If you’re here for the parenting and education stuff, don’t worry! I am still working on those posts. They just take me a really long time to think through, write up, and revise, so I like to scatter the easier food posts in between :).
I had a request to post more “dinner recipes” from a friend who has been following my food posts very closely. I am flattered to know she purchased several pieces of cookware on my recommendation, specifically to make the recipes listed on my blog! Since I know I will be making a ton of desserts in the next few weeks (baby and bridal showers galore!), I figured I’d squeeze in some savory recipes before shower season hits and y’all are inundated with pictures of cupcakes and bars and puddings.
Today’s recipe is Pork and Mushroom Wonton! Wonton always seemed so novel to me that it never really occurred to me to make it myself. It’s actually really easy! I was inspired to try making them when a friend told me how grinding your own pork is way better than using store-bought pork. She said that dumplings tasted so much better with freshly-ground pork, so of course I had to try it out with my new food processor. Never mind the toasty weather. Like I said before, warm weather is no deterrent for me when it comes to good eats!
Oh happy day, my new food processor arrived this weekend! I was SUPER eager to test out the blades, and I couldn’t think of a better way to do that than to slice and dice a few bell peppers, onions, and zucchini for my husband’s favorite chili!
Yes, yes, it’s summer… and at 85ºF, it’s not exactly chili weather. It’s allllll good. A little sunshine never stopped us from enjoying foods we like, no matter how warm or unconventional! I love this recipe because it’s like a whole meal in one dish– meat, veggies, dairy, and carbs (errr do tortilla chips count as carbs? =P). I appreciate that this chili is packed full of healthy veggies but tastes so comfortingly delicious! Be sure to use the taco seasoning with the turkey. You won’t even miss the beef.
Lately, I’ve been toting this guy around everywhere:
It contains three of my new favorite things:
an excellent water bottle, super refreshing iced tea, and chia seeds.
The bottle
First, the water bottle. I have gone through a lot of water bottles in my time, from the free squeezable sport bottles from basketball camp to the once-trendy Nalgene bottles to the hipster stainless steel bottles to cups (and bottles) with straws. They all had their pros and cons. The Nalgenes had a nice, wide mouth opening so I could gulp down water quickly… but this was also the bottle’s downfall. I know I’m not the only student who tried to sneak in a gulp while trekking across campus only to spill water all over my shirt.
I loved the look of the stainless steel bottles, but those got banged up very quickly when I threw my backpack around. Any “cool” factor they had disappeared when my bottle lolled about like an indecisive top, having been dropped multiple times. Plus, the stainless steel bottles were kind of annoying to clean. You can’t really fit a sponge in those small mouth openings, and I dunno about you, but vinegar is not part of my usual dishwashing routine, so it was annoying to have to bust that out to clean this one item. Then again, I didn’t use a dishwasher back then, so maybe I’d feel differently about this now. But still, the dents.
Yes, this title deserves an exclamation point! Here in the Bay Area today, it is a sweltering 93º… and it’s supposed to get even hotter tomorrow! Nothing says delicious, freshly churned, refreshing, homemade ICE CREAM!!!! better than this recipe! David has come through for me again!
First of all, strawberry season is HERE. Chances are, you’ve been lured in by the intoxicating fragrance of those bright red berries more than once at the market. And, when their ruby-red hues are this lovely, one pint simply will not do:
You know what I’m talking about. You know you’ve come home with a flat of 3 or 6 pints before. You rinse them off and devour the first juicy basket, and then sit there wondering, Howwwww am I gonna finish the rest of these strawberries before they go bad?
Am I right?
Sure, freezing them and using them for smoothies is a good backup plan, but that kind of defeats the joy of fresh-from-the-market strawberries. No, when Rachel brought three baskets of ripe and juicy strawberries to our home last week, I knew they were destined for bigger things. I was actually secretly hoping we wouldn’t finish the strawberries, tempting as they were, because I was already plotting to transform them into something glorious and new: strawberry sour cream ice cream.
