S'mores Ice Cream

You have every right to be angry with me. And I don't blame you.

See, I've been holding out on you.

I've had this ice cream tucked away in the freezer since May. May.

I'd be mad, too.

Thick and creamy chocolate swirled with marshmallow fluff and graham crackers. An homage to summer's most classic dessert. No fire, long sticks, or sticky fingers required. But, let me assure you -- it's just as equally tasty, and can be enjoyed at anytime of day. Actually, the hotter it is out, the better. Which means that it tastes fantastically awesome mid-afternoon. Or for breakfast in the morning. What? It's dairy. I don't judge.

S'mores Ice Cream

Adapted from: The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz

2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup marshmallow fluff
4 squares graham crackers, broken into bite-sized pieces

In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup heavy cream and cocoa powder over medium-high heat, making sure the cocoa becomes completely blended. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 seconds at a low boil, whisking constantly. Remove pan from heat; whisk in chocolate chips until mixture is smooth. Add the remaining 1 cup cream. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, removing as much as possible from the saucepan. Place a mesh strainer over top of the bowl, then set bowl aside.

In the same saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk, sugar, and salt (do not boil). In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Very slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour egg mixture back into the saucepan.

Continue to constantly stir the mixture with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the prepared strainer into the large bowl with the chocolate mixture. Stir the custard until smooth. Mix in the vanilla. Place bowl in an ice bath, stirring until cool.

Place the large bowl, sans ice bath, into the refrigerator until completely chilled. Freeze custard in ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.*

Once the ice cream has reached the soft serve stage (usually at the end of the ice cream freezer's freezing process), transfer half of the ice cream to a storage container. Stir in half of the marshmallow fluff and half of the graham cracker pieces. Repeat with the remaining ice cream, marshmallow fluff, and graham crackers. Freeze in the freezer until ready to eat.

Makes: 8 1/2-cup servings

*If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can also make this by hand. Simply follow my step-by-step tutorial here.

I have to admit, I was a little bit in shock, and a little bit in awe when I saw this was under 400 calories for one serving. I thought there was absolutely no way. Not with all that cream and whole milk and sugar. Not with how rich and smooth and over-the-top chocolate-y this is. Oh, but it's true. Go put the stretchy pants away and enjoy some real ice cream. Not that icy full-of-air "light" business you get at the store. Trust me. You might never go back.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 388	Calories from fat 190
% Daily Value
Total Fat 21.2g	33%
Saturated Fat 12.4g	62%
Cholesterol 179mg	60%
Sodium 163mg	7%
Total Carbs 45.9g	15%
Fiber 1.5g	6%
Sugars 37.8g
Protein 5.5g
Vitamin A 13%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 11%	Iron 7%

Honey-Roasted Onion Tart

We might have had some blue box blues last night.

No joke.

It's a good thing I have saved up some tasty recipes for you. Or you might be having some blue box blues with me. Which, by all means, you're more than welcome to do.

Or if you have a little bit of time on your hands, you can make this Honey-Roasted Onion Tart instead. Let me tell you, way better than some store-bought mac 'n' chee. Creamy, bacon-y, with nice sweet overtones coming in from the onions and honey. Yum. I would totally pick this any night over powdered-flavored pasta. Too bad my fridge is still empty.

Honey-Roasted Onion Tart

Adapted from: Bon Appetit, February 2011

1 sheet (1/2 17.3-ounce package) frozen pastry puff, thawed
3 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 large sweet yellow onions, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
Cooking spray
3/4 cup full fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry puff to a 14x10-inch rectangle. Fold 1/2-inch of edges in towards the center to form a rim. Transfer pastry puff to prepared baking sheet. Press down on edges with the tines of a fork to seal the rim. Chill.

While pastry puff is chilling, warm a small skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon until browned and almost crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings; discard rest.

In a large bowl, combine honey, wine, and bacon drippings. Add onions, tossing to coat. Line another large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat liberally with cooking spray. Spread onion mixture in an even layer across the bottom of the pan. Cook in oven for 30 minutes. Flip onions, separating rings, then bake for another 30-45 minutes, or until onions are caramelized. Remove from onion, and cool onions slightly.

