4th of July Round-Up

 4h of July Round-Up

Berry Caprese Salad

A fun festive salad and the balsamic drizzle is just the needed piece de resistance especially when you use chocolate balsamic.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups halved strawberries, stem removed
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup fresh blackberries or watermelon cubes
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls or 1-1/2 cups cubed mozerella 
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Drizzle of dark quality balsamic glaze or chocolate balsamic  

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine berries, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and gently stir. Drizzle balsamic glaze over the salad and serve immediately.

Pop Rocks Cocktail 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/07/last-minute-4th-of-july-ideas.html

Mixed Berry Trifle

Cherry Margaritas

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2014/06/celebrate-4th-of-july.html

Ice-Cream Sandwiches with Sprinkles

Lemon Berry Tartlets

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/06/4th-of-july-sweet-treats.html

Grilled Pork Chop Dinner

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/07/celebrating-4th.html

Happy Birthday with a DIY Twist

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 

Mary 

 LaVerne 

These two wonderful ladies recently turned 90. What a privilege to be able to celebrate their special birthdays with them and several others. They both love cake and my desserts so it was fun to come up with a novel treat just for them. 

Are you familiar with the store Nothing But Bundt Cakes? 

I love the concept of a small bundt cake on a dish.

If you wanted to package it fancy you can wrap the cake on a dish with cellophane and tie it with a bow. 

A trip to a local thrift store provided a plate and base for the cake. So many sweet designs to choose from. 

 

Last winter I ordered 4 mini (4 inches) bundt cakes from Amazon.
Webake Mini Buntcake Pan Nonstick Fluted Cake Pan 4 Inch Carbon Steel Baking Cup Mold for Bundtlet, Bavarois, Brownie, Cupcake, Pudding Canele, Pack of 4

The following Lemon Olive Oil Almond Cake batter is perfect for 4 mini cakes. Cake Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup whole milk or half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Garnish toasted almonds and coconut (1/4 cup each)

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Milk as needed

Directions:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Spray PAM on mini Bundt pans or use cupcake liners in large muffin tins.
• Pulse the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a blender until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then gradually pour in the olive oil, extract and milk, pulsing until emulsified into a thin batter, about 30 seconds. Don't over blend or the cakes will be too puffy.
• Whisk 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. in a small bowl. Add to the blender in 2 batches, pulsing lightly until just combined; stop to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed.
• Divide the batter among 4 pans about 1/2 cup each. Bake until the cakes just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and spring back when lightly touched, 26-28 minutes for 4 mini Bundt pans and 22 to 24 minutes if using a muffin pan. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a small knife and invert the cakes onto a rack.
• Mix glaze ingredients, drizzle over top, adding toasted almonds and coconut, and grate with fresh lemon peel.

Looking for more bundt cake recipe ideas? Try
https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/08/bund-cakes-with-t.html

Asian Chicken Mandarin Chopped Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing

COME FOR LUNCH-STAY FOR THE DAY

Asian Chicken Mandarin Chopped Salad with Thai Peanut Dressing and Salted Caramel Almond Cake

Yes, I do realize the chopped salad kit comes with a prepared dressing but homemade is so much tastier. Plus the taste is much closer to signature salad at the Granite City Restaurant. The dressing is so easy as all ingredients go right in the blender. Recipe serves 4 and is an Ever Ready Special.

Salad Ingredients:

• 3/4 bag of chopped Asian Salad Mix (save enclosed dressing packet for another time)
  
  
  
• 1-1/2 cups snow peas, diced diagonally, broccoli, or thinly sliced English cucumbers
• 1 cup mini sweet red and yellow peppers, diced
• 1/2 cup red onions, diced
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken 
• 1 small can of Mandarin oranges, drained, reserve juice  
• Peanuts, coarsely chopped
• Crispy tortilla strips (found in salad mix) or Asian chow mein noodles
  

Thai Peanut Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from one lime
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 cup reserved juice from drained Mandarin oranges 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-inch square piece fresh ginger, peeled, minced about 1 tablespoon or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
• Dash of salt 
• Optional-Sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes

Salad and Dressing Directions:

• Mix the salad ingredients in a bowl.
• Mix dressing ingredients in a blender. Use a spatula to remove all the dressing from the blender. Blend with salad ingredients.

Salted Caramel Almond Cake

Cook's Notes: A light and moist cake, soaked with caramel sauce. What's not to like. A slice of pure bliss!

Recipe adapted from closetcooking.com 

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce(I used an ice cream topping product)  
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon each almond and vanilla extract 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup almonds slices or slivers
• 1/3 toasted coconut  
• 1/3-1/2 cup melted caramel sauce. 
• 1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt (optional but adds just the right amount of piece de resistance to top off the caramel sauce flavor.)

