Strawberry Paletas

I really can't get enough of popsicles, they truly are for me one of the most refreshing ways to beat the summer heat.  Whether you are the type that likes to enjoy your icy cold treat by licking the sides and lapping up the sweet liquid before it hits the burning hot pavement.

Or if you are my type, the kind of person that likes to take big ole' bites of frozen goodness and savor the frigid chunks in your mouth , twisting it around with your tongue,  manuvering it cheek to cheek so that you can avoid the ever feared brain freeze.  Oddly, I can not stand to have chunks of anything in my drink, orange juice with pulp is forbidden in my house. 

As good as the Nantucket Nectar juice looks and tastes, I just can't get over the fleshy bits of fruit that stare up at me every time a take a drink.  However fruit in my paletas, or popsicles are a staple that I look forward to finding. I eagerly take big bites and wait for the moment my teeth bites into that perfectly chopped piece of frozen fruity heaven.

It's like a treat within a treat, plus I always convince myself that these type of paletas are so totally healthy because they are filled with fruit and basically just a teensy bit of sugar (well actually a lit more than teensy, but you know what I mean!) 

And for these reasons I am totally enomorada ( in love) with Mexican Paletas, many of the recipes include chopped fresh fruits like, mangoes, pineapples, watermelon, strawberries of course and even creamy chunks of avocados. fresh water, and sweet azcucar ( sugar).

What could be better than that?! So as the summer closes and your looking for a sweet summin, summin' for the last BBQ of the summer aka " Labor Day.Why not whip up some of these dulce paletas! And reminsce over those fleeting summer days. ♥

You will need a popsicle mold or you can use paper cups and popsicle sticks like I did.

Yields 6 Strawberry Paletas

Strawberry Paletas

Ingredients

3  3/4 cups of hulled strawberries

1/3 cup of sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
In a blender, blend  3 3/4 cups of  rinsed, hulled strawberries until smooth. Push through a fine
strainer into a 2-cup glass measure; discard residue. Add 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice
to berry purée; stir until sugar is dissolved.

Pour paletas mixture equally into 6 juice bar molds. Attach covers. Insert sticks, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches of each exposed. Freeze paletas upright until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 2 weeks. 

A La Escuela- Super Easy Back-To-School Crayon Pretzels

I'm pretty sure you haven't gone through the month of August without hearing someone say " I can't believe the summer is already over",  I know I haven't, I've even said it to myself a couple times, where do the days go? 



Every year to ease the pain of the first day of school for my chicas, I make them a little something special to share with their class.  Although they kind of dred having to wake up so early that the nick at nite reruns of  I Love Lucy are still on, they are eager to show off their sweet offerings and maybe break the ice a little with new friends.



This super cute pretzel crayon box is what one of my chicas brought for last years first day. This one went on record as being one of my favorites because it was so easy and only required a few ingredients and could easily feed the entire class.  In our house of course we could never bring in the same treat more than once, so I'll leave this one for you guys.  My search for this years treat will go on! ♥

Ingredients

1 bag of pretzel rods,-  I find that the Rold Gold Honey Wheat Pretzels are the perfect size, you can use regular pretzel rods but obviously you'll spend time breaking them in half.

1 bag of white candy melts or  white chocolate chips

4 or 5 food colorings  of different colors

4-5 pieces of construction paper to match the color of your dipped pretzels

Directions:
On a cookie sheet lay out a piece of parchment paper to cover the entire area of the sheet.
If your using the honey wheat pretzels  you can go straight to dipping, if not this is the time to break pretzel rods in half.

Melt candy melts or chocolate at 60 percent power in your microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring after each 30 secs, if you leave it the microwave too long your chocolate will burn.

After your chocolate is completely melted, separate the chocolate into small bowls and add your food coloring to each one.

Start with one color and dip each end of the pretzel rod in the chocolate, coating the ends enough so that no pretzel will show when they're covered in the paper wrappers.

Lay each pretzel on the parchment lined cookie sheet to dry.

While the pretzels are drying cut the construction paper into strips long enough so that they will cover the pretzel rod from tip to tip, but not so long they are covering the chocolate dipped part. You may have to make a few test strips, to see what works.

After you've made enough crayon wrappers for your pretzels, you can make a little scribble scrabble to resemble words, or even write each color on the label if your feeling adventurous. Then wrap each pretzel rod and secure with scotch tape.

