Linda Cahill has delicious recipes from Pampered Chef for any occasion. Maybe you are celebrating a birthday, an upcoming wedding, or getting together with friends for a day of outdoor fun. No worries, Linda has you covered.

Linda is an Independent Advanced Director at Pampered Chef. Each month she shares tips and recipes from Pampered Chef. This month, Linda has some fun and easy recipes for your table to help cool you down and get you away from a hot stove.

Who doesn’t enjoy a great Sunday brunch or a relaxing party in the backyard?

Whether she’s demonstrating products for Pampered Chef while preparing delicious recipes at a Pampered Chef party, helping in her parish, entertaining friends, and family, or making a meal for a sick friend, Linda always knows, “What’s for Dinner?”

ICED COFFEE VARIATIONS

INGREDIENTS:

Variations : 

Easy Iced Coffee: 

8 Cups (2000 mL) strong brewed coffee, cooled

1-1/2 cups (250- 375 mL) half & half

1/3 cup (75 mL) sugar 

Caramel Iced Coffee: 

8 cups (2000 mL) strong brewed coffee, cooled

1-1/2 cups (250-375 mL) half & half

¼ cup (60 mL) caramel sauce

2 Tbsp. + 2  tsp (40 mL) sugar

Coconut Iced Coffee:

8  cups (2000 mL) hot strong brewed coffee

1 cup (250 mL) cream of coconut

1 cup (250 mL) half & half

Note: Cream of coconut blends best into hot coffee.

Chocolate – Coconut Iced Coffee

1 cup (250 mL) cream of coconut

1 cup (250 mL) half & half

½ cup (125 mL) chocolate syrup

Note: Cream of coconut blends best into hot coffee. 

DIRECTIONS:

Choose the Iced Coffee variation. 

Place ingredients in Family-Size Quick Stir Pitcher. Plunge to blend.

Serve immediately with ice.

Yield: 8 servings

Cook's Tips:

Dark roast coffees work best for Iced Coffee. 

Coffee Ice cubes: Pour extra Iced Coffee mixture into the Herb Freezing Tray Set. Cover and freeze; add to Iced Coffee. 

Ingredients may be cut in half for 4 servings. 

Substitute milk or almond milk for half & half.

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE QUICKSICLES

INGREDIENTS:

½   banana

2 oz. (60 g) fresh strawberries

½ cup (125 mL) orange juice

Optional toppings: honey or granola

DIRECTIONS:

Place the banana and strawberries in the Manual Food Processor and process until very finely chopped. Add the juice and process until combined.

Pour the mixture into the wells of the Quicksicle Maker and freeze until set. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with granola.

Yield: 3 servings

Nutrients per serving:

U.S. Nutrients per serving: Calories 40, Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 0 mg, Carbohydrate 10 g, Fiber 1 g, Sugars 7 g, Protein 1 g

CHOCOLATE- ALMOND OVERNIGHT OATS

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (125 mL) old-fashioned or quick oats

2 tbsp. (30 mL) slivered almonds

1 tbsp. (15 mL) chia seeds

1 tsp. (5 mL) cocoa powder

1 tsp. (5 mL) brown sugar

2/3 cup (150 mL) unsweetened almond milk

1/4 banana, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

Place oats, almonds, seeds, cocoa powder, and brown sugar in Make & Take Snack Jar; stir to mix. 

Carefully add almond milk and banana; stir to blend.

Top with lid. 

Place in refrigerator and let stand overnight. 

Yield: 1 serving

Nutrients per serving: Calories 350, Total Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 125 mg, Carbohydrate 48 g, Fiber 11 g, Protein 11 g 

Cook's Tips: To prepare multiple servings, the recipe can be multiplied up to four times and assembled in Make & Take Mason Jar. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

STRAWBERRY- LEMONADE QUENCHER

INGREDIENTS:

10 cups of cold water

1 can (10 ounces) frozen non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri mix, thawed

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (4 to 5 large lemons)

3/4 cup sugar

Whole strawberries (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients except strawberries in Family-Size Quick-Stir® Pitcher.

