Fun with Fruit

Fruit Smiles!

Fruit can be fun!  There are lots of ways to get kids to eat their fruit and veggies.  Try a few of these fun recipes for fruit.  Some are good for school lunches, afternoon snacks and some are fun for the kids to make themselves.  I will post a few fun recipes to try over the next few days.  First try these yummy fruit smiles.

Cantaloupe fruit smiles with strawberry jello.

Fruit Smiles



1 melon (cantaloupe or honeydew)
1 package Jell-O brand gelatin
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup mixed fruit

CUT 1 melon (about 3-1/2 lb.) in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Scoop out melon, leaving each half with a 1-inch-thick shell. Chop removed melon; drain well. Cut thin slice off bottom of each melon shell to allow it to stand upright.


STIR 3/4 cup boiling water into 1 pkg. (4-serving size) Jell-O Brand Gelatin in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup cold water. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved chopped melon and 1/2 cup fruit to each melon shell.


POUR gelatin evenly into melon shells. Pour any remaining gelatin into small bowl to enjoy later. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Cut each half melon into four wedges to serve.

 

FRUIT CRITTERS

Ladybugs
For each one, push half of a red grape onto a trimmed wooden skewer for the head. Next, push on a hulled strawberry body and score the back to create wings. For spots, use a toothpick to gently press mini chocolate chips, tips down, into the fruit. Arrange the skewers on a honeydew melon half.

Caterpillars
Carefully thread grapes onto a pretzel stick to make a caterpillar. Stick 2 sunflower seeds into one of the end grapes to make eyes. You can also use 2 kinds of grapes to make a multi colored caterpillar.


Bumble Bees
Cut off the last 2 inches of a banana, so you have a piece with a slight curve and a tapered end. This will be the body. Carefully stick a pretzel stick into the cut surface so half is in the banana and half is sticking out. Core a strawberry and carefully stick in onto the other half of the pretzel stick to attach the "head". Cut a raisin in 1/2 and stick the cut side onto either side of the strawberry to make eyes. Cut 2 slices of apple and carefully stick into the banana to make wings.

Have fun making your own critters using different fruits! 

Texas State Fair Corn dogs

Big Tex, an icon at the State Fair of Texas

Food is the prominent feature at the State Fair of Texas, aside from Big Tex, and one of the main reasons to visit Fair Park in Dallas every year.  Fried food is the real star with the Big Tex Choice Awards, an annual contest judging the best-tasting and most creative fried foods this side of the Mississippi.  Past winners include chicken fried bacon, fried banana split, and deep fried peaches and cream.  Everyone in Texas remembers last year's Most Creative winner, deep fried butter.  Yes, I said "deep fried butter."  It is hard to wrap my mind around the fat and calorie count of deep fried butter, but it may be best not to think about it.  Fried foods are special-occasion foods after all, and though we can look down our "nutrition-focused" noses at deep fried butter, even  the healthiest among us has a hard time resisting funnel cake.  I mean, c'mon, have you ever tasted that stuff.  Add Belgian waffles, strawberry lemonade and corn dogs and more than the kids are going home with full bellies.

These boots were not made for walking...

Every summer we have a day of cooking class honoring the fair and we fry up everything we can get our grubby little hands on.  This year we even tried deep fried Oreos...not our best concoction, but eaten none the less.  We make Belgian waffles, drink our strawberry lemonade, then sit back with full tummies and look forward to the next few healthy classes focused on summer fruit and veggies.  But oh what a day it is!
 

The stars at night are big and bright!

So, I thought I would honor the great State Fair by sharing our corn dog recipe with you.  The Texas State Fair is still a month away but who has time to fry up corn dogs after school is back in session.  You have a week and a half left to try these out.  Put out some celery and carrot sticks and enjoy your fried creation guilt free. 

CORN DOG BATTER


3 c. cornmeal
1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 1/4 c. water
1 eggs

In large mixing bowl mix all dry ingredients. Add buttermilk and water. Beat in eggs and mix well. If batter gets stiff add small amount of water.

To prepare corn dog, use hot dogs right out of the package; insert stick in one end of the hot dog and coat it by rolling it in the batter. Hold on to stick and gently lower into deep, hot oil. Turn the corn dogs until browned on both sides. Leftover batter may be kept a few days in the refrigerator.

