Houston Restaurants & Food

4th of July Nutty Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients (serves

• 1 package brownie mix (to fill an 8-inch x 8-inch pan)
• 8 scoops Blue Bell Nutty Chocolate Ice Cream (approximately ½ cup each)
• 1 cup purchased fudge sauce
• 1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 4 t. red, white and blue star sprinkles (or more if desired)
• strawberry dessert topping, optional
• blueberry dessert topping, optional

Directions

1. Bake brownies as directed on package. Cool.
2. Cut brownies into eight 2-inch by 2-inch squares.
3. Heat fudge sauce according to manufacturers instructions.
4. Place one brownie square on a dessert dish (use red, white or blue plates if possible).
5. Top with a scoop of ice cream.
6. Cover the ice cream with 2 tablespoons of heated fudge sauce.
7. Add a dollop of whipped topping and sprinkle the topping with approximately ½ teaspoon star sprinkles.
8. If serving the dessert on a white plate, surround the dessert with red and blue 5-pointed stars made with dessert topping (optional).
9. Repeat for each dessert.
10. Serve immediately.

Cool Summer Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2 cookies, homemade or purchased
• 1 scoop Blue Bell Nutty Chocolate Ice Cream

Directions

1. Place one scoop of ice cream on the flat side of one cookie.
2. Place the flat side of the other cookie on top of the ice cream.
3. Press gently so that the ice cream fills the space between the cookies. Use enough ice cream to keep the cookies about ½ inch apart.
4. The sandwich can be eaten immediately or wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 24 hours. If frozen, let stand at room temperature 5-10 minutes before serving.
5. If serving a crowd, make sandwiches ahead of time using a variety of cookies and serve on a chilled platter.

Cookie suggestions include chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia, snickerdoodle, chocolate wafers, pecan or walnut shortbread, peanut butter, almond cookies, double chocolate, Lorna Doone.

For more than 37 years, Piero Selvaggio has been celebrated for providing a true taste of Italy at his award-winning restaurants in Santa Monica, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada — and now he is coming to Houston. PS Valentino Vin Bar will open in fall 2009 in the Hotel Derek. Award-winning executive chef Luciano Pellegrini will oversee menu development.

Selvaggio and Pellegrini show anchor Tom Zizka how to make Lamb Chops Scottadito in Pistachio Crust on FOX 26 Morning News.

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show on Saturdays at Noon on KIKK-CNN 650 AM. (Remember, she gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)

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Lamb Chops Scottadito in Pistachio Crust
(Scottadito means “finger burning”)
Source: Executive Chef Luciano Pellegrini of PS Valentino Vin Bar

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 racks of lamb
• 1 cup ground pistachio
• ½ cup butter
• 4 garlic cloves
• Fresh thyme

Directions

1. Remove all fat from lamb.
2. Cut in between each bone to get thin cut individual lamb chops.
3. Season with salt and pepper each chop then coat with pistachio ground.
4. Melt butter in a skillet over a hot fire, add garlic and thyme, when butter is golden brown add lamb.
5. Cook each side for a minute or two or until done to your liking.
6. Remove from pan and serve while piping hot.

Spend more time with your family and less time in the kitchen this summer with some help from a popular cooking show host and author.

Robin Miller is the host of “Quick Fixes” on the Food Network and has just published her latest book, “Robin Rescues Dinner.” Her book includes quick and easy recipes that will help you beat the summer heat.

Learn how to create fast easy meals and desserts that include two versions of a summer salad and banana cream pie parfaits.