“C is for Cookie and that’s good enough for me!” Says Cookie Monster, and I couldn’t agree more!

I have found the secret to cookie monsters obsession! For years I have speculated as to which cookie variety caused Cookie Monster’s insatiable appetite for cookies. Today I have found my answer. I am 100% positive that he had to be obsessed with Amaretto Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Why am I so proof positive you ask? Well take me for instance. I’m sure I too was a lot like Cookie Monster back in the day, just a carefree guy who had an interest in eating some really good food. Little to his (or my) knowledge one day while experimenting in the kitchen he probably stumbled (like me) upon the world’s greatest cookie recipe. The Amaretto Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookie that is…

This chocolate chip cookie is unlike any other you have had before, it’s so delicious it causes anyone who eats one to instantly turn into a Cookie Monster! I’m serious! After taking my first bite I became insatiable! I closely guarded my cookie stash and began eating them as fast as possible with crumbs flying everywhere! My eyes bulged as I ravenously stuffed my face…. I’m pretty sure that I even started to sprout little blue hairs…..

So my Amaretto Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookies will come with this warning (Caution: This recipe has been known to spawn Cookie Monsters bakers beware!).

To begin this dangerous recipe we start by mixing what would seem a normal cookie base with flour, salt and baking soda.

Then in a separate bowl mix together eggs, milk, vanilla, and what I suspect to cause the transformation…Amaretto.

We then cream our butter in a mixer after it has come to room temperature.

Once the sugar and butter becomes light and fluffy slowly add the egg mixture from above. Once this is well mixed slowly add the flour mixture.

Make sure to spatula down the sides to ensure complete mixing. This will prevent any unknown mutations within the Cookie Monster breed. This could be very dangerous so make sure you follow this step with care.

Once your ingredients are completely mixed add your chocolate chips. I believe that Ghirardelli chocolate chips should be used here as they are by far better than any other!

Once your cookie dough has been properly prepared ball the dough and place them on a sheet.

Once your cookie dough has been properly prepared ball the dough and place them on a sheet. I like to use a small melon baller for this as it keeps all of your cookies about the same size. Put them in the oven and they should come out something like this……

Cookies!!!! NOM NOM NOM NOM!!!!!!!!!!!

Amaretto Kissed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Altered slightly from Alton Browns “The Thin” Recipe

Ingredients
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 2 ounces milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Amaretto Liqueur
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Combine the egg, milk, Amaretto and vanilla and bring to room temperature in another bowl.
2. Cream the butter in the mixer’s work bowl, starting on low speed to soften the butter. Add the sugars. Increase the speed, and cream the mixture until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed and add the egg mixture slowly. Increase the speed and mix until well combined.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for more even browning.
4. Remove the cookies from the pans immediately. Once cooled, store in an airtight container.

If you are heading North for a great distance when you drive home from Fredericksburg most likely you will be heading into Austin Texas on your way home. At least that’s what we planned on doing anyway. We did this in part (well let’s be honest here) we did BECAUSE we have heard some pretty good things about the Austin Texas cupcake scene. In all we made 4 stops and ate enough cupcakes to make us so high on sugar that we pretty much had a sugar hangover the rest of the trip home.

If you’ve never been to Austin Texas before I suggest you prepare yourself before going. I would have to say that this city is pretty much known for its oddity. But that is neither here nor there.

The first stop on our much anticipated cupcake tour was at Sugar Mommas. Sugar Mommas Cupcakery is a true cupcake shop (You will understand why I say this later). It is a small locally owned bakery with a really friendly staff. It was a little difficult to locate as it’s in a small strip center on a pretty busy street. We totally missed the parking ramp and had to park a little further down the street.

The small bakery is home to two small display cases filled with fantastic looking cupcakes (I know there is only one display case here but the other case had so much glare from the natural light that you couldn’t see the cupcakes inside so I left that photo out).

