Watermelon Sorbet

So I'm finally updating again, after a week or so of sitting on my duff.

Yesterday I created a delicious, refreshing watermelon sorbet with fresh melon and lime juice from a bottle. And let me tell you-- it was so tasty, it's gone. Seriously, Mike and I ate the entire container in two days. You just keep wanting more. I found this lovely recipe on Use Real Butter. Everyone should make it. And definitely add the vodka-- you can't taste it and it's just a tiny bit, but it keeps the sorbet from getting too hard!



Now doesn't that look tasty?

Watermelon Sorbet

3 cups watermelon juice (purée about 3 pounds of watermelon flesh with seeds removed)
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbsp lime juice
1-2 tbsp vodka

Heat 1/2 cup of the watermelon juice with sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir it into the remaining watermelon juice. Mix in the lime juice and the vodka. Chill thoroughly, then freeze the mixture in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

So yesterday I was home alone after a crazy afternoon of running back and forth to various offices on campus, asking for any campus employment. It was pretty frustrating-- everyone wanted to offer me work-study, which I'm not eligible for. And no jobs to be found.

So I decided to bake. I thought about what I had, which wasn't anything fancy. Chocolate chips, flour, vanilla, sugar, peanut butter... hey! It was this idea that led me to Smitten Kitchen, where I found this awesome recipe.
I adapted it a little based on what I had-- and of course, played around with the baking times since our old gas oven is a little finicky. The first batch got a little scorched because I flattened them and baked them for 10 minutes. The second batch I forgot to flatten and baked for 8 minutes and they were good, but kind of cakey. But the third batch was perfect-- flattened AND good time. And they're crunchy, but they melt in your mouth. We had friends over last night and they were complimented all around.

Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture gradually and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Place a tablespoon of sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crissscross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 8 minutes minutes. Do not overbake.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Om nom nom!

Dijon Pork Chops

First entry in the new recipe blog (and a worthy one at that): Dijon Pork Chops!

This recipe comes from my mom. The pork chops are baked, and they come out so tender and tangy. The mustard is a really nice touch, and the chives really give it some zest. So here they are, served with garlic baby peas and mushrooms. (Side note: The peas and shrooms were those Bird's Eye Steamfresh kind. I love those Steamfresh vegetables-- they're ready in five minutes and they don't even taste like they're frozen!)


Mike inhaled two chops and two servings of peas, so I'm going to go ahead and say it was a hit. I always thought they were delicious, but you know I need guinea pigs.

Baked Pork Chops Dijon:

6 loin pork chops, cut 3/4" thick
6 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. minced chives
1 tsp. dry tarragon
black pepper (to taste)

Arrange chops in a foil-lined rimmed baking pan. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, chives and tarragon. Season to taste with pepper.

Spread 1 Tbs. of the sauce over each chop. Bake on upper rack at 475 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn and spread each chop with 1 more Tbs. of the sauce; bake until no longer pink in the center when cut (8-10 more minutes).
Makes 6 servings.

Secondly, we went to The Italian Oven today in the mall, and I ordered the mushroom penne. I expected sort of a bland pseudo-Italian dish, but my God was I wrong! It was a heavenly garlic wonderland with thick noodles and tender mushrooms, and the most delicious, garlicky olive oil coating. Thus inspired, I ran straight home and decided to make my own garlic olive oil. I took the decorative bottles from my cousin's bridal shower and crushed two cloves of garlic, then covered them with oil.

Isn't it pretty? It's sitting in the bathroom closet (cool, dry place) to steep. I can't wait to use it in a recipe! You can never have too much garlic-- that's what I say.