Summertime Coffee Mousse

mousse  (muːs)
1.	a light creamy dessert made with eggs, cream, fruit, etc, set with gelatine

Oh, what a lovely accident!
The temperature was rising and I was in a smoothie mood, so got my blender out.  I was thinking along the lines of  Iced Coffee Nog so I used some leftover coffee that already had gelatin dissolved in it and added some extra milk, 1 egg, a touch of homemade vanilla and sugar.  I blended in a generous portion of ice at the end. What I ended up with was a light, creamy spoon able fluff that was filling, cool and delicious.

Iced Coffee Nog

The weather is finally getting warm, finally.  We had a tease of an 80 degree day the beginning of May, then it snowed.  It's warming up again, hopefully to stay this time.  It's not really too hot for hot coffee yet, but I can hope, can't I?

Ingredients per serving:
1 egg
1-2 TBS cane sugar
1/2 cup cold, strong coffee
1/2 cup whole milk 
or half and half
pinch of salt


Mix all the ingredients in a blender and serve over ice.  You can blend the ice in, but will need to make the coffee stronger to compensate for the extra water. Tastes like Haagen Daz lite.

Hearth and Soul Hop

Irish Soda Bread - GF

Ingredients
3 cups rice flour
1-2 TBS unflavored beef gelatin
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup cane sugar (optional)

1 egg
2 cups milk#

1/4 cup melted coconut oil, butter or lard

• Preheat oven to 325* (I skip this step for my toaster oven.)

• Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.  (Sugar is optional, simply because I forgot to add it the second time I made this and didn't notice.  Ketchup boy noticed.) 

• Set aside.  

• Beat egg and add milk in a separate bowl.  

• Mix egg/milk into dry ingredients and blend.  

• Add melted coconut oil or fat of choice. 

• Blend.  

• Pour ( or plop) bread mix into a greased bread pan.  It rises, but doesn't spread much, so you will need to add it evenly, if you want an even loaf.

• Bake for 65-70 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.  

• Let cool completely on wire rack before cutting.  I made this in the toaster oven in the evening,  let it cool over night and sliced in the morning.

#The original recipe called for buttermilk.  You can sour milk quickly by adding a little ACV, if desired.


Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday

Onion Rings

This was breakfast! 

I have had a love/hate thing with onion rings.  I love onions and nothing smells better than onion rings....but I stopped eating them because they regularly disappointed me.....all batter, no onion.  I have never made onion rings myself before.  I have deep fried onions when already making fries, without batter, and they're tasty, but not the same.  These were light and crisp and just the right balance of batter and onion.

Ummmm, I think I need to go make some more....

Ingredients
1 medium Onion
1 medium Egg
Rice Flour for coating (or corn masa)
Salt
Coconut Oil for frying

1. Heat oil in deep pot.  Make sure to leave room from the top for bubbling oil.
2. Slice onion in rounds perpendicular to the stem/roots ends.
3. Remove skin and ends and save for broth in freezer.
4. Beat egg in small bowl.
5. Pop rings out of onion rounds.
6. Put some flour in a small, wide bowl or plate with sides.
7. Add some salt to the flour or egg at this point.
8. Dip rings in egg, then dip in flour, coating thoroughly. 
9. Place coated rings aside until oil is hot.  
10. Add coated rings in small batches to hot oil.
11. Cook for a few minutes, until desired color, but not too dark.
12. Strain out of oil and place on baking sheet or other wide, oven safe container.
13. Salt more.
14. Keep warm in oven until finished with all the batches.

Bonus step:  When you are finished making onion rings, add the remaining flour to the egg and add some sugar and possibly salt and cream of tartar, if needed.  Drop little balls of dough into the hot oil and fry up the extra.  They cook up fast, so don't turn your back. Oh, and don't forget to turn OFF the oil when you are done cooking.

See Ya In The Gumbo 
Monday Mania 
Totally Tasty Tuesdays 
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday 
Real Food Wednesday

Pan Fried Beets with or without Egg

Pan Fried Beets

Fresh is best for this recipe, but canned would work too.


Heat up some coconut oil with a little butter or bacon grease, if desired. 

1. Add chopped beets, onions an potatoes.  
2. Salt generously.  
3. Cook until tender.  
4. Add a dash or so of fresh ground pepper.
5. Add a dash of ACV or other vinegar (optional)

Eggs and Beets

If you don't need "pretty" add an egg or 2. 

It looks kind of scary but the taste is wonderful!