Short but Sweet May 17, 2013

I planned a longer post this week, but it just isn’t going to work out that way.  Still, I didn’t want to leave you without a post this week.  Our schedules have been different than usual this week, but it’s all been very good.  I’ve made some really great recipes that I can’t wait to share with you, but for this week, we’ll stick with just last week’s pizza night and a refreshing drink for you to enjoy as the weather’s heating up.

Last week’s pizza is going to be a favorite of ours for a long time to come: Thai Chicken Pizza.  I was inspired to make this after reading about it on a favorite food blog: Dainty Chef.  I’ve mentioned it before, but her blog is filled with tasty food that is affordable and approachable.  This pizza just sounded amazing, and I’m so glad we got to it soon.  For our version, we topped the pizza with sweet chili sauce, shredded chicken (cooked of course), zucchini, and mozzarella.  Then, when it came out, we sprinkled on some chopped peanuts, cilantro, and basil and drizzled on some sriracha sauce.  Let me tell you, the flavors were incredible.  It was a little spicy, but very fresh and flavorful.  (In case you’re wondering, I’m not doing recipes for the pizza because it’s all about customization for you and your family.  I don’t measure any of the ingredients, I just put on however much looks good to me.)

We’ve gotten lots of great produce lately, and I am loving the chance to use it in new recipes.  I used 1/2 of a pineapple to whip up 1/2 a batch of this delicious agua fresca (enough for 2 tall glasses).  Agua frescas (Spanish for fresh waters) are refreshing drinks that come in all sorts of delicious flavors.  This one has a yummy, light pineapple taste with just a hint of ginger.  If this recipe is any indication, they are quick to make and perfect for a hot summer day.

Pineapple-Ginger Agua Fresca (from the July 2010 issue of Bon Appetit)

5 c. peeled, cored, cut in 1 in. cubes pineapple

4 c. water

1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp. peeled, grated ginger

1. Puree the pineapple, 1 c. water, and sugar in batches in the blender til smooth.  (Since I was doing a half batch, I just used my immersion blender on all the pineapple, water, and sugar at once.)  Mix in the remaining 3 c. water (if you didn’t already) and ginger.  Cover and chill til cold, about 4 hr.  Strain the liquid into a pitcher, pressing down on the solids (to release as much juice as possible).  If you’d like, you can add more ginger (to taste) and serve it over ice.

  (Hubby didn’t like the floaties, but I didn’t mind them.  They’re just bits of pineapple and ginger.)

Well, that’s all I can say today, but I’ll be back as soon as I can with tons of yummy recipes.  Have a great weekend!

Deal Update, New Tradition, and Yummy Food May 9, 2013

Let’s start with a deal update and some new deals.  Last week, I posted about Haagen-Dazs’s upcoming free cone day.  Since that post they’ve released some information about the time.  It will be held from 4-8 PM, so if there’s a scoop shop near you, I hope you get to stop by.  I’ve also heard about another deal involving cold and creamy treats.  Sonic has brought back their summer of shakes deal: after 8 PM, shakes are half off. They’ve also brought back 99 cent snacks during their regular happy hour (2-4 PM).  Apparently they’re trying to fatten us all up for the winter.  

In case you didn’t already know, my husband is wildly crazy about pizza.  Though I’m content to have it once every few months, he would happily eat it a few times a week.  He’ll also take it any way he can get it: frozen, take-out, gourmet, or homemade.  I’m not a fan of frozen, ok with take-out and gourmet, but usually very excited about homemade.  For whatever reason, it’s taken me this long to realize that we should have a weekly pizza night.  I’ve been seeing lots of different pizza flavors across the blogosphere, and thought it would be fun to do our own take on some of them.  My bread-maker will make enough dough for 2 pizzas in about an hour and a half, so if we’re not having friends over, I can just freeze half of the dough for the next week.  Then I just have to flatten it, top it, and let it cook for about 20 minutes.  We started this past week, and I was very pleased with the results.  It was an easy dinner, and the hubby was very pleased.  This past week, we did a taco pizza.  Once the dough was in the right shape, I topped it with salsa (for sauce), cheddar (Mexican blend cheese would’ve been great, but we just had cheddar.), black beans, corn, hot sauce, some mole chicken (from a recipe that you’ll hear about eventually), and more cheddar.  When it came out of the oven, I sprinkled it with some diced avocado and let it sit for a few minutes.  When it was just a little cooler, we cut it and dug in.  For our first foray into pizza night, I’d say it was a big success.  Our bellies got happily full, the hubby’s pizza craving was taken care of (for now), and I didn’t have to do much work for dinner.  What more can you ask for?

