ICE CREAM & WINE

I've Moved!

2011-01-18T18:07:00.000-06:00

Friendly reminder: I've moved! I will no longer be blogging at this address. Instead you can find me here:

http://www.thegranolachronicles.com

Thanks!

Get Ready!

2011-01-17T11:25:00.001-06:00

I have some super exciting news to share!

I have truly enjoyed sharing delectable recipes here on Ice Cream & Wine over the past year. I've been deeply inspired to try new foods, share healthy recipes and of course indulge in sweet treats. Because of the recent changes in my life - hello, California! - I've decided that I have more to share than just recipes.

Enter: my new blog!

The Granola Chronicles will still feature simple recipes but will also include my adventures in California, random thoughts on leading a healthy and active life and anything else that crosses my mind. Please know that I'm still finishing the design of the blog - but check out the "About" page to learn about the blog's name. I think it's rather fun!

If you're currently a follower of Ice Cream & Wine, I ask that you continue with me on this new blog journey! Please update your Google Readers, as well as any links that you may have: http://www.thegranolachronicles.com

Now that this planning is coming to fruition, I'll be back to blogging more often, as well as commenting on your blogs. I know I've been MIA lately, but I truly appreciate all your support and comments. Thank you, thank you!!

CSA : J&P Organics

2011-01-12T19:22:00.000-06:00

My husband and I belong to the best CSA program - although it's our first CSA that we've joined, so we have no comparison. But it's great! We get our produce each week from J&P Organics. I've received many questions from friends and family asking how we went about choosing this particular farm. To be honest, they have a partnership of sorts with Stanford, so a drop-off location for the CSA boxes is on campus (I believe that's the extent of their "partnership" - just a location). Convenience sometimes makes the decision for you, doesn't it? However, we truly enjoy our produce and fully support J&P Organics.

Some of our produce from J&P Organics

We receive an email from J&P over the weekend telling us what they're offering for the upcoming week. It's a week-by-week basis - no contract like many other farms require. If we want to order a box for that week, we simply pay online and our produce is ready to be picked up on Tuesday.

We do our grocery shopping at 8:00 AM on Sunday mornings (no crowds!), so knowing what fruits and veggies we'll have for that week makes menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze. I plan meals that incorporate the particular vegetables, and we make sure no vegetable goes to waste!

I get rather excited when I find a recipe that includes almost all the various types of vegetables that we have for that week - it's so fun to make a meal using mostly food from our CSA box. Things like curry, stir-fry and soups tend to feature a lot of vegetables, so these types of dishes are made at least once a week.

But at times there are vegetables that aren't so versatile. Sunchokes? Yeah, we had those two weeks in a row back in the fall. Beets? My husband LOVES them, so he was excited. Leeks, also - not a super uncommon vegetable but definitely not a kitchen staple. I see these unique vegetables as a challenge. I'm forced to think outside the box. To search for recipes that I would normally glance over.

Also, it's saving us A LOT of money. We pay $23 each week, and we receive a TON of produce. If we were to put that $23 toward produce from the grocery store, we would only be able to buy half of what we get from J&P. It's such a great deal.

Alright, so it turns out that I was going to share a recipe with you (Chickpea Bajane), but it seems my excitement for our CSA program took over!

Coconut Macaroons

2011-01-09T19:25:00.000-06:00

Before I start praising Coconut Macaroons, I must first share some information about my shameful past.

I was, by far, the pickiest eater as a child. Onions? Gross. Mushrooms. Yeah, right. Coconut? Don't even make me.

I can only laugh at how far my taste buds have come. Most of my willingness to try new food stems from my relationship with my husband. That man will try anything! I've also come to the realization that to completely identify myself as "foodie," I must be willing to try new, interesting flavors and ingredients. While coconut is not a new ingredient by any means, the fact that I LOVE Coconut Macaroons is an interesting change of behavior!

These macaroons can hold their own, but I can only imagine what would happen if they were to be dipped in dark chocolate. Swoon.

*Note you can use either sweetened or unsweetened coconut.

Coconut Macaroons
Source: Coconut Macaroons III, All Recipes

Ingredients:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 1/2 cups flaked or shredded coconut (one normal size package - I forget how many ounces!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, coconut and salt. Stir in the condensed milk and vanilla extract with a spatula. Use a small cookie scoop to shape coconut into mounds. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Coconut should begin to brown and be toasted.

Yield: 24-30 macaroons, depending on your size

Zucchini-Lemon Muffins

2011-01-06T19:08:00.000-06:00

I could easily apologize to you right now. It's been a while, hasn't it? I should feel terrible that I haven't been supplying you with yummy recipes. Well, life has been so good this past month that I just haven't had the time - and for that, I do not apologize!

You know I've been searching for a job out here in beautiful California. But what you may not know is that I was offered a position with a non-profit organization at the end of November and started working in December! Between that and a little 2-week vacation to Nebraska for the holidays, my life has been a little crazy. I'm just so blessed.

I digress.

Today I bring to you my first post of 2011. I know it should be some grand recipe...but it's just muffins. But not any old muffins! Zucchini-Lemon! Make these and you'll have spring on your mind, guaranteed. (P.S. I can't say, hear, read or type the word 'muffin' without thinking of this. And I'm not complaining.)

Zucchini-Lemon Muffins
Source: Cooking Light, June 1995

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour (I used half whole wheat, half all-purpose)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (I used cinnamon)
1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini
3/4 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons oil (I used applesauce)
1 large egg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture. In a separate bowl combine zucchini, milk, oil and egg. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups - lined with baking cups or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately and let cool on wire rack.

Vegetable & Chickpea Curry

2010-12-05T14:45:00.000-06:00

I have recently become obsessed with coconut milk and have been pouring it into just about every meal these past few weeks. No joke.

I absolutely love the combination of coconut milk, curry powder and tomatoes - such a great flavor that is oh-so comforting. You can imagine my excitement when I found this recipe for Vegetable & Chickpea Curry that makes use of a slow cooker...my true love!

This dish does require a fair amount of chopping/dicing as preparation, as well as a bit of sauteing to begin. But the satisfaction you get when you can literally just throw everything in the slow cooker and forget about it, totally makes up for it. Just stir in the coconut milk and spinach right before eating and serve with brown rice - a simple meal that will warm you up during these chilly winter months!

Vegetable & Chickpea Curry
Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. sliced carrots
1 T. curry powder
1 t. brown sugar
1/2 t. ground ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, chopped (omit the seeds if you're not a fan of the spice!)
3 cups chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 1/2 c. cubed potatoes
1 c. chopped green pepper
1 c. small broccoli florets
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 - 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 - 14 oz. can vegetable broth (I used low sodium)
3 c. fresh baby spinach
1 cup coconut milk

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add curry powder, sugar, ginger, garlic, and chile; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Place onion mixture in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Stir in chickpeas and next 8 ingredients (through broth). Cover and cook on HIGH 6 hours or until vegetables are tender. Add spinach and coconut milk; stir until spinach wilts.

Pumpkin Blondies (Vegan!)

2010-11-16T11:42:00.000-06:00

While I have begun listening to Christmas music, I'm a firm believer that autumn treats should still be consumed in full force until Thanksgiving. There's just something about fall flavors that excite me - pecans, pumpkin, apples, cinnamon - such wonderful aromas and treats for the taste buds!

When I stumbled across these (vegan!) Pumpkin Blondies over on Hillary's blog, I knew I had to make them - pronto. Don't let the fact that they are vegan fool you; I think a lot of people may be hesitant to vegan options but don't be! These are absolutely decadent and delicious. I love experimenting with vegan baking, and this concoction did not disappoint!

Pumpkin Blondies

Source: Nutrition Nut on the Run

Ingredients:
3/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. applesauce
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. almond milk (or soy milk)
2 tsp. pure vanilla
1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
dash of nutmeg, ~1/4 tsp.
double dash of cinnamon, ~1 tsp.
1/3 c. pecans, chopped
2/3 c. dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix together the wet ingredients [pumpkin, applesauce, sugars, soy milk, vanilla]. In a separate, larger bowl, mix together flours, baking powder, salt and spices. Pour wet ingredients into the dry, combine – mixing minimally. Fold in nuts and chips. Then plop into a greased 8×8 pan and bake for 18-20 minutes [timing will vary by the type of pan]. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

2010-10-29T11:24:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted a soup recipe - but don't think we haven't been enjoying warm, comforting meals. I have a lot of soup recipes lined up to share with you. They are all winners, trust me.

This recipe for Tomato Tortellini Soup caught my eye as I was searching for meals that included bok choy. Y'all, the organic farm that we have our CSA box through must be lovers of bok choy. We seriously get it every.single.week. I kid you not. I made a tofu stir-fry a couple weeks ago that used up some bok choy, but I wanted to branch out from stir-fries. Bok choy is so much more than that!

The original recipe called for sun-dried tomatoes. Well, being the frugal person that I am, I just used canned, diced tomatoes. It was perfect. That's the great thing about cooking in your own kitchen - you can swap out ingredients to your liking (or what you have on-hand!).

Tomato Tortellini Soup
Adapted from: Sun-Dried Tomato Tortellini Soup, Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup (1/4-inch-thick) sliced carrot
2/3 cup sliced celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups fresh cheese tortellini (about 12 ounces)
1 cup chopped bok choy

Directions:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes. Add pasta and bok choy; simmer 7 minutes or until pasta is done. Discard bay leaf.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Herb-Roasted Onions

2010-10-27T17:56:00.000-05:00

I am a firm believer that you can toss any vegetable into the oven, and it will be amazing.

Broccoli? Yes!
Cauliflower? Yes!
Brussels Sprouts? Yes!
Onions? You better believe it!

I know I've talked about my love for CSA programs on Twitter - have I mentioned it on here? Well, my husband and I recently joined a CSA program, and we are up to our eyeballs in vegetables. And I am loving every second of it.

Last week, we had an abundance of onions. I already had two soup recipes picked out that included the addition of onion, so I was looking for a completely different way to eat them.

Enter Ina Garten's Herb-Roasted Onions. I cannot put into words how savory the mustard and garlic tastes after heating up in the oven. It's not an overwhelming sauce for the onions - just a nice little coating for a pop of flavor.

Along with the onions, I also roasted some cauliflower and carrots. For those, I just coated them with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper - bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Herb-Roasted Onions
Source: Ina Garten

Ingredients:

3 onions (red or yellow)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 tablespoon minced thyme leaves - you can also use dried thyme

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves - again, you can use dried parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the stem end of each onion and carefully slice off the brown part of the root end, leaving the root intact. Peel the onion. Stand each onion root end up on a cutting board and cut the onion in wedges through the root. Place the wedges in a bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the onions and toss well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a sheet pan, reserving the vinaigrette that remains in the bowl. Bake the onions for 30 to 45 minutes, until tender and browned. Toss the onions once during cooking. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with the reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste and serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 3-4 servings

Pecan Sandies

2010-10-20T23:29:00.001-05:00

I had been wanting to make cookies that felt like autumn. While I'm loving pumpkin right now, I wanted to steer clear of that route. When I came across this recipe for Pecan Sandies on Brown Eyed Baker, I knew this was my winner.

Please know that I truly love chocolate. But the simplicity of this cookie can't be beat. With the only add-in being pecans, you get to focus on that particular flavor. The brown sugar gives this a deep, rich flavor - which pairs quite well with a warm mug of coffee. Seriously, heaven.

I don't know how many times my husband proclaimed that these were his "favorite cookies...ever." It brought a smile to my face. Needless to say, the cookie itself brought an even bigger smile to my face. Try this. NOW!

Pecan Sandies

Source: Brown Eye Baker - Pecan Sandies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour - I used whole wheat

1 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, beating just until combined. Fold in the pecans.

Roll the dough into 1½-inch balls (or use a medium-size cookie scoop) and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. With wax paper or parchment paper, flatten each cookie slightly by placing paper on the cookie and pushing with your hand. The paper will prevent your hands from sticking to the cookie!

Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Do NOT over-bake. They will harden as they cool - so stick to the lower amount of time. Transfer to a wire rack and cool.