Every time I serve this, my friends exclaim, “WOW! It tastes like real strawberries!!” Even Rachel said it, and she’s the one who brought the strawberries over. I’m not sure why they’re so surprised, because I’ve already told them it’s strawberry ice cream. Maybe it’s because they are used to the store-bought version with artificial flavors and too much sugar. Or maybe it’s because, with this perfect balance of sour cream and sugar, strawberries somehow taste more strawberry-like, with their summer-ripe sweetness bursting from the spoon onto your palate.
Whatever it is, this recipe is a serious winner. Not only does it taste like summer in your mouth, but it is also one of the easiest ice cream recipes ever: no eggs, no cooking! Just blend and churn! If that doesn’t make you throw that ice cream canister straight into the freezer, I don’t know what will.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, this pre-summer season might just be the time to pick one up
At the end of each churning, I normally try to scrape most of my ice cream off the paddle and into my ice cream tubs for freezing… but not with this one. Instead, I find myself leaving copious amounts hanging off the paddle for the pleasure of immediate licking! It’s one of those ice creams that tastes great frozen, but possibly even better fresh off the churn, so have your (chilled) bowls and spoons ready!
If I could only choose 10 items to serve in my future bakery, these honey almond bars would definitely make the cut. They’re simple, they’re classy, and they’re a perfect buttery complement to a cup of coffee or tea!
I have recently been trying lots of recipes from Eleanor’s kitchen over at www.petite-kitchen.com. I used to be really turned off by tags like “gluten-free” or “dairy free,” and especially the dreaded “sugar-free,” but she has steadily changed my mind about all that. Her recipes are simple, nourishing, and yummy. I couldn’t ask for more from a food blog!
Last week, I tried one of her chocolate recipes. I was more than a little skeptical about substituting honey for sugar, but I was so pleased with how her banana muffin recipe had worked out for me last week that I decided to give it a shot. I was so doubtful that I’d like it that I actually halved the recipe… which is too bad. Because turns out I loved it. The chocolates were gone by the next day. I noshed on piece after piece after piece of chocolate, feeling… not guilty at all! I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, but when you look at the ingredient list, I think you’ll agree with me that it’s not such a bad thing. Better than my usual cookie or brownie binges, anyway!
What do you think happens when I mix these ingredients together and stick ’em in the oven?
….
THIS!
AMAZING, right?! I would have never guessed that peanut butter, eggs, coconut oil, and bananas make delicious, light and fluffy muffins… but they do! They really do! I threw in a handful of chocolate chips cuz, well, that’s my thing. I feel like I’m eating a complete breakfast when I stuff one of these guys in my mouth!
I made these mini cupcakes a couple of weekends ago for a family get-together. My cousin ate one… then two… then three. She walked up to me as she was peeling the lining off the fourth one, “Jojo. These cupcakes are so good. This is my fourth one!” Granted they were mini, but still. Eating four of anything can only mean good things.
I pieced this delectable recipe together from two of my favorite cookbooks: The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook
I LOVE 85C’s sea salt iced coffee. There’s something about the creamy frothiness and the tiniest hint of salt that really makes my taste buds happy. It’s especially refreshing on a hot summer day. I had my first taste in Irvine, and it was always one of the must-haves whenever we went down for a visit. I was so excited when another milk tea shop opened up closer to home, offering Snowfall Iced Coffee, which is a very similar drink. At nearly $5 a cup, though, this wasn’t something I was willing to pay for regularly. I carefully watched them make it and of course went home and tried to recreate it. I think I came pretty close! If you enjoy your iced coffee creamy and sweet with a hint of something different, give this recipe a try and tell me what you think!
As promised, I’m working on a series of posts on how to shape children’s behavior. It’s taking some time, so I hope you enjoy this tasty dish in the meantime!
One of my favorite meals to prepare is brunch. Not only are many dishes guilty-yummy, but brunch usually means good friends and warm conversation– YAY! I randomly came across this fun recipe a few years ago. It’s super easy to put together, and it’s a unique way to offer proteins other than the usual bacon and sausage. It’s been a hit every time I’ve made it; it looks great, but also tastes delicious. I also appreciate having a baked item for brunches, so you don’t have to man the stove when you’d rather be chatting with friends. A tasty, unique dish with a fun twist on a popular children’s book
Meet JoEllen
Subscribe via Email
Top Posts & Pages
Categories
