Are you in the mood for some refreshing, summer smoothies which are made with real fruit, and take only minutes to make?

If you’re a grape lover like Kemal and I are, try making a cool blue grape smoothie

which is made by blending two cups of black grapes, 1/3 cup of So Delicious French ... [read more]]]> Are you in the mood for some refreshing, summer smoothies which are made with real fruit, and take only minutes to make?

If you’re a grape lover like Kemal and I are, try making a cool blue grape smoothie

which is made by blending two cups of black grapes, 1/3 cup of So Delicious French vanilla coconut milk creamer, 1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract, and 2 cups of ice. I also added 2 tbsp. of sugar, but you can omit that altogether or use agave nectar, honey, or your favorite sweetener instead.

Also, instead of using coconut creamer, you can substitute with coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, 2% milk, half and half or cream.

Just put everything in your blender, press “ice crush,” and in a few seconds you have a cool blue smoothie!

By the way, I wanted to keep the grape skins in my drink because I wanted the vitamins and minerals that are in the skins, as well as the additional fiber it would add to my diet. But if you don’t want the skins, you can use a sieve to strain the liquid and remove the skins if you want your drink smoother.

I really enjoyed my cool blue smoothie

after sitting outside on my balcony and reading a book for a couple of hours. It was so refreshing and totally hit the spot!

Kemal loved it too!

The orange vanilla smoothie…which I call “Sunshine in a Glass”

is made the same way that you make the grape smoothie except that it’s made with two oranges instead of grapes. Just make sure you remove the seeds first. It tastes a whole lot like an Orange Julius and made me feel like a kid again when I was drinking it. And it was the perfect drink to enjoy after being at the pool. It was so refreshing!

Ali at Gimme Some Oven suggested freezing the orange segments for about 30 minutes so you can use less ice. I did that, and instead of using the recommended 4 cups of ice, I only used 2 cups. Freezing the grapes has the same result.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank Ali at for  Gimme Some Oven for sharing such a wonderful recipe. I used her recipe to make not only the orange vanilla smoothie, but also the grape smoothie as well.

It’s such a versatile recipe that will give you all kinds of delicious drinks to keep you and your family hydrated and happy all summer long.

Hope y’all have a happy and safe Fourth of July!!

A month ago I made some homemade coffee liqueur. I mixed together vegan cane sugar (which is the best sugar we’ve ever tasted by the way) and instant coffee and then heated it on the stove. After letting the sugar/coffee mixture cool, I stirred in vodka (we used Belvedere). Then I poured the mixture in ... [read more]]]> A month ago I made some homemade coffee liqueur. I mixed together vegan cane sugar (which is the best sugar we’ve ever tasted by the way) and instant coffee and then heated it on the stove. After letting the sugar/coffee mixture cool, I stirred in vodka (we used Belvedere). Then I poured the mixture in a large glass jar that had a tight fitting lid and placed it in one of my kitchen cabinets to rest for one month. It couldn’t be easier to make!

Neither one of us have ever had a white Russian so we were curious to see not only how they tasted, but to also compare our homemade coffee liqueur to Kahlua, which is a very popular name brand coffee liqueur.

We made our white Russians with one shot (1 1/2 oz.) of homemade coffee liqueur, one shot (1 1/2 ounces) of vodka, and then added So Delicious French vanilla coconut milk creamer to the top. Oh boy!! It was so rich and tasty and had such a beautiful flavor!!

And wow was it strong! Two sips and I was already getting tipsy!

We also made a white Russian with Kahlua and did a taste test to see if we could tell the difference between the homemade coffee liqueur and Kahlua. Neither one of us could detect any difference between the two coffee liqueurs.

Kemal and I couldn’t drink all of our white Russians because the drinks were so strong, so we drank half and put the rest in the fridge to enjoy later.

If you’re interested in making your own homemade coffee liqueur like we did, click on the link below to Jesse’s Kitchen.

Homemade coffee liqueur recipe: Jesse’s Kitchen who adapted her recipe from the book, “Too Many Cooks” by Emily Franklin

I was so tired last night but wanted to make something quickly for dessert that didn’t require much effort. I made this yummy no-bake ginger almond tartlet last night in about 15 minutes. I just used some store-bought ginger cookies I had on-hand and whipped it up quickly.