Yield: About 1 dozen

How to: Cut Honeydew

2010-10-15T10:32:00.000-05:00

So I realize that we're heading into fall in full-force right now, but I have a step-by-step tutorial that I really want to share with you.

I love melons. I think that you get a lot of bang for your buck when you buy them. There was a watermelon that I bought this past summer, and while my husband and I ate it every day, it still lasted us for 10 days. I followed Iowa Girl Eats' suggestion on how to cut a watermelon, and it was extremely helpful.

Today I thought I'd share with you how to cut honeydew...by far my favorite melon!

Start by slicing it in half and scooping out the seeds.

Then slice into wedges and cut off the skin.

Finally cut into your desired size of pieces. One inch cubes are my favorite.

Pretty simple, huh?
Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Recipes

2010-10-14T15:20:00.000-05:00

A very, very dear friend of mine is getting married next week. I'll be flying back to Nebraska to be a bridesmaid in her wedding, and I am very excited to help her celebrate her special day!

I have raved about how much I love my slow cooker on this blog numerous times, so you know how excited I was to hear that she received one at a bridal shower a few weeks ago. She is going to love the simplicity of using a slow cooker, and the great meals she'll be able to make.

In honor of her latest kitchen appliance, I thought I'd do a little recipe round-up of all the slow cooker meals I've shared on Ice Cream & Wine. These meals are healthy and prove that you don't have to sacrifice flavor and nutrition when using your slow cooker!

*Please remember that most of these photos were taken with a super old camera and in the middle of winter in a gray, gloomy Baltimore. I'm thinking about making all these again (and soon!), so I can update the photos!

Eggplant Curry
Chicken Cacciatore
Honey Glazed Chicken
Pineapple Chicken
Salsa Chicken
Spicy BBQ Chicken
Turkey Supper Potluck

I hope you'll be able to enjoy these great recipes now that fall is here!

Sausage Cabbage & Apple Soup

2010-10-12T11:51:00.005-05:00

I adore soup. And in all honesty, I could eat soup for every meal. It's so warm and comforting, and it really makes my heart happy.

Last year my mother gave me a Taste of Home Heartwarming Soups magazine - boasting over 350 recipes. No matter how many times I've read it, I keep going back for more. Looking at soup recipes just never gets old.

This recipe immediately caught my attention because of the addition of apples. Apples in soup? It won me over. This is a perfect treat for these fall months, and a very simple recipe to follow. I made a few changes - which I'll note below. You must try it!

Sausage Cabbage & Apple Soup

Adapted from: Taste of Home Heartwarming Soups (submitted by M. Wolff, Indiana)

Ingredients:

3 cups coleslaw mix - I just used plain cabbage

2 medium carrots, chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds - I omitted this, not a fan!

2 tablespoons butter

1 carton (32 oz.) chicken broth - I used low sodium

12 oz. fully cooked chicken sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 medium unpeeled Granny Smith apples, chopped

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a stockpot, saute cabbage, carrots, onion, celery (and caraway seeds, if using) in butter for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Yield: 6 servings

Nut Butter Carrot Fries

2010-10-08T11:28:00.000-05:00

I used to always buy the bags of baby carrots. Until I realized one day that it is much cheaper to buy regular carrots. You know, the carrots that look like they were literally just pulled from the ground. You know, the kind that you would imagine rabbits eating. Yes, those.

So we've been buying those carrots recently, and I find peeling them rather fun. I know, I have an odd obsession/liking toward kitchen gadgets.

The problem: we're up to our eyeballs in carrots. We can only eat so many atop salads and dipped in hummus.

So when I heard that you could slice carrots, lather them in nut butter and bake in the oven to turn into fries, I was rather intrigued.

My curiosity always gets the best of me when it comes to food, so I had to try these out. And now, I'm rather addicted!

Nut Butter Carrot Fries
Source: Oh She Glows and Meals & Miles

Ingredients:
3 medium carrots - sliced into thin strips
2 tablespoons nut butter (I just used all-natural peanut butter)
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the nut butter, oil and salt. Add sliced carrots and toss to coat.

Place in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes - you can flip them halfway through to prevent burning.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2010-10-06T07:50:00.001-05:00

Now I know I can't speak for everyone, but it seems that most people enjoy the changing of seasons from summer to fall. I know I do!

Fall can tease us - bringing cooler weather one week, only to be followed by hot 90 degree weather the next. So when the true fall season sets in, I rejoice! But how does one know?

I look to Starbucks to give me this information. When a Pumpkin Spice Latte lands on their menu, I declare it fall! But this little, addictive drink can be rather expensive. At least to me and my husband. Oh, I didn't tell you one of us is in graduate school at a top institution and the other is unemployed?! Such a perfect match, we are!

But I digress. When I found this recipe for a homemade pumpkin spice latte, well, I knew immediately that I wanted to make it. I bypassed the step that said to mix well in a blender, as I really didn't feel like dirtying the blender and then having to wash it. Yes, I am lazy. Yes, we don't have a dishwasher.

So I actually ended up with a pumpkin spice cafe au lait. Which was still incredibly delicious. If you want the frothy texture, be sure to blend this bad boy up. To get this recipe, please check out the link below!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Source: Peas and Thank You - please check out this blog - amazing!

Boudin: San Francisco

2010-10-05T10:38:00.000-05:00

One reason (among many) I was so looking forward to moving to California was the food. California is known for hip and trendy restaurants, great farmers' markets, fresh seafood, and...good wine. Wait, what? Y'all, don't even try and tell me that wine isn't a food group, ok?!

Anyway, my husband and I moved to, what we believe to be, the best part of California: the San Francisco Bay Area. It is perfection, really. And we're enjoying every minute of it.

We made it up to the city (SF) last weekend with friends. It was decided that Boudin would be our destination for dinner that evening at Fisherman's Wharf. I had heard great things about Boudin's sourdough bread bowls from my husband, who was able to enjoy them on a trip out to the area last year.

I had also heard great things about their clam chowder. Um, excuse me?

Sure, I've posted fish recipes on here. Sure, I'll try various types of fish. Lobster, crab, clams? Er...

I so desperately wanted to order the tomato soup as I nervously stood in line at Boudin. But peer pressure sunk in, folks. Fine - I'll try the clam chowder!

Dare I say I enjoyed it? No - I don't think I'll publicly admit that. That's a rather big commitment.

So I'll say this: it was actually pretty good. Of course, when I chomped down on an actual piece of clam, it was a little seafood-y. But, I ate it. A lot of it.

And the bread bowl? Oh, friends, the bread bowl! Carbs are truly a wonderful thing, and the bread bowl did not disappoint!

Boudin has several locations in San Francisco. If you're ever visiting the city, definitely check it out!

Menu: October 4-8

2010-10-04T11:57:00.001-05:00

Hey, all - I hope you had a great weekend! Mine was great...minus the fact that we dealt with a sad Stanford football loss on Saturday. Who would have thought I'd be so upset over a game that didn't involve my beloved Nebraska Cornhuskers?! Pure craziness. However, we went to the local farmers market for this first time, and it was glorious. Definitely a good weekend!

Here's the menu for the week. I haven't finalized our vegetable side dishes yet and for good reason.

WE JOINED A CSA PROGRAM! We'll find out tonight what produce we'll get, and then we'll be picking up the box tomorrow - I am so darn excited!

Monday: Chicken Sausage Cabbage Soup
Tuesday: Soup Leftovers
Wednesday: Bean Tacos
Thursday: Vegetable Pasta
Friday: Pasta Leftovers/Pizza

Lemon Mahi Mahi

2010-10-01T09:31:00.000-05:00

I love me some good mahi mahi.

And here's a fun fact about mahi: my husband actually caught a mahi back in May! We were on a sailing trip down in The Bahamas with some of our friends, and Evan caught my favorite fish. I mean, life is just great.

Reel it in.

Here's the beauty!

So now whenever we enjoy the gloriousness that is mahi mahi, I always think back on our sailing trip. Don't you just love how food can do that?

Here's a super easy way to cook mahi - just lemon, thyme and olive oil. Enjoy!

Lemon Mahi Mahi
Adapted from: Running Mama Cooks

Ingredients:
2 mahi mahi fillets
2 lemons (one sliced, one for the juice and zest)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt
pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place the slices from one lemon in a baking dish, covering the bottom. Season fillets with salt and pepper, then place on top of sliced lemons.

Drizzle with the juice of one lemon, zest and olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme. Cover with lid or foil and bake for 16-20 minutes - until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-09-30T16:42:00.000-05:00

Y'all, I absolutely am in love with autumn. By far, it is my favorite season. I grew up in Nebraska, and there were wonderful orchards that I frequented every year with my family. I remember how excited my grandma would be about having her granddaughters with her - showing us off to her neighbors (hello, rural Nebraska!), buying my sister and me endless amounts of rock candy, honey sticks and warm apple pie.

I miss my grandma terribly during these fall months. But instead of becoming sad, I use this time to celebrate all things fall-related in full force. It brings back all the happy memories I have of her. I decorate our apartment (just got some great new place mats!), eat apples like it's my job, bake with pumpkin and enjoy cider whenever possible.

Pretty new place mat!

I found this pumpkin muffin recipe online and made a few adjustments. The major one being the addition of chocolate. Because let's be honest: if my grandma were to make these muffins, she would have added chocolate. Why?

My grandpa loves chocolate. And love makes you do silly things sometimes.

Grandma Rogers' Pumpkin Muffins
Adapted from: Pumpkin Wheat Honey Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used regular and white)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or line with paper cups.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center, then ad the eggs, pumpkin, applesauce and honey into the center.

Mix just until the dry ingredients are absorbed. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop batter into muffin cups so they are 2/3 full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes (until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pushed). Cool in pan before removing.

Wine Wednesday: Good News

2010-09-29T13:43:00.000-05:00

I'm making this post a quick one (mainly because I don't have any photos to share!). Although we're mostly settled into our new apartment here California (that's so fun to say!), I haven't uploaded pictures from my camera yet. P.S. Did I tell y'all that I got a new camera? It's super fun. More details to come on that.

For now, I have some rather exciting news to share. Remember when I wrote about Charles Shaw wine from Trader Joe's? Well, in Maryland it sold for $3.29 - even though its nickname is two-buck-chuck. I thought it was that price in every state.

Friends, there is a reason why I moved to California. And that is because Charles Shaw sells for $1.99 at the TJ's out here.

Ok, so maybe that wasn't the real reason. Maybe it's because my husband is amazing and is attending graduate school out here.

But what a fabulous perk! You can't even imagine how excited I was to find this out! :)

Happy Wine Wednesday, friends. You know I'll be celebrating with a little Shiraz tonight!

BBQ Tofu

2010-09-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

I have mixed feelings about this post, and my choice to not post a picture. You see, I made BBQ Tofu last night. And it was actually pretty darn tasty.

But it didn't look tasty.

It didn't even look edible, if I'm being honest here.

And as much as I want to always be up-front with you, I just can't bring myself to post the picture of it.

I understand that some of the best tasting recipes don't necessarily look the part. You'll just have to try this out yourself to see what I'm talking about!

BBQ Tofu
Source: Ice Cream & Wine Original

Ingredients:
1 block tofu, pressed and sliced into 6 pieces
2/3 cup BBQ sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place tofu slices on a foil-lined baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip slices over and bake for another 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and add a thin layer of BBQ sauce to the bottom of the pan. Position slices in sauce, and pour remaining sauce over them. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

Menu: 9/27-10/1

2010-09-27T11:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday! Today I thought I would give you a glance at our menu for the week. I used to do this a few months ago, but for one reason or another, I stopped. I'm going to try and update our weekly menu on the blog every week - to both give you an idea of what recipes to expect and to see how simple it is to plan meals.

I've gotten a few emails asking about meal planning - I'm going to work on a post regarding that subject. Meal planning is an easy way to save money and time. It's definitely one of my favorite things to do!

But for now, here's our menu for this week (you'll notice I'm a big fan of leftovers - hello, savings!).

