Fresh Strawberry Frosting

The month of February is a bit crazy over here. First there is my half birthday and then 3 days later it's Valentine's Day. A week and a half after is Isla's half birthday, with Emma's half trailing 3 days behind that. By the time we make it to Emma's special day, we are all highly under the influence of sugar and I confess that there has been a time or two when I've served leftovers of her older sister's dessert 3 days prior for her celebration. Sue me. 

The observance of the half birthday originated thanks to my father, who was born on April Fool's Day. I've been told many a tale of his childhood birthdays when he received wrapped boxes full of rocks as gifts and "cakes" made of cardboard and iced with shaving cream. When he and my mom met and subsequently married, my mom took pity on his poor soul and began honoring his half birthday, which could be celebrated entirely prank-free. Of course once us kids came along, we weren't about to let dad be the only one to have a day with cake and special treatment and a gift. And so the tradition was born.

My husband has gone along with the tradition, somewhat begrudgingly at times. I'm pretty sure he thinks it's a gimmick to get him to buy me more gifts. (It is). But honestly, who can complain about having an extra day each year where people offer up well wishes, say nice things about you and cook you your favorite meal? Doesn't seem like a terrible arrangement to me.

Anyhow, we do our best to keep our half birthday celebrations small - cake, one present, and your choice of breakfast and dinner. But if any of you have ever met my first born, you know "small" is not really a word in her vocabulary. It's pretty much go big or go home. All day. Every day. Her half birthday this year was no exception. Her enthusiasm with celebrations used to really stress me out. She is constantly planning parties and menus and making guests lists for all sorts of events she hopes I will host for her. It can be overwhelming when we don't really have the capacity to host 7 of her closest classmates and all of their families for no particular reason. BUT, when we do have an actual occasion approaching, particularly one that honors her, it's glorious. I just sit down with a pen and paper and ask her to recite me her menu. Wham. Bam. Thank you Ma'am and done. 

Of course, her menus usually aren't the simplest of undertakings but we work together and we make some compromises and in the end we come up with something we can both work with. This year's offerings included the following:

Cheese and "the rectangle crackers from Trader Joes"

Mandarin oranges

Potstickers with dipping sauce 

Sort of Thai Noodles

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Frosting 

(I of course also added an Asian slaw salad because I'm anal about serving vegetables like that)

It just so happened that my brother-in-law was in town on Isla's special night and so we invited the whole Crozier clan and made her half birthday dinner a combined family affair. She was pretty sure Uncle Scott flew up from California JUST to celebration her and I wasn't about to burst her bubble. Next year she'll be pretty bummed to remember half birthday dinners usually include "just" the five of us!

When it came down to her menu, the first four courses were all items I knew I could make. But I was a little unsure about her Fresh Strawberry Frosting idea which I had never, ever heard of. I mean, it sounded divine but is it really a thing? What do real strawberries taste like in frosting? Do they turn brown? What is the texture like? I did some puttering around on Google to make sure I wasn't the first person ever to attempt such an undertaking and I was reassured  that I couldn't screw up too terribly when I saw that Martha Stewart had a recipe floating out on the world wide web. Most of the recipes I encountered called for strawberry jam or freeze-dried strawberries and Isla was insistent that we use fresh so we got crazy and free-styled a recipe. As it turns out, I'd say my Isla is onto something: Fresh Strawberry Frosting is DELICIOUS, not to mention a natural lovely pink! 

I'm a big fan of cream cheese in my frosting and it does a great job of countering the sweetness of the combination of powdered sugar and strawberries. You might have to play around with the ingredients just a bit, depending on the ripeness/juiciness of your strawberries. Add more powdered sugar to thicken the frosting or more strawberries to thin. Ours ended up a bit on the thin side but it held up well under refrigeration. Also of note, you need not use *quite as many sprinkles and my little helpers did (gag!!) when you decorate yours. ;)

Fresh Strawberry Frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 cup finely diced strawberries

Combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand up mixer. Beat at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 seconds. Add powdered sugar and strawberries and mix on low speed until combined. Adjust thickness as needed by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or additional strawberries to thin.

Makes enough frosting for 2 dozen cupcakes

Nutella Zeppole

Let me preface this post by stating these are absolutely in no way good for you. Though they may not nourish the body, they certainly do something spectacular for the soul, in the form of warm, satisfied fuzzies everywhere. I recommend them at least once a year when an indulgence is necessary.

