Creamy Fruit Dip

Any time there's a party and there's a fresh fruit tray, I think this dip should be right next to it. Besides, we don't want things to be TOO healthy - that would ruin all of the fun of a party!

One key note/ funny story to add, however. If you do make this, please (for the sake of your guests), garnish it with some fresh fruit so everyone knows what it is. There's nothing worse than dipping a gleaming strawberry full-on into dip and shoveling it into your mouth, just to realize it's not fruit dip but onion dip...and meant for the pretzels next to it. Yup....happened to me this year, yuck. It was not pleasing to the palate.

But, had that dip been this dip, it would have been a completely different story. It's so easy but really makes fruit go down faster and it will disappear in a matter of minutes!




Creamy Fruit Dip

1 (8 oz.) pacakge cream cheese, softened
1 pint marshmallow fluff
2 Tbs. orange juice

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Transfer to a serving dish and cool until ready to use. Garnish with fresh fruit (so guests know exactly what it is!)

Cherry Berry Ice Cream

I am definitely on a homemade ice cream kick. After realizing how amazing the Strawberry Vanilla Bean ice cream was, I just couldn't wait to try another berry flavor. Since last summer, I've had an array of fruit in my freezer...cherries and blackberries from our aunt's farm in southern IL plus blueberries and peaches from Michigan. I decided that in order to jump-start the summer weather, I'd make a variation of the delicious dessert and go with a Cherry Berry Ice Cream.

For this recipe, I mixed strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and blackberries. It made the ice cream bright, fresh, and wonderfully fruity. Plus it's a really pretty pinky-purple color. I just love it!



Cherry Berry Ice Cream

1 1/2 lbs. fresh or frozen berries (I used cherries, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries)
1 cup sugar (plus more depending on tartness)
2 tbsps. vodka (optional)
1 1/2 C. sour cream
1 1/2 C. heavy cream
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
Combine the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and vodka. Stir until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a blender or food processor and add the sour cream, heavy cream and lemon juice. Pulse briefly until almost smooth but still slightly chunky. Taste the mixture (this is essentially what your ice cream will taste like - yum! Check the sugar level. If it still seems tart, add a little more until it has the perfect amount of sweetness.)

Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken

As the weather has been getting warmer, I've been trying to find every excuse to grill outdoors. Last night, I didn't have much time to pull dinner together, so I went for my no-fail, mouth-watering, go-to dish of the summer.

This recipe comes together in under 20 minutes. Of course, the chicken can marinate much longer (up to overnight), but if you don't have that luxury, it still tastes great on the fly.




Honey Balsamic Grilled Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (slightly pounded)
1 Tb. olive oil
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided
4 Tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Heat grill to medium -high heat. In a ziplock bag, combine the chicken, oil, 1 Tb. vinegar, salt, and pepper. Marinate for about 15 minutes, but up to overnight. Grill until chicken is golden, and cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the remaining vinegar and the honey. Cook, stirring often, until very thick. Coat the cooked chicken with the glaze. Serve the glaze atop the chicken.

Mac and Cheese Cups

I first saw these at a 1st birthday party for one of Mr. Man's friends. They were so adorable and I loved the concept of a mess-free (well, sort of) mac and cheese. I decided to steal the idea and make them for Mr. Man's 1st birthday party.

The only change I made to the original recipe was to add a little garlic salt and pepper. I thought the mac and cheese plain needed a little more pizazz. The recipe states "to taste" which for me, came to about 1/2 tsp. or so of each.

They were great for the kids but the adults also loved them. I am not admitting to how many I consumed during the party...that would be too embarrassing.




Mac and Cheese Cups
yield: about 12 cups

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
garlic salt and pepper, to taste.
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, olive oil and salt; set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for about 8 minutes, it should still be a little bit firm. Remove from the heat, drain and return to the pan; stir in the butter and egg until pasta is evenly coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of sharp Cheddar cheese and stir the remaining Cheddar cheese, milk, garlic salt, pepper, and mozzarella cheese into the pasta. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the reserved cheese and the bread crumb mixture over the tops.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the topping is nicely browned. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan. This will allow the cheese to set and they will hold their muffin shape.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

For my son's first birthday, I made him his very own smash cake and it was so much fun to see him dig into it (hmm...I think he gets that from his Mama...) When I made the little 5" cake, I found that I had some leftover batter. I can't bring myself to throw away cake, so I made cupcakes with the leftovers. I frosted them with a simple, but delicious buttercream frosting.

This buttercream is so easy, but really tastey. I also use this recipe for cake decorating and it's never failed me. Give it a try, it's truly amazing! This recipe will yeild enough frosting to pipe about 15 cupcakes (although I'm pretty heavy-handed). If you just smeared it on with a knife, I'm sure you could get 24 cupcakes covered.




Easy Vanilla Buttercream
20 tbsp. (2 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. heavy cream


Directions:
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds. Scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice.

Source: Cooks' Illustrated