Summer Bread Salad

Summer Bread Salad

There are several recipes out there for bread salad.  Essentially you make your own croutons and toss quite a few of them with everything you can get from your summer garden.  Make your own dressing or use your favorite...we like Paul Newman's Low-Calorie Balsamic Vinaigrette.  This time I made a variation of Rebecca Rather's Rustic Bread Salad with fresh basil from the garden.  We really enjoyed this Saturday night with roasted chicken.  (See earlier post for recipe.)  I halved the recipe and we still had a huge bowl of salad, enough for leftovers the next day.  My version of the recipe is listed below, so if you have a big crowd you can easily double the salad.

Remember the salad is called "Summer Bread Salad" so the bread makes up more of the salad than the traditional croutons.  Pile them on!  The salad is very hearty and could be a meal in itself.  All the fresh summer corn and heirloom tomatoes are at their best in the summer, of course.  It's not too late to try your own version!  I know little kids can be picky about mixing everything together in one big bowl.  Why not separate a small portion of each ingredient on their plate.  Add some ranch on the side and before too long, maybe they won't notice when you mix it all together.  It's worth a try! :)

Summer Bread Salad with Roasted Chicken & Shaved Parmesan

Summer Bread Salad

1 whole round loaf of sourdough bread
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I used "Mediterranean Garlic" flavored oil for extra taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 ears sweet corn, shucked and boiled for 3-5 minutes
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsley chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsley chopped
1 medium zucchini, cut in 1/8-inch slices and quartered
1 medium yellow squash, cut in 1/8-inch slices and quartered
3/4 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 pint of sweet, yellow tomatoes, halved
1 heirloom tomato (favorite variety) cored, sliced and cut into bite size pieces
8-10 large basil leaves, cut into ribbons
1 bag of baby arugula (I used romaine and it was delicious- you could use 1/2 bag of each)
Parmesan curls, for garnish

TO MAKE THE BREAD:  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.  Combine the melted butter, flavored olive oil and salt in a small bowl. 
 

 

Spread the cubes on baking sheet in a single layer (may take two small baking sheets) and toss with the butter mixture to coat evenly.  Bake, turning occasionally, until the cubes are browned and crisp, about 30 minutes.  Cool the bread thoroughly on the baking sheet.

 
TO MAKE THE SALAD:  Cut the corn kernels off the cob and place in a large serving bowl along with the bell peppers, zuchinni, squash, cherry tomatoes, basil, arugula and heirloom tomato.  Toss to mix evenly.  I kept the salad and bread separate until serving.  In fact, I combined individual servings so that leftover bread could be stored separately from the salad and still be good the next day.  For a gathering, just toss the bread into the salad right before serving.  Top with Parmesan shavings and dressing and serve immediately.

S'mores Cupcakes

YUMMY!  I have been reading the Pastry Queen's party cookbook and loving all the recipes and family stories that center around Texas cooking.  We have an abundance of influences here in the Lone Star state, which was my inspiration for the "Six Flags over Texas" cooking class.  I just found this cookbook and I actually read through it like a novel.  So many of the recipes are on my list to try, but yesterday I finally made the S'more Cupcakes for our church small group.  They tasted great (almost like chocolate pie) with the graham cracker base, chocolate-chocolate chip cake and homemade marshmallow frosting that you toast on top.  We enjoyed them with homemade vanilla ice cream!  This is a must-try for chocolate lovers.

S,mores Cupcakes

Graham Cracker Base
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
1/2 cup high-quality unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup brewed coffee
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flower
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (12 ounce) bag of Ghiradelli large milk chocolate chips

Marshmallow Topping
8 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar

TO MAKE THE GRAHAM CRACKER BASE:  In a bowl, stir together the crumbs, the 1 cup melted butter and the 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Set Aside  **I had to make another half batch of this to make enough for all the cupcake batter.

TO MAKE THE CUPCAKES:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line Texas or standard-size cupcake tins with paper cupcake liners.  For the crust, press the graham crackers base into the bottow of each well: about 3 teaspoons for a Texas-size cupcake; about 2 tablespoon for a standard size cup.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the cocoa and whisk until smooth.  Add the coffee and whisk until smooth.  Remove from heat.  Pour into mixing bowl.  Add the 2 cups sgar, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla.  Whisk until smooth.  Add the flour, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt and whisk until incorporated/  Stir in chocolate chips.

Evenly divide the batter to fill each cup to the top of the muffin papers.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cupcakes feel firm when lightly pressed in their center, 20- 25 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before icing.

