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S’mores Cheesecake Bars

June 16, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

So, I’ve never met a dessert I didn’t like.

I’ve never met a s’more I didn’t like.

And lastly, I’ve never met a cheesecake I didn’t like.

So it’s safe to say that I love sweets. If it’s dessert, sweet and involves sugar I’ll probably, most definitely eat it!

This specific recipe is a dessert, involves s’mores and cheesecake. But before we talk about the recipe at hand, I want to talk about cheesecake for a second.

Cheesecake. I love it. But what’s not to love? A crunchy crust that’s the base to a perfectly tangy,
creamy, silky cheesecake. Um, yum! Drooling over them. Eating them. Well, that’s the easy part. What’s not easy about cheesecake? Well, the baking and resting part.

See, there’s an art when it comes to making cheesecakes. Full fat cream cheese, it’s a must. And it has to be at room temperature. Another must, a water bath. This allows the cheesecake to bake evenly and reduces the chance of splitting. Baking and no peeking. Then, the last crucial element is removing the cheesecake from the oven, placing it on a cooling rack and letting it sit for several hours and no touching allowed.

All pretty tedious work, but the outcome is so worth it.

But, what if you don’t have time. Don’t have the patience. Or are just downright intimidated? Well, you make cheesecake bars. Everything you love and want in a cheesecake; but half the work, half the time and truly none of the frustration.

Cheesecake bars give you everything you love in half the time and no frustration. A few simple ingredients and about an hour is all you need to make a deliciously addicting dessert with all the flavors of cheesecake with a fraction of the work.

This week leads up to Father’s Day. When KARK4 asked some people to share what some of the amazing dads in their lives favorite treats were we got a great response. One of the responses was cheesecake…of any kind. So, I decided to take that and run with it.

Since Father’s Day can be a busy time of travel and entertaining I wanted to make a dessert that was delicious and wowing without being stressful and time consuming. So, I decided on bars. Bars are a great alternative when you need something delicious but don’t have a lot of time.

Another thing you can’t go wrong with is marshmallows and chocolate. So, without further adieu I present you with s’mores cheesecake bars. A delicious brown sugar graham cracker crust, cream cheese marshmallow cheesecake filling that’s studded with chocolate chips and then topped with a few bits of that graham crust and some roasted marshmallows.

Um, wow. 2 amazing and addicting desserts come together in these bars. And probably one of the best things about this dessert is it can be made ahead of time, leaving you more time to spend with those special guys in your life.

If you really wanted to up the presentation, you could leave the marshmallows off until right before serving. When ready to serve, sprinkle some marshmallows over the top, break out that kitchen torch and toast away!

Now you can have s’mores without even starting a fire or breaking out that roasting stick!

S’mores Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

For the crust-
1/2 Cup butter, room temperature
3/4 Cup flour
3/4 Cup graham cracker crumbs*
1/3 Cup brown sugar

For the filling-
1 (8oz) Block cream cheese
1/4 Cup marshmallow cream
1/4 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup heavy cream
1 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup mini chocolate chips

2/3 Cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

For the crust-
Place the butter in a large bowl and beat on high for about 1 minutes, until creamy. Add the sugar and mix to combine. Add the flour and graham cracker crumbs and mix until incorporated.

Remove about 1/2 cup of the crust mixture and set aside.

Pour the remaining crust in the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes.

For the filling-
Meanwhile, place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Add the sugar and mix on high until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the marshmallow cream, cream, and vanilla and mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the filling into the partially baked crust and spread into an even layer. Drop bits of the reserved crust mixture evenly over the filling. Return to oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until filling is set and crust on the top is golden.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the marshmallows over the top. Place under broiler or use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallows.

Allow the bars to completely cool, but into squares and store at room temperature.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

Pineapple Jalapeno Mojito

June 15, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

It’s Monday! So you know what that means. It’s #MojitoMonday! This is the third Monday of this series and so far we’ve had strawberry mojitos and traditional mojitos; both of which are delicious! So, up next we have a mojito that is sweet with just a hint of spice, pineapple jalapeno mojito.

