Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies

 Speaking of man food (were we? yes), here is the smoky, crunchy, salty, sweet snack they've all been waiting for (and some of us girls, too.)  I just about died when I saw these in Joy's book - so awesome and up my alley!  I've got to remember to make these for the school bake sale next fall - they're like breakfast, lunch, and dessert in a sugar-coated cookie package.  Absolutely perfect.

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies (print recipe)
Makes about 2 dozen

8 slices bacon
1 cup all-natural peanut butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp molasses
1 large egg
1 tsp baking soda
Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted, salted peanuts

1.  Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place bacon slices in a single layer.  Bake bacon until cooked through and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.  Remove from oven (keep oven on), let cool slightly, then transfer to paper towels to cool completely.  When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the bacon and set aside.

2.  Line a clean cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

3.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the peanut butter, 1 cup of the sugar, and the molasses until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg, baking soda, and nutmeg, and mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes.

4.  Remove the paddle attachment and the bowl and use a wooden spoon to fold in the bacon and peanuts.  Roll the dough into large walnut-sized balls and roll in the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar.  Place on lined cookie sheet, and use a fork to make that distinctive peanut butter cookie crisscross pattern.  If the cookie dough begins to stick to the fork, dip it in sugar before pressing into cookie.  Dough will be a little crumbly, just press together with your fingers as necessary.

5.  Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned.  Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Cookies will be crumbly and delicious!  Cookies will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe from Joy the Baker by Joy Wilson

1 year ago:  Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
2 years ago:  Cinnamon Swirl Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Butter
3 years ago:  Strawberry Flip Cookies 

Mint Chocolate Popcorn

I hope you have already had the distinct pleasure of encountering those pink-and-white peppermint marshmallows they sell around Christmastime.  They make seriously delightful rice crispy treats, add minty fun-lovin' to a mug of chocolate, and, at least at our house, are very persuasive when it comes to bribes.

 This year, I actually flipped the bag over, to discover an intriguing and super easy recipe for peppermint chocolate popcorn, which we immediately made and took to a big post-Thanksgiving family party.  Dang good, people.  Tiny bit of salt, lots of marshmallow and chocolate, with the trademark crispy crunch you always want from a popcorn snack.  When melted with chocolate, I have to say, the mallow mint is very subtle, but with a dash of peppermint extract, equilibrium is restored.

Mint Chocolate Popcorn (print recipe)
Makes about 12 cups

1/2 tsp salt, divided
12 cups warm air popped popcorn
4 oz. semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup unsalted butter
40 Jet-Puffed Mini Peppermint Mallows
1/4 to 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, optional

1.  Heat oven to 275 degrees.  Sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt over popcorn in a large bowl; toss to coat.  Set aside.

2.  Melt chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan on low heat, stirring frequently.  Add marshmallows; stir until completely melted.  Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/4 tsp salt and peppermint extract, if using.

3.  Pour chocolate over popcorn; toss to coat well.  Spread onto a greased baking sheets.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crisp, stirring after 15 minutes.  Cool on wax paper.  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe from the back of the peppermint marshmallow bag

 

1 year ago:  Sticky Toffee Pudding

2 years ago:  City Bakery Apple-Raspberry Upside-Down Cake

3 years ago:  Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

Orange & Coriander Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blackberry Swirl

Here is the insanely good, truly deserving winner of Dessert Club - Herbs & Spices night.

Orange and Coriander Cheesecake Ice Cream with Blackberry Swirl (print recipe)

Coriander Cheesecake Ice Cream:
1 1/2 teaspoons ground roasted coriander
3/4 cup whole milk
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
8 oz crème frâiche
3/4 cup sugar

Combine the coriander and milk in a small sauce pan. Bring to a light simmer, turn off the heat, and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes.

In the food processor or blender, pulse the cream cheese, crème frâiche, sugar, and milk together until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. 

Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream:
2/3 cup sugar 

Peel of 3 oranges (peel oranges with vegetable peeler and scrape the pith off with a paring knife) 

1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (from 4 or 5 large oranges) 

1 cup sour cream 

1/2 cup half-and-half

In a blender, pulverize the sugar and orange peel until the peel/zest is fine. Add the orange juice, sour cream, and half-and-half and blend until the sugar is completely dissolved. Chill at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. 

