Dessert Time

Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae

For a long time I had given up on homemade brownie recipes. They never turned out the way brownies should be, delicious. I always had much better luck with boxed brownies. That is until one day my friend Tanya made her brownie recipe for me. So moist, gooey and delicious, everything you need when you get a chocolate attack...or when it has been one of those days.

Brownies
4 oz. Semi-sweet chocolate
3/4 C. Butter
Heat together in sauce pan on medium heat, when completely melted remove from heat. Add
1 1/2 C. Sugar
Allow mixture to cool slightly then add
3 eggs slightly beaten
2tsp. Vanilla
1C. Flour
Then pour mixture into a greased 8x8 Baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 Min's.

Brownie Sundaes

1 bag of frozen berries thawed
(or fresh if available)
1 jar hot fudge
1/2 gallon of your favorite vanilla ice cream
brownies

Start with a brownie in a bowl, add ice cream, hot fudge, and top with berries

Thank you Tanya for saving me from boxed brownies! Even Travis my husband, who hates chocolate, likes these. I think of you every time I make them.

Meatballs

I know meatballs seem like a bother to make homemade, but I promise your work will not go unnoticed. And it really is not as much work as you may think. I like to make a big batch and freeze the rest so next time you have a really easy dinner.

I have modified this recipe from one of my favorite Italian cook books. It calls for beef but after reading many other sources I found a true authentic meatball is a mixture of veal, beef, and pork. You may be able to find this meatball mixture prepackaged at your grocery store.

1lb mixture of ground veal, pork, and beef

2 T. Olive oil

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

4 T. bread crumbs

3 T. Parmesan and Romano mixture freshly grated

2 T. fresh parsley Chopped

1/2 Medium red onion

1 egg

Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients(except olive oil) with hands and roll into balls about 1 1/2 inches in Diameter. Be sure to make all the meatballs before you start to cook them so you will know when they are all done.

Heat a large frying pan to med-high, add olive oil then add meatballs. occasionally roll meatballs around with a spoon for all sides to brown and to keep the round shape. When all sides are brown and meat balls are cooked through remove from pan and place on a plate with paper towel to soak up any grease.
Add to any of your favorite pasta dishes or a meatball sub with mozzarella always hits the spot!


The main key to this recipe, and in my opinion any recipe, is fresh ingredients. You may think you don't have time to chop the parsley, well, time yourself sometime. How much longer does it really take? And fresh garlic may seem strange and intimidating if you have only ever used garlic salt but just give it a try, your taste buds will be amazed at the difference! I have to say your body will too, we are surrounded by a world of processed food. Even though the label says it is food, I have to wonder. Watch out for your body and those you cook for...eat real food!

Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos are not something I'm usually temped to order in a restaurant. Mexican is one of my favorites and there are just so many other items on the menu making my mouth water. However its one of my husband's favorites. I was a little nervous making them for the first time because the only time I have ever tasted them was while taking a quick bite of his. His taste buds approved so I'll share the recipe with you. We used Tilapia, but any fish would work, so you girls(you know who you are:) with freezers stuffed full of all kinds of fresh fish can try this with any variety.

Fish

4 pieces of Tilapia

lime zest and juice from one lime

Cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Lightly rub both sides of fish with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and as much or as little cayenne pepper as you please. Sprinkle lime zest evenly over fish, then grill for 5 Min's on each side or until fish flakes with a fork. Squeeze lime juice all over fish. If you don't want to try the fish tacos, the fish is great just like this, top with salsa and serve with rice.

Salsa

1 C. tomatoes

1/4 C. onion

1 jalapeno peeper chopped
1 avocado mashed or chopped

Lime juice from half a lime

fresh Parsley or Cilantro chopped

1 Clove garlic copped

Salt and pepper

Stir together in a bowl

To assemble the tacos just break fish into large chunks, and place in tortilla. Then add salsa, your favorite cheese ( I used Monterrey Jack) And a dollop of sour cream.

Its so nice to live with someone who likes different foods then you are used to. When I got married I didn't like half the foods I can't live without now. Be adventurous, try new things!

Open-Faced Caprese Melt

I am usually not an open-faced sandwich person, I want all the bread I can get. But this little sandwich never leaves me wanting. Its perfect for a light lunch or an afternoon snack. Now is the time to savor these delicious fresh ingredients of summer, it will be over before we know it. This recipe is as easy and quick as it is delicious!

Slice a few pieces of a good crusty bakery bread
Lightly butter one side
Add a slice of whole milk mozzarella Cheese
(enough to cover all the way to the edges)
Broil for 2 -3 Min's. until cheese is melted and bubbling
*Always keep oven door cracked open when broiling
*Always set your oven timer!!!
layer on top of this bubbling deliciousness a few slices of tomatoes, then top with fresh basil leaves
Drizzle a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper


Sometimes its the simplest things that taste the best.

Our Growing Garden

week one

week five

week ten

After 10 weeks, this is what our garden has grown into. We planted two tomato plants, one is called, Bush Early Girl, the other is called Celebrity. I can hardly believe how massive the Celebrity has gotten, I had to stand on a bar stool to tie it up to the steak, the only problem is it isn't producing any fruit.

There are several blooms that will hopefully start producing soon.

The Early Girl is barely to my knees and we have already gotten three tomatoes from it...sooo good!

First two jalapeno peppers...hmm, I'm thinking Mexican tonight...

The Chives are coming along

Remember the cute little cucumber plant? We planted this away from the garden because it said to leave six feet of room...it was correct.

Here it is now, we have gotten one cucumber. It didn't look very pretty but it tasted amazing.

We learned one thing, make sure the six feet you allow is all top soil. My husband was wondering how we were going to mow around it. At first I thought we could just pick it up and mow under it, but then I realized how it wraps itself around everything. It would have been best to clear out all the grass before planting. I have also had a bug problem on this plant possibly due to the grass, I have been using insecticidal soap spray for organic gardening. Be very cautious when buying harsh chemical bug spray "safe" for vegetables. It may not noticeably harm the plant but what it may be doing when you put it in your body is also not seen.

Here is the plant coiling around the grass

There are several more cucumbers on their way!

There is something so special about a growing garden. There are so many reminders of how we are not accidents on this earth. You put a seed in the ground, water it, give it sun, it grows, then it nourishes us. Stop and think about that for a moment. We grow entirely to used to all the miracles that take place everyday. It is too amazing to just have happened randomly. Those who do not believe in God have to have much more faith to believe in nothing.