Chocolate Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes

I got these at a restaurant for breakfast a few weeks ago with my friend Lindsey before we headed off to an adventure to the DMV. I tried to re-create them and they turned out awesome!!





Chocolate Strawberry Mascarpone Crepes
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Crepes:
1 C Flour
1 C Milk
1 egg
2 TBS melted butter
Splash of Vanilla

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Use a griddle or non-stick skilled to make crepes. You can make them as big or small as you want. Use the back edge of a spoon to spread out the batter if you prefer them more thin. Flip them like a pancake half way through.

Chocolate Filling:
1 small container mascarpone cheese (found with the fancy cheeses)
3 TBS cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar (use more or less for sweeter filling)
Splash of Vanilla
Splashes of milk until desired consistancy (depending on if you want it more fluffy or more runny)

Whip it all together using a mixer.

Put the filling in the crepes once they are cooked and use Strawberries or banana to fill and on the outside. Use whipped cream as desired. I used chocolate sauce to garnish the plate. These are SOOOO yummy!!

Spinach Chicken Pasta

Nothing like a last minute meal!!

Spinach Chicken Pasta
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Chicken
onion
garlic
fresh herbs (from the herb garden or the store: basil, parsley, chives, oragano....whatever you have)
butter
S/P
Spinach (frozen, thawed and squeezed)
Cheese (parm or asiago)

Pasta Cooked

Boil the pasta until desired consistancy. Brown the chicken with onion and garlic and S/P in a wok. Throw the herbs, butter and spinach in the wok. Put the cooked pasta in the wok and mix it all up until hot. Serve with the cheese on top!

Berry Ice Cream Topping :)

I love making this dessert in the summer..........reasons:

1. You don't have to turn the oven on.....its too stinkin hot!
2. Berries are cheap in summer, sometimes I can get the "on the way out" ones for cheaper.
3. Ice cream is so yummy when it's hot out
4. Not too much added sugar
5. Jake would pay $4.50 for it but Doug would pay $7.00 :)

Berry Ice Cream Topping
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Berries
Vanilla
Some liquid (orange juice, lemonade, or booze)
Vanilla Ice cream
Peaches or nectarines?

Start with any Combination of fresh berries (Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries) but a combination of a at least a couple is best. Put them in a small sauce pan and use a wisk to mash them a bit. Add about 1/4 cup of some sort of juice (orange, lemonade, or even grand marnier or rum) and a dash of vanilla extract. Simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Set aside and let cool to room temp or serve it warm if you prefer. Serve over vanilla icecream, I love to also have it with fresh peaches or nectarines.

Farmers Market Fiesta!

Recently I discovered some green beans and zucchini that I had purchased at the farmers market last week and hadn't used. I payed good money for them and they were grown in a local Bozeman ladies garden. I had to use them before they went bad.







Farmers Market Fiesta
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chicken breast
zucchini sliced
fresh green beans
1 onion diced
1 Can diced tomato (i got the onion and garlic ones)
minced garlic
Herbs (I pulled some basil, parsley, chives and oregano from my herb garden (well, is more of a pot on the porch) but you could use dried italian seasoning or whatever you have really)
Pepper
Chicken Broth
Good quality asiago or parm cheese

Brown the chicken, onion and garlic in a wok or deep frying pan. Add the herbs, some pepper to taste, the green beans and the diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Cover for about 5-7 minutes until the beans are more tender. Add the zucchini and simmer uncovered for about 5 more minutes until the zucchini is tender. Serve with the cheese sprinkled on top.

Cheesy Turkey Panini

I made these yummy sandwiches for a Sunday night Neil family Dinner last week. Really easy, yummy and also make great leftovers for lunches the next day!!

Cheesy Turkey Panini
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Sliced Deli Turkey
Pepper Jack Cheese
8 Oz Cream Cheese
1 paper package of dry pesto mix (the kind you mix with water or milk to make a pasta sauce, I use McCormicks brand)
Red and Green Peppers sliced
1 loaf Ciabatta Bread
Butter

Slice the loaf of bread horizontally to make a top and a bottom. Soften the cream cheese and mix with the powdered pesto mix. Spread the cream chesse mixture on the top and bottom of the bread. Now stuff the sandwich with the turkey, jack cheese and peppers. Place the loaf back together and butter the outside of the top and the bottom. Grill on a panini press, griddle or pan browning both sides and until it is warm. Slice into desired portion sizes before or after grilling depending on pan or press.