What's For Dinner: Sloppy Joes


This past weekend I attended a blogging conference in Chicago. This is the third such conference that I have attended, though this was by far the largest in size. Inevitably I learn a lot by attending these conferences, and I always seem to arrive back home both incredibly inspired and slightly overwhelmed by all the work I need to do to make this blog the best that it can be. I have a few ideas in the hopper, so be on the lookout for a few changes here and there over the upcoming months. Of course, the content will stay the same, but I'd definitely like to give this site a little (much-needed) makeover.

The keynote speaker on Friday morning was Ree Drummond, better known as The Pioneer Woman. She is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the blogging world, and I admire how she has positioned her brand and broken out from the blogging platform into writing multiple books and hosting her own show on the Food Network.


Last week I had some leftover ground beef in the fridge, and D requested sloppy joes for dinner. I can't remember the last time I had a sloppy joe -- if ever -- but I was up for the challenge. A quick google search led me to The Pioneer Woman's recipe for sloppy joes. Since I didn't need to feed a ranchful of people, I scaled the recipe back to feed just me and D (with a few leftovers for lunch). These sloppy joes are full of flavor and get plenty of extra oomph from a whole pile of chopped veggies that are added into the mix. If you are a fan of spiciness, feel free to add in some tabasco or sriracha sauce to really kick it up a notch.

Sloppy Joes (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 sandwiches

1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced (seeds and ribs removed)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup filtered water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
hamburger buns

1. Heat a skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until brown. Line a plate with paper towels. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the browned beef onto the paper-lined plate to drain off excess fat.
2. Add the olive oil to a second skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and diced green pepper and saute until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the ketchup, tomato puree, water, brown sugar, chili powder, dry mustard, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the cooked ground beef. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Toast the hamburger buns if desired. Spoon the meat mixture onto the rolls and serve immediately. Serve with the sides of your choice -- kettle chips and baked beans are my faves.

 (adapted from this Pioneer Woman recipe)

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What's Baking: Chocolate Chip Coconut Squares


At our last farm tour this past weekend, they had a variety of snacks on hand, including pulled pork sliders made from pigs raised on their farm, fresh lemonade, and these delicious coconut chocolate chip bars. As soon as I took one bite I vowed to make a batch of my own. Since I neglected to ask for a recipe, I relied on my good friend Google to find a recipe that sounded right. These chocolate chip coconut squares are the result. They're not quite the same as the one I had on Saturday, but they're no less delicious. These dessert bars are quite simple to put together and you don't even need to break out a single mixing bowl -- perfect for throwing together a mid-day treat.

Chocolate Chip Coconut Squares (printer-friendly version)
makes 24-48 squares, depending on how large you cut them

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 8 full cracker sheets)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 cup coconut flakes, divided
1 1/2 cups milk or semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup raw sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the butter in a 9"x13" baking dish and place the baking dish in the preheated oven to melt the butter.
3. Once the butter has melted, remove the baking dish from the oven and pour in the graham cracker crumbs. Stir with a wooden spoon to evenly coat the crumbs in the butter, then pat the crumbs into a single (thin) layer on the bottom of the pan.
4. Sprinkle the walnuts and almonds over the graham layer. Top with 1/2 cup of the coconut flakes and all of the chocolate chips.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the milk mixture evenly over top the chocolate chips. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut flakes.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Place in the refrigerator to chill until completely set before cutting into individual squares.

(adapted from this recipe)


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Made From Scratch: Evaporated Milk


I rarely have cans of evaporated milk lying around the house. Although, I guess having random cans of evaporated milk lying around the house would be kind of weird. So, let me clarify, I rarely have cans of evaporated milk lying around in our kitchen cabinets. There, that makes a bit more sense.

Anyway, all that to say that I came upon a recipe that required evaporated milk and I had none in the house. But luckily I did have some organic powdered nonfat milk and plenty of filtered water. In the end, evaporated milk is nothing more than just fresh milk with 60 percent of the water removed.

And, coming up later today -- a delicious recipe that makes use of this evaporated milk made from scratch.

Evaporated Milk (printer-friendly version)
makes one cup

2/3 cup organic nonfat powdered milk
3/4 cup filtered water

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the non-fat dry milk and water until well-combined.
2. Pour the mixture into a pint-size mason jar with a lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. (This evaporated milk is best used fresh.)
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What's On the Side: Watermelon, Feta, and Fresh Herb Salad

Summertime and watermelon just go hand in hand, don't they? While watermelon is great on its own, sometimes it's fun to jazz things up a little bit. This salad melds together the sweetness of watermelon with the fresh taste of mint and basil and the salty and savory flavor of a little feta cheese. 


