Pomegranate Pellegrino Mint Spritzer

Refreshing, Fruity and Sweet this drink is a great compliment and palate cleanser to all dishes. Super easy to make, it sparkles and impresses on the table. 

Ingredients:

2 bottles Pellegrino   Sparkling Natural Mineral Water

1 bottle Langers Pomegranate Cranberry Juice

1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves 

1/2 cup sugar (or simple syrup) to taste.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except mint to your taste.  

When sugar has dissolved place mint in pitcher and with a wooden mixing stick crush it on the bottom to release the flavors.  

Serve Chilled. 

Project FoodBlog Challenge #1: What defines my Food Blog???

Well... where to start? I originally began posting my recipes online as a quick resource for myself and my family to access our favorite recipes - A great solution to having a pile of 20 different cook books sitting on the kitchen counter, when people asked me what exactly I cook at home I realised I couldn't exactly remember myself, it has been fun looking back at the different foods I have concocted, but to define it???? I suppose I could ramble on for another 800 words but I feel my food and blog is best defined below, just press play!!.

I would love to hear what you think... DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW THE WIDGET ON THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR ME ON THE 20th!!!!!!!

Aussie Trifle Twist

This is a recipe based on the traditional Australian trifle. Growing up trifle always consisted of Fresh whipped (unsweetened) cream, canned fruit salad, and sponge cake. This adaption is a little more elegant looking than the version I had as a child and tastes super fresh. (no canned fruit!)

So far this recipe has been a big hit.

Sorry there is no picture, I will post one when I make this again

Ingredients

approx 3 Butter/pound cake cut into large cubes

(sponge cake if you can get your hands on it)

For Berry Layer

1 punnet blackberries

1 punnet raspberries

2 large (or 4 small) punnets of Strawberries

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

For Cream Layers

2 8oz packages cream cheese softened

1 1/2 cups milk

1 pckg cheesecake flavored jello instant pudding

2 Pints Heavy Whipping Cream (1 of those big

1 cup white sugar

Directions

Prepare your berries the night before you want to put this dessert together.

Slice strawberries thinly, place all the berries in a large container, mixing evenly. Sprinkle half the sugar over the top of the berries, mix through.  Pour in 2 cups of cold water or approximately enough to have them almost submerged. Mix gently .  Pour the other half of sugar over the berries and once again mix. You want to make sure every berry recieve the sugary moisture.

Refridgerate overnight, stirring a couple times to keep covering the berries in the sauce you are creating.

For the cream layers you are going to be creating 2 different mixtures. One is just a plain whipped cream (for that good old fashioned traditional trifle flavor) and the other is a cheesecake flavored cream to kick it up a bit.

Split the whipping cream into two seperate bowls. Beat them both until they are completely whipped. Add vanilla into one of the bowls.

In a large mixing bowl combine the pudding and milk.  Beat in the softened cream cheese into the pudding mixture.  Quickly fold it into the cream with no vanilla, until it is completely incorporated.

In your trifle dish (this is usually just a very large circular glass bowl) layer the bottom of your dish with cake. The put a layer of berries, spooning on some of the juices to help moisten the cake. (just be sure to save enough juices for the other layers)

Smooth on a generous layer of cream cheese/pudding mixture.

Put a layer of cake.  Berries & Juice, and then a layer of the plain whipped cream. Another layer of Cake, Berries, continue in this pattern until you reach the top of your bowl.

Place remaining cream cheese mixture into a zip lock back. Cut the end to form a circular shape for piping.

Pipe large circular dobs of the mixture edge to edge around the outer rim of your bowl working your way gradually in until the entire top of the bowl is covered.

Set in the fridge for 2 hours before serving. The pudding in the cream will make this very firm once it settles in the fridge.

Enjoy.

No Bake Chocolate Raspberry Cream Pie

Recipe courtesy Bon Appetit Test Kitchen

O.k. I have not tried this recipe yet.. BUT I am going to this week so I thought I would post it and if any of you make it feel free to let me know what "tweaks" you would or wouldn't make. It's a no bake berry cream pie with chocolate wafer crust... really wants not to like about that!

8 servings
Prep: 30 minutes
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes (includes chilling time)

Ingredients
7 oz chocolate wafer cookies (about 32), coarsely broken
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup sugar
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
2 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (two 6-ounce containers)
Preparation
Place broken cookies in processor. Using on/off turns, process until finely ground. Place chocolate chips, butter, and sugar in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high at 15-second intervals until melted, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate mixture to processor and blend until combined. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch glass pie dish (do not pack firmly). Chill crust while preparing filling.
Whisk condensed milk, crème fraîche, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl to blend. Add half of raspberries. Stir, pressing gently on some raspberries, until raspberries begin to break apart and filling turns pink. Transfer filling to crust. Chill until filling is set, about 2 hours.
Scatter remaining raspberries over pie. Cut into wedges and serve.
Kitchen Science
The filling firms as it chills, creating nice clean slices of pie—but it doesn't contain any thickeners. The secret? Lemon juice. When it reacts with the other ingredients, it helps thicken the filling.

S'mores Cheesecake with Summer Berries

Two American classics in one dessert: A rich milk chocolate cheesecake sandwiched between a buttery graham cracker crust and a fluffy marshmallow topping. The Berries sauced up will give this just the right balance. Set aside some time.. and it's worth it.

Recipe Courtesy Bon Appetit Magazine June 2008

Ingredients
Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (made from 9 whole crackers finely ground in processor; 1 packet)
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
9 oz high-quality Dark chocolate (such as Lindt or Ghirardelli), chopped
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 large eggs
Topping
1 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 large marshmallows, cut into quarters with wet kitchen scissors
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1-pint container fresh Strawberries

1 1-pint container fresh blackberries
Preparation
For Crust :
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Mix crumbs and sugar in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until mixture is evenly moistened. Press onto bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until set, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
For Filling :
Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water and cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
Combine cream cheese, sugar, and salt in processor and blend until smooth. With motor running, add whipping cream through feed tube and process just until blended. With motor running, add melted chocolate, then add eggs 1 at a time, blending and scraping down sides after each addition until mixture is smooth. Pour batter over crust in pan.
Bake cake until outer edge is slightly puffed and cake is barely set in center (center will look shiny and move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack. Run small sharp knife around cake to loosen. Chill uncovered until cold, 8 hours or overnight. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.
For Topping :
Whisk sugar, egg whites, 3 tablespoons water, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to blend in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens and is hot to touch, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water and stir in marshmallows (keep water simmering in saucepan). Let stand until marshmallows soften, about 3 minutes. Set bowl with mixture over simmering water; using handheld electric mixer, beat until stiff shiny peaks form, about 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
Scrape topping onto cheesecake. Using spatula, spread topping to edges of cake, swirling decoratively. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes.
Using kitchen torch, lightly brown topping in spots. (Or preheat broiler; place cake at least 4 inches from heat source and broil just until topping is lightly browned in spots, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.) Chill cake until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep chilled. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter.
Mix berries in medium bowl with 1 cup water and 4 tbsp sugar, place in fridge and chill until ready to cut cake and serve. Cut cake into wedges. Serve berry mixture alongside.