Papaya-Coconut Paletas + @OXO Summer Fruit Tools {#SummerOfThePopsicle}

Now, as much as I love to complain about the sweltering heat of summer, I also have reasons for welcoming that heat.  Warm, plump, juicy fruits that dribble down your chin when you take a bite.  Icy popsicles that leave you with sticky fingers.  Glasses and bottles filled with refreshing cocktails that sweat right alongside you under the heat of the sun.  Even an Autumn-lovin' girl like me enjoys sand between my toes, sunshine on my shoulders, and the sound of the waves lapping up to the shore while I hide my eyes behind huge Jackie-O shades, enthralled in a good book.

I melt at the sight of a plant hung heavy with ripe tomatoes.  Give me a basket and a blueberry bush, and I'm as wide-eyed as I was when I was 10.  And I'll admit that the purple stain a half an hour of mulberry picking leaves on my fingers and my palms is a sight I crave when there is snow on the ground.  Give me a radio and a swimming pool and you may not see me for the rest of the day.

Speaking of summer fruit, I tend to get lost in the wonderland of rich shades of the rainbow.  I pick so from the fields or the garden until my bags and buckets are overflowing.  I raid the farmer's market, and even the produce department like it's going out of style.  Or out of season.  I love the local fuzzy peaches, the ruby cherries, the blueberries the color of a fresh bruise, and the grapes that slide right out of there skins when you pinch them.  But I also cannot resist a spiny pineapple, or a  bright green-fleshed kiwi with it's smattering of minuscule seeds and scratchy skin, or the vibrant hues of the sweet mangoes or papaya so tender you can eat it with a spoon.

This obviously means that I need a few fun gadgets in my kitchen arsenal.  So, when given the opportunity to try an awesome array of Summer Fruit Tools from OXO, my cheeks starting tingling in anticipation of all of the fruit to come.

Here's a rundown of the OXO Summer Kitchen Tools that I tried, and my thoughts on each one:

• Ratcheting Pineapple Slicer: I'll admit, I've always wanted one of these.  Let's just say that it didn't disappoint.  It's extremely easy to use and you get that fun spiral of perfectly cored, spiral-sliced fruit once you're done ratcheting.  It's not essential, I mean, I can cut up a pineapple like it's nobody's business, plus, if you just want chunks or wedges, this won't help you.  However, if I'm in the mood for a spiral, I'm excited to have this tool to pull out of my holster.
• Strawberry Huller:  I have a couple of different styles of strawberry hullers, but none like this.  It's easy to use, and it'll get the kids helping in no time.  It works well, but I'm probably more likely to reach for my paring knife.
• 2 Piece Fruit Scoop Set:  These are great.  I like the heft and comfort of the handle and the size of the scoops themselves.  They are great at scooping seeds from a melon (and I'm thinking a pumpkin in the fall), plus they do a good job of scooping the fruit cleanly from the skin.  They're very useful, again, it depends on how you want your end-product to look, as to whether you should use one or not - diced or sliced neatly cries out for a sharp knife.
• Mango Splitter:  This is cool - and again, something I've always wanted to try out.  It's ridiculously simple to use - one good push and you've got yourself two sides of a mango sliced clean from the pit. It does leave a fair deal of "meat" on the pit, but in this house that's a bonus - people scramble to be the one who gets the pit to suck on.  It's sharp, but I'm thinking if your mango was a little too much on the far side of ripe, it may get a little squished when you first try to get the blade to cut through the skin.  Worth it though, if you are uncomfortable with cutting a mango.
• Cherry (& Olive) Pitter:  My favorite gadget of them all.  Have I ever mentioned that cherries are my absolute favorite fruit in the world?  I already owned a cherry pitter which worked perfectly well, but what I really like about this one is something so simple, I didn't even think about it before I saw it, the "splatter shield".  Pitting cherries can be a messy job - especially when you're pitting a few pounds worth of sour cherries for a pie or cobbler.  The shield actually stops the splatter.  Very cool.  If you get one gadget all summer, get this one.  It'll also come in handy for pitting olives.

Now...what to do with all of that beautiful peeled, pitted, scooped, hulled, and sliced fruit just ripe for the taking?  We ate a lot of it out-of-hand.  Some went into smoothies.  A few cocktails were enjoyed.  And if you know me at all, you know that a batch of popsicles had to make its way into my freezer as well.

Papaya-Coconut Paletas

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: dessert snack vegan coconut papaya July 4th Memorial Day Labor Day popsicles summer

Ingredients (10 (2.5 oz.) Pops)

• 11.5-12 ounces fresh papaya
• 10.5 fluid ounces coconut water (with or without pulp)
• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup finely shredded, unsweetened coconut, toasted
• 1 tablespoon papaya seeds (OPTIONAL - SEE NOTE)

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients except the shredded coconut and papaya seeds into the jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a large measuring cup with a spout. Stir in the shredded coconut.