My wife and I were hungry having not eaten much earlier in the day as we knew we would inevitably get our fill on cupcakes throughout the day. We chose their Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Watermelon cupcakes.

When I saw Watermelon cupcake I definitely had to try this as I had never heard of it before. The cupcake was pretty good. It was definitely artificially flavored; which is to be expected because real watermelon doesn’t really have a whole lot of flavor to it. The frosting was sweet and delicious and not too over powering. The cake was pretty good too but didn’t have much of a watermelon flavor to it. If you’re a fan of artificial watermelon flavoring it pretty much hits the spot.

I also wanted to try their chocolate cupcake the “James Brown” despite what the frosting looks like….something about chocolate in that shape looks … well I’ll let you draw your own conclusions. The chocolate cake was moist and rich. I really liked it. The frosting carried on the chocolate flavor and was more milk chocolate then dark if you ask me.

Their Peanut Butter (Cup)cake (as they call it) was the final choice I made for this stop. This was pretty tasty as well. They use a the same chocolate cake as the chocolate cupcake and top it with a smooth peanut butter butter cream frosting. I would have liked a little more peanut butter as the chocolate is overpoweringly rich on the cake but the pair was good enough to leave me wanting more.

My overall impression of Sugar Mommas was that it’s a great cupcakery. They have a ton of flavors to choose from and have pretty much mastered the art of the cupcake. Definitely worth the stop and will definitely be visited again by this foodie.

The next stop on our cupcake tour lead us to Lux Bakery & Café. We heard of this place though the web and was suggested though a fellow blogger friend. See the problem with this is I didn’t check it out on my own before driving there. This is not what I would deem a cupcakery. In fact, they were more a deli then a bakery. When we entered this establishment we were greeted by diners who were in fact, enjoying sandwiches. Generally not what you would expect when going out for cupcakes.

While this did not detour us completely (and it totally should have) their display case did. That (look at the picture) my friends was their “cupcake offering”. Now maybe we got there late (doubt it seeing as how it was noon), or maybe they were hosting a baby shower or festive cookie day (hopefully), but if this is what is normally up for sale it’s not a place to visit on a cupcake tour. We still purchased two mini cupcakes and they were what you would expect from a normal bakery and nothing special.

Next up on our stop list was Hey Cupcake! Now this is what I expect when visiting a place touting itself as a cupcakery. Hey cupcake has a pretty awesome theme going. It’s all based around their streamliner trailer theme. What’s cool about that is they have a bunch of streamliner “taco trucks” that drive around the city and set up shop to deliver smiles across Austin. They even have a pretty cool spinning cupcake on top of thier trailers and store as well! I wonder if the homeowners association would have a problem with me putting one of those on my roof…..

Starting to feel the cupcake fill meter rising and knowing we still had a another stop on the list we only opted for two cupcakes from here. We chose to go with their carrot cake and red velvet cupcakes. The cakes on both of these were really good. I would have liked to see a little more chocolate flavoring in the red velvet but it still hit the spot. I also liked the use of walnuts in the carrot cake as it was a delightful surprise! The frostings however, were a little bland. They were both cream cheese tops that didn’t seem to be flavored by much; a little bourbon vanilla could have gone a long way here.

The final stop on our destination lead us deep into Austin City. Delish Cupcakes has a really trendy feel to it which fits it’s urban location perfectly. It even has a pretty trendy sign!

The display for Delish cupcakes was one that I wish they would do away with. I don’t understand why some cupcake shops choose to use cake carousels to hold display their baked goodies! I want to see rows upon rows of cupcakes when I come in! What happens if I want to order more than 6 of one flavor? Do you have enough?

We opted for their S’mores cupcake and Strawberry cupcake as that this was about all that we felt we could eat without exploding. I love the brulee burn on the S’mores cupcake for some reason it just makes them look really delicious (which is a little counterintuitive if you think about it; burnt = delicious?). This cupcake was delicious! The bottom of the cupcake is crushed graham cracker followed by a chocolate cake followed by a really great tasting meringue frosting. The strawberry cupcake was good as well. However, the frosting was a bit artificial for my liking.