 

As for this week’s yummy food, I’ve got so much to share I wasn’t sure where to start.  I finally decided to give you the recipes for a tasty breakfast, a frozen treat, and a seasonal cookie.

Let’s start with a tasty breakfast treat.  I’m sure you’ve noticed that I love pancakes, and I LOVE peanut butter, so it was only a matter of time before I put them together.  These pancakes are really tasty, though a little on the dry side.  The first time I had them, I smeared them with my favorite strawberry jelly.  Because  of how dry they were and the fact that there’s not much sugar in them, they responded better to being doused in syrup.  If I’d had strawberries on hand when I made these, I would’ve made my favorite strawberry sauce which would’ve been the best of both worlds.

Peanut Butter Pancakes (from the March 2000 Cooking Light)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

6 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. chunky peanut butter (I only had creamy on hand, but it still worked out very well.)

1 tbsp. veggie oil

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 lightly beaten eggs

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir til smooth.

2.  Spoon the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle and cook til brown on both sides.

My frozen treat was another test for the Meyer lemons I had on hand.  Though I liked the flavor, I would like it just as much with regular lemons.   These come together quickly and are great to have on hand as the weather gets warmer.  This is one of the few recipes that I’m not sure where I found it; if you know where it comes from, please let me know so I can properly credit it.

Creamy Lemon Popsicles (source unknown)

1/2 c. lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon (My zest was in short, thin strips, but I really didn’t like the feeling of it when eating the popsicle.  Next time I’ll either make sure it grates into even smaller pieces, or I’ll pulse it with the sugar in a food processor so that both will mix better with the other ingredients.)

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. whipping cream

1/3 c. sugar

1. Mix all the ingredients together til the sugar dissolves.  Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.  (I got 4 popsicles, but it will just depend on the size of your molds.)

 

My last treat for today is a cookie recipe that will help you dispose of some of those yummy strawberries hiding out in your fridge.  They are the delicious and incredibly moist strawberry-shortcake cookies.  These are very similar to the peach drop cookies I made last year.  They have a great strawberry flavor and are incredibly moist (If you have some that are going to be eaten the next day, it’s probably best to leave them out in the air; otherwise they get really soft and almost mushy.), though I thought they needed more sugar.  (I think it’s because my strawberries weren’t very sweet.)  I fixed that by topping mine with a simple confectioner’s sugar glaze.  Although I wanted them sweeter, my husband ate them without any complaints and one of his co-workers also happily devoured them sans glaze.  I’d say leave them as is and make a glaze on the side for those who are craving a sweeter taste.  These are really a cross between a cookie and a shortcake; even the way they’re made is similar to biscuits.

Strawberry-Shortcake Cookies (From the June 2009 issue of Martha Stewart Living)

12 oz. hulled, diced strawberries

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 c. + 1 tbsp. sugar

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

6 tbsp. cold, diced butter

2/3 c. heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tbsp. sugar.  In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar (about 7 tbsp.).  Cut in the butter til the mix resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in the cream til the dough starts to come together, then stir in the strawberry mix.

2. Using a tbsp. drop the dough onto parchment lined baking sheets.  (I used my cookie scoop and only got 2 dozen cookies.)  Sprinkle the cookies with some extra sugar (if desired) and bake til golden brown, 24-25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

I hope you’ve been having a good week.  Mine’s been a little crazy, but good.  Stay cool and come back soon for more delicious treats.

April’s Adventures May 2, 2013

I look forward to these posts all month long.  I love posting about yummy food and working on my photography skills, but since I save up these tidbits for so long, by the time I get to share them, I’m fairly bursting with excitement.  As I go about my regular schedule, I’m trying to remember things I love that I haven’t yet gotten around to sharing with you.  Some of those will definitely be in today’s post.  First up, though, are some recent deals that you may not have heard of.

