Simple Yet Gourmet

I have always loved the 4th of July! The fireworks, parades, flags, feelings of Patriotism and love for our amazing country, Red-White-and Blue everywhere you look.  It's no wonder that I also love food with patriotic colors mixed in.  And if it also tastes amazing? I'm sold. This Patriotic Popcorn mix fits the bill.  Lightly salted popcorn, pretzels, and M&M's are coated with white chocolate and a few added sprinkles for an extra festive touch. It's simple to prepare and addicting to snack on! It's salty and sweet and perfect for munching on while watching fireworks!  So, good!  Note:I used Skinny Pop popcorn to make this, but you can pop your own if you prefer, and any type of pretzels will work as well. 

These sliders may look unassuming, but they are seriously tasty!  The meatballs are flavored with Hoisin Sauce, fresh ginger, and a small amount of scallions. Once they are baked they get coated with a hoisin/rice vinegar sauce making them extra juicy and flavorful.   Not only are these sliders delicious, they are SO easy to make! In fact, the first time we ate them my daughter Brynlee made them by herself.  She "gets" to make dinner for us every now and then and this is a recipe she picked out from one of her cookbooks.  I’ll admit that I didn't have high expectations for them but we were all pleasantly surprised by how good they were, and have made them a few times since.   To make these extra easy and fast, store-bought potato rolls can be used, but if you have a little extra time and/or want to save a little money, our Homemade Hamburger Bun's recipe is easily converted to make the perfect slider.  

I think I found the perfect Summer Dessert! Light and fluffy Angel Food Cake rolled up with a dreamy whipped  cream cheese frosting and fresh berries. Any fresh berry can be used for this, but using red berries (such as raspberries or strawberries) and blueberries turns this into a fun Patriotic Dessert as well! The fresh berries are a nice contrast to the perfectly sweet whipped cream cheese frosting and the lightly sweet and pillowy Angel Food Cake.  It's almost like a lightened up version of cheesecake.  The whole family loved this one, even my non-cake loving husband! And he really doesn't like Angel Food cake so that's saying something.   The recipe called for an Angel Food Cake mix, but I had some egg whites I needed to use up so I made mine from scratch.  It turned out awesome! I like both types though.  I included the link for the homemade version I made just in case you have a dozen egg whites laying around or feel adventurous!  I was a little nervous about the cak

Have you experienced the deliciousness of a Pizookie yet?! It's a cookie baked like a pizza! Crispy on the edges and top while still being ooey gooey in the middle.  Topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream it is absolute heaven! While this isn't a new idea, I hadn't actually had one until a few years ago.  We ate at a restaurant called BJ's on a family trip and got a mini version of this with the kids meal.  Wow, just wow!  It was so delicious.  We ate there again the very next night just so we could get another pizookie. Since that trip I've been trying to find a copycat recipe but hadn't found one as good…until now! These turned out perfectly.  The recipe itself uses brown butter which adds a caramel undertone, and Ghirardellli Milk Chocolate.  Quality ingredients make all the difference.  Hope you love these as much as we do! 

I have always loved Sweet Potatoes (AKA yams).  Growing up we really only ate them for Thanksgiving but these days I make them pretty frequently for my family. They are the perfect side for grilled steaks or chicken.  I love that they not only taste delicious but are also packed full of fiber and vitamins A and C.  My only issue? They take forever to bake in the oven. Besides needing to plan ahead, it really heats up the kitchen which is fine in the winter but not so much in the Summer. That’s why I love making these in the Air Fryer! It takes half the time to cook and leaves my kitchen cool. Can’t beat that!

Guys, this frozen custard was so delicious!! Super creamy with a rich chocolate taste, marbled with just the right amount of peanut butter.  This is not a No-Churn recipe, so you'll need an ice cream mixer but it's totally worth it.  I was sneaking bites of it right and left while it was churning- I couldn't help myself! It's every bit as good as the stuff you get at Culver's!  I have a feeling we're going to be making this a TON this Summer! Frozen Chocolate Custard with Peanut Butter Ripple yield: 1 quart Ingredients: 4 egg yolks 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup whole milk 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 TBSP Pure Vanilla Extract 1 cup Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate chips 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder 1/2 cup peanut butter Dash of salt Directions: Add egg yolks, sugar, salt, and Cocoa Powder to a medium saucepan and whisk until fluffy and well combined. Whisk in the milk.  Cook, whisking frequently over Medium-Low heat until it reaches 165º F, but do not allow it to come to a b