IF you are using the papaya seeds, drop a few into the bottom of each of the popsicle molds. Fill the molds with the mixture. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until solid, adding the popsicle sticks at the correct time for your particular mold.

note:

Papaya seeds are completely edible, HOWEVER, they have a very distinctive, almost peppery flavor. My kids and husband HATE them. I'm okay with them, but I actually preferred my paletas without. You might want to just put a few into one or two to try them out. If you do put them in, and wind up not liking them, they're very easy to just spit out...especially if you're eating them outside.

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WHICH OXO SUMMER FRUIT TOOL WOULD YOU LIKE BEST? WHAT WOULD YOU MAKE WITH YOUR SUMMER FRUITS?

I received these OXO Summer Fruit Tools at no cost to try and review, as I wished. I was not compensated for this post, and all opinions are 100% my own.

Fruit & Oat Power Smoothie {she made, ella hace}

Uuuuummmmm....was I complaining about how cold it still was around here one month ago?  I think that I was.  I mean, I do love to complain about mother nature skimping out on Spring and Autumn.  Because of course I would get the shaft when it comes to my favorite seasons.  The ones that allow me to breathe.  To relax.  To gear up for the bitter cold or the sweltering heat, whatever the case may be.  So allow me to complain about the ridiculous heat we've been having lately.  You know, just to prove my point.  Snow one month ago.  Temps in the nineties today.  I miss you Spring.

What's my point?  I know you're beginning to wonder.  Well, as you can see, it's she made, ella hace time today - the time when I get together with Leslie and we both make our own versions of a dish...or take a theme and roll with it.  Leslie suggested that we do "breakfast" as our theme this month, and I whole-heartedly agreed.  I mean, I'm constantly craving my favorite breakfast, which is Chilaquiles.  I figured it would be the perfect time to share another variation with you.

Then the month got crazy.  And it got hot.  And I loathed turning on any source of heat unless it was absolutely necessary.  I guess the short of it is, that I basically got lazy.  I didn't feel like making Chilaquiles...and actually measuring out ingredients and writing them down.  I mean, whip up some salsa, fry up some chips, pour the salsa over the chips and stir, top with queso, maybe an egg, probably some crema and avocado.  Lazy, I say.

So, the day before yesterday, I told Leslie how much I sucked and she suggested we do a breakfast drink.  That lady is brilliant.  Just one reason I like her so much.  Cold drinks to start off a hot day are just right.  Today, it's smoothies, to be precise.

These smoothies are packed with fruit, oats, wheat germ, and chia seeds to start the day off right.  Not only are they refreshing and delicious, they're such a healthy way to start off the day.  And, as often happens, Leslie and I were thinking along the same lines.  Just head over and check out her Strawberry Oat Smoothie.  You'll see.

Fruit & Oat Power Smoothies

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: blender beverage breakfast vegetarian oats papaya cherries strawberries American summer

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 cup milk (almond, rice, soy, dairy)
• 1/4 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 2-2 1/2 cups chopped fruit (whatever you like)
• ~2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
• 1 tablespoons wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds

Instructions

Place everything in the jar of a blender and puree until thick and smooth. Serve immediately.

other options:

It's a smoothie, switch up, remove, substitute - the possibilities are endless. (pictured) Cherry-Berry (Cherries, Raspberries, Strawberries) and Papaya-Cherry. Use fresh or frozen fruit.

Brown rice syrup is slightly less sweet than honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar, so you will want to adjust to taste.

Try adding a couple of pinches of spice if it goes with your ingredients: ginger, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg. Or if the fruits fit, try adding a bit of fresh mint or even basil.

Add a scoop of nut butter.

Add a handful of greens to the mix (spinach and kale both work well).

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What happens when two American girls who are both married to Mexican guys find out that although one of them lives in the U.S. and one of them lives in Mexico, they both love eating the same food?  Well, naturally they decide to get "together" the only way they can and cook up the same dishes.  Or perhaps take the same ingredients and talking about them in their own voice or using them in their own way. 

Leslie and I have teamed up to occasionally cook/bake/make a our own versions of the same food.  We want to see how similar (or how different) they turn out.  Other times we will pick an ingredient and use it however we choose...or maybe just talk about it.  Good food knows no borders and we hope to share the food we love with you.  It's not a competition, it's a showcase.  We will post on the same day as each other and would love to hear your thoughts on what we've made and how you make it. 

