Peach and Pesto Crostinis

Summertime patio hangouts and house parties call for the most coveted fruit of the season—peaches. The color and complexity of the ingredient stands well on its own; though when caramelized on a crostini or marinated with honey, the heightened flavors welcome a perfect sweet and savory combination. Surpass the standard presentation and test this peachy rendition, now featured in the June issue of Good Health Magazine!

Makes 8 servings

Basil pesto:

1 packed cup of basil ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted ½ garlic clove, roughly chopped Juice and zest from ½ a lemon ¼ cup olive oil A few pinches of red pepper flakes Sea salt & pepper

Crostini:

½ French baguette, sliced on the angle 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 ripe peaches, sliced Basil pesto 4 slices fresh mozzarella, halved Sea salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (or turn broiler on high). Brush crostini slices with olive oil and place on baking sheet. Bake/broil until slices are golden and toasted.

2. Spread each crostini with basil pesto, followed by peach and mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return to the oven to lightly melt cheese and caramelize the peaches. If preferred, serve at room temperature.

Father's Day Giveaway with Southern Creed

There's really something about celebrating Dads in the South -- perhaps it's the backyard cookout with lemonade and cold beer; or a calm, cool and collected family walk in the park; or a family meal on the patio with shareable plates and pie. Southerners seem to relish in those moments and gatherings, and I especially find this to be the case on Father's Day.

Father's Day falls on June 18; in case you got nervous about timing, you have plenty of time to plan and celebrate Dad the proper way.

I recently met the founder of Southern Creed, a now Memphis-based small business inspired by life in the South. Hand-designed and sewn fabrics--from cotton and catfish to okra--currently apply to traditional bow ties, neck ties, pocket squares, and dog leashes.

I fell in love with the bacon print, especially, which poses as automatic inspiration for Father's Day brunch. While the print will not work for my rabbi father, who keeps kosher, I figured I would give one away in hopes that it lands in the hands of a well-deserving, hard-working Dad!!

Join our giveaway below for your chance to win a Southern Creed bacon bow tie and a cotton pocket square. Now is the time to get on top of Father's Day gifting to-dos!

TO ENTER: 

1. Leave a comment below with
   1. Your name.
   2. Your email address.
   3. What you plan to cook for Dad for Father's Day.
2. The winner will be notified on Friday, June 3.
3. For an extra chance to win with Southern Creed, hop onto Caramelized's Instagram (you must follow the account!) and leave a comment on the Southern Creed bacon + bowtie photo.

Sweet Potato Salad

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As recently discussed in a picnic post, I have been craving hot Southern nights under the stars and daytime dining al fresco. I find that a meaningful gathering is highly prioritized in the South, providing an opportunity to relish in hospitality and warm conversation. Southern Food Fest (May 16-22) at Whole Foods, therefore, could not arrive at a better time.

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Whether local honey, greens, potatoes, fried chicken or butter, Southern cooking should be celebrated (and elevated). I took the challenge to transform a standard Southern side -- potato salad -- into a healthy and refreshing accompaniment to Gus's fried chicken.

How do you spin off traditional Southern sides? Or do you stick to the originals? Share in the comments. And join Whole Foods in their week-long, in-store celebration of Southern cookin'!

Makes 4 servings

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 vidalia onion, peeled and cut horizonally into 1-inch rings 1/4 cup sliced scallions 1 tablespoon mustard greens 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Sea salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, toss potatoes in 1 tablespoon olive oil, ensuring to coat evenly. Spread in an even layer on one half of the baking sheet. Add vidalia onion slices to the other half of the sheet, keeping ring layers intact. Drizzle onion with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle baking sheet with salt and pepper.

2. Bake potatoes and onions for 30 minutes, flipping once halfway. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

3. Quarter the caramelized onions, and transfer potatoes and onions to a serving bowl. Toss with scallions, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Top with mustard greens. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

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This post is made possible by Whole Foods Germantown. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

How to Picnic in Style

With Memorial Day around the corner and a summer forecast of sunny skies and abounding live music, picnicking presents the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the spirit of the season. I first got the summer picnic bug when perusing City & State (a typical weekend agenda item). A Yield field bag caught my eye. I debated the necessity for a brief moment and, next thing I knew, it was in my back car seat with an iced bon bon in the cup holder.

Friends, don’t debate the potential debacles of picnic prep and execution. If you feel the urge to be outside with a friend or four, grab what’s in your fridge, a few of the following accessories, and a bottle of wine or sparkling water. Make it a monthly outing with girlfriends. Make it a weekly ritual with your significant other. Brunch, sunset happy hour or evening dinner al fresco, you’ll be happy you did so.

1. TREASURE THE TOTE Similar to the City & State stunner, a durable and stylish bag or basket is the key to elevating a picnic experience. Target's standard picnic basket is an undeniable classic; or you can go for a more modern shape with the Verona wicker basket from Nordstrom.

2. PACK THE GOODS Limit your menu to room-temp-friendly finger foods—grilled skewered vegetables, cheeses, sandwiches, lettuce wraps, mini mason jar salads, etc. Though forks are an appreciated option for guests, it’s simply worth holding off on the angel hair and messy entrées. My only exception to this rule is pie—because every picnic needs a good ‘ole fruit pie.

