One of my favorites.

Goat cheese and shallots spread
The heavy cream cuts the tanginess of the goat cheese and makes it easier to spread.

Ingredients:
5 oz. soft goat cheese, at room temperature
3 to 6 Tbs. heavy cream
2 or 3 small shallots, minced
1/2 tsp of salt

Directions:
Put the goat cheese in a bowl and mash it with a fork. Add 1 Tbs. of the cream and mash it in. Continue to add the cream, 1 Tbs. at a time, until you have a soft, mild spread. Mix in the shallots and salt to taste. The more shallots the better, I've found.

I usually serve this with thin slices of baguette, but it tastes great with about anything, including salty potato chips.

Blackberry Muffins a la Musicasacra (from Williams-Sonoma)

The abundance of fresh ripe berries is one of the pleasures of summer. Each variety in the seasonal trinity—blackberries, blueberries and raspberries—works beautifully in this recipe. Remember to treat fresh berries gently after purchase. If not using them immediately, store them for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Rinse the berries briefly in a colander before use, then pick over the berries and discard any that are moldy or mushy. Let dry in the colander or on a layer of paper towels.

Ingredients:

For the topping:

1/3 cup sugar

3 Tbs. all-purpose flour

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped

For the muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

5 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups fresh blackberries or 2 1/2 cups frozen
unsweetened blackberries, unthawed

Unsalted butter for serving
Directions:

Preheat an oven to 375°F. Grease 12 standard muffin cups with butter or butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray.

To make the topping, in a small bowl, stir together the sugar, flour and lemon zest. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the pecans and stir to combine. Set aside.

To make the muffins, in a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, lemon zest and salt. Make a well in the center and add the egg, melted butter and buttermilk. Stir just until evenly moistened. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Sprinkle with the blackberries and gently fold in with a large rubber spatula just until evenly distributed, no more than a few strokes. Take care not to break up the fruit. Do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each to a bit above the rim of the cup. Top each muffin with the topping, dividing it evenly (the sugar will melt and produce a glaze effect).

Bake until the muffins are golden, dry and springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Unmold the muffins. Serve warm or at room temperature, with butter. Makes 12 muffins.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Muffins, by Beth Hensperger (Simon & Schuster, 2003).

Those muffins are tasty. I use 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 3/4 cup.

From AdagioM and this website: :

Carrot and Squash Curry Soup

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour Difficulty: Easy Servings: 8
Ingredients

* 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
* 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
* 1 whole Large Onion, Diced
* 3 whole Carrots, Washed And Sliced Thin
* 4 whole Yellow Squash (sliced)
* Salt To Taste
* 1 Tablespoon Curry Powder (more To Taste!)
* ½ cups Dry White Wine (optional)
* 48 ounces, fluid Chicken Broth
* Heavy Cream (optional)

Preparation Instructions

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and stir to coat. Add carrots and cook for 3 minutes, or until they start to get soft. Sprinkle in a little salt.

Add squash. Stir and cook for a few minutes, until squash is soft and tender. After a few minutes, add salt to taste and the curry powder.

Pour in wine if using. Let evaporate for about 30 seconds, then pour in chicken broth. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot, and cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, taste and adjust seasonings. Turn off heat.

Puree soup using an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender. Return to soup pot and bring to a simmer. Serve hot. If you’re feeling naughty, drizzle heavy cream over the top.