I love summer, but I can easily get overheated when the high temperatures hit! Once this happens, the last thing I want to do is prepare a meal, and I lose my enthusiasm for grilling.
When the hottest part of summer comes around, salads are on the menu quite a bit. I often grill chicken or steak for salads early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat, and use it later in the day, for lunch or dinner.
But today I decided on a Summer Fruit Salad! I included a few things you won't find in the traditional fruit salad, but I know you will love them.
All the ingredients I used are easy to find, easy to work with, and they taste delicious!
Summer Fruit Salad
(printable recipe at end of page)
1/2 cup Heavy Duty Whipping Cream
1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Flavoring
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Mango
Apple
Orange
Bananas
Strawberries
Peach
Light Vanilla Yoplait Yogurt
Sweet Hawaiian Mini Flour Tortillas
Choose any fruit you want to use. More colorful fruit will make the plate prettier and more appetizing.
Pour the heavy whipping cream into a medium sized bowl. Add the sugar and vanilla.
Mix together on medium until the cream thickens and becomes whipped cream.
Wash all of the fruit before cutting it. When cutting the fruit, the important thing to remember is to make it easy to eat. One way to do that is to cut it in small bite sized pieces. You can see that the strawberries and the blueberries were not cut, but you could cut the stems off the strawberries if you wanted to.
One of the small bowls contains the whipped cream and the other one has light vanilla yogurt in it. I also included a few mini tortillas, which are the perfect addition to this plate! They can be filled with your favorite fruit and topped with a bit of whipped cream or fill them with a little bit of each fruit and add a spoonful of yogurt for a fun and tasty treat! They are a favorite for kids!
There you have it! Simple, tasty and good for you!
Thank you for joining me today! Here is a list of more "Beat the Heat" recipes to enjoy! Don't they sound amazing?!!
Today is the last day of #BerryWeek! It has been such fun with so many berry recipes to share. My list of ones I want to try has gotten longer with each day! If you missed any of them, you might want to check out the recipe I shared Monday, Summer Berry Salsa. This recipe is a great way to enjoy several berries at a time, in one recipe! If you are a fan of easy to make pastry, you will want to bake up some of my Blueberry Breakfast Pastries, which I shared on Wednesday. The pastry cream is homemade and the pastry is store bought dough, cutting down on the time it takes to put it all together, but not the taste.
With the fun and tasty #BerryWeek coming to an end, I want to share my Summer Berry Charcuterie Board with you. If you have ever made a charcuterie board, you know how much fun it is to put them together. It takes thought and creativity to design the perfect board, and it also takes time to collect the items you need for the board, but it is all worth it. In the end, the board looks like an art project, too pretty to eat, but that won't last long! The main objective is to have fun and create something your family and friends will enjoy!
Start by placing fruit on your tray. You want it to look visibly appealing to the eye. When it is fruit you are dealing with, it seems like all the colors go together quite well. Stack your fruit up a bit, as if they are in piles. By stacking them you are creating height, making them visually appealing. You are basically creating a pretty picture that your guests can not resist!
Add different textures to your canvas. The nuts are perfect because they are such an opposite to the softness of the fruit. Your guests will love both textures. The chocolate brittle adds double chocolate flavor, which most guests love! Let's face it. It is difficult to walk past chocolate and not want to grab a bite! The chocolate brittle also adds a hard texture against the fruit.
Red and blue go so well together that I had to put them side by side. The blueberries are soft and juicy and the fresh strawberries with their green stems just create it's own little picture. I used the chocolate cookies as a border to contrast the softness of the fruit.
These rolled wafers are a great addition to the board because they create height. They direct our gaze to move up from the plate, resulting in your guests taking in the entire picture.
Every board needs a dip or two. Because this board is on the small side, I thought one would be enough. This dip is super easy to make with only three ready made ingredients. Soften the cream cheese, mix in the frozen dessert topping and add the vanilla! Refrigerate before serving!
This is one way to put together a charcuterie tray. It can be difficult to take the first step in designing your tray. Once you decide on a theme or a certain item you are serving, it will fall into place. I will admit, I spent a lot of time walking around a couple stores trying to buy the items for this board, but after I did, the ideas came rushing into my mind, making a clear path for my end result. This will happen to you also. Besides, there is no wrong way to create a Summer Berry Charcuterie Board. If you are happy with it, then it is right. Have fun with it!
Check out these Summer Berry Recipes from some blogging friends:
Start by placing fruit on your tray. You want it to look visibly appealing to the eye. When it is fruit you are dealing with, it seems like all the colors go together quite well. Stack your fruit up a bit, as if they are in piles. By stacking them you are creating height, making them visually appealing. You are basically creating a pretty picture that your guests can not resist!