Now I’ve had cocktails that involve peppers before and while I like the combination of sweet and spicy, some of them have been so spicy that they literally made my ears burn. Honestly, that’s really not what I classify as a beverage that is enjoyable. I love the pepper taste, a touch of heat but I still want it to be refreshing and enjoyable.

When cooking with jalapenos, sometimes the spicier the better but that’s truly not the case with this drink. If you end up snagging a pepper that is overly hot, take a minute to tame the heat before mixing this cocktails. Remove the seeds and stem from the pepper, place in ice cold water and allow to soak in the water for about 10 minutes. This will help tone down the heat significantly, giving you a hint of heat and delicious pepper taste without it being overpowering.

Anywho…

This pineapple jalapeno mojito hits it out of the park. It’s filled with sweet, juicy pineapple, refreshing mint, tart lime and the perfect amount of heat and pepper taste from the jalapeno. It’s a balancing act with all these flavors, but they come together and compliment each other perfectly.

This is the perfect beverage to utilize those fresh fruits, veggies and herbs. It’s refreshing and an ideal drink to enjoy while sitting on the back patio this summer. Mix a batch of these up this weekend and serve them to your pop on his special day!

Cheers!

Pineapple Jalapeno Mojito

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup diced pineapples
1 Tbsp thinly sliced fresh jalapeno, seeds removed
4 Tsp sugar
10-12 Large mint leaves
1/2 Lime, cut into quarters
3 Oz white rum
Soda water
Ice

Directions:

Divide the pineapples, jalapenos, sugar, mint and lime evenly between 2 glasses. Using a muddle, gently press the ingredients to release the fruit juices. Add 1 1/2 ounces rum to each glass, stir to combine. Fill the glass with ice, top with soda water, stir to combine and serve.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Super Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

June 13, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Folks, I have to apologize. It seems like the past few weeks have been pure craziness; complete with late nights, running around like a chicken with my head cut of, and just complete and utter chaos. In the midst of everything that has been going on, LL’s has unfortunately taken a back seat. I feel so bad and I’m kind of disappointed because I’ve got so any recipes that I’m so excited to share with you all and I haven’t been able to get them to you.

Things seem to be settling down a bit. This next week is going to be a little busy, but hopefully nothing like the past few weeks. I’ve been able to carve out a little time and I was able to dedicate it to a few posts for you guys. Hopefully things will be back on a regular schedule within the next week or so.

Since I’m not back into a normal routine yet I had to make the hard decision of just which recipe to share with you. A beverage? Appetizer. Main dish. Or dessert. Well, it was a hard decision but I finally came to the conclusion that y’all needed theses cookies. And you needed them now.

I can’t count just how many times I’ve made the cookies in the past month. Honestly, it’s probably a good thing that I haven’t kept track because then I would probably just be ashamed. But, just know that they are so good that they have been requested pretty much on a weekly basis, sometimes multiple times a week.

We all have that “go to” chocolate chip cookie recipe. That recipe we know by memory and can have whipped up in a matter of minutes. And, although, we have “that one” I’m a firm believer that you can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes.

I’d have to say, of all the chocolate chip cookies I’ve made this one seems to be the hub’s favorite. He’s one of those that loves the chocolate chip cookies, but without the chocolate chips. I, on the other hand, am in the group that believes the more chocolate chips the better. But, Spencer loves these.

The dough itself isn’t as sweet as most recipes, and that’s because the flour to sugar ratio differs just a bit. Typically there are equal amounts of flour and sugar, but this recipe only has 1 3/4 cups of sugar and almost 3 cups of flour. This gives the dough some sweetness but doesn’t make it overly sweet, and in turn it allows the hubs to enjoy some chocolate chips in the cookie without giving him a sugar overload. The extra flour also helps yield a slightly thicker cookie. And you can’t go wrong with a thick chocolate chip cookie.

