Molly Moon's Secrets Uncovered

Last night, Laura and I got to attend the book release/signing party for Molly Moon's first ice cream recipe book! Molly Moon's is the dreamy ice cream world of Molly Moon Neitzel. They focus on local and/or organic ingredients to create both classic and unique flavors...from vanilla bean, "Scout" mint,  and Theo Chocolate to strawberry balsamic, maple walnut, honey lavender, and salted caramel. Don't even get me started on the seasonal flavors. Basically, this is the ice cream shop you wish was in your hood.

Let me just tell you this was one of the most decadent ice cream socials I've ever been to! Beyond the fact that Molly Moon's is some of my favorite, creamiest ice cream ever, they were serving up bourbon caramel cornflakes, chocolate covered saltines (so making these), and my favorite...sprinkles! Beyond the ice cream smorgasbord, we got our books signed by Molly herself, took photos in a Molly Moon's "pint" with giant spoon, made spin art like we did we were kids, and had a really fun time!

Lucky for all of you, she is going on a Parade of Flavors Book Tour on a 12-city national tour. I am so excited to crack open this recipe book and try my hand at here one of a kind flavors. This summer is gonna be gooooooddd! Let me know if you want to be my beta tester!

It's National Cheese Ball Day!

Nothing like a good cheese ball to cue a holiday party or cocktail party*, so great news...today is National Cheese Ball Day! Like you, I'm blindsided by this oh so important dairy heavy holiday.

Food network mini-cheese balls

Whether you buy a cheese ball or make it yourself, they an easy addition to any party plan or appetizer. So little work for such a big return. The best thing about cheese balls: The possibilities are endless...really. You can get cute with mini cheese balls. Who says it has to be savory, try out this peanut butter cheese ball that uses cream cheese! Here's a basic way to make a cheese ball:

1. Grab a cheese or cheeses. Let them come to room temperature or become soft enough to mix with other ingredients.
2. Grab something flavorful or with texture to roll on the outside of the ball. Could be anything from bacon, nuts, herbs, chocolate chips, cranberries, craisins, raisins...you get the picture.
3. Now take your room temperature cheese or cheeses and combine them. (may need a mixer)
4. Add in your seasoning. If you doing savory, look to Worcestershire, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, ranch dressing mix...whatever strikes your fancy. If doing sweet,  try peanut butter, nutella, brown sugar, powdered sugars...keep tasting it til it meets your standards. 
5. Now form into a ball or roll...or if you're getting creative a football or grab a mold. Now add in your texture elements to roll it.
6. Wrap it in plastic wrap or cover tightly to chill.
7. Then serve! (with crackers, sliced meats, veggies, cookies...)

If the above, somewhat rambly "recipe" has taught you anything it's that cheese balls are Choose Your Own Adventure. It's one of the reasons I think they are so awesome.


*Disclaimer: there may be some out there who are hating on the cheese balls...you're sorely mistake my friends. Embrace this awesome treat for what it is. 

P.S. Just thought of an awesome way to pump up a savory cheese ball...roll it in Cheeze-Its. 

Meatless Mondays: Loaded Sweet Potatoes

I've been wanting to do Meatless Monday for awhile now, but quite frankly I don't plan ahead enough. Today I made a plan, got the ingredients, and let my creativity flow. This meal was so so satisfying. I didn't finish my portion and even an hour after I was still full!

Loaded Sweet Potatoes
serves 2 (with leftovers)

ingredients

• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 avocado, chopped (or guacamole if you prefer)
• cilantro
• pico de gallo
• 1/4 cup water or vegetable stock or beer or white wine
• 1 can (15oz) of black beans (no salt), drained and rinsed
• 1/2-1 cup chopped yellow onion (varies by how much you like onion)
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 tbs cumin
• 1 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• fresh cracked pepper
• salt

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 or 375 degrees. (It doesn't totally matters, because the sweet potatoes are done with you can squeeze it and it's tender.)
2. Drizzle olive oil over sweet potatoes and rub it all over. Season the sweet potatoes with salt and pepper. Bake for about 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile heat a pan (med-high), then put in frozen corn in the dry pan. Don't mess with it. We want to char it a bit. Season it with the cumin, coriander, ancho chile powder, garlic powder, pepper and salt. Let it cook for a few minutes.  then stir it up a bit and let it cook undisturbed for another few minutes. Keep cooking until it's got some charring and starting to really smell great! Put the corn in a bowl with the beans. stir it up. 
4. Deglaze the pan using water, vegetable stock or other liquid of choice. Throw in your onions to saute. Cook until they are translucent and soft. 
5. Now add the beans and corn into the pan with the onions. Saute it all together for a few minutes. Taste it...see if you need adjust the seasoning. (add cumin for smokiness, maybe you like it hot? add some hot sauce or cayenne or ground ancho chile.)
6. Set aside in a bowl. Now take your roughly chopped cilantro and gently stir it in.
7. When sweet potatoes are soft and tender to the touch, they are ready! Let them cool for a bit and cut it open in and * pattern. I mashed it up a little bit to allow for an area to put your corn/bean/onion/cilantro mixture. 
8. Start loading it up with the corn/bean/onion/cilantro mixture. (If you want to add cheese, do it now...and put it back into the oven for a few minutes to melt.) Now add the pico de gallo and  finish with chopped avocado.