Welcome back to another edition of What's for Dinner - a weekly menu planning series with inspiration from my Cocina to yours.
Welcome to What's for Dinner, a new weekly series with menu planning inspiration from my Cocina to yours.
I am a firm believer in that menu planning can be a wife/mom's best friend. Menu planning helps me save money at the grocery store because I only buy the ingredients I'm going to need for our meals that week. And it helps me save time because I already know what I'm making for dinner and I already have the ingredients I need. (Read more about How I Plan My Weekly Menu here.)
I love seeing what other families eat throughout the week, be it via Menu Plan Monday posts or What's for Dinner videos on YouTube. I started to share our weekly meals on the blog (and on YouTube) last year, but with so much going on in our lives it was hard to keep up. This year I'm hoping to do much better now that things seem to have calmed down some. (Knock on wood!)
So, if you're into menu planning or just need some inspiration on what to make for dinner I hope you'll tune in every Saturday to see What's for Dinner!
Our meals this week...
I am a firm believer in that menu planning can be a wife/mom's best friend. Menu planning helps me save money at the grocery store because I only buy the ingredients I'm going to need for our meals that week. And it helps me save time because I already know what I'm making for dinner and I already have the ingredients I need. (Read more about How I Plan My Weekly Menu here.)
I love seeing what other families eat throughout the week, be it via Menu Plan Monday posts or What's for Dinner videos on YouTube. I started to share our weekly meals on the blog (and on YouTube) last year, but with so much going on in our lives it was hard to keep up. This year I'm hoping to do much better now that things seem to have calmed down some. (Knock on wood!)
So, if you're into menu planning or just need some inspiration on what to make for dinner I hope you'll tune in every Saturday to see What's for Dinner!
Our meals this week...
When cooking for my family day in and day out, sometimes the food I look forward to most are the side dishes. Who doesn't love a good side dish?! There are some side dishes that I could easily eat as my main meal, no main dish necessary. Some of my favorite side dishes include Mexican Rice, mashed potatoes, Frijoles Adobados, any kind of macaroni & cheese, Chopped Salad, and Cilantro Rice Pilaf.
This Cilantro Rice Pilaf is my go-to side dish when I want something a little fancier to serve with dinner. It just looks so pretty and elegant when served next to Chicken Pipián Rojo or Pollo a la Cacerola (Mexican Chicken Cacciatore). But the only thing really fancy about this recipe is the name. Made with just long-grain rice, fideo (or vermicelli), cilantro, and pecans, rice dishes don't get much easier than this.
This Cilantro Rice Pilaf is my go-to side dish when I want something a little fancier to serve with dinner. It just looks so pretty and elegant when served next to Chicken Pipián Rojo or Pollo a la Cacerola (Mexican Chicken Cacciatore). But the only thing really fancy about this recipe is the name. Made with just long-grain rice, fideo (or vermicelli), cilantro, and pecans, rice dishes don't get much easier than this.
If you like cookies and milk, then you are going to love this Atole de Galleta made with Galletas Marias (a very popular cookie here in Mexico).
Our second atole for #AtoleWeek is one everyone (young and old) enjoys, because who doesn't like Galletas Maria's? When I first heard of Atole de Galleta, I thought it was going to be a hot, mushy mess, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The cookies completely dissolve resulting in a creamy sweet atole that you'd never guess was made with cookies.
Traditionally Atole de Galleta is made with Galletas Maria's, but any kind of cookie can be used. My kiddies also love what I call Cookies & Cream Atole made with Oreo's. If you'd like the recipe, let me know in the comments below.
Atole de Galleta
Ingredients:
Directions:
Break the Maria's cookies into pieces and let soak in 3 cups milk in a blender cup for 5 minutes; puree until smooth. Heat the 5 remaining cups of milk and the cinnamon stick in a 3-quart pot over medium heat until very warm. Pour in the cookie puree and stir to combine. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until the atole has started to thicken slightly. Sweeten with desired amount of sugar. Ladle into mugs. Enjoy!