Nutella What-a, you say? I was right there with you during my first dining experience at Cantinetta in Bellevue. The term "zeppole" had never been a part of my vocabulary until that fateful spring evening at the restaurant. But after one exposure to their signature dessert, we fell hard and fast and now they make their way into our mouths and bellies on a semi-annual basis, whenever my husband's birthday and half birthday roll around.

By definition, zeppole are round Italian pastries (read: doughnuts but OH SO MUCH BETTER for the American layman) that have been deep-fried and then rolled in sugar. They can be served as is, but also function as excellent vehicles for fillings such as Nutella (um, yes!), jelly, custard or cream. Personally, I have a pretty strong leaning toward the chocolate varieties and I am told the Cantinetta regulars do too. Our waiter told us about the one time their pastry chef tried to mix it up a bit and exchange the Nutella for some sort of fruit filling. The customers revolted with such severity that the endeavor was dropped immediately.

This particular version incorporates ricotta cheese into the dough and the results are so soft and airy. The fried zeppole are rolled in ginger sugar while they are still warm, and then a mixture of mascarpone cheese and Nutella are piped inside of each pastry. The filling melts inside and makes the dessert absolutely irresistible. My husband always asks that I serve them with an extra dollop of mascarpone for garnish though I would argue that vanilla ice cream makes a mighty fine accompaniment too.

If you don't own a candy/deep-fry thermometer, I would HIGHLY recommend getting one for this recipe. I am by no means a deep-fry expert. In fact for the most part I avoid frying like the plague (as should you), but when life happens and your husband determines deep-fried delectables are his favorite birthday dessert, you do your wifely duty and get on Google and figure out how exactly one deep-fries. As it turns turn out, very carefully. And with a deep-fry thermometer, I assure you. The temperature of the oil is incredibly important here and a step in either direction (too hot or too cold) will land you with hockey pucks as black as charcoal or rounds of blond dough that are raw in the middle and absolutely will not brown. I know this from personal experience. I tried making this recipe once when my thermometer was packed away in moving boxes. I guessed at the oil temperature and the results were not pretty. So throw one in the cart the next time you are at Safeway. You'll find them in the baking aisle.

Also, I feel it's important that I note that the zeppole will turn a pretty dark shade of brown when they are finished frying. I always think I'm on the verge of burning them (they somehow look darker in the oil than out) but as long as your oil temperature is where it should be, they should be fine cooking for a full 5 minutes. If you are working with an electric stove (like I currently am), it can be a bit tricky to hold the oil temperature steady. You may find you need to pull the skillet off the burner a bit if the oil gets too hot.

I know this post contained a lot of technical details but I promise these puppies are WORTH IT and really don't take that long to pull together (once of course you muster the courage to deep fry). Make a date night of it sometime and make these with your spouse before curling up to watch a movie!

Nutella Zeppole
(adapted from and inspired by our dining experience at Cantinetta)

Batter:
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Filling:
1/2 mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

To finish:
Canola oil, to fry
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
Mascarpone, to serve

To prepare batter: Whisk together flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix with dry ingredients until combined. Next, add the ricotta and powdered sugar and mix just until blended.

To prepare filling: In a separate small bowl, mix together mascarpone and Nutella until thoroughly combined. Scoop filling into a gallon-sized zip-lock bag. Cut a small piece off of one of the corners of the zip-lock to create a homemade "piping bag" for filling the doughnuts.

In a third small bowl, combine together sugar and ground ginger and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat until deep-fry thermometer reads 375 degree F. Working in batches, drop tablespoon-sized balls of of batter into the hot oil and fry, turning occasionally until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove zeppole from oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Toss doughnut balls in the sugar ginger mixture and roll to coat. Repeat with any remaining batter.

Using a dull dinner knife, insert the blade into one side of each ball and twist the knife gently to create a cavern for the filling (be careful not to poke the knife all the way through). Pipe Nutella filling into each zeppole hole. Serve warm with a dollop of mascarpone.

Serves 6 (about 2 zeppole each)

Candy Cane Cookies

It's about time I posted something here and a seasonal post no less! I told a friend the other day that there is never really a good time to write except when you make the time. The "other" always trumps - whether it be laundry, cleaning, Christmas shopping, a paid job, you name it. But, for some of us, writing is therapeutic (and cheaper than therapy!) and so we temporarily shelve the "must-dos" and replace them with an hour or two behind the keyboard. Most of my "writing time" lately has been spent over at my personal blog processing some good and some hard things that I've been thinking about. I'm scratching my whiskers and toying with the idea of combining my blogs so that I can write about whatever I want in the very same space but I haven't fully wrapped my mind around what that would look like just yet.