Blackberry Sauce:
2 cups (16 oz) blackberries
3/4 cups sugar

Place blackberries and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat, mashing with a potato masher when they are really soft. Simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Strain the fruit and juices in a fine mesh sieve until most of the liquid is separated. Put the solids into a blender and blend to make a thick sauce. If you don't want seeds (I didn't) put back through sieve into a separate bowl. Add back the liquid to the solids until it is about the consistency of melted sorbet (I still had about a half cup of the liquids left that I didn't use - which was great on pancakes).  Cool completely if it's not already, then chill for at least 1 hour.

To Assemble:
Churn the coriander ice cream in your machine according to manufacturers instructions. When it is finished, transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer. Strain out the zest from the orange creamsicle ice cream then churn in your machine according to manufacturers instructions until it is the consistency of soft serve. If you have two ice cream makers you can churn both flavors at the same time, just make the coriander as thick as you can get but leave the orange just a little soft. 

To swirl both flavors with the sauce, gently fold scoops of coriander ice cream into the orange ice cream. Then scoop BIG scoops, a few at a time, of the two flavors together into a large airtight container and pour blackberry sauce over to cover, then more scoops and more sauce, repeating until all ice cream and sauce is used. Cover with plastic wrap and container lid then freeze until solid.

Adapted from cannellevanille.com and The Perfect Scoop via feltandhoney.com
by Dessert Club member S.W.

1 year ago:  Cranberry Cream Pie
2 years ago:  Marmalade Nut Brownies
3 years ago:  Chocolate-Pumpkin Marble Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Strawberry Lemonade

Alrighty. How are you liking LEMONADE WEEK? It's time to talk a little lemonade, shall we?

How do you like it? Mouth-puckering tart? Sugary-sweet? Fizzy? Frozen? Speaking of, go back and remember my Mint Lemonade from last summer. Man that stuff is good; worth a revisit.

Have you noticed lemonades popping up more on menus? I mean things you drive by. McDonald's, for example, has a new "Frozen Strawberry Lemonade." Have you tried it? I had to, you know, for research. Grody. Artificial-tasting, very strong, very sour. A friend of mine thought the same thing. She thought it might have been flukey - how can something that sounds so good taste so bad? - so she tried it again when visiting another state. Same badness. That's three data points so you know it's reliable.

On the other hand, Wendy's has a new Wild Berry Lemonade that is super good. Very refreshing. Thumbs up.

I know Cafe Rio is not nationwide yet, but it's big in Utah and we recently got a couple out this way. I have to say, I don't love the food. But next to their self-serve soda spigots are three or four kinds of fresh lemonade that are to die for. Worth the trip just for them. I can't remember the others because I was hook-line-sinker addicted to a combo of southwest lemonade (which contains something floral/herbal - hibiscus?) and mint lemonade after one sip. Seriously, I would drive the hour just for the drink!!!

But when I don't have an hour, I'm still OK because there is a Starbucks on every single corner in Arlington. (Don't believe me? Watch this.) Maybe every other corner. And my very favorite summer beverage (that I don't make myself) is Starbucks' Passion Tea Lemonade. Oh, thrill of my taste buds, there are no words for the refreshment thou hast brought me, summer after summer!

Sooo...how do you lemonade?

Oh, yes. There is a recipe in this post. Straight-up fresh strawberry lemonade. Not pretend strawberry lemonade like some places make. Very delicious, and you can make it thick or thin, depending on how thoroughly you choose to strain the berry puree. Just be warned! The seeds sink to the bottom so careful about sipping them all up through a straw. I wish I'd had a video camera...
Strawberry Lemonade (print recipe)
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 6 lemons) plus 1 lemon, sliced, for serving
1 pound strawberries (3 cups), hulled and halved
16 ounces seltzer, chilled
Mint sprigs, for serving

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water and sugar to a boil over medium-high. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, 2 minutes. Transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate until cool, about 45 minutes. Add lemon juice and stir to combine.

2. In a blender, puree strawberries until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into pitcher with lemon syrup, pressing on solids. Stir well to combine.

3. To serve, stir in seltzer and divide among ice-filled glasses. Top with lemon slices and mint. Serves 4 to 6

Recipe from Everyday Food, June 2011

Lemongrass Sorbet

It's always exciting to buy an ingredient I've never used before - in this case, lemongrass. It is indeed long and grass-like and I found it near the cilantro and other fresh herbs at my market.

