assya

This is some of the best pulled pork I've ever made. On it's own, stuffed into tacos or burritos, served over rice, this pork is slightly spicy, with just enough heat to keep it interesting, without burning your mouth. The Mexican spices infuse the pork roast as it simmers in the crock-pot; meaning that with very little effort you can have dinner on the table.

I've made this pork twice, once from frozen and another time fully thawed. After I made this the first time and served the pork in burrito bowls; I couldn't resist trying my hand at taquitos.

Cooking Tip: If you aren't up for dipping the tortillas in warm oil to soften them, do not skip warming them in the pan. Even without the oil, warming the tortillas prior to rolling will help hold them together. The first few times I made taquitos, they just fell apart in the oven. Warming them helps them avoid cracking.

Crock-Pot Mexican Pork and Baked Taquitos
Yield: 24 taquitos
(printable recipe)

2 lb pork roast, I used a sirloin tip pork roast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili powder, I used NM red chile powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion or onion powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup water
30 white corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican blend, pepper jack or monterey jack cheese
Optional: sour cream, guacamole, salsa for dipping

Place the roast in the crock-pot and sprinkle the spices all over it. Add the water and cover with the lid. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours if frozen or 4-5 hours if thawed. Alternatively, you can cook the roast on HIGH for 3-4 hours if frozen or 2-3 hours thawed. When the roast is tender enough to shred, gently pull it apart with tongs or with two forks. Break it into bite size pieces and toss the pieces in any juices left in the bottom of the pot.

If you are making taquitos, place a dry skillet over medium high heat. Warm the tortillas in the skillet, one at a time, they will become soft and pliable and it will be easier to roll them without cracking the tortillas. You can also warm 1/4 cup of oil in the skillet and then dip each tortilla in the oil prior to rolling them.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set out a large baking sheet. Place a warmed tortilla on the sheet, layer a tablespoon or so of cheese across the center of the tortilla and then a few tablespoons of the pulled pork. Roll the tortilla around the filling and place it seam side down on the baking sheet.

Once all of the taquitos are rolled, bake until lightly browned and crisp on the edges. Serve with the condiments of your choice. Enjoy!

FREEZER MEAL: This meal can be frozen in two different ways. Once the meat is cooked and shredded, let it cool then store it in an airtight bag. Let it thaw completely in the refrigerator prior to reheating. You can also prep everything for the crock-pot and then freeze the uncooked pork and along with all the spices in a large freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator prior to cooking or place in the crock-pot still frozen.





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Baked Peach Oatmeal Cups
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Strawberry Banana Smoothie

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Lemon Cookies {traditional and gluten free recipes}
Yield: 3-4 dozen, depending on size
(printable recipe)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup brown rice flour *
1/2 cup tapioca starch *
1/3 cup potato starch *
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup macadamia nuts
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
* If you are not in need of a gluten free recipe, simply substitute 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour for the items marked with an *

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the butter and the sugars in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat again until fluffy. Stir together the dry ingredients and slowly add to the wet mixture. Stirring or mixing until combined. Mix in the macadamia nuts and chocolate chips.

Scoop 1" balls of cookie dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, until slightly puffy and barely golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool on the trays for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Enjoy!

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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Spicy Chicken Tamale Pie
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Caprese Skewers with Balsamic

For as long as I can remember, I've been doubling meals and freezing them for nights when I don't feel like cooking. I tuck leftovers into the freezer on a regular basis to see how they handle being reheated after freezing. If a meal reheats nicely and tastes as good as the day I first made it, it is on this list. Soups are a staple in my freezer. I regularly keep at least a dozen portion-sized containers of soup in the freezer, so that I can toss one in my husband's lunch on days when there aren't enough leftovers from dinner the previous night.

One thing that I frequently receive requests for is for meals that can be made in advance. Whether the meal is for a special occasion, to take to a friend, for while you are under the weather or just to get everyone fed while you run kids all over town at night; having some meals stashed in the freezer for those busy nights helps keep dinner time easy and stress free.

I've added freezer tips to the bottom of every recipe in this list. Some of the meals below are cooked first and then frozen, some are frozen first and then cooked. However you make them, hopefully these recipes will make meal planning easier. These are all meals that I've made repeatedly and they all qualify as kid-approved favorites in our house.