Haagen-Dazs has announced that May 14 is going to be their free cone day.  They haven’t said if there’s a time period, but I’m sure you could contact your local shop for more information.

Also, Starbucks is kicking off summer by bringing back their Frappuccino Happy Hour.  From 5/3-5/12 from 3-5 PM, you can get frappuccinos for half off (yay!).  We’ve had a couple hot days recently (although we’ve also had hail and chilly temps), so I hope we’ll have more warm weather that will give me a reason to cool off with a frappe.  I’m also really hoping that they bring the coconut frappes back soon, since they’re my hands-down favorites.

One of my new/old favorite things is shopping at Old Navy.  Of course, lots of people shop there during high school and college, and until recently, the last time I’d been probably was in college.  A couple of months ago, my best friend and I wandered in to browse while we waited for another shop to open.  I was very surprised by what we found.  Old Navy has really done a makeover on their image.  Though they still carry great stuff for teens and young adults, there are also casual options for those of us who aren’t so young anymore. (I got a shirt similar to this on sale for less than $10.) They’ve also added some really chic and affordable jewelry.  If you’re looking for casual clothes and fun accessories, then you’ll definitely want to keep them in mind.  (Oh, and they have frequent sales and lots of clearance.)

Another great place for chic, cheap, and fun items is everyone’s favorite store: Target.  Besides being filled with fun, stylish items at great prices, I absolutely adore Target’s dollar section.  Though other stores are trying to copy this, Target’s is the best.  Obviously, not everything is great quality, but you can get some great finds.  Over the years, I’ve gotten plates, measuring cups and spoons, and organizational items, and a lot more that I can’t remember right now.  You can also find good deals on food (chocolate-filled panda cookies), gift wrapping items (gift wrap, cellophane bags, ribbons, etc.), kid’s toys (That can be used for prizes or party favors, and you won’t feel bad if they get lost or broken.), note pads, cards (blank and thank-yous), holiday decor, and so many other things.  Though you won’t always find something, it’s always worth a look (at least in my book).

Now, this past month’s new produce to try was Meyer lemon.  I used them in different recipes, tasted them plain, and finally got a good handle on their flavor.  Surprisingly, I prefer regular lemons to Meyers.  Though Meyer lemons aren’t quite as tart as a regular lemon, they have a more floral or perfume-y smell and taste that isn’t my first choice.  It’s nice, but I prefer the tart, bright zing from a plain lemon.

Now, I haven’t done quite as well on my goal of trying new foods.  I wanted to focus on grains, but I’ve run into a problem.  For the most part, it’s warm outside now, and I just don’t feel like hot cereal.  If you’ve got any idea about other types of new food that I could try for not too much money, I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Another new thing that I’ve gotten to try is a new card game called Quao (cow).  I got this for the hubby for his birthday, and we had a hilarious time playing it with our friends.  It’s somewhat similar to Quelf, but different enough that it wouldn’t be redundant to have both in your arsenal.  The point of the game is that Quao is the supreme dictator, and everyone must obey her rules – even if they don’t know what they are.  You”ll play 4 rounds with a (potentially) different quao each time.  The person playing the quao is responsible for enforcing the rules (known and unknown) and is the only person who gets to know what the secret rule is.  Each player is trying to discard all their cards, which may result in you saying silly things or acting out a little (hence the similarities to Quelf).  The other Quelf similarity is having rules that you follow or risk incurring a penalty of picking up more cards.  If you want a hilarious time with your friends, check it out!

The last thing I wanted to share was my most recent, successful craft project: I turned a bar of soap into a gallon of liquid hand soap!  I followed this awesome tutorial, and it turned out great, even though I made some big mistakes.  (I had a 7 oz. bar, not 8 oz., yet I still poured in a gallon of water.  I also misread the amount of glycerin needed, so I put in 2 tsp., not 2 tbsp.)  Obviously, it’s pretty hard to mess this up.  In case you’re wondering, my new hand soap smells like orange and honey.

I hope you’re having a great week.  Stop by and let me know some of your old and new favorite things.

Can’t Wait Any Longer April 23, 2013

Well, it wasn’t my intention to miss a post, but that’s just how it worked out.  We spent last weekend celebrating the hubby’s birthday, and then I spent this past week catching up.  That means that I’ve spent 2 weeks dying to share all sorts of tidbits with you.  Here’s the first one.

