Firecracker Jell-o Cups #Cookoutweek

It’s the last day of #CookoutWeek so I decided to end things with a BANG!

This is a super fun, super easy, kid-friendly 4^th of July recipe!

Plus they’re super cute and look like they took a lot of time (but didn’t!)

I made them in a number of different glasses and I loved the different presentations!

Applewood Smoked Pork, Apple & Walnut Salad #cookoutweek

*Disclosure: I received product to sample from ­­­­Smokin’-O’s.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Today’s Cookout Week recipe is sponsored by Smokin’-O’s.

Smokin’-O’s using an awesome process to bring real wood fire taste to foods grilled on outdoor gas grills.  This family-owned business uses real, responsibly harvested wood with no fillers or glues to their unique product.  Check them out below!

Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

Since Hubs in the grill master in our house, I handed him some pork chops and the Smokin’-O’s and let him have his fun!  He watch the handy instructional video and was able to get the Smokin’-O’s going on his first try.  He had a blast turning his outdoor grill into a smoker and I’m just beginning to think of the amazing smoky things we can make next!

We simply enjoyed the smoked pork chops the first day, then we made these delicious salads with the leftovers!  Yum!

Dark Mojito #cookoutweek #FoodnFlix

It’s #CookoutWeek Day 3 and today’s recipe is joining forces (at the last minute) with Food ‘n Flix!

This month, Evelyne from CulturEatz chose the movie Volver.

The movie is set in Spain and stars Penelope Cruz and guys.  It is a weird, weird movie.  I can’t even begin to give a synopsis, because it’s out there.  Also subtitles.

What I did get was mojitos.  And a middle of the night body dump.  And also I only had dark rum.  Therefore, dark mojitos!

Red, White, & Blue Nachos #July4Recipes #CookoutWeek

It’s the second day of cookout week, plus, the ladies at Festive Foodies are gearing up for the 4^th of July with red, white, & blue colored foods!

The two themes merge perfectly!

This recipe was actually Spud’s idea!  He found the recipe in his High Five magazine and wanted to make it right away!

It’s a simple kid friendly recipe, but sometimes those are the best on crazy busy summer nights!

#CookoutWeek Introduction & Giveaway!

Get those grills fired up... because it's #CookoutWeek 2017! This week, I'm joining forces with over 40 food blogger friends to bring you delicious recipes perfect for every backyard BBQ, picnic, summer party, or cookout. We also have a fabulous giveaway featuring products from the brands who have made #CookoutWeek possible! You can enter below to win:

• From blog host The PinterTest Kitchen: $100 Amazon gift card, to use to buy all the supplies you need for your next cookout
• From our sponsor The French Farm: A gift pack of gourmet products hand-crafted by small businesses and using only the finest ingredients - La Favorita Genovese Pesto, Caprichos del Guadalquivir Cadenera Orange Marmalade, and L’Abeille Occitane Lavender Honey
• From our sponsor Smokin'-Os: A sampler pack of their "smokin'-os" wood rings, to help you add wood-fired, smokey taste to your grilled foods, even if you don't own a smoker
• From our sponsor Primal Kitchen: $200 of Primal Kitchen goodies, including condiments made with avocado oil and bars and shakes with grass-fed collagen
• From our sponsor Langers Juice Company: Your choice of 10 bottles of Langers Juice, with flavors including traditional Apple and Grape, as well as interesting mixes such as Pineapple Orange Coconut, Cranberry Blood Orange, and Mango Peach
• From our sponsor True Made Foods: A 3-bottle sampler pack of sauces with real flavors made from real vegetables and less sugar - Ketchup, BBQ, and Veracha

This prize pack has an ARV of over $400! You have until July 1 at 11:59 PM to enter by following our sponsors and bloggers on social media:

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stay tuned... remember, throughout the week, all of the participating bloggers will be posting delicious cookout recipes.

Here are all the bloggers who are part of #CookoutWeek 2017: The PinterTest Kitchen • 2 Cookin Mamas • A Day in the Life on the Farm • A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures • Amy's Cooking Adventures • Ashees Cookbook • Baking Sense • Body Rebooted • Bottom Left of the Mitten • Chef Sarah Elizabeth • Cook's Hideout • Cookaholic Wife • Cooking with Sapana • Eat, Drink, Be Healthy! • Fairyburger • Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice • Family Around the Table • Fix Me a Little Lunch • For the Love of Food • Full Belly Sisters • Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks • Home Sweet Homestead • Join Us, Pull up a Chair • Kate's Recipe Box • Kelly Lynn's Sweets and Treats • Little House Big Alaska • My Southern Sweet Tooth • Our Good Life • Oven Tales By Syama • Palatable Pastime • Rants From My Crazy Kitchen • Savory Moments • Seduction in the Kitchen • Sidewalk Shoes • That Recipe • The Freshman Cook • The Mad Scientists Kitchen • The Pajama Chef • The Redhead Baker • The Saucy Southerner • The Spiffy Cookie • The Weekday Gourmet • Tramplingrose • Turnips 2 Tangerines • Uncle Jerry's Kitchen

As one of the bonus entries in the giveaway, leave a comment on this blog post... what is your favorite dish to eat at a cookout?

Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Caper Vinaigrette #cookoutweek

*Disclosure: I received product to sample from ­­­­­The French Farm.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Welcome to Cookout Week!

My first post is sponsored by the wonderful people at The French Farm.

The French Farm brings the taste of Europe to the US by importing gourmet foods from small, family-owned businesses.

