Roasted Bell Pepper Relish

Roasted Bell Pepper Relish

by | Jul 14, 2017 | Condiment

Perfect to use with a surplus of peppers, this tasty relish is great for making a multitude of dishes. The peppers are grilled or roasted to bring out their sweetness, then combined with onions, fresh herbs, and vinegar to create a yummy relish. This relish is delicious with grilled meats, chicken or beef, toasted bread, tossed with cold pasta to make pasta salad, served over spiralized vegetables, cooked lentils or beans, or added to a grill cheese sandwich, or hot dogs!

INGREDIENTS
3 bell peppers, if possible, choose multiple colors
1 medium onion, diced ½” squares
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed through a garlic press
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
Kosher salt
1-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Fresh ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees or prepare a barbecue grill to high. Cut the peppers in half, remove stem and seeds, and toss in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Oven method – Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the peppers, cut side down, on the sheet and roast for 25 minutes or until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are charred. Rotate the baking sheet if necessary for them to cook evenly.

Grill Method – Place the peppers, skin side down, on hot grill and cook until skin blisters, wrinkles and peppers soften about 5-8 minutes.

Immediately place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam off the skins. Remove the skins and cut the peppers into ½” strips, then ½” squares.

Heat the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5-6 minutes until the onions are soft. Add the garlic, oregano, and a big pinch of salt then add the peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes until the peppers are just warmed through.

Remove from the heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. Serves 6.

S’mores Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

S’mores Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

by | Jul 7, 2017 | Desserts

No fire needed. Our s’mores are a great way to cool down on a hot night. We sandwiched creamy Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream between two crunchy Chocolate Chip Graham Cracker Cookies. It’s the ultimate summer treat. If you have time, let the cookie dough rest, covered, overnight in the refrigerator and bake the next day. This gives the dough time to develop a more flavorful cookie.

Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream
INGREDIENTS
5 ounces large marshmallows
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ cups whole milk
½ teaspoon of salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Fill a large bowl with ice. Place a medium metal bowl inside the large bowl over the ice.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the marshmallows on the parchment. Preheat the oven broiler to high. Toast the marshmallows in the oven broiler, turning them every 4-5 seconds, until they are browned on all sides. Watch very carefully so the marshmallows don’t burn. Set them aside to slightly cool.

Combine the cream, milk, and salt in a saucepan and over medium heat bring to a simmer. While simmering, reduce the heat to low and add the toasted marshmallows; stir until completely melted.

Pour the mixture into the metal bowl set over ice and cool the mixture, stirring often. When cooled, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 12 hours or up to overnight.

Pour the cold mixture into an electric ice cream maker and follow according to the manufacturer’s instructions to freeze the ice cream. Transfer to a container and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

Chocolate Chip Graham Cracker Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup butter, room temperature
½ cup white sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips – we like Guittard extra semi sweet chips

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda, and salt; whisk together thoroughly. Using a stand or hand mixer on medium, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and combine until incorporated. Then add the vanilla and mix again. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined, then stir in the chocolate chips.

Make 24 dough balls the size of about 3 tablespoons. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets about 3 inches apart. Press to flatten, bake for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Place the cookies in the freezer for at least an hour.

INSTRUCTIONS TO ASSEMBLE
Set the ice cream out of the freezer to soften for a few minutes. Place a small scoop of ice cream on the bottom of a frozen cookie. Place another cookie on the other side and very gently press together. Place back in the freezer and re-freeze for at least an hour. If not serving immediately, wrap the frozen treats individually in tight plastic wrap. Makes 12 frozen treats.