Monday, August 30, 2010

Nathan's Burgers

I've said it a million times before but my husband knows his way around a grill. Chicken, ribs, pork chops, burgers... You name it and it is GOOD! These burgers are amazing and I stuffed myself silly trying to finish one. These burgers have sauteed onions, bacon, and melted muenster cheese. A-MAZ-ING!


Nathan's Burgers
Makes 4 1/4 lb burgers

1 lb ground beef
1 TBSP worcestershire sauce
1 TBSP water
1 egg
Flour mixed with chili powder, paprika, and pepper

Mix beef through egg together and form 4 patties. Coat patties with flour mixture. Set aside and make onion mixture.

Sauteed Onions
1 red onion, sliced into 1/4" rings
2 TBSP vegetable oil
3 TBSP butter
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Pinch of thyme
Black pepper
2 cloves garlic

In a cast iron skillet on the grill, saute onion in vegetable oil for about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook until onions darken and are soft.

Remove majority of onions and set aside. Cook burgers in cast iron skillet (leave onion juices in pan) 5-8 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and cook on grill until done.


Add sliced cheese, bacon, and onions. Enjoy!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Cheese and Chili Filled Bread


This is one of Nathan's favorite breads and it is one of my very first loaves that I ever made. I made this bread for a wives dinner when Nathan was deployed the first time back in 2003. I remember being so proud of it and I remember it being completely GONE in under 5 minutes. It is definately delicious!

If you are afraid of a little heat (like me!), please don't be afraid of this bread. The jalepeno gives it just a little heat and it isn't overpowering. I think mild sauce from Taco Bell is hot and I can eat this bread all day long... That should tell you something. :)

Enjoy!

Cheese and Chili Filled Bread
(I think the recipe is from Cooking Light, but it's been years, so I'm not 100% sure!)

2 3/4 cups bread flour, divided
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 cup very warm water (about 120-130 degrees)
1 TBSP olive oil
Cooking spray
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
3 TBSP minced jalepeno
3 TBSP minced green onions
1 TBSP olive oil
1/8 tsp black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg white
2 tsp water

Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in large bowl. Add 1 cup warm water and 1 TBSP oil; stir until well blended. Add 1 1/2 cups flour; stir until soft dough forms.

Turn out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes). Add enough remaining flour, 1 TBSP at a time, to prevent dough from sticking. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Punch dough down and roll into a 15x10 rectangle. Combine parsley through garlic. Spread over dough leaving a 1/2" border. Roll up tightly, starting at the long side, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets; pinch to seal.

Place roll, seam side down, on a large baking sheet (or in a loaf pan). But 1/4" slits along top. Cover and let rise 35 minutes or until doubled in size.

Combine egg white and water; brush over dough. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Cheesy Rice Pilaf


Rice... good. Cheese... good. Peas and peppers... good. Add them all together and you have one delicious side dish!

Enjoy!

Cheesy Rice Pilaf
Recipe from Salad in a Jar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow bell peppers
1 cup long-grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken stock (I make my own)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 pound Fontina or Mozzarella cheese, diced or grated

Melt butter on medium high heat in medium saucepan. Add chopped onions and bell peppers. Saute until soft but don’t let them brown, about 4 minutes. Add rice, salt, and bay leaf. Cook 1 minute. Stir in stock. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is soft, 15-20 minutes.

Add the peas, cover and continue simmering until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the cheese and parsley, and stir. Serve immediately.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Scone Nibbles

It's no secret that I love scones and I love miniature food. Why it took me so long to make mini scones, I will never know! I get the King Arthur Flour catalog and often tear out recipes to try. This was one of them and I LOVED these. Glaze or no glaze didn't really matter... these are delicious chocolate chip scones. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or really anytime!

Enjoy!


Scone Nibbles
King Arthur Flour

2 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1 to 2 cups of mini chocolate chips (I used regular)
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 to 2/3 cup half & half or milk

Glaze:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
7 TBSP water, enough to make a thin glaze
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk together all the dry ingredients; mix in butter until crumbly. Stir in chips.

In a seperate bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla, and 1/2 cup half & half. Stir the wet into the dry. Mix in more half & half if the dough seems dry.

