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The Easiest Strawberry Milkshake Recipe Turns Out to be the Best Strawberry Milkshake Recipe

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Strawberry Milkshake v

Quick & Easy Strawberry Milkshake

Some of my favorite things in live involve fruit.. so much so that I’ve always said if there ever were a fruit shortage, I’d be in a world of hurt…

I live for:

Strawberry Sundaes

Blueberries in Oatmeal

Blackberries on Pancakes

Strawberry Smoothies

.. and, last but not least, the obsession that brings us here today – Strawberry Milkshakes. I have been tinkering over the years with them for several reasons. I love them and couldn’t possibly survive a week without one. Have I ever tried? Heck no… who’d want to tempt that kind of fate?! I don’t order Strawberry milkshakes from restaurants because some milkshakes have gluten in them and I’m afraid of cross-contamination. Soooo, that has left me to my own devices – well the devices of me and my blender (Hamilton Beach Power Elite on Amazon).

I’ve tried milkshakes with vanilla, without vanilla, with added sugar, without added sugar, with all forms of vanilla and/or strawberry ice cream, with frozen strawberries, with fresh strawberries… oh, you name it, I’ve experimented with it. And loved every strawberrylicious sip!

The one I made recently was at the end of a very, very, very busy day (and, given that it’s 2020, it was of course a very emotionally charged and stressful day… 2020’s aesthetic). All I wanted was a basic glassful of strawberry comfort.

I  took 12 large strawberries, washed them and chopped them into chunks. I threw them into my blender and added 2-1/2 cups vanilla ice cream and 2 cups whole milk. The blender did its magic and the result was a knock out milkshake. As you can see, I didn’t even add whipped topping to the top followed by the obligatory “food blogger’s slice of strawberry on top.” Heck, I’m lucky my tired self even remembered to take a picture at all!

Who knows, maybe next time I’ll top it all off with a little whipped cream and position a big beautiful strawberry wedge on top. Maybe I’ll order special “milkshake glasses” by then. We’ll see. If 2020 gets its act together, I’ll do the same.


Applesauce Raspberry Parfait: Crazy Quick & Embarassingly Easy Breakfast, Brunch, or Snack Recipe

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Raspberries, Applesauce and Chia Seeds
We all have certain foods and ingredients that we’re kind of famous for – culinary obsessions that everyone in our family (and sometimes perfect strangers) know about.  As is the case with most foodies and food bloggers, I have more than a few. But, make no mistake about it, three are as synonymous with me as spinach is Popeye:

  • raspberries
  • chia seeds
  • applesauce

I have no idea where these particular obsessions came from, but there you have it.

I recently incorporated each one into a delicious (and I do mean delicious) snack. However, if you double up on the ingredients, it makes a perfectly healthy, filling, and… let’s face it.. gorgeous breakfast or brunch.

Raspberries, Applesauce and Chia Seeds
This is one of those “recipes” that isn’t even a recipe. It’s more of a “Take this… then, take that… then add this….” and, you know what, busy lives need more of these non-recipe recipes.

  1. Grab a bowl or even a jar – I love jars because they’re so darn cute. Plus, when the ingredients are pretty, I kind of dig being able to see them.
  2. Place a layer of frozen raspberries in the bottom. Don’t thaw them, they’ll be perfectly fine. They aren’t “ice hard” and pose no danger to your teeth.
  3. Add some applesauce – either chunky or regular. I’ve used both and don’t prefer one to the other.
  4. Add a few more raspberries on top along with a healthy sprinkling of chia seeds.

Other Combinations:

  • If you prefer blackberries or blueberries, by all means, experiment with those. I would imagine either would be delicious! Given the fact that I’m utterly obsessed with raspberries, I haven’t tried either of these berries. I’m not a hater, I simply have priorities.
  • Something I’m wanting to experiment with is another fruit I am crazy about – peaches. I’m thinking that if I chopped up frozen peaches and used them along with Cinnamon Applesauce (with, of course, chia seeds), the result would be worth writing home about – make that, the result would be worth blogging about. When I try it, if it IS worth writing about, I’ll come back here and tell you all about it. If it’s a bomb… this never happened.
  • This is completely off the “healthy” track, here, but you know something else that’s delectable?! Frozen raspberries with heavy whipping cream. Trust me on this one. It’s crazy good.  So are un-frozen peaches and heavy whipping cream. Now my mouth is watering…

Raspberries, Applesauce and Chia Seeds
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Favorite Uses for a Favorite Obsession: Limoneira Lemons!

