Its Too Hot To Cook: Strawberry Banana Parfaits

 Happy Friday everyone! Here's another its too hot to cook recipe but dessert style! Sometimes you gotta step away from the hot oven and make a simple and classic dessert that's cool and wont make you sweat in your kitchen. Ive been trying to use more agave nectar so if you have some definitely try it out in a few of your recipes that call for sugar! I hope you all enjoy the weekend and I'll see you around very soon =]

Printable
Strawberry Banana Parfaits

• 1 lb strawberries, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 3tbl. blue agave or 2tbl. sugar
• 1 bag chessmen cookies, slightly crushed

1. In a bowl, add strawberries, bananas, and agave. stir and store in refrigerator.

Pudding

• 3.4 oz banana cream pudding
• 1 1/2 cups milk(I used less than your average 2 cups.less milk means more creamy!)

1. In a bowl, add in pudding. whisk in cold milk until thickened. Place in refrigerator.

Whipped Cream

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar( I used 1/3 cup blue agave)
• 1 tsp. vanilla

1. In a bowl with a whisk attachment, beat cream until slightly thickened, add in sugar and vanilla, and continue beating until completely thickened.

Using whatever glasses or dishes you have, begin layering with the fruit, pudding, whipped cream, and crushed chessmen cookies. This is How I did mine.

Pudding

Cookies

Whipped Cream

Fruit

Repeat And dollop extra cream on top, then add a Cookie Garnish!

Makes 5-7 parfaits

   

blog hop button Fabulous Food Friday: July Blog Hop

Its Too Hot To Cook: No Fuss Chicken Salad

So its actually a nice 70 degrees today but I promised to make these meals for when it does get too hot to cook. So on to it. Its an oldie, but a favorite of mine. Serve in pita or with croissants or just chips& crackers and you're good to go! This recipe yields about 7-8 servings so you can easily have this for lunch the next day and it will even taste better.

Printable Version

No Fuss Chicken Salad

• Breast of 2 Rotisserie Chickens, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
• 1 large apple, chopped(I used golden delicious)
• 1/2 cup cranberries or raisins

1. In a large bowl add in all ingredients.

Dressing

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 cup sour cream(plain yogurt works well too)
• 1 tbl. dijon or stone ground mustard
• 1/4 cup honey(or agave nectar)
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

1. In a bowl, add in all ingredients and stir well. Pour over chicken salad. Toss. Store in Fridge.

Its Too Hot to Cook: Smokin' Beans

Hey Loves, sorry Ive been away! Truly missed talking back and forth with you guys =]
So its ablaze here in chicago. I mean Hot!! And when its hot, who wants to cook. Heating up the oven, even going out to the grill is way too much. So here's the deal, Im gonna make up some fun recipes for you all allowing you to not get too hot in your kitchens, but you'll still have a nice meal =] The first is Smokin' Beans. We've all had baked beans but these are absolutely delish and quick to make. Lets have 15 minutes of stove time and I promise to keep your house at a cool 70 degrees =]

Printable Version

Smokin' Beans

• 2 lbs. Smoked Sausage, sliced(1/2 in. slices)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 (28oz.) cans baked beans(keep it simple)
• 1 cup crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• French fried onions to top

1. In a large skillet over hight heat, add smoked sausage. Cook until browned and heated through. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add in onion and crushed pepper to the pan. Cook until the onions are clear.
3. Add in the baked beans, pineapple, sugar. Stir well.
4. Place the sausage back in the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Top with french fried onions. Enjoy!

100 Followers Giveaway Winner!!!

SO its about that time. Time to pick our winner!!! I want to say a big thanks to everyone who participated and just know I'll be having more giveaways in the super near future. I used random.org so everything is done in fairness. So the winner of the West Bend Oblong Slow Cooker is................67 Ronalee

Following you on Twitter @RonaleeAKArose email RonaleeDuncan{at}aol{dot}com

May 20, 2011 5:48 AM  

Congrats to you!!! Woot Woot!! I'll be contacting you soon for shipping info. Thanks everyone and be on the lookout for the next one.

Butterscotch Brickle Muffins

Whats up! So I asked my dear mom for muffin recipe inspiration and she said brickle and butterscotch. So woot there it is!!!! I dont need to say much because I made a quick hello video. Hope the week is treating you right =]

Printable Version

Butterscotch Brickle Muffins

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 4oz. cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8-12 oz. butterscotch baking chips
• 1 cup heath toffee bits plus more for topping
• 1/4 cup maple syrup(or pancake syrup)

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Using a mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugars and beat for 1 minute. Add in eggs, and vanilla. In a seperate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and soda and salt. Add slowly to the wet ingredients. Toss in heath bits and stir.

In a greased or lined muffin pan, add a ice cream scoop amount of the thick batter/dough. Then sprinkle several butterscotch chips on top. Using more batter, cover the chips. Once complete, bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool.

Topping.

In a sauce pan combine remaining butterscotch chips and maple syrup. Set over a low to medium flame while constantly stirring to prevent any burning. Once all the chips are melted remove from heat.

*The butterscotch will be tacky. If it sits just heat it up while stirring!

Top your muffins with the butterscotch and sprinkle with heath toffee bits. Enjoy!!!

 

Grills Start Your Engines or Coals!

Whats up everyone! The weather was lovely so I had to grill today. Woot Woot for grilling again!! So I was playing around with some ideas and I came up with two OMG good recipes. The First is Beer N Lime Pork Chops. You can taste the beer soooo well its delish! And then. The Salad. That Grilled Sweet Potato Salad was a hit. I promise YOU WILL BE PLEASED. Well, I hope all of you have a fabulous weekend!!! Oh and don't forget to enter the giveaway for the Slow Cooker =]

Printable Version

Beer N Lime Pork Chops

• 2-3 lbs. Center Cut Pork Chops
• 1 24oz. Can Beer
• 1/2 cup lime juice(I used it from concentrate.Kroger Style.lol)

1.In a large bowl or container, add in pork chops. Pour the beer and lime juice on top, mix it around and marinate for at least one hour. Remove from refrigerator about 15 minutes before grilling.
2.Preheat your grill.

Lime Pepper Seasoning

1tbl. kosher salt or seasalt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3tbl. Lime zest


1.Pat Dry the porkchops with paper towels and season with the lime pepper seasoning on both sides.
2.On an oiled grill, grill pork chops for 4-7 minutes per side. Remove. Let sit for 5 minutes. Enjoy!!!!!

Printable Version

 Grilled Sweet Potato Salad 

• 2-3 sweet potatoes, sliced(1/4 in. slices)
• 1 small purple onion, split in half(skins left on)
• 1/2 cup fresh oregano leaves, chopped
• 4 oz. crumbled gorgonzola cheese
• 2-3 tbl. oil

1.Place sweet potatoes in a pot with water almost covering them. Over medium heat, cook potatoes for 5-7 minutes. Remove and drain. Drizzle oil over the potatoes.
2.Grill the potatoes for 1-3 minutes per side(to get a slight char)
3.Place the split onion on the grill.Keep the skins ON
4.Remove sweet potatoes and onion. Remove skins and Chop the onion.
5.In a bowl place the potatoes, onion, oregano, and cheese. 

Dressing

• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2tbl. white sugar
• 1 tsp. salt.
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

1.Combine all and pour over the salad...TOSS!. Serve room temperature or chilled. Enjoy!