Menu: 9/27-10/1

Monday: BBQ Tofu, sauteed zucchini, baked sweet potatoes
Tuesday: BBQ Tofu leftovers
Wednesday: Turkey Bean Soup
Thursday: Soup leftovers
Friday: Homemade Pizza (whole wheat crust, artichokes, black olives)

Tomato & Mozzarella Orzo Salad

2010-09-24T11:07:00.001-05:00

I'm very excited to be writing my first post from California! The past couple of weeks have been absolutely hectic - planning a 3,000 mile move is very time consuming. I'm happy to report that we are so close to being officially moved in! Only a few more things need to find a place, and we're good to go.

Before we left Washington D.C., we had a few friends over to see them one last time before heading West. I kept the menu rather simple - here it is:

Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Tomato & Mozzarella Orzo Salad
Watermelon
Pickles
Cheese & Crackers
Raspberry White Chocolate Chip Brownies
Beer & Wine (like it needed to be said...) :)

Lucky for you, I'm sharing the orzo salad recipe today! It's SUPER simple, very fresh and completely delicious. I encourage you to try it out!

Tomato & Mozzarella Orzo Salad
Source: Lorie Cooks...Or Tries To

Ingredients:

8 oz. uncooked orzo
4 oz. mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
6-8 basil leaves, julienned - I used dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice - I used about one full lemon
1 tsp salt
a few cranks of cracked black pepper

Directions:

Cook orzo according to package instructions. Drain and allow to cool.

Mix up olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and basil in a small dish. Pour over cooled pasta and stir to coat. Fold in cheese and tomatoes. Serve cold.

Yield: 4-6 servings

TJ's Winner Announced!

2010-09-02T13:15:00.000-05:00

Thank you all so much for entering Ice Cream & Wine's first giveaway!

I loved learning about your favorite wine and ice cream - and even hearing from those vegan readers that indulge in fruit - loved it all!

Looks like I'm definitely going to have to try Relax Riesling - seems to be rather popular. Good news to those who are unfamiliar with it (like I was)...it can be found at Trader Joe's. Sweetness.

Ok, ok, I know you're really only reading to see if you won.

I used Random.org to find a number between 1 and 49. Unfortunately, I have a very, VERY old computer and couldn't do a screen shot of the winning number. Trust me, though, it picked #19:

Heather, author of the blog, Where's the Beach?

Heather, please send your address to icecreamandwine [at] gmail [dot] com to claim your prize!

Thank you again to all those that entered. I kind of liked hosting a giveaway, so believe me when I say I'll be doing another one soon! :)

Wine Wednesday: Favorites!

2010-09-01T06:44:00.000-05:00

Hey there, winos! Happy September - autumn is just around the corner!

This Wine Wednesday is going to be short and sweet. And while my intention is not to gyp you out of a WW post, I'm just very excited about the Trader Joe's giveaway I'm hosting!

If you click to this post and comment on it telling me your favorite wine, you will have entered my giveaway. Super easy, right?!

So far, Riesling is taking the lead for favorite wine among Ice Cream & Wine readers. Want to make sure your favorite is represented? Enter my giveaway!

Of course, it wouldn't be right if I didn't share my absolute favorite: Malbec. The best type of red wine that can be enjoyed - promise!

*You have until 11:59p.m. tonight to enter

Trader Joe's GIVEAWAY!

2010-08-31T11:36:00.006-05:00

Happy 100th post to Ice Cream & Wine! I thought I'd never get here!

I started this blog way back in December 2009, and I was an eager little blogger with very consistent postings. I went through a rut in the spring - we were planning a move, had family in town visiting a lot and were able to do some traveling (hello, Florida, Nebraska & The Bahamas!).

Since this summer was mainly spent looking for jobs out in California, I had the time to revive Ice Cream & Wine - and I'm so happy I did. I have way more readers now than I ever expected to have. During the first few months, only my family and closest friends kept up with this blog. Now I'm happy to say that Ice Cream & Wine has been seen in 44 states and 19 countries! Now I realize that there are many more blogs out there that have better stats than that - but I'm very proud and appreciate the readers that keep coming back for more!

As a thank you, I'm giving away some Trader Joe's goodies! Y'all know I'm rather obsessed with TJ's, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite goods with you! Here's what one of you will win:

Cinnamon & Sugar Pita Chips
Valencia Peanut Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds (crunchy & salted)
Two mini bags of microwave popcorn
Fiberful Fruit Bar (Apple Blueberry)
100% Dried Fruit Bar (Raspberry)

There are many ways to enter - check it out (open to U.S. and Canada residents only):

Mandatory:
Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite ice cream or wine. If for some reason you don't like either (gasp!), tell me your favorite indulgent treat. :)

Additional Entries - each entry deserves a separate comment telling me you did so:

-Become a Google Follower OR subscribe via email. If you already follow it, let me know!

-Follow me on Twitter: @icecream_wine

-Tweet this: I just entered a Trader Joe's Giveaway on @icecream_wine - you can too! http://tinyurl.com/2b2jacu

That's right - you have four ways to enter! You will have until tomorrow (Wednesday, September 1) at 11:59p.m. to enter. I will randomly pick a winner on Thursday morning.

Good Luck! And again - thank you for being a part of Ice Cream & Wine!

Blueberry Crisp

2010-08-27T10:25:00.000-05:00

A few weekends ago, my husband and I drove down to North Carolina to spend time with some wonderful friends of ours. Since we're moving to California next week (whee!), we wanted to see them one last time before the whole entire country separates us!

During a drizzly & gloomy Sunday afternoon, we went to a blueberry farm - or maybe blueberry patch is a better term. Anyway, we picked and picked and picked blueberries for a good hour. And guess what. We walked away with 25 pounds of fresh blueberries. (Note: this number did not include the pounds of blueberries that somehow made it into my stomach while picking!)

So what did we do with 25 pounds? We made jam! We used quite of few blueberries for that, and the rest were either frozen or eaten fresh.

I do have pictures of the all the canned jam - but they seem to be lost into the depths of my computer. I'll find those soon and post them - it's a lot!

With some of the fresh blueberries that we brought back up to D.C., I made a wonderful crisp - so good! After reading some of the reviews of the recipe, it sounded like the crisp part was rather lacking (hello, it is from Cooking Light!). So I cut the blueberry mixture in half and kept the crisp at the full amount. I'm definitely a fan of the buttery, sugary crisp! Below you will find the original recipe - remember, I used only 3 cups of blueberries, and it turned out to be great!

Blueberry Crisp

Source: Cooking Light, June 2006

Ingredients:
6 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup regular oats
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; spoon into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon, and cut in the butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle over the blueberry mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Top each serving with 1/4 cup frozen yogurt.

Note: Topping may also be made in the food processor. Place 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon in a food processor, and pulse 2 times or until combined. Add butter; pulse 4 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Wine Wednesday: MOM

2010-08-25T18:35:00.001-05:00

I've realized that by acknowledging Wine Wednesdays every week, the weeks seem to go by rather quickly. Here we are again!

Don't think I've been lacking in the food area - I have plenty of simple recipes to share with you in the coming days.

I'm sipping on some absolutely delightful white table wine as I type this post. Remember when I had the best time at Festa Rappahannock? My husband and I didn't walk away empty handed from that wine festival. Oh no, we bought ourselves a bottle of wine in remembrance of a wonderful day!

It was the white table wine titled MOM from Narmada Winery that won over our taste buds that day. We finally popped the cork and enjoyed it with some homemade pizza. Because really, wine does go with everything.

MOM, named after the winery owner's mother (and in honor of all moms!), is a very light & crisp wine. The aftertaste is just beautiful. It pairs well with spicy Indian food, but as we also found out, it's very good with pizza! I highly suggest this wine to any and all white wine lovers and to loyal red drinkers. My husband is such a fan of red wine, and even this table white brought a smile to his face!

Wine Wednesday: I'm a Winner!

2010-08-18T10:30:00.001-05:00

Wine Wednesday...so we meet again!

Can you believe that I indulged in two - TWO! - bottles of wine this weekend and did not snap pictures of either? I'm such a disgrace! In my defense, I enjoyed the wine while visiting some great friends down in North Carolina and just got caught up in some great conversation and some great food. It happens...

But I have a great topic for this week's wine post: today I won a wine-related giveaway! I should let you know that I've been pretty lucky when it comes to blog and Twitter giveaways. I won my first back in March (a $50 Safeway gift card), my second in July (10 raw energy bars), my third last week (Justin's Nut Butter package) and my fourth today!

Although I've been excited about all prizes, today's takes top honors.

Source: Rosehill Wine Cellars

That, my friends, is a Recycled Barrel Wine Glass Holder from Rosehill Wine Cellars. How cool is that?! I love it for many reasons - A.) it's unique B.) it supports my wine drinking habits and C.) it's green - hello, recycled material!

I can't wait to get my hands on this. I think it will look very nice in our new California apartment, don't you agree?!

P.S. Three more posts and then the Trader Joe's giveaway! You must be a follower of Ice Cream & Wine to be eligible, so do it now! :)

Cod with Roasted Corn & Peppers

2010-08-16T06:20:00.001-05:00

So colorful, isn't it? In my quest to eat more fish (let's hear it for those omega-3 fatty acids!), I've forced myself to search for quick & tasty recipes online - from recipe collection websites like My Recipes, to my good old Google Reader. I must say, I've been rather successful!

The easy tilapia recipe that I shared last week turned out to be a hit, but I thought it would be. I already knew that I liked tilapia, so I wasn't branching out of my comfort zone. However, I did with this one: Cod with Roasted Corn & Peppers.

The original recipe calls for grouper, but they suggest "other moderately firm fish" like cod, tile fish or sea bass. Luckily, my Trader Joe's had cod fillets, so cod it was! Using pre-cut fillets saved me a lot of time.

The roasted corn and peppers turned out to be such a great side dish to the cod. The smell while it was roasting in the oven was just fantastic. The best part about this recipe is that you use a cutting board, knife and a roasting pan. That's IT! Hardly any dirty dishes - love!

Cod with Roasted Corn & Peppers
Source: Food & Wine, 1997

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch squares
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch squares
2 cups fresh (cut from about 3 ears) or frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon salt - I used seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 pounds grouper fillets, cut to make 4 pieces

Directions:

Heat the oven to 450°. In a large roasting pan, combine the red and green bell peppers, the corn, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt, pepper, and thyme. Roast in the oven until the corn and peppers start to brown, about 12 minutes, stirring twice.

Rub the remaining tablespoon oil over both sides of the fish. Sprinkle the fish with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt, pepper, and thyme. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and push the corn-and-pepper mixture to the sides of the pan. Put the fish in the center of the pan, skin-side down, and cook until just done, about 15 minutes for 1-inch-thick fillets. Serve the fish with the corn and peppers.

Test-Kitchen Tip from Food & Wine: If using frozen corn kernels, let them defrost if you can; it only takes a few minutes. Measure the corn first thing and it will be defrosted by the time you're ready for it. Pat the corn dry with a paper towel after defrosting so that the excess moisture won't get in the way during cooking and make browning impossible.

Chilled Cucumber & Avocado Soup

2010-08-13T06:16:00.001-05:00

Happy Weekend! Another week down, another week closer to living in California! For those of you who are new to Ice Cream & Wine, my husband (Evan) and I are moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in September. Evan will be starting a graduate program out there, and I'll [hopefully] be a working woman some time soon!

Anyway, do I have a great summer recipe for you! This Chilled Cucumber & Avocado Soup is really the epitome of summer - light, crisp, refreshing. I served it alongside roasted asparagus and wild rice. The original recipe is found below, but of course I had to make some changes. First, I don't have white pepper on-hand, so I just used ground black pepper. I also used plain Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt - hello, extra protein! Finally, I left the cucumber skin on to get extra fiber and nutrients.

I know this may seem like a lot of changes, but the point of Ice Cream & Wine is to enjoy simple meals that don't require a lot of fuss. By using ingredients I had on-hand (such as the black pepper & Greek yogurt), I saved money and was able to tailor this recipe to how I wanted.

Chilled Cucumber, Avocado & Yogurt Soup
Source: Sunset Magazine, June 2010

Ingredients:
4 cups plain low-fat yogurt
2 cups cold water
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 avocado, cut into 1/2-in. dice
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil - I omitted this

Directions:

Whisk together yogurt, garlic, salt, spices, and 2 cups cold water in a large bowl. Add cucumber, avocado, mint, and dill, stirring gently to combine. Drizzle each serving with 1 tsp. oil.