As you may know, lemongrass is commonly used in Asian cooking, and it's appropriately named for the herbal-citrus essence it lends. To this sorbet, it brings a slightly citronella tinge, but I mean that in a great way - you will in no way feel you are eating a candle! Promise! It is a completely fresh and refreshing take on a classic, and if you chose to muddle it in a tall glass with a little bit of seltzer or Sprite, well, then you have got some awesome frozen lemongrassade.
Lemongrass Sorbet (print recipe)
Lemongrass Syrup:
8 stalks lemongrass
6 T sugar
6 T water

Sorbet:
1 1/4 cups water
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 T sugar, or to taste

1. Bruise the lemongrass stalks by crushing them under the flat side of a chef's knife - this will release their flavor. Cut the bruised stalks into 2-inch pieces.

2. Combine the lemongrass, sugar and water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the syrup is slightly thickened (almost the texture of warm honey), about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely. When cool, strain the syrup and discard the lemongrass.

3. Combine the water and lemon juice in a bowl. Slowly stir in the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until the liquid is sweet, but slightly tart. Stir in the cooled, strained syrup and taste. The mixture should be quite sweet - if not, add a little more sugar, keeping in mind that freezing will dull the sweetness of the sorbet. Chill the mixture for at least 1 hour, then churn in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to a freezer container, cover the surface directly with waxed paper or foil and freeze for at least 4 hours. Makes 2 1/2 cups

Recipe from Ice Cream! Delicious ice creams for all occasions by Pippa Cuthbert & Lindsay Cameron Wilson

Blueberry Lemonade with Ginger and Basil

About a month ago The Washington Post FOOD section (the main reason I subscribe) did a feature on blueberries. They wrote about two local blueberry growers, one organic, one not - their entire life stories plus all the details of their garden/farm/plot? What is a big blueberry patch called? Anyway, as always, it was a mouthwatering article (here, if you want to read it) that ended in a number of totally creative blueberry recipes - like Blueberry Fritters with Honey Cream and Summer Couscous Pudding with Blueberries.

And this lemonade.

Which I made immediately, especially since we had just gone blueberry picking. And which I made again for Dessert Club. And with which I have decided to start LEMONADE WEEK!

It is AMAZING. If you like the contributing flavors. Because you can taste each one. So if you're not an herbal person maybe it's not for you. But for those with a more sophisticated palette, like myself of course, this is about the most refreshing thing you could toss back in the heat of summer. After you blend up the hot base, remove the lid and hold your face over the concoction - breathe deeply for an herbal sinus cleanse and facial steam. Then after you add the lemon juice and water, chill thoroughly, at least overnight, for the most delicious purple beverage you could ever hope to drink. Then you can die happy.Blueberry Lemonade with Ginger and Basil
1 pint blueberries, stemmed and rinsed, plus more for optional garnish
1 cup sugar or sweetener of your choice
1 cup plus 1 quart water
1/2 cup basil leaves, packed, plus more for optional garnish
Two-inch piece peeled ginger root, cut crosswise into thin slices
Finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 3 or 4 lemons

1. Combine the blueberries, sugar and 1 cup of the water in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the berries just begin to burst.

2. Transfer to the blender*, along with the basil, ginger and lemon zest. Puree until smooth, then strain into a pitcher, pushing on the solids with a rubber spatula to extract all of the liquid. Discard the solids.

3. Add the remaining quart of water and the lemon juice to the base mixture. Serve over ice. Garnish with blueberries and basil leaves, if desired.

*Careful! Blending hot liquid may literally cause the blender to blow its top. If your lid has a removable center, take it out and loosely hold a paper towel over the hole so steam can escape but it doesn't splatter. If not, leave the whole lid off and do the paper towel thing.

Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream

Well this recipe is pretty much the hit of my summer. There are few flavors more summery than toasted marshmallow. And this ice cream honestly captures that flavor - because that's what it is! You basically toast a whole bag of marshmallows, puree them with a vanilla custard base, and churn it in your ice cream machine. Voila!

