Tag Archives: dessert

Rhubarb Sorbet with Pistachios and Dark Chocolate

Rhubarb Sorbet with Dark Chocolate and Pistachios

This past Sunday I was determined… incredibly determined to make some concoction with rhubarb. I’m always usually pretty persistent with my recipes, but this Sunday was just a little different. Basically, this urge to bake with rhubarb resulted from a visit I had a few weeks ago to Ox in Portland where I had one of the most tasty sweet concoctions of my life: Rhubarb Vanilla Sorbet, Bittersweet Chocolate Magic Shell, Crushed Pistachio.

As a result, I’ve been thinking about rhubarb ever since that visit so I knew I had to fulfill my craving for it.

But, among all of the various options to bake with rhubarb, I decided that instead of a rhubarb crisp or rhubarb pie, I wanted to make something “cooler” (temperature-wise), so I choose to attempt to replicate the Rhubarb Sorbet I had at Ox. However, after two botched tries of locating rhubarb (the first store did not have rhubarb and the second store had unripe rhubarb), my final attempt resulted in just enough (I almost took all of the slim supply at the store) to make this dessert!

Despite the madness of visiting three stores, this recipe was definitely worth the trouble and the wait. Just look at the pictures above and below and you’ll understand!

Step 1: Chop Rhubarb

Rhubarb for Rhubarb Sorbet

Step 2: Dissolve Sugar in Water Over Low Heat

Dissolving Sugar for Rhubarb Sorbet

Step 3: Add Lemon Juice and Rhubarb Pieces

Rhubarb Mixture for Rhubarb Sorbet

Step 4: Put Rhubarb Mixture into a Food Processor

Puree-ing Rhubarb for Rhubarb Sorbet

Step 5: Place Rhubarb Mixture into Ice Cream Machine

Rhubarb Sorbet in the Ice Cream Machine

Step 6: Scoop, Drizzle Chocolate and
Pistachios; Eat!

Rhubarb Sorbet with Dark Chocolate and Pistachios


Even though I didn’t make the “magic shell” like Ox did, I still thoroughly enjoyed this recipe. Basically, this recipe encompasses three distinct flavors: tart, sweet and salty. Usually I only like two of those distinct flavor types, but this time all three converged together quite nicely without overwhelming each other in the process!

Thank you to Ox for offering such a delicious recipe!

Cheers!

Rhubarb Sorbet with Dark  Chocolate and Pistachios

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Mini Salted Caramel Cheesecakes


When I was younger, I was also incredibly busy and felt like I was never at home. Now that I’m older, I really enjoy the times that I am able to come home and see my family. This past Thanksgiving was no different. I usually participate in baking or cooking festivities for Thanksgiving; however, this Thanksgiving I completely ran out of time and my family and friends handled everything. It was actually quite relaxing and I’m quite thankful for for that!

Like many other Americans, one of our traditions during the Thanksgiving holiday is to watch all of the intense rivalry football games.  I decided to make Mini Salted Caramel Cheesecakes from Cooking Light for a nice treat during the games. The actual recipe is not difficult, but the time needed between steps was a bit lengthy. Therefore, it was a perfect baking adventure to do between quarters of football this past Saturday!

Step 1: Crush Vanilla Wafers for Crust

Step 2: Place Crust in Cupcake Tin; Bake

Step 3: Mix Filling Ingredients Together;
Place in Cooled Cupcake Tin

Step 4: Bake and Let Cool

Step 5: Create Caramel and
Place on Top; Sprinkle Salt Flakes; Eat

Again, I’ve totally been overdoing it on the “mini” trend lately. But, when I saw this recipe, I just couldn’t resist! The crust uses vanilla wafers which provides a different burst of crumbly texture and sweet flavors, especially when combined with the salted caramel. I’m a total fan of using salted caramel because it helps dilute some of the overly sweet flavors of desserts and makes it a bit more enjoyable.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving or if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Cheers!

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Mini Pumpkin Pies

Sundays are a perfect day for a long prepared dinner and dessert, and especially pie. I have been wanting to make a traditional pumpkin pie for a few weeks now and have been attempting to resist the urge to do so until Thanksgiving. However, this past weekend, I completely caved at the thought of making mini pumpkin pies. In my opinion, mini desserts are just more fun and they save those in consumption a few calories (as long as only one mini pie is eaten and not three!). This recipe for Pumpkin Pie is very flavorful with its touch of many spices and basks perfectly in a super-flaky crust that is to die for. Watch out, it is hard to just stop at one mini pie!

Step 1: Make Dough and Roll Out With
Rolling 
Pin; Shape for Mini Pie Tins

Step 2: Mix Ingredients for Filling Together

Step 3: Bake Individual Pie Crusts
(I used muffin tins) and
Let Cool; Pour in Filling and Bake; Eat!