Watermelon, Feta, and Fresh Herb Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 8-10 servings

1 3-4 pound seedless watermelon, chopped into 1-2" pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
juice from one lime
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta

1. In a large serving bowl, combine the chopped watermelon, chopped mint, and chopped basil.
2. Squeeze the lime juice over top the fruit. Drizzle with the olive oil. Stir to combine the ingredients.
3. Prior to serving, top with the crumbled feta.

(adapted from this sweetsugarbean recipe)



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Weekend Shenanigans: Slow Food Marathon County Field Days


I haven't done a weekend shenanigans post in, like, forever, so let's take a quick glance at how D and I spent (a portion of) our weekend, shall we? Last week D and I randomly ended up in the Wausau Starbucks (gee, I hate when that happens...) after an early evening drive to test how long it would take to get to that town from some property we were considering. 

Long story short, whilst waiting for my frappuccino, I noticed a flyer for Slow Food Marathon County Field Days and I was instantly intrigued. Several farms in the Marathon County area (all located just outside of Merrill, WI) were hosting open houses on Saturday where visitors could take tours of each property and get a behind-the-scenes look at relatively small-scale sustainable and organic farming. Five farms and one cheese shop were a part of the tour; we made it to four different farms but had to head back north for an evening engagement before we could hit up the fifth farm. (Admittedly, I was sad to miss out on the wood-fired pizza offered at Stoney Acres Farm - but I think there's a good chance we'll make it to one of their Friday night Pizza on the Farm events before the summer is out.)

Since D and I are looking to purchase a bit of acreage suitable for agriculture, our visit to these different farms served as a bit of a fact-finding mission. In addition to growing our own produce, D is interested in raising some livestock (chickens (broilers and layers), maybe some pigs, and perhaps a goat or two) -- though I'm a little nervous I'll become a bit too attached to all the little guys (see below for some cute farm critters). We don't have any plans to do anything other than raise food for ourselves; our farm visits taught us that running a farm is definitely not easy work (duh). 

Below are a few photos from the farms we visited. It was really interesting learning about all the different methods used, and it was great seeing how much care is taken with their livestock and the pride the farmers take in sustainably managing their land and animals. Many of the farms we visited sell their products at the farmers market in Wausau -- glad to know I have another place to go to find sustainably raised organic meats and produce in the area!

10806 9th Lane
Hamburg, WI
  {Berkshire piggy}

{Red Rangers}

{Cows}

{Laying ladies}

DanCin' Hills Farm
421 County F
Hamburg, WI
{Apple orchard}

{Goats}

Half Moon Hill Farm
625 County A
Hamburg, WI
{Sheep}

{Ducks}

{Newly planted berries}

Ninepatch Farm
10849 3rd Lane
Hamburg, WI
{Carrots just pulled from the ground}

(Hoop house tomatoes}

{Fields}
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What I'm Drinking: Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade


And the heat wave rolls on. Rumor has it that tomorrow we're going to cool way down to a high of 70 degrees. To say I'm excited about that prospect would be an understatement. In the meantime, I have parked myself in front of our tower fan. Luckily, today there is a bit of a breeze, so we're getting some nice crosswinds through the house, as all the windows are wide-open.

As I type this post, my fingers smell like lemons, as I just finished squeezing a whole bunch of 'em to make a cooling batch of lemonade. But this refreshing lemon beverage features more than just citrus fruit. As I was wandering the aisles of our local natural foods store this morning, I spied some locally-grown raspberries, and I couldn't resist picking up a couple of half-pints. To up the ante even higher, each glass of raspberry lemonade is finished with sparkling water to add a little fizz. If you want to kick it up even another notch, spiking your sparkling raspberry lemonade with a little champagne, tequila, or vodka would be an excellent idea. Since I still have an afternoon of work to get through, I'll wait until later this evening to give the adult version a whirl. :)

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade (printer-friendly version)
makes about one quart

For the simple syrup:
1 cup filtered water
1 cup raw sugar

For the lemonade:
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (I used 10 lemons)
1 cup (about 1 half-pint) fresh raspberries, pureed
4-5 cups filtered water
sparkling water
fresh mint leaves
additional fresh raspberries, for garnish

