Mixed Berry Pavlova
Ingredients
4 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees F.
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw a 9-inch circle on the paper, using a 9-inch plate as a guide, then turn the paper over so the circle is on the reverse side. (This way you won't get a pencil mark on the meringue.)
Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. With the mixer still on high, slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a rubber spatula. Pile the meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it within the circle, making a rough disk. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour. It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Invert the meringue disk onto a plate and spread the top completely with sweetened whipped cream. Combine the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in a bowl and toss with about 1/2 cup of raspberry sauce, or enough to coat the berries lightly. Spoon the berries carefully into the middle of the Pavlova, leaving a border of cream and meringue. Serve immediately in large scoops with extra raspberry sauce.
Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm. Don't overbeat!
Yield: 1 cup
Triple Raspberry Sauce:
1 half-pint fresh raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup seedless raspberry jam (12-ounce jar)
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur
Place the raspberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.
Yield: 2 cups
Recipe by Barefoot Contessa (of course)
Enjoy! Lisa:)
Normally, I don't use such bright colors but I might change my mind.Of course, I am anxiously awaiting her July kit. The fun never ends! I bought this awesome jean jacket at 
I've been eyeing it for a while and it finally went on sale, so of course I had to scoop it up. The only problem is that it's a 100 degrees where I live...I won't be wearing it anytime soon. I do have a trip to Montana coming up in September so I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunity then. I love going on vacation. It means you have to buy vacation clothes and I love buying vacation clothes. That's really the only time I shop. For clothes that is.
I have wanted to see this show forever. I already bought the 
I've got this beauty coming in the mail. It's a replica of a Frances Palmer vase. I first saw it in a beautiful table setting in Country Living during this past Christmas and as soon as I saw it, I needed it.
I did title this post random for a reason :)
I want to wake up in the mornings and go for a walk along a quiet road and pick wildflowers, which I'll put on my table when I get home.
After breathing in fresh sea air, I would come back to a homemade breakfast of strawberry french toast, which my husband made and we would go eat it on our wrap around porch while we listened to birds chirp and discussed what we wanted to do for the day.
He would suggest taking a nice bike ride into town and looking through a few antique shops (stop laughing, this is my fantasy) and then we would stop and have a little lunch at some cute cafe where the waitress greets us by name. I'm not sure what I would have for lunch, but there would definitely be pie involved for dessert (hold the calories, thank you) 
and then we would hop back on our bikes and head down to the beach to go hunt for seashells. 
Eventually, we would head back to the house and unwind in our hammock until it was time to start preparing dinner, because we had friends and family coming over. At the end of the day, I would curl up in a comfy bed on a screened porch and let nature sing me to sleep.
I love pie paraphernalia, especially if it's cute! I love this pie plate with the big fat edges. I wonder how it looks after it's baked. Very artsy.
I made a cherry pie from scratch one time. It's VERY messy but oh so good! If you're going to make a cherry pie, you'll need a cherry pitter. I would do it outside or over a sink and definitely don't have your favorite shirt on. I think cherry juice stains. 
If you make your own crust you're also going to need pie weights or beans work just as well and will save you a few bucks.
I love all kinds of pie but my favorites are Strawberry-Rhubarb, Cherry, and Blueberry (Pumpkin too but that's a fall dessert). The more I think about it, I don't know if there is a pie I don't like. :) What's your favorite kind of pie?
I also ordered a Junque box filled with a bunch of vintage finds and a wonderful assortment of patriotic vintage goodies, which I am super excited about.
On a really exciting note, I think my parents are coming to visit us next weekend! Lucky us, perfect picture taking opportunity. Of course, when my mom and I get together, we usually just take pictures of each other because the boys won't cooperate :)
