The Most Divine Dessert Ever!

Are you ready for this?  Look! How! Beautiful!

Let's start with the blackberries and sweet cream.  This sweet cream recipe is pretty basic and can be found all over the internet.  I followed the recipe on Pioneer Woman's website.  But, I think all the recipes are basically the same.  It's really not that hard, but it does take time.  (But...it is SO worth it!) 

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 10 whole egg yolks (Save those egg whites...you'll need them in a minute! Put them in a bowl and just leave them on your counter while you finish your sweet cream.)
• 2 teaspoons good vanilla extract
• fresh berries

1. Combine cream with half the sugar in a medium saucepan and warm, but do not boil.
2. Whisk egg yolks in your mixer with the other half of the sugar. Add vanilla extract.
3. After whisking on medium for a minute, begin slowly pouring in the hot cream.  Pour it in very slowly and carefully along the side of your bowl so you don't cook your egg yolks with the warm cream.
3. After all cream is added, pour mixture into the top of a double boiler. Cook in the double boiler over medium heat. Stir gently but constantly as the egg/cream mixture slowly thickens.
4. Watch the mixture and make sure it doesn't thicken too much. It took mine about 15 minutes or so to get to the right consistency. 
5. When it gets to the consistency that you want, put it directly in an ice bath to stop the cooking.  When it's cooled, cover it and stick it in your fridge until you're ready to serve. 


When you're ready to serve it, just spoon some cream over any berries you like.  I have tried it over blackberries, blueberries and strawberries and like it equally over anything! 

Now....what ever are you going to do with all those egg whites?  Don't! Throw! Them! Out! Make this Cake!

This was the first time I've ever made an angel food cake from scratch.  So much better! 

Here's what you'll need for this Divine Angel Food Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups egg white (For me, this was exactly what I had left over from my cream. You may need too add or take away a little.)
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar

You want your egg whites to be room temperature, so if you left them out while you made your cream, you're ready to go.

1. Sift flour and powdered sugar together three times and set aside.  This will make it very light and fluffy. 
2. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to your egg whites in your mixer with the whisk attachment.  Beat on high speed and gradually add sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form.
3. Fold in flour mixture, a little at a time.
4. Gently spoon into an ungreased angel food cake pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until nice and golden and cake springs back to touch.
6. Immediately invert pan.  When cooled, remove from pan and serve.  

Tequila Lime Chicken

Tonight's dinner was delicious, and will definitely be added to the regular rotation.  (I got the recipe from Pioneer Woman's website.)  The chicken needs to marinate all day, so plan on preparing this marinade in the morning or even the night before.  The longer the better, and the juicier your chicken will be.

So, for the marinade, you will need to throw the following ingredients into your food processor on "pulse" mode...

• the juice of three limes
• four or five teaspoons of minced garlic (the kind from the jar is just fine!)
• one jalapeno, sliced
• one teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup tequila
• handful of cilantro

After these ingredients are nice and combined, turn your processor on regular mode and drizzle in about five or so tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Once you've got your marinade complete, flatten your chicken breasts (this recipe makes enough marinade for about 4 large chicken breasts).  I like to place the breast under a piece of plastic wrap and give it a few good whacks with my french rolling pin. Again, you'll want to let this marinate all day (or overnight).

When you're ready to go, grill your chicken.  Since you flattened it, it won't take long at all!  So, stand by and don't let it burn.

Meanwhile, heat your oven to "broil" and grate about a half cup or so of Monterrey Jack cheese.  When your chicken is just done, take it off the grill, top it with cheese and stick it in the oven for a few minutes.  (It took mine about 4 minutes.)  Again, stand by, and don't let it burn.

Now, top your chicken and cheese with some homemade salsa or pico de gallo.

Serve with Spanish rice and black beans for a tasty meal!

Healthy Pizza-like Summer Lunch

If you love pizza, but hate the calories, here's a healthy summer alternative that's just as good (or better in my opinion).  Plus, you can use fresh garden veggies and herbs!

Start with 100-calorie sandwich thins...

Next, mix some fresh garlic with about a teaspoon of butter or buttery spread.  (Let me interject here and say that I HATE margarine.  I think it's gross and fake.  I rarely use butter, so I don't feel bad about using the real thing.  But, I have found two alternatives that I can live with.  I can't believe it's not Butter! Spray (I began using this because Hungry Girl uses them in many of her recipes) and Best Life Buttery Spread.) I used the Best Life stuff when I made it.