The day of my last post, my sweet hubby came home with this:

  A piping hot, deliciously tart lemon pie from Whataburger!  Isn’t he the best?

So what if you want a hot treat, but you’re in the mood for something salty?  Well, you could go to the mall and get a hot, salty pretzel.  One of our favorite pretzel stores, Pretzelmaker, recently sent me an e-mail saying that this coming Friday (April 26) is National Pretzel Day.  According to the e-mail, you can tell them a joke or say “National Pretzel Day” to receive a free soft pretzel (while supplies last).

Do you ever get tired of leftovers?  Generally, I’m happy to eat leftovers without any changes, but sometimes I need to work a little kitchen magic.  The hubby and I picked up some boneless fried chicken pieces Sunday night for dinner.  I sent most of the leftovers to work with him, but there were a few pieces left for my lunch.  For some reason, I didn’t feel like dipping it in ranch.  It occurred to me to drizzle it with honey, but I also didn’t want it too sweet.  I decided to concoct my own spicy honey glaze, and let me tell you, it was incredible.  I mixed together 3 tbsp. of honey, 2 tsp. of Sriracha, and the juice of a blood orange.  It was sweet with a nice, little burn, and I absolutely devoured the chicken once it was drizzled with this.  If you don’t want as much spice, but you still don’t want it really sweet, I would suggest subbing something like soy sauce in the place of the Sriracha.  Whatever you feel like doing, just be sure that you taste it before you cover your food in it.  By the way, has anybody else noticed that when you eat something spicy it takes less food to fill you up?

 

The last two things I wanted to tell you about were the amazing desserts we had for my hubby’s birthday.  He’s not the biggest fan of cake, so he requested peanut butter brownie cupcakes.  These are super simple and always delicious.

Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes (from Food Network)

1 box of brownie mix (or make your own go-to recipe – whatever you prefer)

24 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups

Eggs and oil called for on the brownie box

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper liners.  (Or just grease the muffin cups.)  Prepare the brownie mix for cake-like brownies (usually calls for an extra egg).  Fill the muffin cups half full with batter, then press 1 peanut butter cup into each muffin tin til the batter comes to the top of the peanut butter cup.  (Don’t press too far or they might stick to the pan.)

2. Bake the brownies for 18-20 minutes or til the cupcakes are set.  When the brownies are cool, remove them from the muffin tin and let cool on wire racks.

It’s this last recipe that I’m really obsessed with.  It is one of the most delicious ice creams I’ve ever tasted or made.  Imagine this, a creamy peanut butter ice cream that’s studded with chopped peanuts, chopped chocolate, and a buttery caramel.  Yum!!  Let me tell you, this disappeared VERY quickly from my freezer.  Surprisingly, you can be satisfied with just  a little bit because the flavor is so rich.  Though this recipe comes from the very reputable Serious Eats, I did have some problems with it. The first was that even though I followed their directions for making the caramel, it did not turn out.  It still tasted like caramel, but had a very watery consistency.  Their directions weren’t very specific, so next time I’ll just make one of my tried and true caramel recipes.  If you don’t even want to bother with that, I’m sure you could also use store bought caramel sauce.  Also, when I stirred in the nuts and chocolate, they sank to the bottom of the container.  This didn’t really affect the taste, but you had to be sure and dig to the bottom if you wanted the goodies. (I’ve put suggestions for a fix in the recipe.)  The only other bad thing about this recipe is that you have to plan ahead.  Putting together the cream is quick, but you’ll still need 3 hours for it to chill and another 8 hours for the churned ice cream to harden.  Still, it’s worth all of the time.  Also, the ice cream would be pretty awesome on its own; it’s got a great peanut butter flavor.

Snickers Ice Cream (from Serious Eats)

Ice Cream:

2 3/4 c. half and half

1 c. peanut butter

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Caramel: (skip if you’re using your own recipe or store bought)

1/2 c. sugar

4 tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. cream

Add-ins:

2 oz. finely chopped, chilled dark chocolate (I suggest using a really good brand.  I used Hershey’s, but it wasn’t quite as good as I’d hoped.)

