It may not be food...

So, I usually post recipes and food-related items on this blog BUT I can't resist sharing photos of my latest project...the master bathroom! I am now thinking that I should have christened said bathroom with some really decadent name because "master bathroom" simply does not pay homage to this glorious new living space. I am not exaggerating when I say that I live in my bathroom- I really do. See that chair in the corner? Yeah, I hangout there just basking in the beauty of my new favorite room. See the tub? Yo! I could literally spend an hour soaking in that thing if my kids would just stop banging on the door. The shower has become a real issue because every time my husband or I use it, we become completely paralyzed and are forced to stay in there until the steam lifts. It's a real drag. One morning, I unexpectedly awoke at 5:30 with a sudden urge to take a hot shower. I was giddy in there, at 5:30 in the morning. What kind of sick sap am I? What has happened to the eco-friendly, water-conserving girl I used to be. Has vanity coupled with gluttony totally consumed me?

The best part for me is that since we have taken so long to plan and execute this project, I feel we really enjoy on a higher level. AND since I love it so much, there's not a thing I would change about it. Now that's devotion!

Twix Truffle Brownies

I pinned this recipe for Twix Truffle Brownies a few months ago. Even though I was going through chemo at the time, they looked and sounded delicious. I made a batch for my Adios Chemo party and they were a hit! In fact, I have told myself that I can only make these when there is a party otherwise I would finish the whole batch off single handedly!
I did tweak the recipe a bit...I used my brownie recipe and replaced the cream cheese for vegan cream cheese (dang dairy allergy). They are amazing!

Bombe!

Fourteen years ago I attempted to make my first ice cream bombe. It was a Martha Stewart recipe and was entirely too detailed. It was also 100+ degrees on an August day in Texas and my little kitchen didn't have AC. Needless to say, the bombe "bombed" terribly!

A few years later, I made a second attempt and it turned out beautifully. I have only made a few of these on special occasions, and Izzy's 12th birthday party was one of them. I thought I would document the process for posterity (and also to prove what an awesome mom I am. JK).

Ingredients:

You will need 3 different flavors of ice cream. I would recommend complimentary flavors, but do whatever you want. I also prefer vanilla on the outside. Also, you will need 2 days to complete this, or at least start the night before you want to serve the bombe. Here's what I used:

1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream

1/2 gallon chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream

1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream

1 cup heavy cream

12 oz chocolate chips

Brownie mix

Magic Shell chocolate topping

First, make sure you have lots of room in your freezer (enough to fit a medium bowl).

Stick your bowl in the freezer and set the vanilla ice cream out to warm up a bit. I use the bowl of my Kitchen Aide Mixer (I think it's the smaller version...maybe 3.5 quarts)

 Next, add the vanilla ice cream and spread it around the inside of the cold bowl with a spatula. You may have to freeze the bowl a few times to get the ice cream the right consistency. Stick it back in the freezer to set. Have your "helper" smooth out the ice cream!

 Meanwhile, make the ganache filling: In a medium sauce pan, heat the cream over medium to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Do not stir! Let them sit for 5 minutes, then stir. Set aside to cool.

After ganache has cooled and ice cream has set, pour ganache into the bowl and spread it all over the inside of the ice cream bowl.  Put it back in the freezer to set (at least 30 minutes).

Next, have your "helper" scoop out your next flavor of ice cream. I don't know the exact amount, maybe like halfway up the bowl?

 like this...

If you have any leftover ganache, pour and spread over this middle layer of ice cream.  Freeze it another 30 minutes.

Add the last flavor of ice cream, leaving a 2 inch space at the top (this is where the brownie will go). Freeze again! I always put the waxed paper over the bombe between stages.

Next, bake your brownie. I used a whole brownie mix and baked it in a 8 inch cake round. Let it cool, then place it on top of the ice cream layers. Give it a good push down and cover it with waxed paper. Stick it in the freezer for at least four hours.

When it's done, place the bowl in another bowl filled with hot water. This will loosen the bombe from the bowl. Give it about 3 minutes. Take a long knife or spatula and slide it around the edge of the bombe. Invert the entire thing onto a plate and place it back in the freezer to set some more.

At some point before you serve it, drizzle it with Magic Shell. So yum!!!

Use a iant chef's knife to cut the slices and be amazed at the beautiful layers of deliciousness.

