Pear and Prosciutto Pizza with Crispy Sage and Gorgonzola

This time last week, I was sitting down in my Steve Jobs turtleneck with a cozy spiced matcha latte and enough crisp, cool weather to inspire an entire season of recipes. I was so ready for the new season in fact, that I didn’t even flinch when our air conditioning went kaput. “Oh what perfect timing!” I thought as I flung open the windows and decided it could wait until spring to be fixed. 

Well, surprise! It’s 90 degrees outside, 84 degrees inside, and I’ve got more box fans rigged up than a Beyoncé concert. But a food blogger’s job never stops! And honestly, what’s a few more degrees from the oven when you’re already in a hot, steamy wind storm?

Especially if there’s pizza at the end! This recipe for Pear and Prosciutto pizza is hands down my new favorite. It combines sweet pears, tangy red onions, salty prosciutto and creamy gorgonzola and is finished with a sprinkle of crispy sage leaves and a swirl of balsamic glaze. It’s the perfect fall addition to your Pizza Friday lineup (even if fall is on a brief hiatus) and it’s so simple to make! 

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe! 

xx Mackenzie 

Pear and Prosciutto Pizza with Crispy Sage and Gorgonzola

INGREDIENTS 

• 16 oz. Pizza Dough, either homemade or store-bought**
• 1 semi-ripe Pear, thinly sliced 
• 1 package Prosciutto
• 6-10 Sage Leaves
• 1 small Red Onion, sliced thinly into rings 
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced 
• Olive Oil
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese, such as Trader Joe’s Quattro Formaggio (blend of Asiago, Fontina, Parmesan and Mild Provolone)
• Balsamic Glaze, for drizzling 
• salt and pepper 

**While I typically make my own pizza dough, I have to say Trader Joe’s regular pizza dough is a great alternative if you’re tight on time or want to make this last minute! 

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. If using a pizza stone, place the pizza stone in the oven while it preheats. If you’re working with refrigerated pizza dough, let it rest on the counter and come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your ingredients. Place the garlic in a small bowl and cover with about 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Set aside. Next, thinly slice the pear and red onion and set aside. Lastly, heat 1/2” of oil in a skillet over medium-high. Once the oil is heated, place the sage leaves in the oil and let crisp - about 1 minute on each side. You want the leaves to sizzle, but if the oil starts to spatter or the leaves begin to yellow, turn the heat down. Once crisp, remove the sage leaves and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt and set aside. 

Then, place the pizza dough on a well-floured surface and press down with floured fingertips to shape the dough into a small flat disk. Working from the center, push the dough outward while spreading your fingers wider to make the disk larger. Flip over, and repeat on the other side. Then, pick up the dough and use your knuckles to stretch the edges of the dough while working in a circle. You want the dough to stretch to about a 14-inch circle. If you’re having a hard time stretching the dough, let it rest for another 10 minutes and try again, it is likely too cold. 

If using a pizza stone, place the stretched dough on a floured pizza peel. Otherwise, place on a baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush the garlicky olive oil onto the base of the pizza. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Next, evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese and then place the sliced pears evenly on top. Then, layer the red onions, prosciutto and gorgonzola. Drizzle with a small bit of olive oil and another pinch of salt and pepper. 

Place in the oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned and the cheese is evenly melted. Once baked, remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle with the sage leaves. You can crush the sage leaves between your fingertips or leave them whole. Lastly, drizzle with the balsamic glaze and serve! 

Pumpkin Spice Matcha Latte

In case you hadn’t noticed, I took a little break from blogging these last few weeks. It was a bit unintentional at first, spurred by the early arrival of my nephew and an unexpected trip north to meet him. I left on the morning of the eclipse, driving in complete solitude as the rest of the world headed southbound for the solar event of the century. And it was during this drive that I realized how good it felt to leave the noise behind, to detach and head towards something that felt real and honest and true.  

It's easy to get lost in your work - your art - especially if it's one of passion. And I'm just now getting the hang of my own creative cycle with its high highs and low lows. But I’ve learned that creativity ebbs and flows for a reason and should be nurtured with equal parts grace and gratitude. Instead of entering a period of self-loathing when the well runs dry, I’m learning to embrace the silence, to be comfortable with the space and to use this time to reset and refuel. 