Banana Cupcakes & Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

2010-08-12T05:50:00.001-05:00

So cupcakes have been all the rage the past couple of years. And to be honest, I love that this classic dessert is getting the much-deserved attention. However, many people in the food world think that this is just a trend, and that cupcakes are so yesterday. Really?!

With cupcakeries popping up all over the nation, it's hard for me to believe that this is just a trend that will soon wear out. Cupcakes have been around for years, and I don't believe that a little spike in popularity will run this idea into the ground.

The same people that are calling cupcakes a fad, are also saying that macarons will soon be taking over. Now, I have various opinions on this matter. I love macarons...I really do. The chewy cookie filled with wonderful frosting, cream, fruit preserve - you name it - is an absolute delight. And while pastry shops in hip, urban neighborhoods are beginning to see a rise in demand for these little gems, the ordinary home-baker has yet to tackle macarons for everyday enjoyment (you don't see boxed mixes for macarons in the grocery store aisles, now do you?). They seem scary, intimidating and hard to master...so I've heard. I haven't tried for said reasons! But really, can you honestly see macarons replacing cupcakes at little Johnny's 4th birthday party? I guess I just don't understand why people seem to think one has to replace the other. Why can't we have both?

Ok, enough of my rant about how cupcakes will always have a place in society.

I was craving cupcakes last week because...well, just because. I love the combination of banana and cinnamon, so I knew I'd enjoy these. Go ahead and try them out - they're simple, flavorful and quite indulgent! Perfection.

Banana Cupcakes

Source: Cooking Light, September 1999

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt - I used Greek yogurt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and banana; set aside. Beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar, butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana mixture to sugar mixture, beating well.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Top with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below).

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Source: Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients:

4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature - I used light

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar and cinnamon, mixing well until it’s all incorporated. Use immediately or refrigerate. The frosting will harden in the fridge, so plan on bring it back to room temperature if you must refrigerate it before frosting the cupcakes.

Wine Wednesday: Sangria Summer

2010-08-11T06:54:00.000-05:00

Happy Wine Wednesday, everyone!

Do you want to know a fun fact? Wine Wednesday has actually been declared on Twitter! If you post any tweets today about wine, just be sure to add #ww or #winewednesday. I was able to find a lot of sweet wine folks on Twitter last Wednesday because of this. And don't forget to add me - @icecream_wine - ok, I'm done!

Today's Wine Wednesday topic: Sangria. Fun, right?! I've always enjoyed sangria, but to be honest, I rarely have it. I see it as a special treat. However, every time I enjoy a refreshing glass, I always tell myself to have it more often. It's really, really good.

It's a perfect treat for summer, with all the fresh fruit in abundance! You can also make white and red variations of the drink, so it truly can be enjoyed by all.

Remember when I had this white sangria at Festa Rappahannock? The white wine and green apples made for a sweet taste. It complemented my grilled chicken and veggies quite wonderfully.

Now here I am enjoying red sangria. And my, oh my, this is a completely different drink! The red wine and chosen fruit (oranges, limes, etc.) made this drink a little deeper in flavor, and almost bitter. But in a good way, I promise you! I drank this sangria with some cheese pizza at Jazz in the Garden at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden in D.C. Jazz in the Garden is held every Friday night during the summer months from 5:30-8:30. It's jam-packed with young professionals, and pitchers of sangria can be seen everywhere!

I've decided to set a little challenge for myself - if you could call it that. I have never made sangria - but I'm going to try it before we move to California. I have 3 1/2 weeks - I know I'll be able to find a good excuse to make it!

I've done some searching for sangria recipes, and here are a few that are front runners.

Red Wine Sangria, Real Simple Magazine
Carolina Peach Sangria, Southern Living Magazine
Sangria Perea, Guy Fieri

Do you have a sangria recipe that you like? Let me know!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2010-08-10T06:00:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry to have teased you with the picture of the sprouts and not the recipe. What was I thinking?! Well, now you have it and can enjoy it!

My husband loves brussels sprouts. To be quite honest, I never had them until I had dinner with his family while dating and his mother made them. I cannot even begin to explain how nervous I was when I plopped some on my plate. I mean, what if I hated them?! I couldn't offend his mother! No worries, foodies...I loved them!

This is a great way to prepare sprouts - although I'm a little biased. I think every vegetable can, and should, be roasted in the oven. Such good flavor.

Oh, and I used a new gadget during this recipe. Review to come soon!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss sprouts with oil and minced garlic. Once well-coated, place sprouts on a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.

Make sure sprouts are cut-side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tender and golden on edges.

Yield: 2 servings

Yellow Squash & Tomatoes

2010-08-09T09:45:00.000-05:00

I love summer and the great fresh produce that comes along with it. The abundance of fruit and vegetables just excites me, as well as the pretty and vibrant colors. This makes for fun and creative recipes!

Speaking of vegetables, a vegetable must always be represented in all Ice Cream & Wine dinners, per the request of my husband. But he's gotten me hooked, as now I don't see a meal as complete unless there's a vegetable side dish. And we're talking legit vegetable side dishes...not ones doused in cream/butter/etc.

I'm a big fan of cooked tomatoes, so when I saw this recipe featured on Katie's Cucina, I was immediately inspired.

Yellow Squash & Tomatoes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small yellow squash, 1/4-inch sliced
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. When heated, add yellow squash and cook for 8 minutes.

Add in tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook for additional 4 minutes until all vegetables are heated through.

Yield: 4 servings

Baked & Seasoned Tilapia

2010-08-08T08:36:00.000-05:00

I always laugh at myself when I rave about how good a fish recipe tastes. I used to loathe fish. Seriously, I would gag at the smell of it. I know, a complete over-share on that one, but I'm all about honesty, people!

My husband and I are trying to incorporate more fish into our weekly menus. The health benefits of eating fish are grand, so we're trying to get those omega-3 fatty acids and cut out the saturated fat. Two points for healthy food!

Anyway, this tilapia recipe will be made again and again. Fish is so easy to prepare, and this recipe hardly has any clean-up involved. I love that.

Baked & Seasoned Tilapia
Inspiration: Easy Baked Tilapia, All Recipes

Ingredients:
2 tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place fillets in a square baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Drizzle fillets with olive oil, followed by lemon juice. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.

Yield: 2 servings

Braised Balsamic Chicken

2010-08-06T09:01:00.000-05:00

Ok, I realize this is not a pretty picture. Believe me, I do. And I also realize it's not the prettiest color. However, I doubt anyone could make an appealing color out of balsamic vinegar and tomatoes. Brown and red? Yeah, not the greatest combination.

But who cares? When a dish tastes as good as this, it really doesn't matter. Not only am I obsessed with balsamic vinegar, I am also obsessed with the taste of it when mixed with tomatoes. Seriously, the flavors were meant to be with each other.

The flavors are so rich and deep - people will think you slaved away in the kitchen. But I assure you, this is anything but complicated. You should know me well enough by now that I don't make tedious recipes!

I hope you'll look past this picture and give this recipe a try. It's definitely a keeper in the Ice Cream & Wine household!

Oh, and the following recipe serves 6; I cut it in half and used three chicken breasts.

Braised Balsamic Chicken
Source: All Recipes

Ingredients:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast; cubed (1 inch pieces)
ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 - 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:
Season cubed chicken with pepper, garlic powder and salt. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; brown the onion and cubed chicken.

Pour balsamic vinegar and tomatoes over the chicken & onion mixture. Season with the remaining ingredients. Simmer until the chicken is no longer pink, and the juices run clear - about 15 minutes.

Serve over brown rice or angel hair pasta.

Garlicky Spaghetti with Beans & Greens

2010-08-05T04:54:00.000-05:00

I've expressed my love for pasta many times before. It's just such a versatile ingredient; there are many ways to use it, and it's very hard to mess up.

In the winter I love red-based sauces - they're really just so hearty, warm & comforting. During the spring and summer months, I try to find new ways to lighten the pasta. That's where this recipe comes in: Garlicky Spaghetti with Beans & Greens.

This is the perfect summer dish. Tomatoes, greens and no thick, heavy sauce. It's very easy to make - and it makes a lot of servings! You gain great protein and fiber from the cannellini beans. And of course the crushed red pepper gives this dish some great heat!

Garlicky Spaghetti with Beans & Greens
Source: Cooking Light, August 2009

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. minced fresh garlic
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1 (16-oz.) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
5 oz. arugula leaves
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Place pasta in a small bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, tossing gently. Set aside, and keep warm.

Return pan to medium heat. Add oil, garlic, and red pepper; cook 2 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, tomatoes, and beans; cook 2 minutes. Add pasta; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add reserved pasta water and arugula, tossing gently to combine. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and cheese. Serve immediately.

Wine Wednesday: Charles Shaw

2010-08-04T10:28:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first Wine Wednesday post! Let's pop open those bottles and get the wine a'flowing!

I thought I'd start this new series with an educational post about one of the most affordable, yet delightful brands of wine. This topic is great for my friends and family back in Nebraska, as they'll soon be able to marvel at the glory that is Trader Joe's.

source

I proudly introduce to you: Charles Shaw. Charles Shaw is sold in Trader Joe's across the country (except, for instance, Maryland because of their stupid laws). Do you recognize it? Maybe not by its official name, but what about when I say "Two Buck Chuck" - anything now?

Yes, winos, Charles Shaw is the famous Two Buck Chuck. It got its nickname back in the day (i.e. before the economy went downhill) when you could buy it for the mere price of $1.99. Um, that's cheap.

Cheap, indeed. And even at its price today - $3.19 - it's still a very affordable brand. But price isn't the exciting part here...it's what you get for the price that makes it a steal.

Seriously good wine. There's really no other way to put it. In fact, the Charles Shaw 2002 Shiraz won the double gold medal at the 28th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition. Oh, and it beat 2,300 other wines to do so!

Still not convinced? At the 2007 California Exposition and State Fair, the 2005 Chardonnay won Best Chardonnay from California. Sounds like a real winner, folks!

You'll get full reviews on specific Charles Shaw wines in the near future. My husband and I just stopped at Trader Joe's this past weekend to stock up. We walked away with four wine bottles that day and spent around $13. Life is good, isn't it?!

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-08-03T15:44:00.000-05:00

A couple months ago I went through a Nutella phase. One that I'm not necessarily proud of. We're talking on the brink of addiction here, people. I think it was because I had never had it before - so I just dove in, head first.

Luckily, I've said goodbye to the crazy habit of eating it by the spoonful. I'm *almost* embarrassed to have just shared that. Eh, that's life.

To be honest, I haven't had Nutella for a couple months. I know - I just said I went through an addiction a couple months ago - it was a quick one! But anyway, I brought Nutella back into my life recently when I made these cookies. I noticed a jar at the top of our cupboard and knew that I wanted to use it up.

Even delicious with wine (but honestly, what isn't?!)

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies are so utterly indulgent. I cannot even begin to explain how wonderful the texture is - crispy on the outside and ooey-gooey on the inside. Simply amazing. I'm begging you: please please please try these!

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: Books 'N Cooks, Nutella Cookies

Ingredients:
2 c. + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt.
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. butter, melted and cooled
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. Nutella
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix butter and sugars until combined. Add Nutella, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.

Add in the flour mixture in thirds to ensure complete mixing. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls (or use a cookie scoop, like I did) and flatten slightly. Dough won’t spread, so whatever size you make the balls will be the size of your cookies.

Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheets for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Yield: 24 cookies

New Features

2010-08-03T06:37:00.000-05:00

Happy Tuesday, foodies!

I'm sure that by now, you've noticed some changes on Ice Cream & Wine. My husband, who just happens to be tech-savvy, updated my blog header, as well as made a new Twitter link. Just look to the left, and there it is! Click on the wine bottle, and you'll be directed to my Twitter account (here's the official address: http://www.twitter.com/icecream_wine). I would love it if you became a follower, and of course I'd follow you back!