And it goes without saying (but I'm gonna say it), the s'mores variation possibilities are pretty much endless. Pour on fudge sauce and sprinkle with graham crumbs. Serve on chocolate pie with graham crust. Sandwich between chocolate cookies and roll in graham crumbs. Or sandwich in graham crackers and dip in chocolate - wouldn't that be pretty? How about a s'mores parfait? S'mores milkshake? Oh my. It all sounds so sugary I need a potato chip. I mean a carrot. But you - what you need is this ice cream. So put your machine bowl in the freezer and marshmallows on the list - you are making this tonight!

Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream

10 ounces marshmallows
2 cups skim milk
1 cup heavy cream
5 egg yolks
scant 1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean (split in half and scraped)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt

There are two options for toasting the marshmallows in the kitchen. You can use a broiler (not recommended) or use a torch (recommended). I don't have a torch so I used the broiler. You just have to watch them seriously carefully, and the browning will be uneven. But you can make it work.

Broiler method:

Move one of the shelves in your oven to the highest possible position and preheat the broiler at high for a few minutes. Meanwhile, line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat and spread the marshmallows over the pan in a single layer. Place the pan directly under the broiler and watching closely, let them start to brown. Seriously, for me it was like 12 seconds. Do not take your eyes off them. Once they start to toast remove and place in the refrigerator to cool completely. Then flip each marshmallow over and toast the other side. If the marshmallows start to expand too much make sure to remove them before they hit the heating element. My element browned them unevenly so I ended up kind of shifting the pan around every few seconds with the door open to toast them as well as I could.

Torch method:

Spread the marshmallows out in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment or a silicon mat (recommended). Light the torch and begin toasting the marshmallows. If the marshmallows catch fire, blow them out, careful not to blow on the torch and mindful that you’re holding something that could burn down your house. You’ll need to rotate the marshmallows to toast every side. Be careful because the marshmallows can get very hot!

Making the ice cream base

Transfer the toasted marshmallows to the blender. Put the milk and the vanilla bean and scrapings in a heavy bottomed pan and turn the heat to medium. Stir regularly bring the milk up to a light simmer (it should be steaming, but not boiling much). While the milk warms up, put the egg yolks, sugar, and salt into a bowl and whisk together vigorously until the mixture is pale yellow.

Once the milk is hot, remove the vanilla bean and add about 1/4 cup of the milk to the egg yolk mixture while stirring. Once the milk and eggs are well mixed, add a little more hot milk and mix again. You’re gently warming the eggs so that you don’t end up with creamy scrambled eggs. Then pour the yolk/milk mixture into the milk in the pan and start stirring gently, but constantly. Allow the mixture to heat back up to steaming, but make sure that the mixture doesn’t boil. The mixture should thicken up to about the consistency of heavy cream. Take it off the heat and stir vigorously for about 3 minutes to cool slightly and then pour into the blender with the marshmallows.

Cover the blender and run it for about a minute to mix well and then allow the mixture to sit for a couple of minutes (this helps the remaining marshmallow chunks to start breaking down. Unless you want chunks, which I think is pretty good). Run the blender again for about a minute and then add the vanilla and the cold cream and run the blender for about 30 seconds more. Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover, and place in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. Right before churning in your favorite ice cream maker, whisk the ice cream mixture to thoroughly blend everything together. Churn in your ice cream maker and then allow the ice cream to ripen (freezer harden) in the freezer for at least two hours.

Recipe from RoastingRambler.com

Sweet Cherry Granita

Granita (noun): A cold treat created from sugar, liquid, and flavorings - frozen or semi-frozen, then scraped or shaved to create an icy crystalline texture. Related to the American snow cone but the ice is more like flakes than pellets. And it's Italian so it's more chic.

Totally great on a hot day. Totally popular at our house. I could barely get a few pictures taken.Cherry pitting is a tedious task but we made it a family affair. And we found out the hard way that it's best to double check that your pitter has done a good job before you whiz them in the food processor. It's not that fun picking out pit bits.

But in the end, the granita was so, so delicious and I'm glad we used fresh cherries. Truly fabulous with a little cream, and of course a cherry, on top.Sweet Cherry Granita (print recipe)
2 pounds cherries, stemmed and pitted -OR- 3 bags (12 ounces each) frozen cherries, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
1 T fresh lemon juice
Whipped cream or mascarpone cheese, optional, for serving

1. In a blender or food processor, puree cherries, sugar and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish. Freeze 6 hours, scraping with a fork every hour* (mixture should be icy and fluffy.)

