Eat Like a Rabbit

Once again, I am confessing that I read magazines at work. But, who could blame me? There's a wealth of information free to me; and since I can't sit still at lunch, I am productive by researching facts and recipes. Let's face it, if it weren't for my reading magazines at work, Paul would not have an absolutely fabulous Christmas present, which I am proud of finding. Sadly, some of Paul's friends read this blog; so, I cannot share the details until after the 25th. Therefore, we must return to the topic of the cake.

In a floundering market consumers are looking for good food that is as cheap and nutritious as possible. I hope this post will be the first in a continuous series that focuses on time-saving dishes that don't break the bank while they impact your menu.

I have previously mentioned that applesauce is a annual tradition at our house. The following is my process.

This just might be my favorite ice cream concoction ever. Too bad for Marble Slab. I'll be eating my ice cream at home during the right seasons. We sprinkled pomegranate seeds over Publix Premium Vanilla Ice Cream and spread a ribbon of peanut butter on top. Since we've discovered this recipe, I've had this dessert three nights out of four. Lucky I go to the gym occasionally. It's not so bad without the peanut butter either.

We once came across Haagen Daz's special Pomegranate Dark Chocolate Ice Cream. The color was not inviting and the flavor wasn't fresh, but the concept was good. When my in-laws were in town, I purchased a nice selection of pomegranates from Costco and watched as my husband and his father took it apart. I'm sure they will both remember to wear an apron, but not to wear a white shirt, in the future. Meanwhile, my mother shaved some fine European Dark Chocolates that my in-laws had brought as a gift. A regular cheese grater works well. The key is choosing exceptional chocolates. And dark chocolates in this case are highly recommended over milk chocolates.

This was a very simple dessert made at peak season for fresh peaches. I always try to make such things when the oven is always hot from another baking experience. My guests had no complaints about the peaches being unsweetened. The ice cream made up for it. If I had had more time, I think I would have liked to serve the dish with mint ice cream (the mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe without the chocolate chips).

It seems so long ago now, but in 2005 when I finished my Master's degree, Paul took me along on a trip to Italy and Germany. I believe everyone should visit Italy given the chance, although I think I love Germany more. This trip was peak-season, but we are very happy to travel in February/March/April when it's cooler and when the rates aren't so high. We have done that the last two years. But this was my first trip to Europe, and I will always remember it very fondly.

Possibly, this idea came from allrecipes.com. I won't take the credit for it, but I do recommend it. I'm not generally a fan of oatmeal cookies, but with the additional ingredients, I will eat them with no additional encouragement.

This Italian dessert and coffee spot is attached to a fabulous Italian restaurant, Cafe Epicure. The restaurant has tried to stay authentic with all signs in Italian (but with English translations) and even an imported cooler that reads the inside temperature in Celsius.

Don't freak out! You don't need an ice cream freeze for this one. All you need is a blender, great serving dishes, and possibly a freezer-safe container to put the ice cream in. As for the taste, it's a fresh mint, not a fake, strong mint. Caution: the chocolate chips my be quite hard when cold. Eye appeal is great because it's a white background with brown and bright green specks in it. I was very proud of this. The recipe below serves two.

Being big fans of Italy, we have been interested in trying this dessert "shack," Jeremiah's Italian Ice, a stand-alone walk-up-to-the-counter building in front of a strip mall. I could not believe the number of patrons. There were three teenage girls working in the stand, and they were all kept busy. They were polite and worked hard. We had heard from friends that it was good. We just were rarely on that side of town. We just happened to be there around dinner time that day. Perfect dessert stop.

I created a cookie bar for a Sunday afternoon party I was hosting. Basically, it's a tray of simple cookies with a variety of icing or toppings. The idea may sound juvenile, but it has an air of maturity because of the toppings of choice. Obviously, there are options that can make it a fun, albeit messier, dish to serve at a children's party, too.

Ok, the first thing about this recipe is DON"T TURN YOUR NOSE UP AT IT! It came out of the Moosewood Simple Suppers cookbook. Moosewood also has recipes for fruit flavored mousse. It doesn't taste like cheese. It just tastes like fluffy chocolate.

This is a great recipe to do something productive with the leftovers from lasagna. Moreover, why not serve it as dessert FOR the lasagna? The recipe is easy, but I think I remember asking my husband to mix the ingredients because he could do it faster than me. Time is of the essence because the chocolate chips can harden so quickly.

This was an easy dessert that is best put together immediately before serving. Also, to conserve energy, I only make it when the oven has already been used for another part of the meal or for a baking project.