Nectarine Beso

 

We were having Mexican food (enchiladas) for dinner so I thought some tequila would be welcome! This drink is inspired from the recipe link below but I made a few significant changes. I even changed the name!

Here is the basic recipe:

Nectarine Beso

• 4 oz lime juice
• 2 ripe nectarines, cut into chunks
• 1.5 oz tequila
• 1 oz Triple Sec

Blend the nectarines and the lime juice until it is a smooth puree.

In a shaker, add 1 oz. of the nectarine puree to the remaining ingredients with ice. Shake. Strain the drink into a chilled glass and garnish with a nectarine slice.

Isn't it lovely when you have all of the ingredients on hand? I can't keep enough nectarines in this house for my little guy. And thanks to my sis and bro-in-law I have good tequila (yeah, still from Christmas. I am a slow drinker.)

This tastes like a nectarine margarita. Can't beat that!

Click here for the stolen (inspiring) recipe for Nectarine Kiss.

 

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Vanilla Ice Cream

I had to look back on all of the ice creams I've made (really, not too many) to see if I've ever made plain old vanilla ice cream. I hadn't! I thought this was a perfect time to get my feet wet with ice cream this season and soon enough I'll make the "fancier" kinds. I have my eye on a Tiramisu recipe...

This ice cream definitely does not disappoint. Look at those vanilla bean specks!

 

 

 

I always make the ice cream custard a few hours (or the night) before I want to churn the ice cream. It needs to be CHILLED before you attempt to churn it. It is just ideal. So I made the vanilla mixture last night and left the vanilla bean pod in the mixture. It got nice and happy overnight!

 

The flavor is amazing! I just snuck this small bowl of ice cream as a pick me up :) I have plans for the ice cream for tonight's dessert. I bought some rhubarb at the grocery store and it's just DYING to be made into Rhubarb Ginger Crumble, and then topped with this ice cream?? My husband is going to kiss me... twice!

The recipe is from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop. Most of the ice cream recipes I make are from this book. I love it. You just can't go wrong. I hope I run into DL in Paris. That'd be sweet!

Click here for the link to David Lebovitz's website and link for Vanilla Ice Cream.

 

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Best(ie) Banana Bread

 

 

This is my go-to banana bread recipe, probably because it is the easiest, one-bowl recipe. A friend gave this recipe to me. I don't have her permission to post the recipe (though I doubt it was her own) but we don't talk anymore and that's a shame.

As I was making this recipe it occurred to me that I've been baking a long time. I always say that I REALLY started cooking and baking when I moved in with Jim. I thought of cooking as MY responsibility or something I could contribute to the household. As I thought about it, while making this recipe, I really started baking in the late 90's for Ally McBeal.

Every Monday I would go over to this Bestie's house for the weekly TV show. She and her boyfriend/fiancee would provide a small group of us with a great dinner and I would bring the dessert. Cheesecakes, cakes, tarts. It was a small challenge every week to bake something in my quirky little apartment kitchen. (I miss that 60's fluorescent floral wallpaper!)

Well, that was a great little trip down memory lane. It just makes me sad now. Besties move on, I guess!

Best(ie) Banana Bread

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)- room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Combine well. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes. (I've found that it needs more time.)

 

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Omelette

Tonight's dinner: Omelette with sharp cheddar, canadian bacon, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and Sriracha sauce.

 

No recipe. Just plain cooking!

 

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Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

I must have a million pins on Pinterest, most of them cupcakes and delicious desserts though. I was really stumped the other day when I was planning my week's menu and what I can make that actually excited me.

I never really venture on to my "Salads" Pinterest board but summer is all about healthy vegetables and eating right, right? So I saw this salad recipe and it didn't look too bad!

My husband's verdict? "I'd make this again. I mean, I'd have YOU make this again."

 

I love all of these ingredients. I used canned corn (called for by the recipe) but only because sweet corn isn't too in season yet AND because I have a brand of corn that I really truly like. Delmonte's Summer Crisp. It is not like the others!

 

I didn't even mind this green leafy stuff. It gets covered in the creamy chipotle dressing and you can barely taste the healthy parts. :)

 

The best way I've found to make the precooked chicken is to wrap the breasts in a foil packet, baking at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes. I lightly salt and pepper it and it always comes out smelling divine. I made the chicken this morning and it made for easy assembly later.

I didn't even use all of the dressing and it was plenty. It was smoky and spicy, just a nice kick. The recipe is originally from Cooking Light and it says that it tastes just as great the next day. I have some fresh, dry lettuce leftover in case it's a wilted mess but I don't think we'll mind!

I didn't have taco bowls so I just spread a few tortilla chips on the bottom of each plate.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad.

 

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Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

I have two parties tomorrow that require treats. Okay, require is a strong word. I signed up to bring treats! That's a lot of baking so I thought I would make cookies. Cookies aren't that hard. Combine dry ingredients, cream butter and sugar(s), fold in other ingredients, bake. They are also fun to make.

The hard part is baking a dozen at a time, many times if you double a recipe like I did. But checking the oven every 10 or so minutes is fine by me.

And if you know me, you know that I adore coconut. This recipe has shredded coconut AND coconut oil. AND oatmeal. And double chocolate (cocoa powder and chips). YUM. I do admit that I'm not getting the full flavor effect... due to my glass of red wine that I've been sipping on... :)

 

So they don't look like my normal fancy cupcakes, but I'm hoping they are an unusual flavor combination and my "fans" won't be disappointed. There was a high expectation of "moist cupcakes" for one of the gatherings. That particular group of people are getting used to disappointment. Sad face.

Click here for the stolen recipe for Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

 

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Blackberry Pie Bars

I'm hoping that the treat recipient will love blackberries.

 

My friend Ann raved about this recipe and really we have so much in common that I knew that I would love this recipe too!

The top and bottom of the bars are a shortbread buttery goodness. There is a custard like filling full of fresh blackberries (and a few raspberries for added color and well, because I didn't have quite enough blackberries!)

I waited the minimum 60 minutes before digging into a piece. It was still warm and very moist. I think the filling will firm up even more and taste better chilled.

New recipes make me happy and this one didn't disappoint! I hope these are well received tomorrow :)

Click here for the stolen recipe for Blackberry Pie Bars.

 

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