Fruit Pizza

My oldest child has never really liked to eat cake on his birthday.

 He always chooses something different each year.

This year he requested fruit pizza which sounded good to me.

I know most people like to use refridgerated sugar cookie dough for the crust, and there's nothing wrong with that. In fact if you are short on time buying the premade dough can be a life saver.

However, we opted for the made from scratch version which I found on Allrecipes.com

*Please note that I changed the recipe*

I didn't have cream of tarter on hand so I just increased the baking soda by a 1/4 tsp.

Also, I made a different frosting than the one called for in the above link.

I used a whipped cream frosting that has cream cheese in it and I like it's consistancy better.

Top with your favorite sliced fruits and enjoy.

Try not to eat too many slices...you might get a tummy ache, which we all did!

Interesting.

A recent article claims that watching cooking shows can make you fat. I'll admit that I sometimes feel hungry after I've watched an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, but not always.

The advice given: don't watch those shows when you are hungry. I guess that's about like 

not going to the grocery store hungry.

Now I'm hungry...

Peach Shortcakes

Lucinda Scala Quinn, of Mad Hungry, has once again put together a very yummy dessert,

and it makes me anxious for Peach season.




from Mad Hungry Blog
(click on picture for link)

 

One thing about living in farm country, we are surrounded by Pick-your-own farms.

There are few things better than eating fruit fresh from the tree.

Click here for a list of farms in your area.

The Best Ice Cream Maker?

If you like this:

And you have one of these:

Then you really should get these:

                   +  

Click on the pictures to link directly to the place with the best price. And if you do buy these remember that the bowl has to sit in the freezer for AT LEAST 12 hours before use, so you'll have to plan ahead...

but it will be SO WORTH IT!!!



Horchata

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, and because I grew up near Mexico,

I thought I would share a Mexican favorite.

_____________________________

Since we have a lot of Mexican friends, and have learned to appreciate the authentic preparation of their traditional foods, we have developed a quick test to determine how good a "Mexican" restaurant will be. The test is this, if the server looks at us quizzically upon asking if they have Horchata, we know that the restaurant isn't going to be very authentic. It might have good food but it won't be "real" Mexican.

Another drink to ask for would be Tamarind.

Horchata (the "h" is silent) is originally from Spain, and different variations can be found all over Latin America. The preparation process is lengthy, but the taste is very refeshing and definitely worth the wait.

To keep things simple the following recipe is what would be typical for Northern Mexico.

Horchata

Soak overnight: 1 C long grain white rice + 4 C cold water. 

The next day: puree in batches in a blender and strain through 3-4 layers of cheesecloth, reserving liquid.

To reserved liquid add:

1 can evaporated milk

1/2 C sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

More recipe variations can be found at Allrecipes.com

Root Beer Review #1

Our family really enjoys trying different types of Root Beer.

With each trip to any store that sells bottled drinks we look to see if there is a brand on the shelf we haven't yet tried. Pizza just doesn't taste the same without being washed down with ice cold root beer.

The featured drink this week is one of my son's favorites:

Imported from Australia, the list of ingredients includes

 molasses, ginger, sasparilla root, licorice root, vanilla bean, and yeast.

To me it has the typical root beer smell with a hint of vanilla, but tastes like licorice that

bathed in root beer. I'm not a licorice fan so it's not my favorite. However,

if you do happen to like your taste buds experiencing that flavor, this might be the one for you.

It is also very sweet, verging on too sweet, but maybe it has to be that way to tame the other flavors?

To find learn more visit the website: http://www.bundaberg.com/

By the way, we found Bundaberg Root Beer at our local World Market. 

Spring cleaning

A few days ago I was going through a random box left over from our last move and came across an issue of Everyday Food. I quickly flipped to the index to see what kind of drink recipes might be inside.  

This issue contains recipes for smoothies...yum! 

Although her recipe for Hibiscus-Honey Iced Tea calls for rum, which of course I didn't add,

I did realized that I have never tried lime in my tea, only lemon. 

That brings me to tea. Herbal tea to be exact. I don't care for other types of tea, like green and black, mostly due to the caffeine and the fermentation process they go through. The flavors are too intense for me and I am extremely sensitive to fermented foods. So, I have developed a love for loose leaf herbal teas which we usually order from World Spice Merchants in Seattle.
After reading over the list of ingredients I remembered that I have hibiscus that I haven't used yet.

Since it is still chilly outside I decided to drink my tea warm.

Tea container with strainer from IKEA.

I love the color of Hibiscus tea and it has a nice mellow flavor. With lime and a bit of honey, or agave nectar (which is what I used), it had a nice punch. I should also mention that I keep my tea in Mason jars; it stays fresh longer that way. 