Add different textures to your canvas. The nuts are perfect because they are such an opposite to the softness of the fruit. Your guests will love both textures. The chocolate brittle adds double chocolate flavor, which most guests love! Let's face it. It is difficult to walk past chocolate and not want to grab a bite! The chocolate brittle also adds a hard texture against the fruit.
Red and blue go so well together that I had to put them side by side. The blueberries are soft and juicy and the fresh strawberries with their green stems just create it's own little picture. I used the chocolate cookies as a border to contrast the softness of the fruit.
These rolled wafers are a great addition to the board because they create height. They direct our gaze to move up from the plate, resulting in your guests taking in the entire picture.
Every board needs a dip or two. Because this board is on the small side, I thought one would be enough. This dip is super easy to make with only three ready made ingredients. Soften the cream cheese, mix in the frozen dessert topping and add the vanilla! Refrigerate before serving!
I am an egg lover! What about you? I enjoy eggs pretty much anyway you can make them. From the pretty basic, over easy breakfast (and sometimes dinner) with ham and toast, to a fancy chocolate souffle. If eggs are on the menu, I'm there! Today I made Cucumber Egg Salad Bites. These little bites remind me of tea parties and fancy luncheons. They are dainty and quite refreshing, and would make a wonderful addition to your Easter or Mother's Day table!
Cucumber Egg Salad Bites (recipe makes approx. 20 pieces) (printable recipe at end of page)
6 Eggs
2-3 Cucumbers
1 small Onion
3-4 tablespoons Mayonnaise
Ground Pepper
Fresh Strawberries
Boil your eggs first. I boil them a certain way, and I very seldom ever have any trouble getting the shell off. This is how to make them look pretty. Place the eggs in a
pot of cold water. Put the temperature on high so they will boil. Once
boiling, set the timer for 15 minutes. Once the timer rings, take the
eggs to the sink. Don't drain the hot water, but start adding cold water
to the pot. Let water run over into the sink, until the water in
the pot is ice cold.
Remove boiled eggs from the pot. The shells should come off quickly now, and more importantly, with out looking cut up and ugly.
I sliced the egg down the center, then turned it and sliced it on the other side. Chop into pieces.
Before placing the egg salad in the cucumber, cut a
little bit of the flesh of the cucumber away from the sides. Only go
about half way down. You want to leave a little bit on the bottom.
Chop the onions into small bite sized pieces. Add mayonnaise, a little at a time, mixing after each addition. You will know when you have enough. Sprinkle with ground pepper. Chop the strawberries. Don't cut them too tiny. They taste best in this dish when they are cut a little bigger. Use a small scoop to place egg salad into cucumber. That's it!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for Cucumber Eggs Salad Bites. If you have any questions about anything, please leave a message below, in the comments, and I will answer you asap. Thank you for stopping by today! Check out how some of my blogging friends put their unique and tasty spin on Egg Salad!
Boil your eggs first. I boil them a certain way, and I very seldom ever have any trouble getting the shell off. This is how to make them look pretty. Place the eggs in a pot of cold water. Put the temperature on high so they will boil. Once boiling, set the timer for 15 minutes. Once the timer rings, take the eggs to the sink. Don't drain the hot water, but start adding cold water to the pot. Let water run over into the sink, until the water in the pot is ice cold.
Remove boiled eggs from the pot. The shells should come off quickly now, and more importantly, with out looking cut up and ugly.
I sliced the egg down the center, then turned it and sliced it on the other side. Chop into pieces.
Before placing the egg salad in the cucumber, cut a little bit of the flesh of the cucumber away from the sides. Only go about half way down. You want to leave a little bit on the bottom.
Chop the onions into small bite sized pieces. Add mayonnaise, a little at a time, mixing after each addition. You will know when you have enough. Sprinkle with ground pepper. Chop the strawberries. Don't cut them too tiny. They taste best in this dish when they are cut a little bigger. Use a small scoop to place egg salad into cucumber. That's it!
Red Velvet Cake and Valentine's Day just seem to go together, don't you agree? So I thought I would bake a double layer cake for the big day of love, but I wanted to top it with the original frosting recipe, not the cream cheese frosting, although I love it also! I found a copy of the original recipe on the New York Times web site and gave it a try. I know you will really like it! It is not as sweet as the cream cheese version, but you get a lot of sweet from the cake!
RED VELVET CAKE w/ ERMINE FROSTING
(printable recipe at end of page)
2 1/4 cups AP Flour 1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda 1/4 teaspoon Salt 1/2 cup shortening 1 3/4 cups Sugar 1 teaspoon Vanilla 3 Eggs 1 1/3 cups Cold Water 1-2 tablespoon Red Food Coloring ERMINE FROSTING 5 tablespoons Flour 1 cup Whole Milk 1 teaspoon Vanilla Pinch of Salt 1 cup unsalted Butter 1 cup Sugar 4-5 fresh Strawberries Melting Chocolate Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour two 9" pans. Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each one in well. Add vanilla and mix.