TO MAKE THE MARSHMALLOW TOPPING:  Set a large, perfectly clean metal or pyrex bowl over a pot filled with 2 inches of lightly simmering water.  Add the egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar and heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar melts and there are no visible sugar grains in the meringue.  (Rub a little bit between your fingers to make sure all the sugar has melted).  It doesn't take long.  Remove the meringue form the heat and beat it with an electic mixer on high speed until the meringue is stiff and shiny, about 5 minutes.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CUPCAKES:  Spoon the marshmallow topping into a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip.  Pipe the topping onto each cupcake in a circular motion, starting at the outside and working toward the center piling in high in the center.  Or pile the topping on the top of the cupcake, swirling the center into a peak with your fingers. 

Using a kitchen torch, brown the marshmallow by moving the flame slowly around the cupcake.  You can brown the cupcakes under a broiler just be VERY careful.  Watch the cupcakes closely, as they can go from browned to burnt in seconds.

Blackberry Honey

Blackberry Picking

In June, I took the kids blackberry picking at a local blackberry farm.  It was fun but hot in the afternoon sun.  The problem with picking blackberries is that not everyone likes the seeds.  We usually pick blueberries too and all the kids like those, eating most of them before we get home.  I love blackberries and so does my oldest, but little children may find the seeds unpleasant.  So, even though there are numerous recipes that use up those yummy blackberries like pies and cobblers, consider this recipe for blackberry honey. 

Remember, patience is a virtue...in the bucket not in your mouth!

You actually cook the blackberries with the honey and strain them through a sieve.  The kids will love this concoction spread on toast for breakfast.  It is also delicious over pancakes or waffles. This recipe makes enough to fill one 2 cup wide-mouth Ball jar. 

If you want to store the honey long term, you can certainly follow all the steps to canning jams, like sterilizing the jars, lids and seals and sealing the jars in boiling water. I find that a single jar will keep in the refridgerator for several weeks without all the fuss and it doesn't last that long anyway.  Make some yeast biscuits to go with the honey and it might not even last that long.

Blackberry Honey

Blackberry Honey Recipe

2 pints fresh blackberries
2 cups honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In large saucepan, combine blackberries and honey. Crush slightly. Let stand 20 minutes to release juices. Add lemon juice and cinnamon. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook 10-15 minutes or until thick.

For younger kids, strain the contents through a sieve.  Ladle into hot sterilized jars. (I run the jars, lids and seals through the dishwasher on high heat.)   If you want to store in pantry, process according to manufacturer's directions.  If not, honey will keep in refrigerator for several weeks.  Makes 2 cups which will fill 1 wide-mouth Ball jar.

No Time for Posts!

Puerto Vallerta

Thought I would share the reasons for my lack of posts in June.  First, a family vacation to Mexico, which no decriptions will do justice.  The pools were so fun...I want this one in my backyard (palm trees, hut and drink service included).  What do you think?

The kids loved swimming with the dolphins and sea lions. OK, even the adults had a great time!

Alexandra had to put her hands on that sweet, slick face

(even though they recommended no hands). 

We will just call her the "dolphin whisperer"

Sam getting double attention from the sea lions.  Boy, those whiskers are ticklish.

Cameron kissing a dolphin.  It's hard not to smile. :)

But, of course, delicious food was part of the vacation (even in the pool). Plenty of inspiration with every meal...

But as you can see, summer fun didn't end with vacation. We have been celebrating holidays, visiting libraries and museums, reading books, swimming at the pool, going to movies, grilling out and generally having a relaxing time. Throw in a few cooking camps and you can see why the blog has been sitting idly by without any exciting summer posts.

Can you forgive me?  I have been saving up all my ideas.  Coming soon, we went blackberry picking and I have a tasty recipe for blackberry honey.  We've also made some homemade popsicles, fried our own corndogs and tried out a chocolate mousse icebox pie.  So, come back and visit soon.  There is still plenty of summer left to enjoy and I look forward to sharing the rest of ours with you!

Gingerbread Waffles with Apple Compote and Whipped Cream

We made this delicious recipe for our "Mother's Day Brunch" cooking class.  These waffles were just incredible.  Just too good to describe.  No waffle iron?  No problem.  Add a little flour to thicken the batter and make pancakes instead!

Gingerbread Waffles

3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup buttermilk
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 tablespoon (3/4 stick) butter -- melted

Preheat waffle iron to medium.  In a small bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, molasses and buttermilk, then beat.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add to batter and stir until smooth, then add butter and combine.

Pour about 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter into very hot waffle iron and bake for four to five minutes. Serve hot.


Apple Compote

2 medium green apples, diced
1/4 cup sugar
3/4-1 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch of salt

Place apples in a saucepan. Add all the other ingredients and stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Lower heat, and simmer until the mixture becomes thick and the apples are soft.

Add water, as much as needed, to make sauce the right syrupy consistency which will flow over the waffles.