2. To serve, scoop 1/2 cup granita into serving dishes and top with a small dollop of whipped cream or mascarpone cheese. Serve immediately. Makes 12 servings

*After the first several scrapings, this can be wrapped and frozen for up to 1 week; scrape again before serving.
Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine, June 2011

Watermelon-Jalapeño Popsicles

It was a real toss-up whether to make these or the Peach-Vanilla Cream Pops for FROZEN night. These were the last frozen treat I was making before I made my final decision. As soon as I tasted the tantalizing heat and summer-drenched sweetness of this concoction, I knew I had my pop.

I made little sample-sizesr for Dessert Club in an ice cube tray. An easy way is to fill the wells, lay plastic wrap on top and stick your toothpicks or popsicle sticks through to hold them up straight. Mostly.The jalapeño's seeds are removed, but even so these are "too spicy" for my kids - depends on their tolerance. One friend at Dessert Club "does not do jalapeños." So these weren't for her. I would say I have a medium heat threshold, and I LOVED these - add the seeds if you're a heat-seeker.

Why pectin? It's a clever little popsicle ingredient - in this case it keeps all the other ingredients incorporated evenly; without it, they would separate. You can get liquid pectin at your grocery store by other canning supplies - at mine it is with the Gladware and plastic wrap. In some, near the baking supplies. It is usually a small box of 2 or 3 mylar pouches.

As far as summer treats go, this is about as healthy, easy and satisfying as it gets. Each 3-ounce pop has only 76 calories and 0.1 grams of fat. And it has that magical property of satisfying both sweet and savory cravings, which for this late-night snacker is like pink gold. Watermelon-Jalapeño Popsicles (print recipe)
3 cups fresh watermelon cubes, chilled
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 T light-colored corn syrup
1 T liquid pectin
1 large jalapeño pepper, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 tsp grated lime rind

In a blender or food processor, combine watermelon, sugar, lime juice, corn syrup, pectin and jalepeño. Process until pureed. Stir in lime rind. Pour into 8 (3-ounce) ice pop molds. Freeze at least 6 hours or until firm.

Recipe from Cooking Light, June 2011

Russian Cream

So here is Dessert Club's winner for May. If you were to read the recipe without tasting it, you might wonder, "Really? There's nothing to it." And maybe that's the beauty of it - cream, sour cream, sugar, vanilla. And gelatin to give it form. So it's basically the most comforting comfort food ever - CREAM! - in a cool elegant presentation. Seriously, we all simply loved it. And you will, too.
Russian Cream (print recipe)
1 cup water

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 envelopes Knox gelatin

3 cups sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups whipping cream (unwhipped)

In a saucepan, mix gelatin and sugar. Add water and mix well. Let stand for 5 minutes. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour in whipping cream. Mix sour cream and vanilla together. Whisk into whipping cream mixture until no lumps remain. Put mix into bowl or mold that has been sprayed with PAM. Cover and chill well in refrigerator until firm--overnight. Unmold (a tip from my mom was to put a steaming hot towl on the mold that has been turned onto a plate). Serve with fresh berries or berry puree.

Recipe from Dessert Club member A. M.'s Mom

Salted Peanut Bars

It was Teacher Appreciation Week at my daughter's preschool and I was looking for something kid-easy we could whip up for her teacher. These were a sure bet, with only three ingredients (all of which are yummy to snitch while making.)

These look a bit peanut-brittley but they are nice and soft. Not gooey, but definitely elastic. Take a bite and pull your arm full length almost before it stops stretching. The fabulously marshmallowy chewy texture, with the rich caramel flavor and crunchy salty peanuts is a sure bet anytime. Isn't it Self-Appreciation Week?
Salted Peanut Bars (print recipe)
Nonstick cooking spray
2 1/4 cups coarsely chopped roasted salted peanuts
50 store-bought soft caramel squares, unwrapped (about 14 oz.)
1 cup mini marshmallows

1. Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhand on all sides, then lightly coat parchment with spray. Cover paper with 1 1/4 cups peanuts.