1/2-3/4 c. chilled, roasted, unsalted peanuts (I’d stick to 1/2 c. since, to me, the caramel and ice cream were the best parts and extra peanuts just get in the way.)

1.  In a blender (or with my handy dandy immersion blender), combine the ice cream ingredients til smooth.  Transfer the cream to an airtight container and chill 3 hours or til very cold.  Once cold, chill according to manufacturer’s instructions.

2. While the ice cream is churning, heat the 1/2 c. sugar in a heavy sauce pan with just enough water to moisten.  Cook on high til the sugar melts and caramelizes, rotating the pan occasionally.  When the sugar turns dark amber and smells slightly smoky, stir in the butter til fully incorporated, then add the salt and cream.  (The caramel will bubble up and steam.)

3. When the ice cream is done churning, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and quickly fold in the chocolate and peanuts with a large spatula.  Then pour in the warm caramel sauce, folding quickly and constantly to distribute it in an even, thread-like swirl.  Transfer to a freezer to firm up for several hours.  (Again, this did not work for me.  Next time, I plan to dump the add-ins into the ice cream maker when it’s almost done churning.  That way the ice cream maker distributes it all for me.  You could also mix it like they direct, but then stir it after it’s been in the freezer a couple of hours.  By then it should be firm enough to hold the add-ins suspended throughout.  If you get to it before me, I’d love to hear how it turns out.)

I hope you’ve enjoyed these delicious ideas.  I’ll be back soon with some more!

Strawberries, Slow-Cooker, and Steak April 9, 2013

Before we get to talking about savory dinner options, I had to make a small confession/recommendation.  Is there a dessert that you find very hard to turn down?  I’m not usually swayed by cakes or cookies, but I find it very hard to resist the siren song of a fried hand pie.  You know what I’m talking about, right?  A crisp, outer layer that shatters when you bite into it, revealing a warm, sweet filling that keeps you coming back for more.  Please tell me I’m not the only one that feels this way.  Apples are a bit mundane, and I can usually forego them.  But I have problems resisting when you start throwing out flavors like lemon (Whataburger, you tempter!) or McDonald’s new, limited edition Strawberry and Creme pie.  This is definitely worth a small detour to McD’s.  The crust is crisp and the filling is delicious!  There’s a sweet cream mix on one side and a warm strawberry filling on the other.  This is definitely something I hope they bring back every year, because I am loving it!

Okay, I’m done drooling, and I’m ready to share some savory dishes with you.  This first one is a great slow-cooker recipe that I plan to use (and tweak) often.  The recipe is pretty basic because it just makes meat and sauce.  Next time, I plan to throw in some fresh veggies to sop up more of that yummy sauce.  This was super easy and was really great to come home to.  I also love that you probably have all of these ingredients on hand right now.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken (from the Table for Two blog)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used boneless, skinless breasts.)

1 c. honey (BTW, this is a LOT of honey, almost a full bear’s worth.  If you plan to make this often, and I do, I suggest buying some bulk honey from your local club store.)

1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 c. ketchup

2 tbsp. veggie oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 c. diced onion

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and season it with salt and pepper.  (I’m a no-fuss gal, so I chopped mine before it went in.)  In a medium bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook on low 3-4 hours or high 1 1/2-2 hours.

2. When the chicken’s done cooking, remove it from the pot and cut it into chunks.  In a small bowl, combine some cornstarch and water (Julie recommended starting with 1 tbsp. cornstarch and 4 tbsp. water.  Mine didn’t thicken as much as I wanted, so I might double that next time.) and whisk it into the sauce.  Put the chicken back in the sauce and stir to coat.  Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

I also wanted to share a steak recipe that recently made my hubby very happy.  The key to this recipe isn’t so much the specific steak as it is the sauce.  I’m by no means a pro at cooking steak, and I’m fairly certain that I overcooked ours.  Still, my husband didn’t notice because he was too busy devouring the sauce-coated steak.  We served ours with some simple roasted asparagus and leftover corn casserole.  This is a quick and easy dinner to whip up and the sauce could really be used to top any protein.  Enjoy!

Smothered Sirloin Steak in Parmesan-Peppercorn Sauce (tweaked from Kraft)

1/2 c. Kraft light zesty Italian dressing

1 lb. well-trimmed beef sirloin steak (I had a completely different type of steak – I forget what type – that worked fine.)