MAIN DISHES
BREAKFASTS
Biscoff Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

This soft serve Pina Colada Ice Cream turned out to be so delicious my kids were jumping up and down with excitement. I loved that it was so flavorful and slightly sweet without any refined sugars. I hadn't tried freezing any of my smoothie recipes prior to this and now my mind is swimming with the possibilities!

I'm excited to be sharing a great new cookbook with you today. When Faith and Alyssa announced that they were co-publishing a book of artisanal smoothies, you know that I had to check it out. If you've been reading this blog for any time at all, you know that I have a well-documented love for smoothies.

Blend: Artisanal Smoothies for Food Lovers is a fantastic book full of smoothie making tips and tricks, along with a line-up of recipes that inspire me to get out my blender almost every single morning. With four separate chapters for Indulgence, Fruits, Greens and Coffee + Tea; this is a unique collection of smoothies unlike any that I have seen before. I already have a TON of smoothie recipes posted here on the blog, however, this book has inspired me to mix up my usual recipes and try some new ingredients.

Up until now, I'd never thought to toss a pinch of salt into my smoothies. Why not? I add salt to almost every other thing I make and yet, never to a smoothie. That tiny pinch of salt makes a difference and enhances the flavors beautifully. The twist of lime in this Pina Colada Smoothie gives it a unique flavor that is deeper than the average combination of coconut and pineapple.

Pina Colada Smoothie ~ Soft Serve Ice Cream
recipe adapted from Blend: Artisanal Smoothies for Food Lovers
Yield: 4-5 servings of soft serve ice cream or 2-3 smoothies
(printable recipe)

(1) 13.5 ounce can of Thai coconut milk
1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks, frozen
1 medium banana, broken into chunks and frozen
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Place all ingredients in the blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Pour into glasses and serve immediately for smoothies or pour into an ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer's directions. Scoop into bowls and serve immediately after freezing. Enjoy!






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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Homemade Caramel Sauce
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Disclosure: Faith sent me copies of both her e-books to review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
 

Last year, when we started planning the meals for our family camping trip, I decided to think outside the traditional line-up of sandwiches and easy to grab foods for our lunches.  I discovered that with a little bit of prep time in advance, we could eat as well outdoors while camping as we do at home. This year, I took that line of thinking and found some more great meals that were delicious in the outdoors.


I packed bags full of the makings for Nutty Raisin Oatmeal. I just added water to the pre-measured amounts of oatmeal and simmered until done. Top with brown sugar and butter just before serving.

Breakfast Potatoes are delicious alongside simple scrambled eggs and they took me almost no time to prep before the trip. I simply roasted them and then let them cool. Placed them in a plastic container (to avoid a ziploc being smashed) and then refrigerated until we were packing the coolers. When ready to use them, I simply warmed them in a large skillet with a bit of butter until they were hot and crisped on the edges.

Helpful Tip: I broke eggs ahead of time into a freezer safe (heavy duty) ziploc bag. They kept nicely that way without any fear of broken eggshells making a mess of the cooler. I scrambled them inside the bag just before pouring them into a hot skillet on the campstove. A handful of shredded cheese to top the eggs along with the hot potatoes on the side, made for an great camping breakfast.



I made a Spicy Chinese Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry. I let it cool, bagged the entire meal in a gallon size ziploc and then froze it. I also made enough rice for my family to eat with it, let the rice cool and froze it in it's own gallon size ziploc. When I was packing the coolers, I simply placed the frozen meal into the cooler, where it stayed almost frozen until we were ready to eat it.

To reheat it, I simply placed the meat and vegetables in a skillet on the campstove, covered it with a lid and stirred occasionally until it was warm. The rice was warmed in a small pot with a splash of water. Stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking too much. A piping hot plate of this stir-fry beat the heck out of the traditional camping sandwiches!



Soups are an awesome camping meal that can be made in advance.This Hearty Italian Beef and Vegetable Stew was delicious in the afternoon while it was drizzling rain around us and we were cozy under our canopy. Let the soup cool completely and then freeze it flat in a gallon size ziploc. Pack the frozen meal and when ready to eat, let it thaw enough to break it up into a soup pot on the camp stove. Stir occasionally as it reheats.