Another change involves my page tabs just below the blog title. You'll see that there is a Recipe Box tab. Although I already had labels on my recipes, I found that this wasn't the best way to archive that good eats that go on here. You'll find great organization in the Recipe Box section, and I hope you find it more user-friendly.

Finally, I am going to start blogging more about wine. I've declared Wednesdays as the official "wine day of the week." On this day, my posts will be centered on wine (a bottle review, what I'm drinking that day, news about wine, vineyard/winery spotlight, etc.). I'll be saving all these posts under the Wine Wednesdays tab. I'm very excited about this!

Ok, that's all the new features for now. I'll be sure to update you if any more changes are in the future!

P.S. My 100th blog post is coming up...I'm thinking about holding my first giveaway. Stay tuned!

Black Bean Burritos

2010-08-02T06:28:00.000-05:00

If you've been following Ice Cream & Wine for a while now, you know that I have not shared any recipes involving red meat. And while this might be a controversial topic among my family (hello, I was raised in Nebraska!), I don't think it's too big of a deal. A lot of people have asked me how we came to this decision - the decision to cut red meat from our household. To be honest, I don't have an exciting answer. My husband and I just feel better about our health when we stick to poultry and fish.

Lately though, we've been incorporating a lot of vegetarian meals into our weekly menu. There are a few reasons for this. First of all, I've found that we save money when we have 1-2 vegetarian meals a week. Beans and tofu and extremely cheap in comparison to meat. Secondly, vegetarian meals tend to be on the "lighter" side which is great for the summer and our appetites!

This all relates to my recipe for the day: Black Bean Burritos. These burritos are a great alternative to ones filled with meat. They have a great flavor from the black beans and green chiles. Very easy to make and very easy to enjoy!

Black Bean Burritos
Inspiration: Black Bean Burrito Bake, Cooking Light, March 2003

Ingredients:
1/2 small can diced green chiles
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 - 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed, drained and divided
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
Cooking spray
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheese - I used a Mexican blend

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the green chiles and sour cream. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Pour half the black beans into a medium bowl. Using a fork, mash until beans turn into a thick paste. Add in the remaining whole beans, corn and sour cream mixture. Stir until well-combined.

Spoon 1/2 cup bean mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas; place, seam side down, in an 8x8 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread salsa over tortillas; sprinkle with cheese.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes - or until heated through.

Festa Rappahannock: Full Recap!

2010-08-01T16:21:00.002-05:00

~~Foodies~~ Winos, I had the best day on Saturday. When a day is filled with wine, local food and great music, can it really be bad?! My point exactly.

My husband loves being out of the house and doing something. For those of you that know me, you know that I while I enjoy being socially active, I really enjoy being a homebody. Having these two personalities in a marriage is great though because we get to experience fun things, but also get to enjoy being lazy around the house. Compromise, people!

This leads me to our wine-derful (no?) weekend! Evan found out about this great wine festival called FESTA RAPPAHANNOCK. With 15 wine tastings and local food, who were we to say no?! Plus, part of the proceeds benefited the Hospice of Rapidan. Drinking wine for a good cause, that's how we saw it!

It was held at Rappahannock Cellars, which is a winery located about an hour west of Washington D.C. Four other wineries were also a part of this event: Chester Gap Cellars, Gadino Cellars, Narmada Winery, and Sharp Rock.

In exchange for the purchase of our event tickets, we were each given 15 raffle tickets (each raffle ticket = 1 tasting). Each winery had three to sample, and you could use the tickets any way you wanted. We decided to try all the wines, to get the most out of this experience!

We stopped at Narmada Winery first, and they completely won us over. The owners are from India, and their tagline is "Experience India...Taste Virginia." So fun. We actually purchased one of their wines titled Mom - it's supposed to be a great pairing with Indian food - which we love! I'll be sure to post a picture of the bottle with a full review once we crack that baby open! Side note: having an advertising background, I also fell in love with their bottles and labels. I can't WAIT to show you it!

Next we stopped at Rappahannock Cellars and had a great conversation with the man in charge of the tastings. One conversation turned into another, and somehow our move to California was brought up. The owner happened to be walking by, so we were able to chat with him. He's from California and actually attended Stanford (which is where Evan will be attending grad school in the fall!). He used to own a winery near Palo Alto, so we're excited to check it out once we get there. Small, small world.

We thought food sounded pretty good at this point! The food was prepared by Marriott Ranch, and Evan enjoyed a hamburger made from grass-fed local beef. I opted for the grilled chicken. We both had the chilled rice with veggies, as well as the cucumber and tomato salad.

To wash down our food, Evan enjoyed a glass of Rappahannock Cellars' 2008 Cabernet Franc.

Me? Well, winos, I sipped on some sangria. That's summer right there, folks!

We were able to enjoy music from the Mark Brandt Trio while eating - it was wonderful.

We finished our tastings at Sharp Rock, Chester Gap and Gadino. We must say that Rappahannock Cellars and Narmada Winery stood out the most, but we really did enjoy all five.

We ended the day with a cellar tour. Jason, the Winemaker, at Rappahannock Cellars gave us a wonderful tour of the winery. We were able to see the machines that break down the grapes, as well as the stainless steel and wooden barrels that store the wine. It was very interesting!

All in all, it was a great festival. It was absolutely gorgeous outside: not too hot, no humidity and hardly any wind. A great summer day!

How was your weekend? Was wine a part of it?! :)

Sneak Preview: FESTA RAPPAHANNOCK

2010-08-01T09:39:00.000-05:00

Here's what I did yesterday:

Looks fun, huh?! Details to come!

Watermelon-Feta Salad

2010-07-30T06:07:00.002-05:00

Holy deliciousness. Foodies, I don't lie.

I know you're probably thinking, "watermelon and feta?" And what would you think if I told you this refreshing summer salad also includes kalamata olives and fresh mint? Crazy, I know.

This delightful summer salad was featured in the Lincoln Journal-Star a couple weeks ago. It had grabbed the attention of my mom, who wanted to make it while my sister and I were both home visiting. Genius.

I know this sounds like a completely odd combo - I'm not trying to persuade you to think otherwise. It is odd. But it's also very, very tasty. I promise.

So please, take a chance on this salad - I know you won't regret it!

Watermelon-Feta Salad

Source: Ellise Pierce, Beat the heat with watermelon

Ingredients:

2 pounds watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes

Handful of mint, roughly chopped

10 kalamata olives, pitted and halved

Small red onion (about two tablespoons), diced

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

7 ounces feta

Additional mint, for serving (if desired)

Pepper

Directions:

Combine the first 6 ingredients (through sea salt) in a bowl - tossing gently so the watermelon pieces stay whole. Refrigerate for an hour. Before serving, add the feta, additional mint (if desired), and pepper to taste.

Makes: 4 servings

Cinnamon-Oat Scones

2010-07-29T07:17:00.000-05:00

Breakfast just might be my favorite meal of the day. And although my normal breakfast usually includes oatmeal or a high fiber cereal with fruit, I can't help but splurge on the weekends.

My husband usually enjoys whipping up pancakes, french toast or eggs during his beloved days off - gotta love him! But last weekend, I decided to head into the kitchen myself and make one of my favorite breakfast goods: scones.

Scones have won over my heart as of late. The dense, buttery baked treat is so indulgent - I just knew I had to feature a recipe on Ice Cream & Wine!

My mom gave me the cutest little recipe booklet from Pillsbury. One section included the category: Baking Up to Breakfast (so fun). This is where I found the Cinnamon-Oat Scone recipe.

I hope you enjoy these scones as much as I did!

Cinnamon-Oat Scones

Source: Pillsbury, Breakfast & Brunch Booklet

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 oats

1/4 packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

Topping:

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat cookie sheet with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. With pastry blender or fork, cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture is crumbly. Add milk all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

2. One floured work surface, gently knead dough 5 or 6 times. Place on cookie sheet; press into 6-inch round, about 1 inch thick. Brush top with melted butter.

3. In small bowl, mix granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over top. Cut into 8 wedges; separate slightly (about an inch).

4. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Insalata Pizzas

2010-07-28T13:38:00.000-05:00

Happy Hump Day, foodies! I hope your week has been treating you well!

My husband and I enjoyed a delicious and light (perfect for summer!) dinner on Monday. As you may know, I am quite the fan of my Cooking Light Cook Book. I'm also a fan of the My Recipes website, which features a collection of recipes from the following magazines: Cooking Light, Southern Living, Sunset, Coastal Living, All You, Real Simple and Health. Um, I'd take a subscription to any and/or all of the above. Please and thank you.

Close Up!

This Insalata Pizza recipe stumbled its way into my recipe file on My Recipes - P.S. you should definitely sign up for an account (it's free!). It's similar to All Recipes in that you can create a recipe file of saved recipes - an electronic recipe box, if you will.

Of course, I had to make some minor changes. The original recipe called for cider vinegar and instead of paying $4 for it at the grocery store, I just used balsamic vinegar that I already had and saved some money. Always a plus. I also opted for black olives, instead of kalamata. As much as I love the saltiness of kalamatas (yum!), Trader Joe's only sells them by the jar...which means they're soaked in oil. I just wasn't up to dealing with that slippery mess.

These insalata pizzas were perfect. Light and crisp - they definitely had a gourmet feel to them. Ya know, something you might find at a corner bistro.

Insalata Pizzas

Adapted from Cooking Light, May 2004

Ingredients:

4 (7-inch) pitas
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 cup pre-shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
4 cups packaged gourmet salad greens - I used baby spinach

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place pitas on a baking sheet lined with foil. Spread 1/2 teaspoon garlic on each pita. Sprinkle each pita with 1/4 cup cheese, and divide onion evenly among pitas. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cheese is bubbly.

While pitas bake, combine vinegar, oil, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Stir in tomatoes, olives, and basil. Add salad greens, and toss gently to coat.

When pitas are removed from oven, top each with about 1 cup of salad mixture. Serve and eat immediately. Enjoy!

PB M&M's Cookie Bars

2010-07-26T18:45:00.000-05:00

What better way to make my blog come-back than to share this indulgent dessert?! I knew you'd agree.

I cannot put into words how great this dessert tastes. I made a big ol' pan of these Peanut Butter M&M's Cookie Bars for a church potluck, as well as for a friend's 4th of July party. They were a success at both! Below you will find the recipe with the exact measurements I used.

*Note: Next time I will use less cinnamon, as it somewhat overpowered the peanut butter.

Adapted from: Apple A Day – Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. coarse salt

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

12 TBSP unsalted butter (slightly softened)

1 c. smooth peanut butter

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. M&M’s (+ more to sprinkle on top)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan. Alternately, line the pan with parchment or foil and spray with cooking spray. (Recipe can also be halved and baked in an 8×8.)

2. Whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon & baking powder. Set aside.

3. Cream the butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Beat in the sugars until combined.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

5. Mix in the flour mixture. Once mostly combined, add the M&M’s and stir until combined.

6. Spread batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle desired amount of M&M’s on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes (for an 8×8 pan, bake for 30-32 minutes). Cool completely before cutting.

A Promise.

2010-07-26T12:16:00.000-05:00

I am slightly embarrassed. Ok...completely embarrassed.

It's been one month since my last post. An ENTIRE month. Shameful.

You'd think I'd have all the time in the world to update this blog because I'm currently unemployed for the summer. But if you thought that, you'd be wrong.

Planning a cross-country move is quite stressful. Looking for a job in California eats up a fair amount of my time.

But friends, those are just lame excuses. To be honest, I didn't think anyone actually read Ice Cream & Wine.

I found out this summer that I do have loyal readers, and to them I say, "thank you."

It's been so long that I almost forgot the feeling of joy when posting a recipe.

But it's back. And I'm back. And I'll never leave you for that long again.

I promise.

Eggplant Curry

2010-06-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm finally back with a recipe!

I know a lot of people are weary to use their crock pot during the summer months. Doesn't the crock pot just scream winter?! I think so too! However, this recipe is too good - you can't wait 6 months to try it. It's a great Indian dish - and vegetarian to boot! If you're a meat lover, I promise you won't even miss it in this dish.

I served this yummy curry dish over brown basmati rice and it was perfect. Leftovers? Even better! This is a great, tasty, CHEAP meal - one you're sure to love! Enjoy!

