Carrot Cake Ice Pops, My Way

I received a cookbook for review a few weeks ago for boozy cocktails in Popsicle form, called Poptails by Erin Nichols. It's a super cute book with a variety of unique popsicles. There were several that jumped out at me, but ultimately I went for Carrot Cake Pops made with dark rum. I was super excited to try them, but they were so potent that they were hardly edible. I really wanted to like them, but with every bite, it was like I was sticking my nose into the bottle of Bacardi and inhaling. Sadly, they all wound up in a slurry down the drain. Not to say that this book wasn't a winner, this just wasn't the recipe for me. I plan on trying out the Coquito (coconut) pops really soon. If cocktails are your thing, check out this book!

Hayden's new trick!

The problem with this (besides wasting an entire cup of dark rum!) was that I still wanted the flavors of spicy carrot cake but in popsicle form. And there needed to be cream cheese, so I came up with my own recipe and it was a success! I started out by whipping up some cream cheese, sweetening it with brown sugar and vanilla and thinned it out slightly with a little half n half. You could also use a little heavy cream and milk if you'd like. I wanted it tangy without being too sweet like frosting. Then came the carrot layer. It had just the right amount of sweetness and was spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. And it tasted like fresh carrots- that Bolthouse Farms juice is delicious stuff!

Into the freezer my concoction went and a few hours later emerged frozen popsicles. Not only were they a gorgeous and vibrant ORANGE, but they were gewd! The cream cheese layer is barely sweet and tangy, and smooth, while the juice layer is spicy and icy. I liked to eat them from the side, taking just a bit of the cream cheese with every juicy bite or the carrot layer. I intended to add a few toasted and chopped pecans to some of them, but I got so excited I just plain forgot. Adding some crushed pineapple or coconut wouldn't be a bad idea either. And while it's no longer Summer, eating carrot cake- in any form- is always in season. 

Carrot Cake Popsicles from Monica h

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For the cream cheese layer: 

• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp half n half
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

For the carrot layer: 

• 1 1/2 cups carrot juice
• 1/3 cup half n half
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, brown sugar, half n half and vanilla. Using a hand mixer, beat until creamy and all ingredients are well incorporated. Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag or a Ziploc bag. Snip off the corner and pipe the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of your popsicle molds, dividing the mixture evenly. Gently tap the molds onto the counter to remove any air bubbles and to help spread the mixture into the corners. Freeze for 30 minutes or until mixture has firmed up.

Meanwhile, make the carrot juice layer. In a sauce pot, combine the carrot juice, half n half, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved. Turn off the heat, add the vanilla and stir. Transfer the mixture to a 2 cup measuring cup and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Place in refrigerator til well chilled. 

Once the cream cheese mixture has firmed up in the pop molds, carefully pour the chilled carrot mixture over the cream cheese layer, dividing the mixture evenly. Insert sticks or handles for your pops and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours. 

Makes 8-10 popsicles 

Summer On A Stick

Hello again! Did you guys miss me? I missed you! You'd think that being on bedrest would give me lots of free time to blog but I've been watching lots of TV and playing games on my iPhone and a friends' borrowed iPad instead. I'm addicted to Words with Friends, Hanging With Friends and a new game I discovered called BubbleXplode. CAN'T. STOP. PLAYING. I even got my MIL hooked on the bubble game ;-) I've read a few blogs in the past week, I just haven't commented much lately. You guys have been making some yummy things!

Just before I was placed on bedrest, I made these delicious pops. It's so stinkin' hot here--about 106 degrees F every single day! I just couldn't make myself turn the oven on, so I whipped up these bad boys. This pregnancy, I've craved key lime pie like nobody's business. Surprisingly, I haven't made one in awhile, but I want it often and never tire of it. It's just so refreshing and bright and so were these popsicles. More recently, I made coconut lime cookies and liked them so much that I knew these would be a hit. Just like the cookies, the coconut adds texture, while the lime is the star.

