Hawaiian Dream Homemade Ice Cream

Wow, this week has been FAN-tastic. I've posted so many of my favorite dishes. We should all be fat and happy by now. But if by some chance you're still feeling hungry. I have the solution. 

Hawaiian Dream Ice Cream.

It is OFFICIALLY my favorite ice cream. The flavor and texture is to die for. Literally. If I was allowed one final meal, this would be it. Just the ice cream. Okay, maybe I'm getting a little dramatic. But you get the point.

Not only does it taste amazing when it's fresh out of the churn, but the leftovers freeze extremely well. It doesn't turn into a hard brick, like other homemade ice creams. 

And just a little note about ice-cream freezers. I am a fan of the rock salt and ice kind. I think the kinds that you put the canister in the freezer 12 hours prior to ice cream time, just don't do the trick. Does anyone have any professional product advise concerning ice-cream freezers?

In any case, you have got to try this recipe. This is a family original recipe from my husband's grandmother. 

Enjoy!

{HAWAIIAN DREAM ICE CREAM}

Mix in 4-quart freezer: 

2 ½ c. sugar
1 can frozen Hawaiian punch (this can be hard to find now-days. I found a knock-off brand that was "Paradise Punch" and it did the trick)
1 can frozen orange juice
½ can frozen lemonade
1 large can pineapple, crushed
3-4 mashed bananas
1 can evaporated milk
½ pt. whipping cream (yes, you only need a 1/2 pint!)
1 T. vanilla
Milk to fill line (about 3 cups)

Mix all together and freeze in ice-cream freezer. 

Gourmet BBQ Chicken and Garden Veggie Pizza

Hands down the BEST pizza I've ever eaten. Ever, ever, ever.

Ever.

This was so good. I can't wait to make it again. First of all, this pizza dough is the best I've ever made. Second, BBQ chicken pizza is divine. And Third, the veggies from our garden were PERFECT! Now, I realize that not everyone has a garden to go pick fresh veggies from. And all I have to say about that is exactly what my older brother, Johnny would say....

Neener. Neener.

Just kidding. But seriously, I'm sure you could find wonderful veggies at a local farmer's market or at your local store. 

Enjoy!

{GOURMET BBQ CHICKEN AND GARDEN VEGGIE PIZZA}

Pizza Dough:

2 tsp. yeast
1 c. warm water
2 T. oil
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
2 ½ c. flour

Pizza Toppings:

2-3 small chicken breasts, cooked and sliced (ours were basted with BBQ sauce as they cooked, yum!)

1 purple onion, thinly sliced

1/2 zucchini, cut in half and thinly sliced (like half moons)

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 c. BBQ sauce

1 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/3 c. feta cheese, crumbled

Salt & Pepper

Cornmeal

Active yeast in warm water, sprinkled with sugar. Allow to set for 5 minutes. Mix in remaining dough ingredients and knead. Let rise in warm place, covered for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile prepare pizza stone, or cookie sheet by sprinkling with cornmeal. Roll out dough and place on pizza stone. Add sauce, mozzarella cheese, meat, veggies, feta and salt and pepper. Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes. 

Dad's Perfect Homemade Rootbeer

Summer would just not be Summer, without my dad's homemade rootbeer. He has it perfected, I tell you. Absolutely perfected. I attempted to make it for the first time and it was good. But I still like it better when my dad's at the brewery. 

I thought about posting a picture of a glass of ice cold rootbeer (oh man, so good), but I thought I'd post a picture of the action instead. Kids love this part! And I secretly still do too.

You've got to try this, but make sure you invite lots of friends over, because you're going to have A LOT of soda on your hands. 

Enjoy!

{DAD'S PERFECT HOMEMADE ROOTBEER}

4 gallons water
5 lbs. dry ice
5 lbs. sugar (9 C.)
1 bottle Root Beer Extract

Add and dissolve sugar in 1 gallon water. Pour in rootbeer extract. Fill the extract bottle with water and pour into jug to ensure you get ALL the flavoring. Add 4 gallons water. About ½ hour before serving, add dry ice and allow to process. Be sure to leave the lid off, or at least leave it loose on top, otherwise you'll create a root beer bomb. No fun.