1. Combine the water and sugar in a small sauce pot. Heat over medium-high heat. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved in the water. Remove from the heat and let cool.
2. Press the pureed raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove the solids.
3. Stir together the lemon juice, cooled simple syrup, and raspberry juice in a large pitcher. Add in enough water to achieve the sweetness you prefer.
4. Pour the lemonade into each ice-filled glass until they are 2/3 - 3/4 full. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with fresh raspberries and fresh mint leaves.
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What's For Dinner: Slow Cooker Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos


Yeah, it's officially hot here in Northern Wisconsin, and without air conditioning in our vintage 1960s cottage, any desire to turn the stove on has been reduced to nil. Hence, another slow cooker recipe for you today! My original plan was to make spicy shredded chicken tacos, but all that was left in the freezer section of my favorite local natural foods store were two packages of chicken drumsticks, so I had to come up with a new plan, stat. As an alternative, I grabbed the last package of fresh pork chops and decided that my tacos would instead have pork as the featured ingredient. This recipe requires taco sauce; you can easily "cheat" and use your favorite store-bought brand, or take the extra 20 minutes to whip up your own from scratch (trust me, it's easy!).

These tacos are spicy, hearty, and definitely make for a satisfying dinner. Add an icy-cold cerveza on the side, and you've got yourself a great meal for a hot summer evening.

Slow Cooker Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

For the taco sauce:
extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped jalapeño
1 cup organic tomato puree
1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

For the pork chops:
1 pound boneless organic pork chops, trimmed of any excess fat
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon coriander
1 cup taco sauce (see above)

1. Heat 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until softened and golden brown. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chopped jalapeño, tomato puree, vegetable stock, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
2. Season both sides of each pork chop with salt and pepper and place the pork chops in the bottom of a 2-quart slow cooker bowl. Top the pork chops with the chopped onion, crushed garlic cloves, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and coriander. Pour one cup of the taco sauce over top everything. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours (or low for 4-6 hours), or until the pork chops reach 140 degrees.
3. Once cooked, remove the pork chops from the slow cooker and shred with a fork. Return the meat back to the slow cooker and stir to coat in the sauce.
4. Serve the spicy shredded pork with your favorite taco fixings -- my spread included flour tortillas, avocado slices, queso fresco, baby spinach leaves, salsa, and Greek yogurt.

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What's For Dinner: Slow Cooker Italian Chicken


I just can't stop with the slow cooker recipes this summer -- please indulge me as I add another one to the hopper, will you? This week's slow cooker recipe features the flavors of Italy and one of my favorite ingredient combinations -- tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella.

This slow cooker Italian chicken recipe couldn't be easier to put together; you don't even need to break out a mixing bowl. The tomatoes help to keep the chicken breasts moist as they cook, and the onions and peppers, along with a variety of Italian spices, supply plenty of spicy and savory flavor.

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

4 skinless, boneless organic chicken breasts (I used frozen; thawed also would work)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella, chopped into chunks

1. Spray a 2-quart slow cooker bowl with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts in the bowl, taking care to make sure they don't overlap.
2. Cover the chicken with the chopped onion, chopped yellow pepper, minced garlic, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and basil.
3. Top everything with the fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (and juices).
4. Cook on low for 2-3 hours (if using thawed chicken) or 4-6 hours (if using frozen chicken), or until chicken is cooked through (and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees).
5. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces or serve the breasts whole.
6. Serve the chicken over the pasta or your choice (I used linguine). Garnish with freshly chopped basil and fresh mozzarella before serving.


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What's For Dessert: Whole-Orange Bundt Cake


As soon as I saw this recipe for whole orange cake in the March issue of Sunset magazine, I knew I would have to give it a try. The question was, when? Truth be told, D and I can't (nor shouldn't, really) eat a whole cake between the two of us. I typically send leftovers with him to share with his work colleagues, but I sort of felt like this cake deserved a special occasion. Enter the Fourth of July holiday and my parents' visit, and suddenly I had a good excuse to bake this cake.

What intrigued me most about this recipe was that, as the name clearly implies, it uses whole oranges. Including the peel-and-all (minus the seeds) gives this dense cake a marmalade-like flavor. Though I served this cake as dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, I think it would work just as well as a breakfast or brunch treat with a cup of coffee. An orange-enhanced icing gives this cake a sweet boost, but sifting a bit of powdered sugar over top would work just as nicely. 