Join me (here at girlichef) and Leslie in her kitchen (at La Cocina de Leslie) for some delicious food.

Lentils w/ Rice inspired by Delicatessen {food 'n flix}

I knew what Delicatessen was about before I started watching, so it wasn't a shock.  This film is set in a small apartment building atop a butcher shop in post-apocalyptic France, in which the owner of the apartment building and the butcher are one in the same. In this shattered version of the world, meat is incredibly scarce.  Not even any rats remain.  This means that although the butcher shop is open daily, meat is only sold from time to time.  Usually following the disappearance of the latest handyman.

But people look forward to these disappearances.  They anticipate them.  They prepare their goods for trade.  Goods like grain, corn, lentils, and whatever else the butcher may accept as payment.  It's dark, and a bit crazy.  But it also has its funny moments and a quirky cast of characters.

The characters make this film.  The humanness of the daily antics, from boys pulling pranks to forbidden love, from jealousy to mother-in-laws, from trysts to bumbling first dates.  The hilariousness of filling a room with water in order to break through the floor and escape your pursuers.  And perhaps my favorite part, bouncing in time on a bed in order to find that one squeaky spring.

Food references abound, as you would imagine since it is the primary thing on your mind when you are always hungry.  But it does take a little bit of imagination to pull the bits and bobs together that are NOT mystery meat.  Okay, not a mystery - everybody knows what it is, and they ask for it by name (brain, shoulder, leg).

At first, I was going to make an Artichoke Heart Souffle in honor of the code words that Julie uses in her attempt to save Louison from her father's cleaver, with the help of the underground group, the Troglodytes.  And then I entertained the idea of a "mock apple pie", as a nod to the "mock animal meat" that drives these people mad with anticipation.  The large sacks of corn in Clapet's basement brought visions of stone soup, or perhaps cornmeal mush to my head.

But in the end, it was Louison, the lovable vegetarian clown turned handyman who inspired me.  When his taxi first arrives on the cobblestones outside of the butcher shop to find a job, he turns out his pockets looking for money, and all he comes up with is a palmful of lentils.  Vegetarianism appeals to me much more than cannibalism.  Yes, lentils and other legumes would be where I turned to give my body protein.  And since there is still grain floating around, why not combine it with those lentils - to fill you up for a longer period of time.  I like to think I'd pull out my stash of spices in order to add a bit of depth and a reminder of the "good old days".

Lentils with Rice

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Keywords: boil vegetarian nut-free soy-free sugar-free lentils rice

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 1/3 cups French green lentils, rinsed
• 5 cups water, divided
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 fat cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon roasted, ground coriander
• sea salt
• 1 cup white basmati rice (or long grain white), rinsed well
• 2 tablespoons butter
• big handful chopped parsley, divided

Instructions

Put the lentils and 4 cups of the water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until just tender, adding a few pinches of salt towards the end of the cooking time.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a small-medium pan over medium-low heat and add the onion, stirring often, until it is golden and "sticky-looking". Add garlic, cinnamon, paprika, and coriander, and stir, cooking for a couple minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Add the reserved onion mixture. rice, butter, half of the parsley, the last cup of water, and another pinch or two of salt to the pot with the lentils. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a very gentle simmer.

Cook for about 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked through. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover with a clean dish towel and cover again for 10 minutes. Fluff again, check seasoning, and and stir in remaining parsley.  Enjoy.

inspired by and adapted from Apples for Jam

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This month's edition of Food 'n Flix is hosted by Elizabeth at The Law Student's Cookbook, with her pick: Delicatessen. Submissions are due 5/29, so there's still time to join in this month. If you haven't seen Delicatessen, you're in for a surprise!

Next month's pick, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, will be hosted by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla - it's never too early to start watching (and cooking... or making sushi).

Slow Cooker Mole Rojo

I have certain dishes that I am very picky about.  Some may call it biased.  Some may call it snobbery.  I just call it taste.  Mole is one of those dishes.

Now, I almost hate to admit that the mole I like more than any other is my own.  Ha!  But in all fairness, the recipe originally came from Rick Bayless.  I've only adapted it slightly here and there over the years.  Maybe it's because it was "my first".  I mean, first love sets the bar, right?

Okay, that's not to say that I haven't enjoyed many other varieties of mole.  Made by an equal variety of people.  There's just something about that version that keeps me dreaming...remembering...craving.  I'm not alone, either.  My family feels the same way.  Immediate and extended.  I get requests every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas for a jar.  That's just usually the time that I make it.