Orange Pineapple Cream Salad

Now, I'm not usually a fan of mixed jello salads. I just don't believe that things like shredded carrots, marshmallows, and cheese belong in jello. Maybe, that's just me. But, this mixed jello recipe is really good, if I do say so myself. No funny stuff, just whip cream, jello flavoring, and fruit. Yum! My nephew even requested it for his birthday party. And if an 8-year-old boy is actually requesting a dish, it must be good, right?

Plus, it's a great excuse for a fruit dish. I guess technically this could be considered a dessert, because it's loaded with sweetness. But I say eat it as your "fruit" and still have a slice of pie. I won't tell. 

Enjoy!

{ORANGE PINEAPPLE CREAM SALAD}

1 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
3 oz. pkg orange jello
1 can pineapple, crushed

1 large can, (or 2 small) mandarin oranges

1-2 bananas, sliced

Mix whipping cream, sugar, vanilla, almond flavoring and jello. Beat until mixture starts forming soft peaks (don't "over-beat," or you'll be eating butter) . Fold in drained pineapple, oranges, and bananas. Serve immediately.

Aly's Mouth Watering Chicken Fajitas with Sour Cream Salsa

We don't have very many repeat dinners at our house. I figure there are just TOO many amazing recipes and dishes out there, to limit ourselves to a weekly dinner routine. 

But these chicken fajitas. Forget it. These are a staple. We love these so much, I have been known to make a fresh batch of these a few days in a row. And the sour cream salsa, I've already told you that I'd eat this stuff all by itself. I put it on this. We are about licking our plates at the end of the meal. Yes, they're that good. 

And yes, they're SUPER simple. If you don't try these, you're absolutely, positively crazy. cRaZy! 

Enjoy.

{ALY'S MOUTH-WATERING CHICKEN FAJITAS WITH SOUR CREAM SALSA}

1 lb. chicken, cooked & shredded

1 green pepper, cut into 1-inch slices

1 onion,  cut into 1-inch slices 

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1-2 T. lime juice

1-2 T. brown sugar

Salt & Pepper to taste

Flour tortillas

Garnish with avocado slices

{SOUR CREAM SALSA}

½ c. sour cream
1 tsp. lime zest
1 T. lime juice
3 T. cilantro, chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded & chopped

Saute green pepper and onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add chicken and spices and cook for 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in brown sugar and lime juice. Serve on warmed flour tortillas. Garnish with fresh avocado slices and sour cream salsa. 

Lemon Whoopie Pies with Raspberry Filling

Yep. You heard me. LEMON WHOOPIE PIES WITH RASPBERRY FILLING. I could end the post right there and I think it would basically sum it up. But I just have to add, that I made this for a girls night, and it was the perfect thing after all our pedicures and manicures were finished. These taste even better than they sound, trust me on this. You won't regret it. Enjoy!

{

{LEMON WHOOPIE PIES WITH RASPBERRY FILLING}

Makes 15

1/2 c. butter, room temperature

1 c. plus 3 T. light-brown sugar

1 T. grated lemon zest

1 tsp. vanilla

1 large egg

2 1/4 c. flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. whole milk

3/4 c. heavy cream

1 c. fresh raspberries (4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and lemon zest until light and creamy. Add vanilla and egg and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk and ending with flour mixture (scrape bowl as needed). Beat well to combine. 

Drop batter in 2-tablespoon mounds, about 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until puffed and pale golden around edges, 17 to 19 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cakes cool completely on sheets on wire racks. 

In a large bowl, whip cream and 3 tablespoons brown sugar to soft peaks. In a small bowl, mash raspberries with a fork, then fold into whipped cream. Divide raspberry cream evenly among bottoms of half the cakes, then sandwich with remaining cakes.

 Source: Everyday Food Magazine May 2010

Aloha Island Salad

Wow, I've been doing a lot of copy-cat recipes lately. Like this one and this one. But there's a reason for that...they're good!

This is just like a salad you'd find at Rumbi, which I LOVE! We had this on one of those nights when we just needed something healthy and light. It was just what we were looking for. So much in fact, we ate it two nights in a row.

Watch out though, this makes a lot of dressing. Enjoy!

{ALOHA ISLAND SALAD}

Salad:

Tender Salad mix (or your favorite lettuce mix)

Feta cheese, crumbled

Tomatoes, diced

Tortilla chips, broken

Chicken breast, cooked & shredded

Dressing:

1/4 c. Dijon mustard

1 T. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. chili paste

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

3/4 c. mayo

2 c. sesame oil (I realize this is a lot!)