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Limoneira Lemons

Limoneira Lemons

Whenever I’m asked what my favorite ingredients are to cook with, lemons are always among the first “secret cooking weapons” out of my mouth. They simply make anything and everything fresher and more delicious.  There are certain things my kitchen NEVER runs out of and lemons are high on the list – right up there with Kosher salt, black peppercorns, and sweet tea (I’m Southern, after all).

I was recently received a beautiful box of big, gorgeous, fragrant lemons from Limoneira and I’m still flying high over the beauties.

My Personal Favorite Ways to Use Lemons

Tossed Green Salad with Lemon EVOO Dressing

Lemon Olive Oil Dressing

Lemon Olive Oil Salad Dressing

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – there’s really no good reason to buy salad dressing. Not only is it easy to make, yourself, it’s healthier and much more delicious. One of my favorite salad dressings is so simple I refuse to even call it a recipe. It’s more like steps… baby steps at that.

  1. Put your tossed green salad in a single-serving bowl or a large bowl. My favorite cast of characters include baby spinach, romaine, radishes, carrots, black olives, celery, and red onion.
  2. Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil – a good quality of EVOO, of course.
  3. Squeeze fresh lemon over the top.
  4. Sprinkle some Kosher salt over the juice.

This makes such a wonderful salad, you’ll swear off mass-produced dressings forever and ever, amen. Wholesome, healthy, easy, and crazy good.

Lemons
Clean and Freshen Wooden Cutting Boards with Lemons

Lemon and Sea Salt: Perfect for Cleaning Wooden Cutting Boards

Whenever I use lemons for recipes or tea, I always hang onto what remains of the lemon for a perfect “scrubber” for my wooden cutting board.  Simply lay out your cutting board, sprinkle it with some sea salt, and have at it with the inside of your beautiful yellow natural scrubber.

Each time I do this, I  have to admit, I’m a little jealous of the cutting board. It —- looks—– so—– relaxing.

Iced Tea with Lemon
Iced Sweet Tea with Lemon

Lemon in Green Tea and Black Tea

Given the fact that I’m the Crazy Tea Chick, it comes as no surprise that I’m constantly in a state of drinking tea – whether iced, hot, or somewhere in between. Lemon, added to ANY tea makes the experience all the better, but it’s ideal if you aren’t fond of the taste of green tea. The lemon perks it up and takes away the flavor that turns some people off.

Before plopping a wedge or two or thirteen into your tea, sprinkle a little sugar on the lemon for a little extra decadence.

It’s great with black tea, of course, but – again – if you’re trying to drink more green tea for its amazing health benefits, sugared lemons may be your secret weapon.

Fresh lemon juice may also be the thing to help you fall in love with Matcha – one of the healthiest drinks you can enjoy. I LOVE a combination of lime juice and lemon juice in Matcha, with a little honey. Perfection.

Roasted Asparagus with Lemons
Roasted Asparagus with Lemons

Roasted Asparagus with Lemon

My husband’s favorite vegetable is asparagus, so you’d be absolutely correct if you said it was the first vegetable I obsessed over perfecting. Over the years, I’ve done just about every conceivable culinary thing with asparagus but his favorite (as well as my own) is roasted asparagus – either in an iron skillet or in the oven.

Roasted Asparagus in the Oven

  • Pre-Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • “Trim” the asparagus by taking each one and finding the “magic spot.” The magic spot is where the asparagus naturally wants to bend and snap. Snap it off, with your hands. Discard the tough end and put the the rest of the asparagus into a bowl
  • Drizzle with three tablespoons olive oil (per bunch). Don’t go with more because it’ll just make the asparagus soggy and that’s pretty gross. Sprinkle with salt (about a teaspoon) and black pepper (around 1/2 teaspoon). Optional: Add a minced clove of garlic (I almost always do so – unless the main course is garlicky, then I leave it out).
  • Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
  • Bake until it is JUST tender – usually around the 12 minute mark, but start checking at the 8 minute mark. This is really a matter of personal preference. Just be sure not to let it go too far – you want the asparagus to have some snap and personality left, after all.
  • Sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon just before serving and arrange a few extra slices around the plate or platter.

Asparagus in an Iron Skillet

If you’ve never made asparagus in an iron skillet, you have to give it a go. It’s phenomenal.

