assya

Do you remember the Pineapple Mint Mojitos that we made earlier this year? As much as I still love those mojitos, this drink is a lighter, barely sweetened sister to that one, and I enjoy it every bit as much. The hint of basil is unexpected and completely refreshing. Perfect for a late afternoon weekend lunch, girl's night in or just about any other excuse you can think of for mixing a drink.

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This cake has blown my mind. Just writing about it here makes me grin as I think about how perfectly moist, rich and chocolatey it is. When I first saw this recipe, I did a double take because I had never before run across anything quite like it. A flourless chocolate cake made with quinoa?

I make a Flourless Chocolate Cake at least a couple times a year and it is one of my favorite recipes. This cake on the other hand, has the texture of a traditional cake, yet with no special flours required. All you need is a couple scoops of cooked quinoa.

This cake wowed both my family and our dinner guests who are accustomed to eating traditional sweets. Even knowing that the cake was made from quinoa, I couldn't detect an odd taste or texture. This is pure, sweet and tender chocolate cake. After eating a slice the next day for breakfast, I sent the rest of it to the office with my husband. This is a very dangerous cake.
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Are you ready for cooler temperatures? I am gearing up for the soups and stews that make regular appearances on our table throughout the fall and winter. The weather is finally cooling off and I'm looking forward to some long awaited fall foods. Despite the fact the forecast here in the southwest is still over 100 degrees for the rest of the week, I keep reminding myself that fall is on the way.

Fluffy, creamy ice cream filled with strawberries and bananas turned out to be a huge hit with the whole family. After watching his older brother come up with a great recipe a couple weeks ago, my middle son informed me that he was going to work on his own "recipe creation."

He came up with a short list of ingredients and we turned it into this ice cream. He had fun mashing the fruits and then watching the machine churn it into the fluffiest ice cream we've ever made. The kids flipped out over this dessert and we all thought it was pretty awesome.

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You know that moment when you have guests arriving and you are rushing around the kitchen still chopping vegetables or standing over the stove? These Oven to Table Recipes are my solution to the craziness that often happens while entertaining. I adore having guests for dinner, and spending time visiting with them is my favorite part of the night. However, I prefer not to start the evening with my back to our guests in the kitchen as I finish preparing the meal.

Our house has an open floor plan with a huge kitchen and our dining room table is in the center of that space. This gives me plenty of room for entertaining. However, if I am still preparing the food when company arrives, I end up with my back to my guests or constantly looking over my shoulder to see them. Once these recipes go into the oven, you are done. Nothing else to prep, stir or sauté. Toss the dirty prep dishes in the dishwasher, and you're ready to spend time with your friends!
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Have you tasted a hot pepper jam? There is really nothing else like it. The balance of sweet and spice is unforgettable. I tried a pepper jam for the first time a few years ago and fell for the unique flavor combination immediately. I've been making my family's Peach Jam recipe for years now, but this time I wanted to try my hand at a spicy version.

There isn't enough hyperbole in my life to adequately express just how much I am enjoying this jam. I made it late at night about a week ago and in the time since, I've eaten it in lieu of a meal at least once each day. I'm already down a jar and a half! I like it best on crackers or a thinly sliced baguette with a smear of brie, goat cheese or whipped cream cheese and then topped with a dollop of jam. I really could eat this breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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This chicken is dipped in ranch and then lightly breaded with a blend of cornmeal, flour and spices. I've made this dish with both chicken thighs and chicken breasts; while the thighs were my favorite, both were delicious. The ranch is a subtle flavor and I really liked it that way. (out of ranch? no problem, it works great dipped in milk as well.)

The cornmeal gives the crust a unique taste and texture that my whole family really enjoyed. Thanks to Katerina for the cornmeal inspiration. I made her recipe the same day she shared it and then I started playing with that idea. I have served this chicken on it's own, with barbecue sauce for dipping and also topped with our newest favorite sauces, Creamy Cauliflower Sauce and Creamy Chipotle Cauliflower Sauce. 

