Summertime Lemon-Garlic Salad Dressing

• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 1 C Olive Oil
• 1 (large) Lemon
• 1/4 C (about, or one small handful) Fresh Basil 
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt

In a food processor, mince the garlic. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the olive oil. Squeeze the lemon into the bowl. Add the basil and the salt, and process the dressing.

Serve immediately. I pour it into a jar to make serving easier, and I shake the jar as necessary because Lemon-Garlic Dressing does separate early, and often.

Refrigerate any leftovers (and they may need to be brought to room temperature before serving because the olive oil may solidify).

Lemon-Garlic Dressing is also a wonderful dressing for pasta salad.

Serves 8, or more, easily (just to give you an idea of the amount of dressing it makes).

Blueberry Smoothies

Blueberry Smoothie, in the blender carafe.

• 1 Banana
• 1 1/2 C Frozen Blueberries 
• 1 3/4 C Orange Juice

Put all ingredients in the blender, and...blend. Serve immediately. 

This smoothie will gel, or thicken, if you walk away from it and forget about it. 

You can do this with any frozen fruit, really, but you may need more or less of it. You also may need more or less juice. 

Serves 2 - 4.

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

Mini Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

I'll be honest. Peanut Butter is not my favorite flavor of ice cream. I'd prefer a vanilla ice cream, with the mini peanut butter cups, myself. But, the texture is great considering this ice cream doesn't have a custard base. It's not too soft to eat right away. And many people do, my other family members included, love peanut butter ice cream. 

Mo is home for the summer and she made this for us (which is why it is indeed peanut butter ice cream rather than vanilla).

Adapted just slightly from the Cuisinart Recipe Booklet that came with my ice cream maker

• 1 1/8 C Peanut Butter (for me, this is Kirkland Signature Organic Creamy Peanut Butter).
• 3/4 C Sugar
• 1 1/4 C Milk (Whole Milk is, of course, recommended for ice cream)
• 2 C Heavy Cream
• 1 1/2 tsps Vanilla Extract
• 1 C Mini Peanut Butter Cups (for me, these come from Trader Joe's, and I just love them, but I'm a peanut butter cup snob and I don't care for Reese's). 

Whisk together the peanut butter and the sugar 'til smooth. Add the milk, and mix 'til the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.

With the ice cream machine running (or according to the manufacturer's instructions for your ice cream maker), pour the mixture into the freezer bowl. Let mix 'til thickened, about 25 - 35 minutes.

Five minutes before mixing is complete, add the mini peanut butter cups and let them mix in. Eat immediately, and/or freeze.

The original recipes says that it makes 14, 1/2 C servings. Huh! Who knew?

Made on 6/06/2011

Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad

Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad

Caprese is a simple Italian salad composed of layered slices of tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese, dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper.

It really sounded appealing to me, and, for once, I had all of the ingredients. But, I knew my family wouldn't be enthusiastic about having Caprese Salad, and only Caprese Salad, for dinner, and I knew I didn't care to make more than one course for this particular night's dinner. So, by adding chicken and pasta to the traditional flavors and ingredients that make up a Caprese Salad, I made it into a dinner for them. Or rather, my daughter literally made it into dinner for us. I just wrote it down for her because she prefers to have a recipe to follow.

• 12 oz Pasta of your choice (I chose Pennette, well, actually my husband chose, but I also considered Capellini, Casarecce, or Orzo)
• 1 Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast
• 2 - 3 Tomatoes (I needed three, but what's important is that you really do need lovely ones for a Caprese)
• 2 handfuls of Basil (Fresh only, this time, and I say small because I have small hands. I don't have a more precise measurement for you, sorry)
• 6 oz Mozzarella (no, I don't buy fresh mozzarella, but, you can, if you choose)
• 1/2 C Olive Oil (you'll need 1/4 cup at a time)
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• Black Pepper, grind to taste

Boil, drain, and cool the pasta (I do this, when necessary, by rinsing it with cold water). Toss the cooled pasta with 1/4 C of the olive oil.

Grill the chicken breast (I do all of my "grilling" on an indoor grill, but I realize many people actually enjoy cooking outside, although I don't pretend to understand it). Let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes, or more. Dice the chicken.

Dice the tomatoes and the mozzarella, and chop the basil.  Toss the tomatoes with the other 1/4 C of olive oil and the salt. Spoonula in all the other ingredients. Let it sit while you set the table.

Serves four.

Ate on:  06/06/2011