1/3 c. sour cream

4 1/2 tsp. grated Parmesan

1/4-1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 c. thinly sliced onions

1. Pour 1/4 c. dressing over the steak in a Ziploc bag.  Seal the bag and turn to coat.  Let marinate at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.  In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, 2 tbsp. dressing, Parmesan, and pepper.  Refrigerate the sauce til you’re ready to serve.

2.  Heat 2 tbsp. dressing in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook them 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently, til golden brown.  Remove the onions and set them aside.

3. Drain the steak and discard the marinade.  Cook the steak in the skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side (for medium doneness).  Place the steak on a cutting board and slice it crosswise into thin strips.  Serve the steak topped with the sauce and onions.

I hope you’re getting inspiration and will come back and share what you’ve made and enjoyed.  Have a great week!

Food Deals, New Food, and Entertainment April 2, 2013

I’ve pretty much decided that the first blog post of the month will be a roundup of finds from the previous month.  On blogs that I read, I really enjoy whenever they do a post about things they’re excited about or new products (beauty, home, food, fashion and more) that they’ve tried.  I plan to do the same sort of post, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.

Let’s start with a couple of food deals that I wanted you to be aware of.  Firstly, it’s that time of year – time for Ben & Jerry’s free cone day.  I’ve never lived close enough to a B&J that I could go, but I’ve always heard great things (if you’re willing to wait in a line).   This year, Free Cone Day is on April 9 from 12PM-8PM.  You can go to their website to get more info and make sure that your local scoop shop is participating.  If you make it through the line, I’d love to know what flavor you chose.  If I could go, I’d want to try their new candy bar pie flavor. (Peanut butter, fudge, nougat, and pretzels = party in your mouth!)

I also recently got an e-mail from Taco Bell (Yes, I live in TX, and, yes, I still like the occasional taco bell run – although it’s really hard to find a good one around here.) saying that they are instituting a happier hour (think Sonic).  Theirs is supposed to be from 2PM-5PM and offers $1 loaded grillers, freezes, sparklers, and medium drinks.  They haven’t said if this is something they’re just trying out or if it’s going to be a permanent feature.  You can go here for some info, or you can just go enjoy it while it lasts.  The next time I make a Taco Bell run I want to try the pina colada freeze.  (Don’t worry, there is NO alcohol, just great pineapple and coconut flavor.)  What peaks your interest?

Do you remember when new TV shows only started twice a year, and summer was always just re-runs of what you’d already seen?  Now it seems like new shows are starting all the time.  A couple of weeks ago, I started watching a new show, and I’m enjoying it so much, I had to share.  (I even got the hubby hooked on it.)  It’s called Treasure Detectives and airs Tuesdays on CNBC at 9PM ET.  The show is about a group of investigators who use technology and experience to determine whether or not someone’s “treasure” is real or a forgery.  They work with a lot of different techniques, and I think it’s pretty cool to watch.  You can get check here to see when it airs in your area.

The hubby and I also recently watched a movie that was much funnier than I originally thought it would be: Rise of the Guardians.  I really hadn’t seen anything in the previews that made me want to watch it.  When the hubby suggested it, I didn’t mind the idea of seeing it; I just wasn’t really interested, that is, until it started.  The idea is that Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and the Sandman protect children from the Boogey Man who’s been banished for years.  When the Boogey Man returns stronger than ever, they need assistance from a reluctant new guardian, Jack Frost.  Though the story seems average enough, what I really enjoyed were the characters with their funny personalities and one-liners.  While it’s not a blockbuster epic, it’s certainly a fun movie to watch and get some laughs from.  (The sandman and the yeti are my favorites!)  Check out the trailer here, and then enjoy it when you want a fun family evening.

Of course I couldn’t give you a newsy post without talking about new food that I’ve tried.  Here’s what happened last month.  After using just the zest for my cookies, I decided to try eating one of my blood oranges.  I’d tried a sample in a store that was very tart, so I was a little trepidatious.  To my delight, I found that blood oranges are just like regular oranges: some are tart, and others are sweet.  The only real difference that I could detect is their beautiful red color.  What this means for me is that I probably won’t buy blood oranges unless they’re equivalent in price to regular oranges.   Unless I specifically need a gorgeous red or pink fruit dish, I’ll just go with whatever’s cheapest (though I do still think they’re strikingly beautiful).

