Things I’m Lovin’ — February 2013

There is one thing that I’m loving and super excited about this month…my Valentine’s gift from the hubby. Is it a fancy diamond necklace? A giant heart-shaped box of chocolates? A fancy floral arrangement? Nope. It’s an….

ice cream maker

Ice Cream Maker!!

The Cuisinart ICE-21 Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, & Sorbet Maker in this lovely turquoise color to be exact. Does he know me or what? I’ve actually been eying this little guy for over a year and it has sat in my Amazon Wishlist just begging me to cough up the cash and impulse buy it. But I stayed strong and kept waiting for the day that it would drop in price so I could snap it up. Luckily, the hubby was keeping an eye out for a deal too and when it showed up on one of those Deal a Day sites for $35 he snagged one for me. Score!

We’ve already attempted a chocolate ice cream with crushed Oreos and homemade strawberry ice cream. We’re still perfecting our ice cream craft and figuring out how to best use the machine, but be on the lookout for a ton of yummy ice cream and sorbet recipes this summer.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

cherry chocolate cookies

I’m so excited to be participating in this new Dessert Challenge hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain. Each month we will be challenged to incorporate two ingredients into a dessert to share on our blogs. February’s ingredients are cherries and chocolate–a classic combination. I must have brainstormed a dozen different recipes for this challenge, but when I discovered that my local produce market was fresh out of cherries I was forced to go to Plan B–using dried cherries.

Lady Behind the Curtain Dessert Challenge
These cookies were quick, easy to throw together, and delicious. I love the flavor combo created by the sweetness of the chocolate and slight tartness of the cherries. So good!  Added Bonus: They are already the perfect color combo for Valentine’s Day! Continue reading “Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies” »