White Chocolate Gelato with Toasted Pistachios

It's summer and there is nothing better, in my mind than Gelato any day or time or the week. If you have ever been to Italy I am sure you know what Gelato is, for those who don't know your about to learn what you have been missing out on. Gelato is basically the Italian version of ice cream. The main difference between the two is simply that ice cream is more airy. This makes gelato more dense and more creamy and delicious if you ask me. So go ahead and try this recipe it is simple to make all you need is an ice cream maker. Please note this recipe does not yield a large amount so if you are planning to feed more than about 4 people you may want to double the recipe.

The Recipe: 

Gelato 

3 oz white chocolate, broken into pieces 

3 tablespoons sugar 

1/2 cup whole milk

Pistachios

1 tablespoon warm water

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped

For the Gelato: 

Put chocolate and sugar in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine cream and salt; heat just to a boil, then remove from heat and and pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate has dissolved and custard is combined, then stir in milk. Chill custard in refrigerator, covered, until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Freeze custard in an ice cream maker.

 For Pistachios:

Heat oven to 275 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a small bowl, combine water and salt; stir to dissolve salt. Add nuts and stir to combine. Spread mixture on a prepared baking sheet and bake, stirring once halfway through, until nuts are dry and lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Stir nuts into ice cream when it is done in the ice cream maker. Enjoy! (I ate mine over chocolate brownies.)

 

Double White Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

If you are a fan of Take Five Candy bars you will love these cookies! What can be better than sweet and salty?! Sea salt is a very "trendy" ingredient in many desserts, and for good reason. It enhances the sweetness while giving a rich natural hint of salt. This cookie has just the right amount of density, crunch, soft, and added goodies. I had thought I made too many for a BBQ but sure enough by the end of the night everyone was asking for more.

The Recipe:

1 stick softened butter, 8 tablespoons
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips, to melt
1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter (reserve 2 tablespoons to add to melting white chips)
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup broken pretzel pieces
1 Cup additional white chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Melt white chocolate chips and 2 Tablespoons peanut butter over a double boiler until melted.  

2. Add melted chocolate chips  and remaining peanut butter to beaten butter and sugars.  Beat in egg and vanilla.

3.  Place flour, baking soda and salt in bowl; mix to combine.  Add to wet ingredients until just combined then pour in pretzels and additional white chocolate chips. 

4. With a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet.  With the palms of your hand, gently press down each cookie to about 1/2 inch in thickness.  Sprinkle each cookie with a touch of sea salt.   Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges become golden and slightly crisp.  Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before

Recipe complements of picky-palate

Funky Fusion Fajitas

Who doesn't love a good Mexican themed dinner? On a hot summer night people want to barbeque and share a great meal together. This recipe fuzzes the two together, making for a successful party anytime (and it won the competition in a Bobby Flay Throwdown, need I say more?). The great thing is you really can tailor your meal to your own liking. Adding any type of vegetable and as many as you want can help you get to your recommended 5 servings a day quickly and deliciously. Make the guacamole as mild or as hot as you would like. This recipe may look like it calls for a lot of ingredients but, 1) You may have most of them on hand anyway and 2) It is totally worth it even if you don't! Start your meal with salsa, guacamole and chips, paired with skinny margaritas and you have a party!

Recipe for the Skinny Margaritas:

1 gallon lemonade crystal light
1/2 liter diet 7-up
1 fresh lime, juiced
as much tequila as you feel needed :)
Ice

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and crush to desired consistency. Enjoy!

Recipe for the Fajita:

1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground ginger
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (1 1/4 lb) flank steak (I used organic, free range chicken)
1/2 red onion , sliced into 1/2 inch thick half-moons
1 green pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch wide strips
1 yellow or red pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch wide strips
4 green onions, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
12 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas, warmed
Guacamole (recipe below)
Screamin' sour cream (recipe below)

1. Combine the white wine, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, ketchup, dark brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, ground ginger, 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder in a large bowl and whisk together. Remove about 1/2 cup and set aside for serving. 

 

 2. Tenderize the meat by piercing it all over with a fork. Place the meat in a resealable plastic bag, pour the rest of the marinade into the bag, and seal. Refrigerate the meat for at least 2 and up to 4 hours. 

3. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling. 

4. Heat the grill to medium-high

5. Remove the meat from the marinade, discarding the marinade, and season with salt and pepper. Grill to your desired doneness. Let the meat rest for 10 min. while you cook the vegetables.

6. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and remaining marinade, and pepper to taste. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. 

7. Slice the meat into pieces across the grain. Spread each tortilla with guacamole and top with meat, vegetables, and some sour cream, and a drizzle of the reserved marinade if desired. 

Recipe for the Screamin Sour Cream:

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons hot sauce 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Recipe for the Guacamole:

1 avocado

2 overflowing tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

2 jalapenos, finely chopped (more or less depending spicyness preference) 

1/2 lime, juiced

Add all ingredients and grind until slightly chunky 

Serve all together in a warm tortilla and enjoy the wonderful, fresh as it gets, Fajita!

Recipe for fajita and sour cream complements of Bobby Flay's Throwdown cookbook