I have been eyeing the Zoku Quick Pop Makerat Williams-Sonoma for awhile now.  With our hot summer days I thought it would be perfect for a icy cold treat for the girls.  So when my mom told me she got one I was super jealous!  But having the great mom that I have she said we would have better use out of it so she packed it up and sent it down to us.  I was over the moon with excitement when I got it.  So excited in fact that it took me a whole week to decide what flavor to make first.  With the abundance of amazing fresh and in-season fruit this time of the year it was hard to narrow it down to one so I decided on two and two of our favorites….peaches and strawberries.  Growing up in Georgia, peaches were one of my favorites during the summer months.  They were super sweet and juicy and you could find them everywhere.  I don’t have the luxury of being home this time of the year to get them at the local fruit stands but I am lucky enough that my local Whole Foods had them on sale…even though they were South Carolina peaches.  I thought South Carolina was the next best thing considering that’s where my husband is from.  Another bonus at Whole Foods this past weekend was a huge 4 pound container of strawberries for $5.99!  Wow!  Luckily, we like strawberries in my house.

If your considering the Zoku Quick Pop Maker yourself it is a great investment and makes the pops in no time flat.  Which is great when the little ones are eager to have one “now”.  The pops can be done in 7 to 9 minutes!  Wow!  I know I was amazed.  Just make sure you freeze the container and you can have icy pops for those hot days.  Enjoy!

Strawberry Peaches and Cream Pops

Print Recipe

For Strawberry:

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in halves

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup half-and-half

pinch of salt

For Peach:

3 ripe peaches, peeled and roughly chopped (or 2 cups frozen peaches thawed)

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/3 cup half-and-half

pinch of salt

Instructions:

For the strawberry: In a blender or food processor, combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, half-and-half, and salt.  Process until completely smooth.  Set aside in small pouring bowl.

For the peach: In a blender or food processor, combine the peaches, sugar, lemon juice, half-and-half, and salt.  Process until completely smooth.  Set aside in small pouring bowl.

If using conventional ice pop molds, evenly layer layers of the peach and strawberry mixture among molds.  Cover and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours pr up to 3 days.  If using sticks, insert them into the molds when the pops are partially frozen, about 1 hour, then continue freeze until soild, at least 3 more hours.

If using an instant ice pop maker (like I did here), again layer peach and strawberry mixture into container.  Then follow the manufacturer’s instructions to freeze the pops.

Recipes adapted from Ice Pops by Shelly Kaldunski

A few weeks ago I received a comment from Katherine Ann who wrote me a wonderful note asking me for a little favor.  You see, her dad is a lover of Cap’n Crunch cereal!  So much so that every year her and her sister get him a box for Christmas.  Due to his love of Cap’n Crunch, she asked me for an idea for using the cereal in a recipe so she could make for her dad for Father’s Day.  What a nice daughter! 

Here is Katherine’s note from a few weeks ago:

I knew I couldn’t let Katherine or her dad down so I took on the challenge to come up with the perfect recipe.  It took a couple weeks to decide what to make but in the end I decided on these cookie cupcakes.  If Katherine’s dad is anything like mine (and my husband) cookies and cupcakes are a favorite so why not combine the two?  Then I topped them with vanilla ice cream which added a little more.  Now I have to honestly say I haven’t had Cap’n Crunch cereal since I was a little girl.  When my husband saw the box he was like a little kid again and couldn’t wait for me to not only make these but to also have a bowl.  He was my test taster too and he approved so I’m hoping these will get the same approval from Katherine’s Dad.

Cap’n Crunch Cookie Cupcakes with Vanilla Ice Cream

Print Recipe

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 packed cup light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 cup Cap’n Crunch cereal, crushed

1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

Vanilla Ice Cream

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl when needed.  Beat in vanilla.  Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until combined.  Stir in Cap’n Crunch cereal and white chocolate chips (if using) by hand.

Fill each cup with batter.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until pale golden and cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

Once cupcakes are cool, top each cupcake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and top with additional Cap’n Crunch cereal.  Serve and enjoy!

This recipe was a lot of fun to make and thank you Katherine for asking me to come up with a recipe for your dad.  I hope your dad loves these cookie cupcakes this coming Sunday for Father’s Day.

A few weeks ago I asked my fans on Multiply Deliciousfacebook page for suggestions on ice cream flavors and what they would like to see.  Peanut Butter and Chocolate got the highest amount of votes, so here it is.  I hope you enjoy and I hope this summer your able to pull out those ice cream makers and make this delicious ice cream.  My husband also wants to thank those of you who voted for this flavor, it’s one of his too!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day tomorrow. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream

Print Recipe

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup chocolate, chopped or mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

With a hand mixer, mix together peanut butter and sugar until creamy.  Add milk and mix for 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in heavy cream and vanilla extract.