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Our second atole for #AtoleWeek is one everyone (young and old) enjoys, because who doesn't like Galletas Maria's? When I first heard of Atole de Galleta, I thought it was going to be a hot, mushy mess, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The cookies completely dissolve resulting in a creamy sweet atole that you'd never guess was made with cookies.
Traditionally Atole de Galleta is made with Galletas Maria's, but any kind of cookie can be used. My kiddies also love what I call Cookies & Cream Atole made with Oreo's. If you'd like the recipe, let me know in the comments below.
Atole de Galleta
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg. Maria's cookies (I use Gamesa brand)
- 8 cups of milk, divided
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2/3 to 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Break the Maria's cookies into pieces and let soak in 3 cups milk in a blender cup for 5 minutes; puree until smooth. Heat the 5 remaining cups of milk and the cinnamon stick in a 3-quart pot over medium heat until very warm. Pour in the cookie puree and stir to combine. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until the atole has started to thicken slightly. Sweeten with desired amount of sugar. Ladle into mugs. Enjoy!
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One of my favorite things about fall and the crisp cooler weather that comes with it is the wide variety of hot beverages available to help keep you warm like coffee, ponche, and atole. (Just to name a few.) My heart will always belong to coffee. (I'm drinking a cup as I write.) And ponche will always be a holiday favorite. But atole, in all it's creaminess, is the epitome of comfort in a cup during the cold fall and winter months. I love atole SO much that I thought it would be fun to devote this entire week (which I'm calling #AtoleWeek) in my Cocina to sharing some of my favorite atole recipes.
When trying to decide which recipe to make from my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month I had two things in mind: Halloween and candy! Because that's pretty much what the month of October was all about, in addition to celebrating my 20th wedding anniversary, my Hubby's 42nd birthday, and my eldest son's 15th birthday.
My assignment this month was Ilona's Kitchen, written by a wife and mom who loves to travel and cook. Reading Ilona's blog is like reading a letter or email from a trusted friend because she tells you straight up whether a recipe has way too much butter or not enough. The kiddies and I had a hard time narrowing down our choices. I was tempted to get an early start on my holiday baking with her Cranberry Bundt Cake and Cinnamon Apple Pie Cake, but the search was over as soon as my kiddies saw her Caramel Swirled Pretzel M&M Blondies. My kiddies LOVE anything with m&m's and thought this would be the perfect Halloween dessert. And they were SO right!
I did make one small change by substituting Mexican cajeta for the caramel sauce. I also added in more pretzels, that I lucked upon at one of the farmacias here in town, because I love desserts that are the perfect balance between sweet and salty. And the blondies were so soft and tender. Very cake-like, but also kind of fudgy in the middle because of the cajeta. These Cajeta Swirled Pretzel M&M Blondies were a big hit in our house, and I'm sure they'll be a big hit in your's too.
My assignment this month was Ilona's Kitchen, written by a wife and mom who loves to travel and cook. Reading Ilona's blog is like reading a letter or email from a trusted friend because she tells you straight up whether a recipe has way too much butter or not enough. The kiddies and I had a hard time narrowing down our choices. I was tempted to get an early start on my holiday baking with her Cranberry Bundt Cake and Cinnamon Apple Pie Cake, but the search was over as soon as my kiddies saw her Caramel Swirled Pretzel M&M Blondies. My kiddies LOVE anything with m&m's and thought this would be the perfect Halloween dessert. And they were SO right!
I did make one small change by substituting Mexican cajeta for the caramel sauce. I also added in more pretzels, that I lucked upon at one of the farmacias here in town, because I love desserts that are the perfect balance between sweet and salty. And the blondies were so soft and tender. Very cake-like, but also kind of fudgy in the middle because of the cajeta. These Cajeta Swirled Pretzel M&M Blondies were a big hit in our house, and I'm sure they'll be a big hit in your's too.
