Summer Gold

The easiest way to combine and serve fruit without too much work or time is to merely chop, combine and stir it into a simple fruit salad. The other day I had one mango left from my Costco box of eight, a bunch of crisp green grapes and a solitaire large red plum. I halved the grapes and tossed them together with the chopped plum and mango for a colorful light summer salad of fruit. Since everything looked a little naked I decided to whip up the leftover cream from last weeks milk. At the soft peak stage I added some vanilla extract and a wee bit of honey. Oooheeee. Folded over the fruit it was turned into a divine and sophisticated version of the Furrs cafeteria fruit salads I used to eat when dining with my grandparents back in the 80's.

rice pudding with broiled plums

My favorite daily email is chowhound.com's recipe of the day. Earlier this week the delivered recipe was for a summer rice pudding topped with broiled plums. The plums get chopped and tossed lightly with granulated sugar and vanilla before being broiled till the sugar starts to carmelize and the skins barely burn. The warm plums are sweet with a hint of vanilla and the sour skins add a contrast and "^pucker;) Served over a warm creamy orange and cinnamon scented rice pudding you have a heaven in a bowl.
Rice puddings are very easy to whip up. They are also a great way to use up a surplus of milk and/or cream that may have accumulated in your fridge. Plus for a rich, sweet desert, this is high in calcium, low in fat and sugar with added nutrients from plums. A quick, easy and impressive desert that makes life easier and rewarding!