Pineapple - Jalapeno Daiquiri

    Happy Sunday! I am feeling HOT, really HOT, and no matter what I drink to cool me down from this hot weather it is not working.  So I guess I need to turn up.  

    I been in the mood for a nice and different type of alcoholic drink.  I had some pineapple in my refrigerator that I needed to use before it spoiled so I was excited to make this Pineapple -Jalapeno Daiquiri.  

   

    If you not a fan of heat, this is not for you.  I love the tang and ripple effect from the heat of the jalapeno mixed with alcohol.  

 

    

     The weekend is not over, sit back take a sip of this daiquiri and bring the heat on. 

Pineapple-Jalapeno Daiquiris

1.  Thinly slice 1 jalapeno (remove the seeds for less heat).  Combine with 2 1/2 cups chopped pineapple in a shallow dish; freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.

2.  Transfer to a blender; add 3/4 cup rum, 3 tbsp. sugar, the juice from 1 lime and 1 1/2 cups ice and puree until smooth.

Divide among 4 glasses; top with jalapeno slice, cilantro spring and a maraschino cherry.

Adapted from The Food Network Magazine.

When Life Gives You Lemons.....

  Hi guys!  I am back.  I took an extended break to do some changes and a break from the blogging world.  I am happy to be back, I really missed you guys and really cannot wait to share with you guys what I have in store.

  Today I want to share with you guys an opportunity I am proud and excited to be part of.  Tamara Eckles of Jem of the South, decided to get together some wonderful and talented bakers and blogger's to showcase yummy and delectable treats in her Spring & Summer Dessert Guide.   In this guide you will see lemon, and fruit desserts for your spring and summer sweet treat.

  If you are not familiar with Jem of the South, you been living under a rock.  Tamara introduces and discovers something sweet and her monthly on-line radio, Jem Radio, highlights small business owners in the dessert industry.  Sweetness.

  So of course, your truly was beyond excited when Ms. Eckles asked me to be part of her Spring & Summer Guide, I could not desert you guys.  Due this is a Spring Summer dessert guide I wanted to bring something to the table that is light, sweet, and also a classic. What better than cheesecake.   You can never go wrong with cheesecake.

                     When Life Gives You Lemons... 

                                                                                You Make Lemon Cheesecake.

      I melted when I took a bite of this cheesecake, just the right amount of lemon bursts in your mouth, not too tangy but the sweet and cream just makes you feel like you in cheesecake heaven.

   As we know cheesecake, takes some extra steps, don't get discourage because at the end you sure will be delighted.

  Is your mouth watering?  Want a bite, or better the whole cheesecake?  Go over to Jem of the South Spring/Summer Dessert Guide and download the recipe.  But I must warn you, your mouth will still be watering when you see what the other bakers came up with.    Enjoy!

Orange Coconut Cake

    Are you enjoying this wonderful weather?  I know I am here in Atlanta.  It is not too cold, warm and breezy. I love this time of the year.  This time of year calls for a nice and sweet citrus flavor dessert.  I made this wonderful Orange Coconut Cake.

   

Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprints

     Hi Desseritas!  Do you guys love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?  I loved it as a child, because my grandmother use to make homemade jam and I would smother my sandwich with nothing but jam and maybe a teaspoon of peanut butter.  My grandmother would cut my sandwich in these cute shapes, and of course cutting off the crust.  I miss those days.  Now as an adult I could care less for it.  But as a mom, I never stop making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  When my daughter asked for a snack, I came to the rescue with peanut butter cookies.

Cream-Filled Doughnuts

      Some think because I bake a lot, my kids always eating sweets.   Yes, my munchkins are my testers, but they might have piece of cake today, and nothing until Friday.  I want to make sure my girls have no cavities, eating healthy, and of course not on a sugar high climbing walls.  But my girls can be strict when letting me know how something taste.  Last Friday I passed a Krispy Kreme on my way to the grocery store.  I wanted so bad a doughnut but I refused to get out of the car because it was too darn cold.  So you know what I had on my mind all the way home.

Strawberry Shortcake

    Hi guys sorry for me be MIA.  I have been under the weather.  Still not feeling up to it yet, so this post would be short.   Due to Valentine's I had a lot of strawberries left over that I definitely did not want to go to waste.  I had a lot of strawberry ideas, but what hit it for me is when my daughter asked me to buy her the doll Strawberry Shortcake.  So of course, I made this wonderful strawberry shortcake.