2. In a medium pot, combine 1 T water, caramels and marshmallows over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until caramels and marshmallows melt and mixture is smooth, about 8 minutes. Immediately pour over peanuts, then top with remaining 1 cup peanuts. Let cool until set, about 2 hours, then cut into 16 bars. (Store in an airtight container with parchment in between layers, up to 2 days. Longer than that, they will start to spread and lose shape.)

Recipe from Everyday Food

Fresh Citrus Granita with Yogurt

Is your weather warming up yet? We have had a few warm days, and while I dread the looming misery that is summer in Virginia, I am thoroughly enjoying the perfection of spring. Warm enough to play outside, no bugs yet, you can go for a walk without steaming in your own clothes.

The other night we ate dinner al fresco, with this sweet, light treat for dessert. It came from Jamie's 30-Minute Meals, which, as you know, I got in the Best Package Ever. I wasn't sure if the girls would go for it - it's not pudding, not ice cream, not popsicles. Kinda rustic-sophisticated. But they really loved it and, if I remember right, licked their bowls clean.

I thought about saving this for summer, but why hold back? If we're having it, you should have it, too. Though it will be great to whip up on July nights when I just can't bear to turn on the oven.

Fresh Citrus Granita with Yogurt (print recipe)
1 bag or tray of ice cubes
3 or 4 sprigs of fresh mint
1 lemon
1 lime
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar, to taste
1 pink grapefruit
2 to 3 cups plain, vanilla or lemon yogurt
Raspberries and/or extra mint sprigs, to garnish

1. Half-fill the food processor with ice cubes. Add the leaves from 3 or 4 mint sprigs. Finely grate in the zest of the lemon and the lime and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, then leave to blitz to a sort of snow. While processing, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated or caster sugar and squeeze in the juice of the lemon and lime. Once the mixture is like snow, spread it over a serving platter or 8x8 pan and put it in the freezer for 20 minutes to an hour.

2. Take the platter or pan out of the freezer. Use a fork to fluff up the ice and squeeze over the juice of the pink grapefruit. Serve with yogurt and raspberries. Delicious!Recipe from Jamie's 30-Minute Meals by Jamie Oliver

Gateau Sans Rival

Here is the amazing winner of Dessert Club Internationale. Dessert Club member CC got the recipe from a friend that makes it every Christmas. "I always can't wait for her holiday party so I can gobble this up!" It was equally sans rival at Dessert Club, winning with a landslide 5 votes.

From City Muse - "It means "without equal". Sans Rival is a type of mille feuille or cake napoleon with alternating layers of meringue, buttercream icing and ground nuts. Biting into this flourless cake is a combination of crunchy, creamy, chewy goodness. Pure decadence." Even though it has a French name, it comes to us from the Philippines, probably via Spain.Gateau Sans Rival
Meringue:

5 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups chopped cashews (I added a bit of Kosher salt to the cashews)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar gradually. Add cashews and vanilla. Spread thin on well-greased pan in the size you want for layers (at least 4 layers). (I usually line a baking sheet with foil, and butter well before spreading each layers.) Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.

Filling:
2/3 cup sugar
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup water (less 1 tablespoon)
1/2 lb butter

Boil sugar and water until it spins into threads. Beat egg yolks well. Pour sugar into yolks and continue beating. Allow to cool. Cream butter, then add egg mixture a little at a time, creaming all the while. Spread layers and sides of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

(The meringue layers are really fragile, but if a layer cracks while you work with it, you can just use that layer in the middle. Served the same day you make it, the meringue stays crunchy. If you serve it the next day, the meringue and filling have had a chance to meld flavors, which is better, but the meringue isn't as crunchy anymore. I use a serrated knife to cut it, since a regular knife will just crush the meringue layers as you try and cut it. If it stays out of the refrigerator too long, the filling will become really soft and the butter might start to separate.)

Mini Frittatas

I understand these are borderline baking. They are actually gluten-and-other-baking-stuff-free, but they were made in muffin tins so I'm posting them.

Made these for a brunch recently and they were fabulous little single-servings of ham-and-eggs. Totally easy and so delicious. Although the original recipe did not call for any seasoning, not even salt and pepper, so I amended that. Mrs. Dash is my favorite seasoning on eggs, along with a bit of seasoned salt, but do whatever you like best. So cute and easy!