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Pretty please forgive me if you have received more than one email from me today! I'm working on some very cool new things for the blog and the set-up process is giving me fits. I'm asking you to be patient with me as I implement the changes and you'll have a lovely new recipe index (complete with pictures!) to browse to your heart's content in the next few days!

In case I haven't mentioned it lately, you all absolutely rock. Your comments, emails and messages make me grin each time I see them. While I work on the blog today, I'll also be sharing some of my favorite recipes on Facebook all day long. So come and say "hi" when you have a moment!

Have you ever made noodles out of vegetables? My newest kitchen gadget love is my spiralizer.
I've used the spiralizer so many times this week, my kids will probably be confused next time I serve them a plate of something that isn't in curly noodles. ha. Had you ever even heard of a spiralizer before? Think julienne'd vegetables in a split minute or curly fries as quick as can be.

For what it's worth, the spiralizer is ridiculously easy to use and I love mine. (I bought this one after reading a ton of reviews. I'm not an affiliate of anyone, so definitely look around for a deal. I think I paid around $30 for mine.) If yet another kitchen gadget is not your thing, a julienne peeler also works great, the "noodles" just won't be curly.

Because I can't stop making it, this recipe is a variation of the fantastic cauliflower sauce. I spiced it up with chipotles and pepper and my whole family (even the non-spice lovers) devoured it in no time.  We tossed this sauce with the zucchini and also poured it over chicken. I hid a small bit of the sauce in the fridge for tomorrow and I don't plan to share it! I'm going to drizzle it over some roasted oven fries.

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This is a simplified and egg-free version of my Cafe con Leche Ice Cream. I absolutely LOVE the flavor of espresso ice cream. I've made this recipe a couple times and each time it tastes exactly like a frozen airy cup of Cafe con Leche.

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The other day, my oldest son brought me a new recipe that he had written. My son has a long time love of Sriracha sauce and he wanted to make a chicken dip with his favorite rooster sauce. In case you don't recall, this is my child who was eating foods spicy enough to make me cry when he was just two years old. After tweaking his recipe just a bit, we came up with a version that was an enormous success.

Cheesy, slightly spicy, a bit tangy with the flavors from the ranch dip and loaded with plenty of chicken, this dip was so tasty, we couldn't stop snacking on it as it was cooling. I served this for lunch along with a big pile of tortilla chips and there wasn't a single bite leftover. My son was so proud of his creation, he agreed to pose for a picture right after he declared this recipe, "the most awesome chip dip EVER!" Guess we'll work on his humility later, this dip really was delicious. 

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Hot pinto beans, green chile sauce, warm scrambled eggs, jalapenos and melted cheese are piled on top of a layer of crisp tortilla chips. While the combination might sound bizarre initially, it was an excellent way to satisfy our craving for a spicy hot breakfast. The nachos were an enormous hit with my whole family.  My favorite part? The whole meal came together in less than 20 minutes. 

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Sweet roasted cherries are a perfect match for the tartness of frozen yogurt. In case I've given you two minutes of ice-cream-free time to wonder about it, I'm still having way too much fun with my fancy ice cream maker. I've spent the summer playing with countless varieties of frozen desserts, custards, creams, gelatos and yogurts. I've been asked many times for frozen yogurt recipes. So, I've been working on a few different frozen yogurt recipes this past month.

Along with today's recipe, I'm including a couple of tips for frozen yogurt making. A basic rule of thumb for a standard frozen yogurt is 3 cups yogurt to 1 cup of sugar. I've tried several versions using less sugar and I'll be honest here, it just is not the same. Yogurt is so tart; the sugar balances that and the sugar also helps create a great texture. The results with less sugar and versions using honey or maple syrup instead of white sugar simply were not the same. The sugar-free options were delicious, straight out of the machine, but after a night in the freezer, the texture was much more crumbly and not nearly as smooth or creamy.

