Lime and Blackberry Italian Meringue Pie

Hi there!  Remember me?  I used to be a good blogger and write up about all the delicious stuff going on in my kitchen.  Yeah, well, then I got really busy this summer.  Between the big move and keeping the kiddos occupied this summer, and getting ready for school......I just didn't seem to have time to spend on the computer.  I was still baking a bunch.....but just had no time to talk about it.

Sorry about that.  I was chastised by a couple of my friends for never posting....so all I can say is......ummmm, I'll try to be better now :) Our oldest just started his brand new school today (first grade.....sniff sniff) and our youngest is in preschool.  Theoretically, this means Mommy will actually have a few hours to get stuff done during the week......so we'll see how that goes!

This weekend we got together for my Mother-in-law's birthday.  We just got back from a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan a few days, so I was still feeling a touch jetlagged, but decided to try something different for the birthday party.  I decided to make something fruity and still summer-y and found this recipe for a Lime and Blackberry Italian Meringue Pie from Bon Appetit.  I don't know about you, but Italian Meringue is one of my favorite things ever.  Why?  Because it basically tastes like marshmallow!  And who doesn't love marshmallow??

This recipe has several different components, but none of them are too difficult.  And can we talk about the magic that happens when you make a blackberry compote using red wine?  Holy guacamole!  I'm not a wine drinker at all....but man oh man.....something magic happened there.  You gotta try it.  Why go back to boring lemon meringue pie ever again?

Check out Bon Appetit for the recipe.....and Enjoy!

PS - Here's a couple of pictures from our trip

Leaving 100+ degree weather in So Cal for the 70 degrees in Michigan was fantastic!

Love the beautiful antique wooden boats.

You couldn't keep the boys out of the water.

We had a few people with us!

We were celebrating my beautiful sister and my new brother-in-law's wedding!

The sunsets were stunning!

I had a little fun with one of the boys' pictures.

Crazy Feta

Now that summer is in full swing, are you in need of any new dip recipes?  You must try this awesome recipe for Crazy Feta from Jessica over at How Sweet It Is.

Feta cheese, roasted garlic, and roasted jalapenos......it makes for a tasty dip with a kick that you'll love!  I'm not a person that loves spicy foods.....but this one is just spicy enough that it doesn't get in the way of taste.  Let your salsa and guacamole take a little vacation and give this a try.

Go to How Sweet It Is for the recipe....and Enjoy!

Knock You Naked Brownies

Hee hee.......you gotta love a name like that right?

The Pioneer Woman has done it again!  Another fantastic recipe, that couldn't be easier to throw together.  German Chocolate cake mix to make a brownie??  Who would have thunk??

This recipe only has a handful of ingredients.....but you will make your friends super duper happy if you make this, I promise!!  We ended up serving it on 4th of July topped with some homemade vanilla bean ice cream and whipped cream.  Totally over the top, and totally delicious!  Calories consumed on a holiday don't count, right?

RIGHT??

Check out The Pioneer Woman for the recipe.....and Enjoy!

TWD: Hazelnut Biscotti

For this round of Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Julia we've got Hazelnut Biscotti.  I wasn't sure if I really wanted to make these.....I actually love hazelnut (which apparently a lot of people don't), but I'm generally not a big biscotti person.  I loooooove coffee.....but I mainly drink iced coffee, and since biscotti seems like a hot coffee/tea kind of thing, I don't usually go for them......but I decided to give it a go.....

These are delicious!  Even without the coffee they taste fantastic......just the right amount of sweetness, and a fantastic hazelnut flavor that is enhanced by the addition of Frangelico.  A very simple recipe to put together.....I think the trickiest part was getting the dough into a somewhat log shape before the first baking.....it's super sticky!  After that is was smooth smailing.....oh and the nutty aroma was great while it was baking!

For the recipe, check out this round's hosts......Jodi at Homemade and Wholesome, and Katrina at Baking and Boys.  Check out Tuesdays with Dorie for the other baker's results......and Enjoy!

Club: Baked - Malted Waffles

So I'm slowly getting the hang of my new kitchen.  I was so used to my old kitchen.....I knew where everything was and totally had my routine down.  Now my kitchen layout is completely different, so I constantly have to stop and think about where things are.  I'll get there.....just have to keep baking!!

For this round of Club: Baked we're talking breakfast.  And one of my favorite kinds of breakfast.......waffles!  These are Malted Waffles, and their secret ingredient is malt powder.  They definitely give them a bit more flavor than your ordinary waffles....and the crunchy parts seemed a bit crunchier to me.  I let my second batch cook even longer, and I think they were even better......lots of crunch on the outside and tender on the inside.  They were a hit!  Even our 3 year old ate two of them!

For the recipe, check out Teri at The Freshman Cook, and to see the other baker's results check out Club: Baked.......Enjoy!!

TWD : French Strawberry Cake

Hellooooooo!!!  I know I've been a supremely absent blogger lately.....but I had an excuse!  We moved!!  I had forgotten how completely exhausting and all-encompassing it can be....especially with the two little monkeys.  But, we're slowly making our way out of boxes, and life is slowly returning to normal.

So I decided it was time to give my new kitchen (and oven) a test run.  I had missed the deadline for the last round of Tuesdays with Dorie (Baking with Julia), but I couldn't pass this one up.  French Strawberry Cake.  A lovely genoise layer cake with fresh strawberries and a whipped cream frosting......what could be more summery than that?

This is a fantastic tasting cake (kind of like a fancified strawberry shortcake), and would have looked even lovelier had I bothered to take more than a minute to frost it.  If you want a super summery cake that everyone will love (because who doesn't love strawberries and whipped cream?), then you've got to visit Sophia over at Sophia's Sweets or Allison at Sleep Love Think Dine to get the recipe.   To check out the other baker's results, go to Tuesdays with Dorie......and Enjoy!!

PS - Thanks to my friend Maggie for taking the great picture of my cake!

PPS - The verdict is in.....my new oven rocks!  The cake came out perfectly baked without any turning mid-bake on my part.  Woo-hoo!

TWD : Oasis Naan

For this round of Tuesdays with Dorie (Baking with Julia) we made Oasis Naan......a kind of Persian Naan.  I almost didn't make this since we're right in the middle of packing......but after reading the recipe I thought I'd give it a try.  I'm so glad I did!  

There are only a handful of ingredients and once you've got the dough together you can let it sit for a few hours while it rises (or overnight in the fridge).  When it's time to form the Naan you need to prick the dough all over (I used a fork)......but I think I should have pricked the dough a tad more vigorously......look how much it puffed up!  No matter......the hubby loved this!  Topped with some sea salt, cumin, and chopped scallions......delicious!

To see the other bakers' results, check out Tuesdays with Dorie.......and for the recipe check out our hosts, Maggie at Always Add More Butter or Phyl at Of Cabbages and King Cakes.....and Enjoy!

This post is linked to:

Cast Party Wednesday