Mini Frittatas

6 slices deli ham

1 T vegetable oil

1 small potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (that is pretty small)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

Mrs. Dash and seasoned salt, to taste

8 large eggs

6 T milk

1. Preheat oven to 375. Mist a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Cut each slice of ham in half and press one piece into each cup.

2. Warm oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook potato, stirring, until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and Mrs. Dash, and divide among muffin cups.

3. In a large measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk and a bit more seasoned salt and Mrs. Dash. Pour egg mixture into muffin cups so each one is about half full (I made mine a bit fuller; the mixture sinks in.) Bake until eggs are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Let stand on a wire cooking rack for 5 minutes. Remove frittatas from muffin tin and serve warm, or let cool completely and serve at room temperature.

We served them with fresh biscuits, cream-cheese-stuffed strawberries, fruit salad and virgin mimosas (OJ and ginger ale.)

Recipe from All You, April 2010

Lemon Ice Cream (YUMMY)

This recipe comes from my friend Julia and it's like the lemon version of that amazing Strawberry Buttermilk Sherbet. My Mom was over for lunch the other day and we had it for dessert; she called it "Lemon Creamsicle" which it exactly would be if I'd frozen it in pops instead of a Tupperware. Wow, which would be AWESOME. This ice cream is so fresh and sweet, truly just what I needed in this peak heat of neverending August.

Lemon Ice Cream

2/3 to 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (depending on the potency of the lemons, which is completely subjective - I used somewhere between these measurements)
2 cups sugar

4 cups (1 quart) half-and-half

Stir these three ingredients together until sugar is somewhat dissolved. Pour into electric ice cream machine and churn, churn, churn. Place in plastic container in freezer to freeze completely.

Recipe from Julia M.

Kiwi Pops

How do you describe the taste of a kiwi? No idea. But you know they're good. And intriguing. I love the taste and texture of a perfectly ripe kiwi, and those teeny crisp black seeds make them oh-so-exotic!

But they are an oft-overlooked fruit. Which is why I was thuh-rilled to find a popsicle all to themselves. OK, so there's lime juice in there. And sugar, of course. But it's just for support and doesn't overwhelm. We served these up at a playdate at our house, and all five kids age 3 to 5 ate them up. Three cheers for fruit in any form! Especially this one.

Kiwi Pops

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 cups sliced kiwis, with or without peel (that's right!)

3/4 cup fresh lime juice

1. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water and the sugar. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or longer to cool.

2. Combine the kiwis and lime juice in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.

3. Add the sugar water and 1 1/2 cups cold water to the kiwi mixture and process again to combine.

4. Pour the mixture into your pop molds. Insert the sticks. Freeze for at least 6 hours.

5. Remove from the freezer; let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before removing the pops from the molds. Makes six 8-oz or eight 6-oz pops

Variations

Kiwi & Strawberry Pops: Reduce the kiwi to 2 cups. Add 1 cup strawberries in step 2. Add an additional 1/2 cup sliced strawberries to the molds in step 4.

Kiwi & Pineapple Pops: Reduce the kiwi to 2 cups. Replace the water with pineapple juice. Add 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks to the molds in step 4.

Recipe from POPS! Icy Treats for Everyone by Krystina Castella

Root Beer Float Pops

Does anything say "carefree summer," or if you went to BYU, "low-budget refreshments" better than a root beer float? Gotta love 'em. Well these pops are just what they say they are: frozen root beer floats in popsicle molds. Just a slightly more portable, slightly less spillable, version for the kiddos. Plus I had to try out my new swirly molds. Absolutely perfect for your next FHE.

Beware the foam, though! You know the foam. Well the foam is too bubbly to freeze solid. So to cut it down you must carefully lower the ice cream into the root beer and scoop any foam that does form off the top. Not a huge hassle but it really must be done.

Obviously this popsicle has a million variations - replace the root beer with pretty much any soda, like orange, birch beer, cream soda, etc. Or replace it with lemon-lime soda or ginger ale and then replace the ice cream with any sherbet, yum. Now go forth and FLOAT!

Root Beer Float Pops

4 cups root beer (about 3 cans)

6 or 8 maraschino cherries, stemmed

2 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream

1. Pour cold root beer into a pitcher and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes. This will make it very cold and reduce the ice cream melt factor.

