Mango Key Lime Heaven

Today my sweet husband brought home a Mango Key Lime Pie. Run to Publix grocery store or whoever may have them near you, immediately for your own. Or make one if you must. You will thank me. I love Key Lime pie, I'm human, and I love mango. This was the first time I enjoyed this perfect combination of the two. Mango Key Lime pie-- run, don't walk.

Earlier I had been enjoying making pesto with my going crazy basil plant, but forgot all about that when this Mango Key Lime Pie became part of the afternoon.

Then I remembered my sisters and mom recently had Key Lime Margaritas, so I looked up a recipe for those to share. Why not make a mango version if you are a creative mixologist?

Key Lime Margaritas: Epicurious says 4 drinks, a reviewer says "let's be serious, it's 2."

• 1 Key lime (optional), quartered
• Kosher salt (optional) for rims of glasses
• 3/4 cup Cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur
• 1/2 cup reposado tequila
• 1/2 cup fresh Key lime juice
• 2 teaspoons superfine granulated sugar (optional)
• graham crackers, crushed (optional but I think not)
  

Run a lime wedge (if using) around rim of each of 4 (6-to 8-ounces) glasses. Put salt (if using) on a small plate and dip glasses in salt to lightly coat rims. Otherwise, coat the rims in graham cracker crumbs.

Blend liqueur, tequila, juice, and sugar (if using) in a blender until combined.

Serve over ice (in coated glasses).

Music recommendations: Marley and Buffet

Happy Sunday, the last one of August--- enjoy it! Savor all the bliss.

Hope you've avoided Irene, and if not,
drink extra margaritas.

xo xo,
Danielle

Walk on the Wild "Sea" Side

"Mutated Starfish"
Haute-Normandie, France




Black-eyed Hermit crab-Pagurus armatus



Bat Star- Asterina miniata

...baby sunflower starfish

Sea Lions
Gardner Beach, Galapagos, Ecuador

Barcelona


Drinks in Bali

Support Wildlife- Throw a party!

Beverage recipe #1:

Key Largo Cooler

Ingredients:

1 oz. DeKuyper Key Largo Schnapps
1/2 oz. Spiced Rum
4 oz. Orange Juice
4 oz. Pineapple Juice
2 oz. Cranberry Juice
1/2 oz. Bacardi 151 Proof Rum

Instructions

Mix juices and alcohol in mixing tin, flash blend, and pour over ice in a 23 oz. squall glass and float rum. Garnish with an orange flag and an umbrella.

Beverage recipe #2

Blueberry Lemonade:

Mr. Wonderful's concoction a few months ago:
Pinnacle Blueberry Vodka, lemonade
Mix a tumbler of vodka and a half gallon of lemonade.
Serve VERY chilled, over ice.

After we'd enjoyed it for a while, we were not surprised to see
this advertised for the summer.

He's a brilliant one, I tell you.

xo xo,
Miss Bliss

Picture sources

Summer Treats: Savor the Bliss

1. via here

2. via here

3. via here

Are you craving a cold treat?

The Miami August heat explains why I'm finding
snowmen appealing,
...snowmen made of ice cream, chocolate,
and Oreo top hats!


Of course we are all creative so we can modify to our hearts' delights.

Summer will melt away as quick as Frosty...


Had to share the Nutella brownies
for all those Nutella fans out there...

What's your blissful treat this summer?

1.) "Snowmen Shooters"

2.) "Snowmen Cake pops"

3.) Peanut-butter frosted Nutella Brownies
(thanks for this find, Holly at For the Love of Life!)

xo xo,
Miss Bliss

Don't forget to enter for your chance to win my favorite new book... here.

Best Avocado Recipe ever!

While summer's bounty is so lovely and fresh, try this recipe and enjoy! It's fabulous with blue corn tortilla chips, like Garden of Eatin'. :)

Muffins for your holiday guests...and you, of course!

Chocolate, shoes, coffee.... this recipe hits two of three :) They will power you up for some shoe shopping. I've been doing my research for holiday delights... make a batch and enjoy!

BANANA MOCHA MUFFINS

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. hot water
1 1/3 c. mashed ripe bananas, about 3
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 2 1/2 inch muffin pan cups. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Reserve. Dissolve instant coffee in hot water. Stir into mashed bananas. Reserve.

Beat together oil and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Mix in banana mixture. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon into muffin cups. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

pic: here

How to make Luscious Belgian Truffles for the Holidays

Chocolate frog, available in Milk or Dark

Fire Flower, dark with cayenne spike!

According to my favorite chocolate place in Boulder, CO: (they sell wine, too) here is how to make amazing truffles:

Ingredients:
1 pound Callebaut semisweet or milk chocolate, or equivalent
10 ounces hazelnut paste
2 ounces finely chopped hazelnuts, almonds or pecans
5 ounces finely ground chopped roasted almonds to finish the chocolate

Break 3 ounces of chocolate into small pieces and place in a double boiler. Stir together the hazelnut paste and 2.5 ounces melted chocolate mixture and stir well.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add the 2 ounces of chopped nuts. Stir well to combine.

