered how to make the recipe.

Most people can follow directions, but oftentimes, there’s a lot more that goes into a dish than what is written in the recipe. That’s why Dishtory is such a great concept. The app allows users to record, save and share recipes in their own voice so they can create, plate and curate home-cooked creations with people who matter most. Unlike written recipe cards, the audio heirlooms cooked up on Dishtory exist in perpetuity, can be shared instantaneously, and bring the voice of a distant, departed or disconnected one to life. 

I recently used the app to share a “lightened-up” version of one of my family’s favorite recipes, pastitsio. Often described as Greek lasagna, the dish is traditionally very heavy with ground beef and a rich béchamel sauce. The lighter version I created uses mushrooms instead of meat, and I used a Greek yogurt topping in place of the béchamel sauce.

My mom was skeptical of the recipe, so I asked her to make it with me. I wanted Yiayia to come over as well, but unfortunately she is unable to travel due to restrictions at her assisted living facility.

This photo shows Yiayia and my mom making baklava in 2017.

Replacing ground beef with mushrooms is a fairly new food trend, but there are certain steps you need to take when making the substitution. For example, mushrooms are 90% water, so before using them in a recipe, you need to cook them down to the point that all the water evaporates from the mushrooms. If you don’t evaporate all the water, your dish will be soupy. It took about an hour of cooking the mushrooms on the stove before the water was all evaporated. I explained that to my mom when we were cooking together, and I also recorded that info in the Dishtory app so she can listen back to it without me.

Dishtory’s simple, easy-to-use interface allows users of all ages and life stages to quickly navigate and create their audio recipes for posterity—no complicated instructions or tutorials required! You can record a recipe and upload a picture within the app, or you can upload sound and images from your phone’s library. And if you’re not comfortable sharing your recipe with anyone else, there’s an option to keep it private.

Also, you can search for recipes in the app by either the username or the recipe name. After discovering a new recipe you’re interested in, save it in your “recipe book” in the app for easy access.

Even though Yiayia wasn’t with us to make this recipe, I shared the recording with her. I know it warmed her heart to see that her passion for cooking and Greek food lives inside me.

Healthier Pastitsio

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

For the sauce

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds baby Bella or cremini mushrooms
• 2 yellow onions, small dice
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1, 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 egg, beaten

For the pasta

• 14 ounces bucatini pasta
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

For the topping

• 3 cups plain Greek yogurt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup Kefalotyri Greek cheese, grated (can substitute romano or parmesan)

Directions

For the sauce

1. Pulse mushrooms in food processor until they resemble ground meat.
2. Cook mushrooms in deep skillet until all water is released and evaporates.This may take up to an hour.
3. Once water evaporates, add onion. Cook on low until onions become soft and translucent.
4. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook until mixed in, about a minute.
5. Stir in tomatoes, red wine, salt, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, ground cloves, and bay leaves.
6. Bring to boil, reduce to gentle simmer. Cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour to allow flavors to develop. Stir occasionally. Sauce should be very thick. If it isn’t thick enough, cook uncovered another 5 - 10 minutes. Set aside when done.
7. Allow sauce to cool and stir in beaten egg.

For the pasta

1. Cook bucatini in salted water for 8 minutes, or 1 minute short of al dente per package instructions.
2. Allow to cool and stir in beaten egg and feta cheese.

For the topping

1. Mix Greek yogurt with beaten eggs, salt, pepper, and ground nutmeg.

For assembly

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Spray 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
3. Spread pasta in even layer in baking dish.
4. Spread sauce in even layer over pasta.
5. Spread topping in even layer over sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top
6. Bake about 30 minutes or until topping turns golden. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Bars

This is a sponsored post by Hudsonville Ice Cream, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

Fresh blueberries are one of my favorite parts of summer. I went blueberry picking with my mom every year growing up. I loved finding the biggest, plumpest blueberries and popping them in my mouth.

My mom and I would return home with buckets of blueberries, and we sprinkled them on everything—oatmeal, yogurt, salads, etc. But my favorite way to eat them was with ice cream. We would make a quick blueberry sauce with a little sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. I spooned an extra generous portion atop my ice cream for the ultimate blueberry sundae. 

Hudsonville’s Limited Edition Blueberry Graham Delight ice cream reminds me of those sweet summer memories. Their rich vanilla ice cream is mixed with blueberry sauce and ribbons of graham cracker. Every bite is filled with fresh blueberry taste.

I wanted to create an easy dessert with this ice cream—something I could keep in my freezer and pull out to serve others (and myself) for an extra special treat. 

Blueberry with lemon is one of my favorite flavor combinations, so I made blueberry ice cream bars using crushed lemon sandwich cookies mixed with butter as the base. I tested the ratio of cookies to butter many times to make sure it was the right consistency and not too hard to cut into.

Of course, the ice cream bars wouldn’t be complete without my favorite blueberry sauce on top. Keep the sauce chilled in your refrigerator and spoon it over your ice cream bars when ready to serve.

