Fresh Peach and Whiskey Ice Cream

I've got a double-whammy to share with you today—Eat a Peach Day and this month's round of she made, ella hace with my friend Leslie from La Cocina de Leslie! Two reasons for one delicious post. Well, I guess it's actually two since both Leslie and I are sharing a recipe. Hmmm, so maybe it's a triple-whammy. Or would that make it a quadruple-whammy? I'll let you ponder that (or not) while I turn my attention to PEACHES!

My kids went back to school this past week, but we still have another month of summer to go—that means tons of fresh produce is still rolling in. My kitchen looks a little ridiculous right now. My counters and table are overrun by tomatoes, chiles, zucchini and yellow squash, corn on the cob, and green beans. I'm not even the one with a garden, my neighbors are. Not that I'm complaining (much), but I find myself without any space in my teeny-tiny kitchen to prepare or put it all up!

So what do I do? Hit up the market and roadside stands for deep ruby plums and fuzzy peaches. You know, so I can fill in the tiny gaps and form teetering pyramids. The fruit disappears in a flash, though, so I had to snag a couple of those peaches to make this ice cream. Yeah, I'm still in full-on ice cream mode, too.

Sweet Tea Peach Popsicles (with or without Peach Bourbon)

I originally shared this recipe in a post that I wrote for Mrs. Happy Homemaker just after she unexpectedly lost the love of her life. The popsicles are made from ingredients that reminded me of the time I had just spent with Crystal two months before...along with her husband Michael.

That being said, these popsicles are a refreshing frozen summer treat - with a Southern twist that anybody can enjoy, but if you have a few moments, I hope you'll drop my original post at Mrs. Happy Homemaker to read about the inspiration behind these Sweet Tea Peach Popsicles!

Blended Coconut Oil Coffee inspired by Thrill Me

Last month I was part of an excerpt tour for the latest release in the Fool's Gold series by Susan Mallery titled Thrill Me. I featured Thrill Me Excerpt 5, in which our two main characters, Maya and Del interact alone for the first time in the ten years since their first-love relationship "ended". This encounter started in a local coffee shop called Brew-haha, which winds up being a supporting character in its own right throughout the book, supplying caffeine and a gathering spot for locals and tourists to the small town of Fool's Gold. Today I'm back with my review of this romance novel to go along with that excerpt.

If you spend any amount of time here, you probably know that I'm a big reader. But...and I've mentioned this before...romance has never really been my genre of choice. So if may come as a bit of a shock that this is a romance novel. It's actually book 20 in a series that I'd never heard of before. And guess what? I liked it. It was fun. Plus, I love the stereotype of being a desperate housewife who escapes reality for a while by throwing a little romance paperback in my beach bag (which I totally did, by the way).

Grilled Duck Half w/ Raspberry Barbecue Sauce

Would you believe me if I told you that you could have tender, succulent duck for dinner on a busy weeknight? Well, guess what? You CAN have tender, succulent duck for dinner on a busy weeknight! It's simply a matter of combining seasonal fruit and raiding your spice cupboard to throw together a flavorful barbecue sauce while your grill heats up.

You may know that I am a Maple Leaf Farms ambassador for a few simple reasons. They are a local family-run business here in Indiana and they produce a superior product that stems from caring and commitment. I'm not paid to use, write, or talk about their products—I do it because I think everybody should know about their availability.

Whiskey Caramel Apple Pie inspired by August: Osage County | #FoodnFlix

"My last refuge, my books: simple pleasures, like finding wild onions by the side of the road, or requited love."

August: Osage County is one of those movies I only really wanted to watch once in my life, but wound up watching twice. I saw it when it was first released on DVD. A tragic and heart-wrenching story with moments of humor that soon turned to disgust. The one character that I would have liked to see more of was the one that departed the screen early. I did think that the whole cast was pretty amazing and they played their parts to a T.

In simplest terms, August: Osage County is a drama that hints at dark comedy that is based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. The story takes place in Oklahoma and centers around the Weston family—the main characters being:

• Violet - mother, wife, pill addict with cancer who runs over with piss, vinegar, and a venomous tongue
• Barbara, Karen, and Ivy - the adult daughters, each with their own distinct personalities, paths, and problems
• Beverly - father, husband, poet, and alcoholic whose death brings them all back together

Western BBQ Bison Burgers

Usually when I make something big and meaty that would be really nice to wash down with a cold beer, I get comments like "oh, my husband/boyfriend/man would love this" and "that is some man-pleasing food". Ummmmmmmm...okay. I get it. My guy totally appreciates brat-topped pizza, sticky ribs, and fat burgers. But, you know what? So do I!

Those are what one would call backhanded compliments, right? Inadvertent or not, I tend to get a little indignant when I read them. Apparently, as a woman, I should be massaging my kale and frosting my dainty cupcakes. I do like kale. A lot. But that's not the point. Why must I feel shame for enjoying an extremely fat, extremely juice, extremely flavorful burger right alongside my man?

Fortunately, when it all seems too much, I can count on ladies like Kita at GirlCarnivore to have my back. She knows the joy in not only making, but devouring, some perfectly cooked meat. I mean, she is the mastermind behind #BurgerMonth, so obviously this girl is all about enjoying epic burgers and such.

OREO Cookies 'n Cream Ice Cream

Some people just like to do things the hard way. Take for example, me. Although my blogging friend Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake and I live in the same state...a mere 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive from each other...we actually met in person for the first time when we were both more than 2,000 miles from home. If that's not the hard way, I don't know what is. Totally worth it.

Hopefully next time we'll do it the easy way. Today I'm excited that Liz's blog is my Blogger C.L.U.E Society assignment; this month, the group scoured their assigned blogs for recipes that would help us Beat the Heat! Since I drop by Liz's blog on a fairly regular basis, I knew the hardest part wouldn't be finding a recipe that I wanted to make, but rather narrowing it down to the one recipe I couldn't live without.

