Anniversary Dinner

I just celebrated my 21^st wedding anniversary with my sweet husband. I started cooking dinner rather than going out on our anniversary many years ago. It’s really nice to celebrate with just the two of us. Since I enjoy cooking and he likes eating at home, it’s a perfect easy gift. It was a lovely evening. Cheers, Sweetie!

The menu all started with some good looking rainbow trout at the grocery store. I thought it would be nice grilled. Also the Georgia peaches have been fabulous this year. I love grilled peaches in a salad with some feta cheese. I picked up some Cypress Grove Purple Haze. This is a lovely creamy artisan goat cheese seasoned with lavender and fennel pollen. Unfortunately the Kroger didn’t have any Sweetgrass Dairy goat cheese. I would have loved to have gone local! I picked up a nice baguette and a bottle of wine and left the grocery store a happy girl.

Grilled Rainbow Trout with Pecans

Grease a sheet of aluminum foil with butter. Place the trout filets skin side down on the foil. Drizzle with melted butter and top with salt, pepper and chopped pecans. Grill for about 7 minutes over medium hot coals or until fish is opaque and flakey.

Grilled Peach Salad

(for four)

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

            3T apple cider vinegar

            ½ tsp Dijon mustard

            scant ¼ tsp salt

            freshly ground pepper

            2 T canola oil

            4 T olive oil

2 peaches*, cut in half & pitted

baby romaine lettuce

goat cheese**

2 T chopped pecans

Make your salad dressing by combining the vinegar, mustard, salt & pepper. Slowly whisk in the oils and set aside. Grill the peaches flesh side down for 5 - 7 minutes over medium hot coals. You should have some nice grill marks & a golden color; and the skin should come off easily.

Remove the skin from the peaches, slice and serve over a bed of romaine, goat cheese, and pecans. Taste your dressing for seasoning then drizzle over the salad.

* The peaches should be ripe but still firm. Freestone peaches work the best here as they are easy to pit. Most Southern & Eastern peaches are freestone. Sometimes early in the season you get some that aren’t though.

** I have used everything from crumbled feta to a smear of super creamy artisan goat cheese. Herbed is good as is plain. If you are not using an herbed cheese, try adding a little thyme, lavender or chervil if you have it on hand.