Watermelon Mint Sorbetto, Mint Lemonade

While Sarah was visiting with all that came to her reception, and dancing with Jordan

I was drinking cup after cup of the delicious lemon

Mint Lemonade
ice
water
country time lemonade mix
fresh mint,  chopped (4-5 leaves, or to taste)

Fill a blender 2/3 full with ice and water. (NO MORE reports Cheryl...unless you want to clean up a mess!) Add a scoop of lemonade mix and mint.

image and recipe here
we didn't have pink, but it's an option.


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I checked out a book on gelato and other frozen desserts. 

The first I tried was a Watermelon Mint Sorbet. 

The guys said they would like it without the mint. 

(I even cut the amount of mint the recipes called for in half!)

I loved it! And it reminded me of the lemonade with mint posted above.

I also tried cantaloupe and enjoyed it.

[you can click for a larger image of the recipe]

The source of future yumminess to experiment with!

Kiwi & Strawberry Chia Popsicles

recipe and image from here

As soon as we are out of rain, and have sunshine again,
 I'd like to try these! The link above includes a video.

Kiwi & Strawberry Chia Popsicles
1-3/4 c. canned coconut milk
1/2 c. soy milk (or any milk alternative)
1/4 c. chia seeds
1 tablespoon honey, or more to your liking
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
3 strawberries, sliced

Stir together coconut milk, soy milk, chia seeds, and honey.
Place sliced kiwis and strawberries in popsicle molds. Use knife or the back of a spoon to press kiwi and strawberry slices to the sides of the mold.

Gently pour liquid mixture into popsicle molds. Insert popsicle sticks. Freeze for at least 4 hours until popsicles are solid. Remove and enjoy!

 

Makes: 6 popsicles

Raspberry Freezer Jam, Raspberry Syrup

Our raspberries are amazing this year. I think this is our second year with raspberries in our yard. We've eaten a lot while picking, frozen and jammed so many so far. And there are more berries to go. YUM! I thought I'd post the jam recipe I used this year. Someday I'd love to go with less sugar and even natural apple pectin, but this is where we are now.

Raspberry Freezer Jam

6-2/3 cups raspberries (crush one layer at a time with potato masher, or similar)
4 c. sugar
3/4 c. instant pectin

Stir sugar and pectin together. add fruit. Stir 3  minutes. Ladle in jars. Let stand 30 minutes. Freeze.

yield: 6 'batches', each one is to make 2 (8 oz.) half-pints of jam

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image and recipe from here

I have not tried this, but there are many berries left to pick!

It will be on the menu very soon. 

There were many recipes that had you strain out the seeds,

but I prefer to leave the fiber in. Small compensation for all the sugar?!

Homemade Raspberry Syrup
4 t . cornstarch
1/2 c. sugar
1 (12 oz.) package raspberries, fresh or frozen
1-1/2 t. water
1-1/2 t. lemon juice
1 T. butter
1/2 t. vanilla
dash salt

1. Grab a medium-sized sauce pan and add 4 t. cornstarch to it.
2. Add 1/2 c. s. and stir the ingredients together.
3. Add 1-1/2 t. water and 1-1/2 t. lemon juice. Stir it together to combine. It will look kind of pasty.
4. Find yourself 12 oz. of beautiful raspberries. Add them to the sauce pan and stir them gently, so the berries begin to be coated. The berries will begin to break down, which is just fine.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently. Let it bubble and boil for 1 minute. It should thicken up into a nice syrup consistency for you.
6. Remove it from the heat and add 1 T. butter, 1/2 t. vanilla and a dash of salt.
Pour it, nice and warm over the top of some vanilla ice cream. Or drizzle it over a lovely stack of pancakes...any way you serve it, I do believe you will love it.
Yield: 1-1/2 cups

'Otai

image and alternate recipe here

We have a Tongan ward in our stake, and many are friends and/or relatives of the Tongan family we met in our ward a number of years ago. Suliana made a delicious traditional meal for us then, including having her brother roast a pig. The drink she made was mango and ice, and so wonderful. Ian was excited to try this version of the recipe from The Friend magazine. A couple years ago they were highlighting friends around the world and this month featured Tonga.This was so yummy! Ian liked it least of all though. This was so yummy! Ian liked it least of all though.

Raspberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie

image and recipe from here

I have raspberries ripening and rhubarb ready,

and plan to try this for our book group next month.

Raspberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie

3-1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 c. butter
3/4 c. plus 1 to 2 T. 2% milk
1 egg yolk
2 c. sugar
1/3 c. cornstarch
5 c. fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed and drained
3 c. sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb, thawed and drained

Vanilla icing:
1-1/4 c. confectioners' sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
5 to 6 t. 2% milk

1. In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Whisk 3/4 cup milk and egg yolk; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary.

2. Divide dough in two portions so that one is slightly larger than the other; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle.

3. Preheat oven to 375°. Roll out larger portion of dough between two large sheets of lightly floured waxed paper into an 18x13-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Press onto the bottom and up sides of pan; trim pastry to edges of pan.

4. In a large bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add raspberries and rhubarb; toss to coat. Spoon into pastry.

5. Roll out remaining dough; place over filling. Fold bottom pastry over edge of top pastry; seal with a fork. Prick top with a fork.

6. Bake 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.

7. For icing, combine confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve a drizzling consistency; drizzle over pie. Cut pie into squares.

Editor's Note: If using frozen rhubarb, measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in a colander, but do not press liquid out.

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 45 min. + cooling

YIELD:24 servings

Crockpot "Refried" Beans

recipe and image from here

Here are the beans Erik & Carissa like to make and use.

Addy and Ethan

Crockpot "Refried" Beans

2 lbs. pinto beans (4 c.)

1 large onion, chopped

4 T. jarred minced garlic

* Up to 2-1/2 T. salt

1 t. black pepper

2 t. cumin

10 c. hot water

* You can use as little as 1 T. of salt. It all depends on how you like your beans.

Rinse the beans in a colander. Pick out any bad beans.

Combine all the ingredients in the crockpot. Remove any floating beans. Cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours and on LOW for 2 hours.

Uncover, and remove extra liquid. Leave enough liquid to reach the desired consistency when the beans are mashed. (We like our beans somewhere between the very liquidy restaurant style beans, and the canned version of refried beans.)

Mash beans with a potato masher to desired consistency.

Serve warm. Store in air-tight containers in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks, or freeze in ziplock bags for later use.

*Makes about 16 cups

Ethan and Addy visit the Houston Temple. by Carissa, wife of Barbara's grandson Erik

Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats

image and recipe from here

I saw this recipe online and thought I'd give it a try this weekend.

We have some leftover chicken to use, so I won't exactly follow it....

but Barbara doesn't usually follow a recipe : )

Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats

4 medium zucchini (about 1¾ pounds)
1 lb. ground chicken
¼ t. salt
¼ t. ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. pasta sauce
¼ c. grated parmesan cheese
½ c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: sliced fresh basil for topping


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and break it apart with a spoon. Add the salt and pepper. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Stir occasionally and break down the chicken into small chunks.

Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic to the chicken. Cook 1 minute stirring often. Add the pasta sauce. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the chicken cooks, cut the zucchini in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds and center out of each zucchini half, leaving a ¼ inch thick zucchini boat. Place the zucchini in the baking dish cut-side up. Spoon the chicken mixture into the zucchini boats. Press the mixture down into the zucchini using the back of the spoon.
Sprinkle the zucchini evenly with the parmesan, then the mozzarella cheese. Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.