Directions:

• Mix toasted coconut and almonds together.
• Cream the butter and sugar, mix in the caramel sauce and beat in the eggs one at a time. Add in extracts and mix well.
• Mix flours, baking powder, and salt before mixing into the wet ingredients.
• Pour into a greased 9-inch baking pan and sprinkle on the almonds and coconut before baking in a preheated 350 oven until the top is lightly golden brown and a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean, about 25-28 minutes.
• When you remove the cake from the oven, pierce it many times with a thin knife or large toothpick, pour on the caramel sauce, and let it soak in while the cake cools. Optionally sprinkle on some flaked salt for a salted caramel version!
  
  
  

Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon and Cherry Crumble

 
It's summer and time to FIRE UP THE GRILL

Cook's Notes: To change things up a bit I asked my husband to be the guest blogger for today. He's good at grilling and following directions. I gave him the recipe with easy instructions and then I left for a few hours. I must say he did quite well.  Even did an impressive job plating and taking a picture. 😊Recipe from TasteofHome.com

Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons butter
•  1 teaspoon honey 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 salmon fillet ( 1-1/2 lbs.) 

Directions:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir brown sugar, butter, and honey until melted.
• Remove from heat and whisk in oil, mustard soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Return to stove and cook on low 5 minutes until thickened.  
• Rinse salmon and pat dry. Place on a sheet of foil and baste with glaze for about 20 minutes. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the fillet. 

Cherry Crumbler (I took over on the dessert part)
Cook's Notes:
I am on my second bag of cherries for the season. Lots of recipes to choose from.
Kirsch (cherry brandy) is optional but note the liquor is cooked so not a strong alcohol flavoring. Adds a wonderful flavoring. Recipe adapted from cuisineathome.com
Crust and Topping Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups each all-purpose flour, rolled oats, and brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Saigon cinnamon or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon each baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• 10 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup crushed almonds 

Filling Ingredients:

• 2 bags (12 oz. each) frozen dark red cherries, thawed or 6 cups fresh pitted cherries 
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cherry juice, apple juice, or pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoons Kirsch cherry brandy (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• Optional a scoop of ice cream

Crust and Topping Directions:

• Cover a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Empty cherries onto a baking sheet in a single layer to thaw or proceed with the recipe using fresh pitted cherries.  
• Use a 2 qt. baking dish or something similar. I used a large 10-inch quiche dish.
• Combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix with a pastry (cutter) blender or pulse a few times in food processor.
• Add in melted butter and mix well.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Reserve 1-1/2 cups crust mixture for topping and refrigerate.
• Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake 12 minutes.
  

Filling Directions:

• In a small bowl whisk cornstarch, cherry juice, pomegranate or apple juice, lemon juice, Kirsch if adding, and almond extract. Mix until cornstarch is dissolved.
• Heat cherries and sugar bring to a boil. Add in cornstarch mixture and on a medium-low cook until thickened about 3 minutes.
• Pour filling over crust.
  
  
  
• Cover with reserved refrigerated topping and crushed almonds.

• Bake crumble until the top is browned and filling bubbling for about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.

Summer Salads

 

Ever Ready is under construction. I am in the process of merging the blog site with an Ever Ready business page. More details later but for now business as usual. Social media buttons are now at the top rather than at the side. Thanks for your patience. 

My review of  

by local author, Lisa Cassman debut book, "Buddy and His Big Truck" will be the first on the new business page.

Looking for summer in a bowl? Try some of these Ever Ready Favorites.

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/08/friday-favorites.html

Brookies

LET

BEGIN

 Happy First Day

Have a sweet craving but can’t decide whether to go for chocolate chip cookies or decadent brownies? MEET THE BROOKIE

If you haven’t met yet, your life is about to change. Family, birthday, patio picnic, long weekend-I've got just the treat for you.

Cooking Tips: There is a little science to making brookies. Be sure dough is chilled, roll cookie ball and brownie ball proportionately and keep hands floured for easier assembly. Recipe makes 2 dozen cookies  

Ingredients:

FOR THE BROWNIE

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/3 c. unsweetened Dark Hershey cocoa powder (e.g. I used Droste) 
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup mini or regular chocolate chips

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1- 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 TB. cornstarch 
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. mini chocolate chips
• 3/4 chopped nuts
• Optional flaky sea salt, for sprinkling   

Directions:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Make brownie cookie: Melt butter in the microwave. In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, and cocoa powder. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until glossy. Add flour and salt and beat just until combined. Refrigerate while you make the chocolate chip cookie dough.
• Make chocolate chip cookie: In another large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Beat until just combined, then fold in chocolate chips.
• Make brookie: Form a heaping scoop of each dough into balls. Take one brownie ball and one cookie dough ball and roll them together with floured hands. Repeat with remaining doughs.
  
• Place on prepared baking sheet 2" apart. Sprinkle with sea salt if using. Bake until golden around the edges and just set, 10 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack, then let cool completely.
  

Be sure to try these Ever Ready Mint Brookies recipe previously posted.

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2016/03/celebrating-literary-birthday-with-mint.html

Gnocchi with Spinach, Peppers and Chicken Apple Sausage

Billy Collins remembers his father in the poem"The Death of the Hat." The poem evokes memories of my growing up years as my father always wore a hat and an overcoat when he left the house for work.