DÃa de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is just around the corner. (As is Halloween!) Last year, for DÃa de Muertos we visited our dearly departed at el panteón (the cemetery), then stayed to watch a one-woman play called "La Muerte Irridenta". We all loved visiting el panteón on a cold and eerie night, but the whole time we were there I kept thinking to myself that I should've taken a thermos of something warm to drink to keep us all warm. Thankfully the city officials served hot chocolate and tea when the show was over, but I made a mental to note to remember to bring along something warm to drink for next year.
Well, it's next year already, and I have just the beverage for our annual DÃa de Muertos outing at the cemetery this year... Atole de Cajeta! Atole is a warm, creamy milk-based beverage that is slightly thickened with cornstarch (aka corn flour) or masa harina. Now I love thick atoles like my Sweet Potato Atole and Champurrado that get their grainy texture from the masa harina. But there is something to be said for the silky smooth creaminess of atoles thickened with cornstarch, like my Atole de Nuez (pecan). Those are the kind of atoles I remember my grandpa making me when I was growing up. And that is just the kind of atolito that will keep us warm at the cemetery come DÃa de Muertos.
You'll notice in the recipe that I don't sweeten this atole with sugar or piloncillo, like you see in other atole recipes. That's because this atole is made with cajeta, which is a sweet Mexican caramel sauce made from goat's milk. Cajeta is all the sweetness you need! No need to add more sugar, but you can always add more cajeta. If you're lucky enough to find cajeta envinada (spiked cajeta - Woohoo!), then by all means go ahead and use that instead of regular cajeta. But if you are unable to find cajeta of any kind and you really want to try this Atole de Cajeta, you can substitute a can of dulce de leche or a cup of caramel topping for the cajeta.
And finally, if you're looking to try more atole recipes to try be sure to tune in to my Cocina next month for a special #AtoleWeek (Nov. 10th - 14th)!
Atole de Cajeta
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a 2-quart stockpot, heat 4 cups of the milk with the cinnamon stick and Mexican cajeta over medium heat until very warm, stirring constantly to dissolve the cajeta. While the milk is heating on the stove, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining cup of milk. Just before the milk on the stove starts to bubble, add the cold milk and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the atole has thickened slightly. Ladle into mugs. Enjoy!
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Well, it's next year already, and I have just the beverage for our annual DÃa de Muertos outing at the cemetery this year... Atole de Cajeta! Atole is a warm, creamy milk-based beverage that is slightly thickened with cornstarch (aka corn flour) or masa harina. Now I love thick atoles like my Sweet Potato Atole and Champurrado that get their grainy texture from the masa harina. But there is something to be said for the silky smooth creaminess of atoles thickened with cornstarch, like my Atole de Nuez (pecan). Those are the kind of atoles I remember my grandpa making me when I was growing up. And that is just the kind of atolito that will keep us warm at the cemetery come DÃa de Muertos.
You'll notice in the recipe that I don't sweeten this atole with sugar or piloncillo, like you see in other atole recipes. That's because this atole is made with cajeta, which is a sweet Mexican caramel sauce made from goat's milk. Cajeta is all the sweetness you need! No need to add more sugar, but you can always add more cajeta. If you're lucky enough to find cajeta envinada (spiked cajeta - Woohoo!), then by all means go ahead and use that instead of regular cajeta. But if you are unable to find cajeta of any kind and you really want to try this Atole de Cajeta, you can substitute a can of dulce de leche or a cup of caramel topping for the cajeta.
And finally, if you're looking to try more atole recipes to try be sure to tune in to my Cocina next month for a special #AtoleWeek (Nov. 10th - 14th)!
