Popsicle of the Week: Orange Cream

This week I decided to try my hand at a smooth and creamy popsicle, Orange Cream. Freshly squeezed orange juice and half and half are blended with sugar, sour cream, and a touch of corn syrup to create a thick and creamy orange pop. I questioned whether or not the mixture was too thick for the Zoku Quick Pop Maker, but the book showed that they had in fact used the Zoku to make this pop. I decided to go for it.

I poured the orange cream mixture in the Zoku Quick Pop Maker.

Seven minutes later, I used the special tool given to remove the popsicles from the base. You can see how well that turned out in the picture below.

The tool pulls the popsicle stick out just fine, but the popsicle remains in the base. Not really the result I was looking for! This happened one other time when I made the Rhubarb popsicles, which were also thick and creamy.


I really like my Zoku Quick Pop Maker. It's great for making juice-based popsicles and it's a lot of fun to use. However, I'm starting to think that it isn't a great idea to pour thick and creamy mixtures into the Zoku (even if they do it in the cookbook).

My frustration with the Zoku Quick Pop Maker is this: You place it into the freezer and let it freeze overnight, or at least 24 hours. Twenty four hours later, you pour your mixture in and seven minutes later, if your popsicles release from the mold, you have a freshly made popsicle. Everything is right in the world. However, if the mixture doesn't release from the mold, it is rather frustrating. In the case with these orange cream pops, the mixture was very thick. When the pops didn't unmold, I didn't want to ruin the machine by scraping the popsicles out with a spoon....SO I was forced to leave the Zoku on the counter to THAW OUT. Not only did my popsicles stick in the machine, now I cannot use the Zoku for another couple days. The Zoku will need to thaw out so that the mixture can be poured out. Then the Zoku will need to come to room temperature before it can be washed. After it is washed, it will need to be completely dry before placing back into the freezer. It normally takes the better part of a day for the Zoku to thaw out, get washed, and dry completely. Kinda frustrating, right? Not to mention that you will have to wait another 24 hours for the Zoku to freeze up AND you still have a popsicle mixture sitting on the counter.

Somewhat defeated, I resorted to my good old-fashioned popsicle molds from Tupperware. They never let me down.

Notes/Results: The orange cream pops were okay, but not our favorite. I think the half and half somewhat masked the orange flavor. We ate them, but I don't think I would make them again.

In the meantime, the Zoku is back in the freezer. I talked to the girls over at Williams-Sonoma this weekend. They are constantly having demos using the Zoku and I wanted to ask them if they ever ran into trouble with it. All of the girls praised the machine and said that none of their popsicles ever stuck to the base. Hmmmm.....could it be user error on my part? I don't really know, but I am thinking about calling the manufacturer. Would do you guys think? Should I give them a call? Maybe they can give me tips?

Product Review: Breville Blender (BBL600XL Ikon 750-Watt 51-Ounce)

I'm still on the road visiting family and friends for the holidays so I thought I would post this product review that has been on my mind for awhile. My goal is to hopefully recieve comments about how you perceive your experience with the blender. I've decided that the blender qualifies as "The most frustrating kitchen tool known to man". Make no bones about it, the blender really frustrates me and I kinda want to know if I'm the only one. Maybe it's all operator error and I can rectify this situation with practice.

For years I have put up with inferior blenders that wouldn't chop ice, blend smoothies, make margaritas, etc. I've dealt with every inconvenience, such as blenders that break, leak, and my favorite of all....spew smoke when their little motors can't keep up with the task. I would say as an adult I've went through at least six blenders all in the $50 price range. In fact, if I come across a recipe that says "get out your blender" then I just start rolling my eyes. Why? Because I know I'm going to have a fight with the darn blender and it's probably going to win.

Let's make a long story short. About six months ago I decided that I would no longer buy $50 blenders. Obviously these inferior blenders were the problem, right? After all, an expensive blender carrying the "Breville" brand name would be like the King of All Blenders. So, I splurged and got a pretty good deal on the Breville blender pictured above. It was real pretty and I was real impressed with the design. My hopes were set real high.

I made a smoothie from Ellie Krieger's new book and the blender whizzed it up with no problem. Ice cubes, no problem. Frozen fruit, no problem. Nuts, no problem. Awesome power, sleek design, but wait a minute....what is that stuff coming out from the bottom of the blender? Oh, how nice! My brand new blender sure does whip it up good, but it leaks like mad. The only way to avoid the leaking is to tighten the bottom with the force of two grown men. If you tighten it too much, then it leaks even more! If the seal is wet it leaks! Good grief, it's like rocket science!
Best of all, the pitcher is made out of glass and if you drop it, it breaks! Good news is that you can order a new glass pitcher for the low price of $40, fun stuff, right?

Brand new Breville blender (bought on sale, using employee discount $119.99)
Replacement glass pitcher (mailed from factory) $40.00
Total blender price for six month's use $159.99

Notes/Results: FRUSTRATING!! As far as blending goes this blender really blends it up. I have complete confidence in it's blending abilities. I would give it five stars based on it's blending ablities and swear by it's ability to blend almost anything. However, tightening up the bottom to the glass pitcher is like guesswork. Is it tight enough or is it too tight? Is the seal wet, did I wipe it off? Is it going to leak? Should I get out the towels? Should I test the blender with water first or should I risk losing my recipe all over the counter? Ugh! I really dislike guessing games like that. Another thing I can't take is hassle. I have no patience. I don't even know how to rate this one. Yes, it blends well, but it's still a hassle to mess with which makes it comparable to every other blender out there on the market.

I've decided that blenders deserve to be coined the worst kitchen appliance on the market. Do you agree?

Oikos Greek Yogurt Week #4, Contest Information, and Thanks!!