2. Put a cherry in each mold. Pour some root beer into each mold until half full.

3. Gently lower a small scoop of ice cream into each pop mold so it is about 3/4 full.

4. Slowly add more root beer until the molds are full. Scoop off the foam with a spoon. Freeze for at least 6 hours.

5. Remove from the freezer; let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before removing the pops from the molds.

Recipe from POPS! Icy Treats for Everyone by Krystina Castella

Makes six 8-oz pops or eight 6-oz pops

Firecracker Pops

A dessert with blueberries, strawberries and something white and creamy is a natural choice for the 4th of July. There are parfaits and trifles, shortcakes and sundaes, and of course the ubiquitous flag cake (although, wow, check out this flag cake - I've never seen anything like it.)

This summer I have invested in new popsicle molds. Three different sets, in fact, and I plan to use them. Which means you will be getting popsicles. They are -

1 - quick

2 - easy

3 - not hot

- all requirements for me to get anything made these days. Plus kid-friendly. And, while hardly a requirement on the VGP, it's always nice to find something low in fat (0.6g) and calories (59). My girls love how these look like firecrackers exploding (minus the loud noise.)

Firecracker Pops
1/2 lb strawberries, hulled and quartered (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup sugar, divided
1/2 lb blueberries (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 cups low-fat plain yogurt (I used vanilla)

1. In a food processor, puree strawberries with 1 T sugar. Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out processor.

2. In processor, puree blueberries with 1 T sugar. In another small bowl, whisk together yogurt and 2 T sugar.

3. Pour the three mixtures, alternating into, into ten 3-ounce ice-pop molds, making 3 to 5 layers each. With a skewer or thin-bladed knife, swirl mixtures together in an up-and-down motion. Insert ice-pop sticks and freeze until solid, 2 1/2 to 3 hours (up to 1 week.)

Recipe from Everyday Food, July/Aug 2010

Lime-Coconut Granita

What is granita? It is a frozen dessert with a coarse/icy texture. Think snow-cone but think sophisticated Italian snow-cone. Think sophisticated Italian dessert that's simple to make, low-fat and totally refreshing in the summer heat.

This one is particularly delicious because it has that heavenly combination of lime and coconut, a theme I promise you will be seeing more of from me this summer. Ice cream machines and popsicle molds are not the only way to make fresh frozen treats. For this one, you just mix the ingredients, heat just enough to dissolve the sugar, then freeze solid in a pan. Anyone, of any culinary skill level, with any size kitchen, can make it. Once frozen, you scrape it with a fork into icy fluff and eat fast before it melts. With something that tastes this good, that shouldn't be a problem.Lime-Coconut Granita
2 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup sugar

1 T grated lime rind

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 4-6 limes)

1/2 cup light coconut milk

1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool completely.

2. Pour mixture into an 11x7-inch baking dish. Cover and freeze for 8 hours or until firm. Remove mixture from freezer and let stand 10 minutes. Scrape entire mixture with a fork until fluffy. Serve immediately. Makes 8 - 1/2 cup servings

Recipe from Cooking Light, May 2008

Mint Lemonade

Whoo-ee, it's gettin' hot! The days of steaming in my own clothes are back, and as I watch my children's cheeks grow pink, then fuschia, then maroon as they play outside, all I can think of is something tall, sweet and VERY COLD to drink. Some baking is still taking place, but these days I have my mind more on the freezer than the oven, and this drink is the perfect answer to my hot, sticky, sweaty family.

I like my lemonade sweet. Luckily, unlike baking, drink recipes have lots and lots of wiggle room. The measurements here are what I like, but obviously adjust the sweet-tart-intensity to suit yourself. It's also nice if you have a mint source. It grows like a freaking weed and yet those of us without gardens still pay $2.99 for a little package at the grocery store. Unjust.

Mint Lemonade
1 cup sugar
20 fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 5 to 6 lemons)
16 ice cubes, plus more for the glasses
1 liter seltzer (I used lime flavor), chilled
Lemon wedges or mint leaves for garnish

1. In a blender or food processor, blend the sugar and mint leaves on high for several seconds. Add the lemon juice and blend again. Add the ice cubes and blend again, until most of the ice is crushed.

2. Pour lemon mixture into a 2-quart pitcher. Add the seltzer and stir. Pour into glasses over ice and garnish with lemon or mint.

Recipe from David Younce