Atole de Cajeta
Ingredients:
- 5 cups milk, divided
- 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
- 1 cup Mexican cajeta or dulce de leche
- 1/3 cup cornstarch (I used unflavored Maizena)
Directions:
In a 2-quart stockpot, heat 4 cups of the milk with the cinnamon stick and Mexican cajeta over medium heat until very warm, stirring constantly to dissolve the cajeta. While the milk is heating on the stove, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining cup of milk. Just before the milk on the stove starts to bubble, add the cold milk and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the atole has thickened slightly. Ladle into mugs. Enjoy!
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About a month ago one of my sisters-in-law brought me a bag of frozen salmon fillets on one of her visits from the city. I was beyond ecstatic to receive the frozen salmon, because up until that moment it had been some 14+ years since I last ate and/or cooked salmon. Back then Hubby and I weren't big on seafood, and salmon was something we only ate on special occasions like Valentine's Day, our wedding anniversary, or when Hubby got a raise at work. But for the life of me I couldn't remember what my go-to salmon recipe was oh so many years ago. As excited as I was to finally be able to introduce my kiddies to salmon, I decided to leave the salmon in the freezer until I could find a salmon recipe that Hubby, the kiddies, and my suegro (father-in-law) would love.
But when it came time to choose a recipe for this month's installment of The Secret Recipe Club, I didn't have anything specific in mind. My blog assignment this month was bcmom's kitchen, a food blog full of quick, easy, delicious recipes. Anna (aka always bcmom) also has a personal blog by the same name where she writes about her two grown kids, her grandson, and her hubby of 28 years. Some of Anna's recipe that caught my eye were her Oatmeal Bread, Soft Raisin Cookies, and Pineapple Coconut Rum French Toast. But what really won me over was her recipe for Chile Lime Salmon Tacos. We all love tacos, the seasoning is similar to my recipe for Pollo a la Plancha (grilled chicken), and it was just the recipe I was looking for to use the salmon my sister-in-law gave me.
We were not disappointed. Just as Anna promises on her bcmom's kitchen blog, the recipe was easy to prepare and absolutely delectable. The salmon was flaky and perfectly seasoned. And the fresh lime juice and the creamy white sauce made with Mexican crema and Valentina hot sauce were the perfect way to finish off the tacos. I know I will be making these again soon, even if I have to personally drive out to the city to buy the frozen salmon.
But when it came time to choose a recipe for this month's installment of The Secret Recipe Club, I didn't have anything specific in mind. My blog assignment this month was bcmom's kitchen, a food blog full of quick, easy, delicious recipes. Anna (aka always bcmom) also has a personal blog by the same name where she writes about her two grown kids, her grandson, and her hubby of 28 years. Some of Anna's recipe that caught my eye were her Oatmeal Bread, Soft Raisin Cookies, and Pineapple Coconut Rum French Toast. But what really won me over was her recipe for Chile Lime Salmon Tacos. We all love tacos, the seasoning is similar to my recipe for Pollo a la Plancha (grilled chicken), and it was just the recipe I was looking for to use the salmon my sister-in-law gave me.
We were not disappointed. Just as Anna promises on her bcmom's kitchen blog, the recipe was easy to prepare and absolutely delectable. The salmon was flaky and perfectly seasoned. And the fresh lime juice and the creamy white sauce made with Mexican crema and Valentina hot sauce were the perfect way to finish off the tacos. I know I will be making these again soon, even if I have to personally drive out to the city to buy the frozen salmon.
When sitting down to plan our weekly dinner menu I can count on two things...
- Hubby will always request either Tacos de Papa (Potato Tacos) or BBQ Ribs with all the fixin's (including my Creamed Corn a la Mexicana).
- Hope (my 16 year old daughter) will always request Macaroni & Cheese.
Hope LOVES Macaroni & Cheese! She's loved macaroni & cheese ever since she was almost 2 years old and I'm pretty sure she always will. And I can't say that I blame her. Who doesn't love a bowl of creamy macaroni & cheese whether it be from that famous little blue box or homemade?!