I also tried some amaranth for the first time this month.  It’s a teeny little grain that strongly reminded me of quinoa.  It looks a lot like quinoa, and seemed (to me) to taste and feel the same.  It is a little different in that you don’t have to rinse it and it needs a little more water and time to cook (2 1/2:1 water to grain ratio and closer to 25 minutes).  I, as usual, had mine for breakfast and thought it tasted fine.  I swirled some chocolate and peanut butter into mine, so it was a little darker than when they it was first cooked.

  It kind of looks like little bubbles!

I also got to try Haagen-Dazs’s amazing new peanut butter pie flavor.  Haagen-Dazs really seems to have a knack for doing peanut butter flavors amazingly; their chocolate peanut butter is to die for and one of my favorite of their flavors.  This one is peanut butter ice cream with a peanut butter swirl, and some chocolate cookie pieces.  It is just incredible, and I suggest you go find it while you can. (It’s a limited edition flavor.  I wish they would re-issue some of their limited editions.  I had the the sticky toffee pudding when it came out years ago, and I still crave it.)

The last thing I wanted to tell you about was a most amazing dinner that the girls and I had in Austin a couple of weeks ago.  We’d gone to Ikea to celebrate a birthday (because who doesn’t want an excuse to go to Ikea?), and were looking for a place to go to dinner.  It was a bit late and we didn’t want to travel far.  We also wanted to try something new and different.  They looked on their phones and found two exotic restaurants nearby: a dim sum restaurant and an Indian restaurant named Tarka.  They know I’m a gigantic fan of Indian food, so we decided to try out the Indian restaurant. (I may love Indian food, but I’d never actually been to an Indian restaurant.)  Oh my goodness that was a great and horrible decision.  It was a great decision because we all stuffed ourselves silly with an incredible meal, but it was a horrible decision because we’re now craving a restaurant that’s at least 45 minutes away.  (Tarka, please open a San Antonio branch!!)  We all decided to get a different starter and entree so that we could taste each other’s food.  (By the way, we were too busy eating to take picture.  Hopefully next time!)  Before I tell you about the food, let me tell you how the restaurant works.  It’s similar to Panera in that you order from a counter and seat yourself at one of their tables.  With most of the entrees, you can pick which protein you want and the heat level you’re comfortable with – we were all pretty happy with a medium heat level.  They will bring the food out to you and bus your table afterwards, but you are responsible for getting your own drink, napkins, extra flavorings, etc.  Some other bonuses were that the restaurant was very clean, and all the food came out piping hot.  One of my friends got vegetable samosas (crisp and very flavorful with a great dipping sauce) and lamb biryani (came out already mixed with the basmati rice and was -again- very flavorful).  My other friend got the regular naan (delicious, though hers came out a little black on the bottom) and the chicken coconut curry (delicious but not something I would order something because of the number of potatoes in it).  Each of us was really pleased with our own meals, and I definitely preferred mine.  I ordered the garlic naan (amazing!) and an entree that I’d never heard of before that just sounded amazing. (I was really trying to step outside my comfort zone.)  It was called dhingri mattar paneer and is described as button mushrooms, paneer cheese, and green peas simmered in an onion curry with a touch of tomato sauce and cream.   It was just perfect.  The paneer cheese has a funny texture if you eat it by itself, but in this dish it lends a creamy little burst to each bites.  Both this and my friend’s curry were served in a bowl with a little mound of basmati rice on a plate on the side.  We were all very full at the end of our meal and decided on a game plan for our next visit.  Next to the soda fountain, they stock takeout containers (They’re like chinese takeout boxes with only half the depth.) with the napkins and sweeteners. We finished all of our entree, but only a little of our rice.  Next time we’ll get a takeout box at the beginning and put in half of our rice and entree right away.  Then we’ll have 2 meals for the price of one.  By the way, the prices were very reasonable for the quality and amount of food that we were served (less than $15 for drink, starter, and entree).

So that’s the news for March!  I hope you enjoyed it.  If you’ve got a great find that you’d love to share, I would love to hear about it and maybe try it (and blog about it) myself.  Just come back and leave a comment.

