Recipes

Thirsty Thursday: Over The Rainbow Drinks

September 19, 2013

Thirsty Thursday – Over the rainbow drinks are so colorful, the taste goes straight to your eyes first and cool in your belly next

I remember watching the Wizard of Oz growing up as a kid and loving it. How can you not? Umm there is a glittery witch!! Plus, I loved Toto and the Cowardly Lion. On the other hand my mom did not share my Wizard of Oz love since the flying monkeys would scare the bejesus out of her as a kid.

Well, tomorrow The Wizard of Oz is being re-released to IMAX screens for 1 WEEK! What’s so special? Well it’s been restored, remastered, and made 3D. Sounds awesome and a great way to enjoy this classic. Hoping to be able to go next week after we are back from vacation!

“Somewhere Over The Rainbow” is such a beautiful song from the movie so I made these Over The Rainbow Drinks for this week’s edition of Thirsty Thursday. They are so fun and so simple to create. Just take some colorful ice cubes and a lightly colored soda like Sprite or a flavored Seltzer and you’ll have your own rainbow in hand.

To make the ice cubes come out really colorful I suggest making the water really saturated with color, as well as using the ice cubes right away once they are frozen. I noticed that the left over ice cubes mellowed out in color so I suggest making them soon prior to enjoying your drink and celebrating your love of the Wizard of Oz. Amanda has made a drink perfect for all your Dorothy fans… A Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria that has a ruby red spinkle rim. Perfection. Instead of clicking the slippers together just slink a glass with a friend!

Over The Rainbow Drinks

Makes 2 drinks, but qty can easily be increased

Ingredients

Food Coloring
Water
Sprite

Process

To create the colored water, lay out 6 cups with 1/2 cup of water in each one. Add drops of food coloring to create the following colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple. Make sure the water is very bright for each color, esp the Orange and Yellow.
Evenly divide the water among the sections in ice cube trays and let freeze. (I used a baster instead of pouring since my hands are not too steady and I didn’t want to spill!)
Start to assemble you drink by placing the colored ice cubes into a tall glass. Use 2 ice cubes each in this order: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and lastly Purple in your glass. Pour in Sprite and enjoy!

Thirsty Thursday: German’s Chocolate Cake Milkshake

September 12, 2013

Next week we are off to the Florida Keys on our little ‘babymoon’. As well, we will be gone for Price’s birthday. Last year we were in Chicago for his birthday and this year we’ll be bumming it by the pool in the South Florida sun. I think he lucks out for his birthday while I freeze my but off for mine in January.

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Thirsty Thursday: Caramel Apple Pie a la Mode Shot

September 5, 2013

I have a love hate relationship with 3 day weekends & 4 day weeks. It’s great to have the extra day for the weekend but what it really means is that I still have 5 days of work to do in 4 days. See my issue here?

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Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

September 4, 2013

Can someone find my mojo please?

I feel like I’ve lost it. No, I definitely lost it.

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Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

August 30, 2013

So I’m still addicted to peaches. I don’t know what I am going to do when they are out of season. I’ll be super sad and probably still buy them and pay too much for out peaches shipped half way around the world. All because I’m pregnant and must have peaches on the daily.

When I recently checked the NASCAR schedule to see what recipes I would be making soon for the upcoming race for my Sprint Cup Snacks posts, I got really excited for the Atlanta race this weekend. Peaches just jumped out to me so I could not resist!

Oh man, I had so many peach recipes dancing through my head! I toyed around with everything from muffins to a dessert pizza topped with a cream cheese drizzle. (Still thinking about that last one!) But in the end I found this Peach and Blueberry Cobbler that had my name all over it. Nice mash up of the North and South with the Blueberries and Peaches. Plus cobbler is just super simple to make so you really have no excuse not to make one. No excuse.

I suggest you take a bit of time before dinner (or this weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway) to make it so it is hot and ready for when you are looking for dessert! Doesn’t hurt to serve with some vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream.