Until I figure all that out, I felt the need to pop in over here and share a recipe because it's been far too long. Today I'm thinking about cookies and all things light-hearted and maybe you, like me, are doing some last minute scrounging so that you'll have a plate of goodies to share at the cookie exchange you committed to this weekend. So that, my friends, is why you are the privileged recipient of one of my very favorite Christmas cookie recipes today. You're welcome.

My mom was the queen of Christmas cookies back when I was small. Her party contributions always, always included a festive tray of much-anticipated sweets. Looking back, I have absolutely no idea how she did it. She was a stay-at-home mom to FOUR kids all of whom she homeschooled and still managed to show up around the holidays sporting a plate with no less than 7-10 varieties of cookies and candies. And here I found myself, earlier in the week, honestly unsure if I would be able to scrounge up the energy needed to make even ONE batch of relatively easy cookies this month, let alone 10!

May it be known: my mom was supermom (and she still is!) When it came to Christmas cookies, her "usuals" included Russian Tea Cakes, hand-dipped frango mints, chocolate crinkle cookies, almond roca, chocolate mint fudge, English toffee cookies, chocolate-covered peanut butter balls, sugar cookies and, the focus of today's post: CANDY CANE COOKIES. I have very fond memories of my mom, adorned in her blue cow apron (she had a cow collection in her kitchen that I think us kids somewhat forced upon her with cow-themed after cow-themed gift - odd I know...) with Christmas music pumping, standing over the double boiler dipping her famous frangos in chocolate as she belted Christmas carols. Maybe the memory is so vivid because my dad actually captured it on video one time, back in the day when video cameras were novel and MASSIVE in size. It must have been his new toy because he definitely staged it and hid the camera so he could capture the moment in all its candidness. It was perfect. My mom went all out in an operatic rendition of O Holy Night before she looked up and saw that he was filming. I think it's apparent that my parents were the cutest.

Anyway, most of the treats my mom did herself. Now that I am a mother of littles, I can understand why. It takes me weeks to stockpile enough patience and stamina to accommodate having the kids "help" in the kitchen. And then it takes another couple of weeks to clean up the aftermath which usually includes wiping flour off the ceiling and chocolate off the toilet (man that stuff can travel!) My wise pastor's wife once told me she used to LOVE doing the dishes when the kids were younger because it was when doing this chore that NO ONE EVER BOTHERED HER. Maybe frango-dipping was the same for my mom. True rest was not an option for her as a busy mother of four so she went with the next most relaxing alternative: dipping frangos???? Anyhow, she DID bring us kids in to help with a couple of the cookie varieties (an endeavour she probably had to start prepping herself for back in March): sugar cookies and candy cane cookies. And these two cookies are the ones I now make most often as an adult. I guess the moral here is this: let your kids "help" with the recipes you want them to make for you in your old age. Because these are the ones that stick.

This year I'd resolved to make sugar cookies, if I got around to making any cookies at all, until my husband begged for me to just make "those delicious almond ones." At first I didn't know which cookie he was talking about because one doesn't usually look at a cookie shaped like a candy cane and think almond. He didn't have to twist my arm much once I realized the recipe he was referring to because these are one of my favs too. Plus, the dough doesn't require refrigeration, cookie cutters, or the laborious process of frosting and decorating. Sold!

This recipe isn't actually the one I was raised on (sorry Mom! Well, Betty Crocker actually). I stumbled upon this one back when Taste of Home Magazine was a thing (is it still?) I used to sign up for 2 free issues and then unsubscribe immediately and landed myself with a lot of cooking magazines this way. When I spotted this recipe, I was overcome with nostalgia and clipped it out, assuming it was the same as my childhood version. Upon closer examination, I realized that this version contains only almond extract (versus the peppermint extract and vanilla in Betty Crocker's recipe) which I love. My kids were quite pleased by this too as my middle child was worried the cookies would "taste like mom's toothpaste" when she heard the word "peppermint." She was relieved to learn the only hint of mint would come from crushed candy canes, which she loves. Crisis averted.