If you aren't into constructing the labels yourself, there is a free printable for the labels here.

I went to the dollar store to find the crayon box and shredded color paper to accent the box!  See super easy super fun!

August Foodie Pen pal Reveal Day !

So today is the big reveal for a group I joined last month called Foodie Pen pals,  you can learn what it's all about in length here. The basic gist of it is that you are assigned a Foodie Pen pal basically from anywhere across the country, you send them a box of food goodies of your choice.

That's exciting enough for me because I am always anxious to try new and unique foods and I'm equally excited to have others try some of the things that I think are awesome too! Plus who doesn't love to see a package with your name on it sitting on the front steps. It's basically like Christmas morning every month except with food! I'm down for that! Obviously I was super excited to open up my box the day that the package arrived, I couldn't wait to see what was inside! I know you do too, so here it is!

1. The bag of Teddy Grahams was part of a mad grab  between my 2 chicas as soon as I opened the box, I think there may be a handful of tiny bears left at the bottom of the bag by now!

2. The crystal light was perfect because I've been on a pure water kick for the summer, I have almost sworn of soda ( wayyy too much sugar) so this was a great alternative to high calorie juice drink.

3. I've actually never tried Luna or Larabars but I have been interested to see what they taste like and chocolate chip brownie and s'mores would be my first pick! If you didn't already know, I have a Grande Amor with all things choco-latte ♥

4.  I know this may sound a little bit strange but I have never actually purchased or eaten a bag of granola. Of course I have eaten it in ready made products such as granola bars and in cereal, if anyone has any other ideas let me know. I guess I could make some chocolate granola bars for the chicas lunch next week.

5. Now the bag of mangoes were the perfect addition to my morning oatmeal, even the baby enjoyed her mango oatmeal. Delicioso!

6. I also received a pack of chocolate supreme and caramel hot cocoa. Now these I haven't laid a finger on because I am waiting for the first sign of snow and I will have a huge fiesta to celebrate the fact that the 100 degree, sweltering hot days of summer are way behind me. I'm sorry but I just can't take the heat, I am definitely more of cool or cold weather girl!

 So who is the person behind these treat?....Well her name is Tracy and I would like to give a big " Gracias" for sharing some of her favorite things with me, it made my day so super dulce ( sweet) and not to mention my chicas as well. If you have a chance visit her blog and see what great food she received.

Now that this month is over, I'm so excited that I get to do it all over again! My first experience  with Foodie Pen pal was so enjoyable, I can't wait to see what's in store for September!

Mexican Breakfast Club- Mexican Chocolate French Toast

So although lunch is my preferred meal of the day, breakfast holds a very special memory in my heart. Why you ask ? Because many, many lunas ( moons) ago when I was a small, pequena muchahcha I would spend countless mornings around my Nana & Pop Pops breakfast table. I remember sitting at their great big walnut colored kitchen table and watching my Pop Pop flipping the pancakes for what seemed like forever, than making sky high fluffy stacks of his family famous maple pancakes.



There were six little chicas to feed between my sister and my four primas ( cousins) and it didn't even seem to phase him that we had the appetites of  little baby lions and just 1 pancake a piece would not do. He just kept happily slappin the batter on the griddle, and telling us to make sure we had a seat so that we had the perfect view of our early morning cartoons. Such a sweet connection between cooking and showing love.






I couldn't see it back then but now I realize that my Pop Pop didn't see cooking for his grand girls as a chore but a labor of love ♥  Okay, Okay I have to get syrupy sweet about things sometimes.........now to the task at hand.  If you follow my blog you may already know that a few weeks ago I was consumed by all things breakfast, I couldn't stop thinking of new early morning recipes.  I was OBSESSED!  So when I saw that girlie chef & Helen's Breakfast Club   were hosting a Mexican Club event.

 I figured my Mexican Chocolate French Toast could fit the bill.  Although Mexican Chocolate French Toast is not a "traditional" breakfast food it does use Mexican ingredients. It's what I love to call Mexi-Nueva , which is taking common Mexican ingredients and giving them a new spin and a twist! I did previously post about my Mexican French Toast but I never did give the recipe, so here it is. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
4-5 slices of thick Texas toast or 5-6 slices of reg bread
1 tbsp of Mexican canela or cinnamon
1 tbsp Dutch process cocoa
2 tsp of chocolate extract
drizzle of  Nestle Abuelita Mexican chocolate syrup
chocolate chips

Directions :


1. Pour the milk into a medium size bowl, whisk in the eggs until well incorporated and smooth. Next, mix in your, Mexican canela,  cocoa and chocolate extract,whisk until smooth.

