Amaretto Berries

The Olympics are long over but I'm still recovering from the lack of sleep that continuously accumulated over the two week long event.  So, to celebrate the closing ceremonies last weekend (and the joy of finally being able to go back to my regular sleeping schedule), I put together a festive American light and summery dessert with an Italian twist, of course!  Absolutely, I was rooting for the home team, but I still had some cheer leftover for my ancestors' hometown, Italy.  So, to jazz up this bowl of fresh berries, I added a small handful of mint and a splash of Amaretto liquor to not only the fruit but also the cool whip topping.  The mint and Amaretto add a refreshing and nutty surprise to each sweet bite.  And if you want to get wild and crazy, add a few slivers of toasted almonds and a light sprinkle of cinnamon on top!

What you'll need:  serves 4

1 small pkg fresh raspberries (rinsed)

1 small pkg fresh blueberries (rinsed)

2 sprigs mint (roughly chopped) + extra for garnish
2 cups lite cool whip
3 tbsp Amaretto liquor

In a small bowl, lightly toss the berries and chopped mint with 1 tbsp of Amaretto.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, fold in the remaining 2 tbsp of Amaretto into the cool whip.  Divide the berry mixture into 4 small bowls and top with a dollop of cool whip.  Garnish with whole mint leaves.  

Parmesan Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

Congrats to Meg for winning the West Elm Owl Measuring Cups!

Remember those Parmesan Mashed Potatoes that I made along side the Fish in Parchment last week?  Well, here they are!  Whenever I make a main dish with a lot of juice, I love serving mashed potatoes as the side dish, because instead of having to make traditional gravy (that takes time), these juices already act as a tasty sauce for the taters.  This time, I added an Italian twist to these red skin mashed potatoes by incorporating grated parmesan cheese and rosemary.  You'll be surprised what bold flavors these two simple ingredients will add to your everyday, run of the mill mashed tots - salty, creamy and herby goodness!

What you'll need: serves 4 - 6

10 red skin potatoes (rinse and cut into 4, with skin on)
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 cup low fat milk (warmed)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 sprigs rosemary + extra for garnish (remove from stem and roughly chop)
To taste black ground pepper

Boil the potatoes in a medium pot filled with about 6 - 8 cups of water (or until the potatoes are completely submerged).  Once they are soft (use a toothpick to test), drain in a colander and put the potatoes back into the pot.  Slightly mash the potatoes and add the butter and milk.  Mash the butter and milk into the potatoes.  Then add the parmesan cheese, chopped rosemary and pepper.  Mash until evenly incorporated.  

Wednesday Giveaway

 Well, it's official!  After 6 months of searching for the home of my (27 year old) dreams, I'm finally in Escrow.  With such a competitive buyers' market, there were times I had a hard time believing I would find a home that truly fitted most of my needs (location, price, move in ready, etc).  But in the end, I finally got to see what "if it's meant to be" really feels like, and it feels gooood.  I'm not out of the woods just yet, but I feel extremely hopeful that I will be a homeowner by Sept. 1st.  

So what better way to celebrate than by making my first home accessory purchase!  You would think that a bed, dining room table or couch would be priority, but nope, I've been eying (no pun intended) these West Elm Owl Measuring Cups for months and thought they would add some vintage charm to the counter of my very own first kitchen.  But I'm too excited about these to just get one for myself.  I thought I'd share the sentimental wealth and give one white set away to one lucky follower!  Good luck!

What you have to do:

1. Follow this blog.

2. Share with me what your first home purchase would be or was.

3. Provide your email.

Entry will end Sunday night and I will announce the winner on Monday!

 

Fish en Papillote

 My folks celebrated their 44th Wedding Anniversary last weekend, so my sister and I treated them to a $29.99 home cooked meal.  Well, that's how much I'd charge in my pretend restaurant, anyway.  I couldn't be more proud to celebrate along side them and toast to the true meaning of marriage... love, hard work and growing together as one.  So I thought I'd bring some French elegance to the table with Lemon Fish in Parchment with a side of Parmesan Mashed Potatoes.  It's very easy to overcook fish when preparing it on the stove, but baking it in the oven in a steamed pouch keeps the fish (in this case, Halibut) moist, tender and packed with endless flavor, depending on what you decide to throw in the pouch with it.  This time, I loaded the fish with orange zucchini, carrots, cherry tomatoes and green onions with a butter lemon wine sauce, topped with fresh lemon and lemon thyme.  And in just 15 mins in the oven, you've got a One Pouch Wonder that's fun to cut open right at the dinner table. 