You see, a really good mole takes time to develop those complex layers of flavor.  Chiles, nuts and seeds, tomatoes or tomatillos, dried fruit, spices, flavorful broth, (pleasantly) gritty Mexican chocolate, bread or tortillas - they all play their part in that medley.  But time plays an equally important role.  And, if you judge by the look of my kitchen on mole-making-day, so does a big, fat mess!  Let's not forget the (ahem) warmth that fills the kitchen...and eventually the whole house...when a pot is simmering for the better part of a day over an open fire.

So worth it, but precisely the reason that it normally gets made in the wintertime around here.

So, this mole is not the one I've been yammering on about.  HOWEVER, it is extremely close.  And I made it on a day where the thermometer outside my kitchen window registered 80+ degrees.  Without breaking a sweat.   Believe that.

You know why?  (Of course you do, it's in the title of this post.  Humor me.)  Because it's made IN A SLOW-COOKER!   So now I can comfortably make mole in the heat of the summer.  I'll admit it's not quite as good as my first love, but it's really close.  And the fact that the mess is basically non-existent compared to my dream-mole, I'm almost willing to overlook that.  Plus, with a few tweaks, I believe I can come even closer.

Slow-Cooker Mole Rojo

Deep, rich Mole Rojo made in a slow cooker.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours+

Keywords: slow-cooker sauce entree soy-free almonds chiles Christmas Cinco de Mayo Dia de los Muertos Day of the Dead Mexican

Ingredients (2 quarts (12 servings))

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or good pork lard)
• 3 ounces mulato chiles, stemmed, seeded, & cut into 1" pieces
• 1.5 ounces ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, & cut into 1" pieces
• 1.5 ounces pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded, & cut into 1" pieces
• 4-6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 ounces whole almonds
• 2 ounces raisins
• 1 (15 ounce) can fire-roasted, diced tomatoes w/ their juices
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Mexican canela (or regular cinnamon)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground anise seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
• 1 ounce Mexican chocolate, roughl chopped
• 1 thick slice firm white bread, toasted darkly & broken into pieces
• 1/4 cup brown sugar + more as needed
• sea salt
• 2 quarts chicken stock/broth (or rich vegetable stock), approximately

Instructions

You have two options to start this mole on its journey - if you have a slow-cooker with a removable, fire-safe crock, great. If you don't, do this first part in a large pot and transfer to the slow-cooker.

Heat the oil in the bottom of the pot over high heat. Once hot, add the chiles, garlic, almonds, and raisins, stirring slowly and constantly for about 5 minutes or so. Th inside of the chile pieces should turn lighter, the garlic will be a light golden, the raisins will be puffed, and the almonds will be well toasted. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the ground spices, the bread, and the chocolate, and continue to stir for another 2 minutes or so. Add 2 cups of water, the brown sugar, and about 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Stir and bring to a simmer. Transfer the pot to the slow-cooker base (or pour into the slow-cooker), cover, and cook on low for 6 hours.

Scrape all of the mole base out of the slow-cooker and into a bowl. Add half of the mixture, along with 2 cups of the chicken stock the jar of a blender and blend until completely smooth. This could take a few minutes depending on your blender. Set a fine-mesh strainer over your slow-cooker crock and pour the mixture in the blender through, pressing to release all of the base, leaving the chile skins behind. Repeat with second half and 2 more cups of chicken stock. Stir 3 more cups of the chicken stock into the pot, cover, and cook on high for 2 hours longer. At this point, the mole should be the consistency of a cream soup. If it seems too thick, add in some of the remaining cup of chicken stock to thin it out. Taste, and adjust seasoning with about another 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and a teaspoon or so of salt.

Serve hot over chicken, turkey, pork, or eggs. We love it with carnitas and grilled chicken leg portions, as well. I also love it with just queso fresco and hot corn tortillas. If serving with chicken or turkey, sprinkle with a smattering of toasted sesame seeds. One serving is approximately 1/2 cup.

Store in a jar or container with a lid in the fridge for 5 days or so.

notes:

I think I'm going to add 2-4 ounces of toasted sesame seeds and some roasted tomatillos with their juices to my next batch, so that it comes closer to the flavor profile of the "regular" (non-slow-cooker) version of mole that I love so dearly.

Though this may not have quite the depth of flavor that a mole whose ingredients have been toasted and ground individually, and simmered over a slow fire has - the lack of mess it makes in the kitchen may be enough for me to make this version quite often. Plus, it doesn't heat up the kitchen.

adapted from Fiesta at Rick's

Want more MOLE?  Here's a few more varieties you can find here:
Mole Rojo
Mole Verde Queretano
"On Mole" + Mole Amarillo
Mole de Olla

Whipped Spelt Bread {Bread Baking Babes}

I've had a really rough couple of weeks.  Heck, it may even have been a month of rough by now.  And although today has been in my sights for quite some time (as reveal day for Bread Baking Babes), I am running extremely late.  I kept putting the bread baking on the back-burner.  Tomorrow.  Tomorrow.

