summer is almost here

grilled peaches

plus

grilled pork tenderloin and perhaps some green salads

equals a perfect summer weekday dinner

ok so my home is under siege. i'm sick. sophia is sick.  i have not been able to go to work since friday due to sickness which i thought to be asthma or allergies.  today i'm quite certain it's some sort of a bug which sadly i have passed on to my little girl.  instead of being outside enjoying the warmth of the sun, we are napping in bed under the covers.  or to be more precise, i am blogging on one side of the bed while sophia is napping right next to me. "sleep with me mommy," she begged.  I could snuggle with her and watch her sleep all day long, but i don't like waking her up with my persistent cough.  so instead i decided to write a post while sitting right next to her, carefully suppressing and concealing my cough.


but despite my current state i can't help but be excited about summer.  it's my favorite season, and to ring it in i present two of my favorite summer recipes.  they're a perfect pair.

BALSAMIC GLAZED PEACHES WITH BLEU CHEESE

adopted here

• in a saucepan, simmer together 1 cup balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, over medium heat until reduced in half. remove from heat and set aside.
• oil grill grate and preheat.  cut 4 medium peaches in half and remove seed. place peaches on grill cut side down and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.  turn peaches over and brush cut side with the balsamic reduction.  cook for another 3 minutes.
• remove peaches from grill and sprinkle crumbled blue cheese on top.  drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the remaining balsamic reduction.

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

adopted here

• marinade pork tenderloin in a mixture of 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, about 2 teaspoon coarse salt and pepper (adjust to taste).  let sit for an hour or overnight in the refrigerator.
• sear meat on high heat for about 2 minutes on both sides then lower heat to medium and cook for another 20-25 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes. cook until internal temperature is 160°F.
• let the meat rest before cutting to allow its juices to be redistributed and reabsorbed back into the meat.