Source: Fitnessista - Eggplant Curry

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, cubed

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

1 cup vegetable broth

1 bay leaf - I omitted this

1 tablespoon curry

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Directions:

Spray your crock pot with nonstick spray. Toss in all of the ingredients - stir well. Set on low for 4-6 hours. Enjoy!

Menu: June 14-18

2010-06-14T07:38:00.000-05:00

Hey, foodies! Remember me? It's been rather long, hasn't it? What have I been up to, you may ask. A boatload of activities that has kept me from posting! Rest assured that I have great recipes to share with you in the weeks to come. For those interested, here's a little glimpse of what's been happening in the Ice Cream & Wine household:

- sailing trip from the Bahamas to North Carolina

- the hubs got his Master's degree!

- the in-laws visited for 5 days

- we moved - sayonara, Baltimore!

- we attended a wedding at the West Point Academy in New York

I thought I'd ease back into blogging, so I'll begin with our menu for the week.

Monday: variation of Eggplant Bake, Harvest Grains Blend (from Trader Joe's)

Tuesday: Butter Chickpea Curry, brown basmati rice, cauliflower

Wednesday: Braised Balsamic Chicken, multigrain rice pilaf, green beans

Thursday: Wild Mushroom & Black Truffle Flatbread

Friday: Pasta with marinara, black olives, ricotta cheese

Indian-Spiced Burgers & Cumin Yogurt Sauce

2010-05-10T11:46:00.001-05:00

I love (I mean, LOVE) turkey burgers. My husband and I were talking about our love for turkey burgers just the other day. We decided that we don't just like them because they're a little bit better for you than hamburgers, but we like them because we just enjoy the taste. Seriously, so good. I look at turkey burgers as a blank slate - an open canvass that is waiting to be painted...with toppings & spices. Cheesy analogy? I thought so too.

Okay, so I've made these delicious turkey burgers (mushroom blue cheese burgers) numerous times. They are so.so.good. Please try them! And then after you thank me for posting such a fabulous turkey burger recipe, go ahead and try THIS one: Indian-Spiced Turkey Burgers. You'll love me forever, I promise you that! Oh, and the yogurt sauce. It's a perfect, refreshing, cool compliment to the spicy burgers. Yum!

Source: Cooking in Cucamonga, adapted from Martha Stewart's Great Food Fast

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey or chicken
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom - I omitted this, as I didn't have it
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 a cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:

Prepare your grill for medium-high heat. (Or turn on your Foreman!)

In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, green onions, ginger, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, cardamom, cayenne, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Set aside to marinate for 10-30 minutes.

Form the meat into patties to the size of your liking. Try to keep the thickness to about 3/4 of an inch.

Grill the patties until cooked through (165 degrees internal temperature), about 3-4 minutes per side. About 2 minutes before the meat is done.

Top with cucumbers and drizzle with cumin yogurt sauce (see below). Serve on a bun, in a pita, or just enjoy it as is!

Cumin Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

1 container (about 3/4 of a cup) low-fat plain yogurt - I used Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
dash paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve with Indian-spiced burgers.

Lime-Scented Mango-Strawberry Salad

2010-05-06T11:01:00.000-05:00

I love fruit. I mix strawberries with my Greek yogurt in the mornings. I add frozen bananas to my delicious Green Monsters. I snack on clementines like it's my job. By the way, how cool would it be if I got paid to eat food? I'd be one happy career lady, that's for sure. I.must.figure.out.a.plan.

Anyway, I always love a cold, refreshing fruit salad. I think fruit salads can really balance out a menu. I asked around on some online message boards for a fruit salad recipe - I REALLY didn't want one with whipped cream (don't get me wrong, I do love that stuff!). Someone suggested this recipe, and I'm so glad they did. It tastes like summer!

Source: All You - Lime-Scented Mango-Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 cups trimmed, sliced strawberries (about 2 lb.)
3 cups peeled, diced mangoes (2 to 3 large mangoes) - I used frozen, diced mangoes

Directions:

Combine sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in lime zest and juice; let cool to room temperature.

Mix strawberries with mangoes in a large bowl. Add syrup and gently stir until well mixed. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Blackberry Jam Cake

2010-05-05T05:17:00.001-05:00

We all know I love me some sweets/desserts. Seriously, I've never been known turn away a sugary treat. This has potential to be a problem, but for now I'm embracing my high metabolism and desire for exercise and saying yes to decadent food! Hello, casual indulgence! It's all about balance, people. Anyway, enough of my ranting....

With that being said, this delightful cake shouldn't make you feel guilty...at all. The recipe comes from my beloved Cooking Light cookbook (from my fabulous sister & brother-in-law!). I actually made this back in the fall to take to a friend's house - they were in charge of the meal, I was in charge of dessert. I mean, people just know me all too well! Because I absolutely enjoyed this (as well as my husband), I decided to make this for Easter. I knew I had to have dessert, but I wanted something light and refreshing. With jam instead of frosting, this is definitely a unique twist on regular cake. Enjoy!

Source: Cooking Light - Blackberry Jam Cake

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
1 cup seedless blackberry jam, divided
1 tablespoon powdered sugar - I omitted this

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat bottoms of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pans); line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.

Place granulated sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon 2 1/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 1/4 cups flour and next 4 ingredients (2 1/4 cups flour through nutmeg), stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Pour batter into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

Place jam in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk until smooth. Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup jam. Top with other cake layer; spread remaining jam over top of cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar - if desired.

Oat Applesauce Muffins

2010-05-04T09:22:00.000-05:00

[Sorry this isn't more glamorous - I almost forgot to take a picture!]

Hello, dearest readers! Good morning to you on this lovely, sunny day. I thought a wonderful breakfast recipe would suit this summer-like morning quite well. Remember that Cinnamon Streusel Bread I made over Easter? It required buttermilk, and as I've mentioned before, buttermilk just isn't a normal item in the Ice Cream & Wine household. Luckily, I found this great muffin recipe that also calls for buttermilk. These were definitely a hit! Very, very delicious!

Source: Milk & Honey (originally from All Recipes) - Oat Applesauce Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup whole wheat flour - I used all-purpose (need to get whole wheat!)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 cup chopped apples

Directions:

Place oats in a small bowl, pour in buttermilk. Let sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 375 degrees - grease 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and brown sugar. Stir in oat/buttermilk mixture, applesauce and egg; mix well. Fold in apples. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted center of muffins comes out clean.

Green Bean Casserole

2010-04-27T08:07:00.001-05:00

I wish you could see the inside of it!

Sadly I was too late with my camera to get that picture.

Growing up, I wasn't the biggest fan of Green Bean Casserole. I used to HATE mushrooms, so I would always have to pick them out. You see, a very popular green bean casserole uses cream of mushroom soup. Ick. You will notice that two of my recipes on Ice Cream & Wine use "cream of somethings," but that's it...just two. And to be honest, I'll probably be adjusting those recipes soon to swap those ingredients out. I'm just not a fan of that processed gooeyness.

So anyway, I knew that I had to have green bean casserole at my Easter dinner (yes, friends, I'm still talking about Easter!). What to do, what to do? After searching on All Recipes, I found a great one - one that did not include cream of mushroom soup. (This recipe does use canned green beans - just be sure to get the "no sodium added" kind!) I knew my mom was very hesitant about this, but in the end she LOVED it. This casserole is absolutely amazing - to be honest, I'm sad I only had one serving during Easter! My dad and husband finished it off! :)

Source: All Recipes - Grandma's Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup sour cream - I used low fat
3 (14.5 oz.) cans of French style green beans, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese - I used about 1.5 cups
1/2 cup crumbled buttery round crackers (such as Ritz)
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Stir in the salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans and stir to coat.

Transfer the mixture to a 2.5 quart baking dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss the crumbled crackers and butter. Sprinkle over the cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes - or until top is golden and cheese is bubbly.

Curry Chicken Tenders

2010-04-25T12:05:00.001-05:00

[Served with sugar snap peas & curry quinoa]

Well, well, well. You must be thinking we don't eat many main dishes in the Ice Cream & Wine household. Those recipes seem to be disappearing into the depths of my computer's hard drive. I seem to feature a lot of baked goods and great side dishes. But good news - this post features a main dish recipe! And it's Indian, so seriously, life is good.

My husband loves Indian food. To be honest, I had never had it until I started dating him. Oh the things you do for love! I'm very happy that he makes me try new things - Indian food is so flavorful and absolutely delicious. I have a big ole jar of curry powder up in my cupboard that is always calling my name and begging to be used. I finally listened, and I'm glad I did. These Curry Chicken Tenders are magnificent. The curry isn't too overpowering...it's just right. Enjoy, my fellow foodies!

Source: Cathy's Kitchen Journey - Curry Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

2 T. soy sauce
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. curry powder
1 T. packed brown sugar
1 T. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. Chinese five spice powder - I didn't have this, so I just used onion & garlic powder

4 chicken breast

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients (except chicken). Set aside.

Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a cutting board. Place chicken on top and cover with another piece of plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet with the flat side. Remove plastic wrap. Cut into 1 inch wide strips against the grain at an angle. Add chicken into the marinade, mixing well to coat evenly. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Fire up your grill (or in our case, plug in the Foreman!). Grill until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear. It's about 4 minutes on the Foreman.

*You can pour the remaining sauce over the chicken just before serving.

Food Obsession: Almond Butter

2010-04-23T07:30:00.001-05:00

I started following multiple health blogs a few months ago: Carrots 'N' Cake, Kath Eats Real Food, Oh She Glows, Healthy Tipping Point & Iowa Girl Eats...just to name a few! :)

Through these blogs, I have become exposed to many creative and healthy food ideas and exercise regimens. Although many of these bloggers do enjoy good old peanut butter, I've realized that many enjoying branching out and trying different nut butters. They inspired me to get out of my comfort zone. Comfort zone = peanut butter. Now I like peanut butter - the natural stuff that requires you to stir it every time you open the jar. It just tastes real. But then I got to thinking...I really like almonds. I would rather eat a handful of almonds than a handful of peanuts. Hmm. I was on a quest to find almond butter!

Luckily I shop at Trader Joe's (hello cheap and healthy food!), so finding almond butter (crunchy!) was not a problem, and it was relatively inexpensive. I'm going to be completely honest with you - I just dunked a spoon right into the jar for my first try. I FELL. IN. LOVE. INSTANTLY. Almond butter is a great source of protein, calcium, fiber, magnesium, folic acid, potassium, and vitamin E. It is rich in monounsaturated fats making it a heart-healthy choice (source).

Here are some ways to enjoy almond butter:

Right out of the jar with a spoon :)
On top of a banana
Use as a dip for apples
On multigrain toast or bagels
In Green Monsters
Topping on oatmeal - so good!

Seriously, your options are endless. I have a good feeling that I'll be trying to make almond butter cookies in the VERY near future! Stay tuned!

Cinnamon Streusel Bread

2010-04-21T08:00:00.001-05:00

While my parents were here over Easter weekend, I wanted to make them a special treat for breakfast on Easter morning. I had made wonderful applesauce oat muffins for Saturday (recipe to come soon!), and those called for buttermilk. Buttermilk is not a common household item for us, so I needed another recipe that would use it up! After searching on Google Reader, I was directed to one of my favorite blogs, Stephanie Cooks (read the review here!). Cinnamon Swirl Bread? I'm in! This was wonderful - no need to add on any extra butter when consuming - it's perfect straight from the pan!

There were a few slices left over, which I was very excited about. I only had one slice for breakfast - I had to eat quickly, so I could begin preparing my Easter dinner. When I woke up the next morning, I ran downstairs, knowing exactly what I was going to eat for breakfast. Except, wait a second....it was GONE! That's right, during a late night study session, my husband finished off this bread. He's lucky I like him - I could have been mad! :)

Source: Stephanie Cooks - Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup oil - I subbed applesauce
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Streusel:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. softened butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom of a 9x5 loaf pan. Combine all ingredients and beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour half of the batter into the pan. Prepare streusel topping and sprinkle half over the batter. Pour on the rest of the batter and top with remaining streusel. Bake for about 45 minutes.