Scrape the dough onto a well floured surface and pat into an 8" square. Cut into 16 2" squares, then cut each square in half to make 32 small triangles.

Transfer scones to parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.

Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool completely.

Mix glaze ingredients and coat scones. Place on a rack to set.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Rotini with Grilled Zucchini and Chicken


This may not be the most beautiful looking meal but it was one of the tastiest I have had! Something about the combination of grilled chicken, grilled zucchini, and pasta in a cheese sauce is amazing. We inhaled this dinner and next time we will double it because it was great cold, too!


Rotini with Grilled Zucchini and Chicken
Recipe slightly adapted from Eat at Home

1 box garden rotini
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
Olive oil
Seasoned salt
4 Tbs. butter
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 cups half & half, warmed
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup shredded provolone
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Fresh basil

Boil the pasta according to the package directions.

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with seasoned salt and grill till done, then slice. Brush the zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Grill for about 10 minutes. Cut the finished zucchini into bite sized pieces.

Melt the butter in a skillet. Cook the garlic in the butter for a minute or two. Whisk in the half & half and cook for a few minutes over medium heat. Add a pinch or two of seasoned salt. Stir in the cheeses and let them melt.

Mix the drained pasta, chicken, zucchini, tomatoes, basil and sauce together in a bowl and serve.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

SMS: Sweet Almond Cake and a Goodbye

I was VERY excited for this cake because it contains three of my favorite things... Almonds, lemon curd, and mascarpone. The cake itself contains ground almonds and I must say, I LOVED the cake. The layers are filled with homemade lemon curd and then the entire cake is frosted with a mascarpone frosting. Overall it was a great cake and I am glad I made it!

Thanks to Katie of Katiecakes for hosting this week. The recipe can be found at her blog.

Now for the sad part of this post... This will be my final SMS post. I have so enjoyed baking along with this group over the past 15 months but I am unable to give 100% to the group anymore. Even with cutting back to 2 TWD and 2 SMS recipes a month and scaling back the recipes (sometimes to an 8th of the recipe!), it is just too many sweets.

On top of all of that, I still have my Daring Baker commitment and my CIA homeschool list. Unfortunately, there isn't enough time to bake everything I want to bake or enough mouths to eat it all!

I still look forward to checking out what the SMS bakers are creating and thanks for a great ride!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

TWD: Oatmeal Breakfast Bread

This week's TWD is a delicious, somewhat healthy (or at least healthier than recipes made with butter!) quick bread. This recipe calls for applesauce, a few yummy spices (cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg), oats, and golden raisins. I thought it was incredibly good and I would definately make it again.

I am going to try and make the rounds to comment on the other breads today, but we are driving to Phoenix to spend 5 days with family before school starts next week. I am looking forward to relaxing by the pool, going to the aquarium, and just hanging out with family. Hope everyone has a great week!

Thanks to Natalie of Oven Love for hosting this week. The recipe can be found at her blog.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Mmmmm.... chocolate chip cookies in bar form. No scooping dough and baking multiple batches. Easy peasy and so delicious!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Recipe from Bakerella

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 lb. light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
11.5 ounce package milk chocolate chips

Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Spray a 9x13 pan and spread dough in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

SMS: Cherry Almond Granola

I heart granola. Give it to me plain, in a bowl with some milk, or on top of my yogurt. I just can't get enough! I loved this granola since it was full of almonds, dried cherries, and golden raisins. It was SO good! It calls for a variety of grains, but I just went with this from Bob's Red Mill to avoid having to buy multiple items.
Thanks to Wendy of Pink Stripes for hosting this week. The recipe can be found at her blog.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes

Here's your cinnamon roll in pancake form! Okay, so it won't replace that yummy, gooey cinnamon roll, but it is a delicious pancake! Plus, how cute is the cinnamon swirl?

Have a great weekend!

Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes
Recipe from Erin of Naturally Ella

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons cinnamon

Icing:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients except for cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine milk, eggs, and oil- whisk to combine and pour over dry ingredients. Begin to heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat.

Remove approximately 1/3 cup of batter and place in a separate bowl. Add in cinnamon and stir (you made need more or less cinnamon depending on the quality.) Place batter in a zip lock back and cut 1/4" tip off the bag.

