Today I made

Really if you're going to make jam, freezer jam is the easiest and quickest way to go!
Today's flavor of choice was Raspberry-Peach.
My mouth is watering just writing that.
The raspberries came from our patch (having the summer heat extend into October has meant we've gotten bonus berries! Yipeee!) and the peaches from a local fruit stand. (Utah peaches are the best!)

I love sure-jell as far as pectin goes. I'm not paid by them but I'm certainly endorsing them.
Their instructions are clear and easy.

• Cut up and mash fruit.
• Measure fruit
• Measure sugar
• Combine fruit and sugar
• Let set 10 min.
• Combine water and pectin
• Let boil 1 min.
• Combine pectin and fruit
• Stir 3 minutes
• Pour into plastic containers
• Close 'em-up.
• 30 minutes at the most! You're done! Ta-Da!

Okay so they're a little more detailed than mine but you get the idea.

My tip is to follow the instruction precisely. When it says to stir the pectin into the fruit and sugar for 3 minutes really stir it for the 3 minutes.
At about 1:30 you will think, "Well, that looks like it's stirred in there. I think it's good. I'm going to stop."
Don't.....just keep stirring, just keep stirring, what do we do? we stir and stir......Do you get what I'm saying. Don't scrimp on the stirring of the pectin into the fruit.
Why?
Because if you don't the sugar may crystallize and then you have crunchy freezer jam and who wants that? I don't.

And just so you know....freezer jam makes a great last minute gift! Who doesn't like home made jam? and freezer jam tastes so fresh and yummy.

Good luck! Let me know if you try it!

Boston = Food = North End "Little Italy" = Yum!

Just in case you were wondering, yes, food is always the most important part of a trip.

And let me tell you, we were not disappointed by Boston at all!

My friend Dora lives near Boston and she said while we were there we couldn't miss having a canolli from Mike's Pastry.

This pastry shop was so busy it was crazy and so much fun. You stepped up to the counter and told them what kind of canolli or other pastry  you wanted then boom, bam, boom they boxed it up for you tied it with baker's twine and you were on your way.

We headed to the water with our tasty treats to kick back relax and enjoy.

Oh boy did we ever enjoy!

We enjoyed a chocolate dipped and a pistachio canolli with a profiterole for a snack later.

And

We just might have gone back our last night there for seconds (chocolate filled and pistachio)

And

we just might have also

Picked up a giant caramel pecan brownie for the trek home the next day.

I think my favorite part was carrying the box around because we got so much attention.

"Mike's Pastry!? Where's that"

"Mike's Pastry!? Did you bring some for me?"

"Mike's Pastry!? If you give me what's in the box your flight's free."

"Mike's Pastry!? Mmmm"

etc.

Check out their web site. You can totally order cannoli and have it shipped to you!

Awesome!

click here

Dora also recommended Regina's Pizza  also tasty! 

Our last night in Boston we decided to have pasta (because we hadn't yet). As we were walking through Little Italy MDH asked a man setting by his front door what was the best restaurant and the guy recommended LoConte's.

It was off the main tourist route so it was a little less busy and the food was Oh So Good.

I highly recommend the Tortellini Pesto.

MDH also enjoyed his Shrimp Marinara.

The bruschetta wasn't too shabby either.

Click Here

The only bad thing was we didn't have a refrigerator in our room and so we couldn't save our leftovers. 

Sad, sad, sad.

I think I'll be dreaming of that pesto and the cannoli for years to come.

Oh Whipped Cream -- Thou Art Dangerous!

I love me some cream.
I love it in all of it's forms. Whipped, sour, with chocolate, in cakes, on top of fruit, mixed in hot chocolate. The list could go on and on.
I don't love that it can make parts of my body look.....well.....cheese-ish......cottage cheese-ish to be specific. But I love cream nonetheless.

MDH went Costco shopping for me.
Look what he picked up!
A 3 pack!

Dangerous I'm telling you. Dangerous but tasty.

So I haven't shared any recipes lately (ever?).
For my son's birthday he requested chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting, berry sauce topping and whipped cream.
Oh so decadent! and a great choice for a birthday cake.
I learned about ganache while living in Reno. A lady made a cake for a cub-scout event (of all places) using chocolate ganache frosting. After my first taste I knew my life would never be the same.
Alton Brown (food network) has some great tips for making chocolate ganache glaze and frosting.
So, I thought I'd share.
Click here for the web site.

Ganache Frosting Recipe

courtesy Alton Brown, 2004

Prep Time: 12 min

Inactive Prep Time: 2 hr 0 min

Cook Time: 4 min

Level:Easy Serves:approximately 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients

16 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

16 ounces (2 cups) heavy cream

Directions

Place the chopped chocolate into the bowl of a food processor.Heat the heavy cream in a quart-sized, microwavable container and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer; be careful not to allow cream to boil over. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes. Process by pulsing several times until chocolate mixture is smooth. Use as is for glazing. If you wish to make a lighter frosting, allow it to come to room temperature, approximately 2 hours. Once at room temperature, place in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk on high for 2 to 3 minutes.

