Desserts

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert
Red Velvet Brownies
Marble Blondies
Lemon Cream Pie
Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies
Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie
Cosmic Brownies
Chocolate Topped Peanut Butter Pie
Patriotic Brownie Skewers
Lemon Mousse
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Chewy Brownies
Mini Colorful Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
Frosted Cookie Cups
No-Bake Peanut Butter Squares
Texas Sheet Cake
Strawberry Cake

Sides & Drinks

Mango Lemonade
Strawberry Agua Fresca
Raspberry Ice Cream Sodas
Herbed Lemon Rice Salad
Roasted Garlic, Jalapeno, & Feta Dip
Classic Guacamole
Broccoli Salad
Orange Creamsicle Fruit Dip
Fontina & Herb Flatbread
Bagel Chips with Spicy Cheese Spread
Restaurant Style Salsa
Herbed Yogurt Spread
Spinach Orzo Salad

I’m pretty sure that now that it’s May, it is officially ice cream season!  Even if it’s not, I couldn’t wait any longer to try this blueberry vanilla ice cream.  Ever since the weather started warming up, I’ve been wanting to go out for ice cream as much as possible. Thankfully Mike shares my priorities and we’ve discovered the best little ice cream place that is only a mile from our house! I could see this becoming an expensive habit over the course of the summer, so I decided to make my own.

I’ve mentioned it before, but Mike absolutely loves blueberries and anything with blueberries in it.  Blueberry and lemon is his favorite combination, but I prefer blueberry and vanilla. And since I’m the one making the ice cream, blueberry and vanilla it was. Don’t worry though, Mike was a huge fan of this ice cream. We both were! It’s smooth and creamy, and the flavor was perfect. Actually, Mike said he’d rather eat this any day than go out for ice cream. I’m guessing I’ll be making this many more times, but I hope I still get a few ice cream dates in my future.

Blueberry Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp water
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, stir and simmer together the blueberries, water and sugar until the blueberries soften and the sugar dissolves, about 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a medium sized bowl and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

When the blueberry mixture is sufficiently chilled, use an immersion blender to puree the blueberries. In a large bowl, stir together the blueberry mixture, cream, milk and vanilla. Freeze according to the directions on your ice cream maker.

adapted from the Penzey's Spice Catalog

I mentioned this mango lemonade a few weeks ago when I made mango ice cream. Whole Foods had sent me a huge box of mangoes and I was experimenting with fun new recipes (mangoes taste great in smoothies, by the way!). I have made peach lemonade in the past and it was such a huge hit that I decided to try mango lemonade. It was definitely a good idea because Mike and I both ended up really liking this. It’s refreshing and sweet, and the buttery mangoes give it a nice smooth texture. I would recommend stirring it before you serve it, as the mango part tends to settle at the bottom. You can bet that I’ll be experimenting with many more lemonade recipes as we enter the Summer fruit season – strawberry lemonade is next on my list.

Mango Lemonade

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mango puree that has been strained through a fine mesh strainer
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 cups water
3/4 - 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

Bring the mango puree, sugar, and water to a boil, and then simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely then stir in the lemon juice. Serve over ice.

adapted from this Peach Lemonade recipe

This is one of my favorite desserts of all time. Growing up, it was a staple at all of our family picnics. Strawberry pretzel dessert always makes me think of summertime cookouts and family gatherings. I even had this dessert at my bridal shower! This is a wonderful combination of salty and sweet – the crunchy pretzel crust, the sweet cream cheese layer, and the strawberry jell-o all come together to create a mouthwatering treat. This is a great dish for cook-outs and picnics. Plus, it’s usually classified as a jell-o salad rather than a dessert, which just means you can eat more of it.

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Ingredients:

2 cups finely crushed pretzels
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. milk
1 cup thawed cool whip
2 cups boiling water
1 box (6 oz.) strawberry jell-o
1-1/2 cups cold water
4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the pretzel crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and the melted butter. Press onto the bottom of 13x9-inch pan and bake for 10 min. Cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, remaining sugar and milk until blended. Stir in the cool whip. Spread the mixture over the crust and refrigerate.