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Spread sour cream mixture evenly inside the rim of the pastry puff. Place onions on top of sour cream, then sprinkle with bacon. Bake tart until crust is light golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with thyme and serve.


Serves: 3

Despite the length of the recipe, this recipe is more about step-by-step measures rather than anything complicated. Just remember to line that baking sheet with foil before roasting those onions. I, of course, did not. And my pans, well, they barely survived the carbonized honey mixture that refuse to leave. (Let's just say that may not be my favorite way to caramelize onions...) But still. This tart is definitely worth it.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 656	Calories from fat 352
% Daily Value
Total Fat 39.1g	60%
Saturated Fat 10.5g	53%
Cholesterol 21mg	7%
Sodium 1031mg	43%
Total Carbs 61.1g	20%
Fiber 1.5g	6%
Sugars 24.0g
Protein 13.1g
Vitamin A 0%	Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 2%	Iron 17%

Savory Sausage, Spinach, & Onion Turnovers

A long time ago, in a land far far away, I actually sat down and planned my meals out for the week. I didn't have to worry and fret and discuss for half an hour with the husband about what to eat that night when dinnertime rolled around. Then I went on vacation. And we moved. Shoo, we're still moving. (I'm not altogether sure why it's taking us three plus weeks, but it has.)

But the end is in sight. I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Actually, it's called "the old place is officially giving us the boot," so we better have everything empty and all sparkly-clean by Saturday. Yeesh.

All I can say is, thank goodness. I'm over trying to cleaning two places simultaneously. I'm ready to get back to not feeling like I was hit by a truck when I get up in the morning. And bumming in front of the TV at night with the hubby. And making the hubby cook when I've already planned out the meal but "just don't feel like cooking". Kind of like I did with these turnovers. :)

Savory Sausage, Spinach, & Onion Turnovers

Adapted from: Cooking Light, April 2011

Cooking spray
2/3 cups diced, peeled red potatoes
1/3 cup onion, diced
2 (3.5 ounce) links hot Italian sausage, casings removed
3 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons basil, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 (14.1 ounce) package refrigerated pie dough
2 tablespoons water
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Warm a large non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and onion to pan, stirring frequently for 4 minutes, or until onion begins to brown. Add sausage. Crumble sausage with the back of a cooking utensil while cooking for 4 minutes, or until browned. Add spinach to sausage mixture, cooking until spinach just begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in basil, salt, and crushed red pepper. Remove from heat.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the pie dough into 4 equal sections. (Optional: Roll each section out into a 5-inch circle.) Place 1/4 of the sausage mixture on half of each dough section, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold empty half of dough over sausage mixture and crimp together the edges with the back of a fork.

Transfer turnovers to prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the egg white and water, stirring with a whisk. Brush egg wash over the top of each turnover. Sprinkle each turnover with about 2 teaspoons of Parmesan. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves: 4

While these may appear at first glance to be somewhat fancy and possibly time consuming and difficult to make, let me assure you this is not the case. Adam made these. That should be proof in and of itself. It's officially male-tested, and approved. Okay, not without a few curse-words from ripping the dough a couple of times, but these did successfully happen.

These aren't oh-my-goodness jump-off-the-plate amazing, but they do make for a pretty solid and filling meal. This recipe does, however, lend itself to lots of interpretation and play on flavors, so feel free to mix it up however you want!

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 290	Calories from fat 139
% Daily Value
Total Fat 15.4g	24%
Saturated Fat 5.2g	26%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Cholesterol 45mg	15%
Sodium 621mg	26%
Total Carbs 22.3g	7%
Fiber 2.6g	10%
Sugars 2.1g
Protein 15.2g
Vitamin A 45%	Vitamin C 35%
Calcium 9%	Iron 12%

Dear Ikea...

Tear.