1/2 c. rice wine vinegar

1/2 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. white sugar

2 T. minced garlic

1 T. minced ginger

Dad's Best Pancakes

My husband is so lucky! His dad used to wake up every weekend to make THESE pancakes. They are the best pancakes, I've ever had. And my husband actually had the mind to say he "didn't like pancakes," because he ate them every weekend. Well, we just had them the other morning and since it had been a few years, he said, "Wow, I think I really DO like pancakes. These are really good." 

Um, yea! Hello? I think my husband might be carrying on the tradition and will start making these for us every weekend. I'm not complaining. Enjoy!

*My sister-in-law likes to put fresh blueberries in the batter. Now, that sounds delicious!

{DAD'S BEST PANCAKES}

3 eggs, beaten
2 ¼ c. buttermilk
2 c. flour, maybe a little less
1 tsp. soda
2 tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
¼ c. oil

Hand mix just enough to combine ingredients. Cook on 350° griddle, spread out batter for each pancake. Don’t overcook.

Sweet Potato Fries & the ULTIMATE Fry Sauce

Dear Sweet Potato,

I used to not care for you. I only associated you with mushy Thanksgiving side dishes, topped with marshmallows. And I'm sorry, but that's just wrong. I want to let you know that I've changed my mind. So much, in fact, I think I might prefer you over your cousin Regular Spud. I mean, you're healthier AND you're kinda sweet. Plus, let's be honest, your fries are DELICIOUS! 

My apologies. 

-Me

You'll love these fries. And you'll love the fry sauce even more. I realize that by posting a recipe for "fry sauce," I automatically reveal which state I live in. It's a very regional thing. But, if you are one that has never heard of, nor tried fry sauce. You're in luck, because this recipe is THE BEST! Enjoy!

{SWEET POTATO FRIES & THE ULTIMATE FRY SAUCE}

1 lg. Sweet Potato

Olive Oil

Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the sweet potato. Cut into french fry size slices. However thick or thin you prefer. Place on cookie sheet and drizzle olive oil over all. Sprinkle with salt and toss fries, making sure all fries are covered in oil and salt. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing fries half-way through. Turn the oven to broil and place fries on top rack. Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until fries are crispy. 

{ULTIMATE FRY SAUCE}

1 c. mayo

2/3 c. ketchup

1/4 c. BBQ sauce

1 T. mustard

1/8 tsp. hot sauce

Mix and serve with fries.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

I USED to order this every time I went to Olive Garden. I don't anymore, because I actually think this recipe tastes even better! It is so delicious. Try it with these, and you'll be in heaven. And you could even go one-step farther and buy Olive Garden's salad dressing in a bottle and do a copy cat of their salad, which is easy: lettuce, tomato, onion, olives, and Parmesan cheese. 

You'll never have to eat out again....except on "those" days. You know the ones where you didn't sleep a wink the night before. It's 4:00pm and you still haven't gotten dressed or done your hair. Your baby is running around in just a diaper, toys are scattered all around the floor.  You look like a mess and you feel like a mess. I mean, I never have days like that. :) I'm just saying...hypothetically...IF you have a day like that, yea, just don't bother cooking.

Enjoy!

{ZUPPA TOSCANA SOUP}

print this

1 lb spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
½ lb smoked bacon, chopped

1 qt. water
2 (14.5-oz.) cans chicken broth (3 2/3 c.)
2 lg russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cubed
2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
1 med. onion, peeled, chopped
2 c. chopped kale or swiss chard
1 c. heavy whipping cream
Salt & pepper to taste

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces; set aside. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon, drain and set aside. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until tender. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

My Favorite Homemade Blueberry Muffins

This recipe was very appropriately named "To Die For Blueberry Muffins," when I first found it. I'd been eating the pre-packaged mix of blueberry muffins my whole life. When I made these, I about fell to the floor...."This is what I've been missing?!" They are absolutely one of my favorite things to eat. The fresh blueberries are wonderful. You've got to try this one for sure. Enjoy!