What you'll need: serves 4

1 1/2 lbs firm white fish (cut in four fillets) I used Halibut

1 orange zucchini (julienned)

2 carrots (julienned)

1 small package cherry tomatoes (halfed)

2 green onions (thinly sliced)

1 clove garlic (minced)

To taste salt and pepper

1/2 tsp lemon pepper with salt (1/8 per fillet)

1 lemon (seeds removed, thinly sliced)

4 pats butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 lemon juiced

8 sprigs fresh lemon thyme

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium bowl, toss together the zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, onions, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil.  Put each fish fillet in a large rectangle of parchment paper, sprinkle with lemon pepper.  Place the veggie mixture on top, dividing evenly.  Top the veggies with 2 lemon slices, 2 sprigs of lemon thyme, a pat of butter, 1 tbsp white wine, and splash of fresh lemon juice.  Fold over the parchment paper around the edges tightly in 1/4 inch folds (start from one corner to the other) to create a taco shape.  Make sure it's sealed well to prevent the steam from escaping.  Arrange the pouches on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for about 15 mins (15 mins per 1 in thickness of fish).  If it's less than an inch thick, bake for about 12 mins.  Take out of the oven and let sit for about 5 - 10 mins.  The fish will continue to cook.  Place each pouch on individual plates and allow each person to cut open their own.  They can either leave the paper or remove from the plate, but leaving the yummy juices.

Recipe adapted from here.

Frozen Yogurt Raspberry Lemon Pie

As a kid, Frozen Yogurt Pie was my all time favorite dessert to eat in the summer.   After a long day of camp, I would quickly dash into the house and head straight to the freezer for a yummy slice of frozen pie.  Being an extremely picky eater, I fell in love with its simplicity, sweetness, and refreshing flavors.  It was comforting, cooling and was something to look forward to after never wanting to leave the fun in the sun.  Even as an adult, I can't help but think of this frozen treat every time summer rolls around.  But this season, I've changed it up a tad by turning it into a Gluten Free dessert with a GF lemon cookie crust instead of graham crackers.  A few raspberries thrown into the mix to help complement the lemony crust and we got ourselves a fluffy frozen pie fit for any age!

What you'll need:

1 1/2 boxes GF Lively Lemon Cookies (found at Whole Foods or Sprouts)
1 cup walnuts
1 6oz container Yoplait Lite Lemon Yogurt
1 6oz container Yoplait Lite Red Raspberry Yogurt
1 8oz tub Cool Whip Lite
1 cup fresh raspberries (cut in half)
Mint for garnish

In the food processor, crush the cookies and walnuts until fine.  Firmly press mixture into a pie dish (up along the sides, as well) and set aside.  In a medium size bowl, fold together the yogurts and cool whip until evenly incorporated.  Don't over mix!  You want the mixture to stay light and fluffy.  Then fold in the raspberries.  Pour the mixture onto the crust and smooth it out with a rubber spatula.  Put in the freezer for about 4 - 6 hours or until completely frozen.  15 minutes before serving, let it slightly soften on the counter for easier cutting.

Watermelon Jicama Salad

 I love getting inspiration from local restaurant dishes.  This time I recreated a Watermelon Salad by adding an Italian twist and jicama to make it my very own.  What's neat about this summer salad is the burst of multiple distinct flavors you experience in one bite... from the sweetness of the watermelon, the earthiness from the jicama and the tang from the balsamic dressing.  It's so easy and fast to throw together just in time for that next BBQ or potluck gathering.

What you'll need: serves 2 - 4

1 baby watermelon (cut in 1" cubes)

1 small jicama (peeled and cut in strips/julienne)

1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles (I used Trader Joe's Mediterranean Feta Cheese)

handful fresh basil leaves (cut with herb shears or roughly chopped)

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

to taste salt and pepper

After prepping the watermelon and jicama, let chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.  Then, in a large bowl, combine the watermelon, jicama and feta cheese.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.  This dressing goes a long way, so you don't need much, but you can always add more to your liking).  Drizzle the dressing on top of the watermelon, jicama and cheese.  Lightly toss or mix.  Serve on a plate and garnish with lots of basil.

White Russian Poptails

I definitely had to work for this drink, Popsicle.  Three experiments and two slightly tipsy and giddy ladies later, my mother and I finally got ourselves a tasty Cocktail Popsicle recipe perfect for a scorching summer afternoon.  Many of you know how much I looove my White Russians, but I just had to figure out a way to put it in frozen form for the season.  And, honestly, I don't know if it was the heat or the relief of finally discovering the correct alcohol proportions, but this exceeded all my expectations for grownup popsicles.  In fact, I may never go back to slurping a White Russian out of a glass ever again!  Creamy with a pop of coffee from the Kahlua, this was one fun frozen treat.

What you'll need:  makes 6 - 8 Popsicles

2 jiggers Kahlua (2 parts)

1 jigger Vanilla Vodka (1 part)

3/4 cup half and half

3/4 cup water

In a small bowl, pour in the Kahlua, Vodka, half and half and water.  Mix together.  Refrigerate for about an hour or until cold.  Mix again and pour the mixture into plastic popsicle molds and place in the popsicle sticks (I found the wider the popsicle mold base the better - less breakage when extracting).  Put in the freezer for about 4 - 6 hours or until completely frozen.  Run the molds under warm water for about 2 - 3 seconds.  Carefully extract the popsicles and eat immediately!