Dear Ikea,

My kitchen is waiting on you. It is this.close. to being finished, but you seem to not be able to get your oak butcher's block countertop back in stock. This makes me very sad. Can we fix this preferably before the expected end-of-July/beginning-of-August stock date? I really want to be enjoying my work table right now, but you're holding me back.

K Thanks,
Runs With Spatulas

There's a reason I'm just chomping at the bit to get my work table finished. See... I'm going from this:

(Note the complete absence of any windows and massive lack of counter space)

To this:

Not a ton of counter space until...

Waiting on you, Ikea.

Whiskey-Glazed Baby Back Ribs

Cleaning. Cleaning. More cleaning.

Moving. Moving. More moving.

Story of my life the past week and a half.

It's worth it though. I'm finally leaving behind my tiny galley kitchen with absolutely no natural light and barely any counter space for one with tons of light and storage. Not to mention Adam is going to to make me a handy dandy work table. Me = super excited.

You would think I'd be this excited when getting new shoes or clothes. But no. I'm more excited to get a huge table to prep food on. :)

Even though we're still in the midst of trying to get our new place together, I couldn't let the 4th of July sneak up without sharing this ah-mazing recipe for baby back ribs with you. Juicy, tender, falling of the bone ah-mazing. With barely any work. And, no grill required. While you can still use the grill for the last step, this crock-pot method works well when the grill isn't an option and you have the oven full of other goodies. At our old apartment we weren't allowed a charcoal grill (which of course was what we had) and I needed the oven for other tasty items such as cheesy corn bake, stuffed mushrooms, and some red velvet brownies. Priorities, right?

I'm usually not a huge fan of eating meat off the bone, but in this case, I tend to make an exception. They are really just that good. Perfect for a 4th of July faux-barbecue meal.

Whiskey-Glazed Baby Back Ribs

Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

2 (2 pound) slabs baby back pork ribs
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper (ground red pepper)
1/2 tablespoon chili powder

2 1/4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons liquid smoke flavoring
2 teaspoons whiskey
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup onion, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. Cut each rack of ribs in half (so you will have a total of 4 rib sections, each with about 7 ribs).

In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper, and 1/2 tablespoon chili powder. Rub both sides of each rack of ribs generously with spice mixture. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake ribs for 15 minutes, flip and bake for an additional 15 minutes until a nice light golden brown. Note: You may store the ribs, covered, in the refrigerator for up to one day.

In another small bowl, combine remaining ingredients through 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Place the ribs in a large slow cooker with the onions. Pour the sauce over the ribs and cook on low 6-8 hours. After 3-4 hours, remove ribs using long tongs, flip, and move the rib rack halves that were on the top to the bottom of the slow cooker.

Preheat oven to Broil. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.

Carefully transfer ribs from slow cooker to a plate and set aside. Ladle at least 1 cup of remaining sauce into a medium saucepan. Boil sauce over medium-high heat until thickened. Remove from heat. Brush thickened sauce over both sides of rib rack halves. Place rib rack halves onto prepared baking sheet. Broil in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until sauce has carmelized and turned dark brown. Note: Ribs can also be carmelized very carefully on the grill.

Serves: 4

If you're looking for completely fall-off-the-bone ribs, look no farther than this cooking method. It works beautifully and the bones are pretty much popping out by the time they are done. Simply cut back on the cooking time if you want them to stick to the bones a little bit more. While I finished these off under the broiler, you can also throw them on the grill if you have that up and running -- but by all means, don't skip that step or you will lose the all-important carmelized crust that forms and adds so much to the flavor.

Nutrition Facts*
Amount per serving
Calories 1043	Calories from fat 617
% Daily Value
Total Fat 68.5g	105%
Saturated Fat 23.3g	116%
Cholesterol 234mg	78%
Sodium 1720mg	69%
Total Carbs 54.7g	18%
Fiber 3.5g	14%
Sugars 46.4g
Protein 50.7g
Vitamin A 18%	Vitamin C 22%
Calcium 20%	Iron 52%

*Note: Nutrition facts come from Allrecipes.com

Penne with Asparagus & Pecorino Cheese

Every once in a while I crave a nice light dish for dinner. Usually this happens after a couple meat heavy or sauce laden meals.

