Dinner (& Wine Mixer): Grilled Pineaches (& Chardonnay)

I have done it! Not only do I have a recipe that works with dinner, but I have a recipe that makes a great wine mixer, too. (Wine is amazing, but Wine Mixers are just so fun to create!)

I call this grilled pineaches [pine-E-chez], because I had a bag of peaches and a bag of pineapples. . (And because I still take pleasure in combining two words to make one rediculous word.) 

Disclaimer: I call anything I put in a skillet, grilled. No grill was used. 

Directions: 

I let my frozen fruit thaw at room temperature for two hours.  

By dinner time, they were pretty soft.  I threw them in a skillet with a 1/4 cup of juice ( I used Passion Fruit Lemonade, because that's what we had on-hand), 2 tablespoons of  brown sugar,  3 tablespoons of  ground cinnamon, and 2 pinches of ground ginger,

I cooked them on medium for 30-45 minutes, stirring regularly.  And sprinkled nutmeg on top when they were done. That's it. An easy, quick side,

These sweet and savory grilled fruits added some balance to our somewhat spicy fried chicken and potato wedges.  And they weren't too sweet or too bitter, so the husband didn't mind eating them with dinner, and the boys ate them without question or complaint.  

After dinner, the grilled pineaches were absolutely perfect when I added 1/2 cup of them into 1 cup of Chardonnay, and blended it.  It helped cut the bitter after-taste of the Chardonnay.

And although I did not try it, I think these would be wonderful with vanilla ice cream. I will buy some ice-cream tomorrow, and top it with the leftovers and let ya'll know! 

Because of their flexibility and catchy name, Grilled Pineaches just may be my new favorite recipe. 

Kitchen Creations: Cheese & Crackers

Okay, you may think this is a filler post, but I really wanted to share this ...

When we were kids my mom would make this snack for us.  We'd eat it all up over giggles and homework, and it was me and my little brother's favorite thing! This magical snack is cheese & saltine crackers.  I know, it's not really that great sounding. And to most, it's not blog-worthy.  But this is a snack that speaks to my soul, so I'm dedicating a post to it.

My mom would tear up the cheese (any kind of cheese), put it on a cracker and microwave it until the cheese bubbles. So, I do the same for my kids.  And it's as big of a hit with them as it was with me.  I'm lying; I love it way more than them.  But they love it enough, we have even made a lunch out of it by adding meat (tuna, turkey, ham, bologna, etc.) to the crackers before microwaving and pairing it with celery or fruit on the side. Sometimes I even give them ranch to dip it in. 

I don't know whether it's because the snack itself brings me back to a happy place full of fond memories, or if it's because of the convenience (the ingredients are always on hand), or if it's just that good. But there's something about these simple cracker snacks I just had to share! 

Kitchen Creations: Frozen FruitSauce

I could not think of a good name for these. But I promise you they taste better than they sound. 

They are fun, easy to make, and quick to prepare. 

So even if you only have 5 minutes, that's plenty of time to grab your tot and get some quality time in. OR just do it by yourself if you want. 

You need: 
1.Applesauce
2.Fruit of your Choice - cut and drained (I used canned pears)
3. Popsicle Mold OR a Rubber Ice Cube Tray
4. Funnel [optional]

Here's what you do: 
1. Pour apple sauce into mold or tray (with or without funnel).
2. Add fruit
3. Freeze

 I used the funnel to cut down on messes with the applesauce. My boys held it, and I poured the applesauce in. Mommy did not feel like cleaning up any extra messes today! But they did do the fruit by themselves. 

...

You can layer the fruit and applesauce however you want if you have the popsicle mold. And these make pretty cute bites if you're using the ice tray! 

...

The best thing about these treats is: they are awesome for breakfast- especially in the summer time. 

Healthy, fast, and frozen. Pair it with a granola bar and you have a pretty awesome start to your day!

(Just remember: These are frozen treats; Not so good for kids to take on the go.)