Also, just as an FYI I thought twice about linking to their website seeing as how it hasn’t been finished. I put it up so you can find their location but in the future hope that they have some content on there. I don’t think I’ll ever understand why people launch a website when it hasn’t been completed?!?

Overall our cupcake tour was fantastic! We ate some really great cupcakes and had a blast driving around Austin taking in some of the culture! I think everyone should take some time to do this. If not in Austin, then in a town near you!

For many individuals this last weekend was just another weekend. But for the wife and I it was more than just another weekend, it was our two year wedding anniversary weekend! For this special occasion we planned a little get away to the bed and breakfast capital of Texas, Fredericksburg!

For those of you who are not familiar with Fredericksburg Texas, it’s time that you become aquainted. This sleepy little Texas town is home to some fantastic bed and breakfasts and has a main street full of whimsical shops able to keep a foodie busy for hours.

While I could go on and on about our adventures for hours I wanted to spare some of the details and share with you some of the highlights from our trip. Now, while many of you may immediately point out one of the best things about Fredericksburg is that it is Texas’s own little “Napa Valley” and has a full host of wineries. They literally have tours throughout the area on a regular basis. However, my wife and I wanted to do something a little tamer for the weekend so the wine tours will have to wait for our next visit.

We chose to escape to the Queen Ann Bed and Breakfast. Our decision was made easy due to the fact that they had a full gourmet breakfast in the morning and were located directly on Main Street which meant we would be able to walk our way down Main Street to do our shopping.

Our accommodations were perfect and our house mates were friendly.

Here is a picture of the room we stayed in. Beautiful!

And here are some more photos of the house.

While I would love to show you more about the morning’s breakfasts I didn’t want to be ruin our other guest’s meals with my incessant photo taking at the dining table as some might have found this rude. However, I loved the coffee cake so much that I had to sneak a photo of it to share with you.

This coffee cake was fantastic and a great start to our meal. The gourmet breakfast to me was pretty good. It was not the creation of a 5 star chef but tasty none the less. We enjoyed a delicious egg bake that had red peppers, green onions, tomatoes, and yellow onions as well as Au gratin hash browns which were delicious. There were also plenty of freshly baked biscuits and a host of homemade preserves!

After our fantastic breakfast we decided it was time to hit the town.

Java Ranch Espresso Bar & Café is Fredericksburg’s own little version of Starbucks. I wanted to compare apples to apples so I went with the cafés Mocha despite the already quickly climbing temperature. I thought that it was pretty comparable to the Starbucks I get at home however; it could have used a little more chocolate. It also cost a little more than the Starbucks I get at home as well but that is understandable as it probably costs them a little more to get their beans delivered to this small little town.

I did find the interior to be really neat. They had some really large leather chairs to sit in which were so comfy I almost fell asleep right there.

About half way through the day we needed to take a break from out shopping and rest our tired little paws. Seeing as how the temperature had finally broken free of the thermometer we decided that the best way to recharge on such a hot day was to enjoy some ice cream.

Clear River Ice Cream Bakery & Deli was the perfect choice. This 50 style diner (complete with 50’s style games) hand makes their ice cream daily! I opted to go with the cherry vanilla which as you can see here had real chunks of luscious cherries!

My wife however, opted for the more plain Jane option of chocolate chip but was still good none the less. The one thing that I did find really different about this shop was that they sold their ice cream by the ounce. I’m not sure if that is how they do it in the rest of the country but it was definitely a first for me.

After an entire day of shopping we went back to the bed and breakfast to quickly get ready for out dinner reservations at 8. I wanted to make this dinner special and on referral of some locals we heard that The Nest was some of the finest dining Fredericksburg had to offer.

