Strawberries

I love fruit picking. Last year we went strawberry picking for the first time and I realized how wonderful it is. We used to go blueberry picking, and I will definitely go again this summer, but picking tiny berries in the scorching heat does not seem to suit the boys very well. It takes forever since the berries are so small. They get bored and hot after 15 minutes. And the bucket it barely filled up to my liking.

Strawberries on the other hand. Perfect. It doesn't take too long. 

Alex was busy picking the whole time. Which was 30 minutes give or take. Not long at all.

Liam is wonderful at eating strawberries. It wasn't too hot. He could sit down and not get lost in the bushes.

This picture sums it up. Liam eats, Alex feels important because he has his own basket. And both refuse to look or smile at the camera. 

So what does one do with three baskets of strawberries?

I asked Alex what we should make with them. I was thinking strawberry shortcake. Grab some pre-made stuff and add strawberries.
Of course he would suggest sometime like cupcakes. Or cake. He went back and forth most of the car ride home.
Of course, I am already on pinterest as we are leaving the strawberry patch. But what way to more quickly get some ideas, and think about a list of ingredients I need before we get home.
I just knew it needed whipped cream. What better way to add strawberries to a dessert than add in some whipped cream. (unless you are making chocolate covered strawberries, and we ran out before I had the chance)

So these are the recipes I ended up using.
I found the strawberry cupcake recipe here and doubled it because I was going to make some for our community group and my hallway at school. It was delicious. Even though my butter wasn't totally room temperature and never mixed in very well.

And the strawberry whipped cream was divine. You can find the recipe here. And just go ahead and make extra of that too because it tastes good with everything.

The rest of the strawberries were eaten fresh! The boys ate them with almost every meal and as snacks. They were delicious with my granola and yogurt in the mornings too. We ate up Alex's basket first because he didn't totally grasp the concept of picking BIG strawberries... his were nice and red but pretty tiny!

Anyways. I am looking forward to filling my freezer with blueberries this summer. And we missed apple picking last year, so I am excited to do that in the fall too! But strawberry picking will always be one of my favorite family activities too! :)

Blueberry Peach No-Churn Ice Cream

 Next up is Ice Cream! (See the recipes for blueberry buckle and blueberry muffins here and here.) This summer I really wanted to make ice cream, but I didn't really want to have to buy an ice cream maker...I kept my eyes open for a good deal on one, but couldn't find anything I liked, so I was super happy to find a recipe for ice cream that took out that step! It was from a Woman's Day magazine and took no time to make at all! The magazine had a couple of different options, but I had just been blueberry picking and had a bunch of peaches on hand so I decided to make blueberry peach ice cream!




You need:
2 cups very cold heavy cream
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
6-7 medium peaches
handful of blueberries
blueberry jam

• cut up peaches and put in blender to puree
• using a mixer, beat cream, condensed milk, and vanilla in a bowl until stiff peaks form.
• Mix peach puree in
• Spoon half the mixture into a freezer safe container. Spoon a spoonful or two of blueberry jam and the blueberries on top and then swirl in. Add in the rest of peach mixture and repeat with the blueberry jam and blueberries.
• Freeze for at least 4 hours. It makes a ton! 
• Eat up! 

 Alex enjoyed it! But I think he enjoyed the cone more! ;)

Blueberry Buckle

After a fun blueberry picking trip I had lots of blueberries to use!

This was actually how I finished up the rest of my blueberries...by making Blueberry Buckle. Basically a coffee cake but with blueberries! I think I may have in the past eaten it as a dessert, but it makes a great breakfast too! :) This is a favorite family recipe! I remember making this for my grandpa after going blueberry picking one time. fun times.

You need:
1/2 cup butter, soften
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
5 cups blueberries (I used 4 cups and that was plenty!)

for the streusel topping:
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup flour
6 Tbs butter

• Heat oven to 350
• butter/flour a 10 inch round pan (or springform pan)
• sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl
• cream butter and sugar for 3 minutes, then add egg and vanilla
• alternate adding flour mixture and milk (start and end with flour)
• fold in blueberries
• pour batter into pan
• for streusel--mix dry ingredients together. cut in butter until fine crumbs form. Using hands, squeeze together mixture to form large clumps
• Sprinkle topping on top of batter
• bake for 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and streusel is light brown
• ENJOY!

Blueberry Muffins

Make blueberry muffins of course! Will loves blueberry muffins as long as I don't try to make them too healthy! ;) I learned that last year, so this year after we went blueberry picking, I made sure to make a more normal, less whole wheat flour one! He was happy!

It was a pretty easy recipe and Alex was more than happy to help! I found the recipe here.

You need:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups blueberries

• Let your toddler put muffin liners in the muffin pan (it will take forever! :) ) and preheat oven to 375
• cream together butter and sugar
• then add eggs and milk and mix well.
• in a small bowl stir flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• add to milk mixture and stir it up.
• fold in blueberries.
• fill muffin cups. (I ended up making about 18)
• sprinkle some sugar on top of each muffin
• bake for 30 minutes or until tops are light brown!

enjoy! they will disappear quickly!