Feel free to substitute honey in this recipe, but be aware that the yogurt will be more icy and will be best eaten immediately after freezing. Substitute honey to TASTE, add  about 1/3 cup honey to the yogurt and taste it. Keep tasting it as you add more if desired, to make it as sweet or tart as you like. If you choose to freeze the honey-sweetened version, you'll need to let it rest on the counter for a while prior to scooping. In case you are wondering, this is an untouched photo. The yogurt turned a gorgeous deep pink color as soon as I added the cherries.

Roasted Cherry Frozen Yogurt
Yield: (7) 1/2 cup servings
(printable recipe)

2 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
2 cups plain (full fat) yogurt (Greek yogurt works as well)
1 cup sugar, divided
1 vanilla bean, scraped and seeded or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment and place the pitted and halved cherries on the parchment. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the cherries begin to shrink and release their liquid to cover the bottom of the dish. Carefully lift the parchment and transfer the roasted cherries and their juices to a glass mixing bowl. Stir 1/3 cup of sugar into the cherry mixture and mash gently to release more juices. (The original 2 1/2 cups cherries will reduce down to about 1 1/2 cups.) Set in refrigerator or freezer to cool for a couple hours.

Whisk together the yogurt, remaining 2/3 cup of sugar, vanilla and salt. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. When the mixture is almost frozen, pour 1 cup of the cherry mixture into the churning yogurt. When the yogurt has finished churning, transfer to a freezer safe container and stir in the remaining roasted cherries. Serve immediately for soft-serve yogurt or freeze for a firmer more scoop-able yogurt. Enjoy!





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Brown Butter Skillet Corn
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Quick and Easy Homemade Ranch Dip

Slow cooker roasts are some of my favorite meals. They require a very small amount of effort early in the day and when we are ready to eat, the main dish is ready with just a few additional minutes work. For this meal, brown sugar and balsamic are simmered and then reduced to a simple glaze that is poured over tender pulled pork. This dinner was a huge hit with all three of my boys; they almost licked their plates clean.

This has been a great month for finally trying recipes that I've had on my list for ages. I've seen this recipe floating around online for the past couple years. It may have taken me over two years to finally make it, but it was worth the wait. The combination of flavors was excellent and I'm glad I finally got around to trying it.

I simplified the original recipe a wee bit, because I tend to do that with most recipes. My family devoured this meal and all of my kids gave it two thumbs up. Served with boiled baby red potatoes and a Strawberry Spinach Salad, the work involved for this meal was just minutes.

COOK'S NOTE: I used a very inexpensive balsamic vinegar for this recipe. With the amount of sugar in the sauce, there is no need to use a more expensive aged vinegar!

Crock-Pot Balsamic Brown Sugar Pork Roast
recipe slightly adapted from Let's Dish Recipes
Yield: 6 servings
(printable recipe)

1 1/2 - 2 lb sirloin tip pork roast
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water

Glaze Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Place the roast in the crock-pot and sprinkle with the spices. Pour the water in the bottom of the crock-pot. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. When the roast is tender enough to pull apart, gently shred with tongs, leaving bite size chunks of meat. Toss the meats in the juices as you pull the roast apart.

Leave the meat in the crock-pot while you prepare the glaze. Combine the brown sugar and arrowroot in a small saucepan and whisk to break up any lumps. Add the vinegar, water and soy sauce and whisk to combine. Warm over medium heat until the mixture thickens. This should only take a few minutes. You can increase the heat as needed, but stir constantly. When the sauce has thickened, drizzle the meat with about half of the glaze. Serve with additional glaze as desired. Enjoy!






ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Tangy Memphis Barbecue Sauce
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Mexican Lasagna

I'm introducing you today to the creamy, garlicky white sauce that has completely floored me. Don't let the cauliflower in the title scare you away. Seriously, this sauce is so fantastic; I made it for the first time and couldn't stop eating it by the spoonful. (If I called this soup, would that sound less strange?)