The Nest is one of those restaurants that can be viewed in two lights. Personally, I found it to be quaint and charming. It is literally a house that has been renovated into a dining establishment. The wait staff was friendly and personable however, I could easily see how many could feel that when dropping a hundred bucks on a meal for two would desire more upscale accommodations. If you are the type of person who cannot look past the décor of the room in which you are eating then this unfortunately is not the place for you. This is unfortunate, as you will be missing out on some really great food.

Our meal began with this delectable walnut salad. I thought that the light dressing combined beautifully with the blue cheese and nutty walnut flavor to create a salad that was both light and enjoyable. When my wife and I finished our salads we both knew that we were about to enjoy a great meal!

Next we enjoyed fresh steamed mussels in white wine and shallots with a parsley and cilantro meuniere sauce. I know the photo isn’t the best but the clouds started to roll in and out killing our lighting situation. These were perfect. The cilantro was not over powering and melded nicely with the shallots and white wine sauce.

However, the masterpiece of this meal was definitely the quail. Their broiled semi-boneless quail is stuffed with bacon, spinach, goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes on green chili polenta with a port demi-glace. Just writing this makes me begin to salivate again. It was fantastic! The quail literally melted in your mouth and enveloped your taste buds. The quail however, is not for the extremely sophisticated diner. No this is a meal which will require you to get your hands dirty. There are very few bones in this meal however, you will enjoy this quail so much you will want to suck each little piece of meat off every piece there is.

My wife enjoyed a special on their menu which was a pan seared yellow fin tuna which was paired with cilantro and rosemary demi-glace sauce. While I didn’t get a chance to try this as my wife pretty much scarfed it down, she assured me that it was delicious.

I would have to say that a trip to Fredericksburg Texas should be added to any Texas foodies list of places to go. I thoroughly enjoyed myself the whole weekend and look forward to the time in which I get to make this trip again. However, I must admit, the best part of this trip was definitely the company in which I traveled. I could not have asked for a better road mate in life. Love ya sweetie! Happy 2 years!

My bags are packed and I’m ready to go! My wife and I are headed to Fredericksburg Texas for a little R&R and 2 year wedding anniversary! I have been looking forward to this trip but not looking forward to packing for it.

I don’t know what it is about packing for a trip but you always feel as though you have forgotten something, and inevitably half way down the road you realize you have.

As I leave for my trip this weekend I thought I would leave you with one of my after packing traditions the “After Dinner Sorbet”. I got this recipe from one of my favorite ice cream books and highly suggest you get yourself a copy as it has tons of great recipes!

One thing I love about the sorbet is they are simple in design and can be altered a million different ways and still yield the same end result; a tasty, creamy, delicious treat. To begin we make some simple syrup by boiling equal parts water and sugar. Once this comes to a boil let it cool.

Once the syrup has cooled add your orange juice and white port wine.

Place this into your ice cream maker and follow the directions provided by them to create a sorbet.

As your mixture is beginning to freeze, whip the heavy cream in a small bowl until stiff peaks begin to form.

Once your sorbet begins to set it’s time to add the heavy cream and whiskey! Let this churn for a little while longer.

*If you’re having problems getting your sorbet to set it may be that you added this too soon. If you put this in the freezer for about 20 minutes you should be able to get it to set just fine. However, you may have a little bit icier texture but as you’ll discover about half way through this potent dessert you really won’t care all that much.

After Dinner Sorbet
From Italian Ice Cream by Carla Bardi and Emilia Onesti

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup White port
• freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2/3 cup single malt whiskey

Directions:

1. Place the sugar water in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved. 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
2. Stir the port and orange juice into the cooled sugar syrup. Transfer to your ice cream machine and freeze following the manufactuer’s instructions.
3. Beat the cream in a small bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until thick. When the sorbet is almost ready, add the cream and 1/3 cup of whisky and let the machine finish churning.
4. Spoon the frozen sorbet inot serving glasses and top each one with a little of the remaining whisky serve with long handled dessert spoons.

