Tuesdays with Dorie: Creamy Dark Chocolate Sorbet

Words aren't really necessary to say that this picture does not do justice to how delicious this Creamy Dark Chocolate Sorbet came out. The cool thing about this recipe is that I didn't have to go purchase whole milk or heavy cream. I just used what I had in the fridge (1%) and called it good. Nice, ey?

It definitely melts quick and was pretty soft after a night in the freezer but I was expecting that.

Snag the recipe off of Steph's Blog and head over to my other TWD friends to see how they liked this Creamy Chocolate Sorbet.

Utah Sunset

Evening walks in the summer...can't be beat.

Utah sunset August 2010.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Chestnut Scones

Chestnut flour is not to be found except with a 50 minute drive. And for the girl who usually doesn't mind going out of her way to make a baking adventure happen, laziness hit. I didn't want to drive to SLC for flour. So I subbed whole wheat and really enjoyed these scones. They didn't have the rise success I found with Dorie's cream scones, but they were still delicious and even felt wholesome.

You can get the recipe off of Andrea's blog. And check out the other TWD baker's blogs.

Tiny Heirloom Tomatoes

Summer doesn't get any better than this.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Cream Scones

Simplicity strikes best in the kitchen. Such is the case with these cream scones I made for Tuesdays with Dorie. I’m happy to report my scone technique is getting better! These were delicious. I made sure to handle them lightly and quickly. We enjoyed ours with delicious raspberry jam, butter and honey.

You can get the recipe on page 27 of Baking from My Home to Yours or on Cafe LynnyLu blog. Go check out the other TWD blogs to see how they made up their cream scones.

P.S. The recipes calls for dried currants, which I had, but forgot to add to mix in. The recipe forgets to tell you. By the time I realized I forgot I had the scones on my baking sheet.

Power Foods & CSA Swiss Chard

I've was introduced to a cookbook that I believe may just change my life for the better. So far it has had an extreme positive effect on my eating habits and motivation to cook seasonally. The cookbook is Power Foods: 150 delicious recipes with the 38 healthiest ingredients from the editors of whole living magazine.

 [Left to right: 1. Swiss Chard from Jacob's Cove. 2. Dinner: Oven-Baked Organic Chicken, Jacob's Cove Heirloom Tomatoes, Swiss Chard with Olives and Cauliflower. 3. Swiss Chard with Olives, recipe from Power Foods.]


I could go on and on about the excitement that is generating from my kitchen and heart. But basically I have been itching to be stretched in a new way in the kitchen. I love baking but let's be honest, it's currently waring on my waistline. I love buying local, being introduced to new ingredients. And I enjoy a great dinner. This cookbook has helped me do so.

The recipes in Power Foods coincide perfectly with the produce I get from my local CSA, farmers markets and garden. It's a match made in heaven. I love knowing that I'll be preparing healthy, seasonal food that have the optimum amount of nutrients. Plus, it's creative enough to make me feel like I'm learning something new.

So far we've made Swiss Chard with Olives,  Banana Bread with Walnuts and Flax Seed and Lemon Chicken with avocado-corn Salsa,  Sweet Potato Hummus.

Have any of you seen this cookbook or cooked out of it?

Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

 

I'm not sure how and why I was searching for a different take on fruit salads. But one day I came across this recipe for Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing by Sunny Anderson on Food Network's site.  What drew me in was the fact that it had a poppy seed dressing. 

For some reason I'm ultra paranoid about not going through my spices, seasoning and nuts fast enough in fear of them spoiling or going rancid. So whenever I get the chance to use say, an ingredient, like poppy seeds (especially in a non-traditional way) then I do it.

This salad is loaded with three delicious, fresh fruits: green grapes, strawberries and blueberries. You toss the fruit in sugar then pour a ice lime juice poppy seed dressing all over. Yummers, right? Well it doesn't stop there. You then proceed to top it with toasted pistachios. I love the texture contrast this creates...and I love pistachios!

I'd love for you to try this great Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing. I've already made this a second time and will do so again! It will be perfect for any summertime BBQ.

 

Fruit Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

by Sunny Anderson via Food Network

Ingredients:
1 cup halved green seedless grapes
1 cup quartered strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, toasted

Directions:
Toss grapes, strawberries and blueberries with sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in lime juice, and poppy seeds. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1/2 an hour. Garnish with pistachios and serve.

Tuesdays with Dorie: Chocolate Chunk Muffins

I pulled out the best of the best for these chocolate chunk muffins for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie pick. For this recipe, Amano Chocolate was just that. I opted for their Madagascar 70%. I had previously made the recipe and found it needed more chocolate chunks, so I added about two ounces more to the mix. The Madagacar's natural notes of citrus and berry were amazing in these muffins.

I enjoyed two that morning and sent them off to work with my husband. It's a good thing I did, by afternoon I'm sure I could have scarfed down another two.

You can get the recipe on Bridgette's blog, The Way the Cookie Crumbles.  Don’t forget to check out the TWD Blogroll!

Happy 4th of July & Tuesdays with Dorie: Quick Classic Berry Tart {Catch-up}

Another non-Tuesday catch-up for my Tuesdays with Dorie journey! This time it's full of fresh berries, my first-attempt at pastry cream (how did I wait this long?) and my favorite go-to tart crust. Dorie's Quick Classic Berry Tart is one of the most perfect Summer desserts. It's light, it's fresh and it is still wonderfully fancy and decadent.

I made this dessert for Father's Day this year. It was a hit. And I loved that I was able to make the pastry cream and tart crust ahead of time. It makes special celebration days 100% less stressful. I did not want to come home to a crazy dirty kitchen after our family gathering...and I didn't.

I love pastry cream and am so happy I made a delicious batch. I had to make it twice because my first attempt was overcooked. I'm so glad I didn't give up because the second was amazing.

The group made this recipe on May 11, 2010. You can access the recipe on Cooking with Christine's blog. But of course, I highly recommend you buy the cookbook, Baking from My Home to Yours.

I hope you all have a wonderful Independence Day Weekend!