The mixing of the cookie dough is a pretty straight forward process and my kids can attest that the raw dough tastes delicious. I love how the sweet almondy flavor is accented by the salt. I changed the recipe just a smidge, mostly just adapting the yield to the more accurate 50 cookies rather than the in-their-dreams 72 that it originally predicted. I just don't get cookie recipes sometimes. It's like they think you're making cookies for miniatures with the measly amount of dough they estimate per cookie. Some of us prefer cookies the size of our face. Ok, not quite. But at least the size of a cookie!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Candy Cane Cookies
(adapted from Taste of Home Magazine)

2 cups butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon almond extract
5 cups flour
2 tsp salt
Red food coloring
4 candy canes, crushed
1/3 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl with stand mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and extract and beat to mix. Combine flour and salt and gradually add to butter mixture until well mixed.

Divide dough in half and remove one half from mixing bowl. Add 15-20 drops of red food coloring to the half that remains in the mixing bowl and mix to distribute coloring evenly. Shape generous tablespoons full of each color of dough into 6 inch ropes and line up side by side. Lightly press ends together and twist to create a striped effect and curve the top to create the shape of a candy cane. Place on greased baking sheets.

Bake for 9-12 minutes or until very lightly browned. Combine crushed candy canes and sugar and immediately sprinkle mixture over cookies. Cool for 2 minute before removing to wire racks to cool.

Yield: 50 normal-person-sized cookies

Snow Angel Cupcakes

Yesterday was my mother-in-law's birthday. She has done so many things for our family but what is freshest on my mind right now is the gift of her amazing cake making skills. She has treated each of our kids with some of the most intricately detailed birthday cakes, representing whatever it is they happen to be most passionate about that year. We've had 2 ducky cakes, a butterfly cake, a Cheerio box cake, a camera cake, a Winnie the Pooh cake, a princess fairy cake, a Stellaluna the bat cake, and most recently, a bus cake. I don't have a clue how long it takes for her to create one of these masterpieces but they truly are works of art. Our kids' glee can hardly be contained when she arrives with cake in arms and I have been found guilty at times of photographing the cake more than the kids. My middle child said it so well the other day when she exclaimed "Grandma is great Caker!"

This past Saturday of course was no exception. We were celebrating my son's 2nd birthday and opted to invite immediate family only to keep the party to a more "intimate" group of 18. Of course it never occurred to me to let my mother-in-law know that we would be smaller in number than in past parties so she went all out and made the most amazing yellow school bus cake that seemed nearly life-size in scale. Needless to say, my bus-obsessed son was THRILLED and, mistaking it for a toy, immediately began patting it and trying to play with it. The cake was as epic as it was delicious and it is still being very much enjoyed. Right as I type this post, in fact.

There is nothing like a party-packed weekend and this past one was certainly one of them! After celebrating like 2 year olds on Saturday, on Sunday, the spotlight shifted and we focused our attention on my mother-in-law. Imagine my fear and trepidation at the thought of making her, the queen of cakes, a birthday cake!! Especially after that bus cake! But even the cake-maker, maybe especially the cake-maker, needs a birthday cake. And so I sent off a text to my father-in-law, asking what her preferred cake might be. I was envisioning some of my favorites that were sure to impress: Salted Caramel Six Layer Chocolate Cake or maybe Banana-Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting. Both of these were always crowd-pleasers! So when my father-in-law responded with a simple "angel food cake," that nervous knot in my stomach twisted even further. How could one possibly make an angel food cake special? Isn't a boxed mix required to make it? Yes, the queen of make-it-from-scratch literally asked herself that very question. There's just some sort of magical magicalness about angel food cake that makes it seem only possible to create in a factory, am I right?

I logged onto my friendly Pinterest account, hoping to find some sort of inspiration for the task ahead. Well, in case inquiring minds want to know, as it turns out, my "research" proved that, with a dozen room temperature egg whites, some cream of tartar and a couple other ingredients, you can make angel food cake from scratch. :) My search also revealed that I could make it in the form of cupcakes which sounded exciting and special AND also solved the age-old issue: I suck at frosting cakes. SOLD! The soft peaks of freshly whipped cream in lieu of frosting were sure to look super elegant and cloud-like atop the angel food cupcakes. Then I would finish them off with a few fresh raspberries as garnish, ensuring the birthday girl got the berries she favors on her cakes.

Who knows? Maybe making angel food cake from scratch is a temperamental process. But in this first-time experience, it couldn't have been easier. The hardest part was sifting the flour (mostly because I don't own a sifter and was using a colander instead) and folding the flour mixture into the egg whites. And that wasn't even hard, just a tad annoying. I even managed to whip these up on Sunday morning BEFORE church when I was flying on solo kid duty. The end result was awesome, if I do say so myself. And I'm the queen of go-big-or-go-home dense and rich desserts and so angel food cake isn't usually my thing. These cupcakes were as light as air (which made it totally permissible for the guests to have seconds). Mr. Crozier declared them the best angel food he'd ever had and the birthday girl seemed pleased as well. The recipe made 2 dozen easy and I had enough batter left over to potentially fill a third muffin tin (if I had one).