Now as much as I love macaroni & cheese, I don't always want to eat the same thing over and over again day after day, or week after week. So, I try to mix things up a bit by stirring in different ingredients I have in the fridge or pantry to spice things up and hope that Hubby and the kiddies will like it. That is where the idea for this Bacon Chipotle Macaroni & Cheese came from. All of my kiddies love chipotle peppers and everybody loves bacon. Stir it all together with some homemade macaroni and cheese, and it's no surprise that it quickly became one of my go-to recipes.
Now as much as I love macaroni & cheese, I don't always want to eat the same thing over and over again day after day, or week after week. So, I try to mix things up a bit by stirring in different ingredients I have in the fridge or pantry to spice things up and hope that Hubby and the kiddies will like it. That is where the idea for this Bacon Chipotle Macaroni & Cheese came from. All of my kiddies love chipotle peppers and everybody loves bacon. Stir it all together with some homemade macaroni and cheese, and it's no surprise that it quickly became one of my go-to recipes.
I am so excited about this week's #SundaySupper theme (hosted by Alice of A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen and Christy of Confessions of a Culinary Diva) because it includes my all-time favorite vegetable in the whole wide world... Zucchini! Actually it's a Squash Fest, which includes all types of squash like acorn and butternut squash, and also pumpkin (which I adore), but for me it's all about zucchini. It's such a versatile squash, and it's subtle flavor works so well with just about anything, be it sweet or savory.
Now as much as I love zucchini, not everyone in my family feels the same way. (Gasp!) My girls share my love for zucchini, but Hubby and our boys, will only eat zucchini if it's battered and fried (fried zucchini), breaded and baked (zucchini fries), or as part of a dessert. They also eat it in my Homemade Bolognese Sauce, but since I sneak it in there, they have no idea they're eating zucchini. The only time I've seen Hubby and my boys excited to eat zucchini is when I stuff it with Mexican chorizo. They're love for spicy Mexican chorizo combined together with my love for fresh zucchini makes us all one very happy family. And I'm sure you'll be just as happy when you try these Chorizo Stuffed Zucchini.
Now as much as I love zucchini, not everyone in my family feels the same way. (Gasp!) My girls share my love for zucchini, but Hubby and our boys, will only eat zucchini if it's battered and fried (fried zucchini), breaded and baked (zucchini fries), or as part of a dessert. They also eat it in my Homemade Bolognese Sauce, but since I sneak it in there, they have no idea they're eating zucchini. The only time I've seen Hubby and my boys excited to eat zucchini is when I stuff it with Mexican chorizo. They're love for spicy Mexican chorizo combined together with my love for fresh zucchini makes us all one very happy family. And I'm sure you'll be just as happy when you try these Chorizo Stuffed Zucchini.
Who am I trying to kid? Once I get something stuck in my head, there's just no convincing me otherwise. For the last couple of weeks I have tried not to think about the upcoming fall season. I have really tried to enjoy the last precious few weeks of summer, and not think about fall, but I'm fighting a losing battle. I am ready for fall. To me the beginning of September and Labor Day weekend will always be the unofficial beginning of the fall season. That's how it was for the first 26 years of my life that I lived in the US, and it's still the same way now that I'm about to turn 40 and have been living in Mexico for almost 14 years. I want apples, pumpkins (I bought my first pumpkin of the season on Friday), rich spices, cooler days and warm bevvies. So, when trying to decide which recipe to make this month for The Secret Recipe Club, I was looking for something fall inspired.
My blog assignment this month was Food Ramblings, written by Elizabeth, who loves to cook, travel, and eat. (A woman after my own heart!) Elizabeth's blog has plenty of fall inspired recipes to choose from like Apple Cinnamon Pancakes, Pumpkin Apple Muffins, and Pumpkin Butter Swirled Blondies (swoon!). Ultimately I ended up choosing to make her Oatmeal Craisin Cookies, because I thought not only would they taste like fall, but they'd also make for a great lunchbox treat for my kiddies. And because Jack, my youngest, absolutely LOVES dried cranberries.