Plunge until contents are thoroughly mixed.

Garnish each glass with a strawberry, if desired. Serve chilled.

Yield: 12 servings of 1 cup

Nutrients per serving: Calories 120, Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 31 g, Protein 0 g, Sodium 5 mg, Fiber 0 g

CALIFORNIA SPRING ROLLS

INGREDIENTS:

Sauce

1/2 cup (125 mL) mayonnaise

2 tbsp. (30 mL) rice vinegar

2 tbsp. (30 mL) chopped fresh cilantro

4 tsp. (20 mL) wasabi paste

1 tsp. (5 mL) sesame oil

Spring Rolls

1 lb. (450 g) cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed (about 3 cups/750 mL), coarsely chopped

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

2 large carrots, peeled

1 medium seedless cucumber

2 avocados

12 (8-in./20-cm) rice wrappers

1 cup (250 mL) water

DIRECTIONS:

Combine sauce ingredients in Small Batter Bowl; whisk until blended. Reserve 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the sauce for shrimp. Cover remaining sauce; refrigerate until ready to serve. Coarsely chop shrimp using Chef's Knife. Combine shrimp, reserved sauce, and salt in Classic Batter Bowl; mix well. Cut carrots and cucumber into long julienne strips using Julienne Peeler. Peel and slice avocados into 24 slices.

Moisten both sides of one rice wrapper with water using Chef's Silicone Basting Brush. Arrange a portion of the carrots and cucumber on half of the wrapper to within 1/2 in. (1 cm) of the edges. Top with 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the shrimp mixture and avocado slices. Fold the sides of the wrapper in toward the center; roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining wrappers, vegetables, and shrimp. Cut spring rolls in half diagonally. Serve with sauce.

Yield: 24 servings of 1/2 spring roll

Nutrients per serving: Calories 100, Total Fat 7 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Carbohydrate 6 g, Protein 4 g, Sodium 160 mg, Fiber 1 g

U.S. Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1/2 starch, 1/2 low-fat meat, 1/2 fat (1/2 carb)

Cook's Tips:

Rice wrappers are often called rice paper. They can be found in the Asian section of most major grocery stores. Brushing the rice wrappers with water will make them soft and easy to roll. Be sure to soften them just prior to filling and rolling them as they can become delicate and easily torn if they absorb too much moisture.

FRESH MANGO SALSA

INGREDIENTS:

1 small red bell pepper, cut into chunks

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and quartered

1 tsp. (5 mL) lime zest

2 tbsp. (30 mL) lime juice

¼ tsp. (1 mL) salt

⅓ cup (75 mL) cilantro leaves, loosely packed

2-3 large ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into chunks (or 1 lb./450 g frozen, thawed, and drained)

DIRECTIONS:

Add the bell pepper, jalapeno, lime zest, juice, and salt to the food processor bowl. Pulse until coarsely chopped, about 8 times.

Add the cilantro and top with the mango (this helps blend evenly). Pulse until coarsely chopped and well blended, about 12 times.

Yield: 12 servings

Nutrients per serving: U.S. nutrients per serving: Calories 40, Total Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 50 mg, Carbohydrate 9 g, Fiber 1g, Sugars 8 g (includes 0 g added sugar), Protein 1 g

Cook's Tips:

This recipe was developed in our Test Kitchen to highlight the power and functionality of our cordless Flex+ system. This recipe will also work in your kitchen with your current hand mixer, immersion blender, and/or food processor.

Want to learn more about a cordless solution that will take up less space in your kitchen cabinets than your current tools? Check out the Flex+ Multi-Prep Set!

CRANBERRY FROSE 

INGREDIENTS:

1 bottle (750 mL) dry rosé wine (see cook’s tip)

1 cup (250 mL) cranberry juice cocktail (see cook’s tip)

½ cup (125 mL) orange juice

½-1 tsp (2-5 mL) Cinnamon Plus™ or five-spice powder (see cook's tip)

Optional: Sliced blood orange

DIRECTIONS:

Pour the wine into a large, zipper-sealed freezer bag. Freeze overnight, or until the wine is frozen. The alcohol won’t freeze in the wine, so it’ll look like a thick slush.

