Brownie and Ice Cream Pops

The last few days have really been about two things and two things only: Scandal and these brownie pops I'm sharing with you at some point in this post. I say at some point because first, we talk about Scandal.

I finally got around to signing up for Netflix this past weekend, and I immediately set to watching Scandal, which then took over my week. I am not much of a TV person, and I spend most of my TV time flipping back and forth between the Food Network/Cooking Channel, Veria Living, and of course my beloved Bravo. But Scandal gripped me from the start and left me with so many questions, thoughts and emotions: Where can I get a shawl coat like Olivia? Why has no one mentioned that Fitz looks like a hot/less slimy version of Anthony Weiner with Don Draper's voice? When will the tears stop after watching "Seven Fifty-two"? LOL at Mellie's voice sounding like Batman when she's angry. How much of this show represents reality? Why didn't I start this show sooner?!?!

Needless to say, I am obsessed. (Thankfully, Alyssa is too, so I am not alone.)

I like to accompany my nighttime TV viewing with a snack, and for my Scandal sessions the last few nights it's been half one of these brownie and ice cream pops. (Told you I'd get to it eventually.) I had a few leftover from a batch I made last week, so they have been my go-to snack. They were inspired by these brownie with peanut butter swirl vanilla ice cream lollipops me and my friend Megan had at lunch earlier this summer, and I finally got around to recreating them. They really couldn't be easier, and best of all, they are customizable. I really loved the original ones we had, but I couldn't resist making a Nutella brownie with vanilla ice cream combo. Any type of brownie works, any type of ice cream works. The combinations are truly endless.

However, as much as I love them, I will be skipping them tonight for the season three premiere with a much more appropriate snack: some popcorn and red wine.

Brownie and Ice Cream Pops
servings vary

Goat Cheese Croquettes

When I went to Rhode Island last month, I had no idea of the reputation Providence had as being a destination for food. I was really expecting seafood, seafood, and more seafood, so I was quickly excited about what else PVD had to offer. As I did in Maine, Google and Yelp searches were my friend in picking dinner spots, and again, they did not disappoint.

Dinner on the last night in RI was at a little out-of-the-way place called CAV, where we had an amazing evening of drinks and dinner.  The whole meal from start to finish was excellent, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would definitely have to be the appetizer I had: goat cheese croquettes with a balsamic reduction. There are times when a meal had out must be recreated, and this was surely one of them. How hard could it be?

More like how easy could it be? There are some foods that definitely get better when fried, and while goat cheese didn't immediately come to mind for me, after having it, it makes sense. Crispy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside, these croquettes are really too good. I could see them being great as an hor d'oeuvres for a dinner party, in a salad, or as a side to a steak. But of course, you can't go wrong having them as an appetizer, on their own or with a balsamic reduction. Feel free to go all Jackson Pollack on your plate; the more balsamic, the better.

I did make these Paleo/gluten-free, but if you want a non-paleo version fear not! I have a recipe for you right here. 

Goat Cheese Croquettes

printable recipe here

4 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
4 tablespoons almond flour plus dried herb, salt and pepper, to season
1 egg, beaten
Oil for frying

Begin by cutting the goat cheese into desired size and rolling into balls.

Dredge the goat cheese very well in the tapioca flour and set aside.

Coat the dredged goat cheese in the egg and then roll in the almond flour until fully coated. (Any visible goat cheese should be recoated, or else it will leak out into the oil when fried.)

Over medium-high heat, allow the oil to get to frying temperature. Gently drop each croquette into the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove the croquettes from the oil and drain on paper towel. Cool slightly and serve immediately.

Blueberry Crumble

I've tried to resist the feeling, but try as I might, I really can't help it: I'm kind of ready for fall. The feeling started innocently enough while out shopping and just noticing all of the new fall arrivals, but then it became a running list of all the things I wanted to buy for the new season and me wishing the season would be here already. 

While it is definitely one of my favorite seasons to shop for, my wish for fall goes far beyond the clothing; there is truly something extra special about the fall season. The feeling of newness, the smell of cinnamon, the temperatures that are just perfect, my favorite fall activities like apple picking, and of course the food. I've been craving fall foods like crazy lately, but while I'm not ready to dig into apple pie or these fall feelings just yet, a crumble has been the delicious the answer to these pre-fall feelings. 

What I love about a crumble is that it combines the best of both seasons: the very best of summer produce from the berries (purchased at the farmer's market!), and the warm, carby comfort of a fall dessert from the crumble topping. Made complete by a scoop of vanilla ice cream, I really don't mind letting summer linger a bit longer and enjoying it while it last. Soon enough, I'll be wishing it were still here.

Blueberry Crumble (Paleo and gluten-free, printable recipe here)
serves 4

For the filling:
1 pint/2 cups of blueberries
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of cornstarch OR 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder
1/2 a tablespoon of coconut sugar (additional sweetener is optional, especially if the blueberries are already sweet.)*

For the topping:
1 cup of almond flour/meal
1/2 cup of coconut sugar*
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
5 tablespoons of very cold butter

*Brown sugar can be used in place of coconut sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. (The baking sheet is for easy transport of the ramekins and the foil is for any potential blueberry overflow during baking.)

Next, grease the ramekins with butter or a bit of coconut oil, and place on the baking sheet. (These ramekins from Target are my personal favorite.)

For the filling, combine the blueberries, lemon juice, cornstarch or arrowroot powder, and sugar if using. Lightly toss until the blueberries are well coated by the cornstarch/arrowroot. Once complete, fill each ramekin with about 1/2 a cup of the filling.

For the topping, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon. Remove the butter from the fridge, and cut it into tiny chunks. Add it to the flour mixture and using a fork, mix everything together so that the butter breaks down just a bit more, and the mixture is crumbly and starts to resemble sand.

Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the top of the blueberries. Make sure not to pat the mixture down!

Bake the crumbles for about 30 minutes or until the top is a golden brown color and the blueberries are bubbly. Let cool for a bit and serve warm or at room temperature. (Or reheat slightly later on if not eating immediately.) DO NOT forget some vanilla ice cream or gelato!