Honey has a history that is as deep and rich as its complex and delectable in flavor. Raw honey collection dates back as far as 10,000 years with drawings depicted on rock showing ancient hunters collecting honey and honey comb from a wild hive in Spain. It has even been found in the containers sealed within the tombs of the pharos.

While I doubt that they were making desserts as delectable as this tart, they were without a doubt on to something good. Today I wanted to share with you a little knowledge as well as one of my favorite things to make with raw honey.

High quality honey can be distinguished a variety of ways. Typically a pure raw honey can be distinguished by fragrance as well as taste. A quality raw honey will generally have a fluffy thin layer on the surface of the honey and will contain marble colored white spots in its crystallized state. The collection of these white spots on the sides of the container is an indication of quality honey that has been filled without pasteurization (heating to excessive temperatures above 120 degrees). Over the past few years as honey has become more readily available, specialty honeys with different flavor additives have been emerging on the scene. While these specialty honeys have a high quality flavor they tend to have a reduction in the natural health benefits which are found in pure raw honey.

Because raw honey has not been pasteurized it retains many of the pollen particles from the collection process. Local raw honey is often sought by allergy sufferers because the impurities have the ability to lessen the sensitivity to outdoor allergens. Being that I am from Texas (the pollen state) I can vouch that this is a great way to treat your outdoor allergies. Local raw honey is typically sweeter then honey and has long been used as a substitute to sugar and other sweeteners. Raw honey is believed to have other health benefits as well; from a healthy way to heal sore throats to preventing infections. So a teaspoon a day can help keep the doctor away!

Because honey is mainly sugar, there is a relatively low amount of calories and fat making it a healthier alternative to white sugar. Honey is typically freshest during the summer months when it has been harvested. Raw honey often retains the smell and flavor of the flowers used to pollinate it which is the reason for the varietal honeys becoming more popular. Because of this many chefs use it for cooking, baking, and spreading on breads. Raw honey is also used as a sweetener in beverages such as tea, coffee and even beer (honey beer….mmmmm….beer)! Since honey is typically sweeter (remember the darker the honey the sweeter) when cooking with honey only use 1/2 to 3/4 of the amount your recipe calls for.
One additional thing that I love about this recipe is the simplicity in design.

First you combine the butter, honey, and almond extract in a bowl. While you could use pureed almonds I choose to keep this quick and easy by using the extract.

Whip these ingredients using a hand mixer until well combined.

Once you have your butter whipped, slowly add your flour one cup at a time until your dough begins to form. Then you will take this out and work it by hand to form a ball.

One you have your dough in a ball break it into 6 smaller balls as this will be your tart shells. Spread each ball into a small 6” tart pan evenly. Once this is done use a fork to poke holes in the bottom of the tart shell. If you skip that step you will end up with cupcake tops in the middle of your pan and no one wants that! Put them in the oven for 30 minutes.

While those are baking away it’s time to make the filling! Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a medium size bowl and whip until stiff peaks form. Don’t get discouraged if it looks granular at first. It takes some time as the honey crystals prevent it from whipping up right away. Keep going you will get the stiff peaks you seek!

Once your tart shells have come out of the oven let the cool completely. When they are cool you can add your filling! The only thing left to do is top them with whatever fruits you want! Get creative as the combinations for this treat are nearly endless!

Raspberry Honey Peach Tart

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup Raw Local Honey
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Filling:

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup Raw Local Honey

Toppings:

• 3 Peaches Sliced
• 1/2 pint raspberries

Directions:

Crust:

1. With an electric mixer, beat together butter, honey and almond extract.
2. Slowly add flour one cup at a time and blend until mixture forms dough.
3. Form into a ball and spread dough evenly in the prepared tart pans.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. Cool on rack.
6. In a medium sized bowl, beat all filling ingredients until mixture forms stiff peaks. Spread filling evenly over cooled tart shells.
7. Arrange fruit on top of filling in a decorative pattern. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 3 hours.