Ranch Potato Salad, some veggies and cold chicken made a lunch that required about 3 minutes to get on the table. The potato salad kept nicely in the cooler; we had some of it on both the first day and the last day of our trip. It was great to have a meal ready at a moment's notice on the day that we arrived and were setting up camp.



As with most of our family events, snack foods are required for afternoon and late night game times. Plenty of fresh vegetables, along with Chipotle and Lime Hummus and Homemade Ranch Dip are my favorite snacks. Chips and salsa, and Sweet and Spicy Almonds are great options as well.

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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Chipotle Ranch Chicken Bites with Broccoli
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Parmesan Panko Baked Zucchini with Marinara

My family got together a couple weekends ago for our Annual Family Camping Trip to Woods Canyon Lake. With 5 brothers, 2 sisters and all the spouses, nieces and nephews included in that group, a camping trip is the perfect way to all get together each summer. The kids run all over the campsite, building forts and playing games; while the grown-ups play board games, chat, laugh and enjoy the cooler weather as much as possible. The men spent their mornings fishing and my brother in law was awesome enough to send me some pics of my man. (Thanks, Jason!)



We were a smaller group than usual, but 24 people is still a crowd. Same as in past years, in lieu of preparing a breakfast or dinner for the entire group, I was responsible for bringing along plenty of desserts to share at night. I baked the week before the trip and took the family's favorite Monster Cookies, Brownies, and a few new treats that I'll be sharing recipes for over the next couple weeks.



We played in the water at Canyon Creek on our last afternoon and it was our favorite day of our trip. The kids splashed their hearts out and the adults enjoyed the chance to cool down. Of course, after we all cooled down, it started to rain and then proceeded to turn into a downpour complete with rivers through our tents. We wound up packing our gear and heading out that night instead of in the morning.

We spent a week at our cabin immediately following the camping trip. My husband hardly took a break all week as he was installing new windows and working on some other projects around the property. Our little home away from home has been in progress for over two years now and I love that it is coming together so beautifully. The sky was gorgeous the entire week we were there and I found myself clicking pictures of it almost every time we went for a walk.



I just realized I've never shared any cabin pictures here on the blog. If I get ambitious, I may dig out some before and after pictures one of these days. Let's just say, the place used to be a scary sight! I miss my cute kitchen already. However, as much fun as it is to get away, it is even nicer to be home again!

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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Chipotle Ranch Chicken Bites with Broccoli
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Parmesan Panko Baked Zucchini with Marinara

Baked oatmeal is one of my family's favorite breakfasts. There is something irresistible about the way oats are transformed when they are baked in the oven. This oatmeal is tender and slightly chewy, reminding me of warm granola. My whole family thought that this tasted just like warm banana bread. I topped each serving with a scoop of freshly whipped cream and an extra drizzle of Biscoff. This breakfast rated two thumbs up by every member of my family!
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Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream. This ice cream is an intense strawberry burst of flavor with melting chocolate pieces and a creamy vanilla base. I was surprised by just how much this ice cream reminds me of chocolate covered strawberries.

This ice cream started as a variation of my Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. However, the strawberry flavor here is much more dominant with just a hint of the original cheesecake flavor. The lemon and sour cream add a needed balance to the sweetness, but the berries and the chocolate take center stage!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream
Yield: (4-5) 1/2 cup servings
(printable recipe)

4 ounce cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
1 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
scant 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 strawberries, washed and hulled
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon zest, half and half, vanilla and salt in the blender. Blend for a minute or two, until smooth. Add the berries and puree until smooth once again. Pour into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

While the ice cream is churning, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small glass dish in the microwave for about 1 minute at 50% power. Stir together until smooth. Let cool. When the ice cream has finished, scoop half of it into a freezer safe container. Drizzle with the cooled chocolate sauce and swirl in with a knife. Layer the rest of the ice cream on top and repeat with the chocolate swirls. Freeze at least 2 hours, until firm. After freezing overnight, this is a very firm ice cream, due to the water content of the berries. Let it rest on the counter for at least 20 minutes prior to scooping. Enjoy!