Dip 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Right after scooping each pancake, take the zip lock back and squeeze a spiral into the pancake. Let pancake cook until small bubbles begin to form on the surface. Flip and continue to cook the pancake for 1-2 more minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Top with syrup or combine milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and create a simple icing for the pancakes.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

I know it is starting to seem like lately all I do is make desserts with the PB&Chocolate combo. While that may be true, this bar was actually made almost 2 months ago. *GASP* I know, I know. It happens. Recipes fall to the bottom of the draft folder and are forgotten.

I promise this was not forgotten because of taste. These were fantastic! A very grown-up rice krispie treat with a delicious peanut butter and chocolate filling and a chocolate topping. Yum, yum, and yum!


Peanut Butter Crispy Bars
Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

For the crispy crust:

1 ¾ cups crisped rice cereal
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the milk chocolate peanut butter layer:

5 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup creamy peanut butter

For the chocolate icing:

3 ounces dark chocolate (60% to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon light corn syrup
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

Make the crispy crust:

Lightly spray a paper towel with nonstick spray and use it to rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan

Put the cereal in a large bowl and set aside.

Pour ¼ cup water into a small saucepan. Gently add the sugar and corn syrup (do not let any sugar or syrup get on the sides of the pan) and use a small wooden spoon to stir the mixture until just combined. Put a candy thermometer in the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook until mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 235 degrees F.

Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, and pour the mixture over the cereal. Working quickly, stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, then pour it into the prepared pan. Using your hands, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides. Let the crust cool to room temperature while you make the next layer.

Make the milk chocolate peanut butter layer:

In a large nonreactive metal bowl, stir together the chocolate and the peanut butter.

Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for about 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. Put the pan n the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the top layer hardens.

Make the chocolate icing:

In a large nonreactive metal bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter.

Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for 30 seconds to cool slightly. and pour the mixture over the chilled milk chocolate peanut butter layer and spread into and even layer. Put the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until the topping hardens.

Cut into 9 squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for up to 4 days.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Breakfast Bruschetta

A few months ago Shelby from The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch held a brunch recipe contest and this was one of the winners. When I first saw it knew that I would have to try it. For whatever reason it got lost among the plethora of recipes I have saved and I forgot about it.

I found it a week or so ago and decided it would be the perfect "breakfast for dinner" meal. While this would be great for actual breakfast, I thought it worked perfectly for dinner. Then again, anything with spinach is great for us. The kids love fresh spinach and so do Nathan and I. This was so delicious!

Try it soon... don't let it get lost in your recipe file like I did! :)

Breakfast Bruschetta

3 whole English Muffins, split
2 c. fresh Spinach, cleaned
1 small tomato, diced
1/3 c. fresh Sweet Red Pepper, diced
4 Green Onions, chopped
1 clove of Garlic, minced
2-3 slices of bacon, crispy fried
3 eggs, scrambled
1 TBL EVOO, (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 c shredded Mozzarella cheese or any white cheese
Salt and freshly ground Pepper
Tad of Hot Hungarian Paprika, Basil or Tarragon

1. Break up the Crispy Bacon into 1/2" pieces
2. In a skillet heat the oil. Add spinach, bacon, garlic, sweet pepper, tomato, onions, Paprika and Tarragon or Basil and saute until spinach is wilted. Remove spinach mixture and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, scramble the eggs until just fluffy. Set aside.

To assemble the Breakfast Bruschetta:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the split muffins on the sheet.
2. Put 2-3 TBL of Spinach mix on each English Muffin
3. Place 2 TBL of Scrambled Eggs on top of Spinach.
4. Sprinkle with shredded Mozzarella
5. Pop the baking sheet under the Broiler until the cheese is melted, about 1-2 minutes.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

TWD & What's the Scoop?: Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream


Today we have a multi-purpose post. What's the Scoop? and TWD. This will be my final What's the Scoop? this summer. After 10 weeks of ice cream, we are ready for a break. Most of the ice cream recipes were scaled back to make a small pint, but still.... we need to stop for a bit!

This is a great ice cream to end with. It is chocolate ganache mixed in with a custard base. Definately one of the best chocolate ice creams I have ever had.

I have been on a chocolate and peanut butter kick lately and thought PB chips would be a great add in for this ice cream. Unfortunately, while it wasn't bad, it wasn't the perfect mix in. This is the PERFECT chocolate base for Rocky Road. The whole time I was eating it I was wishing I had mixed him marshmallows. Oh well... maybe next time!