Whole-Orange Bundt Cake (printer-friendly version)
makes 10-12 servings

2 navel oranges, ends cut off, then cut into large chunks and seeded (do not remove the peel)
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups raw granulated sugar 
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 10-inch bundt cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Add the chopped oranges to the bowl of a food processor with the steel blade attached. Pulse a few times, until the oranges are pureed (it should still be slightly chunky, not smooth). 
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attached, cream together the butter and raw sugar until light yellow and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the pureed oranges. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the dry mixture to the electric mixer, and mix until evenly combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepped bundt pan. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then carefully flip the pan over, removing the cake from the pan, and let cool completely.
6. Once the cake has cooled, prepare the icing by whisking together the powdered sugar and orange juice. Drizzle the icing over the cake with a spoon. Serve with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream, if desired. 

(adapted from this Sunset magazine recipe)


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What's For Dinner: Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken


Yep, this is definitely the Summer of the Slow Cooker. It just makes cooking dinner so easy, and if using a slow cooker means that my kitchen isn't 1000 degrees, that's a major bonus. This slow cooker chicken dish is spicy and sweet and full of flavor. Since without fail I don't come up with a dinner idea until the day-of, I rarely get around to thawing chicken in time. Luckily, this slow cooker dish works just as well with frozen chicken as it does with fresh.

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken (printer-friendly version)
makes four servings

4 6-oz boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts (frozen is fine)
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy or tamari sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup diced red pepper (seeds and ribs removed)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
sesame seeds for garnish (black or white will do)

1. Spray a 2-quart slow cooker bowl with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts in the bowl, taking care to make sure they don't overlap.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ketchup, and white wine vinegar. Stir in the onion, red pepper, salt, pepper, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
3. Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts, covering them evenly.
4. Cook on low for 2-3 hours (if using thawed chicken) or 4-6 hours (if using frozen chicken), or until chicken is cooked through (and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees).
5. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the crock pot. Stir in the corn starch, and cook the sauce on high for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Shred the chicken with a fork and return to the crock pot.
6. Serve the chicken over rice, quinoa, or noodles. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top before serving.

(adapted from this Six Sisters' Stuff recipe)


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What's On the Side: Greek Panzanella Salad


My parents came to visit over the Fourth of July holiday, and prior to heading out to the waterski show and Independence Day fireworks at Boom Lake/Hodag Park on Thursday night, we enjoyed a picnic dinner outside by our lake. D manned the grill while I put together the side dishes. Our dinner included hamburgers (featuring local grass-fed ground beef from McLaughlin Family Farms) with all the fixins', my Dad's famous potato salad, sangria, and a panzanella salad. This salad is so good that it was the second time I'd made it in one week. The great thing about it is that all it takes is a little chopping and shaking to put it all together. I am definitely a crouton-lover, so the addition of grilled French bread chunks was right up my alley. The vinaigrette adds a fresh and tangy flavor to the salad and helps to meld all the flavors together. I think this salad tastes just as good the next day as it does when it's freshly made; the French bread cubes are definitely not as crisp on day two (or three, or four...), but what they lose in texture is more than made up for by the gain in flavor from the dressing.



Greek Panzanella Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings as a side dish

For the salad:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 French bread loaf, cut in half
coarse sea salt
1 cucumber, peeled and quartered
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, diced (to reduce the onion's sharp bite, rinse in cold water then drain)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup pitted kalamata or black olives, chopped

For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground sumac
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1. Use a pastry brush to spread the olive oil over both sides of the cut bread. Sprinkle the bread with coarse sea salt. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Let cool, then cut into 1" chunks.
2. In a large serving bowl, stir together the cucumber, red pepper, orange pepper, tomatoes, onion, cheese, and olives. Add in the chunks of grilled bread.
3. In a small jar, add together the garlic, oregano, ground sumac, mustard, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the lid to the jar and shake to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour about 3 tablespoons of the dressing onto the salad and stir. (Or, if you like tons of dressing, feel free to use it all; I prefer a lighter touch.) Let the salad sit for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors time to meld together.