Snow Angel Cupcakes
(from thecakeblog.com)

FOR THE CUPCAKES:
2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour
12 egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
zest of one lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse sugar until it is superfine. Combine 1/2 cup sugar with flour and sift together four times. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer filled with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites, salt and cream of tarter until medium firm peaks. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups sugar over egg whites with mixer running. Mix until thick and shiny. Add lemon zest and mix for several additional minutes until very thick. Remove bowl from stand mixer.

Sprinkle 1/4 of flour mixture into bowl and gently fold into egg whites using a clean rubber spatula. Repeat until all flour has been added. Spoon batter into a muffin tin lined with cupcake wrappers. Fill each wrapper to the very top. Smooth top.

Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and then remove from muffin tin to cool completely.

FOR WHIPPING CREAM "FROSTING":
16 ounces heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar
Fresh Raspberries
Confectioners Sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk cream and 4 tablespoons sugar until you have soft peaks. When ready to serve, spoon a dollop of whipped cream on top of each cupcake. Top with a fresh raspberry and a sprinkle of confectioners sugar, if desired.

Makes 24+

The Dessert Debacle

Sometimes people get the impression that I have a household of perfect little eaters. We all love the same things, no one ever complains when their food is touching and most certainly no one ever asks for candy and sweets. Wrong. We are just as human as the rest of you. In fact, my loved ones have even gone so far as to coin a new term in my honor: "the Kelsie-sized portion." This phrase is most commonly used in reference to dessert or ice cream which totally makes sense since I am a dietitian and have my personal health at the utmost and forefront of my mind at all times (*cough*). You, like most, might assume "the Kelsie-sized portion" to be microscopic in size: a crumb of cake, a mere whiff of cream and a totally-satisfying two chocolate chips each. I only wish that were the case. When my family asks "Would you like a regular serving or a Kelsie-sized portion", what they are really wondering is whether you want a normal slice of dessert or a gargantuan-maybe-I-should-be-just-a-wee-bit-embarrassed mass of sweet goodness with a towering two or three scoops of a la mode.

Now that I've aired all my dirty dessert laundry, let's get to the point: I have a sweet tooth! My kids have a sweet tooth! (Or maybe is it sweet teeth?) It's natural to like sweets. As humans, we are actually born with a natural affinity for carbs so go ahead and do a little happy dance knowing you are NORMAL. And so are your kids.

Probably the most frequent question that parents ask me is: What do you do when your kids don't eat their dinner but then still want to have dessert? Let me warn you that you probably aren't going to like my answer: I let 'em have it. 

Allow me to expand. I didn't like my answer at first either. It went against everyone bone in my being. Why would I reward poor eating with a delicious treat? It's a fair question but it's answer involves a big-picture outlook, seeing the forest and not just the tree. My long-term goal is to teach my kids to make their own good choices. I have this amazing opportunity while they are still in my home to help guide them in learning to take care of and fuel their own bodies. I know from my own personal experience that severely limiting or even totally avoiding certain foods typically does none other than to increase desire for those foods.

I think we all can identify a moment in our early adulthood or even teenage years when we threw out our parents' rules and went hog wild with food. It may have been when we went off to college and were presented with the all-you-can-eat-for-the-same-price cafeteria buffet for the first time. Or it may have been when we were handed our driver's license and could finally take ourselves to the grocery store to buy and binge on "forbidden foods." For some of us, these instances were merely par for the course, blips in the growing up process. For others, they marked the beginning of some ill-fated eating choices that morphed into habits that eventually landed our bodies and minds in a state of poor health.  

I recognize that despite my best efforts, my kids will probably still have one or two or five of these hog wild food moments. But I hope not. My goal is to raise them to enjoy treats and desserts and sweets and learn how to incorporate them into their lives in a way that is balanced and not binge-full so that they don't live their lives feeling deprived. I don't want them to view desserts as an if/then scenario: if I eat my dinner, then I can have dessert. I want them to listen to their own bodies and determine what foods help them feel good and energized and what makes them feel tired and sick.