Then, take one light string cheese and tear it up and top both halves of the bread.

(Yes, that's just one string cheese!)

Meanwhile, slice one or two Roma Tomatoes and, with a touch of olive oil and salt and pepper, saute them in a hot skillet till they get those nice black marks.  Also, grab a handful of fresh basil leaves. 

When your tomatoes are nice and grilled, it's time to assemble your "pizzas."  Spread out your basil leaves over the string cheese and then top with the grilled tomatoes.  Lastly, stick it in a 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes to get it nice and toasty.  

You won't believe your taste buds!  All for about 175 calories....THAT'S IT...FOR BOTH HALVES....TOTAL!  Compare that to two slices of Pizza Hut Veggie Lovers pizza...520 Calories!

 

Summer Left Over Idea

Over Memorial Day weekend, my Mom and Dad, and Sister and Brother-in-Law all visited.  When you get my family together, one thing is going to be certain--GOOD FOOD.  This weekend was not a let down!  Once, they went home, though, I was left with a fridge full of leftovers.  And, lets face it, you can only eat reheated steak so many times.  One day for lunch, I decided to see what I could do to use a last tiny piece of steak, asparagus, and grilled corn on the cob.  I got my skillet hot and started slicing and chopping up the leftovers.  I added a Roma tomato, some olive oil, and a few spices and....ta-da....this is what I ended up with.  A DE-LICIOUS stir-fryish lunch!!!

Ooey-Gooey Chocolate Butter Cookies

I've been in search of a unique yet delicious cookie recipe.  With Google and a little improvisation and changes of my own...this is it!  And they are every bit as delicious as their name makes them sound. 

 

 The ingredients are super simple and probably things you have on hand.  They're probably the easiest cookies I've ever made!  (Aside from "slice and bake".) 

1 chocolate cake mix (I used Devil's Food)

1 8 oz. pkg of cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

powdered sugar

1. First, cream together butter and cream cheese.  

2. Then mix in egg and vanilla. 

3. Mix in cake mix.

The recipe then said to refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.  However, I didn't have 2 hours, so instead popped the dough in the freezer for about 30-40 minutes.  It worked perfectly...so whatever you have time for will be fine.  

Then you take your chilled dough and roll into balls.  Roll the balls in powdered sugar.  Place on lightly sprayed cookie sheet.

Bake 10-13 minutes at 350.  Don't over bake or they'll be too cakey and not ooey-gooey.

Once cookies are completely cooled dust with more powdered sugar. 

The only hard part about this recipe is trying not to eat them all at once!!!!

Zax Sauce!

 A Tale of Culinary Discovery...

Once upon a time, in the quaint village called Keller, a fair maiden took her sister, who was visiting from a far away kingdom, to a local establishment.  While dining on chicken tenders, a sauce was discovered that beat any sauce the sister had ever tasted.  Every time the sister went to Keller she requested this scrumptious sauce. Sometimes, though, when back at home, the sister craved this sauce.  Sadly, she could not find it's equal in her kingdom.  "I shall try to make this sauce!  I will not rest until I discover its secret!"  She exclaimed.  Luckily, her kingdom was equipped with high speed internet.  In no time, the secret recipe was duplicated.  Both sisters lived happily ever after.  That is until they tasted these darling "mini cakes" from a baker who has mastered the art of Sprinkles. 

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Mix and refrigerate.  Allow a few hours for the flavors to mingle before serving. 

Bacon Blue Cheese Swiss Burger

Are you ready for the creamiest burger ever?  Yes, that's right.  I said creamy burger.  If you like blue cheese, you'll love this burger! 

 

1. First season 1 lb of hamburger meat with sea salt, Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning, and Montreal Steak seasoning. I never measure...I just sprinkle what I think is enough. 

2. In a small bowl, mix 2 oz. cream cheese (softened) and 2 oz. crumbled blue cheese.  Then stir in some onion flakes (about 1/2 teaspoon) and 1 teaspoon of dried parsley.

3. With the spiced up hamburger meat, make 6 thin patties. 

4. On top of three of the patties evenly spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture. 

5. Then take the other three patties and lay them on top of the patties topped with cream cheese mixture.  Then, press the edges together sealing in the cheese.  

6. At this point, you can grill the burgers or fry them in a skillet. 

7. Top with swiss cheese and bacon.