Thanks to Katrina of Baking & Boys for hosting this week. The recipe can be found at her blog or you can buy Baking:From My Home to Yours because you will want all the recipes! :)

Monday, August 9, 2010

Root Beer BBQ Chicken

One of the things we love about living in El Paso is being able to grill year round. Nathan loves to grill and does it a few times a week. I usually mix up the marinades/sauces and he cooks all the food. We make a good team and he is a grill master. Everything is always so moist and cooked perfectly.

This root beer chicken is fantastic! The chicken is marinated in a mustard/root beer mixture and then is basted with a root beer BBQ sauce during cooking. It was so fantastic! We will definately be making this one again!

Root Beer BBQ Chicken
Recipe from Prudence Pennywise

2 cans root beer, divided use
1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce
1/2 cup Dijon mustard, plus 1/4 cup more for marinade
brown sugar, if needed
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken (I used thighs)
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 tablespoon each paprika and garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a small saucepan, boil one can root beer until thick and syrupy, about 30 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup each smoky barbecue sauce and 1/2 cup Dijon. Taste this sauce and add brown sugar if the sauce needs a little sweetness. (Notes: you should have plenty of extra sauce for dipping-just reserve half of it before spreading it on the chicken.)

Meanwhile, smear chicken with Dijon. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder; drizzle with olive oil. Place in zip top bag. Pour root beer over chicken, cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Grill or broil chicken  until outside is nicely browned and inside is no longer pink. Baste with BBQ sauce while cooking.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Dorie's Lemon Tart with Blueberry Topping

If you didn't already know that Dorie Greenspan is the queen of all baking, consider yourself told. :) This woman just keeps knocking recipes out of the ballpark. And her tarts? Oh... my... word! When I hosted for TWD back in May, I chose the Classic Berry Tart and fell in love. It is probably one of my favorite Dorie recipes of all time. Enter this amazing lemon tart (TWD made this before I joined the group) and I am now confused because it is so incredibly delicious!

The lemon filling is so creamy and so lemony and so good. This tart was fantastic plain but I couldn't resist adding some blueberries to a few slices. Lemons and blueberries are a match made in heaven.

I really hope you'll give this tart a try because you won't be disappointed!


The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart
Dorie Greenspan

1 9-inch tart shell, fully baked and cooled (recipe below)

1 cup sugar
finely grated zest of 3 lemons
4 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 4 to 5 lemons)
2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into tablespoon-sized pieces

Getting Ready: Have an instant-read thermometer, a strainer and a blender (first choice) or food processor at hand. Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan.

Put the sugar and zest in a large heatproof bowl that can be set over the pan of simmering water. Off the heat, rub the sugar and zest together between your fingers until the sugar is moist, grainy and very aromatic. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the lemon juice.

Set the bowl over the pan, and start stirring with the whisk as soon as the mixture feels tepid to the touch. Cook the lemon cream until it reaches 180 degrees F. As you whisk—you must whisk constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling—you’ll see that the cream will start out light and foamy, then the bubbles will get bigger, and then, as it gets closer to 180 degrees F, it will start to thicken and the whisk will leave tracks. Heads up at this point—the tracks mean the cream is almost ready. Don’t stop whisking or checking the temperature, and have patience—depending on how much heat you’re giving the cream, getting to temp can take as long as 10 minutes.

As soon as it reaches 180 degrees F, remove the cream from the heat and strain it into the container of the blender (or food processor); discard the zest. Let the cream stand, stirring occasionally, until it cools to 140 degrees F, about 10 minutes.

Turn the blender to high (or turn on the processor) and, with the machine going, add the butter about 5 pieces at a time. Scrape down the sides of the container as needed as you incorporate the butter. Once the butter is in, keep the machine going—to get the perfect light, airy texture of lemon-cream dreams, you must continue to blend the cream for another 3 minutes. If your machine protests and gets a bit too hot, work in 1-minute intervals, giving the machine a little rest between beats.

Pour the cream into a container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to create an airtight seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. (The cream will keep in the fridge for 4 days and, or tightly sealed, in the freezer for up to 2 months; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.)