These last few weeks have been dedicated to lingering in that silence and remembering what it feels like to prepare food and nourishment for reasons deeper than a beautiful photograph or an Instagram post. And it's been everything I needed to remind myself of the real, raw reason I love writing the recipes and stories behind Feast & Fable. 

When I came back to Nashville, I was greeted by the early arrival of fall. And while I’m typically one to cling to summer, I couldn’t help but be inspired by the possibility of a new season and the very foods that would bring it to life. It was nature’s timing at its best.

And what better way to welcome the season of slowing down and curling up than with a Pumpkin Spice Matcha Latte? I love a good homemade latte for those afternoon slumps or mornings when you feel all coffee-shop smart and a tad fancy from reading the Sunday Times. And since I’m without an espresso machine, matcha is the perfect at-home treat. 

If you’re new to matcha, it’s the green tea powder that’s taking over the world. It can be used to make everything from donuts and icing to pancakes and popsicles and people are crazy about it for its health benefits. I recently read that one cup of matcha has the antioxidant equivalent to 10 cups of regular green tea! Also, if you’re someone who feels jittery from coffee or other teas, matcha is a great alternative thanks to the presence of L-Theanine, an amino acid that helps to balance the caffeine and provide a more calming energy. Matcha also helps to detoxify the body, reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol among other benefits. All good things!

If you're worried that matcha's grassy, earthy taste just isn't for you, then I urge you to give this recipe a try. Made with homemade cashew milk and spices, it tastes like a creamy, pumpkin spice latte with the added benefit of matcha and no grassy bite. It's delicious! 

---

Pumpkin Spice Matcha Latte

• 1/2 tsp. matcha powder
• 1/4 cup boiled water 
• 3/4 cup cashew milk (almond, coconut or cow's milk will substitute fine. Just note that some milks will froth better than others. )
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. pumpkin spice to taste, more as desired 
• pinch of nutmeg 
• pinch of cinnamon 

Place 1/2 tsp. matcha powder in a bowl. Bring 1/4 cup of water to boil on the stove. Once boiling, let sit for 30 seconds and then pour over the matcha powder. Whisk vigorously in a zig zag motion until the tea begins to foam and turn a deep shade of green. Pour into your mug and set aside. Next, place the milk, vanilla extract and spices in a small pot and bring to a slow simmer on the stove, stirring occasionally. Be mindful of the temperature so as to not scorch the milk. Once it comes to a simmer, remove from the heat. 

Next, you’ll want to create a bit of froth or foam and there are a few ways you can achieve this. You can use a milk frother, a blender, a french press or you can shake the milk in a sealed mason jar. Check out this post by The Pioneer Woman for eight ways to make foam at home. 

Once you’ve frothed the milk, pour over the matcha and sprinkle with a pinch of pumpkin spice and/or matcha powder. Enjoy! 

Homemade Cashew Milk

• 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
• 4 cups water
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1 to 2 Tbsp. honey (or you could substitute pitted dates)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Once soaked, drain the cashews and rinse throughly. Place in a blender with 2 cups of water and blend until pulverized. 

Next, add in your honey or sweetener, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt. Then, pour in up to 2 more cups of water depending on your preferred consistency and blend. Note: I like my cashew milk to be a bit thicker for the latte so I only add in one more cup of water. Adding in 2 more cups of water will create a consistency similar to 2% milk. 

If your blender can't completely break down the cashews, then strain the milk using a cheese cloth or fine mesh strainer. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days. 

Roasted Cherry Coconut Popsicles

If you want to see a grown woman look like a woodland creature, just place a bowl of sweet cherries in front of me and watch me go to work. You’d think by eating a pound of cherries a day that I’d have it down by now. But truthfully, I’m very afraid of choking on the pit. So I carefully munch around it, carelessly dripping red juice all down my fingertips until I’m left with a pile of fleshy pits and stems. At this point, most of my clothes are stained and despite my efforts to place an empty dish in every room, I still manage to find rogue piles about the house. 

The best/worst part about this summertime habit, is that I’m at a complete loss for what else to eat? I’ve been completely brainwashed, my creativity stumped and all I want to do is come up with recipes that involve cherries for the rest of my life.

Which brings me to this recipe idea here. Sometimes I’ll be on a walk, or in the shower, or cleaning out my fridge and a recipe idea will come to mind. And then I’ll noodle around on it for awhile, maybe do some research, think some more about flavor pairings and get to work. 