This particular recipe also calls for brown butter. And by now, you all know my feelings for brown butter. It truly does make everything better. To this recipe it lends a nuttiness, which also mutes some of the sweetness. Along with the brown butter there are a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips, also helping balance the amount of sweetness in this cookie.

There are a lot of different tweaks in this recipe; the flour to sugar ratio, brown butter, addition of cornstarch and the mix of chocolates. But all these different little changes make a cookie that is perfectly thick, chewy, gooey and the perfect balance of sweet and chocolate. All of these helped produce the hub’s favorite chocolate chip cookie.

So, whether you’re still searching for your go to recipe, just looking to make an incredible batch of cookies that differs from your recipe, or looking to add another chocolate chip cookie recipe to your stash, try these out. But use caution, because they are addicting!

Super Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 Cup brown sugar
2 Large eggs
1 Egg yolk
1 1/2 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 1/2 Cups + 2 Tbsp flour
1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 Cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Place butter in a saucepan and place over medium-low heat. The butter will begin to crackle and foam as it melts. Once the crackling subsides the butter will begin to brown. Swirl the butter around the pan as it browns. Watch the butter closely as it can go from brown to burned quickly. Once the butter is browned, remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Combine salt, baking soda, cornstarch and flour in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Pour the cooled butter in a large mixing bowl, being sure to scrap the bottom and edges of the saucepan to get all those brown bits. Add the sugars, turn mixer on low allowing the ingredients to incorporate. Once the butter and sugars are combined, increase the mixing speed to high and mix for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolk and beat another 3-4 minutes on high, until ingredients are incorporated and the butter begins to get light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined.

Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Roll pieces of dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently press the dough, using the palm of your hand to flatten slightly. Place in the oven for 8-11 minutes, the cookies should be lightly golden and set. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes on the pan, transfer to cooling racks and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

BTB: Mojitos

June 9, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Okay, so before we get too far into the #mojitoMonday series, I should probably go back and talk about the drink the started it all. The original mojito. Limes, mint, a little sugar, alcohol and a little soda water. Simple, basic ingredients. Right? Right.

What’s so special about them? Well, how about when the limes, mint and sugar are muddled together it creates an amazing flavor combination. One that’s light, refreshing and oh-so-tasty. All of the things I look for in an amazing cocktail.

The first time I had one of these cocktails was when we went out for Spencer’s birthday. He and I went to a local restaurant where the waiter, who was also a friend, recommended the mojito. Their signature drink that just happened to go perfectly with what I ordered. He brought out the clear beverage that was colored only by the bright green of the mint and limes.

I was mesmerized by the sheer, simplistic beauty that was the mojito. Then I took a sip. Um, wow. I was hooked, just like that! And, as they say, the rest is history.

Here we are about 10 years after that first sip and I’m still as obsessed with the drink as the “day we met”. It’s amazing that one simple beverage could inspire a 14 week series, but you know what? It has! So, I wanted to pay tribute to the original before I went any further into all the different flavor concoctions I have for you this summer.

So, without further adieu I give you the Original Mojito! The simple, but delicious, drink that started it all!

Mojitos

Ingredients:

1/2 Lime, cut into wedges
12-14 Mint leaves
2 Tsp sugar
3 Oz white rum
Soda water

Directions:

Divide lime wedges, mint leaves and sugar evenly between 2 glasses. Using a muddle, gently press the ingredients to release the lime juice and incorporate the ingredients. Pour 1 1/2 ounces rum in each glass, stir to incorporate the ingredients, fill each glass with ice and top off with soda water. Stir to incorporate. Garnish with a lime slice and mint leaf.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Making this recipe? Share it as well as your favorite spin on this cocktail on social media, tag @lynseylous and use #mojitomonday.

Strawberry Mojitos

June 2, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I am beyond excited about this new series I have for you this summer!

We’ve all heard of meatless Mondays, enjoying a meatless meal at least once a week. It’s a good practice and a great way to incorporate more veggies and grains into our diets. It’s something we try to do in our house; although I must admit we don’t participate weekly.