Collins writes...
On Father's Day, "The Death of the Hat." For all of the fathers out there and for everyone who had (or has) a father. Hats off to you.

THE DEATH OF THE HAT
by Billy Collins June 16, 2013

Once every man wore a hat.

In the ashen newsreels,
the avenues of cities
are broad rivers flowing with hats.

The ballparks swelled
with thousands of straw hats,
brims and bands,
rows of men smoking
and cheering in shirtsleeves.

Hats were the law.
They went without saying.
You noticed a man without a hat in a crowd.

You bought them from Adams or Dobbs
who branded your initials in gold
on the inside band.

Trolleys crisscrossed the city.
Steamships sailed in and out of the harbor.
Men with hats gathered on the docks.

There was a person to block your hat
and a hatcheck girl to mind it
while you had a drink
or ate a steak with peas and a baked potato.
In your office stood a hat rack.

The day the war was declared
everyone in the street was wearing a hat
and they were wearing hats
when a ship loaded with men sank in the icy sea.

My father wore one to work every day
and returned home
carrying the evening paper,
the winter chill radiating from his overcoat.

But today we go bareheaded
into the winter streets,
stand hatless on frozen platforms.

Today the mailboxes on the roadside
and the spruce trees behind the house
wear cold white hats of snow.

Mice scurry from the stone walls at night
in their thin fur hats
to eat the birdseed that has spilled.

And now my father, after a life of work,
wears a hat of earth,
and on top of that,

A lighter one of cloud and sky--a hat of wind.

Celebrate the day with a winning recipe with off-the-chart flavors and textures. Every mouthful was pure deliciousness. 

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home and makes 4 servings. Pair the meal with a light salad and serve warm crusty bread. 

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 oz.) potato gnocchi (shelf product) 
  
• 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 package fully cooked Italian or Apple Chicken Sausage, halved and cut into slices
• 3/4 cup diced sweet onions
• 1 cup diced, mini sweet peppers (red and yellow) 
• 2 minced, garlic cloves
• 1 cup white wine   
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup apple juice or apple cider
• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 
• 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach, torn leaves
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions: 

• Cook gnocchi according to package directions, but a little on the al dente side. Drain and cover the colander.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, stir fry sausage slices, onions, peppers, garlic for 7 minutes. 
• Stir in wine, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until liquid is reduced by half.  
• In a bowl mix cornstarch and chicken broth. Stir into sausage mixture with apple juice or cider and spices. Bring to a boil stirring constantly, reduce heat and cook until thickened.  Stir in cream and spinach. Cook on low until spinach is wilted. 
  
• Drain gnocchi, add to pan, and heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  

Mexican Chocolate and Coffee Ice-Cream Pie

"Ice Cream" or "I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream" is a popular song, first published in 1927 with words & music by Howard Johnson, Billy Moll, and Robert King. After initial success as a late 1920's novelty song, the tune became a traditional jazz standard, while the lyrics refrain "I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream" has remained a part of popular culture even without the rest of the song.

Beat the heat, stay cool and refreshed with a slice of Mexican Chocolate and Coffee Ice Cream Pie 

Cook's notes: This pie is decadent but well worth the splurge for a refreshing summer treat. Perfect for Dad's Day. It could last in your freezer for up to a month but it's unlikely that will happen. The recipe was adapted from Southern Living August 2012
I used Haagen-Dazs coffee and chocolate ice cream (each container is 14 oz.)
Ingredients:

• 3-1/2 cups of finely ground graham crackers (about 1/2 packages)  
• 2 teaspoons Saigon cinnamon or 2-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon)
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 cup mini semi-chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or almonds
• 1 cup toasted coconut
• 1 pt. container coffee ice cream-softened
• 1 pt. container chocolate ice cream-softened
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons coffee liqueur (I used Kahlua) 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Use a blender or food processor to finely grind the graham cracker into crumbs. Add in cinnamon and melted butter, mix well.
• Reserve 1 cup of the crumbs and press the rest of the crumb mixture into a pie pan.
• Bake 6 minutes, set aside to cool.
• Stir together reserved 1 cup graham crumbs, mini-chocolate chips, toasted coconut, and nuts. Set aside.
• Spread softened coffee ice cream evenly over baked cooled crust. Sprinkle 1/2 cup crumb mixture (crumbs, chips, coconut, pecans) over the coffee ice cream layer.
• Freeze until firm. Repeat with the next layer of softened chocolate ice cream and sprinkle with the rest of the graham cracker mixture (reserve 1 tablespoon) and freeze until firm.
• Beat whipped cream, add in Kahlua, and spread over the top of each pie serving or over top of the entire pie. Sprinkle with the remaining reserved tablespoon crumb mixture.
• Serve immediately. Store leftover pie in the freezer and cover it with foil.
  

Some other Ever Ready Ice Cream Treats 

Ice Cream Sandwiches 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2019/06/sundae-funday.html

Hula Pie

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2013/03/kauai-unforgettable-trip.html

Black Cherry Chunk

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2018/06/black-cherry-chunk-ice-cream-pie.html