Olympic Party!

We are such cool people that we had an Olympic Watching Party (actually, 2!) this week. Jackie decked out their house out with Olympic themed streamers, table clothes and a homemade medal counter. I dressed the part with a shirt and medal courtesy of summer camp and brought an Olympic themed treat: Fruit Pizza. Gold medals all around! The chocolate shortbread is much more enjoyable than vanilla and the sweet frosting is the perfect compliment to both the shortbread and fruit. My favorite was the strawberry section. We had a ton of leftover fruit which made for some amazing breakfast fruit salad. I think there needs to be more themed parties in my life.

Olympic Rings Fruit Pizza

(Pinterest, from A Taste of Home)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups whipped topping
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh blackberries
1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
1 large kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
Directions:
1. In a bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugars. Beat in the egg, melted chocolate and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Place waxed paper over a 15-in. x 10-in. baking sheet without sides. Shape dough into a flattened rectangle and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover dough with waxed paper; roll dough to within 1/4 in. of edges of baking sheet. Remove top sheet of waxed paper; invert dough onto another greased baking sheet. Remove remaining waxed paper.
3. Using a 4-1/2-in. diameter plate or bowl and a knife, trace three touching circles along a long side of the dough. Trace two more circles centered below and overlapping upper circles by 1 in. Cut around outer edges of the rings; remove dough around rings and use to make cookies if desired. Bake rings at 350° for 14-16 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
4. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Add whipped topping; mix well. Transfer cooled crust to a serving platter. Spread with frosting. On top rings, from left to right, place blueberries, blackberries and strawberries. Place pineapple and kiwi on lower rings. Store in the refrigerator.

A New Breakfast Routine

As a kid I hated breakfast and as an adult I still kind of do. Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love breakfast food and eating a scrumptious breakfast on the weekend is no problem. I just can't eat food right after I wake up which poses a problem on school/work mornings when you have to get your butt out the door. I literally grew up on Instant Breakfast Shakes. Except for that period in high school where I had a Coke every morning (I know my parents were horrible right?! Or I was a lovely teenager...) I can handle some soupy oatmeal but it can't be thick at all. And now I have these yummy breakfast shakes that I'm experimenting with.

I made my first one yesterday and stuck to the recipe. It was delicious. I really loved the combination of peanut butter and cinnamon. Today I swapped the peanut butter for Nutella and omitted the cinnamon. Still yummy but the Nutella flavor isn't strong. In an effort to be more healthy I omitted the added honey/sugar the second time around and really couldn't tell. I'm thinking the next step would be to throw in some Instant Breakfast mix? The shake is pretty filling too. I had one before I left for work and wasn't hungry for lunch but still ate by regular granola/fiber bar at school and wasn't dying for my after school snack on my drive home like I normally am. So success in my book!

Banana Breakfast Shake

(from the Mother Unit)

Ingredients:
1 banana, frozen (freeze without the peel)
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon peanut butter (or Nutella!)
1 tablespoon honey (or sugar)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I just did a couple good shakes)
Directions:
1. The night before peel a banana, wrap in plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer.
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend. If you want a thicker shake you can add in a couple ice cubes.
3. Add whip cream, it's always better with whip cream.

Banana-Nutella Shake

Sangria Weather!

It's suppose to be winter but it kind of felt like summer today. This is a problem. The solution? Winter Sangria! I'm a fan of this pomegranate vanilla sangria. With it's underlying hints of cinnamon and vanilla it was just different enough from summer sangria but had a nice toasty wintery feeling. I used a bottle of Hazlitt Red Cat (Woo NY Wine!) and my special vanilla beans that Miss Boo brought me from Tonga.

Obviously I need to get a pretty pitcher so my beverages can look all nice and classy instead of looking like a super alcoholic vat of booze.

Pomegranate Vanilla Sangria

(adapted from how sweet it is)

Ingredients:
1 orange, sliced
1 apple, chopped
1 pear, chopped
1 pomegranate
1 cinnamon sticks
2 vanilla beans
1 bottle red wine
1/2 cup brandy (I subbed Rum)

Club Soda, personal preference
Directions:
1. Add orange slices, apples, pears, cinnamon stick and pomegranate seeds to the bottom of a big pitcher. 

2. Pour wine and brandy in. Scrape vanilla beans and add to the mix. Throw in the bean pods too! 

3. Stir it all up and chill for 1 hour. Add desired amount of club soda.

4. Serve with spoons so you can eat all the yummy fruit!

The Sangria Bunny

In the past few years the Easter Bunny has gotten a wee bit alcoholic with his gift giving. This year he came early and left me with a bottle of Hazlitt Red Cat wine, cute little cocktail umbrellas and dark chocolate. Awesome. So I took advantage of my easter basket, the overabundance of random fruit in my kitchen, and the pleasantly warm weather to make some sangria. While there are many recipes for Sangria and I was inspired by the Food Network Magazine Article "Sangria Three Ways," I was feeling brave and winged it with whatever I had in the kitchen (Evidently this is how it was done back in the day).

Easter Bunny Sangria

(My Kitchen!)

Ingredients:
1 bottle of Hazlitt Red Cat wine
A couple of shots of Rum (or Brandy)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 Plum
1/2 Mango
Some Blackberries
Left over Strawberries (from the Pavlovas)
Seltzer
Directions:
1. Mix together the wine, rum, sugar and fruit. Let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.
2. Before serving add the seltzer.