So how do I keep my kids from eating sweets and only sweets? If we go back to the Division of Responsibility that I wrote about here, we'll remember that as the parent, I am in charge of what foods are offered to my kids. I don't have control over whether or not they eats those foods but I do have a say in what is served. So do I serve desserts at every meal? No way. I know my kids. And I know myself. Serving dessert at every meal would be a recipe for failure, not to mention poor health. But I do make a point of incorporating treats routinely at home, 2 or 3 times a week with an inevitably gathering out of our home that involves dessert too. Sometimes it's a homemade popsicle or simply a few chocolate chocolate chips. Other times it's a slice of the made-from-scratch 6 layer cake that mama's been pining after. I want desserts to be a regular part of my kids' scenery so they learn the intricacies of maneuvering wants and desires and their own state of health. I want them to try, taste, savor and enjoy. I don't want them to view desserts as "forbidden foods" that they feel deprived of and eventually binge on when out of my care. Rather, I want them to experience the positives that can come out of eating sweets in moderation and without guilt.

So when dessert is on the menu, my kids know that they can have it. Even if they didn't eat anything for dinner. Even if they disobeyed earlier in the day. Even if they had dessert yesterday. If it's served, it's fair game. No question. And it probably comes as no surprise that they've never turned it down. And why would they?

But what do I do when dessert is NOT on the menu and the kids are still asking for it? Let me give you three easy phrases you can begin to use if this is a problem you encounter in your home. First of all, acknowledge how good dessert is. I know sweet girl, I would love some dessert tonight too. Next, remind them why we don't eat it all the time. But our bodies are made to have desserts all the time so there are some days when we don't have any sweets. Then reassure them. I promise that we will have them again soon, like how about tomorrow at your cousin's birthday party?

If you've found yourself acting as the "dessert police" more than you'd care to admit, you will be surprised how much easier things get when you surrender the role and resume operating under the guidelines laid out in the Division of Responsibility in Feeding. There will no longer be battles over trying to get your kid to eat their dinner first before having dessert. Oh man will it ever be hard watching your child down a bowl of ice cream without even touching his dinner for the first time. Oh yes it will. But keep the big picture in mind and remember you have a say in whether dessert is served tomorrow or the next day or the next. The goal here is to get out of the battle and erase the idea of "forbidden foods."

One surprise benefit you might experience when you adopt these practices around desserts is that your kids will begin to beg for sweets less. It may seem a bit counter intuitive but when kids finally realize (and accept!) that sweets will be a regular part of their diet, their desire for them may wane from what comes across as an innate "need" to a mere want, purely for pleasure. Isn't this the kind of attitude we all want to have toward sweets?

Mixed Berry Cobbler

My blogging has reached new heights. I am now trying to sell you on berry cobbler by photographing it along with my toes. If only you could have seen the other photo options. I was in a hurry, People. I had guests coming and I was afraid they would walk in and find me standing on the kitchen table with camera in hand as I had been only moments before I ran outdoors to snap this picture in hopes grass would make a better backdrop. (It doesn't). So let's just call it artsy.

I can hardly believe we are already halfway through August! I took a little forced blogging break over the past couple weeks because my husband was working extra doing vacation coverage at his job. Did you know he saves lives for a living? Like from cancer. So yeah, for some reason his need to save lives trumped my Friday morning writing rhythm for a couple weeks as I dusted off my "Super Mom" shirt and did the full-time, non-stop kiddo duty. But it's not like I wasn't saving lives too. My three sometimes-unruly offspring seem dead set on killing one another lately. Or me. Just try and tell a nearly two year old not to put silverware in the microwave. So yeah, both my husband and I save lives for a living.

Anyway, I survived my two weeks of solo parenting and now I'm here broadcasting a picture of my feet and telling you about berry desserts! This one was originally published in Bon Appetit and will remain my go-to cobbler from here on forward. I stumbled across the recipe during a simple Google search and was instantly captivated by the beautiful presentation. I was surprised just how easy it was to replicate the exact look (with the addition of my toes of course!) Thankfully the dessert turned out to be just a yummy as it looked too, especially since I prepared it for the very first time for guests at a birthday party for some my closest girlfriends. Upon the close of the evening, their eyes were darting between the remaining dessert and my empty tupperware containers, as if this very action could will the pieces into their purses. Good thing I have a sixth sense for leftover-longing and was on it in no time, loading of their arms with to-go portions which they later confessed to eating for breakfast with coffee the following day.

I used a trio of berries - blueberries, raspberries and strawberries and it was epic. I'm also a huge blackberry fan so I would imagine they would make a lovely contribution too if you have them. My kids jumped right in and helped with rolling and cutting the dough and their assistance helped give the finished product the desired "rustic" appearance. :) The desserts comes together quickly - I was able to throw it together on a work night even. Enjoy!