Do you still call a big pizza chain to get your pizza?

Can I ask you why?

In this post I wanted to make a case as to why you should never; I mean NEVER, order pizza again:

1. Unless you live under a rock you have probably seen via YouTube what happens to food in these places. Not exactly appetizing….
2. You can make a pizza for about half of the cost.
3. Homemade pizza can be made in less time than it would take for them to deliver it to you! Especially on the weekend!

Still don’t believe me huh? Okay well I guess I will take a moment to show you how quick, easy, delicious, and fun this really can be!

First you need to roll out your pizza dough. Now you can make this from scratch if you would like and nothing truly compares to homemade pizza dough. However, seeing as how we are trying to save time, store bought dough will do just fine.

Next, add your pizza sauce. I personally make my pizza sauce by using some sicilian seasoning. It is quick and easy as well. Again, if you are trying to save some time and money you can find this at the local grocery store too.

This is where pizza making gets fun. Add whatever toppings you want. Be creative! Think of all the ingredients you wanted to have on your pizza but were told that they couldn’t do it! Keep this sane though; think of what each ingredient will bring to the table. Combining anchovies and pineapple might seem like a good idea at first but may be regretted later.
Seeing as how I am a long time fan of delicious meats I created a pizza that is literally mounded with meat. If you however, are more vegetable minded and don’t want to see the heaping pile of meat monstrosity I created, then click here.

For me my `meat lovers’ pizza starts out with some freshly grated mozzarella, provolone, romano, asiago, and parmesan cheeses! Then I top this will pepperoni, mushrooms, pancetta (try getting that added to your next chain ordered pizza), Italian sausage, oregano, parsley and finally some more asiago and mozzarella cheese! Now that is a hearty pizza. Just look how high that is stacked up!

Put your pizza in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes depending on how crispy you want your crust and you are done! Once your pizza comes out give it a few moments to cool and dig in.

Now if you are meat adverse there is always the vegetarian option. My wife went this route as she was not feeling the meaty heart attack I was soon to be facing. For her margarita style pizza she used some fresh sliced mozzarella, tomato, and basil. Put your pizza in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes depending on how crispy you want your crust and you are done! Once your pizza comes out give it a few moments to cool and dig in.

What’s that you ask? Where’s the photo of the finished margarita pizza you ask? Well let’s just say that someone (who will remain nameless) was so excited by their creation they didn’t wait for photos to be taken. I guess I could have taken a picture of the empty plate but unfortunately that would have been a little dull as the plate was licked clean.

I think that the best part of homemade pizzas come from the creativity that you can use when creating your own personal masterpiece. A while back we used this as a party concept where we had all of our guests create their own pizza. It was tons of fun and super easy to do! Simply put out all of the ingredients you think your guests might like to cover their pizza with and let them go at it. Since the pizzas only take a few minutes to cook everyone will have a completed personalized pizza to dine on all at the same time!

Ryan’s Meat Loving Homemade Pizza

Ingredients:
• ½ pizza dough (8 inch thin crust)
• 3oz pizza sauce
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup shredded provolone cheese
• ¼ cup shredded romano cheese
• ½ cup shredded asiago cheese
• ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 Italian sausage
• 25 pepperoni slices
• ¼ cup sliced mushrooms
• ½ cup diced pancetta

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roll pizza dough into a thin circle.
3. Spread pizza sauce evenly over the surface of the dough leaving approximately ¼ inch outer ring.
4. Add remaining ingredients.
5. Cook approximately 10 -15 minutes.

Jessica’s Homemade Margarita Style Pizza

Ingredients:
• ½ pizza dough (8 inch thin crust)
• 3oz pizza sauce
• 4oz sliced mozzarella cheese
• ½ tomato sliced
• 2oz basil chopped

Directions:
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
7. Roll pizza dough into a thin circle.
8. Spread pizza sauce evenly over the surface of the dough leaving approximately ¼ inch outer ring.
9. Add remaining ingredients.
10. Cook approximately 10 -15 minutes.

