the glittered nest

Delicious Jalepeno cornbread

 

Another one of Ina Garten's recipes from Barefoot Contessa!  You must check out her cookbooks.  She has wonderful and SIMPLE recipes to follow.  I have a jalepeno bush in the backyard and never know how to use them because we don't really eat spicy food.  This recipe was wonderful!  My kids even enjoyed them and loved the fact that they picked the jalepenos for it! To reduce heat of the jalepenos just cut out the white pith and the seeds.

Ina has many yummy recipes on foodnetwork.com

I made this recipe along with BBQ ribs and they were a great combination!  Her recipe is on foodnetwork.com.  Just click on the link below.

jalepeno cornbread

Camp In!

Ok ...104 degree heat... three kids...what do you do besides swim 24-7.  You get creative and camp in!

My kids got all of the materials and set this up themselves while I made homemade pizza, fruit and watermelon aqua frescas!  Check out this indoor tent(we don't have a pop up tent so they made do with sheets).

 

 

 

Little friends showed up for the party!

My son brought his two friends and relaxed on the pillow while the girls ate up the food. We finished the camp in by watching one of our favorite movies: No Reservations.

You must make this drink this summer it is so refreshing and yummy.

Watermelon Aqua Frescas:

 Recipe:

One small seedless watermelon diced (about 3 cups)

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup sugar, plus more to taste

2 to 3 limes, juiced

Pinch salt

Puree watermelon in a food processor and pour through a fine sieve to eliminate pulp. In a pitcher, mix strained fruit puree with water and add sugar, lime juice, and salt, to taste.

This would be a delicious adult beverage with vodka!  Stay cool.

 

Hershey's Oatmeal Toffee Cookies

Oh my goodness...I had these at a friend's house the other day and these are incredible.  Here is the recipe: Hersheys

 

They have such a wonderful wholesome rustic color!  How about taking these little yummies a step further for a special dessert for your next dinner party: try cutting one cookie up into little pieces and adding it to a creamy gelato dessert.  I chose an almond gelato that I love.  It is shown here in a little sauce sized cup for just a little cool sinful taste after a good meal.  

 I like the large pieces so you can really taste the flavor of the coconut, oatmeal and toffe bits!  Enjoy!

Yummy tomato recipes

I just love tomatoes, especially during the summer when we eat a ton of salads around my house.  I have always loved baking but recently I have really gotten excited about creating new meals for my family.  Here are a couple that I'd like to share that are really simple.

First, the tomato caprese salad.  I took the caprese salad and added a few things that I know my family would love. 

 

The basic is large beefsteak tomatoes, basil, medallions of mozzarella and olive oil.  I added salami and avocado to make it more hearty and satisfying for my husband.

Next, I know you will think I'm nuts for making soup in our Texas 104 degree temp...but I couldn't resist...I just love tomato basil soup with fresh Parmesan.  I found a recipe in this month's gourmet magazine for Tomatoes with cream.  I added some things and feel I have created a soup that tastes very much like the one from Bread and Company in Nashville, Tn.  Here it is:

I will give you both recipes because the tomatoes with cream is absolutely divine and you must make it!

Gourmet August 2009

Take 6 tomatoes. Cut them in halves. In your frying pan melt a lump of butter. Put in the tomatoes, cut side down, with a sharply pointed knife puncturing here and there the rounded sides of the tomatoes.  Let them heat for 5 minutes.  Turn them over.  Sprinkle them with salt.  Cook them for another 10 minutes.  Turn them again. The juices will run out and spread into the pan.  Once more turn the tomatoes cut side upward.  Around them put 3 ounces of heavy cream.  Mix it with the juices.  As soon as it bubbles, slip the tomatoes and all their sauces onto a hot dish.  Serve instantly.

Soup:

First saute two or three cloves of garlic in the lump of butter.  Follow all of the instructions but at the end double the amount of cream.  Put it all in a food processor and pulse.  I like to have chunks of tomato in my soup.  Salt to your liking and add a cup of basil julienned.  I feel this soup tastes the best the next day because the ingredients really get to soak.  When you serve add some Parmesan and dip with french bread.  Enjoy!  Let me know if you make this what you think!

I also served this soup with Ina Garten's Parmesan Thyme Crackers which are incredible!!!!

 Parmesan black pepper crackers

These crackers are great by themselves or with a tray of fruit and cheeses. 

Panna Cotta three ways

 

Panna cotta is a wonderful vanilla custard that is so easy to make.  This was my favorite way to make it.  Just make the panna cotta(I used Ina Garten's recipe from Barefoot Contessa) and I added my own toppings.  This one was my family's favorite: I added a large spoonful of Nutella(which is Hazelnut chocolate spread), a drizzle of honey and strawberries.

Another way to serve it is with a dollop of Ficoco:

Ficoco is a delicious chocolate fig spread you can find in specialty food stores such as Whole Foods.

Another great way is drizzled with a flavored balsamic vinegar.  This one is my favorite and I found it at my local grocery store: Mosto flavored with pears.

This would be a wonderful dessert to serve at a summer get together.  It was easy to make,light and makes at least eight ramekins of it.

  Happy Eating!  I am trying my hand at Parisian Macaroons next if anyone has a good recipe!

Happy 4th of July

Last night we sat on our balcony and watched the Ut golf Club firework show.  You can see the club from our balcony!  It was amazing.

 

 Here's my husband enjoying the show!

 

My girls spent the night out but here's Brock before the show...he kept saying start start start!

 

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  Happy 4th of July!