I was not disappointed. I've always loved the combination of oats and cinnamon, and the ruby red dried cranberries added a slight tartness that made these Oatmeal Cranberry Bars hard to resist. My kiddies requested these in their lunch boxes every day last week. And on Saturday, my girls and I whipped up another batch for the coming week, but they disappeared before the end of the day. And I'm pretty sure that
My blog assignment this month was Food Ramblings, written by Elizabeth, who loves to cook, travel, and eat. (A woman after my own heart!) Elizabeth's blog has plenty of fall inspired recipes to choose from like Apple Cinnamon Pancakes, Pumpkin Apple Muffins, and Pumpkin Butter Swirled Blondies (swoon!). Ultimately I ended up choosing to make her Oatmeal Craisin Cookies, because I thought not only would they taste like fall, but they'd also make for a great lunchbox treat for my kiddies. And because Jack, my youngest, absolutely LOVES dried cranberries.
I was not disappointed. I've always loved the combination of oats and cinnamon, and the ruby red dried cranberries added a slight tartness that made these Oatmeal Cranberry Bars hard to resist. My kiddies requested these in their lunch boxes every day last week. And on Saturday, my girls and I whipped up another batch for the coming week, but they disappeared before the end of the day. And I'm pretty sure that
If you like bacon, then you are going to LOVE what girlichef (my foodie BFF) and I have cooked up for you in this month's installment of She Made/Ella Hace. Because everybody knows that bacon makes everything better!
The hardest part for me this month was deciding on what to make. I mean, really, the possibilities are endless. Did I want to make something sweet, try something new, or make one of the mouthwatering bacon recipes Heather (girlichef) has been sharing this month for #BaconMonth (hosted by Julie from White Lights on Wednesday)? (Hello, Flourless Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies!)
Then I got to thinking about what my grandparents used to make that had bacon in it, and I remembered this Bacon Fried Rice that Gramm only made on those rare occasions when she'd prepare a can of Chun King chicken chow mein for dinner. (Does anyone remember Chun King? Or am I just that old?!) Unlike traditional fried rice, Gramm didn't use cooked white rice. She'd actually make her Sopa de Arroz (Mexican Rice) and just add veggies, some scrambled eggs, and lots and lots of crisp, crumbly bacon. I made a few changes to Gramm's recipe, like omitting the chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce, but the flavor was just as I remembered it. And I'm pretty sure Hubby, the kiddies, and even my suegro (father-in-law) liked it, because they all asked for seconds.
Thank you, Heather, for suggesting bacon as our theme this month because it reminded me of this childhood favorite. I can't wait to see your Black Bean and Bacon Flautas.
The hardest part for me this month was deciding on what to make. I mean, really, the possibilities are endless. Did I want to make something sweet, try something new, or make one of the mouthwatering bacon recipes Heather (girlichef) has been sharing this month for #BaconMonth (hosted by Julie from White Lights on Wednesday)? (Hello, Flourless Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies!)
Then I got to thinking about what my grandparents used to make that had bacon in it, and I remembered this Bacon Fried Rice that Gramm only made on those rare occasions when she'd prepare a can of Chun King chicken chow mein for dinner. (Does anyone remember Chun King? Or am I just that old?!) Unlike traditional fried rice, Gramm didn't use cooked white rice. She'd actually make her Sopa de Arroz (Mexican Rice) and just add veggies, some scrambled eggs, and lots and lots of crisp, crumbly bacon. I made a few changes to Gramm's recipe, like omitting the chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce, but the flavor was just as I remembered it. And I'm pretty sure Hubby, the kiddies, and even my suegro (father-in-law) liked it, because they all asked for seconds.
Thank you, Heather, for suggesting bacon as our theme this month because it reminded me of this childhood favorite. I can't wait to see your Black Bean and Bacon Flautas.
