Black Raspberry Vanilla Milkshake

PERFECT FOR A WARM SUMMER DAY!

I know another Black Raspberry recipe. I promise to start eating and thinking of other food/things soon but indulge me just a bit longer. I had some black raspberry juice in the fridge and in all my warm, humid berry pickings I would think of cool refreshing things to make with them and decided I need one of these. I was not disappointed! It's delicious!!

3-4 scoops Vanilla Ice Cream
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
2-3 lg. serving tablespoons Seedless Raspberry Juice
Milk, just enough to make it blendable

Mash the berries and press through a sieve. Discard seeds. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

                                                                    aaahhh, so yummy!!

Be Blessed!

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This Weeks Cravings

Sugared Raspberries and Cream Cheese Pie

If you've read my previous post you will remember that I have an abundance of raspberries at present. I also had a few other things in my fridge and freezer that I've been wanting to get used up so I decided to try those things in this combo. I wasn't really in the mood to cook the raspberries to thicken and sweeten them so I decided to use plenty of berries and just sugar them a little. I liked it for a change of pace. The berries are definitely best in their fresh uncooked form, although my Mom makes a killer Double Crust Black Raspberry Pie ☺, I still like their texture best when they are fresh.

Ingredients:
1 9 inch baked pie crust
4 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz. Cool Whip, reserve a bit for the top if desired
3 cups fresh black raspberries
¼ cup sugar, scant
Vanilla for reserved Cool Whip

Mix first three ingredients together with a hand mixer until smooth. Add most of the Cool Whip and beat just until combined. Spread into pie crust.

Gently mix raspberries and sugar together.

Spread over top of cream cheese mixture. Top with reserved Cool Whip. I added a bit of vanilla to this topping as well.

Enjoy!

Love the abundance of eye candy outside!

Be Blessed!

Linking to:
Keep It Simple Sunday
Creative Blogger's Hop
This Week's Cravings

Creamy Fresh Raspberry Soup

SO SMOOTH, SO CREAMY, SO YUMMY!

I have been busy picking Black Raspberries from the row in my garden and the ones that grow wild in our small patch of woods. It is a relaxing activity that gives you a lot of solitude and time to think as no one really wants to brave the briers with you. ☺

 I know just how they feel, when I was their age my Mom used to have to drag or force me to go with her to pick berries. I hated it because it was always very warm and humid and it seemed that thunderstorms were always threatening ominously and the place she went to was so thick with briers and the like that you had to wear long sleeves and long pants otherwise you would not be able to get through. Sounds miserable, eh? But my Mom is a nature lover and she really enjoyed picking berries!! She eventually just went by herself and I think I know why. Remember peace, solitude, time to think? Yeah, sometimes those things are nice!! I am happy to say I don't have to pick in quite so unfriendly places but I do have the scratches to prove that it wasn't a piece of cake!

Anyway as I was picking I began to think that a cold creamy soup would be refreshing and yummy. So I thought I would try this recipe that I put together with a few suggestions from my Mom. Turns out she has some fresh raspberries as well and had made some soup for their supper.

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh Black Raspberries
1 cup plain yogurt
½ cup sour cream
½ cup half-and-half
½ cup milk
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
More Fresh Berries

Blend the berries, then press through a sieve and discard seeds. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir with a wire whisk. Add fresh berries in the amount that is right for you and serve.

I enjoyed my soup for supper last night and for my breakfast this morning with almonds. YUM!! A sprinkle of granola over the top would be tasty as well. Enjoy!

Be Blessed!

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Oatmeal Chewies

                              Chewy, Chocolate Chippy, & Yummy!

Every now and then my mind goes back to my Mom's spacious kitchen and I can picture myself sitting at the kitchen island with a glass of cold milk and some of her fresh, delicious cookies. These were no exception! They quickly became one of my favorites and so yesterday when I was preparing to serve a snack to some friends here in the evening I thought of these. I have not had them for a really long time, but I can assure you that I've had my share for this day! They were a part of my breakfast and a part of my lunch. I'll have to see if I can make it past supper and snack time without giving in to temptation.

Ingredient List:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups quick oats
1¾-2 cups all purpose flour (Gold Medal)
1½-2 cups chocolate chips or raisins
Powdered Sugar

Size 30 cookie scoop.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a mixer bowl and beat till fluffy.

Add the next three ingredients and mix. Scraping down sides as needed for even mixing.


Mix in oatmeal.

Then add flour; mix.

Last but not least add chocolate chips or raisins.

 I usually add the chocolate chips because more of the children like those than the raisins but the raisins would be yummy in there too.

