Simple Yet Gourmet

Something about these cookies reminds me of childhood, which is why I decided to make these spur of the moment with my daughter.  Brynlee and I had a great time baking together, and she did a great job taste testing the M&M's.  Had to make sure they were still good :)  It took a few tests, but she deemed them good and helped dump them into the mixture.  Not only were these fun to make, but they were good too!  They were slightly crispy around the edges and chewy on the inside. Nice and sweet, but not too rich.  Perfect with tall glass of milk.

With summer upon us and fresh fruit abounding, I am always trying to find new recipes to use these treasures.  We have made fruit pizza, many different smoothies, zucchini and banana fruit bread, etc.  This week I happened to come across some wonderful strawberries recipes.  This one was a very simple  and refreshing drink the kids loved.  Great way to use up those strawberries as well as a  healthy afternoon snack for the family! (Sorry about the picture, very hard to photograph beverages!)

As many of you know, I love to find new and exciting breakfast foods.  I try very hard to make different things each day so the 3 kiddos don't get bored with the same old breakfast food.  My sister in law Summer, made this for a family get together not long ago and I was hooked.

I have been married for over 8 years and have made ribs one time.  Ever.  It was yesterday.  I guess they were just unfamiliar to me and seemed like a daunting task.  Boy was I mistaken.  These were so easy!  A little planning is required as some things need to be done ahead of time, but as for the time I actually spent working with them, I'd say it was less than 15 minutes.  Doesn't get any easier than that.

For a fun twist on the usual classic chips and salsa, try this recipe out!  It is fresh, delicious, and comes together quickly.  The nice thing about this salsa is that it is very versatile.  You can use a variety of fruits, and berries- whatever you have on hand.  I used peaches, kiwis, strawberries, and canned pineapple.  Fresh pineapple would be amazing, but if you have a sensitive stomach like me, or if you are just in a bind, the canned stuff works just fine.  The salsa is great for dipping with these crispy cinnamon chips ,

Mmm, mmm, mmm, Mmm, mmm, mmm. This ice cream is good! I shared this with some of my family after a hot dog roast, and my Brother-In-Law, bless his heart, thought that this was some kind of gourmet store-bought ice cream :) Not that I blame him, homemade ice cream is the best! I need to take this moment to thank my brother who was kind enough to lend me his ice cream maker for the summer while he's off in California. Really, thank you! Just don't be surprised if I decide not to give it back :) Anyway, back to the ice cream. I've made this chocolate treat twice now and have loved it both times. 

For all you die hard chocolate lovers out there, here is a thick and chewy, rich and fudgy brownie.  No frosting needed-these babies stand on their own!  However, if you choose to serve it warm with some vanilla ice cream you may experience complete and utter bliss.  Or try cutting them up in small pieces and adding them to some homemade ice cream.  I did just that and the end results were delicious!  I'll be sharing that recipe with you soon.  So, the next time a chocolate craving hits give these brownies a try.  They're sure to satisfy even the deepest of cravings.

Have you ever heard of the motto, less is more.  This recipe is a great example of this.  In our house we rarely buy a jar of tomato sauce, we make our own!  During the summer I will use my fresh tomatoes from the garden but for the rest of the year I use the Italian canned tomatoes.

I made this refreshing little treat last night and was pleasantly surprised with the results.  It was slightly sweet, tangy, and creamy.  That's right!  Creamy!  It has no cream or dairy products in it, so I really wasn't expecting the sweet creaminess, but I certainly didn't complain :) I loved that this treat has no fat in it.  Then again, I just plain love it!  

This delicious dip is appropriately named since the first time I had this dip was indeed in Texas. I think this dip is perfect for summer!  It is served cold and it filled with good for you ingredients like black eye peas, shoe-peg corn, roma tomatoes, and avocados. You'll want to plan ahead with this dip because, while it comes together quickly, it is best after it has had time to marinate and chill in the fridge.  Enjoy!