Cannonball!

May 31, 2019 / theblindpig11 / 1 Comment

The cry of, “Cannonball!” echoes across the nation to announce the dawning of summer. After trying this delicious treat, you will be screaming, “Cannonball!” with every ten-year-old on the block! This yummy summer dessert is a fun twist on the typical ice cream sundae. Mix together three different kinds of ice cream, some brownie bits, twist it up and you are ready to enjoy your summer.

The best thing about this dessert is that there is no need to heat up the oven. You will be cool as ice cream while preparing this treat. Although this dessert is easy even for the novice bakers and cooks, you do need to plan ahead. It take about 2 hours of adding one layer at a time and a final 4 hours to freeze completely. You can’t decide to serve this 10 minutes before the guests arrive.

You will need three different kinds of ice cream to make this fun treat. We used Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla, Coffee, and Dutch Chocolate. You also need some freshly baked brownies. We used a brownie mix for ours, but store bought would work, as well. If you like, add some peanuts or pecans to the mix. The last ingredient you need is a batch of our delicious Kerrygold Chocolate Sauce.

Take the vanilla ice cream from the freezer and soften for about 5 minutes. Choose a medium size glass bowl. Pour about 1/4 cup of Kerrygold Chocolate Sauce in the bottom of the bowl. Sprinkle in about 1/4 cup of nuts. Spoon vanilla ice cream into the bowl covering the chocolate sauce and nuts. With the back of a spoon spread the softened ice cream over the sauce and up the sides of the bowl. Place the bowl in the freezer for about 45 minutes.

Next take the coffee ice cream from the freezer and soften for about five minutes. At this point you will want to check on your first layer of vanilla. Ours started to slide down the sides some. The ice cream was still soft enough that we could use the back of the spoon to hollow out the middle some more and bank it up the sides of the bowl. Now add a layer of brownie bits. Be generous on this part. Rhonda was a little stingy with the brownies, and our cannonball could have used more. This is also a step where you could substitute something other than brownies. Like cookie dough? Chocolate chips? Nuts? Sprinkles? We would advise you to avoid anything that would get too hard when frozen. Brownies are perfect, because they serve as a soft texture surprise in the cannonball.

After adding the layer of brownies, spoon a layer of coffee ice cream over the top. Smooth out the coffee ice cream with the back of a spoon trying to leave a slight dip in the middle of the bowl. Place in the freezer for another 45 minutes.

Take out the chocolate ice cream from the freezer to soften for 5 minutes. Pour a layer of Kerrygold Chocolate Sauce over the hardened coffee ice cream. Add the chocolate ice cream to the small dip in the middle of the bowl. Place in the freezer for 4 hours.

When ready to serve, take the bowl from the freezer and place in a bath of lukewarm water in the sink for about 5 minutes.

Invert the bowl on a serving plate. Top with more Kerrygold Chocolate Sauce and nuts if preferred. If you are not ready to serve your cannonball quite yet, you can return it to the freezer until ready. Once you have cut slices, serve immediately. WARNING: this dessert did not last long around our house. Be fully prepared for it to disappear quickly.

If you are viewing this post via email, visit us at www.theblindpig.blog for a printable recipe of TBPB Cannonball.

You can see the interesting layered marble look of the ice cream, chocolate sauce and brownies. This treat is so delicious and incredibly easy to make. There are so many different variations that can be made from this recipe. Don’t be surprised if you see a rum caramel cannonball or a Branca Menta mint variation in the near future! Try it for your next swim party and let us know what you think! Happy Summer!

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Hello Summer!

May 27, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

Happy Memorial Day, friends. As we reflect on this wonderful holiday that is often associated with a day off work, barbecues, and the kickoff of the summer season, we want to highlight that is actually a day of gratitude and thanks giving. A great quote that we found sums up the meaning of this day.

“If you want to thank a soldier, be the kind of American worth fighting for.” — unknown.

This day is not just about remembering our fallen and the sacrifice of their loved ones. It is also about our responsibility to be good Americans. In our current political climate, we have the responsibility to be informed citizens, to vote, to volunteer in our communities, and to be good neighbors. Personally, we have always thought America is a great place. Let’s be the kind of people worth fighting for.

Okay… on with SUMMAAAAAA! You will love this tantalizing, refreshing, light take on the traditional lemonade. Our sparkling lemonade recipe is so easy, tasty, and fresh. Summer always makes us think of sitting on a porch, feeling the breeze gently on your face, watching the world go by as you slurp down a glass of lemonade. The best part of our Sparkling Lemonade recipe is that it is not too sweet. It is just the right amount of lemon, mint and sparkle. It’s refreshing to drink and not too heavy.