I really liked these coconut lime popsicles. The hubby, not so much. He took one bite, made faces because he thought they were too tart and tried to give his pop back to me. I ate mine in about 2 minutes flat, then finished off his. Yes, siree! I was expecting more of a coconut flavor, but was pleasantly surprised that they tasted like frozen key lime pie on a stick. Even the texture was the same- not icy, but creamy and dense. Delicious. I've got a couple left to last me the rest of the week and I'm glad that I don't have to share them.

Coconut Lime Popsicles adapted from Tish Boyle

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• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup cream of coconut
• 1/2 cup milk (whole or lowfat)
• grated zest of one lime
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. (I cooled mine in a bowl set in a water bath to speed up the process. The simple syrup (sugar and water) can be made ahead of time, though.)

Combine the remaining ingredients with the simple syrup in a blender and process until well blended and smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 4-6 hours, or until firm.

Makes 3 cups of liquid or 8-10 pops

In pregnancy related news, I went to the doctor today for another check up. My blood pressure was good, but I still had protein in my urine. My condition still hasn't gotten any worse, so that's a good thing. I'm going to the doctor twice a week and the Mister and I are being monitored very closely. I'll find out next Tuesday just how big he's gotten. 2 weeks ago he was 4 pounds 1 ounce. Anyone want to take a wild guess at what his weight will be next week? Who ever guesses it correctly will get a little prize from me!

Sliders and Pops: A Labor Day Two-fer

It's finally September and cooler weather is here! I feel like half of America wants Fall to be here already and the other half is wishing Summer would stick aound just a little longer. I fall somewhere in between. Autumn is my favorite season (and dog!) so I wish it for it year-round but I'm not quite ready for Summer to be over. I just wish we had cooler temps. I'm not a fan of 105 degree days, where are the 80's? Heck the other day it was after 9pm and still in the 90's- that's crazy!

This menu reminds me of Summer. It's simple and fuss free and can be eaten with your hands. Both can be made ahead of time and require very little time to get them on in your belly. Of course they can be prepared and eaten any time of year but I think they're perfect for rounding out the last few days of Summer. They can be eaten as snacks or as a full meal and kids love them as much as the adults do too. The nice thing about these recipes is you can make as many or as few you need.

I made these ham and swiss sliders on sweet Hawaiian bread, but any soft white dinner roll will do. There's not one element that stands out above the other, but it's the buttery poppyseed mustard sauce that tops it all off that makes it unique. These popsicles taste like a slice of fresh pineapple. The original recipe called for milk but I did an experiment and made half with pineapple juice and those turned out to be better looking and tasting. And you don't need any fancy molds to make them, just fill up paper cups and put a stick in them. Make enough to feed your family or a crowd this Labor Day!

Ham and Swiss Sliders adapted from Christy

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• 12 good white dinner rolls (I used Hawaiian rolls)
• 12 pieces good honey ham
• 12 small slices Swiss cheese
• 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 3 Tbsp. miracle whip

Poppy seed sauce:

• 1 1/2 tsp. poppyseeds
• 2 tsp. yellow mustard
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp. dried minced onion or 1 1/2 tsp. fresh minced onion
• 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and miracle whip. Cut the rolls in half and place cut side up. Spread onto both sides of the center of each roll. Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss inside of each roll. Close rolls and place them into a large baking dish or heavy cookie sheet. Place very close together.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the poppy seed sauce ingredients. Pour evenly over all of the sandwiches. Let sit 10 minutes or until butter sets slightly.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Uncover and cook for 2 additional minutes. Serve warm.

NOTE: Sandwiches can be assembled a day ahead and kept in the fridge ready to bake.

Pineapple Pops adapted from Everyday Food

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• 3 cups fresh pineapple chunks (or one 14.5-ounce can chunks packed in juice, drained)
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice or milk
• ¼ cup sugar

In a food processor, combine pineapple chunks, juice or milk, and sugar; pulse until almost smooth, with some chunks of pineapple remaining.