{

{MY FAVORITE HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS}

1 ½ c. flour
¾ c. sugar
½ tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 c. milk
1 c. fresh blueberries

Crumb Topping:
½ c. sugar
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. butter, cubed
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400° Grease muffin cups. Combine 1 ½ cups flour, ¾ cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to top and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Easy Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

This was a very simple dinner to throw together. ESPECIALLY if you do my trick for prepping your chicken before hand. I made this one night when my little guy was sick. It was a great comfort food. But since he was sick, I didn't want to take him to the store and I was running a bit low on supplies. I didn't have sour cream, so I used a substitute (see below). I tasted it before I mixed it in and it was actually pretty decent. And it absolutely did the trick for the recipe. Enjoy!

{SOUR CREAM SUBSTITUION}

1 c. low-fat cottage cheese 

1 T. lemon juice 

2 T.  milk

Whip until smooth in a blender.

{EASY CHICKEN & WILD RICE CASSEROLE}

1 (6-oz) pkg Wild Rice mix (Uncle Ben's or Rice a Roni)

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1/2 c. celery, chopped

2 T. butter

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 c. sour cream

1/3 c. water

1/2 tsp. curry powder

2 c. chicken, cooked & chopped

Prepare rice according to package directions. Saute onion and celery in the butter. Stir in soup, sour cream, water, and curry powder. Fold in chicken and rice. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered for 35-40 minutes. Stir before serving.

Fresh Avocado & Tomato Egg Roll with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Wow, you think the title is a mouth-full, just wait until you try these puppies. YUM!

When I first got this recipe, it called for sun-dried tomatoes. When I was at the store looking for them, I was floored at how much they could charge for such a small item. So, I decided fresh is better, anyway. Right? Right.

Let me also touch on the DELICIOUS honey mustard sauce. It's gooood. We love to use it on steamed asparagus too. Oh my, oh my. Yum! Enjoy!

I don't usually post step-by-step picture instructions, but I figured it may be helpful with this one.

{FRESH AVOCADO & TOMATO EGG ROLLS WITH HONEY MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE 

2 large avocados, peeled, pitted, & dice

1 Roma tomato, chopped

2 T. red onion, minced

1 tsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

¼ tsp. salt

Dash of lime juice (optional)

Egg roll wrappers

HONEY MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE *you can probably cut this in half and be fine, but I like having it on hand for sandwiches and other things that might come along.

½ c. prepared mustard
½ c. honey
¼ c. light corn syrup
¼ c. mayonnaise

These are the egg roll wrappers. In my store, they are by the refrigerated salad packages and dressings. You'll need to keep them refrigerated. By the way, I just noticed on the package that it says you can use them for crepes and lasagna? Hmm...ideas are flowing.

Gently stir together avocado, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, salt, and lime juice in a small bowl. 

Spoon filling evenly onto center of each egg roll wrapper. 

Position a wrapper so that a corner is pointing toward you; fold the side corners in to the center.

Fold the bottom corner up and roll to top. 

Wet the edges of the top corner with a little water and fold top corner over. Press to seal. 

Repeat with remaining wrappers.

Continue by deep-frying the egg rolls in 375 degree oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. One great way, I've learned to know when oil is ready for frying, is to put the handle of a wooden spoon in the pan of oil. If little bubbles scatter away from the spoon handle, it's ready. Be sure to rotate the egg rolls, so they are cooked on all sides. It happens fast!

Drain on paper towels.

Slice egg rolls diagonally across middle and drizzle with the honey mustard dipping sauce. 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

I thought I'd share one of my all-time favorite cooking tips.

You may notice that I do a lot of recipes that call for chicken that's cooked and shredded. Like this one, or this one, this one, or maybe this one? And maybe that scares you from making the recipe, because you think, "Gosh, I have to cook the chicken for 40 minutes AND shred it before I can even start the actual recipe?" 

I hear you. That USED to scare me too. But now I have a secret weapon. About every 3 weeks, I go to the store and buy split chicken breasts and chicken leg quarters. Yes, that's the kind that's still on the bone. Why do I buy on the bone? Because it's easier on the pocketbook than buying boneless, skinless chicken. Why do I buy two different kinds of meat? Because it's good.

I bring it home and peel the skin off (I'll be honest, this isn't my favorite past-time, but it's worth it, I promise!). I sprinkle it with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. And then I pop it in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until it reaches 165 degrees internally. After it's cooked, I let it cool until I can handle it and I shred it all into a large bowl. 

After it's all shredded, I pack it into baggies. They end up being about 1 lb each and are the perfect size for all those recipes that call for shredded chicken. Then, I pop them in the freezer until I need them. 