Scalloped Pototoes & Onions

2010-04-19T07:00:00.014-05:00

Mmm...potatoes. Seriously I could eat a baked potato (or sweet potato) with every. single. meal. So classic but so delicious. We all know I'm a big fan of food that is extremely versatile - think pasta, chicken and add potatoes to that list! Fried, mashed, scalloped, baked - even made into a potato salad. The possibilities are truly endless!

I hosted (!) Easter dinner this year. Let it be known that this holiday was quite exciting in many ways. Number one, this was my first Easter as a WIFE - yay! Number two, this was the first holiday that I hosted. Number three, this was our first holiday in Baltimore (we found wonderful reasons to leave for Thanksgiving & Christmas!). And number four, my parents flew all the way from Nebraska to Baltimore to spend it with me and my husband. So fun!

I spent ~~months~~ OK weeks figuring out the menu. It had to be perfect and all traditional Easter dinner components had to be represented. I was at odds trying to decide the cooking method for my potato dish. I stumbled upon a great recipe on All Recipes (love that website) and was instantly sold. I present to you Scalloped Potatoes & Onions - enjoy this at your next holiday dinner (or comforting weeknight meal!).

Source: All Recipes - Scalloped Potatoes & Onions

Ingredients:
5 large potatoes, peeled & thinly sliced
3/4 cup chopped onion - I used white
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons mayo
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Paprika

Directions:
Set oven to 325 degrees. In a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish, layer the potatoes and onion. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually add broth, mayo, salt & pepper. Cook while stirring for about 2 minutes, or until thick and bubbly.

Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake for 2 hours, or until tender.

Blog Review: A Scrumptious aFare

2010-04-17T14:34:00.003-05:00

Shameless plug for a friend/faithful foodie? No! That's what friends are for...here goes!

My best friend Sarah from A Scrumptious aFare was truly the inspiration behind Ice Cream & Wine. She started her food blog in October 2009, and I was immediately in awe of her little kitchen creations. Realization started to sink in that our college days were over, and we were now in charge of our own kitchens (goodbye to sketchy sorority food & dessert with every meal!). Sarah has a mix of easy and intense recipes - but I never feel intimidated - she has a great sense of humor that is completely evident in her posts. Check out her blog, and you'll understand!

Here is her description of A Scrumptious aFare:

"As I navigate my way through being the head chef of my very own kitchen, I am documenting my favorite and inventive kitchen concoctions. My goal is to cook outside of my comfort zone and enjoy meals I make right out of my own home!"

I enjoy Sarah's blog because she has a great mix of flavors - everything from Cajun to Indian. She also has good ideas when it comes to saving a dollar: making fresh salsa instead of buying the expensive pre-made stuff, and buying things on sale (such as taking advantage of buy one, get one half off specials). She always finds a good deal!

Sarah and I have quite the same mentality when it comes to cooking and baking - you don't have to slave away in the kitchen to enjoy a delicious meal or a decadent dessert. Of course we do enjoy the time spent in our kitchens - but we also have lives! Trust us, there are some things we'd rather be doing than standing over a hot stove including (but not limited to): drinking wine over a great conversation, eating ice cream, playing golf, making crafts, discussing how we wish Harry Potter was real, or reminiscing about our college days. *Le sigh*

I encourage you to check out A Scrumptious aFare - you'll drool over what you see!

Ice Cream & Wine's pick for casual indulgence: Irish Car Bomb Surprise Cupcakes

Supper Potluck

2010-04-16T09:58:00.002-05:00

[Insert appetizing photo here] :)

There's a blue sky and 75 degree weather here in Baltimore today. And what am I doing? Blogging about a nice hearty, warm and comforting meal. I must be confused! I will admit - I'm pulling this recipe from my archives. I made this wonderful Supper Potluck back in February. As you may recall, Baltimore experienced one of the worst blizzards in its winter history! Of course the meal hit the spot at that time. Why am I blogging about this now? Well, to be honest, I didn't blog about it before because the picture turned out...well...awful. I hate when a meal tastes so yummy but ~~looks absolutely disgusting~~ does not photograph well. That does not make for a good blog post!

I was scrummaging through my old pictures and I came across the bad photo - even two months later it still looks not-so-good. But I realized that you deserve to have the recipe because it is truly a yummy and hearty comfort dish. AND it's healthy! AND it uses the crock pot - how I love thee. Enjoy!

Source: Weight Watchers - Supper Potluck

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey breast (or beef)

3 cups sliced raw potatoes

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

2 cups sliced carrots

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce

Directions:

In a large skillet, brown the turkey. Meanwhile place potatoes, celery, carrots, and onion in your crock pot. Sprinkle peas over top. Spoon browned meat over vegetables. Stir Italian seasoning into tomato sauce. Evenly pour sauce over meat. Cover. Cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours. Stir well just before serving.

Breakfast Maple Quinoa

2010-04-13T05:37:00.002-05:00

You knew it wouldn't be long until you saw another quinoa recipe pop up on good ole Ice Cream & Wine, right?! So. In. Love. In case you missed my complete adoration for quinoa, you can check it out here. Absolutely versatile and always delicious. Seriously, I just don't think you can mess up quinoa. It's like pasta - anything you add to it will be tasty. I promise!

So the very next morning after I made Salsa Quinoa, I tried my hand at breakfast quinoa. There are MANY recipes out there for breakfast quinoa. After scouring the blogosphere and taking notes, I came up with this mighty fine maple quinoa. Holy. Yum. Please, I'm begging you, make this recipe. Now. You will love me forever.

Source: An original Ice Cream & Wine recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk - I used skim

1/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon sliced almonds

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

Brown sugar, if desired

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Reduce to a simmer immediately and add in the quinoa. Cover and cook until the milk has been absorbed - roughly 15 minutes). Pour into a small bowl and add maple syrup. Stir to mix well. Add sliced almonds and cranberries and stir well. Sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar, if desired. Enjoy!

*This makes 1 serving

Peanut Butter & Cream Brownie Torte

2010-04-12T09:39:00.001-05:00

Sweet name, huh? I do think so myself! I made this decadent treat for my 23rd birthday in March. I received a springform pan as a birthday gift and knew immediately that I needed to use it right away. I wasn't in the cheesecake mood, but I did know that I was craving chocolate (but let's be honest...when am I not?!). While looking through my "starred" recipes in Google Reader, I came across this one for Peanut Butter & Cream Brownie Torte. YUM. Very simple to prepare - the brownie part is actually from a boxed mix. But don't think less of me...let me explain. I wanted a great birthday treat, but since I would be making it myself, I wanted it to be easy. So think what you want (but I'm begging you not to judge me!).

Source: Lemons & Love - Peanut Butter & Cream Brownie Torte

Ingredients:

cooking spray
1 boxed brownie mix - I used Trader Joe's Reduced Guilt Brownie Mix
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened - I used light
1 cup peanut butter - I used all natural
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-12 ounce container frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided - I used the kind from a can because Trader Joe's does not sell Cool Whip - didn't have the same effect, but still good!

Chocolate chips (for garnish, if desired)

Directions:

Heat oven to temperature listed on your boxed mix. Spray an 8 or 9-inch round springform pan with no-stick cooking spray.

Prepare brownie mix as directed on box. Pour into springform pan and bake in the oven. The time will depend on your mix - 35-45 minutes is common. Be sure to check the middle with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, it's done! Cool while in pan.

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in peanut butter, powdered sugar and 3 cups whipped topping until well combined. Keeping dessert in springform pan, spread mixture evenly over cooled brownies.

Top with remaining whipped topping. Use the tines of a fork to create swirls in the whipped cream. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top - if desired.

Refrigerate 2 hours before serving. Remove side of pan just before serving.

Salsa Quinoa

2010-04-06T12:04:00.000-05:00

I have recently become obsessed with quinoa and have enjoyed making it a variety of ways these past few weeks. Salsa Quinoa was the VERY first way I prepared quinoa, and my oh my, it got me hooked! It's unbelievably easy to make and unbelievably nutritious & delicious. Perfect!

Source: an original Ice Cream & Wine recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dry quinoa

1 cup water

1/2 cup corn - I used frozen & heated it in the microwave

1/2 cup edamame

1/4-1/2 cup salsa

Chili powder

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring the quinoa and the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa has absorbed the liquid (about 10-15 minutes). Stir in the corn, edamame & salsa. Cook until heated through - about 2-3 minutes. Season with chili powder to taste. Enjoy!

*Makes 2 servings

Blog Review: Stephanie Cooks

2010-04-01T07:00:00.002-05:00

When I first started blogging in December 2009, there were only a few food blogs that I knew about. Thanks to the What's Cooking board on The Nest, my food blog awareness increased rapidly. However, I feel like I have always had this loyalty to the initial food blogs that piqued my interest in this crazy blogosphere.

The first recipes I posted on Ice Cream & Wine were from cookbooks and All Recipes. It wasn't until a month into blogging that I actually made a recipe found on another blog. Stephanie Cook's Parmesan Orzo takes that award! I believe I then made like 3 of her recipes in a row - I loved them all!

I know exactly what drew me into Stephanie Cooks - her recipes are not intimidating and she just seems normal. But if I had to be honest with you (and myself), it may have also been that she has 16 Peanut Butter tags - yum! Here's a little blurb taken from her blog:

"I don't cook elaborate meals. Rather, I cook meals that are simple, use common ingredients, and result in delicious food!"

I love that - meals that anyone can make! She's been blogging since 2008 and has such a variety of recipes listed. 70 Pasta tags, 49 Cookie tags, 75 Chicken tags and 22 Asian tags - seriously, just very well-rounded.

Stephanie Cooks also features a lot of Weight Watchers recipes. I am not in the Weight Watchers program, but I can see how convenient and reliable this would be for people who do belong to WW.

I encourage you all to mosey on over to Stephanie Cooks - I promise you will like what you see!

Ice Cream & Wine's pick for casual indulgence: Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

Salsa Chicken

2010-03-30T09:38:00.001-05:00

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It's a gloomy day here in Baltimore, but I'm dealing with it. The good news is that starting tomorrow, we'll be seeing a lot of sunshine. Close to 80 degrees on Saturday? Well, that just sounds like a perfect Easter weekend to me.

Don't you all think it's time for another crock pot recipe? I must agree. Salsa Chicken is quite the popular meal on many blogs, and it's easy to see why. Just like BBQ Chicken, this crock pot chicken dish is an absolute delight. Simple and easy? Easy peasy, is what I like to say. I love being able to throw frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot - very easy preparation!

The great thing about Salsa Chicken is that it is very versatile. We usually use it for tacos, but you can use the chicken for enchiladas, quesadillas, taco pizza, and even for dips. It is so good - you must give it a whirl!

Source: there are many variations of this recipe out there - with a few tweaks and combinations, this is my way of making Salsa Chicken.

Ingredients:

4 frozen chicken breasts

1 can of black beans

1 1/2 cups of frozen corn

1 16 oz. jar of salsa - I always use spicy/hot

Directions:

Place frozen chicken breasts in crock pot. Rinse black beans - pour over chicken. Then put the corn in, followed by the salsa. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. About an hour before you serve, shred the chicken with two forks and stir to fully mix everything together.

*We serve this in tortillas with cheese, black olives and some sour cream. Feel free to get creative!

Quinoa

2010-03-27T14:26:00.001-05:00

This post is the first in a new category on Ice Cream & Wine entitled "Food Obsessions." I don't obsess over much in my life (if you don't count reality TV, celebrities, Food Network, home decorating magazines...) but there is one obsession that I'm actually proud of: my obsession with food! Now I know I'm not alone. Hello! Have you seen the endless number of food blogs out there? I can't go a day without stumbling across 17 new ones - and I absolutely love that. Anyway...back to this new category. I love food. I love learning about food. I love making delicious recipes. Most importantly, I love eating. When I come across a new food item in my life that I absolutely love, I become obsessed. So now I introduce to you my food obsession of the moment (moment is the key word, as I'll be obsessed with something else in about 8 days...).

