Strawberry Mango Smoothie Pops

We absolutely love this simple summer treat.  I like that fact that there are very few ingredients and I can whip them up in just a few minutes.  My kids like the creamy frozen texture on a hot summer day.  Win win!




Ingredients:

Mango Section:
4 cups frozen mango
2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup orange juice

Strawberry Section:
4 cups frozen strawberries
2 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup orange juice


Place frozen mango, yogurt, and juice in a blender.  Mix until combined.  This will be a large batch - I prefer to do it in halves so my blender isn't overloaded.

Pour mixture into small paper cups or popsicle containers - but only fill half full, not to the top.  Now you're going to mix the strawberry section.

Place frozen strawberries, yogurt, and juice in a  blender.  Mix until combined.  Pour into cups over the top of the mango mixture.

Wrap tops of cups with plastic wrap or tin foil and place a popsicle stick in the center.  Place into the freezer until set (about 4 hours or overnight).

These are a big hit at our house.....

Can't you tell....

However, I do have to admit that the mango section is our favorite.  The strawberry is a bit tart.  If you want you can use strawberry yogurt and apple juice in the strawberry combo.  It will sweeten it up a little.

Or you could just make a big batch of the mango and eat that.  We like that too.

Frozen, or in smoothie form, these things are just plain good!  So go out and make some to help keep you cool this summer!

Strawberry Cupcakes

I have to admit, I got this recipe from Martha Stewart.  It's the Sprinkles' cupcakes recipe - and boy is it good!  Just try to ignore the copious amounts of butter that are placed in these bad boys.

Cupcake Ingredients:

1/3 cup pureed strawberries

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

2 large egg whites, room temperature

Start by pureeing your strawberries.  It generally takes about 2/3 cup of strawberries to get 1/3 cup puree.  If there is extra puree, save it for the frosting.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set this aside.

In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla (I used my clear vanilla from Mexico - I'm really thinking that I should have bought a truckload of this stuff),

and strawberry puree.  Set this aside as well.  Can you see a trend here?  You're going to have a bunch of different bowls, but don't worry, they will all come together soon.

In the bowl of an electric mixer (with a paddle attachment) cream the butter on medium-high speed until it is light and fluffy.  Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until well combined.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add the egg and egg whites until just blended.

With the mixer on low, slowly add half of the flour mixture and mix until just blended.  Then add all of the milk mixture, again, mixing until well blended.

Slowly add the remaining flour mixture and make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Mix until just blended.

Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin tins that have been lined with cupcake wrappers.  They should be about 3/4 of the way full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes.  Transfer muffins to a wire rack and allow them to cool.

While those cupcakes are cooling, you might want to make some frosting.  So...here's that recipe.



Frosting Ingredients:

3 Tb strawberry puree
1 cup unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
pinch of kosher salt
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla



In a medium bowl, beat together butter and salt (or if you're me, just use salted butter and don't add that pinch - I'm just sayin).

You want this to be light and fluffy.

Reduce mixer speed and slowly add powdered sugar until combined.  Add vanilla (that clear stuff works great and won't darken the color of your frosting) and add the strawberry puree.

Mix until just blended.  Don't over mix or frosting will incorporate too much air.  This should be the consistency of soft ice cream.

 Now that your frosting is done, and your cupcakes are cooled go ahead and frost those things.  I guarantee that you won't be able to keep them from your family for long!

These I frosted with an off-set spatula.            However.....

to frost these, I used a pastry bag with a large star tip at the end.  Either way I'm sure they'll be gone in no time!

Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

This post has at least three times more pictures than it does ingredients. But Chocolate Dipped Strawberries are just so beautiful - I couldn't help myself. They are also the perfect accompaniment to any romantic evening, and with Valentine's Day approaching I just had to make some.

Ingredients:

16 oz chocolate chips

2 Tb shortening

1 lb strawberries

toothpicks

floral foam block

Wash and completely dry the strawberries. You don't want any water getting into your melted chocolate so be sure they are dry. Make sure that you leave the stems on and place a toothpick into the center of the stem of each strawberry - you'll see why later.

Place the chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl. You can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate - I've done it both ways, and I think I prefer the milk chocolate. However, these were semi-sweet and they were delicious as well.

Add the shortening and microwave on high for 1 minute.

Remove from microwave, stir and then continue to microwave for 30 second intervals until chocolate is melted.

You can do this on a double boiler, but the microwave was a lot faster.