Before a meal, I defrost a package in the microwave. I also, usually chop it into bite-size pieces. The chicken breast and dark leg meat, make for a wonderful mixture of meat. 

OPTIONS:

-You can also boil the chicken in a big pot. Just throw in some roughly chopped onions, garlic, and carrots too! After the chicken is cooked through, put a lid on the pot and let it cool. Then put it in the fridge overnight. 

Pull the chicken out and shred. Then you can use the "water" as your chicken stock. A good way to preserve the stock is to skim all the fat off the top and pour the stock into an empty ice cube tray and freeze. Once, it's frozen, pop the chicken stock ice cubes out and store in a large storage bag in your freezer. 

-If you are brave, you can do this with whole chickens. I did it once and I gagged through the whole "gutting" process. I don't recommend it.

-Pre-cooked rotisserie chickens, from the store, are also a TASTY way to get shredded meat. They are so wonderfully seasoned and very moist. But when you cook your own meat, you can control the sodium levels a little more.

Great idea, or what? It's going to save you a TON of time.

Easy Cream Cheese & Salsa Enchiladas

I was talking with a dear friend of mine, whom I've been friends with for over 20 years. Wow, does that make me sound old, or what? We met in kindergarten, so cut me some slack. Anyway, she told me how she remembers always eating cream cheese smothered in salsa, with tortilla chips at my house, when we were little. It made me laugh, because I don't remember eating that a lot in my youth...but I DO love it. 

I have to admit, I haven't eaten it in years, with one small exception. This recipe. It happens to include both! And maybe that's why I was drawn to this recipe in the first place. But now it's a dish that my husband requests quite often. It comes together SUPER fast. I have tried cutting down on the fat by substituting sour cream for the cream cheese. It's good....but let's face it, nothing is as good as cream cheese when it comes to the creamy factor. So, just ENJOY!

P.S. Britt, I dedicate this to you. I know you'll love it!

{EASY CREAM CHEESE & SALSA ENCHILADAS}

1 (8-oz) pkg. cream cheese
1 c. salsa
2 c. chicken breast, cooked & shredded
1 can black beans
8-10 flour tortillas
2 c. shredded cheese
Enchilada Sauce

In medium saucepan combine cream cheese and salsa. Cook stirring until melted and well blended. Stir in chicken and beans. Fill tortillas with mixture, roll, and place in greased 9x13 pan. Spread enchilada sauce and cheese over top. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Garnish with your choice of lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream.

Note: You can use the pre-made canned enchilada sauce, the packet of enchilada seasoning (which you'll need tomato sauce to mix it with), or you can make your own. I personally use the seasoning packet, just because it's easy to have on hand.

Chocolate Crusted No-Bake Berry Cheesecake

Now for this mouth-watering, delicious, little number. This is actually a work in progress, if you can believe it. I mean it looks GORGEOUS and it tastes even better. But my smarty-pants husband had a wonderful suggestion to make this with a brownie crust instead. Which is a FABULOUS idea! See, why I married this guy? But, I'm just waiting to run a few more miles until I make it again. 

In the meantime, I think this chocolate cookie crust is WONDERFUL. And the fresh berries are to die for.  A little word of caution, though, the cookie crust is a little tough to gracefully cut with your fork. I know it may be a little irreverent (can you be irreverent with cheesecake?), but we actually ended up eating this like a piece of pizza.

Go enjoy this Some Kind of Delicious original recipe and let me know how you like it (especially if you use a brownie crust). Enjoy!

{CHOCOLATE CRUSTED NO-BAKE BERRY CHEESECAKE}
The Crust:
About 35 chocolate cookies (like Oreo's, but I used the generic) 
2 T. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
6 T. unsalted butter, melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine cookies, sugar, and salt. Process until fine crumbs form. Add butter, and pulse until mixture comes together. Press crumbs firmly into an 11-inch tart pan. Use the back of a measuring cup to make the crust flat and uniform. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Let cool.


The Cheese Cake:
8-oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. lemon juice (fresh would be wonderful!)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Fresh raspberries & blueberries


Cream the cream cheese and condensed milk with a hand mixer, until smooth. Add lemon juice and mix until smooth. (Don't add the lemon in the beginning, otherwise your cream cheese will be lumpy.) Mix in nutmeg. Spread the mixture on top of the cooled chocolate crust and let set-up in refrigerator for a couple hours. Arrange fresh berries on top, right before serving. 

