Carmelized Peach and Brie Quesadillas

I don't know about you, but I would have never thought of this amazing combination for a quesadilla. I love love love brie, and I rejoice when peaches are in season, so I knew this would be the perfect recipe for me. It made for a delightful light summer supper paired with a salad, and would also work well as an appetizer. Did I mention it's summer? Hooray!

Over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet. Add onion, and cook,

stirring often, until onion is carmelized, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside. Add the remaining butter to the skillet, let it melt, then saute the peaches and thyme

for 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened.

Place tortillas on a flat surface. Evenly distribute about 1/4 of the brie, 1/2 of the onions,

and 1/2 of the peaches

on two tortillas. Place another 1/4 of the brie on top of the peaches.

Cover with the two remaining tortillas.

Coat a large skillet or grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add on stack and cook until golden on one side. Flip and cook until golden on the other side.

Repeat with the remaining stack. Cut into quarters and enjoy!

One year ago: Asparagus Soup with Herbed Goat Cheese
Two years ago: Spice Rubbed Salmon with Cucumber Relish
Three years ago: Chicken with Zucchini and Mushrooms
Four years ago: Rhubarb Blueberry Muffins
Five years ago: Grilled Rubbed Pork

Find more great ideas at Inspiration Monday, Mix it Up, Melt in Your Mouth, Recipe Exchange, Totally Talented Tuesday, Create Link Inspire, Clever Chicks, Share Your Stuff, Tasty Tuesday, Tickle my Tastebuds.

Carmelized Peach and Brie Quesadillas

4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
2 peaches, sliced
1/2 tsp. thyme
4 oz. Brie, cut into very thin slices
1/4 of one red onion, sliced
2 Tbsp. butter, separated

Over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet. Add onion, and cook, stirring often, until onion is carmelized, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the onions to a plate and set aside. Add the remaining butter to the skillet, let it melt, then saute the peaches and thyme for 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened.

Place tortillas on a flat surface. Evenly distribute about 1/2 of the peaches, onions and brie on two tortillas. Cover with the two remaining tortillas.

Coat a large skillet or grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add on stack and cook until golden on one side. Flip and cook until golden on the other side. Repeat with remaining stack.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Oprah

Lemon Blueberry Coconut Bars

Lemon and blueberry is one of the best combos ever. But throw in a coconut-coated crust and now we're talking super delicious. This is a great light summer dessert, with just enough tang from the lemon and sweetness bursting from the berries. I'm sure it will be a hit at your next picnic or backyard barbecue!

To make crust combine flour, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl. Add butter pieces and vanilla then mix with hands until crumbly. (Alternatively, you can pulse the ingredients together in a food processor.) Press evenly into the bottom of a greased 8" baking pan.

Sprinkle with coconut, then

bake until lightly golden, about 18-20 minutes. Set crust aside.

To make filling whisk together eggs, lemon juice,

flour,

sugar, zest and salt. Sprinkle the blueberries over the crust,

then pour the lemon filling over the top.

Place into the oven and bake 15-18 minutes or until filling is set.

Cool completely. Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

One year ago: Chipotle Beef Ribs
Two years ago: Black Bean and Veggie Quesadillas
Three years ago: Chicken with Zucchini and Mushrooms
Four years ago: Banana Sherbet
Five years ago: Summer Pasta

Find more goodness at Hearth and Soul, Cast Party, What's Cooking, What's Cooking 2, Yuck Stops Here, Full Plate, Showcase Your Talent, Foodie Friday, Foodie Friday 2, Friday Flash, Friday Frenzy.

Lemon Blueberry Coconut Bars

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Lemon Filling:
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup fresh blueberries

To make crust combine flour, powdered sugar and salt in a bowl. Add butter pieces, vanilla and coconut then mix with hands until crumbly. (Alternatively, you can pulse the ingredients together in a food processor.) Press evenly into the bottom of a greased 8" baking pan. Bake at 350 until lightly golden, about 18-20 minutes. Set crust aside.

To make filling whisk together eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Add lemon zest and juice and mix until combined thoroughly.

Pour lemon filling over the hot crust then sprinkle blueberries evenly on top of the filling.

Place into the oven and bake 15-18 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely. Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Recipe Source: For the Love of Cooking

Blackberry Ice Cream

Hooray! It's ice cream season again! Time to get out the ice cream maker and fill your summer with yummy frozen treats. There is no shortage of delicious ice creams to try. I started my summer with blackberry ice cream this year. I'm all for coconut, mocha, chocolate, peanut butter, pistachio ice creams, but the fruity versions are wonderful too. And this one is so easy! Puree all the ingredients, throw it in the ice cream maker, and let it churn. No cooking and no fussing. You'll have delicious homemade ice cream in no time.

Combine the cream, milk

blackberries, salt, vanilla and sugar

in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add to ice cream maker

and churn until soft serve stage. Transfer to a freezer safe container

and freeze until more set up.

One year ago: Strawberry Rhubarb Baked Oatmeal
Two years ago: Cherry Berry Almond Streusel Tart
Three years ago: Crispy Orange Beef
Four years ago: Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream
Five years ago: Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

Blackberry Ice Cream

1 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add to ice cream maker and churn until soft serve stage. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze until more set up.

Blueberry Yogurt Cake

The theme for this month's Improv Challenge is berries and cream. I can think of countless ways to interpret that, and they would all be delicious. I chose to go with a blueberry yogurt cake, trying to increase the health factor ever so slightly in a cake... the result was wonderful. This is a relatively dense cake so you can cut it into small pieces. It would work well as a dessert or as a breakfast or coffee break treat. The lemony glaze really puts it over the top, and there are so many blueberries that you will be sure to taste them in every bite.

