there’s nothing like fresh fruit for breakfast. Don’t you agree?
My neighbor shared this with me on Sunday
This is a reminder to myself to have more breakfasts like this one!
Limey!
this week’s girl’s night was LIME themed!
-
Lime Squares with Pistachio Graham-Cracker Crust
(Everyday Food recipe-makes 16)
For the crust:
-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled, plus more for the pan
-2/3 cup shelled pistachios
-1 cup graham cracker crumbs
-1/4 cup sugar
-1 tablespoon grated lime zest
For the Filling:
-2 large egg yolks
-1 can (14oz.) sweetened condensed milk (I used the fat free version)
-1/2 cup lime juice
-1 tablespoon grated lime zest (this wasn’t in the original recipe- I added this)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8 inch square baking dish with melted butter. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overhang on two sides.
2. In a food processor, finely grind pistachios with graham-cracker crumbs, sugar, and zest. Blend in butter. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool crust, 30 minutes.
3. To make filling: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and condensed milk. Add lime juice and lime zest. Whisk until smooth. Pour mixture into cooled crust; carefully spreading to edges.
4. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan on rack; then chill at least 1 hour before serving. Using parchment paper overhang, lift out of pan, and transfer to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, cut into 16 squares, wiping knife with a damp kitchen towel between each cut.
and for dinner….
Chinese Chicken Salad
Serves 4 (ish)
Chinese Mustard Vinaigrette:
-1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
-3 tablespoons peanut oil
-2 tablespoons light sesame oil
-1 1/2 tablespoons honey
-3 teaspoons Chinese mustard (more if you like it spicy!)
-Salt & Pepper (to taste)
In the salad:
-1 head of napa cabbage chopped
-1 head of romaine lettuce chopped
-2 cooked chicken breasts shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken to save time)
-2 cups shredded carrots
-1 bunch of cilantro chopped
-1 cup roasted peanuts
-1 LARGE handful of fried chow mein noodles
1. In a medium size bowl, mix all of the vinaigrette ingredients with a whisk. Whisk very well and you have yourself a great dressing!
2. Put shredded chicken in your salad bowl, add a little bit of the vinaigrette and mix well. Start adding the rest of your ingredients. Toss well!! Dig in!
3. Garnish with lime slices. Squeeze some juice on your salad. It’s fantastic!
***I love this salad because it’s so versatile! It’s fresh, crisp, light & easy to whip up. It’s also a good one to improvise. Add some sesame seeds! Add different types of lettuce! Use beef or tofu! It’s really all about the dressing…..Which is scrumptious. I hope you enjoy! ***
One of those moments
This weekend I had one of those moments…the kind where you get this craving for something and you satisfy your craving….and it’s just serendipitous!!! I thought of dinner at 11am and spent all day dreaming about it…and when it finally happened I ate it soo fast….but was left soo satisfied! You would have thought I hadn’t eaten for days…
It started off with a craving for grilled peppers…
…and then I added some hot Italian sausage & some mushrooms to the grill…
and then i set it all up in the living room…
look at those peppers & mushrooms!!!
I added some to salad with some feta…and a balsamic dressing…
here’s my plate!!!
now check out the leftovers! BAM!!
***We had some watermelon for dessert…you might notice some yellow chunks of fruit in the bowl. Those are them!***
Did you have a good meal this weekend? Share!!
Raspberry Fool
I pity the fool!!!!!
because….I devoured it so fast!
Raspberry Fool
Ingredients:
-3 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (save a 1/2 cup for layering)
-1 cup heavy cream
-1/4 cup of sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Mash 3 cups of fresh raspberries in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Whip cream with sugar & vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
3. Fold in raspberry puree mixture (it’s nice to see ribbons of red in the final mixture)
4. Serve in a fun cup/bowl/dish and alternate layering raspberries & cream.
5. Top with a yummy cookie! (I used shortbread)
6. Put into the fridge for an hour or just devour immediately!!!
It’s incredibly light & creamy. The only problem I ran into…is wanting MORE!
*** DO NOT- UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CHECK THE NUTRITIONAL FACTS ON THE BACK OF YOUR WHIPPING CREAM CONTAINER***
Chocolate Wafer Icebox Cake
two words: HOT DAMN!
Chocolate Wafer Icebox Cake
makes enough for 8 servings
(recipe from Magnolia Bakery Cookbook)
-4 cups heavy whipping cream
-3 tablespoons sugar
-1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-1 1/2 packages Nabisco chocolate wafers
1. Whip Cream: In a large bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream with the sugar & vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Make sure to not over beat!
2. Start assembling the cake: On a flat plate (at least 9 inches in diameter) arrange seven wafers, with one in the center and the remaining 6 surrounding. Scoop about 3/4 cup of whipped cream onto wafers and gently spread the cream in a thin layer to completely coat the cookies.
3. Finish & Refrigerate: Continue to layer the wafers with the cream, making sure to end with the whipped cream layer on the top. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight before cutting & serving.
I topped mine with strawberries to make it look extra special. It helps mask all the drippies.
***BTW-This was soooo good. I can’t believe I’ve never tried this before. I made this for a family BBQ on Sunday. Everyone seemed skeptical about the cookies…but one bite erased all doubt. Think cookies & cream ice cream…but creamier…and less cold! I can’t wait to experiment with different flavors. Lemme know what you think and what you come up with!! ***
just a warning…
we’re in remodeling mode around in my kitchen! This means we’ll be eating outdoors for the next few weeks…months?!?! God I hope it doesn’t take that long!!!
So you might see some make-shift dinners like this one from tonight…for the next few weeks…..
I got some cute avocados in my organic veggie/fruit shipment this week:
Casey jazzed one up with sea salt, freshed cracked pepper & olive oil…
Here’s me devouring one of my favorite food combos EVER!
(tomato, basil, garlic rubbed crostini & olive oil- salt & pepper too!)
I’d also like to thank my hubby for painting the door to the *man room* this weekend.
Here it is with the first coat. Doesn’t it look smashing?
Also this weekend:
-had buckwheat pancakes with lots of butter, syrup & strawberries
-went to the city to pick up Red Sox tickets
-had a yummy lunch @ Naan & Curry
-beat the heat and saw Forgetting Sarah Marshall (super funny)
-met up with a friend in the city
-worked around the house on the remodel
-tried to stay cool…temperature was up to 99 at one point!
Hamburger Tomato Pizza
I thought that I would bust this out, while I’m on a roll with Everday Food recipes. I stared at the picture in the current issue for like 10 minutes straight. I kid you not.
If that doesn’t get you to try it… Perhaps mine will?
(yes that pan is WELL-LOVED)
Now check up close!
I like a crust that’s a little over cooked and crispy!
eating it outside was the best!
Hamburger Grape Tomato Pizza (Everyday Food-May 2008 issue)
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- All-purpose flour, for work surface
- 1 pound frozen pizza dough, thawed
- 3/4 cup store-bought marinara sauce
- 1 cup grated provolone cheese (4 ounces)
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1/4 pound ground beef chuck
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- A handful of fresh basil! (I added this and it was PERFECT!)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rub a large rimless baking sheet (or a rimmed one, upside down) with oil.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin and your hands to roll and stretch dough into a 15-by-11-inch rectangle (if dough becomes too elastic to work with, let it rest a few minutes). Transfer to prepared sheet.
3. Spread sauce evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Top with provolone, tomatoes, and if desired, onion; scatter beef over top. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake until crust is golden, beef is cooked, and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately. (it’s not as good the second day for some reason!)
ENJOY!!!! I KNOW WE DID!