Popsicles Take two

I got the new popsicle molds yesterday and had to try a new popsicle right away! 

Put 4 plums (skin off) 1 cup raspberries, and 1/2 cup apple juice in a blender

Puree until it is blended together.

Put tops on and freeze for 3-6 hours.

Enjoy!! Alex liked these ones! They were a little heavy on the raspberry taste, so I will probably use a little less next time! :)

Photo 18: Blueberry

Blueberry picking is loads of fun.
Now we have plenty of blueberries, blueberry muffins, and blueberry jam!

depending on how the jam tastes, I may be making a lot more of it! (You can freeze it!) The recipe is found here. (it's SO easy!) The muffins were from my Simply in Season Cookbook!


Blueberry picking was so much fun. None of us had slept well and so we were all tired, but it was still so nice to get out in the morning (we got there about 9:30) and pick to our hearts content. Alex picked some blueberries and then wandered between Will and I. We didn't pick quite as much as I wanted to, because he was getting tired, but I had to remind myself that I could most certainly come back...and pick a LOT more blueberries!


here's a glimpse of our family fun, thanks to Will's phone camera because I let mine at home! 

Recipe #352: Grilled Banana S'mores

This was a pinterest find, or you can find the original here. It was an amazing, rich, delicious, quick and easy dessert (is that enough adjectives for you!)


You need:
2 bananas

handful of chocolate chips, mini marshmallows and cinnamon toast crunch cereal

• split open a banana long ways
• stuff some chocolate chips and mini marshmallows
• wrap in aluminum foil around banana
• stick on grill for 3-5 minutes, or a little more if on indirect heat 
• open up when ready to eat, sprinkle some crushed cereal on top
• eat up quickly before your child tries to steal too many bites!

Recipe #273: Grilled Apples

So while you are cutting up veggies for the recipes you can find here, you need to cut up a couple of apples too for AMAZING grilled apples! It's like eating apple pie, without the crust!

You need:
3 apples
cinnamon and sugar
1/2 Tbsp butter, melted

• cut apples into rounds.
• put in a ziploc
• add melted butter and cinnamon and sugar
• grill for 10 minutes, turning at least once, or until tender

Alex wasn't quite sure about the first bite, but then he couldn't get enough!

Recipe #164: Apple Pie

This is a deep pie dish, so it used a lot of filling, but it was super delicious with vanilla ice cream!

You need:
pie crust recipe (found here)
1/2 apple crisp recipe
apple crisp filling (both found here)

• put the crust in the pie plate
• add the apple filling
• top with crust
• bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until top is brown

Make extra pie crust to make the pumpkin pies found here! :)

Recipe #147: Banana Pancakes

The original recipe is found here. I doubled it and used some whole wheat flour...and added chocolate chips!

you need:
2 cups flour (one white, one whole wheat)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cups milk
4 Tbsp oil
4 ripe bananas, mushed

• mix together in a small bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt
• in another bowl beat eggs then mix in milk, oil, and bananas
• combine two bowls, batter will be lumpy
• cook on griddle until done on each side
• if you choose to add chocolate chips, sprinkle some on top as soon as you pour batter in griddle.

Recipe #138: Apple Pie Bread

So left over apple pie dip equals a delicious bread!

You need:
one grapefruit size portion of bread dough
apple pie dip
flour for pizza peel

• take out portion of dough and allow to rest for about 40 minutes
• preheat oven after 20 minutes and allow the stone to heat
• roll out and put apple pie dip on two thirds of the dough
• roll back up and tuck ends under so it is sealed.
• cut little slits in top of dough
• bake for about 35 minutes

i still need to work on getting the insides to stay inside...but it was still delicious!

Recipe #136 and #137: Apple Pie dip with Cinnamon and Sugar Chips

This was another find on pinterest! Originally from here. I doubled the recipe.

You need: 

for dip--

4 cups diced apples

4 Tbsp lemon juice

6 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp flour dissolved in 2 tsp water

• Combine apples, lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small pan
• heat until boiling, stirring often
• add flour/water mixture
• heat until thickened
• great warm or cold!

for the chips--

8 tortillas

4 Tbsp butter melted

1 tsp cinnamon

3 Tbsp sugar

• cut tortillas into sixths
• lay on a greased baking pan
• brush with melted butter
• sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top (i had mixed together before adding)
• bake at 410 until golden brown, 8-10 minutes

Recipe #124: Italian Apple Cake

I found this recipe on Pinterest, but it is originally found here.
I had apples and Will grew up in Italy so it seemed like a great combination...
however, when baking a new recipe on a night when your husband is gone and your child is not sleeping well...not always a good idea! Lets just say the cake was a little drier than it should be, but I would definitely make it again. It was not the American "sweet" kind of cake, but was very delicious!