  • “Trim” the asparagus as described above.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in an iron skillet on the stove.
  • Place the asparagus in the butter and toss the spears around a little with a spatula – making sure each one is covered in butter all the way around.
  • Cover and cook between 3-5 minutes on medium heat. Check at 3 to see if they’re how you like them – if they aren’t quite “there,” go a few minute more.
  • Season with salt, pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon.

Limoneira Lemons
Limoneira Lemons
About Limoneira Company
Limoneira Company, a 124-year-old international agribusiness headquartered in Santa Paula, California, has grown to become one of the premier integrated agribusinesses in the world. Limoneira (pronounced lē mon΄âra) is a dedicated sustainability company with approximately 10,700 acres of rich agricultural lands, real estate properties and water rights in California and Arizona. The Company is a leading producer of lemons, avocados, oranges, specialty citrus and other crops that are enjoyed throughout the world.

Every day is lemon day at Limoneira Ranch, but for everyone else who doesn’t live on a citrus farm, there are several lemon dessert days throughout the year to look forward to celebrating!

Lemon Chiffon Cake Day – March 29
Delicious, classic, light and airy, a lemon chiffon cake is a perfect way to welcome spring time and Easter. A Limoneira favorite recipe features a creamy lemon curd filling and a balanced whipped cream frosting.

Lemon Meringue Day – August 15
Both sweet and tart, there are many ways to interpret lemon meringue. It can be a pie, cookies, tarts, cheesecakes and more, but one of Limoneira’s favorite ways to enjoy lemon meringue is in the form of homemade ice cream!

Lemonade Day – August 20
Lemonade day is a great way to get creative with kids! This cool, refreshing summer treat is easy to make and remake with different combinations of fruit. Create your own recipe or find some inspiration online!

Lemon Crème Pie Day – November 29
Rich, smooth and bursting with lemony goodness, lemon crème pies are easy to make and can be prepared with just a few, simple ingredients.

Lemon Cupcake Day – December 15
On lemon cupcake day, create and enjoy as many varieties of delightful, beautiful and bright lemon cupcakes as you care for! A few of Limoneira’s favorite cupcakes include limoncello cupcakes, honey lemon cupcakes, and the classic lemon cupcake with vanilla buttercream frosting.

To view a great collection of Limoneira’s favorite lemony dessert recipes, visit their Pinterest page!

For more about Limoneira Company, visit www.limoneira.com.


Lady Alice Apples (Review of a New Favorite Apple)

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Lady Alice Apples

I’ve loved apples with wild and reckless abandonment since I had enough teeth to bite them. Actually, I must have been an apple fanatic when even before my teeth came in. My mom once told me that my favorite baby food was applesauce. Somehow I’m not surprised. Apples simply do it for me, and apparently they always have.

When I was contacted with an opportunity to sample a new apple (Lady Alice – is that a beautiful name or what?) for a review, I jumped at the chance. Then I watched for the delivery with the same level of intensity of a hawk.

Lady Alice apples are, if we’re being completely honest, the best apples I’ve ever had. They are everything you want from an apple, and then some. My husband also declared it the best apple he’s ever had and, trust me, we have both had our fair share of apples.

History of Lady Alice

The Lady Alice brand apple was discovered as a chance seedling near Gleed, Washington. While cultivating the neglected orchard soil in 1979, a plow disc hit the base of a Red Delicious tree injuring its trunk. The damaged tree sent out a new shoot. The new shoot had a decidedly different appearance from the rest of the tree so it was allowed to grow and bear fruit. Since the new tree was discovered in an orchard with many different varieties of fruit trees scattered throughout, its parentage is unknown.

Over the next 25 years steps were taken to preserve and propagate the new variety. As with the first generation, all subsequent generations exhibited the same characteristics observed in the original tree. Rainier Fruit is the exclusive marketer of Lady Alice apples from Washington State.

Exclusively offered by Rainier Fruit Company, this new and distinct apple possesses unique and desirable characteristics:

  • Lady Alice has a bright pink stripe over a creamy-yellow background that deepens to a banana-yellow after harvest.
  • Lady Alice holds its texture when baking.  It is slow to brown after cutting which makes it excellent for eating fresh, cutting into salads or serving on fruit trays. This is an excellent all-purpose apple.
  • Its heirloom dense flesh is sweet with a hint of tartness that lingers on the palate.