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients

2 3/4 pounds peaches, halved lengthwise, pitted, and then cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges (about 8 cups)
1 pint blueberries
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated, peeled fresh ginger or 1 generious pinch of ground ginger
pinch of salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, (1 stick), cut into small pieces
1 vanilla bean
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more for brushing
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Process

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the racks in the in upper and lower thirds of the oven.
Stir together the peaches, blueberries, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, cornstarch, brown sugar, lemon juice, ginger, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Transfer to a 12-by-8 1/2-inch (2-quart) baking dish; set aside.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender or your hands to form clumps that are no larger than small peas. (If using your hands be sure to work quickly!)
Scrape vanilla bean seeds into the cream; stir with a fork to combine. Discard pod. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture; stir until a soft, sticky dough forms.
Drop small pieces evenly over the entire cobbler. Brush the top of the dough with cream, and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Place a parchment-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any overflow juices. Bake the cobbler on the rack directly over the baking sheet until topping is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 55 to 70 minutes. If the topping is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil. Let cool on a wire rack 1 hour before serving.

Sourced from Martha Stewart

Pumpkin Roll- SRC

August 26, 2013

It’s that time again… Secret Recipe Club time!!

I’ve really loved being part of Secret Recipe Club. It has been such a great past 2 years (well almost). It has put me in touch with so many great bloggers and given me the chance to try new recipes. I try to pick a new to me recipe or a new to me technique so I’m learning something new in the process.

In this month’s case, I had Colie’s Kitchen. yay! Another Nicole!!!!! She juggles a busy schedule, exactly like me, but still manages to make so many good sounding recipes. It’s also fun to search through the recipe index and get so insprired. And Colie has been posting and posting for ages!!! So many options to pick from, well for Price to pick from since I always give him first pass at picking out recipes.

Colie had a pumpkin roll recipe that must have jumped out to price since pretty much as soon as I had giving him the recipe index link he hands back the computer so I can make that. He also picked another pumpkin recipe so he must be ready for some fall time recipes. It worked out for me since I’d never made a ‘roll’ recipe before so I’d be learning a new technique.

Some things I learned while making this pumpkin roll…

you need A LOT of powdered sugar on the towel to prevent it from sticking to the towel. I did put a lot on since that tip was provided as well, but it really is a lot. You basically can’t put too much on. Well, you could but basically you need more than you think of putting on the towel
Do not to too much frosting on! I was thinking that this recipe didn’t had a lot of frosting and there is a reason! It would really mess things up if you put too much on as it would overflow out of it and/or cause the roll to split in the process of rolling as it would be too full.

I’m so glad that I had Colie’s blog this month! I got to try a great new recipe and learn how to make a roll in the process. So much fun!

Give the Pumpkin Roll recipe a try and I swear you’ll be a fan of this sweet fall treat!

Pumpkin Roll

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

For the Cake

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on a towel)

For the Filling

8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Process

For the Cake:

Preheat your oven to 375° F.
Grease a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Then line with wax paper, and grease and flour that.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in small bowl.
Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Add in the pumpkin.
Gently stir in the flour mixture.
Evenly spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. (If using a dark-colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.)
Immediately loosen and turn cake onto a thin, cotton kitchen towel that has been generously been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Carefully peel off the wax paper. Roll up cake and towel together, starting with the edge that is 10″ wide. Cool on wire rack.

For the Filling

Beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.

To Assemble

Carefully unroll the cake. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture over cake.
Reroll the cake and then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

Sourced from Colie’s Kitchen

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Check out my previous Secret Recipe Club Posts

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BBQ Bacon Wrapped Corn

August 23, 2013

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Corn – try taking your average grilled corn on the cob to the next level. A must make at your next summer BBQ.

Post from 8/23/18, Pictures updated 5/27/18

I’m so out of it this week.

I’m really thankful it’s Friday… Friyay… because this week felt like it was dragging and dragging.

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Thirsty Thursday: S’mores Frappe

August 22, 2013

This time last year Amanda and I were deep into our S’mores Week. We love S’mores so much that we devoted a whole week to S’mores recipes. It was so much fun that we wanted to reflect on that with this week’s edition of Thirsty Thursday post.

