Ah, Popsicles!

In the middle of a scorching Arkansas summer ask me what I want to eat (for breakfast, lunch, or dinner) and I will probably answer one of two things 1) popsicles or 2) snowcones. The concerned and caring husband will of course reply, "that's not a [breakfast, lunch, or dinner]!" What can I say? I've loved the icy treats since I was a kid. I have many fond memories of tongues stained bright colors, the refreshing fruit taste, and getting a real shaved ice in Puerto Rico on our honeymoon. 

There's a Mexican grocery store next to the restaurant where I work so of course I grab a paleta if I happen to get a break. I even read that some ice pop makers are using veggies in their popsicles. Including my Nashville favorite Las Paletas.

Anyway, I've been making lots of  homemade popsicles lately and I thought I'd share them! They're made with fresh local fruit from the farmer's market so they beat anything in the frozen food aisle. (Haven't tried any with veggies yet, but I am curious)

fresh peach pops and peaches & cream pops

 I used two recipes from Ice Pops. This book has basic but, also some interesting combinations for homemade popsicles.

For the fresh peach popsicles, I used 3 peaches (unpeeled), 1/4 cup of superfine sugar, 1 T of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Combined the ingredients in the blender, poured the mix in the molds, and waited impatiently for them to freeze.

We liked these ice pops the best. The other recipe called for half & half and though they were good the peaches didn't need any thing else. Save for the bit of lemon juice that was a perfect addition. The Peaches & Cream recipe also called for blanching the fruits before pureeing. I had never tried this technique before. It made peeling the peaches a cinch and is SOP for freezing fresh fruits and veggies because it preserves the nutrients and all that good stuff.

What summer treats are you enjoying lately?

Tickled Pink Muffins

Hello, all! I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  I went a little crazy at the Farmer's Market over the strawberries. But, I needed strawberries for salads, desserts, and just for popping into your mouth! I saw this recipe on Modcloth's Blog and I thought I'd give it a try.

Tickled Pink Muffins
Makes a dozen regular sized muffins.
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk or non-dairy substitute
1/4 cup applesauce for a vegan option, or 1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1/2 cup of Neufchâtel or cream cheese
Pink sugar sprinkles

1. Preheat your oven at 400°F. Meanwhile, sift together your flour and baking powder.
2. In another bowl combine milk, oil, and applesauce/egg. Stir in sugar and mix until dissolved.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, stirring gently.
4. While there is still clumps of flour in the mix, fold in strawberries. Work batter lightly until just combined.
5. Pour batter into muffin cups about 2/3 full. Add a teaspoon-sized dollop of Neufchâtel or cream cheese  in each cup. Sprinkle sugar on top. (I used turbinado sugar)
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Once the muffins pass a toothpick test, they’re done.

I enjoyed these muffins. They came out super moist though, maybe 2 cups of strawberries was too much? It's also been stormy and humid in my corner of the world.
Mr. K and I actually prefer them without  the cheese. I also had more than 12 muffins, and ended up making 9 mini muffins in my babycakes maker. Those actually came out muffin-ier than the ones I baked in the oven. This recipe is easily veganized and is all pretty good. If I tried it again I might use fewer strawberries to lessen the "mush."

What are you cooking up these days?

Happy Friday!

 

Hello friends, sorry for the lack of blog lately. I truly have some happy news this Friday. I found some work which is really wonderful after almost 8 months of unemployment. I've also been preparing for the Indie Style Market in May and my bestie is coming in from Missouri for a visit.

While visiting the Farmer's Market last week to get some delicious Arkansas strawberries I met a local beekeeper. He said he'd supply the beeswax for some solid perfumes I've been experimenting with! I'm so thrilled. Next week I'll be sharing some of the projects I've been working on.

I hope life is treating you good this week, lovelies!

martha vs. food network

Easter Sunday + MIL's birthday = two batches of cupcakes. I made the first batch using a martha stewart recipe and a fun decorating kit I got from work. This was also my first experience using frosting bags and tips. I'm completely addicted. It's simple but, makes gorgeous cupcakes!


MS's recipe fell a little flat (literally) -easily covered with frosting but, a little disappointing nonetheless. Probably an error on my end. Luckily it didn't affect the taste!

In the second batch, I had to make some adjustments to the recipe. Pastry flour seems to be difficult to find around here. The cupcakes were more like bread than cakes. This combined with the walnuts probably explains why I was told the cupcakes tasted "healthy." Hm. I haven't decided whether that's a good thing or not. Picky Mr. K approved so, I would use either of these recipes again. Enjoy the photos/cupcake porn!