Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

Ok, I know this is a little late in coming, but these are the beautiful strawberries from our garden {almost 2 months ago}! Having fresh strawberries, warm from the sun, is like nothing else on earth! We ate most of them, right in our garden but managed to save a few for some great fresh strawberry recipes. This ice cream is from the Ben and Jerry's cook book. It just screams summer to me, you don't even cook the berries so they keep that amazing fresh flavor. I just LOVED the color too!

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/3 cup sugar

juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup milk

2 t vanilla

Combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Prepare the ice cream by whisking the eggs until light and fluffy. Whisk in the sugar until completely blended, about 1 minute. Pour in the cream, milk, and vanilla and mix until blended. Next mash the strawberries to desired consistency and then add them to the ice cream base. Transfer to an ice cream maker and follow manufacturers instructions. This will make a little more than 1 quart.

Cowboy Cookies

I found this recipe at the Sister's Cafe and loved the name, and so did my little cowboys! I must admit, the cookies were to die for! I convinced my boys that they could only eat them if they were wearing their cowboy hats. It made for a fun afternoon at our house! And some much needed hot out of the oven cookies for this {almost} 9 months pregnant mom!

There is nothing cuter than a cowboy and his cookie!

Cowboy Cookies

(Adapted from the Sister's Cafe)

2 cups quick oats

2 cups flour

3/4 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/8 t cinnamon

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate (I did half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate)

1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl, set aside. Beat together butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Using a wooden spoon add the dry ingredients. Mix in the coconut and chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for about 8-10 minutes depending on how big you make them. Now go get your cowboy hats on and enjoy!

Adena's Rolls

This is the same recipe that I use for Cinnamon Rolls But this is the way the were originally introduced to me. My wonderful sister-in -law Adena has made these rolls a tradition in our family and I have since passed it on to many others. They are even great as sandwich rolls the next day. These are THE BEST!

Adena's Rolls

(36 rolls)

2 cups warm water

3/4 cup melted butter, plus more for brushing on the dough
3/4 cup sugar
1 T salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 T yeast
6-7 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in water. Add the rest of the ingredients and two cups of the flour. Mix until smooth. Continue adding more of the flour until the dough holds together but is still sticky. Use this dough as sticky as you can handle. Knead until smooth. It should be the consistency of play dough. Let rise until double, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on the temperature in your kitchen. Knock down. Divide into 3 balls. Roll each ball, one at a time, into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Brush the circle with melted butter. Cut each circle into 12 slices like a pizza. Roll each slice, starting at the fat end, into a crescent shape. Place the rolls on a greased cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let them rise until they are about the size you want eat them. Bake them at 400 for 8-10 minutes. I brush the tops of the warm rolls with MORE melted butter just for good measure!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

I think the reason I love muffins so much (besides the obvious...cake for breakfast!) is because they make great snacks, leftovers and take anywheres. I found this recipe at Annie's Eats and just couldn't resist. And then I couldn't resist them all day yesterday and even this morning. There is just something about a little bit (or a lotta bit) of chocolate in the morning that just gets me going!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

(about 18 muffins)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
12 T butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with liners

In a bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla until well blended. Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add the milk and mix until combined. Mix in the rest of the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin liners. Bake for 21-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. This made 18 muffins for me.

Grandpa's Chocolate Malts

My dear, sweet, honest, loveable Grandpa passed away a couple of weeks ago so in honor of him I just had to post this recipe. He was an amazing man, a selfless and giving person with a great sense of humor and a love for chocolate malts. We have loved this simple recipe for years and years in our family and hope it brings some love to your family as well. I have spent many wonderful nights deep in conversation with a malt in my hands. So, in memory of you, Grandpa! Thanks for sharing the love!

Grandpa's Chocolate Malts

Vanilla ice cream

Hershey's chocolate syrup

Malt powder

milk

Put all of these ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. We like our rich and thick, so add ingredients to taste. For 4 servings I fill the blender with ice cream add 2 heaping T malt powder fill in with milk about 1/2 way up and douse the whole thing in chocolate syrup.

Hummus

I got this recipe from www.dedemed.com. I have tried a number of Hummus recipes and have never liked them very much, I guess I am just picky! (Shhhh, don't tell anyone!) But...then I found this one! I love this recipe! It is JUST what Hummus should taste like in my opinion. So, give it a try and see what you think!

Hummus

1/4 cup greek yogurt, plain

1 can garbonzo beans (chick peas) drained

1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/2 cup lemon juice

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t salt

3-4 fresh mint leaves

Put all of these ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Garnishes (please don't leave these off, they make hummus well, hummus!)

2 T fresh parsley, chopped

1 t paprika, or more

1/4 cup olive oil

Chicken Shawarma Sandwich on Homemade Pita Bread

Alright, don't let this intimidate you. It is actually a pretty straight forward recipe or recipes actually. We are huge fans of Mediterranean food and LOVE Chicken Shawarma Sandwiches. So, I started looking for all the right components. These recipes come from a few different websites so I will site them under each recipe heading. Ok, here it goes!