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Chicken, Fresh Corn and Three Bean Enchiladas
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Honey Dijon Potato Salad

This is a cookie for the true chocolate lover. My 9 year old nephew requested a chocolate chocolate chip cookie and I couldn't resist making it extra "chocolately" just for him. The first words out of my husband's mouth and my mouth both were "crazy chocolate". My nephew just grinned when he tasted them.

These are cookies best served with vanilla ice cream or a glass of milk. They are rich. One cookie or even half a cookie actually satisfies my sweets craving. I loved the over-the-top richness of these cookies and so did the rest of the family. The fact that we've been nibbling on them one at a time instead of a stack at a time, is a testament to how satisfying they really are!

Baking note: I used 1 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder and 1/2 cup dutch process Ghiradelli's cocoa powder because that was the combination I had on hand. Feel free to use your favorites. I also used a random combination of about 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips and 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Use whatever combination makes you smile.

Crazy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies {traditional and gluten free recipes}
Yield: 3 dozen cookies
(printable recipe)

1 cup butter
1 3/4 cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup brown rice flour *
1/4 cup tapioca starch *
1/4 cup potato starch *
1 1/2 cups dark cocoa powder, dutch process if possible
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups chocolate chips
* If you are not in need of a gluten free recipe, simply substitute a total of 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour for the items marked with an *

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Melt the butter in a medium size saucepan. Add the brown sugar and stir or whisk together until smooth and creamy. Remove from the heat and chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator. Whisk together the dry ingredients while the mixture is chilling.

Remove from the refrigerator and stir in the eggs and vanilla, stirring or whisking until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients in 3-4 different batches, stirring to fully combine each time. Mix in the chocolate chips and then scoop or roll into 1" balls. Place on a silpat or parchment lined baking tray and press down on each cookie with the back of a measuring cup.

The cookies will not spread out while baking, so don't forget to press them down or you'll wind up with round puffy cookies. Press together and smooth the edges of the cookies as needed with your fingers. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies no longer look wet. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Chicken Fresh Corn and Three Bean Enchiladas
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Wrap

Crisp, hot tortilla chips, spicy taco meat with beans and sweet corn along with gooey melted cheese on top, this all added up to a deliciously simple meal. This was a very fast dinner that I made the night we arrived at our cabin. I'd planned to make something else and I just wasn't in the mood to really cook. I had ground beef waiting to be used and this was a great way to use some of it and in the process make everyone very happy.

I didn't take a picture or plan to blog this meal at all, until my kids and husband all requested the same thing for lunch a couple days later. I snapped a picture this time and decided it was a great summertime meal to share. You could certainly fancy it up with optional toppings for a prettier presentation, but it worked great for us just the way I served it. Way less than 20 minutes, start to finish and even easier than traditional tacos.

I melted the cheese over our nachos in the microwave, because I didn't want to turn on the oven or wait that long. However, both cooking methods work great.

Black Bean, Beef and Corn Taco Nachos
Yield: 5-6 servings
(printable recipe)

1 lb ground beef
1 1/2 tablespoons Mexican Spice Mix or taco seasoning
1 1/2 cups frozen corn or 1 can of corn, drained
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or the bean of your choice) or 1 can of beans, rinsed and well drained
2-3 cups shredded cheese or your choice, I used a Mexican cheese blend, Monterrey jack and pepperjack on our separate plates
Tortilla chips
Optional toppings: sour cream, jalapenos, green onions, salsa, guacamole

Cook and crumble the ground beef in a skillet over medium high heat. My beef had almost no grease, however, if yours has a good bit, drain most of it off before continuing. Season generously with the Mexican Spice Mix as it is cooking and stir to coat well. Add the corn and beans and stir to combine. Cover with lid and cook for a couple minutes, until everything is warm.

OVEN DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread tortilla chips across a large baking sheet (line with a silpat for easy cleanup). Top with the meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS: Place tortilla chips on individual plates and top with a scoop of the meat mixture spread across the chips. Sprinkle with cheese and then cook each plate for about 20 seconds, just until the cheese has melted.

Serve with the toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

FREEZER MEAL: The filling can be cooked, cooled and frozen until needed. Thaw in the refrigerator or reheat from frozen. Prepare nachos as directed above.