I’ve used Lady Alice in a lot of smoothies. I’ve made green smoothies with it as well as good old fashioned, delicious fruit smoothies.  Bananas are a mainstay in the green smoothies and fruit smoothies I make because it provides a great creamy consistency. I found that Lady Alice apples can be substituted for bananas to change things up.  They also compliment bananas beautifully.

Homemade Applesauce with Lady Alice Apples

Lady Alice apples are also PERFECT for making homemade applesauce (pictured above). I left the skins on because I wanted the reddish tinge.  If you peel them, you’d have the more traditional applesauce look.  They made amazing applesauce. I used the applesauce recipe found on the Nutri-Bullet blog.

These sweet apples have the perfect amount of crunch – they’re far from mushy but biting into them requires zero effort.

I’ve also found other ways to work Lady Alice apples into our day for healthy and delicious snacks.  In the picture below, you’ll see a few of my favorite co-stars for Lady Alice Apples.  I slice up a Lady Alice apple and add other healthy choices such as (from left to right):  Chia Seeds, Peanut Butter, and Jif Hazelnut Spread (similar to Nutella but with even more of an amazing Hazelnut flavor).

The Chia seeds cling beautifully and, in my opinion anyway, make a darn cute snack.

Lady Alice Apple Slices with Chia Seeds Peanut Butter and Jif Hazelnut Spread

Lady Alice apples can be found in grocery stores around the country.

Visit the Rainier Fruit website for more information on Lady Alice apples as well as a variety of other fruits.

Lady Alice Apples

Sour Cream Sauce for Fruit Recipe

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As you well know, I collect cookbooks with a crazy passion often reserved for chocolate cheesecake.   I take a great deal of pride in my hundreds of cookbooks.  While a lot of time and money has gone into collecting them, the main thing I love about them is the fact that so many are family heirlooms. Some are probably worth money right now (not that I’d ever part with a cookbook my grandmother wrote “yummy!” in) –  and others are simple little cookbooks that were used to raise money for churches or schools.  It would appear that my mom bought any and every cookbook anyone tried to sell her!

One of the cookbooks I use most often, actually, came from my mom’s collection. It’s the Newman’s Own Cookbook. It’s not as old as a lot of the cookbooks in my collection, obviously – so it’s not an oldie, but it is a goldie.

A favorite recipe from this cookbook is Fresh Fruits with Sour Cream Sauce. This Heavenly creamy sauce will have your family fighting over fruit instead of potato chips and chocolate chip cookies for a change. You’re going to love it.

Fresh Fruits with Sour Cream Sauce

3-1/2 cups sliced fresh fruit
1/1/2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint plus mint sprigs for garnish (optional… I personally never bother with it)

Keep the fruit chilled until ready to use.

In a bowl, combine the sour cream, brown sugar, lemon juice and mint, and stir together until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the sauce into a serving bowl, cover, and chill until serving time.

Serve the fruit garnished with the mint sprigs and pass the sour cream sauce as a topping. Serve with crisp cookies.

My preferences:
The book recommends banana, mango, papaya, kiwi. I prefer berries, melons, apples, and grapes, however, so I throw together varying combinations of apples, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, and grapes. Naturally, you can just use whatever fruit your family prefers.

I’ve never used mint in this recipe, even though we always have mint in our herb garden. Go figure. I’m sure it’d look gorgeous, though! My main thing with mint is that, typically, if it’s present, it’s often the only thing my taste buds concentrate on. I take one bite and my brain says, “Mint!” I love the flavor, almost as much as the smell, I just don’t want it to steal the show all the time.

This fruit salad is fantastic served with almonds crushed on top – or even with nuts served nearby. I’m nuts for nuts, though, so I serve them with as many things as possible. They’re SO healthy!

A few other recipes from Newman’s Own Cookbook:

  • Potato Salad with Two Mustards Dressing
  • Roasted Herbed New Potatoes with Spinach
  • Whoopi Goldberg’s Big Bad Ass Beef Ribs
  • Julia Robert’s Fresh Peach Crisp
  • Gene Shalit’s Spaghetti Carbonora
  • Incredible Cobb Salad
  • Herbed Samon Fillets in Foil
  • Mediterranean Fish Fillets
  • Joanne Woodward’s Cioppino
  • Blaze’s Shrimp and Sausage Creole
  • Twice-Baked Potato over Spinach, Broccoli, and Peppers
  • Tom Cruise’s Linguine with Zesty Red Clam Sauce

Throughout the book are quotes from Paul Newman and pictures from his personal life and career.  Great, great cookbook.