You need:
2 Cups of flour

4 Eggs

1 Cup of canola oil

1 Cup sugar

2 Teaspoons baking powder

6 apples peeled and sliced

• mix together flour, eggs, oil, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl.
• pour into a buttered springform pan 
• cut up apples and stick into the batter, making big circles all the way into the middle
• bake at 325 for 60-70 minutes or until golden brown.

the original recipe suggested tossing the apples in lemon, i wonder if that would probably make them not brown so much when baked...i guess we will find out next time!

Recipe #120: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

yes, I am going to make oatmeal a recipe! :)

you need:
one oatmeal packet
two slices of apple
cinnamon sticks
creamer

• make oatmeal according to package directions
• in the last 30 seconds of microwaving, add apple slices, cut into chunks
• stir together.
• break a cinnamon stick in half and mix in.
• top with a little flavored creamer if you want! :)

Recipe #119: Mini Apple Pies

Another find from pinterest! Originally found here. Perfect for tailgating or parties because they are preportioned already. Super easy to make too!

You need:
2 apples, cut into 8 slices each
1 package of pie crust or make your own
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

• cut your apple into 8 wedges
• mix up the cinnamon and sugar and melt the butter
• spread out the pie crust 
• Spread butter around the surface, sprinkle liberally cinnamon and sugar
• Cut into 8 strips
• roll up and apple in each strip until entire apple is covered (make sure it overlaps a bit)
• put on a wax paper lined baking sheet coat top of each piece with left over butter and sprinkle more cinnamon and sugar 
• bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

I probably should have put more cinnamon and sugar on the top to give it the darker look. I ended up melting some more butter and giving the crusts one more coat and then adding more cinnamon and sugar before I served it. That made it look better and really makes sure the cinnamon taste was evident too! I want to try this again with the pastry dough...i think that would be really delicious too!

Well, confession, these were the leftover ones I didn't take out with me for tailgating, the other ones looked a little better! 

Recipe #113: Apple Crisp

Nothing says fall like an homemade apple crisp made from hand picked apples!
Please note...I only pick and use Fuji Apples because no other apple can compare to the wonders of Fuji apples! :)

You need:
Apple filling
6 cups apples (or another fruit, peaches or blueberries are great too!)
2 cups sugar
6 Tbsp flour
2 tsp cinnamon

Topping
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups oats
3 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 cup shortening

*I had a lot of topping left over this time, so if you want to decrease the recipe a bit that would probably be okay!

• Combine filling and put in a 9x13 pan
• mix brown sugar, oats and flour in another bowl
• cut in butter and shortening
• mix together until you form a crumble topping (your fingers work great! :) )
• sprinkle on top
• bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes or when top looks brown

The trio of Apple desserts last night! Apple crisp on the left, apple pizza on the right, apple sauce in the middle!

Recipe #112: Apple Pizza

Well, after a wonderful day of apple picking we came home and I made some pizzas for the crew of hungry apple pickers! I decided the final pizza should be an apple dessert pizza! Simple, but very delicious!

You need:
Pizza Dough, I used the light whole wheat dough found here
2 apples, sliced thinly
cinnamon and sugar
caramels, cut up

• Roll out your pizza dough
• Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar all over top of surface
• spread apples evenly around surface. 
• top with a little bit more cinnamon and sugar, and caramel pieces
• I had rolled up the sides over the apples a bit, but had trouble getting it off the pizza peel and on to the stone on the grill, so that didn't work out quite right.
• grill for about 15 minutes

We cut it into long slices...Will had the leftovers for breakfast so it is a very versatile meal! :)

Recipe #94: Peanut Butter and Banana Wraps

This is a great snack or even breakfast! Got the idea from pinterest but originially a betty crocker recipe I think!

You need:
one whole wheat wrap
2 Tbsp peanut butter
half of a banana
some chocolate chips

• Heat the wrap up for about 15 seconds
• Spread PB over wrap
• Cut up banana and add on top
• top with chocolate chips 
• wrap it up

Enjoy!

Recipe #74: Peanut Butter Bananas

This is a perfect snack, or breakfast, but Will thinks it is strange. You eat it and be the judge!

You need:
a banana
spoonful of peanut butter

• Spread the peanut butter on the banana
• Enjoy a protein filled snack
• Yes it counts as a recipe! :)

Recipe #54: Fruit Tarts

I think I could have eaten these for dinner instead of the curry, but I resisted! :) Super easy to make and just fun!

You need:
pie crust
fruits of choice--I used  peaches, strawberries, and frozen blueberries
whipped topping

• First i used a muffin cup to find a similar size circle object. my baby bowls worked perfectly. I used those to make circles in the pie crust.
• put the circles inside of the muffin tin and pat the sides down. poke some holes in the crust with a fork.
• I preheated the oven to 450 and then put it in about 8 minutes before it was done preheating and it came out perfectly.
• while it is in the oven i cut up the fruit. 
• take the crust out immediately and let cool.
• once they have cooled add the fruit. Add whipped cream right before you are ready to eat!

ENJOY!