2.Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium heat.

3.Soak bread slices in mixture until saturated, but not soggy. Cook bread on each side until golden brown.  Sprinkle with cocoa, cinnamon chocolate chips and a drizzle of  Nestle Abuelita chocolate syrup and Enjoy!

Dos Parties! Don't Cry Over Spilt Helado Milkshakes

Dos Parties,? .....dos is the Spanish word for 2 and of course you all know what the word parties mean. Anyway, no I am not planning a fiesta any time soon. "Dos Parties" is what my teenage daughter said in her awkward ( I am learning Spanish only because it is part of my college prep curriculum, not because I am all things en Espanol, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin loving maniac like my mama!) accent. 

No complaints here though, she has pulled nothing but straight A's in Spanish class since Freshman year! I'm a proud mama, if you can't already tell! hehehe...'What she really wanted to say was " Dos Partes" ( par-tay-s )which in English translates to " 2 Parts" and for her these spilt ice cream milkshakes were the second part to a dessert that I had recently made.  These fiesta ready Don't Cry Over Spilt Helado Cupcakes, actually they are the same but different.

The milkshake is a blend of Breyer's Strawberry Waffle Cone Ice Cream leftover from my Mexican Strawberry Fried Ice Cream , infused with dulce de leche. Then filled to the rim with creamy ice cream drizzled with sweet dulce de leche and rich chocolate sauce.  The ice cream cone is filled with marshmallow fluff to resemble spilt ice cream and a handful of  fiesta sprinkles ( this is what I love to call colorful sprinkles, cause they make me wanna party!)

My chicas actually decided that they wanted to crush the sugar cones up and mix them into the milkshakes, it was actually very yummy! Anyway in honor of my Spanish speaking chica this milkshake is affectionately dubbed the " Dos Parties Milkshake" or if she becomes too embarrassed by this post and forces me to change the name it can also be called

Don't Cry Over Spilt Helado Milkshake ♥

Ingredients

4 cups Breyer's Strawberry Waffle Cone Ice Cream or your desired flavor
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk, less for thicker milkshakes
1 cup of fresh strawberries
2 sugar cones
dulce de leche or caramel
chocolate syrup
1 jar of marshmallow fluff
fiesta sprinkles or even nuts or chocolate chips would be yummy!


Directions
 

Using a blender, blend all ingredients together including 2 tbsp of ducle and except for your

sugar cones, until smooth. Pour into a mason jar or tall glass, drizzle with chocolate sauce a

and dulce de leche. Fill the sugar cone with a tablespoon of marshmallow fluff, a little

more if you really love the stuff! Place the marshmallow filled cone on top of the glass,

shower with fiesta sprinkles plump strawberries don't forget the straw and Enjoy, Disfrutalo!

 








'

Dulce Cajeta

So another week has gone by.....too fast if you ask me. You know what they say " Time flies when your having fun" but time seems to go in quadruple speed during the summer, how much more fun can you have if you have approx 70 full care free days to sleep as late as you want go wherever you want to go and stay there as long as you please.

Especially if you have a super sweet job like a school teacher and time is not of the essence and it come with a paycheck as well!  The end of the week however also signals some important things like..... time for a new episode of " New Jersey Housewives" yes, this is my guilty pleasure. I can't wait for tonight.....the RV trip is almost over and things are heating up between The Manzos and The Guidices and it's gonna be good!

Okay I got a little distracted anyway, aside from reality trash television it's also the day I like to submit the recipe for my weekly I Heart Cooking Clubs theme. 

I flipped through my Rick Bayless cookbook and decided since it was potluck  this week I would make a recipe I'd been wanting to try for a while.  Cajeta is what I choose. it is a Mexican confection that is a thickened caramelized syrup made of goat's milk. It is similar to America caramel but more like the Latin love of my life " Dulce de Leche", but I think that Cajeta has a more distinct, sweeter taste and darker color than dulce de leche.

Although I did enjoy the taste Yo Amo ( I love) dulce leche just a little bit more.......ok a whole lot more!!! Don't get me wrong though Cajeta is still delicious, you should give it a try, I did.

Earlier in the day I found this bread which the muchacho behind the counter told me was like a Mexican Cornbread and figured it would be the perfect match for my Cajeta.