Photo by Creation Studios

3. LAY THE FOUNDATION Bring along a large wood board as a multifunctional canvas for prep or final presentation. Chop garnishes, chop blocks of cheese, and use it as a serving platter for the main course and leveled foundation for grassy areas.

4. ROSÉ ALL DAY Don’t fret over the hot temperatures when toting white or rosé wines—A S'well bottle will keep your bottle chilled for the entirety of your picnic, if not longer.

5. SORRY, SOLO

Throwaway solutions are easy, yes, but why not step it up with copper tumblers? In the summer heat, these will impressively handle and maintain those just-shaken cocktails.

The Best Memphis Cheese Boards

Ask anyone who knows me--My last supper will forever be a cheese and charcuterie spread. The quintessential appetizer that draws together dinner guests and gets the evening going, a cheese board takes many forms but holds true to its foundation. I enjoy experimenting with different spreads, jams, cheeses and meats; though the magic is truly in the pairing. My best cheese board bets are below; which is your preference?

1. BARI RISTORANTE The luxurious antipasti opportunities are extraordinary, offering a la carte ordering service with two full pages of salumis, cheeses and accompaniments. Let your waiter help craft a perfect palette for two, four or eight. And don't skip the prosciutto.

2. LOFLIN YARD Perhaps it's the rocking chair and Coach House porch view, or the French bottle of red that I plucked from the shelf of the Safe House--Nonetheless, it's a package deal at Loflin Yard. The cheese plate offerings are selected collaboratively between Loflin's executive chef and bar lead to ensure wine and barrel-aged cocktails match appropriately. Earlier in the Spring, I especially enjoyed the picked red onion and watermelon with the brie.

3. ECCO ON OVERTON PARK The cheese and antipasto plates--offered separately or together--pile high with rich berries, cheese blocks, nuts and tapenades. The starter is truly a feast in itself...And we don't mind it.

4. ANDREW MICHAEL ITALIAN KITCHEN I usually boast about the cheese; but in this case, the freshly baked bread slices and irresistible olive tapenade make this appetizer a home run at the original Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman establishment. Andrew Michael's new-ish bar lounge is a can't-beat backdrop for this cheese and charcuterie plate.

5. 387 PANTRY (do-it-yourself) I love to take inspiration from restaurant experiences into my home. Thus, I cannot finish this list without recommending an outpost to create a show-stopping cheese board in the comfort of your own abode. I trust 387 Pantry on South Main to hand over the fresh cheese, salumis from Porcellino's, fancy crackers and spreads (like Flo's tomato jam). You might even walk out with a cutting board.

6. SOUTH OF BEALE SOB's seasonally inspired snack plate offers pre-cut cheeses with hearty sides--a hummus of sorts, fried deviled eggs (hello), glazed pecans and toast points. Their Downtown patio calls my name on an almost weekly basis, and I can never go wrong with this snack of champions.

A Caramelized Proposal

I staged and styled my own proposal.

Thus was the vision of my now fiancé Alex, whose clever and sweet disposition prompted the most epic engagement I could have ever imagined. Two weeks later, and I'm still on Cloud Nine (and still in disbelief). My mother, whose Shindigs by Sheril portfolio can now appropriately expand from weddings and events to perfected proposals, instrumented details from the dress and decor to the luncheon following.

Here's now it unfolded...

My esteemed recipe partnership with Whole Foods entered a new chapter in preparation for Memorial Day. I was asked to style a picnic shoot and work with Donny Granger of Creation Studios for final imagery. Little did I know that a) Alex and my mother were blind copied in the emails with Whole Foods' Marketing Manager, and b) The lens would quickly turn its focus from the hamburgers and apple pie to a stunning ring and family.

I had an extremely busy work week leading up to Friday, April 15, therefore allowing plenty of excuses to turn down manicure dates or errands for the picnic shoot itself. I kept assuring my mother that this shoot was not a big deal--I could be in a t-shirt on my front lawn, if needed, as long as we got the right shot.

The morning beforehand, Creation Studios' Donny Granger gave me a call, offering an additional perspective for the photo shoot -- Why not take advantage of the partnership opportunity and pull off a behind-the-scenes video of how a Caramelized shoot is executed?

"Just wear a cute dress -- like what you'd wear to a picnic -- and we'll shoot it during your lunch break."

Naturally, I called my mother in panic mode -- I didn't have a cute dress nor the time to go browse for one. She, unsurprisingly, offered to stop by Anthropologie and Madewell and bring ten dress options to my house to try. I procrastinated until late Thursday evening, sending mirror selfies from my bedroom to my mom, who was hosting my three best friends from college at my parents' home. Again, clueless. She pushed me to pick the white dress; and since mother knows best, I obliged.

I left work Friday mid-morning to prep the food and primp myself. I slipped on the white dress and touched up my hair, hoping that the rainy forecast would push back. I texted Donny asking if it'd be better to push the shoot to the following week; he replied that his schedule was booked full. Rain or shine, it was happening.

Thanks to Creation Studios, here's the proposal video. It offers just a glimpse of the surreal shock I experienced when Alex got down on one knee. Alex and I are so, so thrilled for our future, and we can't wait for you to follow along with #caramelizedwedding on Instagram!

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