For years now I have loved going to the farmers market. I find that it is a relaxing experience as you take a moment in life to step outside and enjoy the beauty that is around you. I also find it a great way to stay current with what fruits and vegetables are in season in your area.

This weekend I found one of my favorite in season treasures; watermelon. Watermelon to me is one of those fruits that you can enjoy year round without too much disappointment but once a year this refreshing treat really hits its stride as it becomes juicier and sweeter then ever. I also feel that watermelon is definitely a summer must have! What kid doesn’t remember seeing who could spit the seeds furthest?

My intentions for this watermelon, however, went beyond that of a seed spitting contest (especially because I picked up the seedless variety) and into something a little spicier….

Seeing as how this watermelon was born and raised in Texas I felt that it deserved to be turned into something that is purely Texas at heart, a salsa. Not just any salsa my friends; no, this watermelon was predestined to become one of our family’s favorite Texas traditions. Watermelon Salsa!

Watermelon salsa is not only sweet and refreshing but spicy as well! It’s the best of both worlds! Trust me once you make this you won’t be able to stop eating it. Our family tends to run out of chips quickly once this Texas masterpiece has been created.

To begin your watermelon salsa, combine the lime juice and sugar in a bowl. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. This is part of that sweet and refreshing feel.

Now… you can use the lime juice from the bottle if you want to save time, as it doesn’t really change the flavor all that much. However, the fresher the ingredients the fresher the taste.

Next add your chopped watermelon. I like to chop this somewhat fine but you will want to still have it be a little bit chunky as this will give your salsa some crunchiness. Running this through a blender will totally make a runny soupy salsa and no one in Texas likes that!

Add some chopped onion.

Then some chopped mint, cilantro, and your jalapeño. Make sure to only use the mint leaves and not the stems (Unless you want an “earthy” flavor to your salsa).

Also, when chopping the jalapeño be sure to mince this well. It will keep the flavor of your salsa even. Large chunks can cause one bite to be sweet and the next to be nothing but hot!! This is also your heat control switch for your salsa. If you like things hot go ahead and use the whole jalapeño. If you’d like to keep your taste buds for a few more years and like your salsa a little milder, then only use 1 tablespoon instead.

Now it’s time for the final ingredient; chopped cucumber. Once all of your ingredients are combined gently toss the salsa until everything has been combined. This will taste great right out of the box; but if you want to really get a great tasting salsa (and I mean GREAT TASTING SALSA), let it sit in the fridge overnight.

Bring out the Margaritas and now you’re ready to party Texas style!

This is a little bit of Texas from me to you. I hope you enjoy it!

Watermelon Salsa Recipe

Ingredients:
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons browns sugar
• 3 cups chopped watermelon (about ½ full sized watermelon)
• ½ cup minced red onion
• ¼ cup mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons minced jalapenos (about ½ jalapeño)
• 1/3 cup cilantro
• ½ cucumber
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Whisk the limejuice and sugar until sugar has completely dissolved.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients in a medium size bowl. Toss gently. Refrigerate overnight.

Every year I look forward to the spring and the wonders it will bring. I also love spring because it’s the only other time of the year besides Christmas that I take time to make some delicious treats. One of my favorite treats to make are Fleur de Sel caramels.

These caramels are unlike any you have tasted before. The balance of saltiness and sweetness could not be better exemplified by any other creation. The delicate floral notes of the Fleur de Sel will draw out the rich smoky undertones of the caramel. Your end result is a candy so addictive you won’t want to share! And I won’t blame you either!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Fleur de Sel, I highly recommend taking some time to get to know it. Known as the caviar of salt, Fleur de Sel or (flower of the salt in French), has become revered for its decedent texture and flavor for many years.