It's still summer... It's still summer... It's still summer... I have been repeating these words to
myself all week because in my mind it's already fall. The leaves are falling off the tree outside my bedroom window. I'm already dreaming about making all sorts of delicious fall goodies. Just yesterday I cooked 3 kilos (like 6 pounds) of Camotes Enmielados (Candied Sweet Potatoes in Piloncillo Syrup), which made my house smell like one of those Bath & Body Works fall candles. And my kiddies all go back to school tomorrow.
But as excited as I am about fall, a part of me isn't ready to let go of summer just yet. It's probably because the kiddies' summer break was only 5 weeks long this year, which has to be the shortest. summer. break. EVER! Thankfully Hubby kindly reminded me that just because school starts tomorrow doesn't mean that summer season is officially over. My calendar clearly marks that we still have one whole month of summer to enjoy. So with that in mind and because peanut butter and jelly is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of back-to-school lunches, I made the kiddies these PB&J Paletas (popsicles) as a cool (and delicious) afterschool snack to help beat the heat of the dog days of summer.
One bite of these Peanut Butter & Jelly Paletas and I'm sure you'll agree that they taste like a pb&j sandwich on a stick. Only way cooler!
myself all week because in my mind it's already fall. The leaves are falling off the tree outside my bedroom window. I'm already dreaming about making all sorts of delicious fall goodies. Just yesterday I cooked 3 kilos (like 6 pounds) of Camotes Enmielados (Candied Sweet Potatoes in Piloncillo Syrup), which made my house smell like one of those Bath & Body Works fall candles. And my kiddies all go back to school tomorrow.
But as excited as I am about fall, a part of me isn't ready to let go of summer just yet. It's probably because the kiddies' summer break was only 5 weeks long this year, which has to be the shortest. summer. break. EVER! Thankfully Hubby kindly reminded me that just because school starts tomorrow doesn't mean that summer season is officially over. My calendar clearly marks that we still have one whole month of summer to enjoy. So with that in mind and because peanut butter and jelly is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of back-to-school lunches, I made the kiddies these PB&J Paletas (popsicles) as a cool (and delicious) afterschool snack to help beat the heat of the dog days of summer.
One bite of these Peanut Butter & Jelly Paletas and I'm sure you'll agree that they taste like a pb&j sandwich on a stick. Only way cooler!
When it comes to deciding on which recipe to choose for the Secret Recipe Club each month it usually takes me a couple of days, because I like to look through each and every recipe my assignments have posted to see what catches my attention. Then I ask Hubby and the kiddies to help me narrow down my long list of recipes to just one. But this month, I did things a little differently... (I'll explain how in just a minute.)
My Secret Recipe Club assignment this month was The Keenan Cookbook, a blog by husband and wife team Chris and Rachel. Chris does the cooking and writing, while Rachel is the one responsible for the gorgeous photography. And they have two very cute little boys.
The month of July was pretty much all about figs in our casita. Our friendly neighborhood ice cream man has been bringing us large bags of figs once or twice a week. We are major fig lovers so the figs usually don't last very long to use them in any recipes, even though I have quite a few fig recipes on my never-ending list of recipes to try.
On the day I sat down to start perusing The Keenan Cookbook blog, one of the first recipes on the breakfast recipes index was Fresh Fig Refrigerator Jam. I looked over at the huge bag that our ice cream man had just delivered with like 6 pounds of fresh figs and knew that I had found THE recipe. Five minutes later, I was in my father-in-law's kitchen cooking my very first batch of homemade fig jam. And now homemade fig jam is my favorite jam ever. It's delicious on toast, freshly baked biscuits, peanut butter & jelly burritos, pancakes, and it's even great on savory sandwiches too. (I'll be sharing one such recipe very soon, so stay tuned!) I haven't bought or made any other kind of jam since. It's that good!
If you have an abundance of figs and aren't sure what to do with them, this is the recipe for you. And don't forget to check out The Keenan Cookbook for more mouth-watering recipes like Arugula, Watermelon & Feta Salad, Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, and Grilled Marinated Salmon.
