Fruit Yogurt Popsicles

Fruit + yogurt + popsicle molds.....need I say more?  Lay back in the hammock, listen to the birds in the trees and move the clouds with your mind......mmmmmmmmm

Fruit Yogurt Popsicles
makes 6 popsicles, depending on mold size

2 cups diced fruit of choice (I actually had a mixed bowl already diced up in the fridge of strawberries, raspberries, mango and orange segments)
1/8 cup honey
2 Tbs water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt

• using a potato masher or fork, mash the fruit to a fairly fine pulp - if the fruit is quite firm you can always microwave it for about 30-45 seconds to soften.
• in a bowl (or I found a measuring jug easier for pouring into the molds), combine the honey, water, lemon juice and yogurt and mix well.
• place a fine mesh sieve over the yogurt mixture and press through the fruit puree to remove any seeds or pulp.
• at this stage you can either mix the fruit sauce and yogurt together just a little bit to get a 'swirl' effect or mix completely to have a more even colour.
• pour the mixture into your popsicle molds, pop on their 'lids' and find a space in your freezer for them.

 Fruit Yogurt Popsicle ingredients.

mash the fruit to a fairly fine consistency.

in a measuring jug (or bowl) combine the honey, water, lemon juice and yogurt.

mash the fruit puree through a fine mesh sieve into the yogurt mixture.

either mix very lightly to try and keep a 'swirl' effect or....

....mix completely (as I did) for a more even colouring.

pour into your popsicle molds.

pop on the 'tops'

and try to find room in your freezer for them - amongst the frozen peas, corn, prawns and garlic sausage :o)

Now the hard part.....wait long enough for them to set completely.

'Mug' Chocolate Cake

Most of us like (or love!) chocolate cake, but unless it's a special occasion, if you're anything like me it doesn't get made very often - you might make the odd batch of chocolate cupcakes to appease your chocolate cake hormonal gods, but that's about it.

Well now you can have your chocolate cake and eat it, every day if you want!!
I came across this recipe in a new cookbook that I bought recently and wanted to try it because basically I didn't believe that it would work or that it would be any good - well, I couldn't of been more wrong.  If you're looking for a fast, last minute, warm, moist, delicious chocolate cake then look no further. You may be as sceptical as I was when you read it, but go on, give it a try and you'll be thanking me, I promise :o)

I have some large Christmas mugs that I use, and quite honestly just making one is enough for hubby and I with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice-cream for dessert.  I usually make it and eat it while it's still warm, but we had a couple with friends a few weeks ago and they're just as nice once they've cooled down.

'Mug' Chocolate Cake
makes 1 'large mug' cake

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs cocoa powder
1 large egg
3 Tbs milk
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

• whisk everything together in a large mug until smooth.
• microwave on full power for about 2 minutes until puffed (1 min, 50 seconds is good for my microwave)
• either eat straight from the mug, or tip out and enjoy with vanilla ice cream.  
• if you want a little bit of molten 'sauce' on top of the cake when you tip it out, reduce the cooking time by a couple of seconds.

 'Mug' Chocolate Cake ingredients.

put everything into a large mug and whisk....

...until smooth.

microwave for about 2 minutes until puffed.

tip out and if you've got the timing right you'll have a delicious molten 'sauce'.

we find that just one 'mug' serving is enough for two people alongside some good vanilla ice-cream.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

We spent an hour or so this morning paying our local x-ray department a visit due to a little mishap that my hubby had in work yesterday - go to the blog page to have a looksey at his nicely swollen ankle :o) - and on the way back we made a quick stop at our small grocery store not far from home to grab a few things.  The first thing I saw as I walked through the door were these big, luscious strawberries nestled in their boxes almost begging me to take them home and eat them - how could I refuse - so as easy as you please, two packs found their way into the bottom of the basket even before I could blink.