In a large bowl, add boiling water to the jell-o mix and stir 2 min, or until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until thickened. Stir the berries into gelatin, then spoon over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

from Kraft Foods

This herbed lemon rice salad would make a fun and unique addition to any summer potluck or picnic. It is a great replacement for a traditional pasta salad, and it combines some wonderful flavors.  I love lemon as a summer flavor, but the varied herbs in this salad really give it a different taste, in a good way. I never would have thought to put all those flavors together, but once I tasted them in the salad, I really liked the end result. The herbs and vegetables really made this salad taste like Summer. We ate this for a few days, but it was definitely best on the first day. I would make it the day you’re planning to serve it, and not add the peanuts until the last minute. That way they’ll be sure to keep their salty crunch.

Herbed Lemon Rice Salad

Ingredients:

2 lemons
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups long-grain white rice
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsps packed light brown sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped salted roasted peanuts
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed, leaves torn

Directions:

Remove 2 wide strips of zest from one lemon with a vegetable peeler. Combine 1 strip with the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and let cook until the edges of the zest turn slightly golden, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the directions on the package, adding the second lemon zest strip to the water. Transfer the rice to a large bowl, discarding the zest, and fluff with a fork. Let cool to room temperature.

To make the dressing, juice both lemons into a medium bowl. Add the vinegar, brown sugar, 1 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and whisk together. Discard the zest from the lemon oil, then whisk the oil into the dressing Add the onion slices and let sit for 15 minutes.

Add the carrot, cucumber, peanuts, cilantro, mint, basil and watercress to the bowl with the rice. Add the dressing mixture and gently toss to combine.

from Food Network Magazine, May 2012

I have an AWESOME giveaway to share with you guys today! The winner of the giveaway will receive an Epiphanie camera bag – style and color of your choosing! I seriously am so excited to be able to offer this giveaway for you. I have an Epiphanie camera bag myself and I love how stylish it is, and of course how it safely holds my camera equipment. It’s so nice to be able to travel with a camera bag that doubles as a purse! As their website states it, ”Epiphanie bags are a stylish and functional way to transport your camera every where you go.”

I own the Lyric bag in slate blue and as I mentioned above, I love it! It’s cute and functional, transports my camera safely, and even has a pocket that perfectly fits an iPad! This is an awesome bag to travel with. All of their bags look pretty amazing, though. Epiphanie sent me some sneak peaks of the new Spring colors that comes out this month! How cute is this Clover bag in pink??

Plus, look at how much room it has inside!

Another one I love is the Lola. I think this is one of the cutest styles. Plus the new teal color is pretty cool too.

And again, very roomy inside!

Can you see why I love my Epiphanie bag so much?  And I’m so happy to be able to give one away. For a chance to win, check out the Epiphanie Bags website, then leave a comment on this post letting me know which bag and color you would choose if you won! For an extra entry, click over to facebook and “like” What Megan’s Making on Facebook, then leave a separate comment on this post letting me know.  For another extra entry, “like” Epiphanie Bags on Facebook and leave another comment here letting me know. (*Note: Do not leave comments on Facebook, make sure to come back to this post and comment here instead.*) Contest ends Monday, May 21 at noon.

Good luck!! And make sure to check out Epiphanie Bags on Twitter as well!

*Contest provided by Epiphanie Bags. As always, all opinions are my own.

I was very pleasantly surprised by these chicken soft tacos. I knew I would like them – I tend to like anything that involves limes and cilantro, but I didn’t realize how easy they were to make, or how good the end result would be. My mom sent me this recipe over a year ago after she and my dad both liked them. I’m not sure why it took me so long to try them, but I’m pretty sure they will be a staple in our house from now on. The chicken is tender and flavorful, and as I mentioned above, I absolutely love the flavors of lime and cilantro together! This was definitely a pleasant change from the typical taco seasoning and salsa version I usually make. They really only took about 30 minutes to make, which was an added benefit. If you’re looking for a quick and simple meal that tastes refreshingly different, give these a try. I know we’ll be having them again and again!

Chicken Soft Tacos

Ingredients:

8 – 12 (6 in) corn or flour tortillas
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3), trimmed
Salt and ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 medium onion, minced
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 Tbsp)
2 tsp minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 scallions, sliced thin
2 T juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
shredded cheese, for serving

Directions:

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm on a baking sheet in the oven.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a 2 inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken over, add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, reduce the heat to medium, and cover. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 min. longer. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite sized pieces.

Wipe out the skillet with paper towels, then heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil in the skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1/2 t salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chipotle, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 sec. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Return the shredded chicken to the skillet and cook until warmed through, about 30 sec.