Banana Cupcakes

Next time you have really ripe bananas sitting around, screaming to be made into something delightful, please try this recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine.

Photograph by Stephen Lewis

These cupcakes are topped with Peanut Butter Frosting which, although it is very good,

is extremely rich. I usually only make half of what is called for in the recipe.

I rarely make banana bread anymore...these are just so much better!



Currently Reading...

I got this book as research for non-alcoholic substitutions to popular drinks.

As promised these pages are filled with good recipes, ideas, and substitutions.

You don't have to be pregnant to appreciate the refreshing drink ideas.

I feel another recipe creation coming on...

Currently Reading...

It's like reading my Chemistry 101 textbook again, only this time it's about food, and less about trying to remember it all for the next exam. I'm loving every minute spent pouring through it's contents.
It contains subject on why chocolate turns white, the physiology of flavor,
the secrets of yeast, understanding cooking times, etc. 

Another interesting read:



This book is good for debunking kitchen myths...just like AB does on his show.



Bottled Goodness

I need to start this post with a fact: I don't like grapefruit.

There is something about it's flavor that just doesn't agree with my taste buds. It's almost repulsive.

However, I do like it's tanginess when mixed with other juices to soften it's blow.

So, when I saw that IZZE sparkling grapefruit juice has other juices mixed in I had a feeling it would be a winner and it certainly is! I now find myself craving it sometimes and happily buy it by the case at our local food warehouse. Another favorite place that usually carries it: Chipotle. Please try it if you haven't and keep some on hand for a nice way to cool off and unwind after a busy day.

P.S. I do like the smell of grapefruit. Here's a great product to try if you too are a fan.

True Story #1

Several years ago I took my three small children, one of whom was a newborn, to lunch at an Italian restaurant. My oldest son really likes Margarita pizza (tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves), so when the waitress took our order I pointed to the Margarita pizza on the menu and said "we'll take the Margarita, and some spaghetti". While waiting we colored with crayons on the paper covered table and snacked from the basket of complimentary bread. Moments later our server brought me a Margarita, the kind you drink from a glass. I looked at the server and kindly stated that we wanted the Margarita pizza, please. She was a little embarrassed and stated that she did think it was a little bold of me to be drinking early in the day with three little ones in tow...ya' think? It still makes me laugh to think about.

Since then we have tried many different types of recipes for crust, attempting to find just the right balance of crispy and chewy, while maintaining a good flavor, not to mention how easy the dough is to work with. I think we have finally found just the right crust. Every once in a while I catch an episode of Mad Hungry, hosted by Lucinda Scala Quinn. I love the show's format since she makes real food (meaning something a busy person can pull off), full of flavor, and always from scratch. She also involves her family which resonates with me. I would like to be able to send my kids to the kitchen someday, by themselves, and know they will produce something healthy and tasty.

So back to my point. Her recipe for Margarita Pizza is excellent. I also really like the simplicity of her tomato sauce. It is the perfect pairing with the crust and fresh ingredients.

Click on the item below for a link to the recipe:
Dough - if you don't own a peel or pizza stone it would be wise to invest in these items. It really does make a difference. I promise.
Sauce- I didn't add the butter just to keep down the calories.

Look what I found...

While internet searching I found a website full of recipes to kick start my reporitoire of drink choices. I've never been an alcohol drinker so I must admit that I'm not going to be the best at finding replacemenets for specific alcohol based ingredients. However, I have been studying the basic drinks served by most bartenders so that I would have a better understanding of what goes into a good cocktail.

Here's this weeks winner: www.drinkalternatives.com 

Inspiration

Our family made a trip to Disney World during the Christmas holidays. While there my husband and I had the pleasure of eating at an amazing Italian restaurant. The pizza was incredible. So good, in fact, I have yet to find an equal. The only bad thing I can say is that when I asked the waiter for a non-alcoholic version of a drink on their menu he looked at me like I was trying to pull a prank on him. He was so puzzled by my request that he wasn't sure what to do. Really? With a restaurant of this caliber had he never received a request like this before?

This started my quest. Instead of asking the servers to come up with something I knew I needed to have an arsenal of options at my disposal. I've spent several months researching drinks, website, bartenders guides, etc. to find options that are refreshing and memorable, yet free of alcohol for anyone who needs (or wants) to keep that out of their body.

As far as munchies are concerned, I love food. Who doesn't? However, in my case I'm picky about the quality of the ingredients and how my food is prepared. Part of my preference stems from food sensitivities and the other comes from plan old palatability. I have become a little snobby about preservatives and I prefer food made from the freshest ingredients. More on that later...

So I dedicate this blog to anyone who shares a love for good quality food and has a taste for drinks from the bar that are alcohol free. Welcome!