In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, oil,

lemon zest, sugar

and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, and mix until just combined. Add in 1 1/4 cup blueberries

and gently stir to incorporate.

Pour batter into a greased 11x7 pan. Lightly sprinkle 1/4 cup remaining blueberries over the top.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until top is domed and set or a toothpick comes out clean, and edges of cake are just browning and beginning to slightly pull away from sides of pan. Allow cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack.

While cake cools, make the glaze by combining lemon juice,

vanilla, and powdered sugar in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Adjust the lemon juice and sugar ratios until the glaze reaches a good consistency and flavor. Drizzle glaze over cake.

You'll want to serve this right after you glaze it. If you bake the cake ahead of time, wait to glaze it until right before you serve it.

One year ago: Best of Summer Recipes
Two years ago: Baby Bella "Fries"
Three years ago: Shaved Asparagus and Boursin Pizza
Four years ago: Cherry Chicken Salad
Five years ago: Frosty Coffee Pie

Find more great stuff at Full Plate, Showcase Your Talent, Tickle my Tastebuds.

Blueberry Yogurt Cake

3 eggs
2-6 oz. containers up Greek blueberry yogurt
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, divided

For the Lemon Vanilla Glaze
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup+ powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, sugar, oil, lemon zest, vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, and mix until just combined. Fold in 1 1/4 cup blueberries and gently stir to incorporate.

Pour batter into a greased 11x7 pan. Lightly sprinkle 1/4 cup remaining blueberries over the top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, or until top is domed and set or a toothpick comes out clean, and edges of cake are just browning and beginning to slightly pull away from sides of pan. Allow cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack.

While cake cools, make the glaze by combining lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and powdered sugar in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Adjust the lemon juice and sugar ratios until the glaze reaches a good consistency and flavor. Drizzle glaze over cake and serve immediately. (If you bake the cake ahead of time, wait to glaze it until right before you serve it.)

Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

An InLinkz Link-up

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Pasta

Two things I love: using seasonal ingredients and using as few pans as possible when making dinner. This meal makes me so happy cause it takes advantage of both! When I saw this recipe for Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Pasta on Jamie's blog, Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom, I knew it would be perfect for this month's Secret Recipe Club. I love the crunch of the asparagus against the creaminess of the pasta and the chewiness (in a good way!) of the chicken. Jamie didn't have mushrooms in her dish, but I added them, cause I think they make everything better! (You could, of course, leave out.) This dish reminded me a lot of one of my other favorite summer dishes, chicken and zucchini with pasta. But I love asparagus, even more than zucchini, so I'm so glad to have found this recipe. It will become a regular part of the dinner rotation at my house. Thanks, Jamie!

Start by cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente.

As the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add in the asparagus, mushrooms and minced garlic

and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes to the skillet.

Saute another 2 minutes. Toss in the cooked chicken.

Combine the broth, milk, cream cheese

and half of the Parmesan, then add it to the skillet

and stir until well combined and the cream cheese is melted and smooth.

Drain the pasta, then add it to the skillet,

and stir until all the pasta is coated. Top with additional Parmesan, and serve hot!

Happy seasonal, minimal pot usage, cooking!

One year ago: Raspberry Crumb Bars
Two years ago: Whole Wheat Blueberry Donuts
Three years ago: Berrymisu
Four years ago: Blueberry Ice Cream Tart
Five years ago: Oriental Coleslaw

Find more great ideas at Mouthwatering Mondays, Inspiration Monday, Mix it Up, Melt in Your Mouth, Recipe Sharing, Totally Talented, Create Link inspire, Clever Chicks, Try a New Recipe, Share Your Stuff, Tasty Tuesday, Happily Homemade, Cast Party, What's Cooking, What's Cooking 2, The Yuck Stops Here.

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus Pasta

8 oz small to medium pasta shapes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup chicken broth
4 oz. cream cheese (light is ok)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente.

As the pasta is cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute the asparagus, mushrooms and minced garlic for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Saute another 2 minutes. Toss in the cooked chicken.

Add the broth, milk, cream cheese and half of the Parmesan to the skillet and stir until well combined and the cream cheese is melted and smooth.

Drain the pasta, then add it to the skillet, and stir until all the pasta is coated. Top with additional Parmesan, and serve hot!

Serves 6-8.

An InLinkz Link-up

Butterscotch, Toffee and Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is one of the most amazing flavor combinations I have tasted in a cookie. I already love butterscotch, but throw in some toffee and milk chocolate chips, and whoa, deliciousness. These cookies are easy to make, and easy to eat. Now that school's out, gather the little ones you love and enjoy time together baking!

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars

together until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Slowly add the flour,

salt, baking soda, and baking powder to the creamed mixture. Mix until flour is just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips,

butterscotch chips,

and toffee bits.

Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto a parchment paper-lined or silpat-lined baking sheet, placing the cookies 2-inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Pour a tall glass of milk and enjoy!

One year ago: Snickers Cheesecake Bars
Two years ago: Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
Three years ago: Creamy Avocado and Shrimp Wontons
Four years ago: Buckeye Brownies
Five years ago: Italian Sausage and Bow Ties

Find more deliciousness at Full Plate Thursday, Showcase your Talent.

Butterscotch, Toffee and Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup Heath Toffee Bits

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Mix until flour is just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and toffee bits.

Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto a parchment paper-lined or silpat-lined baking sheet, placing the cookies 2-inches apart. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Two Peas