A Bike & A Mountain Flower & An Ice Pop

When in the mountains, my boys and I like to ride our bikes. Wild flowers, mountain streams and lakes attract us. Ice Pops hit the spot when we arrive home hot and dusty. Try making a different batch each night. The fruit and juice give you a pop of carbohydrate and the yogurt a little protein. Perfect.

Healthy, High-Energy Ice Pops

Freezing Time: 4-6 hours

Equipment: Blender or food processor, Popsicle forms

Servings: 6 Ice Pops, depends on size of form

Ingredients

1 cup favorite yogurt, flavored or plain

2 handfuls of your favorite fruit, cleaned, chopped  bananas,  berries, stone fruit, your favorite

1 cup fruit juice – orange, apple, your favorite

Order of Events

1. Blend ingredients together in a blender or food processor until well blended.

2. Pour into Ice Pop forms.

3. Freeze until solid, then remove by running the forms under hot water.

Enjoy!

Kitchen Gossip

A Popsicle sweet and sticky dripping down your arm on a hot summer day is a favorite childhood memory.

The Delegator Quietly Hovers

You can see me quietly moving in the background. A lunch inquiry was made, options were suggested, no move was made on my part to instigate the procedure. The sous chef moves in and starts the preparation. I step back and offer only enough assistance to keep the flow going. Miraculously lunch comes together and the herd eats. Pride and accomplishment subtly crossing the sous chefs face.
Bunny

Gingery Lemon Soda / Goofy Is As Goofy Does

Are there any like these, in your home?
I have a Tonic for that.

Gingery Lemon Soda

Ingredients
1/2-1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 inch nub fresh ginger, sliced thin

4-6 lemons,scrubbed
1 bunch fresh mint, cleaned

Ice
Soda water

Order of Events

1. Make a Ginger Simple Syrup by mixing together sugar, water and ginger in a small pot. Bring to a simmer and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Cool leaving ginger in until ready to store in the fridge or use, then strain off ginger. Traditionally simple syrup is equal amounts of sugar and water. I find this a bit sweet in my concoctions so I decrease the sugar up to a half. Find what works for you.
2. Slice one lemon into the thinnest possible slices and add them to a pitcher. Use a juicer to juice the rest of the lemons and add the juice to the pitcher. Pour in half of the Ginger Simple Syrup. Pack in a couple of handfuls of fresh mint, stems included.
3. Fill the pitcher with ice and soda water. Taste, add more Ginger Simple Syrup if necessary.
4.  Pour into tall glasses, garnish with a sprig of mint. Enjoy!

Fresh Currants Make Great Jam

On Saturday I went to the market. Red currants and gooseberries caught my eye. The currants were a mass of beautiful red jewels and a tangle of stems. The gooseberries were rosy red and reminded me of the farm when I was little. Both have good natural pectin perfect for jam.

Currant & Gooseberry Jam

Ingredients
2 cups currants, stemmed and cleaned
2 cups gooseberries, cleaned
1/4 cup of water

11/4-11/2 cups sugar

zest from 1 lemon

Order of Events

1. Crush the berries in layers in a heavy non reactive pot with a potato masher. The gooseberries are big enough to crush, the currants mostly missed the potato masher, that's ok.

2. Add the water and bring the fruit to a simmer, watch carefully and stir so the fruit does not scorch on the bottom of the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes, letting the natural pectin release from the fruit.

3. Add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time, simmering and stirring as you go. Stir in the lemon zest.  Taste to make sure you like the sweetness. When most of the currants have popped and you can see the jam thickening on the back of your spoon it is done. Remove from heat and pour into a clean glass container. Jam will thicken as it cools. Cover with a tight fitting lid when cooled and store in the refrigerator. With hungary mouths arond this jam will not last long but you can keep it in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.

Enjoy!

Recognise This Man?

Recognize this man? He used to be a boy. This man works hard. When he looks at print it moves, up and down, in waves and from the end of one word down the line to another word. He has to work hard to make print stay still. Its tiring work but he persists. This man is smart. He is caring, empathetic, strong and goofy. Good qualities in a man. This man graduated high school this year and he is going to University! This man used to be a boy now he is a man.

Bunny Cleaver Loves A Mean Shoe

I love shoe shopping, I love wearing scrumptious shoes, I even like organizing and taking account of my shoes. I do not always buy expensive ones, although I have nothing against an expensive shoe if our budget allows it, I will look in high and low shops for the perfect find. I never wear heels when I am in the kitchen unless all the work has been done and I am bringing out the appetizers and starting to sip on a cocktail. My standard shoe for the kitchen is low with good support. I want to be comfortable while I am delegating duties, creating a new recipe or pulling dinner together. These classic nude shoes did not cost me a bundle, even though they scream that they did. Perfect !

Strength in Two

This is my man. Together we are stronger than apart. We bike, clean, cook, fight, raise children, make love and balance the books together. He makes tea for me in the morning, takes care of my car and smokes a mean roast.  I wash his socks, make his dinner and listen to what he thinks are hilarious stories. What he does for me I can usually do for him and vice verse. What needs to get done usually does. Each of us has power in One & Strength in Two.