Or after I step on the scale and say "well hello extra 5 pounds, where did you come from"? Nothing like swimsuit season to amplify those extra pounds.

Sigh. Time to put away the brownies and pull out the veggies. As painful as that might be, my jeans will thank me for it. And maybe even my shorts. With the bright flavor from the lemon and the crisp from the asparagus, pulling a switcheroo with the brownies might not be so bad after all.

Penne with Asparagus and Pecorino Cheese

Adapted from: Cooking Light, April 2011

8 ounces uncooked penne
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons shaved Pecorino Romano cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain.

Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus. Cook for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer asparagus to a medium bowl; set aside and keep warm. Add broth, lemon zest, and garlic to skillet. Reduce liquid to 1/2 cup, about 6 minutes. Return asparagus to the pan. Stir in pasta, grated cheese, salt, and pepper. Top servings with 1 1/2 teaspoons shaved cheese.

Serves: 4 (1 1/4 cups pasta mixture plus 1 1/2 teaspoons shaved cheese)

While I consider this a "light" dish, it's still pretty filling. Well, at least Adam wasn't hungry after half an hour, which is always a good sign. Not to mention the fact that this dish comes together in under 30 minutes. Which leaves you even more time to be out and about in the sunshine instead of hovering over the stove. Win.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 332	Calories from fat 125
% Daily Value
Total Fat 13.9g	21%
Saturated Fat 4.8g	24%
Cholesterol 64mg	21%
Sodium 676mg	28%
Total Carbs 36.9g	12%
Fiber 2.6g	10%
Sugars 2.4g
Protein 16.0g
Vitamin A 19%	Vitamin C 14%
Calcium 27%	Iron 26%

Red Velvet Brownies

I'm such a tease. I promise you brownies then run away for a week and a half. Honestly, that wasn't my intention.

There was a lot of this involved:

A little bit of this:

And a whole lot driving through this:

Ahem, yes. I may have driven all the way from the Minneapolis airport to Aberdeen, South Dakota, then up to southwestern North Dakota for a week.

Not really recommended unless you enjoy hunting pheasants and deer with your car, which I unintentionally tried to do on multiple occasions. This, however, is where my grandparents and a couple of my aunts and uncles live, thus, my mom, sister, her two kiddos, and I all made the trek out there after my cousin's wedding.

Details, details. Brownies are far more important, are they not?

Especially when they are red velvet and topped with a white chocolate buttercream. Delicious? Absolutely.

Red Velvet Brownies

Adapted from: How Sweet It Is

3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces white chocolate, melted
1 tablespoon milk


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 8 x 8 baking dish.

Stir together cocoa powder, red food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a small bowl; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix in cocoa powder mixture, beating until batter is completely red (add more food coloring if desired). Stir in flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla. Slowly stir in powdered sugar. Mix in melted white chocolate and beat until incorporated. Add milk with mixer on low speed until consistency desired is achieved.

Makes: 16 bars

These brownies come together fairly quick, and use mostly pantry staples. That's a big win for me. No extra trips to the grocery store. Although this can deplete your vanilla and red food coloring stores in the blink of an eye. Especially when you make multiple batches of these. Not like I would do that or anything. Err, or maybe I would.

These turned out exactly as expected, almost like a very dense and compact version of a red velvet cake. But instead of cake you have a brownie, which is far easier to pick up and eat while passing by. And that, my friends, is why batch #2 went to work with Adam instead of staying home with me.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 290	Calories from fat 114
% Daily Value
Total Fat 12.7g	19%
Saturated Fat 7.9g	39%
Cholesterol 49mg	16%
Sodium 114mg	5%
Total Carbs 42.5g	14%
Fiber 0.8g	3%
Sugars 33.8g
Protein 2.7g
Vitamin A 6%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 3%	Iron 5%