To make Sparkling Lemonade you need elderflower liqueur. We used St. Germain. You also need 1 1/2 cups of fresh squeezed lemon juice. For this batch we chose to purchase Santa Cruz 100% pure organic lemon juice. You also need a bottle of chilled prosecco, fresh lemon slices, and fresh mint.

Add the St. Germain, lemon juice and lemon slices to a pitcher. Stir gently. We made this ahead of time and chilled it in the fridge until our guests arrived. Next top off with prosecco and stir again gently. Add fresh mint for garnish.

For a complete printable recipe of Sparkling Lemonade, visit us at www.theblindpig.blog.

We we posted last week, we have lots more fun summer recipes and surprises for you, so check in with us throughout the summer.

May Bonus Post: La Branca

May 23, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

Hey friends! We are back with a bonus post for the month of May. This post is kicking off a summer series of posts that we have aptly named: Umbrella Worthy. Throughout the summer we are going to feature some drinks that we think are the ultimate sipping by the pool -floating on the boat – soaking it up in the sun at the beach drinks.

There are many different stories about the origins of the cute little paper umbrella that we love in our summer sippers. Google states that cocktail umbrellas were originally designed to keep sun off the ice and hence slow the melting process. Other stories accredit a famous bartender, Henry Ye, from the famed Hilton Hawaiian Village hotel bar, for being the first to use paper umbrellas in his cocktails. Yet another story states that using paper umbrellas to garnish food became a craze after the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Apparently the fair had a Chinese village that adorned food with paper umbrellas and the fad quickly caught on. (Imbibe Magazine, July/August 2018) Whoever was first, it was a great idea that still makes beverages taste a little better and helps us all feel like we can sit back, relax, and just soak in life!

Our Umbrella Worthy drink of the month is the La Branca. This yummy summer beverage is made with tequila, Fernet Branca, lime juice and ginger beer. You may be thinking that the Fernet is a bit strong for you. However, you loved Fernet in our yummy hot toddy. Rhonda was skeptical, as well. However, the tequila and the sweetness of the ginger beer soften the Fernet a lot. You get to enjoy the herbally flavor of the Fernet without the overbearing taste. Seriously! Rhonda gave this cocktail 2 thumbs up.

Place an ounce of tequila, an ounce of Fernet Branca, and half ounce of fresh squeezed lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds.

Pour into margarita glass. Top off with ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge and umbrella!

If you are viewing this post via email, visit us at http://www.theblindpig.blog for a printable recipe of La Branca.

The La Branca is smooth, refreshing, and a different twist than most summertime drinks. Try this Umbrella Worthy drink this weekend!

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Summer’s Just Around the Corner

May 19, 2019 / theblindpig11 / 1 Comment

Summer is just around the corner! This week marks the last week of school for Rhonda and Blind Piglets #2 and #3. We have so many fun ideas in store for you for the summer months. But before we continue, we have to take a few minutes to brag on Blind Piglet #1. She graduated with honors from the University of Missouri this past weekend and will start her adult life on Wednesday in St. Louis. Watch out world, she is not one to sit still and look pretty.😉 We are so very proud of her and have enjoyed watching her bloom and grow.

Photo by Rachel Kim Photography

Now on to summer. Next weekend is Memorial Day weekend and you may be planning a barbecue or cookout. This week’s recipe is perfect for Memorial Day or any family gathering during the summer. It’s easy, tasty and fresh. In fact, it is so easy that it is the perfect dessert for on-the-spot entertaining! We apologize that we don’t know where we originally found this recipe. It was in Rhonda’s files on a slip of paper. Of course, we twisted it up a bit to make it even better.

You don’t need lots of ingredients for Banana Bourbon Cobbler. This recipe is made with self-rising flour, sugar, milk, melted butter, bananas, and bourbon. The streusel topping needs brown sugar, self-rising flour, butter, rolled oats and pecans.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile whisk together flour, sugar, milk and butter. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 11 x 7 dish.

Make your streusel topping and set aside.

Top with banana slices and pour 1 ounce of bourbon over the top of the bananas. Top off with streusel topping, and pop into the oven for 40-45 minutes.

If you are viewing this post via email, visit our site for a complete downloadable copy of the recipe for Banana Bourbon Cobbler.

The golden brown goodness looks so yummy when you pull it from the oven, as well as the delicious baked smell. But better yet is the delicious taste of this gem when served warm with a dollop of ice cream on top. The bourbon adds to the sweetness of the bananas with a nice smooth flavor. Yummo!

Rhonda pulled this from the oven and within minutes Blind Piglets #2 and #3 emerged and ate almost half of the pan — before dinner!

Try this delicious dessert at your next family gathering, or better yet, try it for dinner tonight!

