Indulge In {Strawberry Nutella Crostinis}

Crostinis are one of my favorite appetizers. They are easy to pick up, bite sized treats full of endless flavor possibilities. For those of you who might not know what a crostini is, allow me to explain. Basically it's a small toasted open faced sandwich. Combine, veggies, meat, and cheese in some flavor mix that you love over top a crunchy round of baguette for the perfect appetizer. Although, I'm starting to see more and more dessert crostinis. Some of my favorite combinations include marscapone honey and this beauty, strawberry Nutella. The chocolate hazelnut spread is divine especially combined with sweet seasonal strawberries. Plus, who doesn't love a dessert they can eat on the go? Here's the easy, party friendly recipe...

:: Ingredients ::
French Baguette, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
Nutella
Fresh Sliced Strawberries

:: Directions ::
1. In a 350 degree oven, toast baguette rounds until crisp.
2. Spread with Nutella, top with fresh sliced strawberries and enjoy!

Indulge In {Rum Punch Granita}

This blog would be nothing if I wasn't honest with you. So in the spirit of being honest, this post started as rum punch pops. It clearly turned out to be an almost epic fail. In the process, I learned that making pops with an abundance of alcohol is just about impossible. But, I did learn that making granita with it is surprisingly easy and delicious. Because of the alcohol, you don't have to scrape it like a normal granita. It freezes nicely and makes a delicious, cooling summer dessert when accompanied by some fresh fruit. Serve it up after a backyard BBQ or a fun day at the beach. The best part is that when it melts, it turns into a yummy (ice cold!) cocktail. Here's the recipe..

:: Ingredients ::
*Makes 2 Servings*
1 oz Coconut Rum
1 oz White Rum
1 oz Dark Rum
1/2 oz Spiced Rum
3 oz Pineapple Juice
2 oz Orange Juice
1.5 oz Grapefruit Juice

:: Directions ::
Combine ingredients in a tupperware. Place in freezer and freeze for at least 24 hours. Using an ice cream scooper, scrape out serving. Top with fresh seasonal fruit and serve.

Indulge In {Strawberry Pie}

Hello there! We are one day closer to the long holiday weekend ahead and I'm starting to get really excited (as I do every Thursday!). This weekend I'm packing up my bags and heading to Rob's parent's house to celebrate his Mom's birthday. You all know birthdays are my favorite and when you combine that with a holiday, I get extra happy. I want to share a recipe today that I have shared before but reminds me of both Rob's Mom and Memorial Day. Last year I had a bunch of strawberries left over from an event and took them down to his parent's house with me. With the help of Rob's Mom, we whipped up this delicious strawberry pie. If you've never had strawberry pie before, you are seriously missing out. Loaded with a ton of fresh strawberries and topped with a dollop of whipped cream, it's a great summertime dessert. Plus, the color makes it perfect to serve up on Memorial Day. Make ahead of time and keep in the fridge till guests arrive. They will surely be impressed by it's fresh, light, and delicious flavor. Here's the recipe!

:: Ingredients ::
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Water
6 Tablespoons Strawberry Gelatin Mix
2 Pounds Fresh Strawberries
3 Heaping + 3 Regular Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 Pilsbury Pie Crust Cooked and Cooled
:: Directions ::
1. In a sauce pan, mix together sugar, strawberry gelatin, and cornstarch
2. Add water and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until thick and clear. Set aside and let cool completely.
3. Slice strawberries in quarters and set aside till gelatin mixture is cool.
4. Once cool, mix strawberries in with gelatin mixture. Pour into pie crust and put in fridge until ready to serve.

Indulge In {Lemon Basil Strawberry Shortcake}

Oh that's right, I went there. You've never had strawberry shortcake quite like this before. If you follow me on Twitter, (you totally should!) you would have read the other day that I  was planning on putting my spin on the classic. The outcome, a dash of limoncello and fresh basil added to a homemade strawberry syrup that would top the cake. Let me tell you, it was divine! Traditional strawberry shortcake is already light and flavorful but the touch of lemon and basil brings a freshness that is needed. The additional flavors are subtle enough to not be over powering but bold enough to make a difference. I'm telling you, this dessert is going to be my go to through both spring and summer parties. The recipe is below. Give it a whirl because I'm dying to know what you think!

:: Ingredients ::
1 Pint Fresh Strawberries, sliced
1/2 Cup Limoncello
2 Basil Leaves, plus additional for garnish
1/4 Cup Sugar
Angel Food Cake
Whipped Cream
Lemon Slices for Garnish

:: Directions ::
1. In a medium sauce pan combine strawberries, limoncello, basil leaves and sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is reduced. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Once the strawberry mixture has cooled, plate two slices of angel food cake and top with mixture. Add a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with additional basil leaves and a lemon slice.

Indulge In {Limoncello Pound Cake}

Oh you read that correctly. This Limoncello pound cake may just be the best thing to happen to pound cake. It doesn't help that I'm already obsessed with anything lemon flavored, but to add Limoncello and a Limoncello glaze to the mix takes my obsession over the top. What I love so much is the fresh, light flavor that doesn't feel heavy in your stomach after you eat. It's perfect when topped with a scoop of homemade vanilla bean ice cream and served on a warm evening. Here's the recipe!

:: Ingredients ::
4 Egg Yolks
1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
Zest and Juice of 1 Meyer Lemon
1/4 Cup Limoncello
1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Melted Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

:: Directions ::
1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease the bottom and sides of a loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl combine egg yolks, greek yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, Limoncello, melted butter, and sugar. Mix to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet mixture stirring to combine. Be sure to not over stir as pound cake will turn out dense.
4. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 45-48 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Indulge In {Grilled Peaches and Homemade Ice Cream}

For R's birthday last November, I caved and bought him the old fashioned ice cream maker he had been wanting for months. You know, the ones with the wood base that is incredibly noisy. Well, he loves it! And frankly, so do I. It reminds me of the one my grandparents had and all the summers we would make strawberry ice cream in their back yard. With it being the time of year for outdoor cooking, it's finally time to bust it out and see what creamy creations we can come up with.

Recently, I've been craving pies and desserts of the sort so for our first attempt, I decided to do a modern twist on the all time favorite peach cobbler. With fresh peaches from the farmer's market and all the ingredients for a delicious batch of ice cream, this new favorite dessert is so fun for summer cookouts. It's even a great addition to your Memorial Day menu. Here's the recipe...

:: Ingredients ::
2 Quarts Half and Half
1/2 Pint Heavy Cream
1 1/2 Cups White Sugar
4 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Pinch Salt
4 Peaches, halved and pitted
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
5 Tablespoons Butter

:: Directions for Ice Cream ::
1. Mix together half and half, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an ice cream maker.
2. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

:: Directions for Peaches ::
1. Turn your grill on medium heat and let it get warm.
2. Melt the butter and stir in brown sugar until dissolved.
3. Brush all sides of the peach with butter and brown sugar mixture. Grill until warm and caramelized. About 5-8 minutes.

Enjoy!