This dough requires overnight refrigeration, so I would tell myself that I would make it "tonight", so that I could have bread tomorrow.  I forgot every day straight for a solid week.  Until it was morning and I saw my note-to-self sitting on the table as I shuffled in to the kitchen to get my coffee.  Sigh.

I almost made it two nights ago, but fortunately it once again slipped my mind, because the we lost electricity that night.  I guess big parts of the city and its surrounding did.  I didn't go to bed until just after midnight that night (the power was still on at that point), and then my hubby was whispering to me at about 4 am telling me that the power was out.  It didn't come back on until 10 that morning.  So, the refrigerating of the dough would have been iffy anyway.

I finally whipped up the dough last night.  It took all of 5 minutes.  Literally.  I just dumped everything into the bowl and turned on the the beaters.  If you'll remember, I mentioned the rough-state of "me" lately...this meant that heading to the basement and lugging my big mixer upstairs was far too cumbersome for me to do.  So I went the route of the hand-mixer, though deep down I knew I was probably asking for a blown motor.

I didn't blow my motor, but those beaters didn't want to turn, either.  So my dough didn't necessarily pull away from the edges.  I mixed it 'til it was combined and then I slapped some plastic wrap over the bowl and put it in the fridge on a wing and a prayer.

Fortunately, it worked - and I had a beautiful, tasty loaf of bread today.  That made today just a little bit better.  I know, I know...I'm not usually all doom and gloom.  I'm sorry.  When I started writing this post, I fully intended to tell you why I'm such a downer lately.  But I'm not ready.  One day soon...

Whipped Spelt Bread

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: overnight

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Keywords: bake bread spelt

Ingredients (1 loaf)

• 420 grams Spelt Flour (whole grain, stone ground)
• 80 grams bread flour + more as needed
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 10 g kosher salt
• 800 gram lukewarm water (yes, I measured the water by weight)

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and whip, using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, at high speed until the dough pulls away from the sides and bottom of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours).

Remove the bowl from the fridge and allow to sit on the counter, at room temperature, for 3-4 hours, or until the dough has warmed up and little bubbles are appearing here and there on the surface.

Generously flour a work surface, and scoop the dough out onto it gently. Dust the top of the dough with some more flour, and then cut into 2 (basically) equal portions. 

 Gingerly roll the portions into fat ropes, taking care not to work too much and release the built up gases. Twist the pieces together, and place on a piece of parchment paper. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and set a piece of plastic wrap or a clean tea towel over the dough. Let rise at room temperature until it's about doubled in size, 30-40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 480° F (just a scooch above the 475 mark), with a baking stone on the center rack. If you don't have a stone, just set the dough with parchment on a baking sheet.

When the oven is preheated, generously mist the inside with water. Slide the dough, parchment and all on to the stone and spray some more water into the oven. Open the oven again after 1 minute, and spray again.

After 5 minutes longer, lower the oven temperature to 410° F (a scooch above 400), and bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

Slide loaf (on parchment still, or not) onto a wire rack to cool completely.

inspired by and adapted from Home Baked: Nordic Recipes and Techniques for Organic Bread and Pastry by Hanne Risgaard

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The Bread Baking Babes are:   Bake My Day - Karen | blog from OUR kitchen - Elizabeth | Feeding my Enthusiasms - Pat/Elle | girlichef  - Heather | Life's a Feast - Jamie | Living in the Kitchen with Puppies - Natashya | Lucullian Delights - Ilva | My Kitchen In Half Cups - Tanna | Notitie Van Lien - Lien | Paulchen's Foodblog - Astrid | Provecho Peru - Gretchen | Thyme for Cooking - Katie 

The Bread Baking Buddies are: YOU!  

If you'd like to bake along as a buddy this month, head on over to the hosting Babe's kitchen for this month (Ilva at Lucullian Delights) for the base recipe (you're welcome to adapt) and any special instructions.  Then send her your post by the 26th to receive your buddy badge and be included in the Bread Baking Buddy roundup.  I hope you join us!

I am also sharing this post with Yeastspotting

King's Hawaiian Roast Beef Sandwich @Arbys #RoastBeefatopia - a new twist on an old favorite!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Arby's. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm one of those people that goes to a restaurant and orders the same thing every time.  Not every restaurant, but some restaurants.  Take for example my family's favorite local diner.  I order the exact same thing for breakfast every single time we go.  I mean sure, it wasn't always that way.  Way-back-when, I tried a few other options.  And then one day I tried "the one".  And now, even if I firmly declare that I am going to "order something else today", I don't.  I mean to with 99.1% of my being, but I open up my mouth and what comes out is "the usual".