Red Velvet Brownies

    It is February, the month of love. Valentine's is a few days away and everywhere you turn you see red, hearts, and chocolate.  What goes best with love?  Chocolate and some booze of course.   Which is what brings me to these awesome brownies.

 

Raspberry-Almond Coffeecake

    Today, I made this wonderful coffee cake.  I have never tasted a coffee cake so moist.  I am not just saying it because I made it.  But this cake is really good.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

    This morning my daughter woke me up asking for breakfast.  I turned and looked at the clock.  The time is 4:32 AM.  Can you picture the expression on my face?  My daughter's do not have school today and I did not plan to wake up so early.  When they do have school I have such a hard time waking them up.  Still sleepy and I do not feel like moving I told my daughter it is too early for breakfast do you want some hot chocolate?  Her response "Mommy but I am hungry! OK, so at this time I got to shake off my sleep.  I get up and replied to my daughter "Mommy will make you some waffles and boiled eggs"! One of her favorite breakfast dishes.   But at after 4 AM in the morning I was not making no waffles from scratch.  Oh yeah, Mr. Eggo was coming out the freezer.  Well, so I thought.

   My four year old said "No  Mommy can I have shrimp, grits, three eggs, broccoli and pazagna (meaning lasagna) please"?  In my mind I was like is this child of mines in her right mind.  But I could not do anything but laugh.  I replied back and said what about we wash up and come up with something else.  Of course we went back and forth about what to give her to eat.  Until I got to the point, OK it is either this or this.  We finally agreed to pancakes, egg, sausage, and bacon. Mommy wins! Yeah right.

     I agreed thinking I have some Aunt Jemima mix in my pantry.  Scoring my pantry, not one Aunt Jemima in sight.  I could not break my daughter heart and say there is no pancake mix.  I had no choice but do what I do best, make from scratch pancakes.

    By this time my oldest daughter is up and comes in the kitchen.  "I heard you making pancakes, can we get chocolate chip pancakes. Sigh!

    You now know what I was doing at 5:00 AM.  Making some wonderful chocolate chip pancakes.  My babies are happy and stuffed.  And I am off to take a nap before someone gets hungry again.


Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Cream

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all- purpose flour
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, separated
3 tbsp. butter melted, plus 4 tbsp, divided
1/4 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate morsels
Syrup for serving
Cinnamon Cream, recipe follows

Cinnamon Cream

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

1.  Preheat griddle to 350 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  Melt 3 tablespoons butter.  Set aside.

2.  Using an electric mixer beat egg whites at medium-high speed until stiff.  Set aside.

3.  In a small bowl, beat egg yolks.  Add milk to the egg yolk and combine mixture.

4.  Add egg mixture to flour mixture.  Pour in melted butter.  Whisk until smooth.

5.  Gently fold egg whites into batter until completely combined.  Add chocolate morsels gently folding in the mixture.

6.  Melt 2 tablespoons on hot griddle.  Spoon about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto griddle.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bubbles are foaming at the sides and the edges looked cooked.  Turn and cook the other side.

7.  Repeat procedure with remaining butter and remaining batter.

For the Cinnamon Cream:

Using an electric mixer, beat cream at medium-high speed until thickened.  Gradually beat in confectioners sugar and cinnamon, beating until stiff peaks form.  Cover and chill.

Serve hot pancakes with syrup and top with Cinnamon Cream.

Recipe adapted from Paula's Home Cooking

Hip Hop Dance Experience Review #UbiHipHop

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please visit Ubi.com to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps

I had the opportunity to try out and review the Hip Hop Dance Experience Game on my Wii console.  My daughters and I was extremely excited to play the game since we love to dance.  This game is rated Teen.  For my eleven year and four year old daughter I must admit some of the songs was not appropriate.  But being the Mom I scoped out the good songs.

    If you are not familiar with other Dance games, the basic goal of the game is to follow the choreography of the dancer's and imitate the dance moves. The game has over 30 hit tracks from Snoop Dogg "Drop It Like It's Hot", Naughty by Nature "Hip Hop Hooray, and R. Kelly "Ignition".  My daughter's favorite is Nicki Minaj "Moment 4 Life".  But my favorite is Mark Morrison "Return of the Mack".  What you guys know about that?

    There are different unique fun game modes, from dance marathon and multiplayer dance battles.  In this game you do not get to design an avatar, you just pick a name you want to use to play with.  But the avatars are dressed in the hip hop gear, which makes it really cool.

My daughter wanted to feel hip in her hat.  