When you are ready to assemble the tart, just whisk the cream to loosen it and spoon it into the tart shell. Serve the tart, or refrigerate until needed.

Sweet Tart Dough

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon (9 tablespoons)
very cold (or frozen) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk

Put the flour, confectioners’ sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Scatter the pieces of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is coarsely cut in—you should have some pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and some the size of peas. Stir the yolk, just to break it up, and add it a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. When the egg is in, process in long pulses—about 10 seconds each—until the dough, which will look granular soon after the egg is added, forms clumps and curds. Just before you reach this stage, the sound of the machine working the dough will change—heads up. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and, very lightly and sparingly, knead the dough just to incorporate any dry ingredients that might have escaped mixing.

To press the dough into the pan: Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the pan, using all but one little piece of dough, which you should save in the refrigerator to patch any cracks after the crust is baked. Don’t be too heavy-handed—press the crust in so that the edges of the pieces cling to one another, but not so hard that the crust loses its crumbly texture. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, before baking.

To bake the crust: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter the shiny side of a piece of aluminum foil and fit the foil, buttered side down, tightly against the crust. (Since you froze the crust, you can bake it without weights.) Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the foil. If the crust has puffed, press it down gently with the back of a spoon. For a partially baked crust, patch the crust if necessary, then transfer the crust to a cooling rack (keep it in its pan).

To fully bake the crust: Bake for another 8 minutes or so, or until it is firm and golden brown. (I dislike lightly baked crusts, so I often keep the crust in the oven just a little longer. If you do that, just make sure to keep a close eye on the crust’s progress—it can go from golden to way too dark in a flash.) Transfer the tart pan to a rack and cool the crust to room temperature before filling.


Blueberry Topping

1 cup fresh blueberries, divided
1/4 cup sugar
2 TBSP water
1 tsp lemon juice

Combine 1/2 cup blueberries, sugar, and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until berries pop. Remove from heat and strain out syrup; stir in lemon juice (discard cooked berries). Pour syrup over remaining 1/2 cup berries. Serve over tart.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

I won't go on and on about my love for pork tenderloin. I say it so much that I am becoming a little like a broken record. I will say here is another fantastic pork tenderloin recipe that my hubby so sweetly grilled up for dinner. Delicious, delicious, delicious!

Pork Tenderloin
Smoky Mountain Cafe

2 TBSP grill seasoning
2 TBSP honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Drizzle of vegetable oil
Pork tenderloin

Combine marinade ingredients and place in ziploc bag with meat. Marinate for at least an hour. Grill until cooked through.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

What's the Scoop? - Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

Strawberry ice cream is definately one of my favorites and it is Anya's hands down favorite ice cream. Whenever we go out for ice cream, Anya always gets strawberry. A few days ago, my best friend and her girls were visiting and it was her daughter's fifth birthday. The birthday girl requested strawberry ice cream and I was more than happy to fill her request!

I have made strawberry ice cream before using Ben & Jerry's recipe and I loved it (as I have loved most of their recipes!). However, I was really wanting to try something new and this strawberry sour cream recipe from David Lebovitz (which I saw posted by Eliana from A Chica Bakes) was calling out to me. It is the creamiest ice cream EVER. I love the slight tang the sour cream gives it and the strawberries really stand out. The added bonus is that it is an egg free recipe, so no worries about raw eggs or having to make a custard base. Easy peasy and super delicious!

Enjoy!

Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream
David Lebovitz

1 pound (450 g) fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 tablespoon vodka or kirsch (I omitted this)
1 cup (240 g) sour cream
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Slice the strawberries and toss them in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch, stirring until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring every so often.

Pulse the strawberries and their liquid with the sour cream, heavy cream and lemon juice in a blender or food processor until almost smooth but still slightly chunky.
Refrigerate for 1 hour, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

TWD: Gingered Carrot Cookies

I love pretty much any and all baked goods that include carrots. Carrot cake, carrot muffins, carrot cookies... it doesn't matter. Just pass the carrots!

These cookies were phenomenal! They are full of delicious spices, raisins, and carrots. These are definately a cookie that I will make again!

Thanks to Natalia of gatti fili e farina for hosting this week. The recipe (which you know you want!) can be found at her blog.

Related Posts with Thumbnails