I have the same sort of deal at a local Mexican joint.  Actually, here - the whole family does.  The guy in the kitchen sees us coming in, gives a nod and a wave, and starts our order.  Five to ten minutes before the waitress even brings it to him.  I swear we're not boring.  We (especially me) love trying new foods.  Even new restaurants.  But there are those few restaurants where one dish prevails.

I'm not gonna lie.  I'm the same way at Arby's.  I've loved the same thing since high school (and let's just say that this year marks 20 years since I graduated...ssshhhh).  I think high school lunch period was, like, 55 minutes long.  Once the bell rang you darted for the door and whichever friend had a car.  You make a beeline for the restaurant of the day.  You ate as fast as you possibly could (to this day, I still call fast-eating "high school lunch syndrome").  Then you'd get back to school in time for the second half of your day.

Back then the main concern was budget (or lack of it).  I would always order a regular roast beef sandwich, curly fries, and a Jamocha shake.  The bun would come off, and since I couldn't decide which one I liked better, half of the sandwich would get Horsey sauce, and the other half would get Arby's sauce.  My fries would get the same treatment.  And don't even get me started on those Jamocha shakes (YUM).

Now, I have tried some other sammies from Arby's.  And enjoyed them.  But I just don't think you can beat their plain roast beef!

Fast forward to 2013.  As in, right now.  Arby's has two new King's Hawaiian Sandwiches to choose from:

1. Arby’s KING’S HAWAIIAN roast beef sandwich: a soft and slightly sweet King's Hawaiian Bun that is piled high with an extra helping of that perfectly slices roast beef that Arby's is known for.
2. Arby's KING'S HAWAIIAN roast beef & swiss sandwich: same as above, but with the addition of Swiss cheese, crisp pickles, and a creamy Dijon spread.

Hmmmm.  I DO love me some King's Hawaiian Bread.  I'll admit, I had a bit of a wrestling match in my head over which of these two sandwiches to choose.  On the one hand, I love cheese.  Any cheese.  And mustard is a good friend of mine.  Pickles?  Sure, we get along.  But in the end, I went with my old favorite, a big ol' stack of mouthwatering roast beef - all alone and in its glory!

I couldn't NOT "do my thang".  I crave that roast beef with a strip of Arby's sauce...a strip of Horsey sauce...and a strip of Three Pepper Sauce (which since it's introduction has earned its place right alongside those other two sauces I can't choose between)!  All I can say is that the addition of the King's Hawaiian bun was the icing on the cake.  I'm glad I went early in the lunch hour, because I think I was making loud happy noises with each bite.  I just kinda needed to be alone with my King's Hawaiian Roast Beef Sandwich.

Speaking of Hawaii... Do you want to surf in paradise? (Yes, that is a totally rhetorical question.)  Arby's is hosting a Hawaiian Getaway sweepstakes, and you could win a royally delicious trip for two to Hawaii!

• Round-trip air transportation for winner and guest
• Four nights hotel accommodations at The Hilton Hawaiian Village
• Fresh Flower Lei greeting upon arrival to Honolulu Airport
• Premium group lesson for winner and guest at Hawaiian Fire Surf School
• Choice of either a Luau for two at the Hilton Hawaiian Village or a Catamaran Cruise
• Car rental for your entire stay
• $500.00 American Express Gift Card

To enter, simply go to the Arby’s Hawaiian Getaway Sweepstakes page and fill out the short form anytime from April 29 - May 26. Good Luck! (But not too good...because, you know...I want to win.)

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies #glutenfree + @Cookies4Kids

All the Good Cookies
author: Gretchen Holt-Witt
publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
photos: yes
hardcover | 185 pages

chapters/sections: the classic gotta-haves for a bake sale / seriously chocolate / everyone can have a cookie (allergy specific) / celebrate / make it fast / sensational cookies

fun features:  100% of author proceeds from the purchase of this book go directly back to the organization and pediatric cancer research.

I also love the fun, colorful boxes located at the end of many of the recipes in the book.  They are full of tips and hints for making your cookie fundraising event a success, from "be prepared" to "what to offer" to "cute counts" to "pricing" to "community involvement" and more!  Also, there are heartwarming, personal Cookies for Kids' Cancer stories interspersed throughout the book.