Magic!

you had me at "mallow"

Okay, so this is not the best picture but I had to quickly take a shot before the dang treat was obliterated!
I am a complete sucker for a good s'more. I will take it in any form I can get: fondue, cookie, cupcake, ice cream...you get it. I do love an original s'more (minus the Hershey's- not a huge fan; I prefer a really yummy dark chocolate, but that's another post) but I sometimes get these wild ideas and have to veer from the norm. I've been daydreaming over the past week about creating the most perfect s'more and I think I have! I had to be real stealthy about it's construction seeing as I did not have the adequate resources to share this perfect s'more with my greedy little children. Oh, don't judge me- I did make them their OWN s'mores with regular ingredients, I just had to make mine in the quiet of my kitchen after they had gone to bed. It was either that or stuffing my face in record time over the bathroom sink until they found my hiding spot. No, I wanted to savor this thing which meant testing my patience and getting those rascals to bed quick!
Here's the low-down: it's a s'more built with a homemade graham cracker and a See's Scotchmallow (in case you aren't familiar, it is a candy concoction of marshmallow resting atop caramel encased in dark chocolate). Your welcome! I have a previous post you can refer to for the graham crackers. Note: I didn't have wheat germ so I substituted rolled oats. I'm sure you could leave them out entirely, but the nutty texture is worth the extra effort.
 After the crackers were cooled, I placed one on a plate, topped it with a Scotchmallow and mircowaved it for 10 seconds, then topped it with another cracker. Pure bliss, I tell you! I guess you could use a store-bought graham cracker, but trust me- the homemade one is far better and worth it!
I have one Scotchmallow left, so tonight I will make another one and attempt to get a better picture!

Del's Lemonade!!!!!

http://www.thekitchn.com/just-like-dels-frosty-frozen-l-93912

Haven't tried to make this yet, but you can rest assured it will be soon! This stuff was my FAVORITE summer treat!

Jamaican Black Bean Stew

Jamaican Black Bean Stew

One of my new favorites! This unusual (unless you eat a lot of Jamaican food) dish has some interesting foods paired together. It is fresh, light, delicious, healthy and easy! What more could you want. I was going to wait to post until I made another batch and could post a picture, but I can't withhold such a fabulous recipe until them.

2 C. uncooked brown rice
2 lbs. sweet potatoes
3 pounds butternut squash
1 can vegetable broth (14 ounces)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground red pepper (I used black)
1/4 tsp salt
2 cans (15 ounce) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup raisins (I used more!)
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 cup diced tomato
1 cup diced peeled cucumber

1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, peel sweet potatoes; cut into 3/4 inch chunks to measure 4 cups. Peel squash; remove seeds. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes to measure 5 cups.
2. Combine sweet potatoes, squash, broth, onion, garlic, curry powder, allspice, red pepper and salt in Dutch oven (or stock pot). Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes and squash are tender. Add beans and raisins; simmer 5 minutes or until heated through. Stir in lime juice.
3. Serve stew over brown rice; top with tomato and cucumber.

Lime Curd

This lime curd was SO amazing, I could hardly handle it! Thanks, Judy for sharing! It was so delicious with fresh strawberries and I think even tastier with a little plain yogurt.

chocolate (avacado) mousse

This recipe was recommended by Melissa whom I COMPLETELY trust, so i'll give it a go! Wish me luck!

Aunt Debbie's chocolate pie

This is such a delicious and easy pie to make.  My Aunt Debbie shared the recipe with me some 15 years ago- it's become quite a classic.

1/2 cup softened butter
2 beaten eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour (I add an extra 2 tbsp for high altitude)
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts...optional

Cream the butter and eggs.  Add sugars and vanilla.  Add the flour and 1/4 tsp salt, mix until combined.  Add the chocolate chips and nuts (if using).  Pour into a pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  This is pretty awesome served warm, not super hot, and with some ice cream or whipped cream.

magic

No picture with this one- it was gone and blissfully resting in my belly before I could make it to the computer! As you may know, I am lactose intolerant and can no longer enjoy my old faves. This hasn't stopped me from trying to fake my way through certain baked goods and cheesy delights. Today I was making the boys some fish sticks and noodles when a very strong hankerin' for mac and cheese took over. I attempted a lactose-free version (once again) and was SO pleased with the results. Now I'm documenting the recipe so I can make it again.

1/2 lb rotini pasta

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 cube chicken bouillon

rice milk (maybe about 3 Tbsp...I didn't measure)

*Boil noodles according to package instructions.

*Meanwhile, melt butter and bouillon in small, heavy saucepan over medium low heat. When butter bubbles, whisk in flour and stir constantly for one minute.

* Slowly add tiny bits of rice milk, stirring the entire time. Also add a few tablespoons of the boiling pasta water to thin out the sauce. Keep adding the rice milk, constantly whisking, until a nice creamy sauce is formed. Remove from heat and add cooked pasta. Stir to coat. Devour!

*Options: I did sprinkle a little dash of black pepper and 2 Tbsp of yogurt cheese. You could also bake it at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until bubbly. This was so delicious!

This recipe for Orange and Balsamic Chicken is one of our new family favorites. It is truly SO delicious! All of the kids love it and Elliot actually eats TWO chicken thighs, right down to the bone. It's really good served with short-grain brown rice. Enjoy!

new year!