Anywho. So, we’ve heard of meatless Mondays, and those are great. But what about Mojito Mondays?!? What what! I think this is a trend that most everyone can get behind.

Summer hasn’t officially come, we still have a few weeks, but it’s June 1st and I’m deeming it the unofficial, official start of summer. We have 3 months of sun, sand, backyard bbqs, vacations, and lake fun ahead of us! And we all know that when that warm, summer sun starts pounding down hard, we need a beverage to help us cool off. What better cocktail to sip on during the dog days of summer than a Mojito?

Counting today, we have 14 Mondays from now until the end of August. 14! That means, you guessed it, 14 mojitos coming to you all throughout the summer. And, I’m sharing them with you on Monday, so that will add a little extra sunshine to those sometimes gloomy, horrible Mondays.

Since I’m doing a mojito Monday series, you probably guessed that I’m a little partial to mojitos. Honestly, they are one of my favorite cocktails ever. It’s a few simple ingredients, but muddled together to make an amazingly flavorful and refreshing cocktail. While I typically don’t stray from the traditional mojito, lately I’ve been incorporating fresh, seasonal fruit in our cocktails. Recently I added a few blackberries to the mix and made an awesome blackberry mojito.

Since I have had fresh strawberries at my fingertips, and an abundance of fresh mint. I mean, the mint is literally crawling out of my pots and taking over. I needed to get it under control, and stat. So, when life hand you lots of mint, muddle it up in a mojito! A strawberry mojito.

And that’s exactly what I did. I muddled up a delicious and refreshing strawberry mojito. The addition of the strawberries added another touch of brightness and sweetness that can only come from fresh strawberries.

I added a strawberry puree, just strawberries and a touch of water, to really enhance the strawberry flavor. I didn’t strain mine, but if you want a smoother cocktail without the seeds then feel free to strain. Then I poured it over the top of the cocktail for a pretty presentation!

Just like the traditional mojitos, they comes together quickly and go down so easy. So go ahead, unofficially kick off your summer with one of these refreshing strawberry mojitos.

Be sure to check back next Monday for the next installment of #MojitoMonday!

Strawberry Mojitos

Ingredients:

For the puree-
3 Strawberries, washed and stems removed
1/2 Tsp water

For the cocktails-
4-5 Strawberries, washed, stems removed
1/2 Lime, quartered
8-10 mint leaves, plus more to garnish
2-3 Oz Vodka
Soda water

Directions:

Place 3 strawberries and water in a blender and puree. Set aside.

Pour some sugar in a shallow dish. Rub a lime slice around the rims of 2 glasses. Roll the rims in the sugar.

Divide the strawberry slices, lime slices, and mint leaves evenly between two glasses. Using a muddler, firmly press the berries, limes and mint leaves to release the juices of the fruit. Add 1-1 1/2 ounces of vodka to each glass, fill with ice. Add the soda water, leaving some room at the top so the puree can be added. Stir to combine the vodka, fruit and soda water. Top each drink with the strawberry puree.

Garnish with a mint leaf and a strawberry, if desired.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Strawberry Caprese Chicken

May 30, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

One of my favorite salads is Caprese salad. It’s simple, easy to throw together and it’s so incredibly versatile. Eat it alone, serve as appetizers, or even pop those ingredients on top of some chicken and wow, simply amazing.

It’s safe to say that during the summer months, when I can walk to the garden, snag a tomato and some basil we have this salad multiple times a week. Healthy and refreshing, oh, and let’s not forget that it’s topped with sticky, tangy and sweet balsamic. Yum!

I’ve been having cravings for this simple salad that screams summer, and I’ve had everything on hand that is needed to make it…except the tomatoes. Those tomatoes are kind of a key part of the salad. So, I adapted and used what I had on hand. Strawberries.

And boy, this trio didn’t disappoint. Fresh, sweet, juicy strawberries, mozzarella and basil. Oh-mah-goodness. Amazing. I could eat this stuff right out of the bowl. Um, and I did. For a second. Until I reminded myself I had other plans for it.

