Frozen Minty Grapefruit Bars

naturally sweet, tart, fresh...

About two months ago I was ordering a few things on Amazon...mostly kitchen stuff that will debut on this blog! And, one of the things I got was ice pop molds. It was still chilly out, but I've always wanted to get some and I was pining for summer. So, I added them to my cart and checked out. Now that it's finally staying warm it's a great time to try them out. So, for this recipe and to finish up this series I've made Frozen Minty Grapefruit Bars.

Grapefruit loves mint. There are many salads, sauces, and dessert pairing the two. Therefore, I thought I'd join in and make these super simple frozen fruit bars. My ice pop molds only hold about 3.5 oz each. So, this recipe is roughly 2 cups of liquid. It's important to leave about 1/2 inch space at the top of each mold as the water will expand as it freezes (a little physics for you today!). So, adjust the ingredient amounts to fit your ice pop molds. No molds? No problem! Fill small paper cups (suggest Dixie), cover with foil, and insert a popsicle stick. Voila! Don't let anything stop you from making these sweet, tart, and fresh fruit bars. Here's how to make them...

Ingredients - Makes 6 (~3oz.) Bars
3/4 C Granulated Sugar
3/4 C Water
Pinch Kosher Salt
~10 Fresh Mint Leaves, divided
1 1/4 C Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
To Make: Ice Pop Molds

Directions
Separate about 4 mint leaves from the rest and finely mince them. Set aside.

Make the mint simple syrup: Combine the sugar, water, and salt in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil and dissolve the sugar, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining whole mint leaves, and steep for about 10 minutes.

Fill the molds: Next, remove the mint leaves from the simple syrup. Pour the syrup and grapefruit juice into a measuring cup or spouted bowl. Stir in the minced mint leaves. Then, carefully pour the liquid into the molds, making sure to leave about a 1/2 inch space at the top.

Freeze the bars & serve: Put the caps on the molds and place them in the freezer. Allow the fruit bars to freeze until solid, 5-6 hours. When ready to serve, quickly run the molds under warm water. This will help loosen the mold. Serve and enjoy!

Tropical Fruit Salad

taste of the tropics...

It's the last day of April and the weather in Cincy is rainy and cold. I wish I was some where warmer and drier right now! Sadly, I don't have a vacation planned until the end of September and it's to no where tropical. This time last year I was gearing up for our family cruise to the Caribbean. In tribute to this warm memory (and in an effort to take my taste buds there) I've made this Tropical Fruit Salad.

This fruit salad is light and refreshing like so much of the tropics are and it's very different from those that I grew up eating. My mom makes a few different "Americanized" versions of fruit salad with things like apples, bananas, grapes, oranges, and usually Cool Whip! She also makes some gelatin fruit salads, not my favorite, but it's another type. One that we make and I really love is a Waldorf Salad, which is for special occasions. So, make your favorite fruit salad or try this tropical one tonight. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 4-6
1 Mango
1/2 Pineapple
2 Kiwi Fruit
2-3 Sprigs Fresh Basil (~2 T)
1-2 Springs Fresh Mint (~1 T)
1 Lime, zest & juice
1 T Fresh Ginger, minced
2 T Blue Agave Nector
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
Garnish: Black Chia Seeds

Directions
Peel and dice the mango, pineapple, and kiwi to similar size. Chop the herbs together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest, juice, ginger, agave, and cayenne pepper together. Add the fruit and herbs. Stir and let stand for 10 mins. This allows the flavors to meld and the fruit juices to release.

To serve: Divide the mixture among bowls or cups and sprinkle with the black chia seeds. Close your eyes and taste the tropics. Enjoy!

Slow-Cooker Cinnamon Stone Fruit Compote

low and slow...

To finish up my rainbow series on slow-cooker recipes I've made an easy dessert. With frosty evenings on the horizon this recipe is perfect to warm you up. I suggest serving this dessert with pound or angle food cake, but you can also serve this over vanilla ice cream. If you are like me, I can eat ice cream in the dead of winter. So, it's a viable option for this dessert.

