Yesterday I was inspired by the morning light that I saw peeking through our bedroom curtains with a hue of pink and yellow, similar to the honeysuckle in our yard.  I made my way down the stairs with our pup and kitty in tow. Outside on the deck, the wood was cold and damp on my feet, but the morning light and mountain air beckoned me to come see how amazing it all looked. The sky had colors that my camera could not capture for some reason. Sometimes I think things are meant to be that way,  to be enjoyed for only for that moment and then, forever gone.

morning-honeysuckle-wb

And then that evening as we were driving down the mountain from our house we saw this vision, a full arc double rainbow that was so intense in color that it was literally stopping traffic. People were pulling their cars to the side of the road and just staring or taking pictures. it was incredible.

Boulder-rainbow-wb


And now this morning my husband I are waking up in Grand Lake. We are here for a weekend long music jam session that Ric will take part in. It is such a beautiful and serene setting.

Grand-Lake-1-sm

It’s a chilly forty degrees out but it feels amazing while walking our dog down to the lake with the strong high altitude sun shining down on us. It’s just the right mix of cool and warmth.

Eva China Collage GL

Back at our cabin, feeling hungry after our walk, I’m standing in the kitchen staring at the meringues that I made a few days ago wondering if it would be so terrible to have one for breakfast? There could be fruit involved. I’ve eaten cold pizza for breakfast and I’ve definitely had cake for breakfast, but let’s face it, organic or not, it wouldn’t really be the breakfast of champions. My healthy conscience kicked in and I opted for a couple of scrambled eggs, however I do plan on eating and sharing these sweet treats with friends this weekend. I thought I’d share them with you, too…

Peach and Raspberry Meringue

Vanilla Meringues with Fresh Peach & Raspberry Coulis
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 8-10
 
Ingredients
  • 4 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar for the meringue
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon white wine or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
  2. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
  3. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or use a handheld electric mixer.
  4. Beat the egg whites on high-speed for 1-2 minutes until firm. Slowly add in the 1 cup of sugar while continuing to whip until the mixture is firm with shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.
  5. Sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a spoon or spatula.
  6. Pipe the meringue onto the parchment paper beginning with about a 3 inch circle for the base and then swirl it up until you have the shape you see in my photos.
  7. Bake for 2 hours. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour. They should be crisp all the way through.

Meringe-collage
Whipped Cream, Peach & Raspberry Coulis
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cold heavy cream
  • 2 pints raspberries (1 pint for sauce/1 pint to plate) I use Driscoll's Organic berries
  • 7 tablespoons sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for the whipped cream
  • 9 organic peaches (4 for the sauce/5 to plate)
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
  1. For the peach sauce- place 4 cut up peaches, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water and 4 tablespoons sugar into a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Set aside. (I leave peel on because I think it adds flavor)
  2. Make the raspberry sauce the same way with 1 pint fresh organic raspberries, 2 tablespoons water and 3 tablespoons sugar. You can strain out the seeds if you like. Set aside.
  3. To prepare the whipped cream, place the cold cream in a bowl and whip it with an electric mixer until it is thickened. Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and continue to whip just until it holds peaks but don’t over-whip or it will curdle.
  4. Carefully remove a meringue from the parchment.
  5. There are two ways to serve this dish. You can very gently using a sharp thin knife, cut the meringue horizontally in half and place the bottom half on a serving plate or bowl or simply place the whole meringue in the dish.
  6. If you have cut the meringue, place a dollop of whipped cream in the center of the bottom half and the place the top over the whipped cream. If you are using an uncut meringue, place a scoop of whipped cream next to the meringue.
  7. Pour a large spoonful of the peach sauce around one half of the meringue and a spoonful of the raspberries sauce around the other half.
  8. Slice remaining peaches and toss them with the remaining lemon juice to prevent browning.
  9. Arrange peach slices and raspberries in the serving dishl and garnish with mint leaves.

meringue-peach-raspberry-wht-wb