Chicken Shawarma

www.dedemed.com

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 T minced garlic

1 t salt

1/4 t ground cardamom

1/4 t 7 spices (I couldn't find this so I omitted it and it was still great!)

1/4 t paprika

1/4 t dried parsley

1/8 t cayenne pepper

1/8 t cinnamon

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix to coat chicken. Cover and let marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat pan with 3 T olive oil. Add chicken and cook for 10 minutes or longer until chicken is cooks through.

Yogurt Sauce and Greek Pico de Gallo

Our Best Bites

6 T Greek yogurt

1/2 t lemon zest

1/2 T fresh parsley, minced

1/4 t salt

Mix all together.

1/4 cup diced tomato

1/4 cup diced cucumber

1 T diced red onion

Mix together.

Pita Bread

Food Network

1 t yeast

2 1/2 cups warm water

2 cups whole wheat flour

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 T salt

1-2 T olive oil (I used 1 1/2 T)

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add whole wheat flour, one cup at a time, then add 1 cup of the white flour. Mix for 1 minute. Let this sponge rest for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Sprinkle salt over sponge and stir in olive oil. Add the rest of the white flour 1 cup at a time. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise until it is double, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450. Preheat a baking stone or baking sheet in the oven. Divide dough into 16 balls. Roll each ball out on a floured surface until it is about 8-9 inches in diameter. I kept the dough balls covered so they wouldn't dry out. Bake each dough circle on the preheated stone for 4-5 minutes until it has gone to a full balloon or is slightly browned. There are many reasons they DON"T go to full balloon so don't worry if they don't, they are still great and we just folded them in half or rolled them into a sandwich.

NOW... Take a pita and add yogurt sauce, Greek Pico, Chicken, lettuce, pickles and hummus (I will post a great hummus recipe next!) Y.U.M.!! Now wasn't that worth it!

Buttermilk Syrup

I have totally posted this recipe before. But lets be honest this picture was too beautiful to not give it its own post. Besides this syrup is A-mazing and I am not going to lie, I could put his on ANYTHING, well, almost. I love this as an ice cream topping too, it is very carmel like. But be sure and try it on waffles with berries and fresh whipped cream, you might just lick the plate!

Buttermilk Syrup

3 C sugar
1 1/2 C buttermilk
4 T Karos syrup
2 sticks butter
2 t baking soda
4 t vanilla

Mix together everything BUT the vanilla in a large pan, this thing expands like crazy because of the baking soda. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add vanilla. Serve warm. I save the left overs in a jar like this in my fridge, it will keep for about a week or two.

Fudge Revel Bars

I got this recipe from Tasty Kitchen, love that site! These are oh so heavenly and I just love the combo of oats and chocolate! These make a TON so be prepared to share or just make half the batch.

Fudge Revel Bars

1 cup butter, plus 1 T, divided

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

1 1/2 t salt, divided

1 t baking soda

2 1/2 cups flour

3 cups quick oats

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 package (12 oz) milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet (I used milk but I think next time I will try semi-sweet)

Preheat oven to 350. Cream together 1 cup butter, brown sugar and eggs. Add vanilla. Next add 1 t salt, baking soda and flour, mix well. Add oats and mix again. Press 2/3 of the dough into a greased cookie sheet (10x15, I told you this makes a ton!)

Put sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 1 T butter and 1/2 t salt into a sauce pan (or microwave safe bowl) and heat until the chocolate is completely melted. Pour over the dough in the cookie sheet and spread to cover it. Sprinkle or dot the chocolate layer with the remaining 1/3 of the dough. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. This will make 30 bars!

Dark Chocolate Brownies and Vanilla Ice Cream

These brownies come from My Kitchen Cafe (Thanks Melanie for another great recipe!) And this vanilla ice cream is our favorite, it comes from the Ben and Jerry's cookbook, but is slightly modified. After spending a great couple of days on Mackinaw Island, where we ate our weight in fudge, I came home wanting MORE, if you can believe that! So, I opted for brownies instead of fudge. But these brownies are dangerously close, mind you, so find someone to share with!

Dark Chocolate Brownies

2 sticks butter

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (I used chocolate chips)

2 cups sugar

1 t vanilla

5 large eggs

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 t salt

2/3 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 with cooking spray. Melt butter and chocolate chips in a 3 quart sauce pan over low heat until completely melted and smooth. Add 1 cup of sugar to the hot chocolate mixture and then let it cool to lukewarm. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup of sugar and vanilla. Next whisk in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Whisk in the salt and the cocoa powder. Add the flour last and mix just until it disappears, be careful not to over beat.

Spread into the greased pan and bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes. An inserted toothpick should come out with crumbs it, NOT clean. Cool to room temperature, if you can.

Vanilla Ice Cream

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup milk

2 t vanilla

a dash of salt

Beat eggs until light and foamy, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, then continue whisking for about 1 more minute. Pour in the cream, milk, vanilla, and salt until blended.

Transfer to the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.