A couple of changes I made.
I don't have a food processor and I don't buy expensive chocolate in the big blocks, so, I just use chocolate chips and whisk the heated cream and chips by hand. Really no need for a food processor and it turns out tasty every time. I've even been known to add a little vanilla, also very tasty.
Enjoy!

Birthday Cake? I don't think so!

I have a son who is, shall I say, a picky eater. Maybe picky is putting it too mildly. Severely selective would probably be a better description. Roast beef, roast chicken, dino-nuggets, potatoes, pepperoni pizza and goldfish crackers are what he has managed to live on these past 5 years. When the rest of the family is enjoying, say, peach pie, he asks if he can have goldfish as his treat. With my other children the theory of , you won't get anything else to eat until you eat your dinner, has worked great......but not with this boy. He'll just wait until we eat something he likes and then he eats and eats and eats. We call it filling his "hump" like a camel.
My rule has always been when it comes to meals is this; Eat at least one bite of everything on your plate and finish all of one thing. That way they at least try everything and eventually my older kids have begun enjoying all different kinds of foods. But not with this boy.......the textures make him throw-up. Sure sometimes he can gulp it down with a dry-heave or two but more often than not everything comes shooting right back up-----it's just so frustrating. I keep hoping he'll grow out of it ----- so far no such luck!!!

With all that being said, it was his birthday this weekend. His favorite day of the year! He's been waiting for this day for 364 days. For him this is a great day because 1)it's his special day! 2)he gets toys! 3)we decorate the house just for him! and finally 4)he gets to choose all of his meals!!!! (he gets to fill his hump quite possibly for the year!)

Is it morally right to serve a boy who gags on cake a cake for his birthday? It just doesn't seem right to me.
In the past I've served him goldfish for his birthday.
One year he wanted peanut butter cookies --- he didn't even eat them though.
This year we came up with the perfect solution!

A BIRTHDAY DONUT!!!!!
Perfect!
He loved it......and ate it.....but not all at once he wanted to save some for later!!!
That's okay, I wish I had the self control to do that with a donut!

So it comes down to this. He had a great day! and he's talking about his next birthday already, just like he did last year. AND the other kids have asked if they can have birthday donuts too.

I think a new tradition may have been born!!!

Yellowstone ROCKS!

My Sis-in-Law and her husband went to Yellowstone last week. Being the thoughtful people that they are they brought us a tasty treat! Chocolate Rocks! These things are so realistic looking our two year old refuses to even try them. You need to understand that she is a chocolate fiend! She loves chocolate, adores chocolate and can sniff it out from a mile away..........she takes after her mother I guess. Yet, she won't try a sing one of these chocolate rocks. Although, this means more for me I can't help but feel a little bad because she's missing out on something I know she'd enjoy. Yesterday I asked her why she doesn't want to try them she said, "Because mom, rocks hurt my teeth and they're NOT tasty, they're gross and dirty." I just imagine in her little mind she's thinking I've tried to eat rocks before and they are not good. Why do these people keep trying to feed me rocks?

More for us!!! Thanks Tawn & Mike for the treat!

Watermelon ----- Mmmmm---Gooood!

There's something you need to know about me. I LOVE fruit!!!!!! If I could I would live on fresh fruit. If you ever want to give me a gift just bring me a nice fresh fruit salad and I'll love you forever. I'm very loyal that way.

My family is probably sick of watermelon already this summer because I can't get enough. But, I have to gorge myself now just so I can make it through the winter months when the watermelon just isn't as good and it's way too expensive.

I've been buying seedless watermelon because, lets face it, it is so much easier to eat. Yesterday, however, the grocery store I went to was OUT of seedless...........what?.......how could that be?.......so......I.....bought........a SEEDEd melon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my it was SOOOOO GOOOOOD! The juiciness and sweetness was beyond compare. I just wanted to put my face right into the melon and eat until I passed out.

Wish I was this cute doing that.

Oh watermelon I love you!!!!

I love you when you're square.

I love you with a face.


I even love you carved as flowers with a weird twig sticking out.


Bring on the melon! Bring on the summer fun!

Watermelon Cooler
By, Paula Deen
1 1/2 pounds (4 cups) sliced seedless watermelon, rind removed
1 cup Lemon Sorbet
1 lemon, zested
1 1/2 cups cold water
Watermelon wedges and mint, for garnish
Directions
In a food processor, blend watermelon, sorbet, and lemon zest until very smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cold water; cover and refrigerate until very cold. Serve over ice and garnish with watermelon wedges and mint.