My non-cauliflower-loving children leerily watched me make this and then declared that it smelled so good, they wanted to taste it straight from the blender. I gave each of them a spoonful and they immediately asked for more. One of the first comments from my boys was, "oh, mom! what are you going to do with this sauce? I bet it would be great for macaroni and cheese!"

This sauce has an amazing flavor, an unforgettable, rich and creamy, buttery garlic loaded flavor that I just can't get enough of. While it is similar to traditional Italian white sauce in both taste and texture, it is still made from cauliflower. And while my children raved over it (despite their former dislike of cauliflower), it does have a hint of cauliflower flavor beneath the buttery garlic. So, don't expect a traditional alfredo flavor. That said, right now I'd choose this over any other white sauce. The fact that it is a healthier option? That's just a huge bonus.


I made the sauce again twice in the same week, because I couldn't stop thinking about it. I've served this sauce over baked chicken and sauteed vegetables; I stirred it into pasta and cheesy rice too. I poured a batch into jars and it kept nicely in the refrigerator until I was ready to use it.

I ran across this recipe a few months ago on Pinch of Yum. Like many other awesome recipes and food ideas, I put it on my list and then added another 100 or so ideas to the list above and below it. This recipe would not be forgotten though. It kept popping up on Pinterest and taunting me on Facebook. Lindsay is even writing a cookbook centered around recipes using this sauce. Is the sauce really worth all this discussion? Yes. Undoubtedly, YES.

Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
recipe barely adapted from Pinch of Yum
Yield: 4 cups
(printable recipe)

1 large head of cauliflower, about 5 cups small florets
6 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup milk
Optional: tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkling of Parmesan

Place the water and the cauliflower in a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the cauliflower is fork tender. Do not drain. Saute the garlic with the butter in a small skillet over medium low heat. Cook for a few minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and soft.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked cauliflower to the blender. Add 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the cauliflower, along with the cooked garlic and butter from the skillet, the salt and the pepper. Puree until completely smooth. Depending on how powerful your blender is, this could take a few minutes. Add the milk and pulse to combine. You can adjust the milk according to how liquid you want the sauce to be. 1/4 cup was perfect for me. If you won't be serving this immediately, let cool and transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed. Serve hot. Enjoy!

FREEZER MEAL: Portion the cooled sauce into freezer safe containers or ziploc freezer bags. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating in a skillet over low heat on the stove-top, stirring frequently.





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Sweet and Simple Homemade Lemon Curd
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Peach Galette

Oh my heavens. This ice cream was an impromptu decision that was absolutely delicious. I had some frosting leftover after finishing the German Chocolate Cake and the Truffles and on impulse, I whisked it into some almost finished ice cream. I wasn't sure about how the whole coconut and pecan combination would taste once it had churned into the ice cream, but it worked great.

The Coconut Pecan Frosting is not at all overwhelming here, the vanilla ice cream is still the dominant flavor. The cooked frosting adds a great caramelized flavor to the background and the pecans and coconut were a fabulous addition to every bite. I can see making more of this frosting just for future batches of ice cream (and for the truffles, definitely can't resist making those again).

Caramelized Coconut Pecan Ice Cream
Yield: (8) 1/2 cup servings
(printable recipe)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup coconut pecan frosting, cooked and cooled

Whisk together all ingredients except the frosting. Pour into the ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. When the ice cream is almost finished, scoop the frosting into the still churning machine a couple tablespoons at a time. When the machine finishes churning, serve immediately for soft-serve ice cream or transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to eat. Enjoy!





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Fruity French Toast
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Pasta with Easy Italian Meat Sauce

Truffles inspired by German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting, these beauties were absolutely delicious. The proof is in the fact that I ate three of them before breakfast this morning! These are guaranteed to disappear fast and I don't dare make them again too soon. I have already proven that I have zero self-control with these in the house.