My Secret Recipe Club assignment this month was The Keenan Cookbook, a blog by husband and wife team Chris and Rachel. Chris does the cooking and writing, while Rachel is the one responsible for the gorgeous photography. And they have two very cute little boys.
The month of July was pretty much all about figs in our casita. Our friendly neighborhood ice cream man has been bringing us large bags of figs once or twice a week. We are major fig lovers so the figs usually don't last very long to use them in any recipes, even though I have quite a few fig recipes on my never-ending list of recipes to try.
On the day I sat down to start perusing The Keenan Cookbook blog, one of the first recipes on the breakfast recipes index was Fresh Fig Refrigerator Jam. I looked over at the huge bag that our ice cream man had just delivered with like 6 pounds of fresh figs and knew that I had found THE recipe. Five minutes later, I was in my father-in-law's kitchen cooking my very first batch of homemade fig jam. And now homemade fig jam is my favorite jam ever. It's delicious on toast, freshly baked biscuits, peanut butter & jelly burritos, pancakes, and it's even great on savory sandwiches too. (I'll be sharing one such recipe very soon, so stay tuned!) I haven't bought or made any other kind of jam since. It's that good!
If you have an abundance of figs and aren't sure what to do with them, this is the recipe for you. And don't forget to check out The Keenan Cookbook for more mouth-watering recipes like Arugula, Watermelon & Feta Salad, Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, and Grilled Marinated Salmon.
It's summer, the sun is scorching hot, and all I really want is something to help me stay cool. So when it came time to pick a recipe from my Secret Recipe Club assignment this month, I knew I wanted something along those lines. I think it's awesome that my blog assignment this month hails all the way from Australia. My Hobbie Lobbie is a new-to-me blog written by Trisha who loves to craft and travel. Although Trisha is a baker, she had plenty of recipes that fit my desire to stay cool perfectly. Her Mango (no-churn) Ice Cream immediately caught my attention, as did her Choco-Fudge Pops, and Melon-Cucumber Smoothie. And once the weather cools down a bit I'll be trying her Baked Naan, Japanese Cheesecake, and Sweet & Salty Cumin Cookies, because I never would have thought to add cumin (one of my favorite spices) to cookies. But the recipe that won me over was her Mango Milkshake, because who doesn't love a thick and creamy milkshake in the summer?
As much as my family loves milkshakes, we tend to stick to our favorite flavors like strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, cookies & cream, and peanut butter & banana. But as soon as I read the words "mango milkshake" I thought, "I love mangos in my licuados (smoothies), but why have I never thought to add them to a milkshake?!" These Mango Milkshakes were such a hit with my Hubby and kiddies, that I've already made them 5 or 6 times in the last 4 weeks. The first couple of times I followed Trisha's recipe to a tee using only vanilla ice cream. But after a visit to our local paleteria (popsicle/ice cream parlor) and seeing that they had mango ice cream, I forewent buying just a scoop and bought an entire liter to use just for mango milkshakes and that's all I've used ever since.
Once you try these Mango Milkshakes, I think you'll agree that they are sunshine in a glass.
As much as my family loves milkshakes, we tend to stick to our favorite flavors like strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, cookies & cream, and peanut butter & banana. But as soon as I read the words "mango milkshake" I thought, "I love mangos in my licuados (smoothies), but why have I never thought to add them to a milkshake?!" These Mango Milkshakes were such a hit with my Hubby and kiddies, that I've already made them 5 or 6 times in the last 4 weeks. The first couple of times I followed Trisha's recipe to a tee using only vanilla ice cream. But after a visit to our local paleteria (popsicle/ice cream parlor) and seeing that they had mango ice cream, I forewent buying just a scoop and bought an entire liter to use just for mango milkshakes and that's all I've used ever since.
Once you try these Mango Milkshakes, I think you'll agree that they are sunshine in a glass.
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