It’s quite rich…so much so that the ... [read more]]]> I was so tired last night but wanted to make something quickly for dessert that didn’t require much effort. I made this yummy no-bake ginger almond tartlet last night in about 15 minutes. I just used some store-bought ginger cookies I had on-hand and whipped it up quickly.

It’s quite rich…so much so that the one tartlet that Kemal and I split satisfied both of our sweet tooths.

No Bake Ginger Almond Tartletes

Adapted from: Dessert for Two

I decided I’d better eat just a little bite of something this morning before going ... [read more]]]>

I decided I’d better eat just a little bite of something this morning before going into work. I usually don’t do that because my coffee and coconut milk is enough to hold me until I eat something between 2 and 3 p.m.

This morning, I had the feeling I needed a little bit more energy, so I quickly made these no-bake energy bars

and bites to give me the boost I needed.

They were really good, and one little bite

held me over until I ate around 3:30 p.m.

They’re super quick and easy to make, and they taste wonderful!! They’re a great source of energy that you can eat on the run or before you run out the door. Give it a try, and change up the recipe to suit your needs.

You can use any kind of nut butter, seeds, or dried fruit. And if you don’t have flax meal, just put some flax seeds in your food processor and pulse them until they become a fine powder.

Enjoy!

No Bake Energy Bars and Energy Bites

Recipe Source: Enlightened Cooking

The tropical fruit flavors and the smell of coconuts and citrus makes me think of walking along warm, sunny beaches in the Gulf of Mexico,

feeling the warm sand between my toes and enjoying a cool ocean ... [read more]]]>

The tropical fruit flavors and the smell of coconuts and citrus makes me think of walking along warm, sunny beaches in the Gulf of Mexico,

feeling the warm sand between my toes and enjoying a cool ocean breeze. I can smell the sea air, and for a moment, I forget about snow, ice, and bitter cold weather. *sigh*

I’m hardly waiting for spring.

Blackberries in Tropical Cream

Adapted from: www.grouprecipes.com

and Whole Foods Market

Every now and then we get in the mood for some lamb, and today was one of those days. Whenever we eat lamb, however, we always eat a small amount because it’s so rich and strong in flavor.

The meal we made tonight was out-of-this-world incredible!

And the rosemary wheat bread that I made to accompany it ... [read more]]]> Every now and then we get in the mood for some lamb, and today was one of those days. Whenever we eat lamb, however, we always eat a small amount because it’s so rich and strong in flavor.

The meal we made tonight was out-of-this-world incredible!

And the rosemary wheat bread that I made to accompany it was perfect for sopping up the juices. I didn’t take a picture of the bread, but I used the rosemary sesame seed roll recipe except I left out the sesame seeds.

For dessert, we had raspberry and vanilla cream pudding. Yummm!

Sorry…it’s not homemade, but it’s still creamy and delcious! It’s from a prepared mix (Dr. Oetker’s raspberry pudding). The vanilla cream layer is a combination of whipping cream and Dr. Oetker’s vanilla pudding.

Anyway, it was wonderful meal…from start to finish…and if you’re ever in the mood for lamb, I strongly urge you to try this recipe. It’s awesome-blossom!!

Rosemary Pesto Lamb Rack with Roasted Vegetables

Recipe Adapted from: Bon Apetit on epicurious.com

Here’s a picture of the pesto when it was done:

I wrapped each of them individually in plastic wrap and then tied each one ... [read more]]]>

I wrapped each of them individually in plastic wrap and then tied each one with a little ribbon. I thought they turned out cute.

While I was making Kelly’s peanut butter cups, I also made Kemal a few Nutella Peanut Butter Cups since he was in the mood for something sweet and chocolaty and doesn’t care for peanut butter all that much. Here’s a picture of one of them. You can see I had a problem with getting the chocolate to cover all the Nutella filling in the center. I guess I need to put less filling next time.

He actually liked the flavor of the peanut butter which was mixed in with the melted chocolate because the peanut butter flavor was subtle, and even though you might think that peanut butter and Nutella might not be a good combination, it actually turned out great!!! Here’s a picture of Kemal’s peanut butter Nutella cup just waiting to be bitten into.