Stir in the cilantro, scallions, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the warmed tortillas and shredded cheese.

from The Best Chicken Recipes

I’m so glad I discovered the Penzey’s Spice Catalog! This is the second recipe (the first was chewy peanut butter brownies!) I’ve made from there and both have turned out perfectly. I’ve got my eye on a few more as well, but at the moment I can’t imagine anything better than these marble blondies. Just like the peanut butter brownies, these are incredibly simple to make and they taste AMAZING. Yes, I made that word all capitals on purpose, that’s how good these are! The recipe is a basic cookie/blondie base, but then you sprinkle chocolate and white chocolate chips all over the top. After they melt for a few minutes in the oven, you swirl them around throughout the pan, resulting in chewy blondies interspersed with huge swirls of chocolate and white chocolate. YUM! As I’m sure you figured out by now, I absolutely loved these, and I’m already dreaming up new combinations – like peanut butter, or butterscotch! Please try these marble blondies, and let me know what you think.

Marble Blondies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a square baking pan (I used a 9x9 pan) and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugars and vanilla until fluffy. Add the egg and mix. Blend in the flour, baking soda and salt, and mix well. Spread evenly in the pan. Sprinkle with the chips. Bake for 3 minutes, then remove from the oven and run a knife through the blondies in a zigzag pattern to make a nice marble swirl. Return to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool and then cut into squares.

the Penzey's Spice catalog

I cannot say enough good things about these southwestern stuffed peppers. This dish ranks right up there as one of my favorite meals.  I was pretty certain I would like this meal, but what I didn’t realize was just how much Mike would love it. Stuffed peppers aren’t really his thing, so I was a little hesitant in telling him what was for dinner. When he asked, I said something like: “stuffed peppers, but I really think you’ll like them, so please keep an open mind!” Thankfully he did, and now this is one of his favorite meals as well. He even went so far as to tell me that I could make them any time I wanted! They are quick to prepare, and the stuffing inside these peppers is wonderful – full of meat, rice, corn, cheese, and delicious southwest flavor. Plus, they look impressive! Suffice it to say, if you’re invited to dinner over here any time in the near future, this will probably be on the menu.

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

1 cup long grain white rice
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup frozen corn
1 4.5 oz can chopped green chilies
1 tsp ground cumin
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, grated (1 cup)
salt and pepper
4 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed
1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
salsa, for serving

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375. Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites and beef and cook, breaking the beef up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Stir in the corn, chilies, cumin, cooked rice, 1/2 cup of cheese, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Arrange the bell peppers, cut-side up, in a 9x13 baking dish. Divide the beef mixture among the bell peppers. Add 1/2 cup water to the dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake until the peppers are soft, 30-40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, and bake until browned, 5-7 minutes more.

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt and 1/4 cup water. Drizzle over the peppers and top with the salsa and scallion greens.

*The peppers can be stuffed up to 12 hours in advance; refrigerate, covered. Bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes to the original baking time.

from Real Simple, February 2012

Beware: this dip is addicting. At first glance I wasn’t sure I would like it. I’m not a huge fan of feta cheese, and jalapenos aren’t normally my thing. But Jessica (from How Sweet It Is) raved about it, so I decided to try it for one of Mike’s work potlucks. When in doubt, try out a new recipe on a group of people you don’t know, right? Lucky for me, it turned out great. The tangy lemon and the kick of the jalapeno peppers really gave this dip a wonderful flavor. And if you serve it at room temperature, it becomes deliciously creamy. I served it with pretzel crisps and pita chips, but I think it would be wondeful served with fresh bread, warm from the oven, or as a sandwich spread. I’ll be trying both of those ideas out next time I make this dip!

Roasted Garlic, Jalapeno and Feta Dip

Yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 bricks of feta cheese, 8 ounces each
3 jalapeno peppers
1/4 cup olive oil + 1 tablespoon
1 head garlic
the juice of half a lemon
the zest of half a lemon
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop the top off the garlic bulb and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap it in foil and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until garlic is soft. At the same time, brush the jalapenos with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast them with the garlic just until charred. (I just peeked at them every few minutes or so). Remove both from oven and let cool. Remove the jalapeno skins, cut in half and discard the seeds, then dice.

In a large bowl, crumble the feta bricks. Add the diced jalapenos, the zest of half a lemon, and the juice of half a lemon. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the bulb directly into the feta. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and mash with a fork. Taste the feta and season with salt and pepper or extra lemon juice or olive oil. Serve with pita chips, warm pita or naan, or spread it on sandwiches. Store it in the fridge for up to one week. It is best served at room temperature.

from How Sweet It Is