As everyone here knows I am in love with Nocciola Gelato (Hazelnut Italian style ice cream). It is a craving that can never be fulfilled. I always have room for it and I am always searching for it. There are no gelaterias where I live. I do not have an ice cream maker, even though ice cream is by far my favorite dessert. Though you can make home made ice cream without an ice cream maker, it is time consuming. So being that my life has become very busy as of late, I wanted the taste of hazelnut gelato without a lot of the fuss! Then it dawned on me, Semi-Freddo! Freddo means cold in Italian, so Semi-Freddo is basically what it says, kind of cold. It has the creamy soft consistency of gelato, but none of the hassle in making it. I served mine with a dollop of Arance Sanguinelle (Blood Orange) Sorbetto and a shortbread cookie make from the leftovers of the DB tart.

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Well the time has come once again to announce the winner of the Royal Foodie Joust!

Thank you everyone who participated! The recipes and ideas keep getting better each and every month! Please join us for the next Royal Foodie Joust!

Once the 3 ingredients are announced by our winner I will be taking entries until
September 1, 2007.

Now on to the big news!

This month’s winner is Marye of Apron Strings & Simmering Things
with her Batter Fried Chicken With Peach Honey Glaze

The Second Runner Up is Tortreform’s
Challah Bread French Toast with Honey Peach Topping

There is a tie for Third Place:

Honey Peach Pancakes with a Sweet Peach Glaze by Mehgan

And

Baked Maple Egg Custard by Katherine

Thank you to all the winners and participants for making this such a wonderful event!
Can’t wait to see what happens next time!

I know, I know for someone who claims to not like baking, I sure am featuring a lot of cakes this week. I promise you it is a coincidence, not a growing trend…or is it?….;)

This is my entry for this month’s Royal Foodie Joust. If you have not participated, think about participating in the next one! All the details can be found >here.

Also don’t forget to vote for your favorite entry! The polls are up and a new winner will be decided on August 6th. >Click here to vote!

I was asked by several of the participants to join my event this time and I have agreed, with one condition, I will not be competing in the voting process.

The ingredients which were chosen by last month’s winner, Jennifer from >…andtheeggs, are eggs (of course), honey and the season’s beautiful fruit – peaches! There are many wonderful entries already and I am happy to submit mine along with all the others!

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This dessert is the final installment to my Mediterranean Medley class I taught last week at
The Culinaria which is inside Bakers & Cooks here in Ocala, FL.
I developed this recipe to try to emulate the flavors of baklava without all the work involved and without all the sweetness. I know, I know, I love Baklava like the rest of you and I know that the sweetness is what really makes it, but I was looking for a way to introduce people who may not have had baklava to the flavors, or give those who enjoy baklava another take on it. Plus, who doesn’t love ice cream?! Those little banana bites I did a while back were so cute I just wanted to keep the theme of bite sized goodies that are so flavorful and delicious you only need a bite to feel satisfied! These are the perfect little dessert for a BBQ, movie or game night or anytime you feel a craving for a little something sweet!
Also, here is a little reminder - if you would like to participate in the FIRST monthly Leftover Queen Foodie Event - The Royal Foodie Joust, you have until midnight TONIGHT (EST US) to enter. Click here for more details!
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