It is traditionally from the coast of Brittany, France, most notably Guerandel. However, the Camargue and Noirmoutier varieties Fleur de Sel are just as delectable. Fleur de Sel is hand harvested from the salt marsh waters of the Atlantic Ocean. A lousse de fleur (fancy term for wooden rake) is used by the workers to scrape the very top layer of salt from the surface of the water being careful not to disturb the coarse salt before it sinks to the bottom of the salt pans.

Fleur de Sel de Guerande is known for its fresh taste and exudes the aroma of bright violets and delicate balance of minerals (trust me you can taste the difference!). These small flaky crystals, moist in texture, are known to be an excellent source for calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper and iodine. The Noirmoutier and Camargue versions of this delectable salt, produced in southern France, are slightly grey with a pink hue due to the sandy minerals collected in the process of harvesting which can make for some beautiful looking salt.

Used as a finishing salt, Fleur de Sel is to be sprinkled as a finishing touch to the prepared meal not cooked with!! I use it with salads and on top of vegetables, but this versatile seasoning really comes alive when used on desserts such as a chocolate mousse or, as you can see above, caramels! The only down side to Fleur de Sel as with any great ingredient, is that the labor intensive process of managing and harvesting this delicacy by hand causes it to be relatively expensive when compared to other salt varieties. However, it does make a great gift if you can’t justify buying it yourself!

To start your Fleur de Sel Caramels bring the heavy cream, butter and Fleur de Sel to a boil in a small sauce pot. Once this mixture begins to boil set it aside quickly and let cool. Be careful not to let this boil for too long as you can scorch your milk and you will have a burnt flavor in your caramels.

While the cream is cooling bring the sugar, water, and corn syrup to a boil. This is the tricky part of making caramels. This mixture should be cooked on a medium heat until it begins to boil. Constantly monitor your temperature. When your candy thermometer reads 235 degrees it should be time to add the cream mixture. You will notice that the color of the bubbling sugar has turned a slight amber color.

Add the cream mixture. This is where having a deep pot is crucial. The sugar will boil up for a few moments and then subside. You will notice that your temperature has probably dropped 10 to 15 degrees during this time. Keep you heat on medium and make sure NOT TO STIR this mixture. Over stirring your caramels can cause you to have a granulated sugar mess rather then they chewy texture you are going for!

Once your temperature has reached 255 degrees (hardball stage) remove it from the heat and immediately pour the caramel into your prepared Pyrex dish. Let this cool for at least 2 hours if not overnight.

Time to cut your caramels! I usually eyeball this but if you want to get all exact use a ruler and notch the corners on each side to give you a guide. These caramels are delicious just like this. However, if you want to create an out of this world candy experience, simply sprinkle a small amount of Fleur de Sel on top. This will heighten the salty/sweet experience. Now if you are feeling daring simply melt down some high quality chocolate nibs and either immerse your caramels completely, or drizzle the melted chocolate over top and sprinkle with Fleur de Sel for a candy fit for even the most renowned chocolatier. I personally like to do all three. This way I am able to give myself and others a mini sampling to die for!

Fleur de Sel Caramels Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square Pyrex square or baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment.
2. Using a medium heat, slowly bring cream, butter, and fleur de sel to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.
3. Using a medium heat bring sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan. Boil, without stirring until you reach 235 degrees and the mixture is a light amber color. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wipe down the sides to prevent sugar crystals from creating a grainy texture in your finished product.
4. Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, boil until caramel registers 255°F on thermometer, this should take 10 to 15 minutes but sometimes takes longer depending on how much the mixture cools when the cream has been added.
5. Pour into Pyrex/baking pan and cool for at least 2 hours. Preferably overnight. Cut into 1-inch pieces, sprinkle some additional Fleur de Sel then wrap each piece in a 4-inch square of wax paper, twisting 2 ends to close.