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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Chicken, Fresh Corn and Three Bean Enchiladas
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Honey Dijon Potato Salad

Piping hot, tender apples, filled with dried fruit and soft pecans, baked with brown sugar and spices; this was an excellent dessert that didn't heat up the house or require more than a few minutes of effort on my part. I baked the apples in the crock-pot this time. However, I'm including oven directions as well, if that is more your style.

I've made Cinnnamon Baked Apples and Brown Sugar Cinnamon Applesauce in the Crock-pot many times, but this was the first time I tried stuffing them. I loved the way all of the different flavors combined and my kids went nuts over these apples.

Stuffed Apples
Yield: 4 servings
(printable recipe)

4 granny smith apples
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins, light and dark work well
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cardamom or cinnamon
4 teaspoons butter

Wash and core the apples, removing at least a 1" center in each apple. Set the apples on a plate. Stir together the dried fruit, pecans, brown sugar, salt and cardamom or cinnamon. Fill each apple with this mixture, packing it firmly into each apple.

CROCK-POT DIRECTIONS: Place the filled apples in the bottom of the crock-pot. If you have a smaller crock-pot, you can raise a couple of the apples by sitting them on top of wadded up balls of foil in between the other two apples. (This is how I cooked ours this time.) Top each apple with a teaspoon of butter. Cover with lid and cook for about 2 hours on high, until the apples are fork tender. If you would like to cook on low, this should take 4-5 hours.

OVEN DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the filled apples in a muffin tray. Top each apple with a teaspoon of butter. Bake until fork tender, about 20 minutes.

Serve each apple with a dollop of Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream or a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Milk or Ice Cream, if desired. Enjoy!





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Chicken Fajitas
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Bacon and Egg Chipotle Taco Salad

The other night I thawed some salmon, planning to make my oldest son's favorite Sweet and Spicy Glazed Salmon. When I spied the bottle of Orange Citrus Vinaigrette in the refrigerator next to the waiting salmon, that was all it took to change my mind. I poured the vinaigrette over the salmon an hour or so before dinner and it marinated while I boiled baby red potatoes and tossed together a quick garden salad.

The citrus flavors in the vinaigrette paired great with the salmon. Broiling in the oven is my favorite way to cook salmon. It is ready in just minutes and it turns out perfectly almost every time! It requires just minutes to heat the oven and the meal is cooked in about that much time. It barely has time to heat the kitchen!

Orange Citrus Salmon
Yield: 2-3 servings
(printable recipe)

1 lb salmon, cut into 3-4 fillets
1 cup Orange Citrus Vinaigrette

Combine the salmon and the vinaigrette in a large ziploc bag or airtight container. Let the salmon marinate for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator. Place the salmon on the counter about 1/2 an hour before cooking.

Preheat the oven to broil and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the salmon fillets on the sheet and broil for about 8 minutes. A general rule for cooking salmon is approximately 8 minutes total cooking time per 1" of thickness.

Cook the fish 2 minutes less than your estimated time, then check for doneness. You can always pop it back in the oven, but you can’t fix an overcooked piece of fish. The most important thing to remember is that the fish will continue to cook for a few minutes after it is off the heat, so you have to remove it just before it is done to your liking. Salmon is best warm and flaking, but still a bit translucent even after resting. Enjoy!


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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Chinese Lemon Chicken

As I was putting my lunch together today, I realized that I've never shown you my go-to 5 minute lunch. So very simple and it uses ingredients that I regularly keep in my fridge. If you already have produce boxes set up, if you happen to love this ranch dip as much as I do and if you frequently have leftover chicken in the refrigerator; you are just a couple minutes away from a very tasty lunch.

If you don't already have all of this in your refrigerator, it will only take a few extra minutes to chop up a handful of vegetables and stir together some ranch dip. I've made this with store-bought rotisserie chicken as well and it is just as tasty that way. However you make it, this is a great lunch. Spread the chicken salad between a couple slices of your favorite bread or toss it into a simple garden salad. The salad will keep nicely in the refrigerator for a couple days.

5 Minute Ranch Chicken Salad
Yield: 2 servings, can easily be doubled or tripled
(printable recipe)

1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/4 cup homemade ranch dip
additional pepper, to taste
Garden salad ingredients of your choice, bread for sandwiches or crackers for dipping: I used green leaf lettuce, English cucumbers, broccoli florets, carrots and sunburst tomatoes.