A Gorgeous Cookbook I Know You’ll Love

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I was recently sent a big, beautiful cookbook to review: Energy Cuisine.  The authors are two chef friends, David Denis and Jani Lehtinen.  This isn’t just any ordinary cookbook, mind you. It’s as though a beautiful coffee table book and an exotic cookbook had a child.

The premise behind the book is as original as it is cool:

Theirs is one of the most satisfying culinary friendships since soup and sandwich, meat and potatoes, or shrimp and grits. CHEF DAVID DENIS comes of age in the South of France, only to discover that everything-including restaurant success-is bigger in Texas. CHEF JANI LEHTINEN grows up in Pori, Finland, only to discover the meaning of life, cooking in Italy. Drawing on the dazzling culinary riches of Le Mistral in Houston and Bucco in Pori, these chef-buddies take us “on the road,” through their quite different kitchens and far beyond: sharing with us the people, places and things that truly make dishes spectacular. Written with veteran author John DeMers and photographer Shannon O’Hara. Journalist, radio host, author and playwright John DeMers ate his way through 136 foreign countries before discovering he could get all the same food right here in Houston. Currently, John hosts the weekly Delicious Mischief food and wine radio show Saturdays on NewsRadio 740 KTRH and on Austin’s Talk 1370, as well as the weekly Sunday show Houston ArtsWeek, covering the Performing, visual and literary arts. He is the author of 40 published books, including Follow the Smoke: 14,783 Miles of Great Texas Barbecue, reflecting the total distance he drove to overeat in 119 different places and his first mystery novel, Marfa Shadows. In the course of working with Chef David and Chef Jani on Energy Cuisine, John traveled further abroad, to Finland, Provence, Shiner, Texas, and everywhere in between.

The photography in Energy Cuisine is too beautiful to even describe. The big, gorgeous pictures just keep coming. The food looks so scrumptious and real you can almost taste it. I swear I looked at the “Burbot Wallenberg with Mashed Potatoes and English Peas” so long I thought my eyes would cross.

Gorgeous!

Recipes in this beautiful book include:

  • Seared Scallops with Foie Gras and Crawfish Reduction
  • Traditional Crepes Suzette
  • Smoked Salmon-New Potato Salad in Fish Egg-Sour Cream Sauce (you should see this beauty!)
  • Vanilla Panna Cotta with Fresh Strawberries
  • Meme’s Ravioli (a recipe from David Denis’ grandmother)
  • La Bomba (beautiful layered sorbet and mousse dessert)
  • Fresh Raspberries with Raspberry Coulis and Rosemary Whipped Cream

There are tons of recipes in this gorgeous cookbook as well as the fascinating story behind each chef/author. I highly, highly recommend Energy Cuisine.

Below is one of the recipes and if you love raspberries and rosemary as much as I do, prepare to drool.  The recipe calls for fresh raspberries and rosemary. The Raspberry Coulis (Coulis is a thick French sauce made from fruit or vegetables) is complimented by a gorgeous rosemary whipped cream.

Fresh Raspberries with Raspberry Coulis and Rosemary Whipped Cream (Page 86)

COULIS:

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 sprig fresh rosemary
3 cups fresh raspberries

ROSEMARY WHIPPED CREAM:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

36 fresh raspberries

When raspberries are in season, there’s really nothing better. This mix of fresh berries and a nice coulis is even more interesting when paired with the whipped cream scented with rosemary.

Prepare the coulis by putting water, sugar, and rosemary in a saucepan. Then add the raspberries. Let them cook for 10 minutes over low heat. Remove rosemary. Pour the raspberry mixture into a blender and blend until extremely fine. Pass the blended mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds.

Place the cream and ground rosemary in a saucepan and warm over low heat, being careful to not boil the cream. Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Place the cream in the refrigerator until completely chilled, at least 30 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla to cream and whisk until fluffy. Do not overbeat; it will turn into butter.

To serve, spoon coulis onto the bottom of a dish. Set 6 raspberries on each dish, topped with whipped cream.

Read more about Energy Cuisine and order your copy today. I know it seems early, but this would make extraordinary Christmas gifts for the cooks on your list.