We put the HAPPY in happy hour.
If you’ll recall, Saturday started out sunny and lovely…
…but turned gray and wet, at an inopportune time.
That’s me, out-paddling the storm. Our day of standup paddleboarding was cut short by a summer rain, but there was fresh guacamole to be had- and nobody hates that. Matt poured a few vodka-limeade cocktails, and we all spent the rest of the evening in the kitchen.
Ya, ya… the guacamole was delish. Fresh and flavorful, spicy with just the right amount of lime. But I had something planned that I suspected would trump anything else that came out of the kitchen. Homemade s’mores ice cream, you guys.
(You’re welcome for that. No, no… trust me.)
So, this was only my second time with the ice cream maker. The first time was a huge success, so I had high hopes with this batch. And how can anything that includes marshmallow fluff be bad?
Basically, I made a rich chocolate ice cream and then mixed melted chocolate chips, fluff, and graham crackers into it. Magical.
But it’s not time for dessert yet! We haven’t even had dinner.
Last time Matt was in town, the three of us made homemade pizzas and John brought out the wine aroma kit. Such a fun night with really good food and really good wine. We were on a mission for culinary joy once again.
Who wants grilled fish tacos? I do! John handled the grill, perfectly searing our ahi tuna (with lovely grill marks). Matt went to work on a fresh pico de gallo and a creamy cilantro sauce. I took care of a couple of side dishes and also made a batch of honey-ginger sparkling lemonade (mostly an excuse to flirt with my juicer). Oh, and Cholula had being ADORABLE covered.
Apparently, a tiny and persuasive voice was calling from the freezer: Taste me. Taste me.
See that ribbon of marshmallow…? But wait, it’s not time for dessert! We haven’t even had dinner yet. Stay focused.
Matt caught that last photo, and I love it. It’s such a good representation of John and me before a meal, concerned about everything being perfect. And it was.
We heated up Rico Mexican rice and refried beans as side dishes. The ahi tuna was chopped and added to the delectable mixture on our flour tortillas: shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, cilantro crema, sliced avocado.
Matt’s plate was by far the prettiest, but they all tasted incredible. The tuna was seared, so it kept its flavor but with a little added char. The pico and cilantro sauce Matt created didn’t cover the flavor of the fish but were spicy and awesome. We sat at the counter, chatting and munching and clinking wine glasses until we were content.
Except for one very important item on the menu.
I asked Matt to describe our homemade s’mores ice cream experience. He threw out words like “complex” and “sensuous” but then uttered a phrase that I think encapsulates our entire food-fantastic afternoon:
If any part of this is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
Oh, there’s more. Stay tuned for Sunday Funday!
the usual bliss 
I have that exact same ice cream maker and this summer it’s been getting quite a bit of use. I think I’m going to have to try out that s’mores recipe… it looks heavenly!
It was easier than it sounded. Basic chocolate and then mix-ins. YUMMY though! Got any favorite ice cream recipes I should try next?
You have to try Alton Brown’s basic vanilla ice cream. Instead of peach preserves we add in other things, the last time we added a homemade salted caramel, the time before that was dark chocolate and before that we made a cherry one.
It’s just a great recipe to add anything to, you’ll have to let me know if you try it. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/serious-vanilla-ice-cream-recipe/index.html
I’ve been dying to try to make salted caramel anything. I always love it when I try it at a restaurant….
All we did was make the basic recipe one day, let is cool in the fridge overnight, make a salted caramel mixture the next day and let it cool. Then combined everything in the ice cream maker, it came out wonderful!
It looks like a wonderful meal and evening! That guacamole looks amazing… I can almost taste it. Chips please! You always look so at ease in the kitchen. It’s fun to see you there.
Thank you, Stacey! I’m getting more comfortable there every day… I wish we had made more guacamole. My brother kind of handled that so I’m not even sure how to do it!
Brothers are the best! My brother is an excellent cook… makes a mean gumbo! Yay for spending time with family. So nice.
Oooooh… I’ve never made gumbo. Yum! Yes, he’s here for work often so we get to see him a lot. Love that!
Oh my, that looks delish!!! BTW I looove your kitchen, very HGTV fabulous 🙂
OMG Thanks! We love it too. I feel pressure to make good food in there since it’s so pretty…!
trust me, with a kitchen like that, I would always be cooking 🙂 [but I probably shouldn’t because I’m supposed to be on a diet :s]
I did 150 sit-ups yesterday instead of the usual 100 I’ve been doing before my wedding… I hear you…!
I was just about to comment on your kitchen too!! Gorgeous!! Looks like a fun dinner:)
Just so fun for all three of us to make dinner together! My favorite thing.
That’s an AMAZING looking dinner. And I’m mildly obsessed with your very sexy knife.
Oh, that’s John’s sexy knife. And he has two. They are pretty awesome… though being clumsy, they also make me nervous…
Party at your house! I need an ice cream maker. Especially since I live in Arizona.
I have been surprised at how easy it is to make ice cream at home- and how GOOD it is. The options are kind of endless…!