Check them out below on social media!

Web | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

The French Farm sent me Balsamic Vinegar and Capers.

I decided that the two were a perfect match, so I tossed them together in an amazing vinaigrette for asparagus!

Grilled asparagus is the perfect side dish for any BBQ!

>>Don't forget to enter the #CookoutWeek Giveaway here<<

Cocoa Ice Pops

I bet you’ve all been wondering when my favorite sous chef would be back!

Well, he found a recipe for some kid-friendly popsicles in his Highlights magazine, so he’s here to share it!

The other day, we stopped by a coffee shop and he ordered a hot cocoa.  He proceeded to drink approximately 3 sips before declaring he was full.

He brought his undrunk hot cocoa home and the next thing I knew, he was creating!

Pico de Gallo #InspiredbyNature

*Disclosure: I received product to sample from ­­­­­Charles Viancin & Republic of Tea.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This week, I’m participating in a Progressive Picnic, organized by Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla and sponsored by Charles Viancin.

Today’s theme is Quick dips & appetizers.  To make this recipe possible, Charles Viancin provided me with their awesome 5-piece Timber cutting board set.  The set includes a silicone mat (which doubles as a trivet) and creates a sturdy, no-slip surface for the 4 cutting mats (designated beef, chicken, fish, & veggies to keep cross-contamination to a minimum).

I decided to make Pico de Gallo for our progressive picnic.  Pico is so perfect because it’s quick, it’s fresh, and uses seasonal ingredients!  Pico de Gallo is also crazy versitle.  You can eat it straight as a fresh salsa or add it into tons of other dishes (several of which will be on their way soon!)

Mermaid Martini #NationalMartiniDay

Did you know today is National Martini Day??

Now that’s a day I want to celebrate!

I wasn’t sure at first what I wanted to make.  Then I came across Mermaid Water (basically a rum punch) and the classic Fishbowl and decided do a take on the two of those to create a Mermaid Martini!

Beef Stew with Dumplings #SoupSwappers

I’m back with this month’s Soup Saturday Swappers!  This month’s theme, English Stews, was chosen by Sneha from Sneha’s Recipe.

English stews are actually pretty hard to come by.  I found lots of stews shared by British chefs, but does that automatically make it a British stew?  I say no.  Just because I learned how to make croissants does not automatically make them an American food.

After quite a lot of searching, I came across a couple recipes for British Beef Stew with Suet Dumplings.  Finally – something that sounded like it might have originated in England!

Now, since I’m in the US, suet is not a pantry staple.  Suet appears to be a type of rendered beef fat, so, like I do for anytime anything calls for rendered fat, I substituted bacon grease. 

The stew itself starts with some beef seared stove top.  Then all manner of yumminess and some broth are added and the stew gets to braise in the oven for a couple hours.

Frozen Banana Daiquiri

It’s suuuuummmmmmerrrrr!  WooHoo!!!!

You guys, I absolutely adore summer.  I love the warmth.  I love the sunshine.  I love riding my bike and going to the pool.   And I LOVE that I get 3 months to stay home with my boys!

Oh but wait – curve ball. 

I also just started grad school (for the second time).  So, I got my Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and went straight back to school and got my Master’s in Education and Reading Instruction (in 2005 & 2006).

Now after just getting back into the workforce, I’m heading back to school to…drumroll please…be the new school librarian!!!!

You guys, I LOVE books almost as much as I love summer, so even though I’m rocking some summer school (I’m the nerd with textbooks at the pool this year) I am so incredibly excited!

So let’s celebrate with a cocktail inspired by a book!

Steak & Bacon Risotto

Okay.

Before we get started, I’m going to put it right out there and let you know that this is not a true risotto.  I used the wrong kind of rice and the wrong method.  Regardless, the end result was decidedly risotto-esque, and since this was a toss all the leftovers in the pot type of deal, the recipe and therefore title was realized as the dish cooked.

So this recipe came about one night when the refrigerator was full of random odds and ends and we were about to go out of town, so I really did not want to make a huge main dish, but there really weren’t enough leftovers to feed the whole family.

So I tossed some rice in a pot and started formulating as it cooked.  At first I thought to make something like my favorite Hamburger Rice Skillet or French Onion Chicken &Rice, but I really didn’t have the ingredients for either.

German Brotchen Rolls

I recently finished reading the Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy.  The novel follows Elsie and her family during WWII in Germany.  Elsie’s family (at least somewhat) sympathized with the Nazi party (more so, they did what they were told to keep their livelihood).  It was fascinating to read a story from the perspective of a regular German citizen.

The story also has a second, modern day point of view character, Reba.  And honestly, I would have much rather read an entire story about Elsie instead of being interrupted by Reba.  Reba was boring and whiny and I really just wanted to enjoy a good historical fiction. 

Thankfully, more of the story centered on Elsie and her journey through WWII, so I was able to deal with Reba.

Since Elsie came from a family of Bakers (thus the title), there were many amazing breads described throughout the story.  However, the one that stood out the most and had a prominent role in the story were the Brotchen Rolls.

Brotchen Rolls are a rustic German hard-roll.  Most of the recipes I found involved whipped egg whites in the dough and plenty of steam during baking.

Brownie Tuxedo Cheesecake

Hubs’ favorite desserts are brownies and cheesecake, so it’s always fun to find way to combine the two!

This yummy brownie tuxedo cheesecake starts off with brownies (I just baked up a box mix – I still haven’t found a homemade version that compares yet!) then combines with 2 flavors of no-bake cheesecake!