Scoop them with a size 30 cookie scoop and roll generously in the powdered sugar.

Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly with your fingers.

Bake @ 350° for 12-15 minutes. Don't overbake them if you want chewy cookies. Pour a glass of milk and wait for a warm, yummy cookie!


Linking to:
Sweets For A Saturday
Keep It Simple Sunday
Two Maids A Baking
Be Blessed!

Chicken Breast w/Basil Cream Sauce & Zucchini Ribbons

DELICIOUS!!

I had no real plans to make a main dish to blog about  today but as you know sometimes plans are useless. Two phrases have been playing themselves over and over in my head for more than a week now, 1.) zucchini noodles (ribbons) and 2.) basil cream sauce. I finally gave in to these two phrases today. And now I wonder why it took me so long!! I loved it!!

I did not grow up eating zucchini or growing it in the garden and all I ever knew people made with it was bread or bars or cake, etc. But 7 years ago I learned that zucchini doesn't need to be hidden in sugar and flour but can actually take the place of pasta. WOW!! and YUM!!

About a week ago our neighbor man came over with a box of lettuce AND a box of zucchini that he had picked up at the produce auction for almost nothing and asked if I want some. I said sure I'll take a few. Oh no he replied you have to take THE WHOLE BOX!! of BOTH! Oh! Okay...So I shared a bunch of it with other neighbors and decided I'm going to have to make some of the above.

I think this would make a beautiful Summer casserole for a potluck, with the chicken resting on a bed of zucchini ribbons with the lovely cream sauce over top. ☺

I found the recipe for the cream sauce in a cookbook from a local church but didn't have some of the ingredients so I adapted it a little using fresh red pepper instead of pimentos and the chicken in the original recipe was to be dipped in milk and bread crumbs but to cut out a few calories I nixed that.

Here it is folks:

1 chicken breast half, cut in half horizontally
Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons butter

1 6 inch zucchini
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Sea Salt
freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chicken broth
½ cup whipping cream
1-2 Tablespoons sweet red pepper, diced fine
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons minced fresh Basil
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

I had some chicken in the fridge that I had salted yesterday so that was perfect. It is not a must to have this done a day ahead but it does wonders in bringing about a super tender end result.

Cut zucchinni into strips with a veggie peeler. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a frying or saute pan and add the chicken pieces.

Fry for several minutes on each side till they are nicely browned. Remove from pan and keep warm. (I put mine on a plate, covered them, and put them in the oven @ 200°). Add broth to the same pan, bring to a boil and scrape the browned bits loose from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in cream and red peppers.

Boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat. Add parmesan cheese, basil, and pepper.

Cook and stir till heated through. Keep warm.

In a seperate pan saute the zucchini ribbons in olive oil until tender, this does not take long, and season with salt and pepper.

Put onto a serving plate and top with chicken and cream sauce. Serve immediately. Let your tastebuds sing!!

It took me about 20 minutes to make these two servings.

Good things are meant to be shared and since my children that were at home with me today had had their lunch already I sat and ate it in solitude, but I did call my MIL and inquire whether she had her lunch yet. She had not and so I brought her the other serving. I think it took the place of the egg she was going to eat quite nicely! ☺☺

Be Blessed!!

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White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake w/Blueberry Sauce

                                                      Refreshing & Delicious

I've been wanting to make another cheesecake and of course it's the most fun when it's a new and different one, so I went on a cheesecake hunt and found this one in a Taste of Home Magazine from several years ago. I would never really have thought of combining lemon and white chocolate but the combo intrigued me and I decided to add the blueberry sauce because I like the colors and flavors together. Another feature that drew me in about this one was the shortbread crust. mmmmm, lemon and shortbread! Can't go wrong there! It turned out perfectly delicious! I will definitely make this one again!

For the crust:

1¼ cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
½ cold unsalted butter

For the cheesecake:

4 packages (8 ounces each)
cream cheese, room temp.
1¼ cups sugar
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, room temp.
10 ounces white chocolate, melted
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Place a 9 inch Springform pan on a double thickness of heavy duty foil and wrap securely around the pan; set on a baking sheet and set aside. ( I think I'll consider skipping the foil the next time since I didn't water bath bake this one.)
In a small bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar, and lemon peel;cut in butter until crumbly. If you have been reading my blog for a while you will know the trick to making this step easy. I always grate the cold butter into the flour mixture

and then use a pastry cutter to achieve the crumbles.

Makes this step SO easy!

Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan.

 Bake at 325° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cream, and vanilla until well blended.