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Cherry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

August 16, 2013

It was so chilly the other night that I couldn’t help but thinking of how summer is winding down and that I just have to deal with it. Fall is approaching whether I want it to or not. Don’t get me wrong, I love fall, but it’s that evil winter that follows that hurts. But on the positive side turning on the oven for roasting and baking will warm the house and smells will fill it up with love.

While I had really considered making meat pasties, a Michigan favorite, I couldn’t resist making another sweet cherry treat for this week’s edition of Sprint Cup Snacks for this weekend’s race at Michigan International Speedway. Especially since I’ve been craving sweets lately. So the idea of the sweet smell of cherries filling up the house was just too irresistible to pass up.

I had so much fun looking up desserts using cherries and while the idea of making coffee cake, blondies, and hand pies all sounded awesome I decided on making cookies. I have had cookies on the mind for weeks so I finally got to stretch my baking legs and but my mixer to use.

These Cherry White Chocolate Chip Cookies are some big cookies! I don’t think anything gets better than big fresh from the oven cookies. Well, maybe world peace but cookies can be homemade in under an hour so let’s just go with that. So grab a big glass of milk and a cookie (or a few) and enjoy!!

Cherry White Chocolate Chip Cookies_00

Cherry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 24 large cookies

Ingredients

4 1/4 ounces cake flour (1 cup)
4 1/4 ounces all purpose flour (1 cup)
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons Kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
5 ounces light brown sugar (scant 3/4 cups packed)
4 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup, plus 3 tablespoons)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 oz white chocolate chips
5 oz dried cherries

Process

Preheat theoven to 350 degrees. Line insulated baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
Sift the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl with a wire whisk. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until very light, about five minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, mix well. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cherries with rubber spatula.
Use a cooking scoop or spoons to drop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown and set in the middle.
Allow cookies to cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.

Sourced from Amanda’s Cookin’

Thirsty Thursday: Spicy Gin Cucumber Lemonade

August 15, 2013

After I made my kicked up Grilled Peach and Jalapeno Margarita as my grilled drink recipe a few weeks ago, Amanda requested that we do a theme for Spicy Drinks for this week’s Thirsty Thursday post. Isn’t it just fun to get the unexpected when you take a sip of a chilly drink and you get a spicy bite back at ya?!?!

I found this amazing sounding Spicy Gin Cucumber Lemonade and I knew I had to make it. However it was a risky since gin makes Price angry. Umm, what?!?! Exactly! For years I had been hearing how gin makes Price angry, but never witnessed it since gin = angry Price. I was doubting this argument since it sounded silly to me but then one day we saw this episode of How I Met Your Mother where they broke down everyone’s reaction to different types of alcohol. Well, low and behold, gin makes Marshall angry. ha!

The risk paid off since Price really enjoyed this (and didn’t get angry since there wasn’t too much gin in there compared to the rest of the lemonade this was a great refreshing cocktail that had a subtle kick to it and since it was a The lemonade provided a bit of tartness and the cayenne added the kick while the cucumber cooled it all off. I used a local gin made in Maine but I would also suggest a gin that has cucumber flavors in it, such as Hendrick’s, or one that has plenty of botanical, such as Oxley.

Amanda is a queen of margaritas so she made this Spicy Cilantro Margarita. I’ve never heard of cilantro in a drink before so I’m really interested.

Spicy Gin Cucumber Lemonade

Makes 2 drinks

Ingredients

4 ounces of gin
16 ounces of Lemonade
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced
8 thin slices of english cucumbers
ice

Process

Fill a highball glass or another style 12 ounce tall glass halfway with ice cubes.
Add the gin, lemonade, cayenne, 4 slices of the thinly sliced cucumber, and some lemon wedges. Stir well and serve immediately. Repeat for other serving.

Slightly adapted from Heather Cristo

Homemade Cheez-It’s

August 9, 2013

Post Contains Affiliate Links. Read my full disclosure HERE

Let’s just take a minute to reflect on what a week it has been for NASCAR. First, Kasey Kahne won the Pocono Race!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!! We were sooo excited for that win. Helps him in the Sprint Cup Standings to secure a spot in the Championship. Unfortunately, another driver is surely losing his spot in the Championship standings because of an accident. Tony Stewart was in a Sprint Car accident on Monday night that has resulted in him breaking his tibia and fibula in his right leg. Already he has had 2 surgeries to repair the breaks, including a surgery in which they put a rod in his leg. I hope he has a quick recovery and can get back to racing soon.