Pour half the mixture into a medium bowl (or a glass measuring cup for easy pouring). Pulse remaining mixture until completely smooth; add to mixture in bowl.

Divide evenly among eight 3-ounce molds or paper cups, and insert wooden sticks. Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours or up to 2 weeks (cover with plastic wrap).

NOTE: The original recipe calls for milk to be added to the pops. I made half a batch with milk and the other with the reserved pineapple juice from the can. The juice was hands down more flavorful!

Hope you have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Labor Day Two-fer

I have a lot of recipes that I haven't blogged about. Like 30 of them waiting to be written about and yet I am still baking other things and I continue to get backed up! It's never ending. So I thought I'd treat you to two different recipes today that can be whipped up in no time and would be perfect for this weekend.

I bring you Coleen's Taco Burgers and Strawberry Watermelon Popsicles! The burgers were a nice change from the ordinary. They're made with ground beef but they have the addition of ground Fritos and taco sauce in the patty, making it taste like a taco--on a bun! As Taco Bell says, "Think outside the bun!"

The strawberry watermelon pops were delicious too. They were refreshing and you could taste both fruits. It has a squirt of lime juice that wakes up the fruit but it's not quite distinguishable. I added mini chocolate chips to resemble seeds but they all sunk. So if you add them make sure the pops are semi frozen so they stay suspended in the pop. These are a perfect way to wrap up summer.

A few of you asked me where I got my popsicle molds. I got mine from Goodwill for $3 but the exact mold can be ordered through Amazon and it includes 50 popsicle sticks for under $15.

Taco Burgers from Coleen's Recipes

• 1 lb. extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup of crushed Fritos
• 1/4 cup taco sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• cheese and toppings of your choice

Mix the ground beef with the crushed Fritos, taco sauce and salt and pepper.

Shape into patties and grill over medium heat to desired internal temperature. Just before it's finished, top each burger with a slice of cheese and let it melt.

Serve burgers on bun with fresh veggies and more taco sauce if desired.

Makes 3- 1/3 lb. patties.

Watermelon Strawberry Pops

• 1 cup strawberry puree, strained of seeds
• 2 cups seedless watermelon puree, strained
• 1/2 cup sugar
• juice of half a lime
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Add strawberry purees to a bowl. Add sugar and lime juice and stir until sugar has completely dissolved.

Pour mixture into pop molds and insert sticks. Freeze pops until for about an hour til semi frozen then add mini chocolate chips if using. Using the handle of a long spoon or butterknife, press the chips down into the watermelon mixture.

Freeze until solid. Overnight is best.

Makes 8-10 3-oz. popsicles.

Have a great weekend. Be safe and eat well!

Shades of Blue(berry)

I have to say... these popsicles are quite the lookers. I had so much fun photographing these blueberry vanilla yogurt pops and all their components. I don't know which picture I like best. They make me want to eat blueberries until I turn into Violet Beauregarde.

If you don't want to use blueberries (and I don't know why you wouldn't!) you could use cherries like the original recipe called for. I'm sure strawberries and peaches would be fantastic too!

This adapted recipe comes from Pops! Icy Treats For Everyone. There are so many different and unusual recipes in this book such as Mango & Chile Paletas, Persimmon Pudding Pops, PB & Sesame Raspberry Pops, Blueberry Cheesecake Pops, Root Beer Float Pops, Caramel Latte Pops, Mojito Pops....Do I have your attention?! There is something in this book for everyone so I suggest you take a looksie the next time you're at the bookstore or your local library.

These pops were not only pretty, they were tasty and healthy and simple to make. They were lightly sweetened with honey but I added a little vanilla sugar for something extra. The blueberry flavor shone through but it was balanced out by the tanginess of the yogurt and fragrant vanilla. They were icy and creamy at the same time with the added bonus of the whole berry tucked inside.

