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Jun 27 2013

The Theme Is … Popsicles!

Summer is most definitely here, at least where I am. We’ve been battling thunderstorms and mosquitoes and a string of days marked by an unwelcome and overstaying holy-moly-I’m-melting-here blanket of heat. And let me tell you, it’s hot. During one particularly oppressively hot day—a day our brand new air conditioning system decided it had had enough and started impersonating a rock—I decided it was time to move to the North Pole and live in an igloo. So we packed up our stuff, booked a flight on Priceline, and off we went. The end.

Okay, so we didn’t really move to the North Pole. For one, I’m allergic to dogs so I’d have to drive those sleds alone. No fun. Second, I’d be up all day every day wondering why I haven’t seen any penguins yet. Or why the sun is taking forever to set. Again, no fun.

So instead of migrating to the Arctic, I’ll do the next best thing. Instead of giant blocks of ice, I’ll go with smaller portions of ice. Flavored. Preferably handheld. I spent a few days staring longingly at the bounty of popsicle recipes here in Tasty Kitchen, wishing I had enough time to make them all. So I can eat them all. Though hopefully not too quickly to avoid freezing my brain.

But even if my brain freezes and stops working, that’s okay because this perfect summer heat relief is thankfully easy to make. All you need is water (or juice!), something to flavor that water, and a freezer. And okay, maybe a stick or two.

You can go a little fancy and make a creamy version. All you need to do is add a little … something creamy. Did I mention these were easy to make?

You can also add yogurt instead, and because it’s healthy and gives a protein boost, you can have an extra serving. Or three!

Okay, who am I kidding? My favorite popsicles are the ones are the ones that tempt me with frozen versions of my favorite desserts.

You can also liven up a party or summer barbecue with a boozy treat for the adults. Do be stingy with the alcohol though—too much will prevent your popsicle from freezing. (Though I’m pretty sure anyone interested in a boozy popsicle will rarely refuse a cup of boozy slush instead.)

If you’d rather go a different route with the popsicles and actually use frozen fruit, here are two versions for you: one for the kids, and one for those who can handle their tequila. One for little Johnny, two for me. One for little Sally, three for me … (Anyone who knows me will be laughing and calling me out, because in truth, the only way I know how to handle tequila is in a shopping bag, walking out of the store after being sent there on an errand.)

I think I have to go clear room in my freezer because I want to make at least 17 of these recipes right now. I can have popsicles for breakfast, yes?

Hope everyone’s staying cool this week! Have any favorite heat busters? I know I’ll need all the help I can get.

Jul 8 2013

Banana Split Cake Cups

Posted by Faith (An Edible Mosaic) in Step-by-Step Recipes

Everyone I know is a fan of banana splits. Literally everyone, no matter how picky an eater they are. (Editor’s note: Hear that, Ree? Hmm?) And I’ve sort-of found that banana splits have magic properties. Take someone who’s having a bad day, put a banana split in front of them, and watch their face change. Yup, I’d call that magic. When I saw Tasty Kitchen member and fellow TK Blog contributor Amber’s recipe for Banana Split Cake Cups, I knew it wouldn’t be long before they happened in my house.

One of the great things about this recipe is that you can either make it in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish or in individual Mason jars. The Mason jars are not only completely adorable, but also perfect for portion control; however, the 9 by 13-inch dish also has its advantages. For starters, it’s perfect for a birthday cake-like treat, which made it very timely for me since it was recently my dad’s birthday and we needed a cake! Also, making this dessert in a larger dish made it easier for me to show you all the layers.

But I couldn’t resist, I made one of these treats in a (half-pint-sized) glass jar. Hey, the cook needs to sample her work, right?

Right.

Let’s get started!

For this dessert you’ll need: butter, graham cracker crumbs, cream cheese, powdered sugar, bananas, crushed pineapple, pecans or walnuts (I used walnuts), strawberries, whipping cream, and maraschino cherries.

First things first, start with the crust. Melt 1 stick of butter (on the stovetop or in the microwave), add the graham cracker crumbs, and stir to combine.

Press the crumbs evenly into the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish …

Or press them into the bottom of individual Mason jars. I found that the easiest way to press the crumbs into small jars was to use the flat end of a pestle.

Bake the crust for 7 to 10 minutes at 350ºF, let it cool a bit, and then let it chill in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

Beat together the cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, and the powdered sugar until smooth. Don’t be tempted to add milk—it will take a few minutes, but the mixture will blend up perfectly!

Spread that creamy layer evenly on top of the crust.

Slice the bananas.

Layer them on top of the cream cheese mixture.

Drain the pineapple.

And add it on top of the banana slices.

Sprinkle about 2/3 to 3/4 of the nuts on top of the pineapple.

Rinse, hull, and slice the strawberries.

Spread them evenly on top of the pineapple/nut layer.