My fruit compote is great for a group get together. I've combined three different stone-fruits (fruits that have a pit in the middle) with dried figs, orange juice, apricot nectar, and cinnamon sticks. These fruits mull together in the slow cooker with the fruit juices, soaking up most of the liquid and re-hydrating the dried fruits. All the while the fruits are infused with a wonderful cinnamon spice. Make this for your next dinner party. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8
16 oz. Bag Frozen Unsweetened Pealed Peaches
1/2 C Dried Tart Cherries
1/2 C Dried Apricots
1/2 C Dried Figs, stems removed
1/2 C Orange Juice
1/2 C Apricot Nectar
3 Cinnamon Sticks
To Serve: Fresh Mint & Pound Cake, Angel Food Cake, or Vanilla Ice Cream

Directions
Prepare your slow-cooker.

Make the compote: Combine all of the ingredients in the slow-cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or on high for 2 1/2-3 hours.

Serve: Remove the cinnamon sticks, discard. Slice the cake or scoop ice cream into bowls. Top with the compote and a sprig of mint. Enjoy!

Basil Mojitos

a labor of love...

Yesterday was Labor Day. I spent most of it in the car coming back from a trip to Pittsburgh (posts to come on that visit). But the time I spent at home that evening was filled with laundry, dishes, and various preparations for the week. I also spent time on this post. I researched it in the car, stopped at the store to grab a few things on the way home, and then made the recipes (yep, their are two!). So many things in life require labor - mental and physical - but we rarely stop to notice it.

This drink, while quite easy, still requires time and energy. It was tough to muster it yesterday after the drive. But, isn't it always worth it? Some things you have to show for the labor you do - money, a clean house, a bountiful garden. And, others you don't - relationships, success, happiness. Or, at least not physical things. Let's raise a glass (a basil mojito perhaps) to all our hard work. Here's how to make this drink...


Ingredients - Makes 2 Drinks
10 Large Basil Leaves, more for garnish
1/4 C + 4 tsp. Granulated Sugar
2-3 Limes
4 oz. White Rum
Cold Club Soda

Directions
Zest one of the limes. Then juice the limes to 1/4 C.

Begin by making the basil-lime sugar: In a small processor combine the sugar, lime zest, and 2 basil leaves. Process and put on a plate.

Make the drink: In a cocktail shaker combine the remaining basil, sugar (4 tsp.), and lime juice. Muddle until the sugar dissolves and the basil is well bruised. Add the rum and some ice. Shake until really cold and mixed well.

Serve: Rub a lime wedge around the edge of a tall glass. Press into the sugar. Add a few ice cubes to the glass and divide the drink between two glasses. Top off with a little club soda. Cheers!

Variation: Lemon-Basil Mojito
Make this fun variation for something even more different. I found this recipe on Cookie + kate, a blog that I've found inspiration on a time or two. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Makes 2 Drinks
10 Large Basil Leaves, more for garnish
10 Fresh Mint Leaves, more for garnish
2 tsp. Raw Sugar
3 oz. White Rum
3 T Lemon Juice
Cold Club Soda

Directions
Divide the basil, mint, sugar, and lemon juice between 2 low-ball glasses. Muddle each until the sugar dissolves and the herbs are well bruised. Top with some ice, 1 1/2 oz. each rum, and a little club soda. Stir and garnish with a sprig each of basil and mint. Cheers!

Grilled Peach, Quinoa, & Arugula Salad

movin' to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches...

This is probably one of the dumbest songs, but so catchy. I think of it any time I think about peaches, which will be a lot over the next week as I create recipes to post here. This recipe is a great summer side. It can easily be made ahead of time and travels well. Steven and I went on a picnic yesterday at Ault Park and we brought this salad along. It was a great addition to our meal.

The base of this salad is quinoa (keen-wah). If you've never cooked with quinoa don't worry, it cooks just like rice. This whole grain is much healthier though and it's full of protein and is gluten-free. The star of the salad, however, is the grilled peaches. They provide sweetness to an otherwise nutty salad. Make this side, pack a picnic, and visit one of your local parks. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
1 C Quinoa
2 Semi-firm Peaches, washed & dried
3 T Olive Oil, divided
1 Orange, juiced
4 C Arugula
3 T Parsley, chopped
3 T Mint, chopped
1/3 C Sliced Almonds
3-4 oz. Goat Cheese, crumbled
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

Directions
Preheat a grill or grill pan to med-high heat.

