Wednesday Winners PLUS!

Since I was gone at a comp in Palm Desert last weekend, I didn't get to try as many recipes as usual. But don't fret, this post will be worth your while. If anyone was wondering, Caleb and I did really well at the Desert Classic. We took first! And we even got to do a solo dance at the beginning. I think all of Caleb's dreams came true that night. haha

Here we are after the awards. Something awesome that they do these days is actually stream the comp live on the internet. They have the videos on there now if you are ever interested in watching. The site is paradigmdigital.tv.

Our favorite recipes this week are all kind of dessert-y but who doesn't like dessert. Let's not kid ourselves here.
First up: Coconut Milk Ice Cream
*I got this recipe from my friend and neighbor Katie and we made it together this week. Sooooo delicious especially with fresh fruit on top.

Ingredients:
1 can coconut milk (not light)
Silk coconut milk (to equal 3 cups)
3/4 c. Sugar (I tried it again with only 1/2 c and it was plenty sweet.)
dash salt
1 tsp vanilla

Put the can of coconut milk in a pyrex measuring bowl and add the silk until it reaches 3 cups. Add everything else in and then stick it in your ice cream maker following the instructions for your particular maker. I have an ice-cream maker attachment for my Kitchenaid so I poured the batter into the bowl while it was on stir and let it mix for about 18 minutes or so. You could eat it right away or let it harden a little more in the freezer.
What I like:
-Dairy free
-Less than 90 calories/serving (1/2 cup serving)
-Quick and easy!

Next: Peanut Butter Banana Green Smoothie
*This is a recipe I have kind of made up through adapting a couple other recipes I have had in the past. I have literally been addicted to this smoothie lately. I use it as a lunch replacement.

Throw all of these into a blender: (Blendtec and Vitamix work best)
-1 banana
-1 cup silk coconut milk, unsweetened
-handful of spinach
-4-5 frozen strawberries
-1 T Peanut Butter
-1 T agave or other natural sweetener (could omit this)
-1 T unsweetened cocoa
Ice! I love my smoothies very icy so I add about 4 or 5 cubes
What I like:
-This tastes so yummy especially with the frozen strawberries.
-It is only about 250 calories for the whole smoothie and I will often split it.
-It is sweet but still green!

Lastly: Eclair Cake

*This was a regular dessert my roomate Lauren would make all the time in the 4 years I lived with her. It was definitely a go-to and it tastes just like an eclair!

Make the night before!

Ingredients:
2 large packages vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
1 12 oz cool whip
graham crackers
Ingredients for the chocolate frosting on the Hershey's cocoa box

Directions:
Whisk the puddings with the milk until thickened. Stir in cool whip. Line a 9x13 with graham crackers. Spread half the pudding mixture on top. Another graham layer. The rest of the pudding. Graham crackers, and then the chocolate frosting. Store in the fridge over night so the graham crackers can soften and enjoy! So good!
What I like:
-EASY
-FAST
-Makes a lot and is a crowd pleaser. This is a great summer dessert because it requires no baking whatsoever.

Now for the PLUS part of my post. A tutorial. Some of you may have seen this wreath that I made this week:

I need to be honest with myself and realize that craft things don't sell very well in Utah because everyone just wants to make it themselves. So I figured I'd save you the hassle of trying to find the tutorial and give you the link. I got the tutorial here.

I made some slight modifications to mine since I was asked to make it a year-round wreath rather than a Christmas wreath, and to make it for a larger door. This wreath is about 20 inches in diameter. It took quite a bit of time and several trips to the craft store to make sure I had everything but it was a really fun project. I love the antique look and the idea of using sheet music. It adds a whole new dimension to the wreath.

Hope you are having a great week! Only two more days until the weekend!