And those plans consisted of marinating chicken in balsamic vinegar and then baking to tender, juicy perfection. After that, then the magic happens. Topping it with this deliciously addicting salad. Then drizzling it with more of my favorite vinegar ever, balsamic!

This chicken, with prep and all takes under 45 minutes. That’s all it takes to get this perfectly delicious and simple meal from oven to table. And, it’s pretty as a picture too! Chicken topped with the bright red, green and white from the salad. It truly doesn’t get any better.

This meal is both adult and kid approved and has been requested numerous times since it was originally served.

Strawberry Caprese Chicken

Ingredients:

2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 Cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Clove garlic, mined

For the strawberry caprese-
1/2 Cup fresh strawberries; diced
6-7 Leaves basil, rolled up and sliced
1/4 Cup fresh mozzarella, cubed
Drizzle of olive oil, optional
Drizzle of balsamic

Directions:

Place chicken, balsamic vinegar, oil and garlic in a plastic bag. Toss and move chicken around to coat. Place in refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 325. Remove chicken from bag and place in a pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Pour a little of the marinade over the chicken and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until cooked through and juices run clear when cut. Remove from oven, tent with foil and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

For the caprese-

While the chicken is marinating combine the strawberries, basil and olive oil, if using and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Once the chicken has finished baking, remove the strawberries from the fridge, add mozzarella and toss to combine.

Place the chicken on the plates, top with strawberry mixture and drizzle with balsamic dressing. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe source: A Lynsey Original

DB: Lamingtons

May 29, 2015 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

For the May challenge Marcellina from Marcellina in Cucina dared us to make Lamingtons. An Australian delicacy that is as tasty as it is elegant.

At first glance, the Lamington reminds me of what we in the states call petit fours. That square caked, coated in frosting and sometimes decorated to fit whatever occasion is being celebrated. However, the Lamington differs slightly. It’s a moist sponge cake that is dipped in chocolate then coated in coconut. The coconut coating was originally put on the chocolate coating to help avoid messy, melty chocolate fingers.

Here’s a little snippet of the backstory via Wikipedia-
“Most accounts of the creation of the lamington agree that it was named after Lord Lamington, who served as Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, although it might have been named for his wife, Lady Lamington.
Lamington’s chef at Queensland’s Government House, French-born Armand Galland, was called upon at short notice to provide something to feed unexpected guests during the busy period leading up to Federation in 1901. According to the Melbourne newspaper The Age, Galland cut up some left-over French vanilla sponge cakebaked the day before, dipped the slices in chocolate and set them in coconut. Coconut was not widely used in European cooking at that time, but was known to Galland whose wife was from Tahiti where coconut was a common ingredient. Lady Lamington’s guests then asked for the recipe.”
Source: Wikipedia

We were given creative freedom, but since I’ve never had nor made Lamingtons I opted for the classic recipe! I thoroughly enjoyed making these little cakes. The chocolate coating may…or may not have been my favorite part!

Lamingtons

Ingredients:

For the sponge-
5 Large eggs, room temperature
1 Cup sugar
Pinch salt
1 Tsp vanilla
1 1/4 Cups cornstarch (also called cornflour)
1 1/2 Tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 3/4 Cups unsweetened shredded coconut

For the chocolate icing-
3 1/4 Cups powdered sugar
1/3 Cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2-3/4 Cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl sift cornstarch and baking powder together, 3 times. Set aside.

Combine eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl and beat on high for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes add the vanilla and beat on high for an additional 5 minutes. The mixture should be light in color, foamy and tripled in volume.

Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture. Gently fold the flour into the egg mixture. Fold the butter in the mixture.

Pour the mixture in the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes. The sponge will rise quite a bit through the process and then settle. Do not open the oven during the baking process.

Once the sponge has finished baking, remove from oven and immediately remove from pan and transfer on a wire rack, parchment paper and all. Allow to cool completely. Store overnight.