Belated Birthday Sweets March 26, 2013

One of my best friends had a birthday a couple of weeks ago, but because she was out-of-town at the time, I couldn’t make her birthday treats until this past weekend.  Since being given my ice cream maker, I’ve gone back through some of my favorite blogs to search for good ice cream recipes.  When I saw this recipe, I knew that it would be perfect for her birthday.  We’re both fans of gelato, and she adores pistachios.  Though this gelato has an off-putting color, the taste more than makes up for it.  My friend said it even tastes better than the ones she’s gotten from the store.  It does have a clear pistachio flavor, and it stayed soft even after a night in the freezer.

Pistachio Gelato (slightly tweaked from 17 and Baking)

3/4 c. unsalted, shelled pistachios

3/4 c. sugar

2 c. whole milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (The recipe calls for almond, but I’m not a fan.)

4 egg yolks

1. In a food processor, grind the pistachios and 1/4 c. sugar into a fine powder.  Combine this powder with the milk and vanilla in a medium saucepan and bring mixture to a boil.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the yolks and 1/2 c. sugar.

2. Once the milk mix boils, gradually ladle a spoonful of it into the yolk mixture, stirring constantly.  Add the tempered egg mix to the saucepan and stir over medium-low heat til the custard thickens slightly.  The custard should leave a clear trail on the back of a spoon when you run your finger through it.  Remove the custard from the heat and strain it into a medium bowl.  Refrigerate the custard til cold.  Churn according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.  (Mine only had to churn for 20 minutes.)

Normally for a birthday, you would make cake and ice cream, but pistachio is not an easy flavor to pair.  When I asked my best friend what she wanted, she thought shortbread cookies sounded like they would go well.  I went ahead and made some Scottish shortbread, and we were surprised at how well they went together.  The shortbread by itself is good, though I thought it could use a touch more salt.  But when topped with the gelato the combination is amazing.  The shortbread gives a buttery crunch to the sweet flavor of the gelato.  If you don’t believe me, you’ll just have to make some and try it for yourself.  I think you’ll find it worth your while.  The shortbread is very easy to make and yields about 16 cookies.  Unfortunately, there are too many Scottish shortbread recipes on the internet for me to figure out where mine came from.  If you recognize where it comes from, please comment with that info; I’d love to be able to attribute it.

Scottish Shortbread

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt (Next time I’m going to try 1/2 tsp.)

3/4 c. softened butter

1/3 c. sugar

1 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt.  In a separate large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar on medium til light and fluffy.  Add in the egg and beat til well blended.  Gradually add the flour mix and beat on low til well blended.

2. Shape the dough into 1 in. balls (I used my cookie scoop to make this so much faster.), place them 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet, and flatten them with a fork.    Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes  or til the edges are lightly browned.

People who regularly make ice cream have to find creative ways to use up leftover egg whites.  My preferred use-up is to make delicious, melt-in-your-mouth meringues.  This time, I’d alsojust picked up half a dozen meyer lemons and I’d been craving something lemony, so I decided to combine the two into one delicious recipe (the results of which are already gone).  I tweaked a previous meringue recipe and really enjoyed the results.  Though they didn’t scream “lemon” they were strangely addictive, not to mention a cinch to make.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Meringue (adapted from The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco)

1/2 c. room temperature egg whites (about 4)

1/2 c. sugar

1/3 c. confectioner’s sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp. poppyseeds

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and line a 12×17 inch pan with a silicone liner.  Beat the whites on medium-low til they become opaque and frothy and begin to increase in volume, about 3 minutes.  Slowly add the granulated sugar followed by the confectioner’s sugar; continue beating for 5 minutes.  Increase the speed to high and beat til they become thicker and shiny, about 10 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients and beat just to combine.

2. With a rubber spatula, spread the meringue evenly on the sheet; it should be about 1/4 inch thick.  Bake, rotating halfway through, til fragrant and lightly golden, about 30 minutes.  To test, break off a small piece, let cool 10 seconds, and taste to be sure it’s dry and crunchy throughout.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack, then break into pieces.

I hope you’re having a lovely week, and that you take a minute to enjoy a sweet snack.