I took these…

And turned it into this…

Here’s how…

Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream
Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 T lemon juice
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ¾ cup sour cream

Place the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice into a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture boils and the blueberries start to pop and soften. Turn the mixture into a blender and mix until combined. Add the cream and sour cream; pulse until just blended. Refrigerate until chilled before churning into ice cream. Scrape into the bowl of an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the ice cream into a container and freeze for at least 2 hours, until it is firm enough to scoop.

Images: sammyw

There is great accomplishment in using random odds and ends in the fridge and pantry. This week I had some leftover spinach from salads I’d been eating all week, I also had 1 frozen puff pastry left in the freezer that needed to get used up. I rummaged through the fridge for some other ingredients and came out with some sun dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. An appetizer was born!

Spinach Tomato and Parmesan Pinwheels

• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped finely
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for the top
• One sheet of frozen puff pastry (Trader Joe’s has a wonderful one)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place spinach in pan with a little olive oil and garlic. Cook until wilted and garlic is softened. Thaw puff pastry at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until defrosted and easy to unfold. Unfold pastry and place on a lightly floured surface. Spread the spinach mixture evenly over pastry sheet, then tomatoes followed by the Parmesan cheese leaving a ½-inch border. Roll up pastry, wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze 30 minutes; cut into ½-inch-thick slices. Place pinwheels on a lined baking pan. Sprinkle a little more cheese over each pinwheel and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Images: sammyw

This is my new favorite side dish. It is super easy and loaded with flavor. We had friends in town this month and took a picnic dinner down my the water around sunset and this was a wonderful along side our sandwiches. It’s good warm, room temperature or even better cold the next day for lunch. Add some chicken or tuna and this would be a great meal in itself.

Pearl Couscous with Roasted Tomatoes
Recipe adapted from epicurious.com

For roasted tomatoes and dressing:

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes (1 1/2 pound)
• 3 large garlic cloves, left unpeeled
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 t fresh lemon juice
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 t black pepper

Preheat oven to 250°F. Halve tomatoes through stem ends and arrange, cut sides up, in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan. Add garlic to pan and roast in middle of oven until tomatoes are slightly shriveled around edges, about 1 hour. Cool in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Peel garlic and purée with oil, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup roasted tomatoes in a blender until dressing is very smooth.

For couscous:

• 2 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2 1/4 cups pearl (Israeli) couscous
• 1 T olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Bring broth to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and stir in couscous, then simmer, uncovered, 6 minutes. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Transfer couscous to a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients, dressing, roasted tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.

Images: sammyw

My hubs has become quite the little bartender this summer. He has his little setup; muddler, sugar, glasses, ice, he’s got it down to a science. (Just like his coffee making abilities, but we’ll save that for another time! ha!). Over the weekend he whipped me up a super tasting and refreshing mojito.

Mojito

• A couple mint leaves
• 1 shot cachaca (Brazilian rum)
• 2 t sugar
• a handful of crushed ice
• 1 lime

Place mint, sugar and lime wedges in a glass and muddle til combined. Add crushed ice. Pour shot over the ice, mix garnish with some mint and enjoy.

Image: sammyw

I’ve always been intreged by macaroons but have thought they were a huge production of work.

My friend made them for our small group on night, and they were so so good. I just had to try my hand at them. Now beware, the shape is a little crazy, but hey they tasted wonderful! The fun part about macaroons in you can totally play with the inegredents.

I’d love to do a cinnamon hazelnut macaroon with a nutella filling. Mmm maybe next time.

Peanut Butter Macaroons with Chocolate Ganache
recipe from a sweet friend

• 4 egg whites
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/3 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts

Combine powdered sugar and peanuts in a blender and grind until peanuts are finely ground. In a heatproof bowl, whisk sugar into egg whites until combined. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk egg mixture constantly until the mixture is barely warm. Remove from heat. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg mixture until stiff peaks form. Fold in ground peanut mixture. Spoon this into a zip lock bag with a small whole cut on one corner, and pipe 2-inch wide circles about a 1/4 inch high onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 15 min at 300 degrees. Let cool completely on parchment. Gently peel off parchment.

Ganache ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 1 T light corn syrup
• 2 T heavy cream
• 1 T butter

In a heatproof bowl, combine all the ingredients and melt and stir over simmering water. Let cool a bit so it’s not so runny. Spread ganache on the insides to make sandwiches.

Images: sammyw

Summer days lately have been long. Wonderful but long. The sun is up by six and doesn’t decide to set until ten, that can really throw a schedule off! Last weekend the hubs and I didn’t wake up until 10am!! I could not believe it! I’m not one who likes sleeping in, especially on the weekends, when there is so much to do in such a short amount of time. What about you guys, are you late sleepers? Needless to say since we skipped breakfast all together, so we made brunch.

Whole Wheat Crust
recipe from cooks.com

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 T water

Mix flour and salt in large bowl. Cut in the shortening to dry ingredients until the size of peas. Stir in water until dough comes together and forms a ball. Knead for 5 minutes, roll out and place in bottom of your pie pan.

Spinach and Bacon Quiche
recipe from Paula Deen

• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach, packed
• 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine eggs, cream, salt, and pepper. Layer the spinach, bacon, and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the egg mixture is set.

Images: sammyw

While Isaac is away for business trips I always cook using ingredients he doesn’t like and that I happen to love. This past time it was shrimp scampi and roasted asparagus.

Image: sammyw