Blueberry Vanilla Yogurt Pops adapted from Pops!

• 2 1/2 cups blueberries
• 1 cup grape juice
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla sugar (optional)

Combine 2 cups of the blueberries with the grape juice, yogurt, vanilla extract, honey and vanilla sugar in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.

Pour the blended mixture into molds leaving 1/2 an inch of head space. Evenly divide the remaining 1/2 cup blueberries into the molds. Using the handle of a long spoon or a skewer gently push some of the blueberries down into the mold.

Insert sticks and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight.

Makes 8-10 pops- depending on size.

NOTE: The original recipe calls for 3 cups cherries (2 c. blended, 1 c. added to blended mixture) and cherry juice.

I have to admit, I had a couple of these for breakfast on my way out the door. It's the perfect travel companion :-)

Keeping Cool

Here are a couple more pictures of our trip to Fredericksburg. This is the cute little cottage we rented during our stay. It was very charming and cozy, with lots of things to discover. I just love old houses and their creaky floors, don't you? My husband does not, but I couldn't get enough!

The gazebo covered hot tub that we got steamy in. I'll leave it at that. It really was too warm outside to be comfortable in, but it was nice and relaxing.

And LOOK! I even had time to whip up this fabulous cake! Kidding, it's made of styrofoam and fake icing :-) It's was a prop, which I think it beyond weird. Know what's even more weird? There were two of them, decorated with different color flowers. It was on display on the cupboard next to a cookbook. ha!

There was an attic in the house but the door was locked so Mr. H popped it open and we went up stairs. There wasn't much in there besides an air bed, but there was a tattered flag in the window that I caught my eye.

Before heading out to dinner we did a little window shopping and there was a sign place open so we wandered in. Mr. H loves signs. If we had blank walls in our garage, they'd be covered in signs. He did buy two of them, but there were thousands. This is one partial wall of 2 huge rooms.

I have a few more pictures for you involving a wonderful bakery and The Butterfly Haus. Those are for another day though.

Have I mentioned at all how hot it is here in Texas? We've been breaking record temperatures daily! it's been averaging between 102 -104 F. It did get up as hot as 107 though a couple weeks ago. Ridiculous! To cool off, I made popsicles! I found the popsicle molds at Goodwill for $2.99- score!

I found this recipe from Whole Foods and decided on it because I love orange and strawberry together. It reminds me of when I was a kid and I'd walk to the little corner mart across the street from my grandparents house. Aside from getting candy (Laffy Taffy), I'd get Tropicana Twisters in Strawberry Orange. Of course that was on the days I didn't get Clearly Canadian :-)

These popsicles were smooth and pulpy, but not hard and icy like most popsicles. They were tart and refreshing! Perfect for the sweltering heat!

Strawberry Orange Popsicles from Whole Foods

• 1 cup puréed strawberries*
• 1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
• Lime or lemon juice, to taste

Combine strawberry purée and orange juice concentrate in a medium bowl; set aside.

Heat water and sugar together in a small pot over medium heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves; add to bowl with strawberry-orange mixture. Stir in lime or lemon juice.

Fill popsicle molds with fruit mixture, making sure to leave a bit of room at the top for expansion when they freeze. Set the lids in place and insert the sticks through the holes.

Freeze until firmly set, 3 to 4 hours. To serve, first remove the lids or wrap then squeeze the sides of the molds, twisting them slightly, to dislodge each popsicle. (If necessary, rinse the outside of the molds briefly under hot water to unmold them.)

NOTE: These can be made in small cups or empty yogurt tubs as well. But be sure to stretch plastic wrap or foil across the top, then make a small incision in the top and insert a popsicle stick in each.

*For a smoother consistency, strain the puree of it's seeds.

Makes 8-10 popsicles, depending on size.

Updated: I entered this in the ice cream social sponsored by ScottySnacks, SavortheThyme and Tangled Noodle.