(adapted from this Barefoot Contessa recipe, found via Shutterbean)


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What's On the Side: Balsamic Roasted Asparagus


My typical method of cooking asparagus is a quick blanching in boiling water followed by pan sautéing. On a recent trip to Milwaukee, I picked up a gorgeous bunch of asparagus at the downtown farmers market, and I wanted to try something new with it. Since I had such success with roasting broccoli not too long ago, I followed the same method with my asparagus. To get a slightly sweeter flavor, I stirred some brown sugar into the roasting sauce, which played quite nicely with the savory and tangy flavor of the balsamic vinegar. Finish with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper along with a generous helping of Parmesan, and you've got an outstanding side on your hands that would pair quite well with a steak, burger, or other hearty entree.

Balsamic Roasted Asparagus (printer-friendly version)
makes two (large) servings

16 stalks asparagus (try to choose equally-sized stalks so that they cook evenly)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
freshly ground black pepper
coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar.
3. Prep the asparagus by chopping off the woody ends. Place in a baking pan. Pour the balsamic mixture over top the asparagus. Roll around to evenly coat the asparagus.
4. Top with the thinly sliced garlic cloves.
5. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until tender.
6. Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper. Top with freshly grated Parmesan.
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What's For Dessert: Roasted Balsamic Strawberry and Greek Yogurt Popsicles


As I promised on Monday, today I have a popsicle recipe to share with you that features roasted balsamic strawberries. To complement the sweet and savory flavor of the strawberries, I used tart Greek yogurt, sweetened just slightly with raw honey. I don't have much to say about these popsicles other than that they are delicious! I will definitely be making another batch soon. And I love that these are a healthy treat and packed with protein to boot. As the summer heats up, I'm sure I'll have many more popsicle recipes to share -- I've got a bunch of ideas brewing in my head already. 


Roasted Balsamic Strawberry and Greek Yogurt Popsicles (printer-friendly version)
makes six popsicles

For the strawberries:
1 pound organic strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and cut in half
2 tablespoons raw sugar
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

For the yogurt:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 2% low-fat plain Chobani)
2 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the halved strawberries in a bowl. Add the sugar and stir to combine, evenly coating the strawberries in the sugar. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir.
3. Pour the strawberry mixture (and all juices, use a spatula if necessary to scrape out any remaining liquid) into a baking dish. (I used an 11"x7" aluminum pan; use whatever you have on hand, so long as the berries are in a single layer.)
4. Roast the strawberries in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and the strawberries have softened.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
6. After the strawberries have cooled, add them (and all the liquid) to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the strawberries are slightly pureed. Now you're ready to make the popsicles!
7. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and honey until thoroughly combined.
8. Add a dollop of strawberries to the bottom of each popsicle mold, then add the yogurt mixture, continuing to layer until each popsicle mold is full. Use a skewer or thin knife to swirl the strawberries and yogurt together, using an up-and-down motion.
9. Place the tops on the molds and freeze for at least 4 hours.


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What's For Dessert: Roasted Balsamic Strawberries


I'm still in strawberry mode here, and luckily, a recent sale at our local natural foods store means that I again have a fridge full of pints of organic strawberries. A while ago, I had seen a recipe for roasted balsamic strawberries, and I was instantly intrigued by this combination of sweet and savory flavors. I love a spinach salad topped with strawberries and a balsamic vinaigrette dressing, so I had an idea that I would like how this would taste. And let me tell you, these roasted strawberries do not disappoint!

Roasting the strawberries gives them a deeper, more robust flavor, and really helps to bring out their sweetness. The balsamic vinegar gives them a slightly savory taste, without overpowering their sweetness -- the flavors really do meld together quite well. You could eat these strawberries on their own, or use it as a jam -- I imagine a crostini with ricotta or mascarpone cheese and a dollop of roasted balsamic strawberries would be divine. In addition, these strawberries would make an excellent ice cream topping, used either warm or cold. Later this week I'll share an ice pop recipe that utilizes these yummy strawberries. Spoiler alert: the popsicles are delicious.

Roasted Balsamic Strawberries (printer-friendly version)
makes about one cup

1 pound organic strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and cut in half
2 tablespoons raw sugar
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the halved strawberries in a bowl. Add the sugar and stir to combine, evenly coating the strawberries in the sugar. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir.
3. Pour the strawberry mixture (and all juices, use a spatula if necessary to scrape out any remaining liquid) into a baking dish. (I used an 11"x7" aluminum pan; use whatever you have on hand, so long as the berries are in a single layer.)
4. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and the strawberries have softened.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
6. After the strawberries have cooled, add them (and all the liquid) to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the strawberries are slightly pureed.
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