If you haven't made cake ball truffles in the past, welcome to the simplest, messiest most fun dessert I make. I don't make them often, because they are completely addictive. I will eat them straight out of the freezer (so don't think storing them there will slow you down!).

This recipe can be as simple or as complicated as you choose. Pick up your favorite German Chocolate Cake from a bakery, buy a cake mix or follow the fussy, but oh so worth it, classic recipe here. The frosting is the star of the truffles. You are going to want to make the full recipe for the frosting, because I have a fantastic new treat to share tomorrow using the leftover frosting!

German Chocolate Cake Truffles
Yield: 24 truffles
(printable truffles recipe)

8 German chocolate cupcakes or approximately 3 cups of crumbled cake
2/3 - 3/4 cup coconut pecan frosting (recipe below)
3/4 cup dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil, preferably unrefined for the best flavor

Dump the cupcakes and the frosting in a mixing bowl. Stir them together. The consistency should be just moist enough not to be crumbly without being too liquid. Add more frosting as needed. Scoop them into 1" balls and roll them smooth between your hands. Set them on a paper plate or freezer safe tray as you roll them. Once all the balls have been rolled, place the tray in the freezer for at least 2 hours prior to dipping them in chocolate.

Combine the chocolate and the coconut oil in a large glass measuring cup or small bowl. Microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes on medium power, stir after about a minute and watch closely to avoid burning. Once the chocolate is warm, you should be able to stir it until it is smooth.

Dip the frozen cake balls into the chocolate and transfer it between a couple forks to drain off the excess chocolate. Place the dipped truffles onto a parchment lined tray and once they are all dipped, return to the freezer. When the truffles are firm, they can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Serve frozen or transfer to the refrigerator and serve chilled. Enjoy!

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Coconut Pecan Frosting
recipe adapted from allrecipes.com
Yield: about 3 cups
(printable frosting recipe)
4 egg yolks
12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups butter
8 ounces shredded coconut (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

In a large saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, milk, vanilla until creamy and smooth. Add the butter and cook over medium heat for about 12 minutes, until thick and golden brown. Remove from the heat and stir in coconut and pecans. Cool to room temperature before using. Store leftover frosting in the refrigerator. Enjoy!






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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Split Pea, Potato, Ham and Leek Soup

I made Biscoff ice cream for the first time on the day my Biscoff shipment arrived. The spread was warm and liquid from from sitting outside on such a warm day and I immediately whisked it together with some cream and sugar and poured it into my ice cream maker. (This all happened before I even finished opening the other packages!)

The ice cream was so popular in my house, I have already made it a couple more times. With the abundance of new ice cream ideas flying through my mind these days, that says a lot. My youngest son calls this "cookie ice cream" and he's right. It tastes just like creamy, frozen Biscoff cookies.

Biscoff Banana Split Ice Cream Sundaes was an idea that I just couldn't get out of my head.  I loved the bananas with the Biscoff in the Biscoff Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal, so I layered the ice cream with fresh bananas and hot fudge sauce and made myself one heck of an afternoon snack. Sometimes, I just LOVE nap times!

Biscoff "Cookie" Ice Cream
Yield: 6 servings
(printable recipe)

2 cups half and half (or 1 cup milk, plus 1 cup heavy cream)
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup Biscoff spread, melted and mostly cooled

Melt the Biscoff spread in a small glass dish in the microwave at medium power. This should take about 30-45 seconds. Do not overcook or it will burn. Let it cool for a few minutes. Whisk together all the ingredients until well combined and chill for at least a couple hours.

Pour into your ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Scoop straight from the machine for soft-serve ice cream or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for a firmer ice cream. Enjoy!

To assemble the sundaes, scoop ice cream into bowls and top with sliced bananas. Pour warm chocolate sauce over the ice cream and top with nuts, whipped cream or even drizzle with melted Biscoff if you desire!





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ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Fuji Apple Chicken Salad
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY: Grilled Peaches with Homemade Ice Cream