    I loved  in the dances the actual video of the song is playing in the background, with the addition of spotlight time where you the individual gets to break down.  The choreography is no joke, mastered by professionals.  This remind me how back in the days I be dropping it like it's hot.  Not that I stopped, but as a mom I kind turned it down a little.  LOL.

    My girls and I really enjoyed playing this game, if you want to get in the fun go ahead and purchase the game at Amazon.com or ToysRUs.com 

Here is a video of my daughter enjoying herself.

Spinach & Arugula Strawberry Champagne Salad

              You guys know how much I adore a little alcohol now and then.  It's even better when it is in food.

               So you should know I was super excited when Carrie from Frugal Foodie Momma and
Julie from This Gal Cooks decided to team up together to present the Spiked Recipe Challenge.

      Of course I had to get on this bandwagon.  I told you guys before I am going to change some stuff up here on NDY.  Well at first I wanted to do a dessert, but I decided to bring other types of food on NDY.  Just to try different options.  I decided to do one of my family favorite salads with a twist.

    Getting my daughters to eat a spinach salad is like finding a needle in a haystack.  But add some strawberries and candied pecans they love it.  I did some homemade vinaigrette with champagne and red wine vinegar to give that sparkle booze feeling in your mouth.   The candied pecans even has some champagne in it.  

   This salad is a mix of healthy with decadent feta cheese and sweet candied pecans on crisp greens combined with a simple booze homemade vinaigrette.  Trust me this salad will have you craving for this everyday.

Strawberry Champagne Spinach & Arugula Salad

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup sliced and hulled strawberries
2 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
2 tbsp. Champagne
1 tbs. sugar
Pinch Salt

Candied Pecans

2 tsp. butter
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. honey
1/2 cup pecans
2 tsp. champagne
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Salad

3 cups Spinach and Arugula leaves, rinsed and tried

5-6 Sliced fresh strawberries, topping

4 tbsp. Feta cheese

1/2 cup Candied Pecan (Recipe Above)

Instructions

For the vinaigrette:  In a blender, or food processor combine strawberries, vinegar, champagne, and salt.  Process until the mixture is completely combined and smooth.  Transfer to a closed container and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pecans: Melt butter over medium heat.  Add the sugar, pecans, honey and champagne; increase heat to high.  Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is golden and bubbly.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Immediately transfer pecan to parchment paper to cool.

Assemble salad:  Top greens with sliced strawberries, pecans, and feta cheese.  Drizzle on strawberry champagne vinaigrette.  Serve immediately.

Inspired by Annie's Eats

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

     Happy Friday.  Well it is not much a bright Friday here in Atlanta.  The weather here is gloomy, cold and lots of rain.  Rain is always good but not when it looks so gloomy outside.  But despite the weather I am going to enjoy a cookie and catch up on my favorite reads.

Chocolate Popcorn

    Happy New Year All!  Despite some recent changes in my life I do believe this year is going to be a prosperous year.  I have some sweet stuff  in store that I am going to change up here on Never Dessert You.  I cannot wait to share with you guys.  

    Well since this is my first post for the new year, I wanted to share something extra special.  Last night I posted a question on my fan page on Facebook what is their favorite flavored popcorn?  I got  responses from butter, down to kernel popcorn.  My all time favorite is caramel popcorn.  Some people do not like sweet popcorn.  But I see it more of as a candy treat.  It reminds me of the carnival fairs.

    We all know chocolate is always good on whatever you put it on.  So why not on some popcorn? Yes! Finger-licking good.  This is going to make you take several seats.

 

    When my daughter saw this she said "Mommy why you burn the popcorn"?  I laughed and said no Hun, it is chocolate popcorn.  She replied and said "Oh! OK, good, can I have mines please"?  And you know Mommy scored since she made sure she took some to school for her lunch snack.    I will definitely  be making these again but as popcorn balls.

Chocolate Popcorn

Ingredients

4 cups popcorn kernels, popped (you can also use 4 bags of microwave popcorn)
1 cup butter
2 cups firmly backed brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup Dutch  process cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  Make sure any unpopped kernels are removed form popcorn.  Place popcorn in a large roasting pan.

2.  In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

3.  Sift together cocoa and baking soda.  Add to sugar mixture, whisking until combined.  Drizzle over popcorn, tossing gently to coat.

4.  Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Remove from oven and spread popcorn in a single layer on wax paper.  Cool completely.  Dig in :)

*Popcorn can be stored in airtight container up to two weeks.

Recipe adapted from Cooking with Paula Deen