Nothing brings in the New Year quite like traditional Southern food- collard greens and black-eyed peas! I do have to say this might have been my best batch yet. I'm certain it had something to do with the leftover honey-baked ham. Yum!

Thanksgiving...done!

Thanksgiving was a HUGE success! Jenny, Mike and I all worked hard to make a delicious meal and I have to say we didn't disappoint. The turkey was brined all night and baked in an oven bag...so good. The potatoes (check previous post for recipe) were amazing. I tweaked the recipe a bit- boiled the potatoes with bouillon, cut the butter in 1/2, omitted the nutmeg and used rice mile instead of half and half. I also only put the puffed pastry on top. That stuff is so good- you can't go wrong. Jenny made some awesome cornbread stuffing, rolls, and FIVE pies (apple, pumpkin and chocolate). We also made some sauteed Brussel sprouts (with bacon, pine nuts and balsamic vinegar) and busted into a can of cranberry jelly. Oh yeah, and some chocolate-covered strawberries to add a little "quick sweetness" to the end of the meal. See why this is my favorite holiday??!!

Thanksgiving...

Okay, so it's not Thursday yet, but I've been dreaming about this little beauty ALL YEAR LONG! Feel free- copy the recipe if you dare to find true bliss.

Sugar Cookies

This is the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever made- and I'm not even a fan of sugar cookies, but I can't get enough of these. The kids and I made a simple jack-o-lanterns, but I think these cobweb cookies look so yummy!

Lactose-Free Funeral Potatoes

I had to schedule my own funeral right after eating (more like chowing) these! If you're not from Utah or Idaho, I guess you would call these "Cheesy Potato Casserole" but out here this is a staple at all funerals. It's ultimate comfort food, and now that I can make it sans milk I'm in heaven!

*note: you can totally make this with real cheese and sour cream instead of the yogurt version.

1 bag frozen potato hash browns (thawed)
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup flour
1-2 cups chicken broth (heated)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded yogurt cheese

* grease a 9x13 casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degree
* in a large dutch oven, saute onion in butter until tender (5 minutes); add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
* sprinkle in flour and stir to coat onions; cook 1 minute. SLOWLY add broth a little at a time and stir constantly (you're making a white sauce here); cook 5 more minutes until bubbly.
* season with salt and pepper (to taste); add yogurt.
* stir in hash browns and half of cheese. Pour into the casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
* cook, covered, for 30 minutes; remove the foil and cook 10 more minutes until browned and bubbly. SO YUM!!!!!!!!!

Sweet and Salties

For our engagement party, the hostess made these as a little post-dinner treat and I have never forgotten them. They are amazing! When I found this recipe in Southern Living last Fall, I saved it as one of my faves. I've been craving these regularly, but have to really force myself not to eat the whole container. So good!!!! Does anyone have a better name for these?

Serves 20. (or just me cause they're so addictive!)

40 saltine crackers
1 stick butter
1 cup light brown sugar
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large jellyroll pan with parchment paper and the saltine crackers.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and pour over the crackers, covering them evenly. Put the jellyroll pan into the oven and watch closely. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes, or until just bubbly.
Remove from the oven and pour the chocolate chips over the crackers. When the chips melt a bit, spread them over the crackers with a knife.
Transfer the pan to the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely cold. They will form one big sheet. Break up into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Note: Substitute graham crackers for the saltines for a sweeter snack. Or pretzels.

Chicken Pot Pie

I was really craving the comfort of a chicken pot pie, so I made this delicious dinner Monday night. I have been using puffed pastry sheets for the top of the pie and that takes it to a whole new level. Yum!
* This makes enough for 2 medium pot pies or one large (as shown above and 1 loaf pan size)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic gloves, minced
salt/pepper
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white cooking wine (optional)
4 cups hot chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cute into 1 inch cubes
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 pkg frozen puffed pastry sheets, thawed (you can find these by the pie shells in the freezer section)
1 egg white beaten

Heat butter over medium heat in a large dutch oven. Add onion and garlic, cook until tender.
Add salt, pepper, thyme and flour. Stir to coat and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until blended. Slowly add broth, a little bit at a time, stirring to incorporate. It should smell AWESOME at this point! Bring to a slow boil and add potatoes and carrots, with bay leaf. Cook 20 minutes on a simmer. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Once veggies are tender, add peas and chicken, remove bay leaf. Divide pot pies into the various sized pans you want to bake them in (or leave in dutch oven). Cut pastry to fit on top of pies. Cut slits in the top of pastry and brush with egg white. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. Crazy good!

Most Delicious Frosting

2 sticks butter, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp milk (or rice milk)
lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 tsp (more or less) fresh lemon juice

Cream the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add the powdered sugar one bit at a time until thick.
Add the vanilla, milk, leomn zest and juice.

Oven Fries

I make these oven fries more often than I care to admit. They're awesome!