This is where that toothpick comes in handy. Lift the leaves - holding the leaves and the toothpick above the strawberry - and dip the strawberry into the chocolate.

You want the red strawberry covered about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up with chocolate.

You can twist the strawberry to get off any excess chocolate.

Now, place the other end of the toothpick into a foam block - the kind you use for flower arrangements. This is a great way for your strawberries to dry without becoming flat on one side.

Dip another strawberry and place it on the foam block as well. Don't let them touch! You don't want smudges in your chocolate.

Keep dipping and placing until your foam block is completely filled up. Be sure to start in the middle and work your way out. This will keep them balanced allow you to place new strawberries without disturbing the others.

Allow the strawberries to stay here until they are completely dry.

psst...See those toothpicks!

Once they are dry, you can pull them off and place them on a dish.

Aren't they beautiful? I had to get a lot of pictures because I knew that they wouldn't last long.

If you want to be really fancy, you can take some white chocolate and drizzle it over them.

But I'm rather traditional and enjoy the simple elegance of the red and brown.

So beautiful - so delicious.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Simple Strawberry Shortcake

Now...before you comment and tell me that this "sure doesn't look like strawberry shortcake" -just hold on a minute and listen.

While I call this "Strawberry Shortcake," it doesn't mean that you can't change things up and make this work for you. I did just that and look at this yummy dessert pictured above.

So, please keep reading and hopefully you'll like this recipe enough to give it a try.

Ingredients:

1 yellow cake (made according to package directions)

fresh whipped cream (or cool whip - you're choice...but really is their any choice except the real kind?)

4 cups fresh berries - strawberries (for an actual "Strawberry Shortcake"), blueberries, blackberries...really any that you have

1 to 2 Tb. sugar

Slice strawberries and place in a large bowl. Add the other fruit, slicing the blackberries in half. Sprinkle sugar on top of fruit and allow it to sit for 15 minutes - this will allow the juices to come out of the fruit and create a "sauce" at the bottom of the bowl.

Put a piece of cake on a plate. Place some fruit on the top. Make sure and get some of that yummy fruit juice on the bottom of the bowl. Add a huge dollop of whipped cream and serve.

*As a side note, you can add more or less sugar depending on your preferences. Just know that the more sugar you add, the more juice you will have at the bottom of the bowl.

This technic is called "macerate" - so you would then have macerated strawberries. Ever heard of this before? I'm sure that you have.

Just don't tell your husband that they are called "macerated strawberries", or he will laugh and laugh and laugh every time you make these. : )

Spinach Salad

I made this salad as part of our Green St. Patrick's Day dinner. My son promptly said, "Mom, I don't like that salad!" Yet, at dinner he went for round two. Of course I had to bring it up, "Well, William? Do you still hate that salad?"

He couldn't reply - his mouth was full.

There are two parts to this recipe, the dressing and the salad itself. I got this Poppy Seed Dressing Recipe from my friend, Emily. And, boy, is it good. So...we'll start with that.

Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lemon juice - fresh is best, but in a pinch you can used the bottled kind

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp dry mustard powder

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil - or canola, but Not olive oil

poppy seeds

Put the first 4 ingredients into a small blender (like a magic bullet or a small food processor). Mix well. You can use a whisk, but it will take a long time and may not emulsify - at least, not as well.

Once you've gotten that frothy combo, add the poppy seed. I usually add about 1 to 2 Tb. - but you may like more or less...it's up to you. Stir to combine and you're ready to go.

Now, on to the Salad.....

Ingredients:

1 10 oz. package fresh baby spinach

1/4 red onion - thinly sliced

1 cup strawberries - sliced

3 to 4 strips bacon - cut into small chunks and cooked

3/4 cup mozzarella - shredded

toasted almonds

Put all the spinach in a large bowl. Then add all the other ingredients. Depending on your tastes (or your family's tastes), you can add more or less of each of the ingredients. I didn't have almonds, so I omitted them....that's why I like this salad, it's very versatile.

After you have all your ingredients thrown in that bowl - and right before it's time to serve - add some dressing. I used just over half of my dressing and put the rest in the fridge. You can add more or less, depending on how "sauced" you like your salad.

Remember, this salad will get soggy, so don't put that dressing on too early. Also, if you want to make it a dinner, just add some chicken. The combo of sweet and savory is absolutely wonderful...plus there's cheese. And who doesn't love cheese?

I hope you like this salad as much as we do.

Enjoy!