Peanut Butter Coconut Ice Cream and Surprises!

Hello Everyone!
We've been a little slower to the blogging recently because we are making some changes! I don't want to give away too much, but soon you can expect to see a very exciting "facelift" to our blog. We've all done so much growing over the last few months and it's time for our little blog to grow too!
In the meantime, I wanted to post a yummy recipe for ice cream (since it is Summer!!!). Enjoy!
xo ginny

PEANUT BUTTER COCONUT ICE CREAM

A heavy-duty blender (such as a Vita-Mix) makes quick work of this frozen treat, but a regular blender will get the job done if you just keep turning it off and pushing down the ice cubes. Or you can simply blend all the ingredients, chill, and process in an ice cream maker.

Ingredient List

Serves 6

• 1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup Organic maple syrup
• 1/2 cup Organic crunchy peanut butter
• 1 tsp. Fair Trade vanilla extract
• 1 cup French vanilla soy creamer, divided

Directions

1. Purée coconut milk, maple syrup, peanut butter, and vanilla in blender until smooth. Pour mixture into 2 ice cube trays, and freeze solid. Transfer to resealable plastic bags if storing for more than 2 days.
2. Place half of ice cream cubes and 1/2 cup soy creamer in blender, and process until smooth and creamy. Repeat with second tray of cubes and remaining ½ cup soy creamer.

an en Famille Friday night dinner

(Here is the continuation of "The Wedding Dress" post. Enjoy!)

So the dress was bought and I asked Jenna and Mitch to meet up with us for dinner.
We then of course told  Benji, our nephew, to meet us too, and happily he was available as well. Looking for company and food. (what 18 year old isn't)

Our 4 boys are all in town together at the moment, the joy overwhelming. Our oldest Scott had his friend Katherine with him. (adore this girl, and promised her mom, I would be there for anything she might need-extra great feeling she was there as well).

Life was simple and beautiful sitting under the steamy, starry So Florida night, tropical breezes making it so comfortable. We were having at least 5 conversations at once, I looked around at this table of loved ones and felt like the matriarch of this crew,  surrogate to some, fill in for others.  It felt like I was the lucky one. It made growing older seem something so beautiful instead of fraught with concern.

It hit me growing old with grace is something so powerful. Xo ginny

The Wedding Dress...

 It is funny, this blog has become such an outlet for me, I feel like you are part of my life. On Friday I had a day I will never forget and couldn't wait to put it here into words, in print so I can carry the day with me always, and hopefully you could relate in some way or another.

My niece Jenna is my sister Audrey's oldest child, her only daughter.  Audrey passed away from breast cancer 4 years ago this past April.

Jenna got engaged about 6 weeks ago to her very long term boyfriend Mitch.
Was it a surprise this engagement?- absolutely not, but the joy and excitement was beyond measure.

This past Wednesday I got an excited call from Jenna they have moved the wedding up drastically. They want to get married in December. Action was needed, within 2 minutes my dear friend Lauren Halpern was brought in as the party planner.

Thursday evening, another call came from Jenna, she had walked into Ever After in Coconut Grove and thought she might have found the dress of her dreams. Could I hurry and come the next day. You better believe I could. So there I found myself, alone with my niece as we planned, and dreamed together of her big day.

Was the dress perfect...so perfect. Was the moment beautiful, yes beyond. Surreal too as I am the mother of 4 sons buying a wedding dress. Such an honor and privilege for me, to be the one she called on to say- Aunt Ginny-I need you now. I was worried about stepping on the toes of her step mom and future mother-in-law. I followed her lead and she honored me so.
I got in my car alone after, and let the tears stream, life has it's moments of pure joy, tinged with just hints of sadness that make the sweet moments sweeter.

Now of course there is no holding me back, a wedding to plan!!! The tears are flowing, the sentiment is raw. And once again I utter the words I always do in times of gratitude "from my mouth to G-d's ears, I know I am so lucky to be living the life I am"
Xo  ginny

It's Friday!

It's finally here...Friday. I'm hoping that means you will be spending some quality time with the ones you love this weekend. I wanted to share this recipe for GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA DOUGH. Everyone needs a pizza night from time to time :). So gather up the troops, make a fresh pizza, and maybe watch a good movie. Enjoy! xo ginny

GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA DOUGH

Makes two 12-inch pizza crusts

2 to 2 1/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup warm water (about 100-degrees F)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus an extra tablespoon or two for drizzling)
1 In a medium-size bowl or the bowl of your food processor, place the flour, xanthan gum, yeast, sugar, and salt and stir to combine.
2 To the flour mixture, add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the water in a steady stream, either pulsing in a food processor or mixing with a spoon or fork to combine. If you are using a food processor, pulse while streaming in the water, until a ball begins to form. Otherwise, stir constantly while streaming in the water and continue stirring until the mixture begins to come together. If the dough is very sticky, add some more flour a tablespoon at a time, and stir or pulse to combine. Press the dough into a disk.
3 Place the dough in another medium-size bowl and drizzle it with olive oil. Turn the dough it to coat with oil. This will prevent a crust from forming on the dough while it is rising. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm, draft-free area to rise until doubled in volume (1 to 1 1/2 hours).
4 After the dough has risen, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour before rolling out.

when you are where you are supposed to be...