Whip the cream and sweeten it to taste. (I use 2 teaspoons powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract per 1/2 cup of cream to sweeten and flavor it.) For this recipe, instead of 1 cup cream, I used 1 1/2 cups just to make sure there was enough; I thought it ended up being the perfect amount!

Spread the whipped cream on top of the strawberries (or pipe it on top if you’re using Mason jars).

Then sprinkle on the halved maraschino cherries and the rest of the nuts.

Doesn’t that look fun?! I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want to dive right in. Since this treat has such a short bake time (just for the crust), it’s served chilled, and it’s a bit lighter than a normal cake, I think it’s the perfect dessert for warmer months. And it was a huge hit at my dad’s birthday party—I had two people ask me for the recipe!

Don’t forget, you can also make it in individual Mason jars!

Thank you, Amber, for sharing this treat! Just a heads-up, Amber’s blog Sprinkled with Flour is full of more beautiful, delicious recipes!

Printable Recipe

Banana Split Cake Cups

See post on Amber {Sprinkled With Flour}’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s) 1 vote, average: 5.00 out of 5

Description

A sweet childhood treat layered in mason jars.

Ingredients

1 stick Butter, Melted
2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
8 ounces, weight Package Cream Cheese, Softened
¼ cups Butter, Softened
3 cups Powdered Sugar
4 whole Bananas, Sliced
20 ounces, weight Can Crushed Pineapple, Drained
1 cup Chopped Pecans (or Walnuts)
1 quart Strawberries, Hulled And Sliced
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
9 ounces, weight Jar Maraschino Cherries, Drained And Halved

Preparation Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and graham crackers crumbs. Press the mixture into the bottom of your baking dish (see note below). Bake at 350ºF for 7–10 minutes, then place in the freezer to chill and set for about 10 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese, softened butter and powdered sugar until creamy, about 5 minutes. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled graham cracker crust. Add a layer of sliced bananas over the cream cheese mixture. Drain the pineapple and spread evenly over the bananas. Sprinkle some of the nuts over the pineapple, then add a layer of sliced strawberries.

In a cold bowl, with cold beaters, whip the cream on high until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Sweeten your whipped cream to taste. Spread the whipped cream over everything.

Garnish with more nuts and the cherry halves. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Notes: This dessert is normally made in a 9 x 13 baking dish. If you want to make this dessert in mason jars as I did, follow the same directions, but divide each of the layers between your jars. When baking the crust, place the jars on a baking sheet and bake as usual. Also, if your strawberries are not very sweet, you may toss them with a little sugar to sweeten them.

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Faith Gorsky is the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind the blog An Edible Mosaic. She lives in Upstate New York and loves to travel, especially to places steeped in rich culture and history. She also enjoys reading, vintage shopping, watching movies, and is enamored with ancient cultures. She just released her first cookbook, “An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair” (Tuttle Publishing), a collection of authentic Middle Eastern recipes handed down to her from her husband’s family.

Aug 3 2015

S’mores Pie

Posted by twopeasandtheirpod in Baking, Step-by-Step Recipes

Note: We’re bringing back this oldie but goodie, just in time for summer. S’mores, baby. In pie form. Just too dang irresistible.

Summer isn’t summer without ooey, gooey S’mores! There is nothing better than sitting around a bonfire with some graham crackers, mallows, and Hershey bars. I love traditional S’mores, but I am always looking for fun and unique ways to enjoy S’mores. I love making S’mores cookies and bars, so when I saw TK member Tonya’s recipe for S’mores Pie, I knew it would be the perfect dessert for our summer BBQ.

To make the pie you need the following ingredients: butter, sugar, an egg, vanilla, flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, marshmallow creme, Hershey’s chocolate bars, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9″ pie pan with baking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy and smooth.

Add the egg.

Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

Add in the flour.

Pour in the graham cracker crumbs.

Add the baking powder

Mix until just combined.

Divide the dough in half and press half of the dough into the prepared pie pan.

Evenly spread the marshmallow cream over the bottom of the crust.

Place the Hershey chocolate squares over the marshmallow creme.

Place the mini marshmallows over the chocolate bars.

Carefully pat the remaining dough over the marshmallows. Some of the marshmallows will peek through and that’s ok.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the pie.

Bake the pie for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Let the pie cool completely and slice!

The pie was a huge hit at our BBQ! Everyone loved it. A thick graham cracker/cookie crust filled with marshmallow creme, chocolate bars, more marshmallows, and topped with chocolate chips! How could they not have loved it? It was the perfect end to our meal! And it’s the perfect dessert for summer.

Gather around the bonfire or just gather around this S’mores Pie with a fork! It’s a winner! Thanks Tonya for the fabulous recipe! Visit her blog 4 Little Fergusons, where Tonya writes openly and honestly about faith, family and parenting—and food!

Printable Recipe