a good gem

...before I post the rest of our Thailand pictures I wanted to share something that I hold dear to my heart. One of the best purchases in the Clifford kitchen. 

I sometimes am not the best purchaser. I admit it. I am a great taker-backer and a great exchanger, but purchasing real, good, solid items THE FIRST TIME around is where I sometimes struggle. The only time I succeed is when I go to the classic LC (aka Last Chance for all of you who have not had the privilege of giving them your money. It is a little gem in AZ that could be called the DI of Nordstroms. You have to have good walking shoes, a mom to go with you to talk you out of the XL shirt that is way too large but only $1.97 and a credit card. Maybe I'm so successful there because I can't take any of my purchases back. Its a final sale. All or nothing. Or maybe its because I am just real good at buying lots of little things at lots of cheap prices. Anyway, so maybe I take it back. I do succeed at shopping at LC.

(just don't ask Brady, he might beg to differ)

However, recently I made a good purchase outside of Last Chance.  It truly has changed the way brady and I eat. It is the purchase of a BLENDTEC Blender. Go ahead, Youtube "will it blend" and it will change you too. This piece of equipment can make anything! It blends, cooks soup, purees, finely grinds...you put it in, it will chop it. 

                                                   {Blender} Blackberry Frozen Yogurt

                                   

                                {Blender} Blackberry Frozen Yogurt
                                   -adapted from Kitchen Corners

      

                            3 cups Fresh blackberries

                            3 cups Greek Yogurt  {..I used what I had, 1 plain yogurt, 1 lemon greek, & 1 vanilla)         

                            1 can Fat free sweetened condensed milk

            *Add ingredients to your blender, puree. Pour purple mixture into glass container and freeze                 until frozen! 

            Enjoy with a Standard Shortbread Gem topped with fresh blackberries. 

here are other blender Blender recipes that i love...

blender pizza!

we are back! back from thailand and back to life! we had a great grand time and I will post some pictures--oh will I post some pictures. More pictures than will fit in your small time frame at the computer. Until I muster up the time to post them and scan through them all, I have 2 new recipes that  are real winners. I call them Blender Pizza. Creative huh. i came up with the name. And really though, that is just what it is! easy pizza made in the blender!! this recipe is super healthy and a great fast dinner!

Blender Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water

1 Tablespoon dry active yeast

1 Tbsp honey (or agave)

½ cup all purpose flour

1 ½ cup Whole wheat flour (I used part whole wheat pastry flour)

1 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp coarse salt (could use reg table salt)

1 tsp fresh rosemary

1 tsp oregano

¼ tsp garlic powder

Add water, yeast, honey to jar and pulse until combined. Let yeast proof for 5-10 min. Add oil, salt, spices and half of flour to blender and pulse for a couple of seconds. Add the remaining flour a little at a time, pulsing in between. Pulse until all flour is incorporated and dough ball forms.

Leave dough in blender jar and allow to rise until dough is doubled. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put baking stone in oven as it heats up. Sprinkle baking stone with cornmeal and flatten dough. Bake dough for 3-5 min, then place toppings on dough and bake for another 3-5. Enjoy!..sorry don't have a picture of the blender dough:)

Blender Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

2 lbs tomatoes, quartered

1 med. Onion, roughly chopped

8 garlic cloves (I used minced garlic)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon fresh oregano (miced with rosemary and basil)

1 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss all ingredients and spread them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for about 1 hour. Cool slightly and blend well…or just place on pizza. No extra sauce needed! Enjoy.