The Cheesecake Factory

Utah is finally on the map, now that we have our very own Cheesecake Factory! What took it so long to make it to the beehive state? My husband and I used to drive to Las Vegas to feast on their delicious delicacies, but thankfully not anymore...Along with the obvious selection of incredible desserts, The Cheesecake Factory boasts an extensive menu (around 17 pages long) filled with drinks, appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, seafood, tacos, and steaks. From Chinese to Mexican, Italian to American cuisine, there is something for everyone on the menu. The prices are fairly reasonable (around $20 per person), and the portions are unbelievably generous. And while I've sampled just about everything from their kitchen, I have to admit that I've liked every item I've ordered.Of course before you leave, don't forget to order yourself a slice of cheesecake to go. My favorites include the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake (pictured above) and the Chocolate Raspberry Truffle. With flavors like Peanut Butter Cup, Banana Cream, Lemon Raspberry and plain old New York Cheesecake, how can you possibly go wrong? Happy eating!

Red Raspberry Crunch

This tart and cool dessert is a perfect summertime treat. Make sure you use fresh raspberries from your garden, or the local vegetable stand. (You may also substitute strawberries, boysenberries or blackberries if you wish.) Bon Appetit!
You will need:

3 cups crushed pretzels
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 package cream cheese
2 cups whipped cream
1 cup sugar
2 (3 oz.) packages Raspberry Jello
2 cups pineapple juice
2-3 cups fresh garden raspberries

Tie on your apron. In a medium bowl combine pretzels, melted butter and sugar. Mix together and spread over a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Put in fridge to chill.

With your Kitchen Aid, beat together cream cheese, whipped cream, and sugar until smooth. Spread over cooled pretzel crust and put in fridge to chill.

On the stove top, bring pineapple juice to a simmer, and dissolve two packages of Raspberry Jello. Let Jello cool, and add fresh raspberries. Pour raspberry mixture over top of cream filling and let harden in fridge for 1 hour. Serve chilled (makes 10-15 servings). Happy eating!

Time for dessert!

I'm always on the hunt for adorable, sassy decor for my home... Recently, I was over at my dad's house for Sunday dinner, and was admiring his darling little kitchen clock. "Dad, I want that someday," I casually remarked.

"Take it," he said. "It doesn't keep time very well." (My dad is nothing, if not meticulous about punctuality.)

"Sweet!" I cheered.

Yes, sweet indeed! This lovely plate clock actually works just fine, but even if it didn't I'd still hang it in my house. It's just darling! It was given to our family by a friend many years ago, and although I've turned it over to check for tags or stamps, there is no indication as to where this delicate trifle of a dessert was made, or even purchased. Oh well. It now sits in my kitchen, cheerfully ticking away the hours as I type on the computer.

Who says you can't have your cake and decorate with it too?

tart n' tangy

One of my first jobs was working in a smoothie shop (which has since gone out-of-business) called Mayberries. I worked there on and off for over three years, and in that time I've accumulated a lot of great drink recipes. My husband and I love fruit smoothies, but I'm always disappointed when I go to some of the other juice chains. Nothing compares to Mayberries! As a result, I've been blending a lot at home, and I decided to share one of the simplest and best smoothie recipes I know.

Tart n' Tangy

You will need:
1 can Kern's nectar (peach, mango, papaya, or guava)
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup fresh or frozen peaches
3-6 generous scoops orange sherbet

Tie on your apron. Start blending the juice and fruit first. Add scoops of sherbet and stop continuously to stir and pack into blender. Most home blenders can't handle the workload of the heavy-duty blenders you see in smoothie shops. The key to a good home smoothie is patience! Just keep re-packing and stirring as you blend, and your smoothie will have a nice, thick consistency. Makes 2-4 servings.

*helpful hint* No ice! Nothing ruins a smoothie like chunks of ice floating in it. Ice is great if you're making a natural drink (ie: yogurt, fruit, honey, ice), but not if you're creating more of a dessert-style smoothie. Enjoy!

tropical treat

Has anyone else seen these? I love these things! I originally bought them years ago when my husband and I were dating. We would walk down the street to the local gas station and dig them out of their freezer. Flash forward a few years later: I'm shopping at Costco, and there they are, just sitting in the ice cream section. Imagine my unexpected delight!

I'm a sucker for anything with a tropical fruit flavor, and these bad boys hit the spot. With flavors like coconut, pineapple, orange and lemon, how can you possibly go wrong? Island Way sorbets are served in perfect portions, and come in their own cute little fruit cup. Best of all? Most of them are low-fat. The lemon sorbet is only 50 calories and 9 grams of sugar. It's like a tropical summertime treat, right in the middle of January.

Chunky Monkey

Honestly, does it get any better than this? Banana ice cream with chunks of semi-sweet chocolate and chopped walnuts. It’s like eating those delicious chocolate- covered frozen bananas at Disneyland. This is my version of the perfect summertime treat. What is your favorite Ben & Jerry’s?