Strawberry Soup

Strawberry Soup

2 pints strawberries
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Combine all ingredients in blender. Serve icy cold.

Easy, fast and nutritious. What more could you ask for in a summertime snack?

Zucchini Cookies!

I know, I know...they're cookies but really, with so much good-for-you stuff in them are they really a treat? You bet they are! We love these cookies. I hope you'll give them a try! :)

Zucchini Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cupsugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups finely grated zucchini
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

Cream butter and sugars. Add egg and vanilla.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.

Add to the creamed mixture. Add zucchini and chips.

Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Veggie Grill Sandwich

Veggie Grill Sandwich

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup sliced red bell peppers
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
Italian bread, split horizontally

Preheat the grill to medium heat.

Combine all ingredients except bread. Place veggies in a grill basket and cook on grill for 3-5 minutes, or until veggies are cooked through.

Drizzle bread with additional olive oil and place on grill. When bread is hot, remove from grill and spread veggies on bread.

Eat while it's hot, and be prepared to make a second sandwich! It's that good!

Summer Cooking

Ah, summertime and the living is easy. Right?

It is, isn't it?

It's supposed to be, you know. Ah, cooking? Getting in the way of easy living? Well, you're in the right place! Around here we love to cook and eat and I don't mind sharing some yummy summer recipes with you. In fact, I'm going to try and share one a day until...I don't know. Until the fall, hopefully.

I'd love it if you tried some of the fast, easy summer recipes we use around here. And I may even throw in a recipe or two that I'm just trying on for size. Then we'll test it together and see how it works and tastes. Sound good to you?

Now, to think of a good lead-off recipe. One that we love and make often. One that we had--aha! The one we had last night!

Feeding the addiction!

You know I've got an Oreo addiction...

Apparently these are carnival fare in some parts of the country. I'm not sure I'll try them but this is certainly interesting. I think it's probably one of those either you love 'em or hate 'em things, don't you? Have any of you had these?

Deep-fried Oreos

2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
1 large egg
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup pancake mix
1 package cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Whisk together the egg, milk, and 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the pancake mix until no dry lumps remain. Dip the cookies into the batter, then carefully place into the hot frying oil. Avoid overcrowding the deep fryer. Cook until the cookies are golden brown, two minutes or so. Drain on a paper towels plate before serving.

Peachy Pound Cake

This recipe is from my latest cookbook, Tea Time, available here.

I love this pound cake. It just tastes like summer! I'm making one this afternoon to sweeten our Memorial Day weekend grilling plans.

Enjoy!

Peachy Pound Cake

1 cup butter
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 t. vanilla
3 cups flour
¼ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
½ cup sour cream
2 cups ripe peaches, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a bundt pan. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla.Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients.

Fold in sour cream and chopped peaches.

Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 1½ hours.
~

Apple Butterscotch Pudding

Yes, this is as yummy as it sounds!

Apple Butterscotch Pudding

1 cup brown sugar
1 T. cornstarch
¼ cup butter
1 cup water
1 1/3 cups flour, sifted
2 ½ t.baking powder
½ t.salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter, melted
½ cup milk
2 ½ cups sliced apples sprinkled with additional 1/3 cup brown sugar

Combine 1 cup brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/4 cup butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add water and cook over low heat until syrup thickens. Pour mixture into a lightly buttered baking dish.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and 2/3 cup brown sugar. Add melted butter and milk and stir to mix. Then add remaining ingredients and stir. Pour batter over syrup. Place in preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 30 minutes or until apples are tender.