For this recipe, I knew I wanted to experiment with a pan of roasted sweet cherries. But then I remembered it was August in the South and reached for my fancy new popsicle molds. And let me tell you, that was a great idea. 

The outcome is a creamy, sweet, subtly tart popsicle that combines a puree of balsamic roasted cherries with a swirl of honey-sweetened coconut milk. Not only are they incredibly refreshing and delicious, they’re actually *healthy* with just a bit of honey and no refined sugars. It’s the perfect recipe to cool down with on a warm afternoon and I find they replace my mid-day habit of reaching for a cup of coffee or tea. 

As always, enjoy, and thanks for stopping by! 

xxMackenzie

---

Roasted Cherry Coconut Popsicles

INGREDIENTS

• 3.5 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted
• 4 Tbsp. honey
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• Popsicle Molds and sticks

INSTRUCTIONS

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Once the cherries are washed and pitted, spread them evenly on a baking sheet and toss with the balsamic vinegar, black pepper and 1 Tbsp. of the honey. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the juices are released (but not burnt). 

Once the cherries are roasted, place them in a blender and blend until smooth. Add an additional Tbsp. honey to taste if desired. 

Next, pour the can of coconut milk into the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium sized bowl if using a hand-held mixer. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of honey and whip together until smooth.

For a swirled effect, pour a small layer of the coconut into the bottom of each popsicle mold and then pour a small layer of the cherry puree. Keep alternating until the mold is full, leaving about a centimeter at the top for expansion. Use a stick to swirl the mixture inside the popsicle mold and place in the freezer overnight or for about 4 hours, until frozen. 

Once frozen, remove the molds from the freezer. To help ease the popsicles out of the mold, carefully run under lukewarm water for 10 seconds or less. To store the popsicles, place in a parchment lined tupperware container and keep frozen. 

3 Simple Summer Salads

I know it’s August when the only thing in my fridge is a bowl of sliced watermelon and a half-eaten bag of sweet cherries. Cold things I can grab by the fistful. Because truthfully, I don’t do well in the heat and humidity. I become impossibly lazy. My sink begins to fill with yesterday’s dishes and little mounds of swept dirt piles begin to speckle the floor like forgotten landmines. And it's only after I step in one of these piles a good three or four times that I finally break down and finish the job. It's really quite pathetic.

I like to think that August offers us its cool crop of fresh summer produce as a peace offering. A little, “I’m sorry” for being so insufferable. And I’ll take it, because without the crisp, sweet promise of a cold watermelon or the flavorful burst of a cherry tomato, I don’t think I’d make it through. 

If like me, the heat leaves you lazy and a tad melodramatic, then welcome to this blog post and please pull up a chair. These salad recipes were created just for you! While each one is a bit different from the last, they all feature some of my favorite summer produce as well as rely on just a few pantry staples to come together. And perhaps best of all, they don’t require the heat of the oven - Amen to that. I’m sharing each recipe below with a few thoughts on preparation and pairings. 

Enjoy, my friends! And as always, thanks for stopping by. 

xx Mackenzie 

---

Peach Caprese Salad with Mint

A spin on the classic Caprese salad, this recipe replaces tomatoes with fresh peaches and basil with fresh mint. Dressed lightly with a bit of oil and lime juice, it’s bright and flavorful, but balanced thanks to the cool, creamy mozzarella. This salad works great as a light lunch or as a side to just about anything on the grill! 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ripe peaches, unpeeled and sliced into wedges
• 1 package fresh mozzarella 
• juice and zest of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves 
• fresh black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

First, prepare the dressing by combining the lime juice, lime zest, salt and honey in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and set aside. Next, cut the mozzarella into small 1-inch pieces and place in a bowl with the peaches and mint leaves. Gently toss. Lastly, drizzle as much of the lime vinaigrette over the peaches as preferred and gently toss once more. Season with fresh black pepper and enjoy!

Watermelon, Feta Salad with Lime

Watermelon is surprisingly good with just a spot of oil and course flakes of sea salt. But it really comes to life with a bit of lime juice and salty feta cheese. I like to add in raw red onions for a tangy bite to compliment the salty sweet combo. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small, seedless watermelon
•  feta cheese, sliced or crumbled
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, juiced
• fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. course sea salt
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp. black pepper 
• olive oil, for drizzling

INSTRUCTIONS

First, cut the watermelon into bite sized cubes or triangles and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sea salt, black pepper and lime juice. Then, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and gently toss. Next, sprinkle with as much mint, red onion and feta as you desire and gently toss once more. 