These homemade confections are so good that if you make them as a gift, you’d better have a whole lot of willpower because they aren’t easy to make and give away without having one for yourself. I made a dozen of the mini peanut butter cups for my friend at work, but she’s gonna end up with one shy of a dozen. What can I say? I had to cut one so you can see what the inside of the peanut butter cup looks like, now didn’t I?!

And since it was cut, well, I couldn’t very well give it to her could I? And besides, I need to sample my confections before giving them away…just to make sure they’re up to snuff. And they certainly were! They may not look as pretty as the peanut butter cups that you buy in the store, but what they lack in aesthetics they make up for in taste! They really are awesome!!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups and Nutella Peanut Butter Cups

Yield: 12 mini peanut butter cups and 4 large nutella-peanut butter cups

Adapted from: Life in a Peanut Shell: Confessions of a Confection

The recipe is also flexible and open, giving you the ability to mix and match ingredients based on your preferences and what you have available in your pantry at any given moment.

Don’t have almonds or maybe you don’t like them all that much? No problem. Use walnuts, hazelnuts, ... [read more]]]>

The recipe is also flexible and open, giving you the ability to mix and match ingredients based on your preferences and what you have available in your pantry at any given moment.

Don’t have almonds or maybe you don’t like them all that much? No problem. Use walnuts, hazelnuts, macademia nuts, pistachios, or cashews.

Don’t have flax seeds on hand? Throw in some pumpkin or poppy seeds instead.

Don’t have agave nectar in your pantry? Use molasses, honey, or maple syrup.

Don’t use safflower oil in your house? Try canola.

You’re not big on papaya? Use raisins, dried mangoes, or dried cranberries.

Add cinnamon if you want. Maybe use a rum extract instead of vanilla.

You get the idea. Change the recipe however you want.

Another perk is that your house will also smell like homemade oatmeal cookies, and that’s such a warm and inviting aroma, isn’t it. Who can resist!?

Even Kemal who’s never eaten the first bite of any kind of cereal in all the years I’ve known him was all over this granola as soon as it came out of the oven. He loved it and had some this morning with milk and honey! He’s even going to have some on sprinkled on some Greek yogurt tonight for dessert!

I keep asking myself why in the world I waited all these years to make my own granola!? But one thing’s for sure…I’m never buying it again! It’s SO much better than what you buy in the store!

And best of all, you will have made a wholesome breakfast for yourself or your loved ones, and when they enjoy your granola for breakfast, they’ll not only appreciate your efforts, but you’ll also feel a sense of satisfaction as well.

Homemade granola also makes a great homemade gift. Keep some for yourself, and then give some away to friends and family to enjoy. Trust me, they will!!

Making Homemade Granola

Adapted from: Willow Bird Baking

Secondly, it doesn’t involve an oven, so even if it’s 100 ... [read more]]]>

Secondly, it doesn’t involve an oven, so even if it’s 100 degrees outside you can have fun making dessert without heating up your kitchen. Most importantly, they taste divine!! If you like store bought marshmallows, you’re gonna fall in love with homemade ones.

There’s a huge difference in taste!

Kemal and I were both scraping the sides of our mixing bowl with our fingers so we could devour the remaining marshmallow cream on the edges of the bowl. We both had cream all over our fingers, hands, and shirts, and faces. No biggie though. Kemal washed out his shirt and then came and licked the marshmallow cream off the tip of my nose and cheeks! LOL!

It’s a lot of fun to make them, and what’s cool is that you can also cut them out into different shapes, dip them in chocolate or butterscotch, or use flavored extracts to make all kinds of different marshmallows. They also make great gifts, and there’s nothing like a cup of hot chocolate with melted marshmallows to soothe away any tensions of day.

Have lots of fun making the marshmallows, but before you get started, make sure you read the entire recipe first. There’s one part of the marshmallow-making process where you need to be a little bit cautious. You’ll be pouring hot syrup (made with honey and sugar), and if you’re not really careful, you could get splattered. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. Okay, are you ready to have some fun??!!

Honey Vanilla Marshmallows Dusted in Sugar and Coconut

Recipe slightly Adapted from: hungrygirlporvida