These are a perfect treat to take to a family or friend’s house for Thanksgiving. Plus, the other perk of these is that no extra silverware is required. No forks or plates required, just a strong appetite and sweet tooth!

Cheers!

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Seriously Lemon Tart


No, but really – the title of this pie definitely does not lie. I might even rename it to be “Seriously, Seriously, Seriously Lemon Tart”.

Nonetheless, even though it does provide quite the pucker, this Seriously Lemon Tart from Cooking Light is definitely a keeper. This is a great alternative to the traditional lemon dessert basically due to the sheer amount of lemon juice and lemon bits required. Plus, the layering effect of the lemon slices on top makes it to be a “pretty” dessert too (now I totally realize that “prettiness” is a dessert isn’t everything, but it can definitely add a nice extra touch!).

If you have the time, make sure to check out this recipe from the latest edition of Cooking Light as well as a few others including the Gumbo!

Cheers!

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Apple Pie

Fall is absolutely one of my favorite seasons. I love when the leaves morph into stunning shades of orange, yellow, red and sometimes even pink. I love wearing boots and sloshing through puddles (as long as I don’t get too wet!). I love sipping on warm drinks and the crisp sharp air. And, lastly, I love the flavors of Fall – sweet potato, squash, pumpkin and of course apple!

This Sunday I decided to make an Apple Pie. In my opinion,  Apple Pie is a classic dessert and a perfect accompaniment to celebrate Fall and relish the day of Sunday before the work week starts again. I was especially excited to make this Apple Pie because I had been wanting to put shapes onto a pie for a long time and recently became inspired by the Apple Pie that was featured on the blog Cupcakes and Cashmere. Shapes on the top of the pie just make it more fun and festive. I almost spelled out “Happy Halloween” and I was also extremely tempted to put pumpkin shapes onto this pie too. But, in the end, I stuck with the leaf shape. The more adventurous shapes will have to wait for next time!

You know what is a bit humorous? I put three slits into this pie; however, during the baking process, a fourth slit ripped open in the pie. Now it almost looks like I wanted this pie to resemble a Jack-O-Lantern. Do you spot what I’m talking about? I guess this pie is just even more Fall and Halloween-themed now!

Cheers!

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Pie Lollipops


All right, all right… so I’m totally aware that I posted a few weeks ago about how I was semi-bored with pies and wanted to try something different for dessert. And, in all fairness, I was totally in the mood to try something unique, outrageous or something that required a trip to some specialty shops to acquire ingredients. But, this idea became quickly obsolete once I stumbled upon the idea of Cherry Hand Pies.

These Cherry Hand Pies looked absolutely delicious; however, I wanted to make this dessert in a smaller format so I figured that something like pie lollipops would be ideal. Again, even though I’ve made too many pies in the past year, I figured that a new and different format would make it totally worth it!

Step 1: Make Dough


Step 2: Prepare Pie Filling


Step 3: Cut Out Pie Shapes


Step 4: Brush Edges With Egg Wash;
Spoon Filling Onto Dough; Crimp and Press
Other Side Together; Put Stick into Dough

Step 5: Bake and Enjoy!


These pie lollipops remind of the current trend of cake pops. But, in my opinion, these are easier to make and a little bit more rewarding for the sheer fact that they actually resemble a mini pie in appearance. These are a perfect treat that can be taken to barbecues, dinner parties or exactly whatever you are feeling like at the time. Plus, there isn’t that much of a learning curve since they aren’t that different from a normal pie!

Cheers!

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Nectarine Raspberry Pie

Let’s face it – a pie is a pie. All right, that sounded like an incredibly silly statement, but I promise it’s true. Just hear me out. I will attest that a homemade, totally-from-scratch-pie does take a lot of time and effort and if done well is totally worth it. But, really, it’s all about what is actually in the pie a.k.a the delicious filling. I’ve made too many apple, blackberry or blueberry pies to last a lifetime (okay, not really, but you get the point). So, like I said, the key to the pie is the filling!

This past weekend I wanted to make a pie. So, when I saw a recipe for Nectarine Raspberry Pie, I got a little excited. I do realize that this isn’t the most unique pie; however, it is definitely different than the norm so I figured I needed to go for it. Plus, I’m always in the mood for experimenting with new recipes!

Step 1: Make Pie Dough


Step 2: Put Filling in and Bake


Step 3: Slice and Eat


I normally like making a pie with intricate latices, but I totally embraced the opportunity to make this pie more rustic with a full-fledged cover. The edges on this pie browned a little bit more quickly than I expected, but in the end, the pie still cooked well and the flavors from the fruit developed well.

This is definitely a great pie if you’re in the mood for something different than the standard apple or cherry pie.

Cheers!

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Happy July Fourth!


Happy July 4th! I hope everyone had a safe and fun day with friends and family (and with plenty of delicious food, of course!). This cake is from Better Homes and Gardens Festive Fourth of July Desserts. I didn’t put the jam on it; however, I think it still turned out well. Just a simple cake with plenty of fresh berries and frosting!