(a few of the many) recipes destined for my kitchen: speculaas / sally's potato chip sandies / chocolate pillows / everyday skinny mints / deep chocolate cherry cashew cookies / doggie cookies / poppy seed cookies / toffee-almond meringues

my thoughts/review:  There is heart, soul, love, and sunshine pouring out of every page of this beautiful little cookbook.  I cried my way through the foreword, the preface, and the introduction and smiled my way through each recipe.  I'm inspired by the whole Cookies for Kids' Cancer organization and I have plans of bake sales and fundraisers and time in the kitchen with my own kids running through my head.

This is a book that I think everybody should run out and buy immediately.  And buy a few extra to give away while you're at it.  This book is truly inspirational.

what I've tried so far:  Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies - Peanut Butter cookies have been one of my favorites since I was a kid.  I love the good, old-fashioned ones made with smooth peanut butter and given cross-hatches with a fork.  I think they were one of the first things I baked all by myself.  I wasn't sure what I was going to think about a gluten-free (flourless) version, but the photos in the book were just so enticing with peanuts peeking out and chocolate sprinkles spotting them...I just couldn't resist.  And I am SO happy that I didn't, because I LOVED them.  The kids loved them.  They are chewy just like my favorite peanut butter cookies.  And I love that I now have a fabulous gluten-free cookie in my arsenal.  I think I'd love to bring a double batch (one of my classic beloved pb cookies and one of these) to any cookie-sharing opportunity!

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert gluten-free vegetarian soy-free peanut butter peanuts eggs cookie American

Ingredients (about 4 dozen)

• 1 3/4 cups natural creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped cocktail peanuts
• chocolate sprinkles, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat together all of the ingredients (except cocktail peanuts) in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, 3 minutes or so. Stir in the chopped peanuts.

Drop by heaping 2 teaspoon (or scant tablespoon) scoops onto prepared baking sheets, leaving an inch or so between each cookie. If you want to use the chocolate sprinkles, scatter some over the top of each scoop of dough.

Slide into preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn a light golden, rotating pan(s) halfway through the baking time. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

from Cookies for Kids' Cancer: All the Good Cookies

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about the author: When Gretchen Holt-Witt found out that her 2 ½ year-old son Liam had pediatric cancer, she was shocked to find out that the disease - which claims the lives of more children in the US than asthma, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis and Muscular Dystrophy ...combined - had received an appallingly low amount of attention and funds for research. All types of pediatric cancers collectively receive less than 4% of the National Cancer Institute’s multi-billion dollar budget and an equally small amount of research dollars from pharmaceutical companies. It’s simply not on the radar of our government, private industry or the general public.

So Gretchen decided to take action and instigate hope with something simple and sweet.... one of Liam’s favorite activities, baking cookies, became Gretchen’s solution. She started with rounding up friends and family to bake and sell 96,000 cookies during the holidays in 2007 - which with 250+ volunteers, she accomplished, raising $420,000 which was granted to a new therapy for pediatric cancer.

Fast-forward to today, what began as an idea to help fund one promising new research project in 2007 has grown into a movement to change the face of pediatric cancer. In just over 4 years Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has funded DOZENS of pediatric cancer research projects by raising more than 6 million dollars from thousands of grassroots events held all over the country – all 50 states plus Guam, Puerto Rico, Canada, the UK and Germany.

Sadly, Gretchen’s son Liam passed away at age 6½ in January of 2011. The funds raised from that first bake sale in 2007 were funneled to developing a treatment that would have helped her son. But the treatment only became available late 2011, months after Liam died. Which just goes to show how real this is - how CFKC is funding real treatments that have the potential to save real lives. And that is what keeps the CFKC team and Gretchen going. After all, it only takes $100,000 to get something going.

further info: website | twitter | facebook | instagram | pinterest | blog | purchase



I received a free copy of this cookbook from the publisher.  All thoughts stated in this post are 100% my own.  This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Lavender Shortbread Cookies

I'm a dreamer.  I get that from my mom.

We can plan for hours on end about the businesses we want to open.  I mean, we do it so often and so intensely, we almost start believing it's actually going to see fruition.

Spaghetti with Lentil Ragù (& banishing the demons)

Lately, I've felt the demons rising up, twisting and pulling at my insides.  Jealousy, insecurity, desire, and other hybrids sprung from a mixture of all three.  I've let myself get sucked into the chasm.  I'm sure it's a personality trait, but I think it's also a quirk of human nature.

I've always strived to be easy going, relaxed, and just plain old kind.  Usually I can accomplish that.  But sometimes I get caught up in what I don't have, what I can't do.  I see photos and hear stories from friends going to blogging conferences and traveling far and wide to learn to take better photos, tell better stories, be successful in business endeavors... and it starts to wear on me.  I want to feel happy for them.  And I basically do.  But then I start to feel sorry for myself.  For the fact that I am not able to do those same things.  I know it's not anybody's fault but my own that I don't have the means to take part in these events.  But that's not enough to stop the tightness in my chest.  It's not enough to stop the burning that starts at the back of my eyes and eventually escapes in the form of salty tears.