I promise you’ll want this tasty time treat stocked in your freezer all summer long! Use this Scoop Locator tool to find Blueberry Graham Delight ice cream at a store near you.

Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Bars 

Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients

For the topping

• 24 ounces Hudsonville Limited Edition Blueberry Graham Delight ice cream
• 1 pound blueberries, fresh or frozen (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (25 grams)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice (9.5 grams)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch (5.5 grams)

For the lemon cookie crust

• 16 ounces lemon sandwich cookies (about 24 cookies)
• 4 tablespoons salted butter (1/2 stick), melted 

Directions

For the topping

1. Remove ice cream from freezer and place in refrigerator to soften.
2. Place blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch into medium sauce pot. Set over medium heat and bring to simmer.
3. Simmer about 5 minutes, or until some berries burst and sauce thickens. Remove from heat and cool.

For the lemon cookie crust

1. Line 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 2-inch overhang on two sides. 
2. Crush lemon cookies to fine crumbs in food processor or in resealable plastic bag with rolling pin. 
3. Transfer crumbs to medium bowl. Add butter to bowl and stir until evenly moistened. 
4. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press down into even layer on bottom.
5. Spread ice cream in even layer on top of cookie crust and place in freezer until ice cream hardens, at least 1 hour.
6. When ready to serve, use parchment overhang to to transfer bar to cutting board. Cut into 9 squares.
7. Spoon generous amount of blueberry sauce over bar and serve.

Celebrate National Cheese Day

This is a sponsored post by Challenge butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

Your summer entertaining plans shouldn’t include a boring cheese and cracker plate. Surprisingly, I’m firing up the grill for National Cheese Day on June 4! The dishes I’m sharing today don’t necessarily require recipes. Instead, use my ideas as a guide!

Grilled pound cake and peaches with mascarpone

Describe mascarpone: Mascarpone is a light, silky cheese with a mildly sweet flavor that makes it the perfect cheese to pair with summer desserts.

How to prepare the dessert: Cut your peaches in half and remove the pits, and cut your pound cake into 1-inch slices. Brush the cut side of the peaches and one side of each pound cake slice with melted butter. I use Challenge butter because it's churned from the freshest, purest cream without the use of synthetic ingredients.

Place the pound cake and the peaches on the grill, buttered side down. Grill until the peaches and the pound cake are lightly marked, about 4 minutes for the peaches and 2 minutes for the pound cake. Mix the mascarpone with a few tablespoons of heavy cream, a little vanilla extract, a few teaspoons of lemon juice, and /or lemon zest, if desired.

How to serve it: Plate one slice of pound cake while it’s still warm with a large scoop of mascarpone, and place one peach half on top. 

Grilled halloumi salad 

Describe halloumi: Did you know you can actually grill certain cheeses? One of my favorite cheeses is halloumi. The cheese, which is native to Cyprus, transforms from a chewy, squeaky cheese into a golden-crusted cheese with a gooey center when it’s cooked on the grill. 

How to prepare the salad: Just cut it into 1-centimeter thick slices, brush the slices with a little olive oil, and place them right on the grill grates. Cook for about 1 minute per side.

How to serve it: I like to place the cheese on a simple Greek-style salad with green pepper, red onion, tomatoes, cucumber, and kalamata olives. Make sure to have the salad ready so you can eat it while the cheese is still warm!

Grilled vegetables and burrata platter

Describe burrata: Burrata is a round, plump cheese that looks and tastes very similar to mozzarella, but when you cut into it, a cream oozes from the center.

How to prepare the platter: Brush your favorite sturdy vegetables (I like to use bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash, and asparagus) with olive oil and place them directly on the grill grates. Flip the vegetables over after about 2 minutes and grill for another minute

How to serve it: Arrange the vegetables on a platter with some crostini. Place the burrata right on top of the vegetables, drizzle everything with olive oil and balsamic glaze, season with salt and pepper, and cut into the burrata. Use the crostini and the vegetables to scoop up the creamy burrata center.

Grilled apricot and sweet cream cheese bruschetta

Describe cream cheese: Cream cheese is a smooth, mild cheese that is incredibly versatile, making it the perfect spread for just about anything—sweet or savory. I only use Challenge cream cheese because its silky texture spreads evenly, and its softer consistency makes recipes come to life. 

How to prepare the bruschetta: Cut a baguette into 1-centimeter slices. Cut apricots in half and remove the pits. Brush the cut side of the apricots and one side of each baguette slice with olive oil. Place the bread and the apricots on the grill, oil side down. Grill until they are lightly marked, about 2 minutes for the apricots and 1 minute for the baguette. Cut the apricots in half. Mix the cream cheese with a little almond extract and a few teaspoons of sugar, if desired.

How to serve it: Spread a generous amount of cream cheese onto each baguette slice. Top with two slices of apricots, a little mint or basil, and drizzle with honey.