Begin by making the quinoa: In a fine-mesh strainer, rinse the quinoa. This removes a coating from the grains that can be bitter. Bring 1 3/4 C water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the water is absorbed, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat, keep covered, and rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a bowl to cool.

Grill the peaches: Meanwhile, half and pit each peach. Scoop out the red flesh from around the pit. Rub 1/2 T olive oil on the cut side. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Grill until marked and beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill to cool. Dice into 1 inch pieces and set aside.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine the orange juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper. Slowly stream in the remaining olive oil (2 1/2 T), whisking to emulsify the dressing. Set aside.


Build the salad: In a large bowl combine the quinoa, peaches, arugula, parsley, mint, and almonds. Pour on the dressing and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Plate (or serve from the bowl) and top with the crumbled goat cheese. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Cherry & Cucumber Panzanella Salad

ba da bing cherry...

A summer staple, especially in July, are cherries. These small bright red stone fruits can be sweet and tart all at once. They are perfect eaten all by themselves (watch out for the pits!) or added to your favorite recipes. I love panzanella salad, a traditional bread salad usually paired with tomatoes, fresh herbs, and an olive oil dressing. So, I thought, perhaps I could riff on a panzanella to create the perfect brunch version just by switching out a few ingredients.

For this summer brunch salad I swap the tomatoes for cherries and use a buttery bread such as brioche or challah. The addition of cucumbers comes from a salad that my husband and I had at our friends Chris and Karrie's house. It was an interesting pairing (cherries and cucumbers), but tasty. Finally, I use fresh mint and cilantro in place of traditional herbs such as basil. The salad is finished off with a light white balsamic vinegar dressing. This helps to bring out the sweetness in the cherries. Make this panzanella for your next brunch or serve breakfast for dinner, like I did. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
4 C Brioche or Challah Bread
1/2 lb. Cherries, pitted & halved
1 English Cucumber, diced
3 T Fresh Mint, chopped
3 T Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 C Sliced Almonds, toasted
2 T White Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Directions
Preheat the broiler to low and move the oven rack two slots from the top.

Toast the bread: Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. On a large sheet tray, arrange the bread into a single layer. Toast, tossing as needed. Remove from the oven to cool. NOTE: Don't skip this step. It's important to have dry bread so that the dressing will be better absorbed.

Make the salad: In a large bowl combine the cherries, cucumber, mint, cilantro, and almonds. Toss and set aside.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine the vinegar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until it emulsifies.

Build the salad: Add the cooled bread to the cherry and cucumber mixture. Pour in the dressing and toss to mix well. Allow the salad to sit for 10 minutes. Toss once more to distribute the juices from the cherries and cucumbers. Then serve along side your favorite brunch foods. Enjoy!

Sparkling White Sangria

bubbles, bubbles, bubbles, bubbles...

I don't suppose anyone would want me to make a drink or dessert out of mussels. So, instead, I've made a drink that will pair well with mussels. My Aunt L made this delicious Sparkling White Sangria for my wedding shower a couple years ago. It's crisp and clean allowing the mussels to shine through even as you enjoy this drink. And, just as so many other recipes I've posted, it's super easy to make!

This drink can be made up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. It's great for a party or half the recipe for a smaller group - say 2 (ha!). As summer is just around the corner, I'm sure you'll find plenty of occasions to make this drink. Here's how...

Ingredients - Serves 8-10
2, 750ml. Sparkling White Wine (suggest Prosecco)
1 1/2 C Cointreau
1 C Apple Juice (light okay)
1/2 C Orange Juice (no pulp)
1 Orange, thinly sliced
1 Red Apple, thinly sliced
1 Green Apple, thinly sliced
Fresh Mint for Serving

Directions
Combine all ingredients, except for the mint, in a large service. Chill for 1-4 hours. When ready, serve over ice with torn fresh mint. Cheers!