Mixed Berry Cobbler
(from Bon Appetit Magazine)

FILLING
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
7 cups (1 3/4-2 pounds) mixed fresh berries (use no more than 1 ½ cups strawberries; halved if large)

DOUGH
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for surface
1/4 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup chilled whole milk plus more for brushing
Vanilla ice cream

FOR FILLING: Position a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°F. Whisk sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add berries to bowl and toss to coat. Transfer berry mixture to a 2-quart baking dish about 2" deep. Set aside to macerate while making dough.

FOR DOUGH: Whisk 1 1/3 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter; using fingertips, rub in butter until coarse meal forms. Add 1/2 cup milk and stir just until dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Gently knead 5 or 6 times, then pat or roll dough into a 9x6" rectangle. Cut dough in half lengthwise, then crosswise 3 times, forming 8 rectangles. Arrange biscuits 1/2" apart over fruit. Brush tops lightly with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until fruit is bubbling and biscuits are just cooked through and golden all over, about 35 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes; serve with vanilla ice cream.

DO AHEAD: Cobbler can be made up to 3 hours ahead. Rewarm at 350° if desired.

Strawberries and Cream Popsicles

It's only May and it's already 80 degrees in the Seattle area for the second year in a row. This means it's time to pull out the pool and break out the popsicles! I will be the first to admit that us Seattleites get a bit crazy when the sun shines. There are days where it may only be 55 degrees but if the sun is out, you can bet your bottom dollar the park will be peppered with bikini-clad sun bathers. I am not immune, and, like the rest of my NW peeps, I get an extra skip in my step when the sun is shining. So much so that I found myself making homemade popsicles with my girls before 7 AM one day this week. Who cares that the rest of the world was still asleep? It was going to be sunny!!!!!!  

I am typically not really much of a popsicle girl. My frozen go-to is always, always ice cream and my mantra is usually "Why waste a perfectly good dessert by adding fruit to it?" But kids and popsicles and sunshine have this magnetic, irresistible attraction to one another that cannot be denied. And these popsicles were GOOD. I felt waves of nostalgia, as I sat on the front lawn, eating them with my kiddos. 

The red layer consists of fresh strawberries with sugar and lime juice, so, you know, they are practically a health food. The white yogurt layer is sweet and creamy, speaking to the ice cream lover in me. Combined together, the two layers are reminiscent to those creamsicle cups we used to have as kids, with strawberries replacing the flavors of orange. I realize that the picture above also depicts a layer of blue. But just squint and ignore it please. We were feeling crazy in our early-morning-popsicle-making haze and added blueberries too. Next time I'll just stick with the layers of strawberry and cream as they were by far the superior two of the three. Unless of course it's the 4th of July.

Huuuuuurry! Make this NOW. It's 9 AM and it's going to be 80 degrees today, ya'll! 

Strawberries and Cream Popsicles

1 1/2 cups strawberries, halved and stems removed

4 Tablespoons sugar, divided

4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 cup greek plain yogurt

3 Tablespoons heavy cream

Combine strawberries, 2 Tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 Tablespoons of lime juice in a blender. Pureed until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Divide puree between 4-6 popsicle molds, filling each halfway and freeze for about 30 minutes, until just firm. 

In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, cream, 2 Tablespoons sugar and 2 Tablespoons lime juice. Remove popsicle molds from freezer and top with yogurt and cream mixture. Insert popsicle sticks and return to freezer until solid, about 6 hours. 

Just before serving, run popsicle molds under warm water for 1 minute until popsicles are released.

Makes 4-6 popsicles

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cupcakes

I'm going to do my very best to keep my posts seasonal. I make no guarantees because sometimes I get a hankering for something that is most unseasonal and the urge is just too irresistible. But I think we can all agree there is nothing worse than seeing a recipe for fresh peach crisp in the dead of winter when there are no peaches worth being called peaches around. All this to say, I will try not to set you up with cravings for pumpkin pie in the spring and watermelon salad when it's snowing outside. But I digress.

This week's seasonal bounty is zucchini so I have a few recipes to share that I hope you will enjoy. My eldest daughter just celebrated her 5th birthday and there is a slight chance I might have forced her to have these cupcakes. Maybe "forced" is too strong of a word choice but let's just say I didn't really present any other options. There is also a slim possibility she might have wailed (ever so briefly!) when she heard me utter the word "zucchini" in the same sentence as her beloved birthday dessert. Her sorrow was short-lived and then entirely forgotten when she realized the cupcakes came out not even resembling a vegetable in the least.