Pour the mixture onto waxed or parchment paper to a thickness of one half-inch thick. Let it sit until hardened. If mixture will not harden, place in refrigerator for a few minutes. When hardened, cut shapes with a cookie cutter or scoop balls with a teaspoon.

Melt the remaining chocolate in a double boiler and stir well. Mixture should not be heated to more than 90 degrees. Allow to cool to 78 degrees. Return to double boiler and heat semisweet chocolate to 87 degrees and milk chocolate to 85 degrees. This will keep the chocolate shiny and unstreaked.

Using two toothpicks or a dipping fork, dip hearts or balls of chocolate one at a time in melted chocolate. Shake off the excess and cover with the finely ground roasted almonds. Place on parchment or waxed paper. Refrigerate.

Be as patient as possible and then enjoy!!!

Weekend Brunch Essential...

Pure and Utter Deliciousness!

Crabmeat Scramble [serves 2] from Taste of Home Cooking for 2 magazine January pg. 37
4 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbs grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 can lump crab meat drained
2 tbs sliced green onion
2 tbs butter

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, cheese, pepper, and salt; set aside.
In a large skillet, sautee the crabmeat and onion in butter until crab is lightly browned and onion is tender. Add egg mixture, cook and stir over medium heat until eggs are completely set.

Discovered many months back on Misadventures of a Newlywed site... sooooo fabulous... I cannot recommend this any more than to say, make it ASAP and enjoy! Mr. Wonderful really liked it...you will too!! Actually, avocado would be good on the side, since we were talking avocado this week ;)

My Favorite Avocado Recipe

All right, friends, here is my FAVORITE avocado recipe, hope you enjoy!

It's called Goan Avocado Salad, and somewhere along the way I have stopped the salad part and serve it as a chunky dip now. :) Both are fabulous.

4 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1⁄2" pieces
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 plum tomato, cored and chopped-more if you love them
3 tbsp. finely sliced cilantro leaves
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1–2 tsp. ground cumin
1⁄2 tsp. sugar
1⁄8 tsp. cayenne
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE CHIPS:
2 8"–9" naan breads
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. For the salad: Put avocados, onions, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, oil, cumin, sugar, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste into a medium bowl and stir well. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of salad and refrigerate for 2–3 hours.

2. For the chips: Preheat oven to 350˚. Using a rolling pin (ha! I do not have a rolling pin in this little beach apartment), roll each naan to a 1/8" thickness. Cut each bread into 12 triangles. Put triangles into large bowl, drizzle with oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and toss well. Arrange triangles in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning chips over and rotating baking sheet halfway through. Set aside to cool.

3. Garnish avocado salad with sliced cilantro, if you like, and serve with naan chips.

You can serve over greens if you want the salad, or enjoy with any chips you prefer. Hope you love it as much as everyone I ever make it for does!

If you have an amazing tried and true suggestion(s), let me know. :)

Happy Hour Bliss: Cocktail Picks

Watermelon Martini:

lime wedge squeeze
4 watermelon chunks
1 and a half measure of vodka
half measure of passion fruit liqueur
dash of cranberry juice
watermelon for garnish

shake over ice and pour into chilled glass
From 501 must taste cocktails

Duke: 2-3 mint leaves
2 oz gin
1/4 oz. lime juice
splash of agave syrup
top with Prosecco

shake over ice cubes and pour into martini glass

Sugar Hill:
1 1/2 oz. of Brazilian Rum
1/2 oz. of cointreau
1/2 oz. of apricot brandy
a splash of sugar syrup
1/4 oz. of lime juice

shake over ice cubes and pour into martini glass

source: Mojo NYC 185 ST. Nicholas Ave.

Patron Pomegranate (or Pineapple):
1 oz. Patron Silver
1/4 oz. Patron Citronge
Fresh Pomegranate Juice (or Pineapple Juice)
Lime squeeze

Pour Patrons over ice. Fill with juice and finish with lime squeeze.


Please Share your own tried and true Favorite!!! I need ideas... thanks... Miss Bliss

Chocolate S'mores Cake

Here is a nice weekend project: Chocolate S'mores Cake! The man behind this recipe is also the one behind an insane thing called "Quadruple Chocolate Brownies." Keep 'em coming, Michael Rechiutti!

Coffee break muffins with chocolate chips...

Yummiest photo of the week, must ask my hubby to make these for us...the recipe calls for instant espresso powder and cooled strong coffee... my kind of baked good!!!! We will get back to you with our report.

Thank you, to the food librarian!!!!!!!!!!!!!
www.foodlibrarian.com
February 2009
Recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking book
added mini chocolate chips