The Month in Review - June 2014

Excuse me but where did June go?  I mean, didn't it just get here yesterday?  I'm sure that each of the bitterly cold winter months lasted at least 8 or 9 weeks so I'm sorry to see how quickly the first of the summer months disappeared.  But, the lovely outdoor weather hasn't gone to waste and I'm taking every opportunity to be outside.  OK, I spend some time in my kitchen and then go outside.  And that has resulted in some pretty amazing new recipes.  Before we head back outside, though, let's take a look back at the good eats and drinks of June.  Enjoy!

Fruity Iced Tea Lemonade

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Lipton, but all my opinions are my own. #bemoretea #pmedia  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

When I think of cooling, refreshing summer drinks I think of iced tea and lemonade.  OK, I also think of frozen daiquiris but we'll discuss that another time.  Rum aside, there are usually beverage pitchers in my refrigerator, in various stages of steeping and cooling, so that I can have my favorite drinks handy.  As for the Keurig brewer, I've never paid it much attention since I'm not the coffee drinker in this house.  That is, until I recently discovered that Lipton makes K-Cups of iced tea for the Keurig.  Um...what?

Thirsty Thursdays: Frozen Apricot Daiquiri

Frozen Apricot Daiquiri

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this sweet, frosty sipper!

Yogurt Fig Cake

This treat actually came about through circumstance and accident.  Over the weekend I met an old friend for brunch and stopped into a large gourmet market near the restaurant on my way home.  I'd already noticed that the local fruit vendors had figs for sale but they were too soft and wilted.  This market, however, had firm and perfectly ripe figs for sale and I couldn't resist buying them.  But now that I had them, I wasn't sure what to do with them.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

I don't know if whoopie pies are normally associated with summer but they definitely are for me.  I've heard they're a southern treat but Maine stakes a big claim to them as well.  And it was in Maine that I first fell for these goodies.

Thirsty Thursdays: Cantaloupe Melon Martini

Cantaloupe Melon Martini

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this sweet and summery drink!

Frozen Banana Berry "Cake"

It's very nearly summer.  It's hot.  Ice cream recipes are everywhere.  But for every rich creamy version out there, I've been seeing ones for 1 ingredient banana ice cream, 2 ingredient banana soft serve, etc.  They're basically frozen bananas with or without a touch of vanilla, blitzed in the food processor until the texture is similar to soft ice cream.  I had to try it.  And I always have bananas in my freezer.

Thirsty Thursdays: Lychee Martini

Lychee Martini

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this exotic summer fruit drink!

Crunchy Quinoa Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette

With summer just a week away, I've been making a list of healthy and filling salads I can make ahead on weekends and keep in the fridge for easy lunches all week long.  Not just plain old lettuce type salads, though.  I needed something heartier that would hold up over a few days and be satisfying.

Mexican Tortilla Pie

I'm constantly thinking about the daily question of what's for dinner.  It's a meal that requires more planning than the cereal I pour into a bowl at breakfast and the salad I usually toss at lunch.  I have to make sure I have all the ingredients for whatever I'm going to make and that I've left enough time to prep and cook.  Otherwise, I sometimes get too hungry and just throw the ingredients back in the fridge while I eye the cereal box again.

Crispy Baked Onion Rings (aka Cooking Actress Onion Rings)

Last month, when some of my fellow food bloggers and I participated in Brunch Week, we had the good fortune to work with a number of terrific foods sponsors and sample their products.  So, while it might not sound all that exciting to get a bag of Vidalia onions in the mail, to foodies like us, it kind of is.

Thirsty Thursdays: Pineapple Mojito

Pineapple Mojito

Check out today's post on A Cocktail Life for this fun and fruity twist on a classic summer sipper!

Cherry Cheesecake Chocolate Truffles

Every vacation town we've ever visited has had at least one great candy shop.  It's always crazy busy (at least in summer) and there's a huge selection of lollipops, jelly beans and every kind of chocolate bonbon.  But the ones I want...um...OK, let's be clear that I really want everything, but the ones I buy are big chocolate covered marshmallows and chocolate truffles with creamy centers.  I had no idea how to recreate the truffles at home but I figured I could make the chocolate covered marshmallows.  Big fail.  And after a couple of sad attempts I gave up.

The Month in Review - May 2014

Is May over already?  Boy, they go by fast or, at least, the warm months do.  Cold months just go on and on.  We celebrated Cinco de Mayo and Mother's Day with a group of us honoring our mothers with favorite recipes and stories.  We held a 'brunch week' with some cool giveaways and we unofficially kicked off summer on Memorial Day.  Seems we packed quite a lot into such a quick month.  But before we see how much we can cram into June, let's take a look back at some seriously good eats and drinks.  Enjoy!