The past week (#1)

For awhile, I haven't been in my usual housewife mood. Been stressed and such, so I've been slacking a bit in the kitchen and cleaning departments. Gave myself a mental slap and have been "trying" to get back to normal.

As for cooking, I've made some frozen yogurt pops. I just used vanilla yogurt and put a strawberry on the bottom, though some had M&M's on the bottom instead. They were good. You can some more recipes for frozen treats over here. I also made my favorite banana bread; vintage banana bread recipe. I didn't have brown sugar for it, so doubled the white sugar. It was still just has good.

Tried 2 new recipes yesterday, and will try one today for dinner. Recipes for those will be posted within the next few days. I have a few meals already prepared in the freezer, just waiting to be cooked. I think I'm getting my groove back.

So what did you do over the week?

Recipes :: Frozen Pops (round 2)

Pop-ular Mechanics

Follow these directions for all recipes unless noted:

1. Pour treat mixture into eight standard 3-oz pop molds; insert plastic sticks or cover with foil and make slits for wooden sticks.

2. Freeze until completely solid, 3 to 4 hours.

3. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before removing. If pops are hard to get out, run molds under warm water for 10 seconds.

Iced Cocoa

1. Mix together 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 tbs sugar.

2. Add 2 tbs water and stir into a paste.

3. Then mix in 2 3/4 cups reduced-fat milk.

Fruit Smoothie

1. In a blender, puree 1 1/2 cups of strawberries, 1 banana, and 1 cup low-fat yogurt.

2. Thinly slice another banana. 

3. Press banana slices against the sides of molds; fill with berry mixture.

Cupcake

1. Shake sprinkles into eight silicone or foil cupcake wrappers.

2. Spread 2 to 3 tsp nutella on the bottom and partially up the side of each wrapper.

3. Freeze until hardened, 1 to 2 hours.

4. Fill with low-fat banana yogurt.

5. Cover with foil, make a slit, and insert a wooden pop stick.

6. Freeze 3 to 4 hours or until solid. 

7. Peel off wrappers, thaw a little, and serve.

Recipes :: Frozen Pops (round 1)

my versions with a strawberry and m&m's

Pop-ular Mechanics

Follow these directions for all recipes unless noted:

1. Pour treat mixture into eight standard 3-oz pop molds; insert plastic sticks or cover with foil and make slits for wooden sticks.

2. Freeze until completely solid, 3 to 4 hours.

3. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before removing. If pops are hard to get out, run molds under warm water for 10 seconds.

Berried Treasure

1. Fill 5-oz cups or pop molds with yogurt (like vanilla, or strawberry) and chopped berries. 

2. Cover with foil, make a slit, and insert a pop stick. 

3. Freeze 3 to 4 hours, or until solid.

Totally Toddler

1. Whisk together 1/3 cup milk and 1/3 cup orange juice. Divide among four 3-oz paper cups.

2. Cover with foil, make a slit, and insert a baby or toddler spoon. Freeze until just solid, 1 to 2 hours.

3. Remove from freezer, uncover. Fill to top of cup with carrot juice.

4. Re-cover and re-freeze until hardened, 2 to 3 hours.

Recipes :: Blueberry Pie (frozen treat)

Blueberry Pie - Frozen Treat

1. Spoon 3 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt into 9-in store-bought graham-cracker pie crust in an aluminum pie tin.

2. Swirl in 1/4 cup blueberry preserves. Cover with foil and freeze until firm but not completely solid, 2 hours.

3. Remove from freezer; uncover. With a sharp knife, score into 8 pieces. Use a knife to make slits through the tin into the side of the crust for the ice-pop sticks; use score marks as a guide to center the slits in each wedge. After making each slit, insert stick right away to prevent leakage. 

4. Re-cover and freeze for at least another 2 hours. Remove from freezer, fully cut each piece, and use scissors to cut away the pan.