Anyway, when I first started the Sprint Cup Snacks series I had planned on making wine slushies for this weekend’s race at Watkin’s Glen. The Finger Lakes Region of New York is becoming known for their fantastic wines and I have always wanted to have a wine slushy, which they serve up at the New York State Fair.

But guess what… if I can’t have a wine slushy now, you can’t have a wine slushy now!!!

So on to Plan B, which was to make Homemade Cheez-It’s because this race is the “Cheez-It 355 at The Glen”. Oh man, Plan B was such a good idea!!

These Homemade Cheez-It’s are just killer. Flaky, crunchy, cheesy, salty, crackers that you can’t resist. Sure you can just buy a box of Cheez-It’s but you’ll want to give these a try just to prove to yourself that 5 ingredients (plus some seasonings) quickly turn into pop in your month tasty crackers. Plus as they puff up in the oven you get teased with the wonderful cheesy smell drawing you in.

The dough can easily be made in a food processor or in a stand mixer. The key thing is to keep the dough pretty cool so it is easy to work with. I chilled it every chance I got to make rolling it out easier, cutting easier, and then transferring easier. Get the picture? There are so many melty things (cheese, butter, and shortening) that is is very malleable but very tacky. Since you don’t flour your working surface it is really important to use the silpat/ parchment. Don’t skip that part! I only give these warnings to make the process super easy and fun… and ultimately tasty!

Last year we loved watching the race at The Glen from our seats behind Kasey’s pit on Pit Road (!!) so I’ll miss going there this year but at least I have these homemade Cheez-It’s to enjoy while watching the race on Sunday.

Homemade Cheez-It’s

Makes 7 dozen crackers

Ingredients

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Tablespoon vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 cup flour
2 Tablespoons ice water
Coarse salt for sprinkling

Process

Combine the cheese, butter, shortening, and salt in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or into a food processor fitted with a dough attachment. The mixture will be crumbly.
Slowly add the flour mixing to combine. Slowly add the ice water. You may add a few more drops of water to help it come together but be careful not to add too much as you don’t want a wet dough.
Divide the dough into 2 discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375⁰F.
Cover your work surface with a silicone mat or a piece of parchment paper. Roll each disc to be a 1/8 inch thick rectangle. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, cut into 1 inch squares. Use a toothpick to punch a hole into the center of each square. Sprinkle the crackers with salt prior to transferring to a baking sheet. (If you have difficulty separating and transferring the crackers onto the baking sheet, place the mat back into the refrigerator for 10 minutes)
Bake for 9-13 minutes or until puffed and just browning around the edges. Just be careful not to let them get too dark, it can happen quickly.
Move crackers to a cooling rack.

Slightly adpated from In Katrina’s Kitchen

Thirsty Thursday: Watermelon Agua Fresca

August 8, 2013

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Ahh summer…

What is your favorite drink to enjoy during the summer? Is it a beer? A glass of sangria? A glass of icy cold lemonade? Well, I love it all. I had such a hard time picking a drink to share for this week’s “Summer Time Favorites” themed Thirsty Thursday post. I wanted to share something that I find really refreshing and is simple to prepare because you don’t want to be stuck inside making a drink, you want to be outside enjoying it!

Watermelon Agua Fresca is a perfect summer time drink. I can’t get enough of it at this point. I’m really missing beer, chilled white wines, and sangria now but this Watermelon Agua Fresca is really hitting the spot right now.

I keep buying watermelons like they are going out of style. I don’t think I’ve ever eating so much watermelon in my life this summer. And now I’m drinking it. It’s just hard to resist it since it is at its peak freshness for such a short period of time.

Oh, and on the plus side I don’t have a watermelon sized bump… yet.

Watermelon Agua Fresca_00

And Amanda has shared a Sonic favorite because you just can’t resist Happy Hour in the summer. But if you miss Happy Hour don’t fret since you can now make your own Ocean Water at home. Soooo good!!!

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Serves: 4