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Savannah Special

May 11, 2019 / theblindpig11 / Leave a comment

A few weekends ago Blind Piglet #1 was home to celebrate her birthday, and wanted a special drink to share with friends. Next weekend we will be traveling to MIZZOU to see her cross the stage and graduate with honors. As a special treat, we concocted a delicious cocktail that is perfect for all kinds of spring and summer celebrations! Whether you are celebrating a birthday, a grad, a mom, or don’t need a reason, CHEERS!

This lovely little cocktail is perfect for large batches. We made a pitcher which yielded about 5 drinks.

To start you need blackberry simple syrup. We used our usual simple syrup recipe, but added a pint of blackberries. After sugar has dissolved, remove simple syrup from heat and cool. After cooling, strain blackberries from mixture.

Next , add 1 cup of whiskey, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 3/4 cup of blackberries simple syrup to a pitcher. Stir.

Add 1 cup of sparkling wine or tonic water.

Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and fresh blackberries.

If you are viewing this post via email, visit us at www.theblindpig.blog for a complete printable recipe.

This delicious drink is the just the right amount of sweet without overbearing the drink. The sparkling wine gives it a light bubbly texture and flavor. It is a fun little celebratory cocktail.

Cheers to all the grads and moms this weekend! We would like to send a special salute to special moms in our lives — Bonnie, Ruth, Jennifer, Heather, Paula, Rosemary, LeeAnn, Dee, and Kayla. We hope that you have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Disclaimer: The beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

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Life is Short. Make It Sweet.

May 4, 2019July 5, 2020 / theblindpig11 / 4 Comments

How has your Cinco de Mayo weekend been? We hope you tried out some of our yummy recipes from last week’s post. This week we are very excited to share our newest yummy cake recipe with you– Strawberry Prosecco Cake!

A couple of weekends ago Blind Piglet #1 was home for the weekend to celebrate her birthday, so we tried out a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens that we have been wanting to tweak a bit. We had never tried a recipe like this before, so we weren’t too sure how it was going to turn out. The risk turned out to be a triple layer of yummy strawberry goodness! This cake is light, refreshing and did we say delicious? It is the perfect recipe for a birthday, a bridal lunch, Mother’s Day or any happy occasion. It is easy, tasty, and fresh.

To make this delicious cake you will need eggs, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, butter, almond extract and prosecco. For the strawberry filling you will need, 1 quart of fresh strawberries, prosecco and sugar. To make the whipped cream frosting you will need heavy cream, sour cream, sugar and vanilla.

To begin take your eggs out of the refrigerator and let them stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and flour three 8 × 11/2-inch round baking pans. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Begin preheating your oven to 350°F. Beat eggs with a mixer on high 5 minutes or until thickened and light in a large bowl. For an additional five minutes beat the eggs on medium while gradually adding sugar. Your batter will be light and fluffy. Next, beat in flour mixture on medium-low until just combined.

In a small saucepan heat and stir milk and butter until butter melts. Add the butter and milk mixture gradually to batter. Add in almond extract. Divide batter among pans.

Bake 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Place pans on a wire rack and cool completely. Remove cakes from pans; cool completely on wire racks over a shallow pan or tray. Remove cakes from pans and place on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Poke the cake with holes all over. We used a meat fork for this. Pour prosecco over cakes. It amazed us how quickly the sponge cake slurped up the prosecco. There was not a drop dripping from the cakes. Next, wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and chill for 2-24 hours. We made the cake portion of ours a day ahead.

The following day we made the strawberry filling. We cut off stems and chopped the strawberries (saving a few back for garnish). We added the prosecco, and sugar and stirred completely. We covered the strawberries and let them stand for about 30 minutes. Hint: The smaller you chopped the strawberries the easier it is to layer the cake on top.

To make the whipped cream frosting, place a large bowl in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and add heavy cream, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Place back in refrigerator.

Now you are ready to start layering the cake. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with half the strawberry filling on top of the first layer. Place second cake layer on top and spread with remaining filling. Place third cake layer over second. Spread whipped cream frosting over the top of the cake and let extra overflow over the sides. Garnish top with sliced strawberries and mint leaves. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

As we mentioned before, we were pleasantly surprised about just how good this cake recipe is. The prosecco keeps the cake moist. It is probably the best strawberry shortcake combination that we have ever had!

Strawberry Prosecco Cake looks fresh and tasty, as if it is saying, “Hello summer!” Your taste buds will be overjoyed when the creamy goodness of the whipped cream frosting, the strawberries and the prosecco soaked cake pass over. Are you going to treat your taste buds next weekend?

For a complete recipe for Strawberry Prosecco Cake, please visit our website, http://www.theblindpig.blog.