Of course we could of just munched away at them until we had a small pile of green stalks left on the side of the plate, or I could of made a small batch of homemade preserve, but then I suddenly had an inspiration of something that I've always wanted to try but just never got around to.....chocolate covered strawberries!!!....and what better excuse to make something so beautiful as Mother's Day which is coming up on Sunday.  Now, Dean and I don't have any human children of our own (just our two little kitties), so we always miss out on things when it comes to Mother's Day and Father's Day, so this year I thought I'd make these scrumptious little treats for myself......from the cats :o)

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

12-15 strawberries
1 cup milk chocolate chips (I actually used a mix of milk and plain)
1/4 cup white chocolate chips

• put some wax paper on a large cutting board or cookie sheet big enough to hold all the strawberries and one that will fit into your fridge;  set aside.
• wash the strawberries and pat them with kitchen towel until dry.
• put the milk chocolate chips into a microwavable bowl and in 10 second increments microwave until just melting;  stir to melt completely.
• pierce the strawberries through the stalk end with a toothpick so that you can hold them and dip into the melted chocolate.  Let the excess drip off back into the bowl and place them on the prepared wax paper covered board so that they don't touch each other.
• once you've dipped them all, place them into the fridge to set.
• when they're set, microwave the white chocolate chips as you did the milk and using a fork dip it into the chocolate and drizzle over the strawberries - if you want it to be neater you can always put the melted white chocolate into a piping bag and pipe it across them, but I quite like the rougher look to these....even more homemade somehow :o) - sorry, I didn't get a photo of this stage...oops!!
• pop them back into the fridge to set completely.
• I'm giving some of them away to friends for Mother's Day so I placed them individually into paper muffin cases and then into foil trays and I think they look pretty, don't you?

 Chocolate Covered Strawberries ingredients.

I used a mix of milk and plain chocolate only because that was what I had on hand.

melt it in the microwave until smooth.

with a toothpick pushed in to the stalk end so that it's easier to hold, dip your strawberries.....

....and let the excess drip off.

once they're all dipped, pop them in the fridge to set.

melt the white chocolate and using a fork drizzle it over the set strawberries until they look like....

.....this :o)

I'm giving some away to friends for Mother's day, so I popped them in paper muffin cases and a foil tray just to make them look a little prettier.

Rice Pudding

I sometimes like to cook rice or pasta and keep it in the fridge in covered containers for use in meals over the next couple of days - that way, if we're in a hurry I can throw something together quick like pasta salads, burritos or some quick fried rice to go along with a steak or juicy pork chops, along with anything else that I've already allocated the rice or pasta to.  Three cups of that rice found it's way today into some creamy rice pudding for hubby.  I say for hubby, because quite frankly I've never really liked rice pudding, no matter whether it's from a can or homemade, but hubby LOVES it, so I thought I'd give it a try :o)

Rice Pudding
4 servings (this will keep Dean happy for the next couple of days :o)

3 cups cooked rice (I used jasmine today)
3 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

• in a medium saucepan bring the cooked rice and milk to a boil.
• reduce heat to a simmer and add all the remaining ingredients.
• simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced and it has reached your preferred consistency.
• serve warm or cold;  Dean likes it plain, but add raisins or even a dollop of jam if you like.
• keep any leftovers in the fridge in a container or covered with plastic wrap touching the surface so that a skin doesn't form.

 Rice Pudding ingredients.

bring the rice and milk to a boil.

add all the other ingredients.

simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced to a creamy consistency.

serve warm or cold.

a spoonful of creamy goodness - or so Dean says :o)

Hot Cross Buns

In just two short weeks it will be that time of year again when, regardless of your religious beliefs behind the celebration, the more secular customs of fluffy bunny's and colourful eggs will undoubtedly find their way into your life, somewhere, somehow - even if it's only being bombarded with images of it all as you make your way around Walmart!!

I'm sure I'll be making some Easter cookies with you all very soon (after all I do have a new 'egg' cookie cutter which I haven't used yet), but as requested from my hubby, the first Easter treat had to be hot cross buns.  Since moving to Canada we have yet to find a hot cross bun in any bakery or grocery store that doesn't contain, in varying quantities, the colourful green and red candied fruit that seems to be the norm over here.  Coming from the UK where usually only raisins or currants are added, we just haven't quite been able to succumb to the chewy little additions.  This is a recipe that I've adapted from the wonderful Dinner With Julie website, and they're pretty close to what we've been used to growing up;  flavourful, sweet, a little denser but very yummy!!
So, these are especially for you honey.....enjoy :o)

Hot Cross Buns
makes 12 buns

Dough
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch of allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup raisins, currants or whichever dried fruit you like

