Signs of summer in Kansas are popping up all over the place.  The days are getting longer, the trees are blooming, and we had 4 inches of snow last saturday (I think you have to live in KS to get that joke).  The best part though, is that summer foods are starting to show up in the market.  This week I noticed peaches for the first time, and right next to them a mountain of fresh berries.  I have a serious soft spot for these natural candies and I couldn’t resist buying some blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and kiwi.  After I got home with my prize, I thought about what to do with them. Strawberry shortcake?  Perhaps a cobbler?  Oh, what about cheesecake!?  Then it hit me: ice cream.  What’s more summery than that?  After a few more moments of thought, I concocted this recipe and started putting it together.  Its insanely easy, really cheap, and crazy delicious.  Whip this out at your first summer gathering and I promise, you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients:

12 ounces blueberries
6 ounces raspberries
6 ounces strawberries, sliced and halved
3 kiwifruit, diced
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T olive oil
1 T sugar

Method:

Combine the vinegar, oil, and sugar in a small non-reactive container and stir until the sugar is disolved.  Cover and put the mixture aside.  Next, put all the fruit into a large bowl and gently toss them to mix evenly.  After letting the fruit mix sit for about 5 minutes, spoon the liquid mixture evenly over the surface.  Be sure to stop and gently mix every 4 spoonfuls or so.  Once the mix is all in, its ready to serve.  Seriously, that’s it.  If you do not plan to serve immediately, place uncovered in a fridge for up to 5 hours.  When ready to serve, just get a bowl, put a few scoops of vanilla ice cream in it and spoon the fruit mix over the ice cream.

Enjoy :)
-E

Tags: berries, fruit, ice cream, summer

Yummy rhubarb pie I made by piecing together various other recipes, with help from my mom.

• 2 pie crusts (1 box of the roll out kind, or make your own)
• ~5 sticks of rhubarb (enough for about 4 cups)
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 6 tbs all purpose flour
• 1 tbs butter

1. Chop the rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Mix the sugar and flour together, and then mix it with the rhubarb.
3. Roll out the pie crust into a pie pan (9.5 inch, glass works best)
4. Add the rhubarb mix into the pan.
5. Dot butter all over the top.
6. Roll out the other pie crust over the top, fold the edges under the bottom crust so it doesn’t leak all over.
7. Cut vents in the top crust. I like to sprinkle sugar on the top too.
8. Cook at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes, then 350 degrees F for about a half hour, or until crust is golden brown and rhubarb is tender.

Tags: pie, rhubarb, Vegetarian

4 Graham Crackers
4 Oranges
2 T margarine
2 T sugar
spreadable Brie
honey

Melt margarine in a small sauce pan on high heat; stir in sugar.  Peel oranges and halve them, then place them in the sauce pan to be warmed and covered by the margarine and sugar.  About 5-10 minutes.

Halve the graham crackers and spread Brie on top of each.  Place each orange half on a graham cracker half.  Drizzle with honey.  Serve.

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Be careful when you are eating it, as the oranges will be very juicy.  These are great as either an appetizer or as a dessert.  Even my kids love them.  :)

Tags: cheese, easy, Graham Crackers, Oranges

We used to make these when I was a kid, and my mom called these cookies. That was a damned lie, these are candy if anything. She also referred to these as ‘Baby Ruth Bars’ . . . another damned lie! I don’t know what else to call these though.

1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of corn syrup
1 ½ cups of crunchy peanut butter
6 cups of Rice Krispies
1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of butterscotch chips

Mix sugar and corn syrup in a sauce pot and heat on low, stirring constantly until the mixture is clear. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until fully mixed. In a separate bowl pour the peanut/sugar mixture over the Rice Krispies. Fold the cereal into the syrup until evenly coated. Press the cereal mixture into an ungreased cookie pan.

Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips together using a double boiler. Spread the chocolate over the cereal mixture. It is somewhat easier to cut into bars while it is still warm, but a lot messier obviously. Put the pan into the refrigerator or a similarly cool place. Once everything sets take the pan out of the cold and allow to rise back to room temperature.

If your lucky you’ll be able to complete your will before renal failure sets in.