Johnny's Ice Cream Pie

I have SIX brothers. Count them...SIX. And yes I am the youngest. I love all my brothers equally. But I truly truly love my brother Johnny. And that's because he makes this ice cream pie (just kidding, there are many reasons). But seriously, this pie is SO yummy. And guess what...you can have it made in about 5 minutes. No lie.

Ok. Ok. So then you have to let it set up in the freezer for a few hours, but still. The effort is extremely minimal. 

And the other great thing, is that this recipe makes TWO pies. So make one for your family and take one to a friend, like I did the other night. Enjoy!

{JOHNNY'S ICE CREAM PIE}

½ gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 fruit flavored Bacardi mixer (we like strawberry)
2 graham cracker pie crusts

Combine Bacardi mixer and softened vanilla ice cream in a large bowl. Pour mixture into pie crusts and place in the freezer for a few hours to set.

Zesty Pasta Salad

After 4 holiday days of gorging ourselves sick, we really needed something light on our stomachs and easy on our efforts.

ONE of our favorite lunch places has a delicious house pasta salad. We were craving the salad, but not the bill. So, we decided to imitate it and I think we did a great job, if I do say so myself.

And it turns out it was SUPER easy to do. So easy, in fact, I ALMOST didn't take a picture to post. But, then I changed my mind, because everyone needs quick and easy recipes. And this one is probably at the top of the "quick and easy list." So, enjoy!

{ZESTY PASTA SALAD}

1/2 lb fettuccine pasta

4-oz feta cheese, crumbled (I think I did one with sun-dried tomatoes)

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped

Italian salad dressing

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Keep it al dente, we don't like mushy pasta around here. Rinse the pasta in cold water and put in a large salad bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with Salad dressing to taste. This keeps well the next day too.

Homemade Fresh Lemon Ice Cream

We had our first "campout" with our little guy last night. We decided to camp in Pop & Nana's backyard (my parents). If you saw where my parents live, you would understand why we wanted to camp there. It's absolutely breath-taking. The camping part was hilarious! We didn't get much sleep. Turns out an almost 2-year-old doesn't really get the idea of camping. He thought it was play-time, in the tent with Mommy & Daddy. 

But, the "service" was unparalleled. My mom pampered us, like she always does. And she made "something delicious," like she always does. She found this wonderful recipe for homemade fresh lemon ice cream. It was so yummy! I just had to share. Except, I would say I would cut down on the sugar next time, I think 4 cups is a little much.

Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend. And enjoy some fresh lemon ice cream!

{HOMEMADE FRESH LEMON ICE CREAM}

4 c. sugar

Zest of one lemon, or more if you choose

3/4 c. fresh lemon juice (it was 2.5 lemons)

1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract

2 quarts milk (8 cups)

1 pint cream (2 cups)

Mix ingredients in order as they are listed. Freeze in ice cream freezer.

Potatoes & Green Beans Au Gratin

So, I wanted to give you a little French lesson, but I couldn't find the literal meaning for "au gratin." To me, it just means "topped with cheesy goodness." And that's a good enough description for me. Cheese is one of my down-falls. I eat it absolutely everyday. I know my sister-in-law understands this obsession, as I've literally seen her put shredded cheese on a plate, microwave it, and eat it...just like that. Now, that's my kind of woman. 

This dish is one of those cheesy goodness ones. See? The name says, "au gratin." So you know it's going to be good. I like that there are green beans in it, to make you feel just a little bit better for indulging in a carb smothered in cheese. It worked for me, so it can work for you. Enjoy!

{POTATOES & GREEN BEANS AU GRATIN}

2 lbs. red potatoes, thinly sliced

3 c. milk

2 cloved garlic, minced (I like to use my zester)

2 bay leaves

1 c. green beans (frozen, or if you use fresh, cut them and boil for 3 minutes)

1 c. Monterrey cheese, shredded

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot, combine milk, potatoes, garlic, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes; stirring frequently to prevent milk from burning to bottom (it's a mess!). Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Drain potatoes, reserving 1 cup liquid. Discard bay leaves. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and arrange half of potatoes in bottom. Arrange green beans over potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir nutmeg into reserved liquid, pour over potatoes. Cover pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.