 Add eggs one at a time

 beating only until blended after each addition. Scrape down sides as needed for even mixing.

 DO NOT OVER BEAT!! If you do you have reason to anticipate a cracked finished product.

 Stir in white chocolate and lemon peel.

Pour into crust and spread evenly.

Here I deviated from the original when it called for a water bath bake. I don't like to do that and have found that setting the Springform pan on a baking sheet and baking the cheesecake at a lower temperature and allowing cooling time IN the oven with the door propped open works just fine and you don't have the water hassle.

This is what I did; remove the foil from the pan, set pan on a baking sheet and bake at 300° for 65-70 minutes. Turn oven off, prop door open with a wooden spoon handle and allow to cool IN the oven for another 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for ten minutes on a wire rack then carefully slide a sharp knife around the edges to loosen the cake part that isn't in the crust. This also helps to avoid the unsightly cracks that sometimes occur. Allow to cool completely then cover with a smooth dish towel and refrigerate over night or until thoroughly chilled.

Remove from the pan, garnish and serve with Blueberry Sauce.

For the Sauce:
12 ounces frozen blueberries
2 cups water

Clear jel or cornstarch
enough water to dilute

1/3 cup sugar
1 cup fresh blueberries

Heat water and blueberries until berries are soft. Put through a sieve, reserving juice and discarding pulp.

Return juice to a saucepan and add sugar. Return to a boil . Meanwhile mix and clear jel or cornstarch with enough water to dilute and stir until until smooth. When liquid comes to a boil slowly add the cornstarch/clear jel mixture, whisking until smooth. Add fresh blueberries and stir gently.

 Cool completely undisturbed to avoid breaking the berry skins. Enjoy!

Linking to:
The Tattered Tag
Home Sweet Home
Brambleberry Cottage
So Sweet Sunday
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The Garden

raspberries, strawberries, corn, beets, green beans,

and asparugus

flat leaf parsley, leeks, lettuces, and carrots

+ more sweet corn, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes

several kinds of onions, shallots, kale, spinach, blueberries,

blackberries, cauliflower, broccoli, and 1 each

butternut squash, cucumber, canteloupe

Now if everything cooperates and grows nicely we will be in business but between the bugs and elusive resident bunny :( we might have a challenge!

Have a great day everyone!

Soft Pretzel Doggies

Yesterday was another busy day and because I lacked inspiration and time when the supper hour approached I took my daughters suggestion and made soft pretzels. I didn't think the pretzels themselves would be enough and everyone loves a pretzel dog, right? So I decided to make doggie pretzels. I served them with watermelon and while I know this wasn't what you would consider the healthiest fare, in my defense I buy ONLY the Oscar Meyer Selects Black Angus Hot Dogs. They have no Nitrates, no Nitrites, AND no added MSG! ☺They are a little more expensive but definitely worth it! Check them out sometime.

Heres the recipe:
1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
1¼ cups warm water
½ cup brown sugar
2 cups Occident flour
1¾-2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
1½ cups water
Butter for brushing, melted

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add sugar, then add flours and salt. Knead well. Let rise for 20 minutes. Meanwhile heat the water and baking soda until the soda is dissolved.

Cut into strips and roll into ropes. Take a hot dog and wrap the rope around it. Dip into water/soda mixture and place on a parchment paper lined baking pan. Also leave plain for the hot dog rolls. Bake the hot dog pretzels in a 400° oven for 12-15 minutes.

After they are done brush them with melted butter and enjoy!

Linking to:
Made It Monday
Savory Sunday
Tattered Tag
Whisking Wednesday
Cupcake Apothecary
Two Maids a Baking
Anything Related
(Titus 2) Days
Swing Into Spring
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Be Blessed!

Strawberry Salsa

I've never really gotten into the whole fruity salsa thing but I kept seeing mango salsa recipes here and there and because I've been elbow deep in strawberries I started thinking about making a colorful strawberry salsa.

I put this one together several times this season, tweaking it a little each time, but I wasn't sure what to serve it with, so here's where you all come in.  I thought I would ask you guys for suggestions what to serve it with. So far I've just eaten it like it is because I love the flavors.

2 cups strawberries, diced
½ sweet yellow bell pepper, diced
small wedege of onion, diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
2 teaspoons Rice Vinegar
Sea Salt, to taste
Lime Salt, to taste
4-5 lemon balm leaves, finely chopped

Combine evrything and allow the flavors to blend before serving.

I'm looking forward to hearing your suggestions!

Linking to:
Wow Us Wednesday
Garden Variety
Top 5 Yum
Home Sweet Home 
Cupcake Apothecary
Be blessed!