Alternate pouring in the flour mixture and the water to the batter. Add all of each on low speed.
Add red food color to cake batter. Mix thoroughly. Add more if necessary, until you are happy with the color.
Pour batter into the 2- 9" pans. Ignore small pans in the pictures. Bake for 35-40 minutes, then remove and cool completely.
While cakes are baking, melt chocolate wafers in a double boiler. Using a parchment paper, use a heart cookie cutter and trace the hearts on the paper. Flip the paper over and use a decorating bag with a #2 tip. Follow the outline of the hearts, and add some squiggles. Sprinkle the hearts with confectioner's sugar. Set tray in fridge to harden.
While you have the melted chocolate wafers, dip the strawberries for the top of the cake. I dipped a couple extra, just in case I needed them for the top of the cake.
Over medium heat, whisk the flour and milk in a small saucepan and heat to a simmer. Stir constantly until it becomes thick like pudding. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Pour into bowl to cool. Cover the bowl with plastic to prevent the mix from forming a skin on top.
Cream together the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes. Add the cooled flour mix, a little at a time. Beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy like whipped cream. Frost cake with Ermine Frosting.
Garnish cake with strawberries and chocolate hearts. Sprinkle chocolate over the cake and enjoy! Happy Valentine's Day!
I am joining the #foodbloggerlove party today with some other fabulous food bloggers! Check out their yummy blogs:
Grease and flour two 9" pans. Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each one in well. Add vanilla and mix.
Alternate pouring in the flour mixture and the water to the batter. Add all of each on low speed.
Add red food color to cake batter. Mix thoroughly. Add more if necessary, until you are happy with the color.
Pour batter into the 2- 9" pans. Ignore the small pans in the
pictures. Bake for 35-40 minutes, then remove and cool completely.
While cakes are baking, melt chocolate wafers in a double boiler. Using a parchment paper, use a heart cookie cutter and trace the hearts on the paper. Flip the paper over and use a decorating bag with a #2 tip. Follow the outline of the hearts, and add some squiggles. Sprinkle the hearts with confectioner's sugar. Set tray in fridge to harden.
While you have the melted chocolate wafers, dip the strawberries for the top of the cake. I dipped a couple extra, just in case I needed them for the top of the cake.
Over medium heat, whisk the flour and milk in a small saucepan and heat to a simmer. Stir constantly until it becomes thick like pudding. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Pour into bowl to cool. Cover the bowl with plastic to prevent the mix from forming a skin on top.
Cream together the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes. Add the cooled flour mix, a little at a time. Beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy like whipped cream.
Frost cake with Ermine Frosting.
Garnish cake with strawberries and chocolate hearts.
Today I am guest posting over at Today's Creative Life. I am sharing a yummy dessert that you just might want to make for the long weekend, especially if you are entertaining! I hope you will click on the link and stop by!
Sometimes food becomes coupled with other food, and it turns out to be a perfect match made in culinary heaven. That is how I feel about this Strawberries and Cream Tart. Of course, strawberries are a great match to lots of foods. But, I am talking about the "perfect" match. The creamy, tart, chocolatey flavors that exist only when you are taking a bite of the perfection that is known as this Strawberries and Cream Tart!
This tart is deceiving, as it is so very simple to make, and it comes together quickly. It should be made ahead of time, it only requires a few ingredients, and there are no last minute preparations needed! Your family will love it and your guests will be in awe!
Today I am participating in the #Ultimate Recipe Challenge. All the recipes have a strawberry theme. When you are done reading my recipe, please scroll down and enjoy all the other strawberry recipes!
2-3 Chocolate Graham Crackers, crushed into crumbs 1/4 cup Butter, melted 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream 1/4 cup Sugar 7-10 large, fresh Strawberries
Pour the whipping cream in a large mixer. Start the mixer and mix on high speed. Add the confectioner's sugar. If you only have granulated sugar, you can use it. Continue to mix until stiff peaks begin to appear. It may take a bit longer if you are using granulated sugar. Set in fridge.
Mix the crushed graham crackers and the butter. You might not need the entire 1/4 cup of butter, so add it a little at a time, and mix before adding more. One you have the consistency you are happy with, place the graham cracker in the tart and move it around to fit the bottom and up the sides. Take 2 small scoops of the whipped cream and place in the tart.
Spread the whipped cream around the bottom of the tart.
Slice a strawberry, so the slices fill the tart pan.
Add a layer of whipped cream, covering the strawberries. Cover the whipped cream with a layer of sliced strawberries.
Cover the strawberries with another layer of whipped cream. This is the top layer.
Decorate the top layer with strawberry slices and a whole strawberry in the center.
Refrigerate the tart until you are ready to serve. A few hours in the refrigerator allow the cream to saturate the graham crackers a bit, giving them a fantastic flavor. Cut into slices to serve.