Note: If making in advance, place the bowl of cut watermelon in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. Adding salt too far in advance to the watermelon will release its juices and make for a soupy salad!

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Pint Nuts and Lemon

This salad is like a zoodle, but thicker, less watery and more substantial. It’s inspired by one of my favorite pizza combos and is a healthy, raw lunch that will leave you brimming with energy. I like to sprinkle the ribbons with feta cheese, toasted pint nuts and fresh mint and dress it with lemon juice, oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a kick. So simple! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 zucchini
• 1 yellow squash (optional, raw yellow squash is not for everyone and can come off as a bit bitter)
• 1/4-1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4-1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• feta cheese  
• olive oil, for drizzling
• red pepper flakes 
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the outside skin of the zucchini (and yellow squash, if using). Then, create long ribbons and place them into a bowl. Sprinkle with the sea salt, black pepper, toasted pine nuts and fresh mint. Then, drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil and toss. Add more lemon juice or olive oil as needed and dust with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Lastly, add as much feta cheese as desired and toss once more.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins with a Cardamom Walnut Crumble

Mrs. Forrest is my 92-year-old neighbor. She likes Danielle Steel novels, Jesus Christ and basketball (though likely not in that order) and this recipe was originally created for her. I imagined we'd share a basket of these muffins together while talking about neighborly things, like the lighting bolt that hit her tree and set my car alarm off or the pesky armadillos roaming the area. But alas, I learned that Mrs. Forrest "doesn't much care for blueberries" after-all.  

And while I still don't really understand how someone can be blueberry-averse, this little fact somehow made me like her even more. Because straight-shooters are hard to come by in the South and I've always liked an honest woman.

We managed to enjoy our afternoon despite the anti-climactic muffin moment and like any good millennial, I went on to share them with others in search of praise. And four batches later, I declared these Lemon Blueberry Muffins ready for the blog. 

But first, the blueberries. Ever year, my friend Jena and I head out to the country to fill our pails with blueberries to freeze for the fall and winter, though they rarely last that long. Last year, our adventure inspired a blueberry galette to polish off our blueberry-themed dinner party. This year, I wanted to create a classic recipe for lemon blueberry muffins and give them a bit of a twist with a cardamom, walnut crumble topping. Cardamom and blueberries go so well together and I love how the subtle, lemony batter creates the perfect foundation for the plump berries to burst in the oven. The crumble comes as such a surprise, giving each bite a nutty, lemony, perfectly spiced mouthful. I think you’re really going to love them!  

There’s just a few weeks of blueberry season left here in Nashville, but if you plan to freeze your berries this year, here's a few quick and easy tips: 

1. Wash thoroughly before freezing, and let dry completely. 
2. Place berries in a single layer on a baking sheet and let freeze (about 2 hours). 
3. Once frozen, pour them into a large ziplock bag and store in the freezer. 

---

Lemon Blueberry Muffins with a Cardamom Walnut Crumble

INGREDIENTS

for the muffins: 

• 1 3/4 cups flour 
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt (full fat is best) 
• 2 cups blueberries 
• 1/4 cup lemon juice 
• zest of one lemon 

for the crumble: 

• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 3/4 tsp. cardamom
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp butter, cubed
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. finely chopped walnuts 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. First, prepare the crumble topping. Place the flour, sugar, cardamom, salt and walnuts in a bowl and stir to combine. Then, add the cubed butter and mix together using your fingertips to create a crumble. Place the bowl in the refrigerator while you prepare the batter. 
2. Next, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line your muffin pan with 12 baking cups. Then, whisk the dry ingredients together, combining the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 
3. Then, prepare your wet ingredients. Place the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, greek yogurt and lemon zest in a bowl and whisk to combine. Then stir in the lemon juice. 
4. Create a well in the flour mixture and pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined and be careful not to overmix. It's okay if you see a few flour streaks here and there. Then, add in the blueberries and use a spatula or spoon to gently fold them in. 
5. Fill each baking cup 3/4 of the way full with batter. Then, use a spoon or your hands to sprinkle the cardamom mixture overtop. 
6. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 15-17 minutes, rotating the pan after about 10 minutes. The muffins are fully baked when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
7. Let cool in the pan for five minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack (this will prevent the bottoms from becoming moist).

Enjoy!