Stir together the chicken and ranch dip. Season with additional pepper as desired. Serve as desired, over a tossed salad, on toasted bread or with crackers. Enjoy!





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Spicy Spinach Fruit Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Balsamic Tomato Pasta Salad with Mozarella

With temps well over 100 degrees in my part of the country, I'm still on a huge ice cream kick. I have hardly turned on my oven this summer. Last week, I started baking for our annual family camping trip and it felt strange to turn on the oven for a dessert. (The ice cream maker is so much easier!) I can hardly wait to get out of the heat and head to the lake for a few days with the family!

This is a rich and creamy, dark chocolate ice cream flavored with almonds and just the tiniest hint of cinnamon. The almond flavor is unexpected, but fantastic with the chocolate. You likely wouldn't guess the cinnamon is there, but it adds a depth to the ice cream that can't be beat. I am so happy with this ice cream; I'm grinning just writing this post.

I used to think that nuts didn't belong in ice cream. While I still don't care to break a tooth on a rock hard peanut; the thinly sliced almonds are soft enough in this ice cream to simply add texture without crunch. Have I rambled on long enough? Can you tell that I LOVE this ice cream?

Dark Chocolate Almond Ice Cream
Yield: (6-7) 1/2 cup servings
(printable recipe)

3/4 cup sugar
2 cups half and half
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon almond extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped (I used 60% dark chocolate chips)
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Combine the sugar, half and half, cream, cinnamon and salt in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. Heat until steaming and then barely simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and  stir in the almond extract and the chocolate until dissolved. Let cool and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. (You can shorten that time by placing it in the freezer for an hour and then in the fridge for 3-4 hours.)

Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. When it is almost finished churning, add the sliced almonds and allow the machine to finish churning. Serve immediately for soft serve ice cream or transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm. Enjoy!





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Tangy Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Peppers and Olives
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Slow Cooked Banana Walnut Oatmeal

My sister, Jenny, came up with this drink for a weekend brunch a few weeks ago. She threw it together on a whim and it turned out to be a huge hit. With plenty of fresh oranges and strawberries; the combination of flavors with my favorite St-Germain was a delicious one. Jenny has a knack for garnishing a beautiful drink and I made her stop for a moment, just to grab my camera and photograph this one.

St-Germain Citrus Splash
(printable recipe)

3 ounces orange juice, freshly squeezed if possible
1 ounce St-Germain
1 ounce vodka
1 ounce strawberry simple syrup, store-bought is fine as well
1 ounce club soda
Optional: garnish with the fruits of your choice and a mint leaf, we used cherries and orange slices

In a tall glass, combine all the liquids. Stir to combine. Add a few ice cubes and then garnish as desired. Enjoy!

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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Five Minute Marinara Sauce
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: BBQ Chicken Stuffed Baked Potatoes

A few weeks ago, my sister called to tell me that she'd made a double batch of this syrup and couldn't wait to share it with me. We played with the syrup in several different recipes while I was visiting her this past month. I have a really awesome new cocktail to share later today. If you have berries in the house, you might want to whip up a batch of this syrup; so you'll be ready to mix yourself a brand new drink this weekend!

Strawberry Simple Syrup
recipe barely adapted from The Shiksa
Yield: about 3 1/2 cups
(printable recipe)

2 lbs fresh strawberries
4 cups water
2 cups sugar

Wash the berries and remove stems. Roughly chop or quarter the strawberries and place them into a medium saucepan. Cover with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook the berries for 20 minutes. Carefully skim and discard any foam that rises to the top.

After 20 minutes, the berries will be much lighter in color and the water should be a dark pink or red. Place a fine mesh strainer over a second saucepan and pour the strawberry liquid through it. Resist the temptation to press down on the cooked berries to extract more juice. This will make the syrup cloudy. After straining, discard the cooked berries.

Add the sugar to the liquid and bring back to a boil. Stir constantly, until the sugar has dissolved completely.* Skim and discard any foam that rises to the top. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely before transferring to glass jars for storage in the refrigerator. The syrup will last for several weeks. Enjoy!

* If you want a thicker syrup for a topping on pancakes, ice cream or other desserts, simmer the syrup for 5-10 minutes longer until the liquid reduces and thickens further.


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