Pour ice cream mixture into the bowl of an electric ice cream maker.  Follow direction of ice cream maker until ice cream is creamy, about 25 to 30 minutes.  In the last 5 minutes of mixing stop ice cream maker and add chocolate or chocolate chips.  Turn ice cream maker back on for the remaining 5 minutes until chocolate chips are mixed in well.

Serve or place in a freezer safe container until ready to serve.

It’s super hot here in South Florida and with the temperature rising the whole house is craving something cold and refreshing….which means ice cream!!!  I had a lot of strawberries in the refrigerator that had to be used so fresh strawberry ice cream it was!   I love making ice cream, it reminds me of being back home in Atlanta.  When I was a little girl we used to go to my grandmothers and make homemade ice cream on her old ice cream maker.  You know the one where you actually have to turn it?  A lot of work but there is nothing like homemade ice cream in my opinion.  A favorite my grandmother and mom would make was peach ice cream.  Fresh Georgia Peaches in homemade ice cream…nothing was better to me as a little girl on a hot summer day!  I remember being frustrated after just a few minutes and would run off to play while the adults continued turning the ice cream.  Hours later my cousins and I would run up hot and tired and the ice cream would be ready.  Yummy!  Now days I’m thankful for the electrical ice cream makers that does most the work for you.  You just pour the ice cream mixture in and 25 to 30 minutes later you have delicious ice cream.  What could be better?  Especially on a hot summer day!

This week I had asked for ice cream suggestions on my facebook page.  I had already made this ice cream, but don’t worry I plan to post several ice cream recipe throughout the summer.  The most highly requested combo was peanut butter and chocolate so that will be the next ice cream recipe I plan on making.  My husband is very happy about that suggestion too since peanut butter and chocolate are his two favorites!  I had some other great ideas too, like mint chocolate chip and coffee.  Any other ideas out there?  Would love to have them!  Cookies and Cream is a favorite in my house too.  I’m open to suggestions! Since South Florida summers are super long I’ll need as many suggestions as you throw my way. 

Stay cool out there everyone!

Strawberry Ice Cream

Print Recipe

1 pint (about 1 1/2 cups) fresh strawberries, cut into pieces

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup sugar, divided

1 cup milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar, strawberries, and lemon juice; gently stir.  Let strawberry mixture sit for 1 to 2 hours.

In a medium bowl, mix together milk and remaining sugar with a hand mixer, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in heavy cream, vanilla, and juice from strawberries.

Pour mixture into the bowl of an ice cream mixer and turn on the machine.  In my ice cream mixer the ice cream took about 25 to 30 minutes to thicken.  In the last 5 minutes pour in strawberries.

Place ice cream in freezer about an hour before serving.

NOTE: This recipe came from my wonderful mom, the professional ice cream maker in the family.  Not sure where she got the recipe from since it was handwritten in her recipe box.

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!  I hope you are all enjoying your day with your family.  Yesterday we made these Roasted Banana Cupcakes and I wanted to share with you all and send wishes for Mother’s Day.  Have a fabulous day!!

The adorable cupcake signs came from Kim at Tom Kat Studio.  Earlier this week she offered to her readers a free printable Mother’s Day signs….she is so awesome!! 

Roasted Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Frosting

(adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcake Cookbook)

Print Recipe

For Roasted Banana’s:

3 to 4 ripe bananas, cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

For Cupcakes:

2 cups cake flour, sifted

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking power

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup sour cream or greek yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

For Frosting:

2 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400.  In a baking pan, add banana’s and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.  Place butter pieces evenly over banana’s.  Place in oven and bake 20-25 minutes until banana’s are golden and bubbly.  Remove from oven and let cool slightly before mashing bananas.

Reduce oven heat to 350.  Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Add roasted bananas, and beat to combine.  Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of sour cream (or yogurt), and beating until just combined after each.  Beat in vanilla.

In another mixing bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together egg whites to form soft peaks; fold one-third whites into batter to lighten.  Gently fold in remaining whites in two batches.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.  Bake rotating tins halfway through, until cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting:

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat all ingredients until smooth.  Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 5 days in an airtight container; before using, bring to room temperature and beat until smooth.

Note: I used a star tip on the frosting and working from the outside in made stars and lifted up to make them seem like flowers.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!!

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