In the manana I  tested the two together and it was pure deliciousness, I'm still not even sure what the " Mexican Cornbread" really is or what it's actual name is, but the flavor was so sabroso combined with the Cajeta. I just have to find out......stay tuned! ♥

Adapted from Rick Bayless- Frontera Recipes

Cajeta

Goat's Milk Caramel Sauce

Makes about 3 cups

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Ingredients

2 quarts goat's milk or a combination of goat’s milk and cow’s milk—or even with all cow’s milk (use whole milk in all cases)
2 cups sugar
A 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick, preferably Mexican canela
1/2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

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Directions

1. Simmer the cajeta. In a medium-large (6-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican copper cazo), combine the milk, sugar and cinnamon stick and set over medium heat. Stir regularly until the milk comes to a simmer (all the sugar should have dissolved by this point). Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the dissolved baking soda—it’ll foam up if the goat’s milk is acidic. When the bubbles subside, return the pot to the heat.
Adjust the heat to maintain the mixture at a brisk simmer (too high and the mixture will boil over; too low and the cooking time will seem interminable). Cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture turns pale golden, more or less one hour.

Now, begin stirring frequently as the mixture colors to caramel-brown and thickens to the consistency of maple syrup (you’ll notice the bubbles becoming larger and glassier). Stir regularly so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Test a couple of drops on a cold plate: When cool, the cajeta should be the consistency of a medium-thick caramel sauce. If the cooled cajeta is thicker (almost like caramel candy), stir in a tablespoon or so of water and remove from the heat; if too runny, keep cooking.

2. Finish the cajeta. Pour the cajeta through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl or a wide-mouth storage jar. When cool, cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Warming the cajeta before serving (a microwave oven is efficient here) makes it extra delicious.

Working Ahead: Cajeta keeps for a month or more in the refrigerator. Keep it tightly covered to keep it from absorbing other flavors.

Mexican Strawberry Fried Ice Cream

Mexican Fried Ice Cream....... I have to admit just the name was a complete turn off to me for a long time. First of all I am not a huge fan of ice cream, gasp! I know for those who know me it's a fact that's hard to understand.I have been berated with questions about my aversion to the creamy treat that is the "unofficial" summer time staple.

For me though I just never found it to be as satisfying as a nice "grande"chocolaty hunk of cake. Okay and about the whole " fried " thing....um mm... it just didn't sound right. I imagined a big ball of velvety smooth ice cream drenched and dripping with greasy oil! Ahh, that's a big heaping spoonful of NO GRACIAS!, after a spicy Mexican dinner. 

And what was that brown coating? It looked like coconut, it must be coconut and that's where my assumptions about Mexican Fried Ice Cream stayed until this week. For some reason a previously avoided dessert was suddenly on my mind. I decided to put away my fears and do a little investigation on the truth behind Mexican Fried Ice Cream.

And what I found out is that it wasn't what I thought at all! I was fascinated by a new flavor from Breyer's it was "Strawberry Chocolate Dipped Waffle Cone" it was not the ordinary strawberry, chocolate and vanilla so I figured I'd give it a try,

when rolled in the Mexican canela ( cinnamon) smothered in crushed Corn Flakes, yes Corn Flakes ( turns out there is no coconut in this recipe at all) oops my bad! And dipped in the hot oil for 2 seconds, yes, just 2 eensy, weensy seconds....just long enough to crisp it, not long enough for drenching.


Drizzled with chocolate syrup and dulce de leche what is left after that is something that is ooey, gooey, crisp and cold all at the same time. I'm saddened to say that it took me this long to give this notable and fun dessert a chance. Now that I see how quick and easy these are to make, I'm eager to make them again!

Adapted from The Original Chi Chi's Mexican Restaurant Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons Mexican Canela or  cinnamon

1/4 cup kellogg's corn flake crumbs

1 maraschino cherry or a sprinkle of plump strawberries

 a drizzle of chocolate syrup and/or dulce de leche or even sweet agave syrup

 

 

 

Directions

1.Form 1 heaping scoop of your favorite ice cream into a ball.

 

2.Roll the ball of ice cream in the cinnamon sugar mixture until completely coated

3.Roll in corn flake crumbs till coated.

 

4.Place in the freezer to harden. 10 min

 

5.Place the hardened ice cream ball in a fry basket and deep fry for 2 seconds at 350 degrees

fahrenheit.