Summer Vegetable Goulash

A couple of weeks ago, a friend mentioned that she'd been trying to make a good vegetarian version of goulash, but she hadn't gotten it quite right yet. I made a few suggestions for when she was ready to try again, and then went back to business as usual. Or not. The thought of a vegetarian goulash niggled at the back of my mind for a solid week, until I decided I needed to make some in my own kitchen.

It's funny though, because at first I thought - vegetarian goulash!? The thought was basically an oxymoron in my mind. I mean, I grew up in the Midwest, and in these parts, hearty stews and casseroles always had meat in them. When I thought goulash, I thought ground beef in a paprika-spiked tomato base over noodles that was "lightened" up by stirring through a big scoop of sour cream...and then finished with melty cheese.

But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to try a meatless version. With the abundance of summer vegetables in evidence on my kitchen counter and table, as well as dotting the road with stands every few miles, now was definitely the time to do it.

Zucchini Cheddar Bread

Happy National Zucchini Day! With zucchini madness in full effect right now, I'm constantly on the hunt for new and exciting ways to use zucchini. As much as I love a good zucchini quick bread, after already making four loaves in the past couple of weeks, I decided to incorporate zucchini into a savory yeasted loaf. Three loaves, actually.

You may remember last November when I shared this Spice-Swirled Cranberry Sweet Potato Bread as part of the Three Loaves Movement. Three Loaves encourages the use of sustainable and seasonal ingredients, and I can't think of anything more appropriate to the season than zucchini!

One loaf for my family. One loaf for a friend. One for someone in need. This recipe makes three large free-form loaves—as in, 2 pounds each. While it tastes delicious alone, it's pretty darn tasty toasted, as the bread for a grilled cheese sandwich, and alongside a nice brothy bowl of soup.

Cherry Buttermilk Popsicles

Did you know that there is actually an "official" time period for the dog days of summer? I've always considered them to be the hottest, stickiest days of the season and for the most part, I was right. But according to infoplease:

"Dog Days is the name for the most sultry period of summer, from about July 3 to Aug. 11. Named in early times by observers in countries bordering the Mediterranean, the period was reckoned as extending from 20 days before to 20 days after the conjunction of Sirius (the dog star) and the sun."

Kinda cool, right? It also says that the days can vary a bit due to a difference in latitude since the movement of the equinoxes changes gradually over long periods of time. So, give or take. I always feel like they extend well into August in these parts.

Malted Guinness Beer Bread

The smell of this bread baking envelopes the kitchen in a warm, heady smell that, for me, conjured up memories of touring breweries and distilleries in Ireland. In two words, it smelled magical and comforting. My daughter said it smelled like bittersweet chocolate. I'm sure it was the combination of thick, rich Guinness and malt in the form of barley malt syrup and malted wheat flakes. This is definitely not your granny's beer bread.

With pleasantly chewy texture and notes of rich, malty chocolate, it's not for those with wimpy tastebuds. If you tend towards dark stouts and porters, dark chocolate, and dark coffee, I bet you'll fall head over heals for it like I did, though. I'm putting myself out there when I say basically, this is THE BEST beer bread I've ever eaten. Bold words for a bold bread.

I actually made this loaf almost five months ago, but I'm just now getting around to sharing it with you. I was waiting for the right time, and since I'm hosting this month's edition of #TwelveLoaves, I decided that time was now; I chose Malt as our theme.

Savory Tomato and Zucchini Pie

It's the last Friday of the month, and you know what that means - Friday Pie Day! But really, where did July go? I blinked and somehow here we are. Summer "vacation" seemed so much longer when I was a kid. Now we're just a few weeks away from my own kids heading back for another school year.

But aside from that pending doom, what other two things can you count on when the last day of July is staring you in the face? Tomatoes and zucchini, that's what! It's funny, because I've gotten pretty lazy (busy really, but I could have carved out some time somewhere...) and haven't planted a garden in about 4 years. Yet, my kitchen is still overrun with zucchini thanks to my neighbors. And personally, I don't think one could ever have to many fresh from the backyard tomatoes.

So, I thought this would be a good time to combine the two and make one savory pie. I also added basil, another thing that just screams summer. I should have just called it Summer Pie!

Pimm's Cup Ice Pops

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy icy cold cocktails. From frosty blended drinks, to tall sweaty glasses filled with ice cubes that clink and slosh every time you lift them, there's just something about raising a toast under the hot sun. Of course, sitting alone under a shade tree isn't so bad, either.

As much as I enjoy sipping, it's no secret that I enjoy turning my cocktails into boozesicles even more. There were these Tequila Sunrise Ice Pops, and these Cherry Mojito Ice Pops, not to mention these Lemon Lime Margarita Creamsicles—and that's just to name a few. Sure, it's convenient to have a portable frozen cocktail, but it's the whimsy and nostalgia that get me every time.

Garlicky Duck Stir-Fry inspired by Eat Drink Man Woman

"Eat, drink, man, woman. Basic human desires."

This month's Food 'n Flix pick is a true "foodie movie". A delight for the senses, Eat Drink Man Woman is set in Taiwan and centers around widowed Master Chef Chu and his three unmarried adult daughters who still live at home. Each Sunday they come together to connect over a lovingly crafted elaborate family meal. The daughters are being pulled in their own directions by love and careers while they notice that their father's once flawless food is starting to lack flavor because he has lost his sense of taste.

Sound familiar? Well, if you haven't seen this 1994 release before, maybe you've seen the 2001 flick Tortilla Soup. Tortilla Soup is the American remake that features a Mexican-American family living in Southern California. I think both movies are equally delicious in their own right.