For the chocolate icing-

In a large, heatproof bowl sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together. Stir in butter and 1/2 cup milk. Set the bowl over a pan of hot water, and stir until icing is smooth. Add more milk to the the icing, if needed.

To assemble-
Cut the sponge cake into 24 rectangular pieces. Trim the crusts, if desired.

Place the coconut in a shallow dish.

Keep icing over hot water while dipping the cake to ensure the chocolate stays melted.

Dip and submerge the cake into the chocolate icing, tap gently to allow excess to drip off. Dip and coat in coconut and place on a wire rack to set, about 2 hours.

Recipe source: Marcellina in Cucina

SRC: Blended Root Beer Float

May 25, 2015 by Lynsey 16 Comments

Ice cream. It’s one of those treats I enjoy year round. It can be 200 degrees or 20, I love the stuff no matter what the temperature. But, I have to say, when those temps start getting closer and closer to the 90’s my craving for the cold, creamy stuff gets a little stronger.

Give me a shake, cone, a scoop in a cup, banana split, sundae, or perhaps even a float. I’m not picky, as long as it’s sweet and cold I’m sold.

While I enjoy all things involving ice cream, lets focus on the float. A float. It’s simple, requires only 2 ingredients and comes together in mere seconds. And once that cream starts melting in the fizzy stuff, well it’s so incredibly satisfying.

I can’t even begin to tell you just how many floats I’ve enjoyed over my lifetime. But I can tell you, I’ve definitely had my fair share. One icy, creamy concoction that I’ve never tried is a blended float.

Initially I didn’t think it was possible to top the classic float, but I’ve been proven wrong. In a big, big way. Blended root beer float was one of the many amazing recipes I came across on The Burnt Apple, my assignment for this months Secret Recipe Club.

The Burnt Apple is an amazing blog that not only has healthier twists on the classics. It chronicles kitchen adventures, and misadventures, of a mom of 3 and wife to a husband with diabetes. She started out as a newly wed who couldn’t cook and is now a busy wife and mom who also teaches cooking classes. Her blog is packed full of delicious recipes that can be fixed on a budget!

But, let’s get back to this float, shall we?

Blended floats are just that. A combination of ice cream and a fizzy drink that’s plopped in the blender, blended for a few seconds to combine them and then poured in a tall, ice cold glass. It’s the perfect combination of fizzy beverage and creamy ice cream in each sip. It’s amazing.

It was a hit with both my boys. Sucked down in about 90 seconds to be honest. They loved it and asked for another and sucked it down just as quickly. I added just a splash of root beer just have the carbonation dancing off the top to tickle their noses at the first sip, but that step is totally optional!

I can tell you, these blended floats come together almost as quickly as the traditional ones and I know these cool concoctions will be a sweet anthem of our upcoming hot summer days!

Blended Root Beer Float

Ingredients:

1 Cup vanilla ice cream, homemade or store bought (I used Bryer’s extra creamy vanilla), plus an additional scoop for serving, optional
1/2 Cupchilled root beer
Whipped cream, optional

Directions:

Place ice cream and root beer in the blender and blend for 15-30 seconds. Pour in a cup, add an additional scoop of ice cream and another touch of root beer for some fizz, optional. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Recipe source: The Burnt Apple

An InLinkz Link-up

Strawberry Bruschetta

May 22, 2015 by Lynsey 1 Comment

The days are getting warmer and my garden is really starting to come along. The tomatoes are starting to bloom and I even have a few small, green tomatoes coming on. I honestly cannot wait until the tomatoes are bright red and ready for picking. Oh, the amounts of sliced tomatoes, salsa, bruschetta, and caprese I will consume.

But, it’s not quite tomato time. Yet. So, in the meantime my strawberries are thriving. I mean, honestly more that we can eat. I’ve picked and picked and picked. And picked some more. We are literally in strawberries up to our eyeballs. And they are still coming!

I’m not complaining. They are absolutely amazing. Like nature’s candy. They are perfect. Red, juicy, sweet. And they are right in my back yard just waiting to be consumed.