I see book after book written by bloggers I know, or at least bloggers I know of - and I think "that should be me!".   Voices inside rage "but it's not fair!".  "Life ain't fair, honey.  You tell your kids that all the time, you should listen to yourself."  I make myself take a step back.  Because the weight of these feelings crushes my insides, crushes my soul.  It's hard to breath.  It's hard to think.  It's hard to be creative when I indulge these demons.

Arizona Sunset Enchilada Soup Mix from @FrontierSoups {product review}

I have 88 soup recipes in my index.  While that is a good amount, when I went to count, I thought I'd have more.  Because we eat a lot of soup in this house.  But then I realized that the majority of the soups we eat either a) is something I've already blogged about and is a favorite, therefore gets made quite often *cough...tortilla soup...cough* or b) is something I've just thrown together without measuring or writing down.  I mean, refrigerator soup or pantry soup is definitely a regular occurrence.

That being said, 88 isn't too shabby.  So yes, I am a soup addict, in case you didn't already know.

Recently I had the opportunity to try a new soup mix from a great line of all-natural, healthy mixes from Frontier Soups.  The mix I tried is their featured mix for the month, Arizona Sunset Enchilada Soup Mix.  Contained in their fun little package is a combination of dehydrated navy beans, sweet potato, onion, red and green bell pepper, corn, masa (corn flour), chili powder, and epazote.  There is no added salt, preservatives or MSG, and the mix is gluten-free.

You can whip up a delicious pot of soup in 30 minutes by adding chicken broth, cooked chicken, salsa verde , shredded cheese, and a bit of sour cream to serve, if you like.  I do like.  What do I love about this mix from Frontier Soups?  Where do I start!?  First and foremost are the all-natural ingredients which I can count on my fingers and see clearly through their transparent packaging.  But the ease with which I can whip up a batch of flavorful soup comes in a very close second.

Now is a great time for you to give this mix a try, as well, as Frontier Soups is featuring it this month and has it on sale.

But this isn't my first experience with Frontier Soups.  You may remember that Whole Grains sampling box I shared a while back?  Well, it contained a package of Frontier Soups Montana High Plains Wheat Berry Chili mix which I absolutely, positively devoured!  I made it with ground turkey, but there is also a vegetarian option.  And I was extremely excited to see packages of this mix in a local store recently.  Needless to say I have a package or two sitting in my pantry "as we speak".

If you check out the Frontier Soups website, you'll find many vegetarian, whole grain, hearty, and even gluten-free options. I know I have a bunch in mind for my next order!

I received a free package of Frontier Soups Arizona Sunset Enchilada Soup Mix.  I was under no obligation to give a positive review, and I received no compensation for this post.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Lime Pie Popsicles

These particular popsicles are about two years in the making.  I've mentioned my pension for putting things off, have I not?  I finally decided that the time was ideal to put them into motion.  And of course, it took all of five active minutes to mix up the ingredients and get them into the freezer.

The resulting popsicle is both creamy and delightfully tangy at the same time.  Basically, it tastes like...well...lime pie.  Lime Icebox Pie, to be exact.  Plus, I think they're kinda beautiful - downy white with green flecks.  With a bit of rustic charm thrown in in the form of cookie crumbs.

Are you geared-up for the summer of the popsicle?  Are you stacking your molds and envisioning what types of popsicles would look best in them?  Are you scouring thrift stores, dollar stores, and every other store for fun new shapes and sizes of molds and sticks?

What...that's just me!?   Well, I hope the excitement is contagious, because I cannot wait to see your fun, creative frozen concoctions over the next 4 or 5 months!

Lime Pie Popsicles

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 5 minutes (+ time to freeze)

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: snack dessert vegetarian nut-free limes sweetened condensed milk Cinco de Mayo July 4th popsicles American Mexican summer

Ingredients (8-10)

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup half & half
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (this was 6 small limes for me)
• 2-3 teaspoons lime zest (grated finely on a microplane)
• pinch of fine sea salt
• Maria cookies, crumbled and crushed (or graham crackers)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except cookies in a bowl and whisk together until they are thoroughly combined.

Divide amongst your popsicle molds and freeze until solid, at least 5 hours. Add your popsicle sticks at the correct time for your molds.

When ready to serve, let the pops sit out at room temperature for a few minutes to let the outside just start to soften and get "tacky". Press each side of the popsicles in the cookie crumbs and enjoy!

slightly adapted from Paletas

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