Paste for crosses:
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp water

Glaze:
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp water

• place the yeast, a little of the sugar and the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer and let stand for about 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
• add all the remaining dough ingredients to the yeast mixture and using the dough hook on your mixer, blend everything on low to medium power for about 5-7 minutes until you have a smooth and elastic ball of dough.
• remove the hook from the dough and leaving it in the bowl, cover with a tea towel, place in a warm place and let it rise for approximately 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
• once risen, divide the dough into 12 balls and place them into a 9"x13" baking dish or onto a cookie sheet.  Depending on whether you prefer the 'pull-apart' buns or individual ones, space them from each other accordingly.
• cover again with a tea towel and set aside in a warm spot until doubled in size again - about 30-45 minutes.
• preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• meanwhile prepare the paste for the crosses;  in a small bowl combine the flour, sugar and water.
• place the paste into a small ziploc bag, cut off a small piece of the corner, and 'pipe' crosses onto each of the 12 buns.
• bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and well risen.
• combine the sugar and water in a small bowl for the glaze.
• while they're still warm in the pan, brush the tops with the prepared glaze and after a couple of minutes transfer them to a cooling rack.  The Easter celebrations have begun....

 Hot Cross Buns ingredients.

let the yeast, a little of the sugar and the milk stand for 5 minutes for the yeast to become active.

add all the other dough ingredients...

and mix for 5-7 minutes until you have...

a ball of smooth, elastic dough.

leave the dough in the bowl, covered for 1 hour (you'll see that the sides are nice and clean where everything has been kneaded well).

divide the dough into 12 equal portions and forming balls, place into a 9" x 13" baking pan.

after letting them rise for another 45 minutes or so, prepare the 'cross' paste ingredients.

put the paste into a small ziploc bag, clipping the end to form a small hole.

pipe crosses over the risen buns.

bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and then brush with the glaze mix.

(oh, and by the way, your kitchen will be smelling divine!!!)

Applesauce (slow cooker)

We have two large, well established apple trees on our property - a Grimes Golden and a Gravenstein - which, over the years have succeeded in giving us copious amounts of fruit which have gone towards the making of pies and tarts, and cider, and the freshest apple juice that you've ever tasted (the Gravenstein is just pure heavenly nectar that gets squeezed out at a local 'juicing' company called The Cider Press), and of course applesauce - from chunky to go alongside juicy pork chops, and spiced to be used in cakes and cookies, to o'naturel-nothing-added pureed for friends babies.

Unfortunately this isn't the time of year for us to be able to harvest our own crop, but horror of horrors I've completely ran out of our applesauce in the pantry and I just can't bring myself to buy the grocery store brand - I think I've been completely spoilt from being able to make my own now. :o)  I usually make it in a saucepan but have decided today to give the slow cooker a try after coming across quite a number of other people that prefer to make it this way.  Apart from the usual prep work at either end of the day of chopping and storing it's all the same simple ingredients just a longer cooking time where I can just forget about it - and the house smells....DIVINE!!!!

Applesauce (slow cooker)
makes approx 5 cups

15 small-medium apples (I used a mix of Spartan and Royal Gala today)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water (or fresh apple juice)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
juice from 1 lemon

• peel, core and dice the apples and put into a 5-6 quart slow cooker.
• in a small bowl, combine all the other ingredients and pour over the apples:  mix well.
• cover and cook on LOW heat for 8-10 hours (or HIGH for 3-4 hours).
• when the apples are soft and tender use either a potato masher or an immersion blender to get your desired consistency.

 Applesauce ingredients.

peel the apples - yay, all in one piece!!

I use my handy coring and slicing gadget, but that's just me :o)

dice all the apples and put them into the slow cooker.

mix all the other ingredients in a small bowl (most of the cinnamon will float and won't mix all that well, but that's okay.)

pour the liquid over the diced apples;  mix well, cover and cook.

 after 9 hours of cooking on low heat.

I like to use my applesauce in cookie and cake recipes so I mash it a little to break down the larger pieces.

sometimes I freeze the applesauce in plastic containers or strong ziploc bags, or as I did today I processed them in jars to store in the pantry.

before I mashed the applesauce I took out a couple of spoonfuls with the larger chunks to put over some creamy vanilla ice cream - yummy!!!