Since I have a plethora of strawberries at my fingertips, the recipes including strawberries haven’t been lacking. From baked goods, dips and even in main dishes, I’ve added strawberries to them all.

Since I spotted those tiny tomatoes on the vine it got me to thinking about bruschetta. I love the stuff. But, the tomatoes are ready and the strawberries are so I decided to make that favorite, summertime appetizer of mine using fresh strawberries and basil from my garden!

These strawberries were sweet and juicy, but I added just a touch of sugar to the mix to really get those juices going. Then rolled up some basil and sliced it in strands and folded it in the berry mixture. Mint would be a delicious alternative too. I left it with just these three ingredients but a drizzle of balsamic would add another layer of flavor, sweetness and tartness. Goat cheese would be oh, so amazing too.

Instead of just lightly buttering the bread as I do with traditional bruschetta, I made a cinnamon-brown sugar butter and lightly spread it on the bread. It really made it more of a dessert type bruschetta, but could still easily be enjoyed as an appetizer.

So if you have an abundance of strawberries, or just can’t wait for those tomatoes to ripen on the vine try out this amazing fruit version of this classic.

Strawberry Bruschetta

Ingredients:

2 Cups diced strawberries
1 Tsp sugar
1/4 Cup loosely packed chiffoned basil

For the bread-
1 Baguette, thickly sliced
3 Tbsp lightly salted butter, room temperature
1/4 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tsp brown sugar

Directions:

Fort he bread-
Preheat oven to 300.

Combine butter, cinnamon and brown sugar and mix until combined. Thinly spread over bread sliced and arrange on a baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and bake until the bread is lightly toasted, crispy on the edges and slightly tender (not gooey from melted butter) in the center. Remove and allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine the strawberries, sugar and basil and stir to combine. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Place strawberries in a bowl and surround with toast and serve.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

Strawberry Southern Sweet Tea

May 20, 2015 by Lynsey 1 Comment

Sitting on the porch, the summer sun shining brightly, a big glass of ice cold sweet tea isn’t just desired, it’s essential. There’s no better way to beat the summer heat than with a tall glass of tea in hand.

It’s no mystery that I love tea. I’ve shared several recipes that revolve around tea; southern sweet tea and bourbon cocktails, my MaMaw’s tea and lemonade, southern style sweet tea, and my sweet tea granita, just to name a few. So, there’s no guessing that tea has been around my entire life. It’s a staple.

Flavored teas are becoming increasingly popular. It’s funny, my dad and I were just talking about this particular topic just the other day. Tea has always been served with a wedge or two of lemon, but over the past few years the addition of peach, mint, and orange have become an increasingly popular addition to tea.

Strawberries are another fruit that pairs so well with tea. Sweet, juicy, slightly tart strawberries make the perfect addition to a pitcher of southern-ly sweet tea. It truly takes the tea up a few notches.

Plus, it always makes you feel just a little more fancy when there’s sliced fruit and sprigs of fresh mint in a tall, ice-filled mason jar. Don’t you agree? It’s something so simple, but so truly southern.

A pitcher of this strawberry southern sweet tea is so simple to make, but completely unforgettable. It is the perfect concoction to keep in the fridge all summer long. So this Memorial Day weekend, and all summer long, sip on this refreshing tea while enjoying the summer days and trying to beat the heat.

Strawberry Southern Sweet Tea

Ingredients:

6 Large tea bags
5 Cups water
1 Cup sugar
2 Cups sliced strawberries

Directions:

Combine water and sugar in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to simmer, stir and allow sugar to dissolve. Once the sugar has dissolved add the tea bags and strawberries and allow mixture to return to a simmer and continue simmering for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with lid and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Remove and discard the strawberries. Add 2-3 more cups of water, depending on how strong you like your tea. Fill glasses with ice and fresh strawberry slices, pour tea in prepared glasses and serve.

Garnish with fresh mint and a strawberry, if desired.

Recipe source: A Lynsey original

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