pineberry sorbet

I was going for a quick refresher after a long walk in some pretty good heat - think smoothie - but I ended up with this.  Closer to a sorbet (which is even closer to ice cream than a smoothie is, and you know what I've told you before about me and ice cream!), it scooped out in beautiful rounds as soon as it came out of my Ninja.  

This pic is actually the second batch I made and refroze within hours of the first, because as I shared with you here, John and I nearly came to blows on the front porch when I first arrived with the treat.

By the way, that would not have been a good move if wanting to win over new neighbors and influence people.

We both begrudgingly took turns scraping the bottom of the bowl, and then I went back inside to begin mixing again.  

This is not rocket science or even unique, I'm sure.  But the consistency and ease was so unexpected, I wanted to share.  Though, one word of advice.  If there are two of you and only one bowlful of the dessert, make sure you have a pair of gloves and bell in tow; a knock-down, drag-out is a given.

Ding. Ding. Ding.

one year ago this week:
homemade rosemary bread (a la' macaroni grill)
homemade corn tortillas
cooking light, cooking right; 20-minute chicken enchiladas

Pineberry Sorbet

• 14 one-inch pineapple chunks, frozen
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries (I used strawberry, raspberry, blackberry blend)
• 1 cup vanilla almond milk

~ Pour all ingredients in device (blender, Ninja, etc) and blend until smooth.  

~ Serve immediately, or pour into airtight container and store in freezer. 

Recipe from The Lazy Daisy Kitchen.

banana blueberry "ice cream"

We are moved.  Barely.  It's been an exhausting week, but we were able to transfer sixteen years worth of stuff from one house, shed, and barn into another house half the size and a storage unit.  

Embarrassing.  That's the word that kept coming to mind this weekend, as we packed up every box at lightning speed to meet the requested departure deadline.  Embarrassing is how I describe the unexplainable need to have so much stuff I think we have to have just to live.  So little of it is actually necessary.  So much of it is just plain frivolous.  And so when we finally find our next home, we will take time to weed out, because I can't do what I just did again.  Well, let me rephrase that.  I won't do what I just did again.  

I.  Want.  Simple.

And speaking of simple, this recipe is good that way.  AND it's healthy.  AND it's delicious... I mean delicious.  I was wowed by the results, to say the least.

Do make sure to let this sit a few minutes before eating or serving.  It will help with the creaminess factor.  

If I were you, I'd go ahead and make a double-batch of this.  Considering my ice cream addiction, this is a marvelous frozen treat to keep in your freezer at the ready.  Cause we all know two scoops of Moose Tracks every night for a near 40-year old doesn't yield desirable results.

one year ago: Old Fashioned Cobbler

Banana and Blueberry "Ice Cream"
 makes 4 servings

• 4 firm, ripe bananas, cut into chunks and frozen overnight
• 1 cup blueberries
• pinch of Kosher salt
• plash of heavy cream (optional)

~ Puree all ingredients in food processor, scraping down sides, until creamy.  

~ If freezing, let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe slightly adapted from Bon Appetit

   

citrus berry trifle

OK, folks.  This might be the best-tasting dessert I've ever made.  

Outside of something chocolate, of course.  

I knew it was a winner after John (from across the room at a recent church gathering, no less) raised his eyebrows with the first bite and mouthed, "This is good."  That usually means it's a keeper.

I mentioned in the last post that the pound cake I shared was a great base for various desserts. This is a perfect example.  

Citrus Berry Trifle.  

Light, fresh, and tangy, but creamy and sweet at the same time.  It's an absolutely wonderful Spring or Summer dessert.  It most definitely gets better as it sits, and it really has a beautiful presentation.  Not to mention, it's a breeze to put together.  Can you ask for more?

My mind is spinning with so many things I want to share with you, and yet we're gone every night this week with VBS and two more youth events.  I'm hoping to cook up some ideas Saturday evening and Sunday.  Until then, be looking for another High Five for Friday in a couple of days and enjoy my posts from this week, one year ago.

One year ago:  Ginger Tea, Old Fashioned Pot Roast, Salmon Salad Sandwich, 
                             Amerigo's Bow Tie Pasta Caesar Salad  

Citrus Berry Trifle
makes 16-18 servings
Ingredients:

• 16 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 6-8 oz. container lime yogurt 
• 1 6-8 oz. container raspberry yogurt
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 tsp. lemon and lime zest
• 2 cups chopped strawberries
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 pound cake, cubed

~ Mix together lemon juice, yogurts, milk and zest; fold in whipped topping.  Set aside.

~ Stir together berries in another bowl and set aside.

~ In large trifle or glass bowl, place 1/3 of the pound cake cubes in a layer.  Top with 1/4 of 

   the yogurt cream and 1/3 of the berries.

~ Repeat with another 1/3 of the cake, 1/4 of yogurt mixture, and 1/3 of the berries.  

~ Add the final layer of cake, followed by another yogurt cream layer and remaining 

   berries.

~ Top with the remaining yogurt cream and a light zest of lemon and lime for garnish.

Recipe from The Lazy Daisy Kitchen   

frozen sunshine cookie sandwiches

I was raised to not waste a thing.  Not a thing.  So it is not unusual at all to open up our fridge or freezer on any day of the week and find small containers or baggies of all kinds of things.  A couple of tablespoons of extra pesto that can be stirred into another sauce, a half a can of leftover pumpkin from Saturday's pancakes frozen in a Ziploc, the ends of various veggies stuffed in an even bigger baggie to use for stock later.  I keep it all, thinking I can surely find a good use for it somewhere.  Such was the case with the filling for these.  

A while back, I made a Pig Lickin' cake for an event and did it in a 9x13 pan rather than three round layers.  It doesn't take near as much icing for the 9x13, so the leftover quickly found its way into... you guessed it... a container in my fridge.  Goodness knows I'm not throwing away one ounce of that stuff.  

So after thinking on it for a couple of days, I decided it might make a really great frozen filling between two cookies.  The icing has such a creamy, light and citrusy feel with the pineapple and such, I thought a good lemon cookie might set it off beautifully.  Pineapple.  Mandarin.  Lemon. All together, I think, "sun."  Hence the name.

I really enjoy Summer and all it brings.  Here in Middle Tennessee, each day we get further into it, the warmer and more humid it becomes.  This recipe is a perfect mid-day treat on days like these, I can assure you.  Spread a little sunshine - and cool relief - by whipping up a batch.  You'll love 'em!

Frozen Sunshine Cookie Sandwiches -
makes about one dozen
Ingredients:

• leftover frosting from Pig Lickin' Cake
• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• zest of one lemon, minced fine
• 4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar for rolling

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~ Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

~ Stir together flour, soda, powder, and salt.

~ In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.

~ Beat in eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice.

~ Gradually add the dry ingredients and blend.

~ Roll balls in sugar and place on the sheet 1 1/2 - 2 inches apart.

~ Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly brown.

~ Cool completely.

~ Place about 2-3 tbsp. icing between two cookies and place on cookie sheet.

~ Continue with all the cookies.

~ Place sheet in freezer for 30 minutes. 

~ Remove cookie sandwiches from the freezer and place in a sealable container.

Cookie recipe from My Baking Addiction