What did you make for July 4th?

Cheers!

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Brown Butter Raspberry Tart

How I ended up picking this recipe was strikingly similar to how I decide to purchase something when I’m shopping for clothes. How? Well, sometimes when I have shopped, I have purchased something that “I thought I liked” on the spot. Unfortunately, some of these impulse buys have resulted in disappointment after a few weeks because what “I thought I liked” I didn’t actually like at all. So, in order to nix buyer’s remorse, I’ve eliminated impulse buys and instead try to wait a few days or weeks before purchasing something “I think I like”. My rule is that if I still like the item in a few days or weeks, I’ll consider buying based on need, budget, etc.!

Choosing this recipe was no different. I had been eyeing this Brown Butter Raspberry Tart for quite some time. So, yesterday, after thinking about it some more, I realized that I’ve thought about it enough – I had read all of the positive reviews and it looked amazing so I just needed to do it!

And, I’m glad I did.

Step 1: Make Crust and Bake (Let Cool);
Mix Together Eggs, Sugar and Salt 


Step 2: Brown Butter in Pan

Step 3: Mix Egg Mixture and
Browned Butter Together 


Step 4: Arrange Raspberries “Pointy”
Side Up on Bottom of Cooled Crust;
Carefully Pour Liquid Mixture Over; Bake 


Step 5: Cut a Slice and Enjoy!

I absolutely love the rustic feel of this tart. In my opinion, I think the tartness of the raspberry offsets the sweet filling nicely. I’m glad I chose wisely with the recipe, but perhaps I shouldn’t have taken so long. Oh well, at least I picked a good recipe that I’ll have plenty of opportunities to replicate in the future.

Perhaps I’ll start using my “shopping” techniques more often with my selection of recipes from now on!

Cheers!

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Peach, Nectarine & Blackberry Croustade, Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken and More…!

Normally, I can be very precise about my recipes. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely experiment. But, usually (and especially with the first time trying a recipe), I measure everything specially out to a “T” and then some.

However, yesterday, I decided to go rogue (for me, at least) which consisted of not measuring exact amounts (gasp!) as well as taking just one look at a recipe and trying to replicate it (Although in hindsight, I should have done just a wee bit of research).

First, I knew I wanted to make a dessert involving fruits. Initially, my quest for a fruit filled dessert resulted in only one fruit in mind; however, all of the fruit at the grocery store started to beckon at me to be taken. So, one fruit quickly turned into two different fruits… and, at that point, I figured I’d just add one more! So, the end result? A jubilee of peaches, nectarines and blackberries in the form of a fruit-filled Croustade.

Peach, Nectarine and Blackberry Croustade

1. Make the dough from this Croustade recipe.

2. Cut fruit and combine with sugar, lemon juice and nutmeg in a bowl.

3. Flatten dough into a circle. Arrange fruit onto the top. Fold crust over so that it touches the edges of the fruit.

4. Brush edges with whipping cream and sprinkle sugar on top.

5. Bake at 400 degrees until crust browns and filling starts to bubble (eyeball between half hour to one hour).

6. Serve with ice cream!

Secondly, I saw a recipe for Chicken Thighs Wrapped in Prosciutto and Rosemary from the blog Stacey’s Snacks Online on Pinterest (by the way, side note – this is an amazing blog with plenty of very tasty recipes!). I took one look and knew instantly that I wanted to make it. But, my exuberance exceeded my judgement and I didn’t even check how to make it (As mentioned previously, I’m not sure that I’d quite recommend this tactic; however, I’m lucky that this recipe turned out well despite the odds!).

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken With Rosemary

1. Marinate chicken breasts in sauteed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

2. Place sprigs of rosemary onto the top of each chicken breast. Wrap in prosciutto over the rosemary.

3. Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees. During the last three minutes of baking, drizzle balsalmic vinegar onto the chicken. Check to make sure that chicken is done.

4. Eat!

The original recipe from Sarah’s Snacks Online calls for chicken thighs and to grill the chicken. Although this chicken tasted delicious baked and the rosemary added a nice touch, I’d like to try Sarah’s method or perhaps try sauteing for a minute or two on each side in a pan before baking to make sure the prosciutto morphs into its most delicious crispified (yes, this is a made-up word) state.

Both these recipes are fairly simple and broad enough that they can be modified to add many ingredients (croustade) or be prepared in varying ways (baked versus grilled chicken).

In conclusion, I’m glad that I tried something new, picked versatile recipes and fulfilled my stomach (and others) at the same time!


And… one last thing!

I am very appreciative that Posh Little Designs and Leslie the Foodie nominated my blog for the Versatile Blogger Award and the Liebster Blog Award. Thank you to both – I am honored. I follow both of these blogs and love seeing the content that they produce! If you haven’t checked out their blogs already, I highly recommend that you do :)

Cheers!

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