Combine the cranberry juice cocktail, orange juice, and spices in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

Pour the juice mixture into the pitcher of a blender. Add the frozen wine and blend on CUSTOM, speed 6, until fully incorporated about 10 seconds. (Don’t over-blend—this will cause the wine to melt.)

Pour evenly into glasses, garnish with a slice of blood orange (optional) and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Cook's Tips: The combination of dry rosé with fruit juice gives this refreshing drink the perfect amount of sweetness.

Use cranberry juice cocktail and orange juice that’s not from concentrate for the best results!

SUMMER FRUIT AND SPINACH SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

Salad

1 pkg. (8 oz/227 g) fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup (125 mL) red seedless grapes

1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh strawberries, stems removed

1 large kiwi, peeled, cut in half lengthwise

1/2 cup (125 mL) pecan halves, toasted

Dressing

1/2 cup (125 mL) vegetable oil

1/3 cup (75 mL) raspberry vinegar

1 tbsp. (15 mL) seedless raspberry jam

1 tbsp. (15 mL) sugar

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

DIRECTIONS:

Place spinach in a large serving bowl. 

Cut grapes with Quick Slice, tip slicer over salad greens. Repeat with strawberries and kiwi. Top with pecans.

For the dressing, combine all ingredients in Measure, Mix & Pour®. Mix until well blended. Drizzle ¼ cup (50 mL) dressing over salad; toss lightly just before serving.

Yield: 8 servings of 1 cup/250 mL

Nutrients per serving: Calories 60, Total Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 35 mg, Carbohydrate 8 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 1 g

Cook's Tips:

Place pecans in Small Micro-Cooker®. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 2 minutes, stirring halfway through or until fragrant. Cool completely.

CLASSIC DELI WRAPS

INGREDIENTS:

1 container (8 ounces) of light cream cheese spread

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce

1 large tomato, seeded and diced

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

6 (8-inch) whole wheat flour tortillas

8 ounces thinly sliced deli ham

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

6 slices of bacon, crisply cooked, drained and crumbled

DIRECTIONS:

Combine cream cheese, mustard, and honey in Small Batter Bowl; mix well using Small Mix 'N Scraper®. Slice lettuce and dice tomato and bell pepper using Chef's Knife.

Using Medium Scoop, top each tortilla with a level scoop of cream cheese mixture; spread to within 1/4 inch of the edge using a Small Spreader. Cover with 1/4 cup lettuce, pressing lightly. Place two ham slices over lettuce. Grate 2 tablespoons cheese over ham using a Rotary Grinder. Top evenly with tomato, bell pepper, and bacon.

Roll up each tortilla tightly. To serve, cut each wrap diagonally in half with Bread Knife.

Yield: 6 servings or 24 sample servings 

Nutrients per serving: Calories 370, Total Fat 18 g, Saturated Fat 8 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Carbohydrate 31 g, Protein 21 g, Sodium 1150 mg, Fiber 3 g

Cook's Tips:

Mix and match ingredients to design your own wrap creation! Experiment with different flavors of flour tortillas such as spinach or sun-dried tomato. Spread tortillas with flavored soft cream cheese or hummus and top with your favorite greens. Layer your favorite deli meats and cheeses over the top. Sprinkle with vegetables such as thinly sliced red or green onions, chopped cucumber, alfalfa sprouts or shredded carrot. Roll up tightly and enjoy your tailored specialty!

STRAWBERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE ICEBOX CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups (500 mL) heavy whipping cream, divided

2 pkg. (4 oz./125 g each) white chocolate bars, chopped

Oil or butter to grease the pan

1 tbsp. (15 mL) sugar

20 crème-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

½ stick (2 oz./60 g) butter, melted

1 qt. (1 L) strawberries, sliced, divided

½ cup (125 mL) seedless strawberry jam, divided

1 tsp. (5 mL) lime zest

1  tsp. (5 mL) lime juice

DIRECTIONS:

Bring ¾ cup (175 mL) of heavy whipping cream to a boil; pour over the white chocolate in a small bowl. Let stand for 3 minutes to melt. Stir until smooth; cool to room temperature, about 1 hour (see cook’s tip).

Grease a 9" (23-cm) springform cake pan and sprinkle with the sugar (see cook’s tip). With the Food Processor running, add the cookies to the bowl, and process until finely ground. Add the melted butter and process until incorporated. Remove the mixture and press firmly over the bottom of the springform pan; refrigerate.

Add 1 cup (250 mL) of the strawberries, ¼ cup (60 mL) of the jam, lime zest, and lime juice to the blending container and puree with the Immersion Blender until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the remaining heavy whipping cream with the Hand Mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the cooled white chocolate mixture into the cream. Add the strawberry puree and fold until just incorporated. Spread the mousse evenly into the prepared crust. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

To make the sauce, combine the remaining strawberries with the remaining jam. Top each slice of cake with the sauce before serving.

Yield: 10-12  servings

Nutrients per serving: U.S. nutrients per serving: Calories 410, Total Fat 28 g, Saturated Fat 16 g, Cholesterol 60 mg, Sodium 105 mg, Carbohydrate 40 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugars 31 g (includes 9 g added sugar), Protein 3 g

Cook's Tips:

If you want to speed up cooling the melted chocolate mixture, you can refrigerate it in 10-minute increments, stirring well after each increment until it’s cooled but still pourable. It’s best not to chill the mixture completely.

The sprinkled sugar on the sides of the cake pan prevents the mousse from sticking to the pan and will melt as the cake chills.

CHOCOLATE BANANA CREAM TRIFLE

INGREDIENTS:

18 whole graham crackers (5 x 2 in./13 x 5 cm), divided

3/4 cup (175 mL) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 container (12 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided (4 cups/1 L)

1 pkg. (3.4 oz/102 g) banana cream or vanilla instant pudding and pie filling

1 cup (250 mL) milk

1 lemon

4 large bananas

DIRECTIONS:

Finely chop half of a graham cracker using Food Chopper; set aside. Coarsely crumble the remaining crackers into a small Bamboo Fiber Mixing Bowl.

For the ganache, place chocolate morsels and 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) of the whipped topping into Small Batter Bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 45-60 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring every 15 seconds. Combine pudding/pie filling and milk in a large Bamboo Fiber Mixing Bowl; whisk until mixture begins to thicken. Fold in remaining whipped topping using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®; set aside.

Juice lemon using a Juicer to measure 2 tbsp (30 mL) juice. Peel bananas and cut them into 1 1/2-in. (4-cm) pieces using Paring Knife. Slice pieces into a medium Bamboo Fiber Mixing Bowl using Egg Slicer Plus®. Add lemon juice and toss gently. Set aside 12 slices for garnish.

To assemble the trifle, place half of the crumbled graham crackers over the bottom of the Trifle Bowl. Place half of the bananas over the crackers and top with one-third of the ganache (see Cook's Tip). Spread half of the banana filling over the ganache, spreading to the edges. Repeat layers one time. Decorate with remaining ganache. Sprinkle top of trifle with chopped graham cracker. Arrange reserved banana slices around the edges of the trifle.

Yield: 16  servings of about 1/2 cup (125 mL)

Nutrients per serving: Calories 240, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 200 mg, Carbohydrate 39 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 3 g

Cook's Tips:

To get a good visual of the ganache layers, spoon ganache into a resealable plastic food storage bag; secure with the Twixit! Clip. Trim the corner of the bag to allow the ganache to flow through. Pipe around the inside edges of the bowl, then drizzle the remaining ganache over the bananas. 

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Email her at lindathechef@gmail.com.