Happy Sunday! This is going to be another big post! First, I want to thank everyone at Tyler Florence Fridays. I am so excited that my version of Tyler's Chicken and Smoked Sausage Etouffee was chosen to be the featured recipe on Tyler's blog. This particular feature means a lot to me because this weekend is my birthday and let's face it.....when a girl is starting to approach the hill, she always appreciates a boost! Thanks again to all my friends at Tyler Florence Fridays.

I also want to thank Beth at The Seventh Level of Boredom. She held a contest and chose one lucky winner to receive a Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker. I still can't believe I won and I am beyond ecstatic to receive such a generous gift! The deep covered baker was even more beautiful in person. I love the cranberry color. I would recommend this baker to anyone and I will tell you that it is definitely worth the asking price of $69. I adore stoneware and love to cook and bake with it. However, I must say that I don't get super excited about cleaning my stoneware. The whole issue is that you cannot use dish soap, making it nearly impossible to get the dish clean. Are you ready for this???? This Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker comes clean and shines like new in all its glory. It even comes with a handy little scraper to help scrap off all the little bits!! This product definitely deserves two thumbs up, five stars, and will be a much-loved piece in my kitchen. Thanks Beth : )

LOADED MASHED POTATOES
5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
3/4 cup sour cream *I used Oikos Greek Yogurt*
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I didn't use nearly this much)
1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled (I only topped mine with bacon when thru baking)
3 green onions, sliced
Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and place in mixing bowl. Add sour cream (yogurt), milk, butter, salt & pepper. Beat on med-low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in 2 cups of cheese, bacon and onions. Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Makes 14 servings.

Notes: I used the Oikos Greek Yogurt to replace all the sour cream, which was 3/4 cup. Next time I would do half sour cream, half Greek yogurt. The large amount of Greek Yogurt (3/4 cup) was a little overpowering in this potato dish. A half and half combination to save calories would most likely taste better. I also did not use all the cheese or bacon. I simply sprinkled a little cheese on before baking and then topped the potatoes with some bacon before serving. They were pretty darn tasty and a lot lighter than the cream and butter mashed potatoes I usually make.

CONTEST ENTRIES - PLEASE VOTE!! VOTES DUE WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 2ND AT MIDNIGHT
Onto the fun part!!! Thank you to everyone who shared their ideas for this contest. The idea was to imagine your own Food Network Show, come up with a name for your show and share your signature dish! Please take a moment to look at all the entries. I hope that everyone is comfortable choosing their favorite concept and voting. You can vote simply by leaving a comment. If you are uncomfortable voting publicly, feel free to submit your vote via email to tony.tracy@att.net. The winner with the most votes will receive the 3 Lush goodies: Ocean Salt, Lemony Flutter, and Up You Gets Emotibomb. Voting will end at midnight this Wednesday, Sept. 2nd. If I have left you out, or misrepresented your ideas please let me know.

Jenna Z -
Name of Show: The Meat and Potatoes Vegetarian
Concept: Comfort Food done healthy and vegetarian
Signature dish: Mean-not Loaf

HannahBanana aka Amanda-
Concept: VaVaVoom Vegetarian
Signature dish: 15 Veggie/7 Cheese Lasagna

Donna of My Tasty Treasures
Name of Show: Girl Next Door Cooking
Concept: Everyday cooking done by mothers, wives, neighbors & friends. Down to earth food.

Debby at Feast for the Eyes
Concept: Ina Garten style, cooking and baking classic recipes

Joanne of Eats Well With Others
Name of a Show: Healthy with a Twist
Concept: No boring food allowed! Flavorful and healthy dishes with lots of pizazz.
Signature dish: Rosemary Mac N Cheese W/ Caramelized Onions & Sweet Potatoes

Pam of Sidewalk Shoes
Concept: Pam would select one featured herb and make an appetizer, entree and dessert showcasing the featured herb.

CaSaundraLeigh -
Name of Show: A Pinch of This, and a Dash of That!
Concept: Being creative in the kitchen by adding a bit of this and that
Signature Dish: Sinless Strata (includes egg, bread, onion, sausage, apple, and milk)

Kristin of Sogkonnite Living
Concept: Healthy, Frugal, Kid-Friendly

Beth/Ty's Mommy - The Seventh Level of Boredom
Name of Show: Recipe, We Don't Need No Stinkin' Recipe!
Concept: Adapting recipes to your liking, making substitutions, using what you have on hand, and being creative
Signature Dish: Kitchen Sink Risotto Cakes -uses risotto as a base and adds in whatever else you
have on hand

Sweet & Savory-
Name of Show: Chaya Bakes Kosher
Concept: Emphasis on Kosher and adapting recipes for baked goods.

Melody of Cheat Day Cafe
Name of Show: Cheat Day Cafe
Concept: Melody describes her eating as schizophrenic - healthy, but loves sweets
Signature Dish: If eating healthy, something fruity and light. If not being healthy, something with Oreos

Jesstyler of Black Cat Kitchen
Name of Show: Yes, Please!
Concept: Jess picked the name Yes, Please because that is what her husband says when she suggests something tasty for dinner.
Signature Dish: Her family's traditional Nisua (finnish cardamom bread)

My idea for a new Food Network show is simple. I would love for them to pick one extensive cookbook, like Joy of Cooking, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, or something like How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman and then cook through the entire book. It would even be better if they cooked an appetizer, entree and dessert that all complemented each other. It wouldn't matter the cookbook, only that it would be extensive. I would love to see this done on television. I think it would be great for beginner cooks and also fun and exciting for experienced cooks.

Good luck to everyone!! Please remember to vote for your favorite by either leaving a comment or sending an email. Also, please vote only for the entries that are highlighted. Thanks!!