The addition of shredded zucchini (which keeps it's presence unknown) produces a cupcake that is moist and delicious, not to mention rich and chocolately. The original recipe said that the chocolate chips were optional but they MOST CERTAINLY ARE NOT!! If you're a chocolate chip omitter, alas, my blog might not be the place for you (coming from the girl who occasionally can be found hiding from her kids in the pantry, snacking on chocolate chips...)

But back to the recipe! The final result is a delicious chocolate cake that can be jazzed up with the frosting of your choice. Historically I have used a peanut butter frosting - a perfect pairing in my eyes! However, my 5-year-old-and-just-a-hair-opinionated daughter does not care for peanut butter and I knew this frosting would be a no-go. It was her birthday after all and so I opted for my mom's frosting recipe which is really better known as The Best Frosting Ever. It is buttery and sweet, but not the overly-sugary-store-bought-cake-frosting type of sweet. It contains both vanilla and almond extract which is heavenly and an absolute must, in my humble opinion. The frosting is dual-purpose  and works great on sugar cookies come Christmas time too. For this occasion, I dyed it pink and it complemented the cupcakes wonderfully while acting as the perfect vehicle for the star sprinkles that had been hand-selected for the occasion!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cupcakes

2 cups shredded zucchini
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 recipe The Best Frosting Ever

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with double or single layer of paper bake cups or lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl stir together zucchini, eggs, granulated sugar, oil, and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, baking powder and chocolate chips, stirring until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pans, filling cups about half full. Bake about 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from cups. Cool completely on racks and frost.

Makes 24 cupcakes


The Best Frosting Ever

4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter
2 Tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract

Combine powdered sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and almond extracts in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat at medium-high speed, adding more milk as needed, until the frosting is a smooth consistency, about 3-5 minutes.

Makes enough for a 2-layer round cake or 24 cupcakes

Salty Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Guys! I finally have a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. Chocolate CHUNK to be specific. This feels like a real milestone in my venture toward adulthood (which, by the way, I have still not reached). I may have made them twice already. This week. They are the perfect oh-crap-company's-coming-and-I-need-to-make-dessert sort of treat. Be careful not to overcook them (they firm up as they cool) and you'll end up with the best ooey gooey middle. The highlight for me of course is the salt on top. What can I say? I am a sucker for this sweet and salty dessert trend, which I hope never ends. I know, I know - are dietitians supposed to like dessert AND salt? Shoot me, I guess.

And these cookies also don't mess around with their chocolate-to-cookie ratio. I know it's really tempting to use chocolate chips (and do it if you have to) but really it's the chunks that set these cookies apart. Our Trader Joe's just started carrying bags of chocolate chunks and they are now a staple in our house. Because these cookies are becoming a staple. Don't be bashful. Dump the whole bag in if you want. I promise you won't regret it.

Salty Chocolate Chunk Cookies

(adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I use Trader Joe’s chocolate chunks)
Kosher or other flaky sea salt

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375°. Whisk flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add egg yolks, egg, and vanilla. Beat, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until mixture is pale and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly add dry ingredients, mixing just to blend. Using a spatula, fold in chocolate.

Spoon rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto 2 greased baking sheets or baking stones, spacing 1-inch apart. Sprinkle cookies with kosher or sea salt.

Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until just golden brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes (the cookies will firm up as they cool). Let cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.

Makes 24 cookies

Carrot Cupcakes with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm a sucker for cream cheese frosting and lately for anything coconut too. So why not marry the two? Exactly. Why not? These cupcakes were deemed delicious even by some individuals who claimed to not like coconut or carrot cake. So there. They made an appearance at my eldest's first birthday party and now also at the first birthday parties of a few friends around us. I mean, they have carrots, raisins and pineapple in them so they are practically a healthy food. WARNING: you might want to make a double batch as this recipes only makes 12 cupcakes and, honestly, who eats just one cupcake? 

Carrot Cupcakes with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting
(From Cooking Light Magazine)

Cupcakes:

2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup finely shredded carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, well-drained
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup raisins

Frosting:

1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled
1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, softened
1/8 teaspoon imitation coconut flavor (optional)
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cupcakes, beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add carrot and pineapple; beat well. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through nutmeg) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat well. Stir in raisins.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and coconut flavor at medium speed of a mixer just until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar (do not overbeat). Spread frosting over cupcakes; sprinkle with flaked coconut. Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Makes 12 cupcakes