I love cooking on the weekends. It’s my only time to experiment with kitchen concoctions slightly more exotic than mac & cheese. Since my strawberry obsession drove me to buy 10 pounds of strawberries we’ve been eating them at every meal. But this weekend it was time to freeze or get creative.
After an amazing watermelon soup on Saturday, Mark suggested strawberry gazpacho. Sounds yummy. Caroline loves her nightly after-dinner treat and asked for a popsicle. Done!
Can I just say how much taking food pictures cracks me up? Everyone makes their food look so yummy, and I’m lucky to find a clean kitchen towel. I have about 30 seconds to get something on a plate and a picture snapped before someone sticks their finger in my bowl. How do people do it?
The soup, however, was creamy and delicious. I expected it to taste like a smoothie in a bowl, but the texture was different – not thick and meal-replacement like. But smooth and lovely and perfect for an appetizer. And how perfect is that pink?
Strawberry Soup
Adapted from Food Network
3 cups hulled and sliced fresh or (thawed) frozen strawberries
1 small orange, peeled
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 Rose wine
Fresh basil sprigs, optional
Put everything in a blender and puree thoroughly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Pour through a fine mesh strainer and garnish with sliced strawberries and basil.
Popsicles have been pretty popular in our house this summer. I’ve been trying to find a good one that’s made with actual fruit and not too sweet. As usual, nothing has compared to this homemade version.
Strawberry Banana Popsicles
Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma
1 cup pureed strawberries
4 oz. plain yogurt
1 1/2 TB honey
1 large banana, sliced
Puree strawberries and pour into small bowl. Stir in yogurt and honey until dissolved. Place banana slices in popsicle mold – I had a plastic popsicle mold from Target and the bananas stuck to the sides pretty easily. I could fit two slices on each side. Then spoon in strawberry mixture and insert popsicle stick. Freeze for at least an hour.
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Those recipes look so fun! I especially want to try those banana pops! I'd love for you to come by and show off your recipe at These Chicks Cooked Recipe Spotlight. Have a blessed day :)
Katie
Yum, I would love those popsicles for sure. I have a sweet treat linky party going on at my blog till tomorrow night and I'd love it if you'd come by and link your treats up. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2011/0…
Those look delicious! Yum!
I stumbled you. My post is http://booksyourkidswilllove.blogspot.com/2011/06…
You have been featured on this weeks Glitter Spotlight!
Thank you for linking up! http://runwithglitter.blogspot.com/2011/07/glitte…
Thanks for linking up to Tuesday Confessional. Your yummy awesomeness has been featured, so stop by and grab a button! http://www.craftyconfessions.com/2011/07/drool-wo…
~Macy
Hi Stephanie, I came across your blog from WFMW. I love your layout and you have some great posts! I'm your newest follower. Anyhow, I love your strawberry recipes, at first (before I clicked on your link) I thought these recipes are probably going to have a lot of sugar, etc, but I was pleasantly surprised! I love the popsicles and know my kids would too!
BTW, I recently started a new link up (Healthy 2day Wednesdays) for sharing healthy ideas, tips, going "green" suggestions, recipes, etc and hope you will add this post and as posts that might work in the future. You have until Saturday to participate this week. I hope you will join in! Have a blessed week!
Looks like a yummy summer treat!!
Btw, I stumbled this! Please stumble Only Happy When It Rains back.
I love fresh strawberries.
Stopped by to stumble your post. Mine is at http://daybydayinourworld.blogspot.com/2011/06/te…
Yummy! I would love it if you would link up to my Tuesday Confessional link party going on now: http://www.craftyconfessions.com/2011/06/tuesday-…. I hope to see you soon!
~Macy
red lipstick – that you wear very well! strawberry soup – that looks delicious and just may be the perfect summer sipper. homemade popsicle that little miss asks for – divine! happy monday!
These look SO good! I love how you describe your strawberry obsession! The soup looks amazing – what a pretty color! And I don't know what you're talking about your pictures – yours always look so professional and delicious! I'm always so impressed! Plus those popsicles look delicious too! I love the idea of leaving chunks of bananas in them!
This popsicles look so good! Our first popsicles of the summer are in the freezer now – I hope they turned out to be as good as yours look!
Mmm!! love the look of those popsicles!
Thanks for sharing! This recipe/tutorial would be a great one to share in my 100th post summer inspired competition, to get your blog featured for free! :)
Read more at
http://thecreativemuslimah.blogspot.com/2011/06/1…
-the creative muslimah
Strawberry soup AND strawberry popsicles?!! YES PLEASE!! Hahaha ya food pictures are hard for me too! 9 times out of 10 I have pictures with Max's hand trying to reach in..because they are all taken at a low angle…so maybe one or two out of 30 will come out okay. Or Ian will say can I eat this yet?!" I'm like NO I have to take a picture…haha!
Wow, that looks just lovely…
Ronnie xo
Okay, there have been so many strawberry posts lately and I am loving it! Lindsay put up a strawberry muffin post, Farmgirl Paints posted about strawberry picking, another site had a strawberry cookies recipe and yet another a Fresh Berries sign tutorial!!
Delicious post!! I'm on a mission to find the ultimate summer popsicle! Love these!
Jo-Anna