Quinoa. Come again? Quinoa. Say it with me, "keen-wah." Nice job! Can I be honest you? Ok, good. I had never even heard of quinoa until a couple of months ago. I blame Nebraska/the Midwest for being sheltered in certain ways when it comes to a variety of foods (just my opinion, folks!). Obviously quinoa is available in the Midwest - I understand that. It just wasn't a common food that people talked about/prepared. But now I live in the "big city" (haha, seriously, who am I kidding? Baltimore. Big? Eh...), and now I've been exposed to this delicious treat.

I really owe my fascination with quinoa to the amazing blogs that I follow - many of which have a focus on healthy foods. As of late, quinoa recipes have been flooding my Google Reader. My curiosity got the best of me, so during my latest stop at Trader Joe's, I bought quinoa. Ahh! I was so excited...I felt cool.

Why is quinoa my latest obsession? First off, it's very versatile and yummy. Secondly, the health benefits are out of this world. Here are some sweet facts:

Very high in protein (why many vegetarians and vegans are fans)
Is actually not a grain - it is a seed of a plant
Good source of magnesium and iron
Hello, fiber!
Gluten-free
It tastes delicious...seriously, that's a fact!

Quinoa can be prepared following the common liquid to dry ratio of 2:1. You bring it to a boil on the stove, reduce to a simmer and let cook until the liquid is absorbed (roughly 10-15 minutes). You can create savory or sweet quinoa dishes. You can have it at dinner or even for breakfast. Basically, you can use quinoa just like you would rice or couscous.

I'm officially hooked. I'll be posting my original quinoa recipe soon - I made it last night for dinner - mmm! I'm so obsessed that I'll actually be making a "breakfast quinoa" recipe tonight. Yes, realizing you have a problem is the first stage...I am addicted.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

2010-03-26T09:36:00.000-05:00

Hello, readers! Are you there? Sorry I've been MIA. As relaxing as being on vacation is, returning to the real world is a hard adjustment! My husband and I had a wonderful time in Florida and ate some amazing food! Obviously I took pictures, so I'll be sure to post them soon.

Ok, let's jump in to this recipe: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins. Y.U.M. Seriously. I was CRAVING chocolate the other night - honestly, I was just craving something sweet. I knew I shouldn't make cupcakes...that's too dangerous! Cookies? Brownies? No. I wanted something that I wouldn't feel too guilty about. Enter muffins! You see, these have rolled oats AND applesauce in them. Healthy, right?! Well, friends, that's what I told myself, so I went ahead and whipped these up. So good and...(you guessed it!)...easy! Enjoy!

Source: Allrecipes - Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup applesauce

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Set oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with applesauce to the creamed mixture. Stir in oats and chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes.

Curried Coconut Chicken

2010-03-19T06:44:00.002-05:00

This divine recipe popped up on All Recipes as "Recipe of the Day" not too long ago. I quickly added it to my virtual recipe box on their website - love that feature! My husband loves curry. Whenever we go out to eat and he notices something with curry on the menu, it's a done deal. We both love ethnic food, with Indian and Thai ranking at the top of that list. These types of food are so flavorful - so many spices! You would think that for as much as we love eating food from various countries, I'd have more ethnic foods on this blog. Sadly, I don't. I am working on that though - starting with this recipe! The flavors of curry and coconut work so well together. This dish did not disappoint. Cooking the chicken in a curry paste made of curry and olive oil gives the chicken a pop of flavor. So good! Side note on this recipe: our apartment smelled like curry for about 4 days! We lit candles and opened the windows - that seemed to finally do the trick. My husband wasn't complaining - I think he wanted the curry smell to remain for as long as possible!

Do you like All Recipes? Do you use their virtual recipe box?

Source: All Recipes - Curried Coconut Chicken

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced tomatoes

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium to high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Add onions and garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken - tossing lightly to coat with curry mixture. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 7-10 minutes until chicken juices run clear.

Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 45-50 minutes.

*I cut the chicken in this recipe in half, so we had a lot of sauce - which was yummy with brown rice

Baked Salmon

2010-03-17T06:22:00.002-05:00

Feeling adventurous, I set out some frozen salmon fillets in preparation for dinner last Sunday night. I had absolutely NO idea what to do with them. Are you surprised? Probably not. I mean, this is coming from the girl who grew up on red meat. Sure, I've mastered a yummy tilapia recipe, as well as a scrumptious mahi mahi one. Salmon? No way. This was all too new for me. Just like any other similar situation when I'm at a loss for what to do/make, I turn to the wonderful world wide web. With (and this is no exaggeration!) ENDLESS food & recipe blogs and websites out there, I knew it wouldn't take me long to find something. Surprisingly enough, I actually did have somewhat of a difficult time finding a nice marinade for salmon. I finally settled on a marinade from RecipeZaar. This was quite tasty, and I'll definitely make this again. For the record: this was not just my first time preparing salmon, it was also my first time EATING salmon! Wow.

Do you have a favorite salmon recipe? Let me know!

Source: RecipeZaar - Baked Salmon

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped - I used dried parsley
2 (6 ounce) salmon fillets.

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients, except for the salmon. Stir well.

Place salmon fillets in a small baking dish. Pour marinade over fillets. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour - turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover baking dish with foil - bake for 35-40 minutes (until easily flaked with a fork).

Menu: March 15-19

2010-03-15T08:20:00.002-05:00

This was probably the easiest weekly meal plan that I've ever created. Why? I only had to plan for one dinner! My husband and I are leaving for vacation down in Florida on Tuesday - we'll be staying with friends of ours. We're very excited to have a week-long vacation and have been looking forward to this for quite some time. I'll be having some scheduled posts appear, so don't worry - there will still be updates! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Monday: grilled chicken, gourmet mac & cheese, corn

Tuesday: Florida!

Wednesday: Florida!

Thursday: Florida!

Friday: Florida!

French Onion Soup

2010-03-12T11:40:00.001-06:00

Such a classic. I could honestly eat soup every day...seriously. Maybe this has to do with the fact that I'm cold 99% of the time, but hey, I don't care the reason. I just know that I love it!

French Onion Soup is such a classic and sophisticated soup. Don't you think so? It's fancy - that's what I think. As much as I love this kind of soup, I had never made it before. Check it off the list now! My amazing husband got accepted to Stanford for graduate school, so I wanted to make him a celebratory meal. This soup and a bottle of wine did the trick.

It's actually very easy to prepare. One part of the recipe is not so fun: slicing the onions. My eyes burnt like crazy. At times, I didn't know if I would make it! It was worth it in the end - we enjoyed it immensely!

Source: Leslie Sarna

Ingredients:

4 onions, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. flour

4 cups beef broth (I used reduced sodium)

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper

croutons

2 cups grated Gruyere

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onions with the oil, butter and large pinch of salt until tender and golden. Don't stir too often, as you want the onions to caramelize. Sprinkle flour on the onions; allow flour to brown. Add wine and bring to a boil. Add thyme and reduce heat to low. Add broth. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare broiler. Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls. Top with croutons and then grated cheese. Make sure that the cheese fully covers the croutons, so they don't burn. Place bowls on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil for about 4 minutes - until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Time for a Change

2010-03-10T18:51:00.000-06:00

It's no news that I'm mildly obsessed with blogs: food blogs, fitness blogs, decorating blogs, etc. When I started Ice Cream & Wine in December 2009, my hope was to create a blog that would cover all things food-related. Instead it turned into a recipe-only blog. And although I love recipe blogs, my passion for food does not stop at just reading & following recipes. I enjoy eating out, I'm addicted to Food Network, and I love to keep up-to-date on the latest in food trends.

Some changes will be made to this site in the next few weeks - changes I'm absolutely excited about. Don't worry: I'll still post simple recipes that I find while perusing the endless amount of food blogs out there. However, this will only be one aspect of the new Ice Cream & Wine.

I appreciate all of the comments I've received so far - you have no idea how excited I get when I see a new comment has been posted! I hope you'll enjoy the new and improved Ice Cream & Wine!

Menu: March 8-12 (My Birthday Week!)

2010-03-08T12:45:00.005-06:00

As I sit and type this menu plan for the week, the sunshine is bursting in through the window. The East Coast has been experiencing some absolutely beautiful weather these past few days. Spring? Is that you?! I sure hope so!

I have an exciting week ahead (and not just because my 23rd birthday is on Thursday!). I will be attending a Food Network taping tomorrow right here in Baltimore! I am so looking forward to this and can't wait to see what it's all about...right now there is an exciting rumor circulating as to what will be happening, so I'll just have to wait and see. Of course, I'll be giving you an update as soon as I learn more!

Monday: Curried Coconut Chicken with brown rice

Tuesday: Salsa Chicken with corn, black beans & avocados

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Dinner at The Capital Grille for MY BIRTHDAY!

Friday: The Best Turkey Burgers, Gourmet Mac & Cheese, green beans

Spicy BBQ Chicken

2010-03-08T06:45:00.000-06:00

I love my crock pot. Seriously. I just don't understand people who don't use them! Every recipe I have come across is SO easy to throw together. Then you get home and dinner is ready. I mean really - what's not to love?! The convenience thing is a plus in my book, that's for sure.

This is a "go-to" recipe for me. It's BBQ shredded chicken & nothing fancy...just BBQ chicken. But it tastes so darn good, and the chicken is so tender. Plus, you can use frozen chicken breasts which makes it even easier! We have enough for leftovers the next day (and it still tastes just as great!), but I thought about using the leftovers in a creative way time: BBQ chicken pizza. Oh yeah, now I have to make this again very soon!

Ingredients:

4 frozen chicken breasts

Half a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

3-4 tablespoons hot wing sauce (optional - but so good!!)

Directions:

Place frozen chicken breasts in a crock pot. Pour half a bottle of BBQ over the top. Add the hot wing sauce. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5. Shred chicken with two forks about an hour before serving. Add additional BBQ sauce if you like it saucy!

*I usually serve this with baked sweet potatoes and corn. Wonderful.

Lemon-Scented Sugar Snap Peas

2010-03-06T07:00:00.002-06:00

For some reason or another, whenever peas roll into our weekly menu I always grab the bag of fresh snow peas at the grocery store. Well, I got crazy this past week and bought sugar snap peas - whoa! I was looking for a way to prepare these peas that would compliment this wonderful tilapia recipe and stumbled upon this one. It caught my eye because of the lemon, and I was going to be using a fresh lemon with the fish, so it just worked out perfectly. I like it when that happens! Just like all of the other recipes I post, this is a simple one to follow. I like it best when vegetables are served with minimal preparation - they just taste so fresh and delicious. Enjoy!

Source: Southern Living - Lemon-Scented Sugar Snap Peas

*I cut this recipe in half when I made it (for 2 people). Below is the original and serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh sugar snap peas
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Cook peas in boiling salted water for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. (I skipped this plunging step, and it worked out just fine!)

Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat; add peas, and sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and remaining ingredients. Sauté 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Grilled Chicken with Caramelized Onions & Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

2010-03-05T12:07:00.002-06:00

Ok, so the picture is awful. If you want a pretty one, go check out the one Dunne' took over on With a Cherry on Top - you'll see - it does look yummy! Here we go:

Wow. That is all I can say. If you only try one recipe listed on this blog, please let it be this one! This cream sauce is absolutely delicious. It honestly tastes like a super fancy dish that you'd order at some gourmet, high-end restaurant. But, nope! You can make this at home, and you should because it is so easy! The original recipe turns this into a sandwich. I decided against that (personal preference), and we just ate the chicken with the sauce poured over top (cutting out those extra carbs!). The sauce is so creamy - with a yummy tartness from the gorgonzola.

Source: With a Cherry on Top

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

olive oil

salt

pepper

1 large yellow onion, sliced

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese (I used crumbled)

Directions:

Preheat grill to med-high heat. Season chicken with a little olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Place on grill and cook for 7-8 minutes per side or until juices run clear. Transfer to a plate and let rest. (We used our trusty Foreman - just perfect!)

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Toss in sliced onions and saute brown and tender. Reduce heat to simmer and add in cream, stirring frequently. Let it reduce by half and thicken up, about 5 minutes. Stir in cheese until well-combined and melted in.

Place chicken on plate and pour sauce on top. Take a bite and enjoy!