 Tuesday and Thursday mornings are my yoga mornings. I woke up today (Tuesday) and something told me it was a day to be solely focused on the commissary. Well, intuition can be a great thing! The ginnybakes team was off its game today...big muffin problems!! The baking soda was left out of the muffins and the muffins weren't anything like normal. I realized the problem loomed large as orders are promised and need to be fulfilled. We could not get our deliveries out as all the orders today, but one, contained muffins. On top of the baking time we also need time to let them cool before packing them. Everything became a waiting game, and my little production room was becoming more crowded by the moment, as we had so much to package and yet the orders could not get moved out.
I realized pretty quickly it was time to organize, move what we could and take control of the situation, which is definitely becoming easier for me as we go. I remember two months ago trying to figure out how I would ever make my team respect me. I was never a boss before, though my children can tell you I can be pretty bossy. I have learned to be comfortable in my role, pretty easy to do, because I have the most wonderful team.
Eventually the ginnybakes mobile rolled out on its way. My eldest son, having a very busy day ahead of him delivering all the orders.
We learned a lesson today. We are great together, this team of mine. Grace under pressure. We responded to a situation, no one overreacted and life moves on. What seems to be such a crisis at the moment is usually the thing we smile or laugh over after reflecting.  xo ginny

ginnybakes and family

Ginnybakes was mine, and I was really proud of that. As it grew I thought it would be really cool if I could build it bringing in only creative, positive women. I felt strongly that way until I realized that I wanted to bring my boys in, including my biggest, my husband.

They skewed things way over to the male side. Slowly but surely the thought became a reality as ginnybakes grew. I couldn't handle it myself and needed manpower (no pun intended). For the first time ever I told my sons they had to work this summer, and the job was ginnybakes.  I could hold on 'til summer and then I expected them to work for something that potentially one day could be theirs. They all wanted important positions but guess what, they are learning from ground up, how to scoop dough, how to label our dry mixes, label our grab and go packs, and how to fill out invoices, demo, and tend to their assigned stores.
My eldest started today and it was an incredible experience! My current crew is a young one and my son loved their dynamic energy. He was honored when he heard how much they love and believe in ginnybakes.

I believe I am teaching lessons in responsibility, strong people and marketing skills, learning about starting from the ground up. I'm teaching strong work ethics, and what it takes to be respected. Do they learn this in school and sports? Absolutely, but I am once again happy to have ginnybakes,  if not only to be able to pass on more gifts to my boys' lives that will make them better people. xo ginny

Potato and Cauliflower Burritos

School is out the kids are home and you are up and running. If you are thinking on what to make for lunch try this 30 minute recipe that keeps calories down but satisfaction levels up!

You will first need the following:
15-oz can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp canola oil
1 small onion, halved and sliced (1 cup)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 cups small cauliflower florets
1 medium Yukon gold or russet potato
(6oz.), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 tbs chopped cilantro
48-inch flour or whole-wheat tortillas warmed
1 cup grated vegan Monterey Jack cheese

First pulse tomatoes,chipotle chile, and garlic in food processor until coarse puree forms, in the meantime heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and oregano; saute 2minutes. Stir cauliflower, potato, and tomato mixture, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover, and simmer 5 minutes more, or until cauliflower and potato are tender. Stir in Cilantro. Divide cauliflower mixture among tortillas, top with rice, and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up tortillas,top with rice and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up tortillas, leaving one end open.

Enjoy a satisfying lunch

xo ginny

Frittata

Summer has arrived, my refrigerators are filled,  food consumption is way up there. The boys are eating like crazy, they are starved from the beach and their Crossfit workouts. I am thrilled. This is when I am happiest. Kids, friends, noise and sleeping bodies casually draped on couches as the teenagers crash at each other's houses.

I am out early tomorrow exercising then working,  so I have made a frittata for the crew for the morning. Easy to make, delicious and beautiful too.

This one for the boys I made simply as they like.  You can make a frittata with all kinds of different herbs, cheeses and vegetables.

I had leftover roasted sweet potatoes and Yukon Golds. I sliced up the potatoes into a small dice,
added Applegate organic chicken and sage sausage, diced as well and  mixed them into 12 beaten eggs and added salt and pepper with some fresh mozzarella.

I Cook it on the stove top til it sets then put in a preheated oven at 425* for approx 15 minutes. When the top is firm and and set with a beautiful light brown coloring, it is done. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into. Great for breakfast, lunch or a romantic dinner in bed with a glass of wine.
To summer- xo ginny