Flag Cookies

I am so happy summer has arrived. Do you have any plans this summer? Our big plans are my children are attending camp during the day. At first, they really didn't want to go but now love it. Also, my sister is staying with us for the summer with her two girls. I love having them around but the best part is when we have dinner at night with all the kids. They really enjoy listening to my husband's stories about when he was young. Do you share a lot of your stories at dinner time too?

My abstract flags

Frosted Soft Sugar Cookies
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
3. Add one egg at a time and mix well. 
4. Add the vanilla and scrap down the bowl.
5. Slowly, add the flour mixture. Mix until incorporated.
6. Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
9. Scoop about 1/4 cup of chilled dough and roll into a ball.
10. Place on the parchment paper and flatten slightly.
11. Space the cookies about 3 inches apart.
12. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are just set. Don't over bake.
13. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.

Frosting:
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
7 Tbsp milk (more if needed)
Sprinkles red and blue if making the abstract flags

1. In a medium bowl, add the sifted powdered sugar.
2. To the bowl, add the melted butter, vanilla, and the milk.
3. Whisk the mixture until smooth. 
4. Frost the cooled cookies and top with the sprinkles.

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats.

One year ago......................I made Virgin Bloody Marys.

Did you already know........
-Summer solstice for this year was June 21st.
-Today the moon was closest to the Earth than it will be all year.
-Since the moon will be a full moon when it is this close to the Earth, it is called a Supermoon.          

Radish and Potato Soup

Yes, you did read the title right. I made radish and potato soup. Yes, I know I normally make a lot of sweets but I have to surprise you once in a while. I will admit radishes aren't my vegetable of choice but I received a lot of radishes lately in my CSA share. The radishes had the leaves still attached and I hadn't realized the leaves are edible. When I made the soup, the kids liked it. They even had a second bowl. Just remember, this soup is very mild but comforting. Yes, I would make it again but I probably will add some sausage to it.

Radish and Potato Soup
1 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup radish leaves
4 cups chicken broth 
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
optional garnish: thinly sliced radish

Directions:

1. In a large pot, melt the butter.
2. Add the onion and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add the potato and saute for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the radish leaves and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the chicken broth and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Remove cover and from heat. With a potato masher/Immersion Blender, mash for a few minutes.
7. Stir in the milk. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

One year ago................................I made Red, White, and Blue cupcakes.

Nice Photo!

Did you already know..................
-Since 700 B.C., radishes have been cultivated.
-The Ancient Egyptians and Greeks ate radishes.
-From seedling, radishes take only 30 days to harvest.

Steak Stir Fry

This summer I joined a Community Supported Agricultural (CSA). I prepaid for my produce for the summer and each week I pick up my share. Besides making us eat more vegetables, we also are trying new vegetables I normally would not purchase at the grocery store. The best thing is we normally eat a lot of salads (to counter the sweets) so we are just eating more salads. Since I had a lot of bok choy with spinach and broccoli this week, I decided to make a stir fry. 

Steak Stir Fry
2 tsp vegetable oil
8 oz. Strip Steak, cut into bite size pieces
1 green onion stalk, chopped including the white parts
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. bok choy, in bite size pieces
1 carrot, shredded
1 cup spinach, chopped in large pieces
1 cup broccoli, chopped into large pieces
1 Tbsp water
optional toppings: wonton noodles or toasted almonds

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat.
2. Add the oil and then the steak for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the green onion, ginger, and garlic. Stir for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the bok choy, carrot, spinach, broccoli, and water. Stir well.
5. Cover and allow to cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Stir and cover. Allow to cook for 2 more minutes or until vegetables and steak are cooked to the desired taste.
7. Serve over rice or pasta with additional toppings.

Recipe adapted from Steamy Kitchen.

One year ago...................................I made mini fruit crostatas.

Did you already know.....................
-CSA is a way for farmers to sell their produce directly to the consumers before the crops are harvested and the community shares some of the risk.
-There are thousands of CSA farms throughout America.
-Some CSA provide eggs, mushrooms, flowers, fruit, and other items.

Cheese Crackers

I have never made crackers before. I don't know why. My husband loves crackers with dip. I think it is his favorite lunch. Since Father's Day is this Sunday, I wanted to make him something thoughtful for being a good Dad. When he arrived home from work, he was surprised with what I made for him. Even never thought to ask me to make crackers. He thought they were great. I will say crackers are really simple to make. They are a great treat even to add to a lunch box especially since my son loved them. 

Cheese Crackers with a kick
6 oz. Monterey Jack with Jalapeno Cheese
4 Tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a food processor, pulse the cheese, butter, flour, and salt for about 20 seconds.
3. Add the milk and combine for 10 seconds.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/8 thickness and cut into desired shapes.
5. On a parchment lined baking sheet, bake the crackers for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

One year ago....................................I made an Icebox Dessert.

 Did you already know......................
-A cheese connoisseur is called a turophile.
-The French word for cheese is fromage.
-A person who sells cheese is called a cheesemonger.

Pizza Quesadilla

At school, my son likes hot lunches. The problem comes when they serve hot dogs since my husband has a chocking phobia. My son usually has to bring his lunch on those days. Well, we had just arrived home from being out of town so I hadn't realized the lunch menu for the day. Afterwards, I asked my son what he had for lunch that day. He told me that he picked pizza quesadillas over the hot dog. I asked him what was in the quesadilla but it sounded like cheddar cheese with pizza sauce. I figured I would make my own version. It came out great plus the best part about the recipe was no oven since it was already a hot day. My family loved it especially my husband. He didn't realize the extra vegetables I had added to the recipe.

Pizza Quesadilla
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage.
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup mushrooms
1 cup spinach
1 cup pizza sauce
12 tortillas about 8 inches
6 fresh large basil leaves
2 cups of cheese, grated (I used a blend of Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, and Cheddar).
vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, brown the sausage for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the onion with the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms with the spinach and saute for about 3 minutes.
4. Mix in the pizza sauce and coat the sausage mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes and then remove from heat.
5. Lay a tortilla on a plate then cover with about 2 Tbsp of sausage sauce but leave about 1 inch border from the edge with no sauce.
6. Top the sausage sauce with 1 basil leaf and then with the grated cheese.
7. Cover the grated cheese with another tortilla to form a sandwich. 
8. In another skillet, heat over medium heat for about 1 minute.
9. Carefully, add the quesadilla to the skillet and squish down.
10. Cook for a minute or two before carefully flipping over. 
11. Cook the quesadilla for another minute or until golden brown.
12. Serve hot with additional toppings of cheese or pizza sauce.

Recipe created by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago.........................I made Seven Cheese Bread.

Did you already know...........
-Over 50% of asphyxiations (choking) are caused by food.
-Hot dogs cause 17% of food related asphyxiations.
-According to AAP, children under 4 years old should not have hot dogs, whole grapes, popcorn to name a few items.