Weekend treats




This weekend, I was able to make up for weeks of not cooking with two days of furious cooking / baking / freezing.  On the docket?  Chickpea and quinoa veggie burgers, mini fruit tarts, blackberry lime cheesecake popsicles (recipe included below by request) and strawberry Greek yogurt popsicles.  The popsicles were inspired by the annual popsicle bonanza hosted by Design Crush Blog's Kelly Beall.  I may have made a summer resolution to make at least five of the popsicles that she featured.  And I learned how to properly and not scarily cut and slice a pineapple and watermelon without chopping off a limb.

For the past 15 odd years, my dad has always joked about opening a restaurant but this is the first time that he’s asked me if I wanted to join him in his fantasy restaurant venture.  He's either decided that I'm worthy enough of a cook now or he just needs someone to wash the dishes.

Blackberry lime cheesecake popsicles
(Adapted from Simple Bites)

Blackberry layer ingredients:
8 oz fresh blackberries
1.5 tablespoons water

Cheesecake layer ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
5 tablespoons milk
Juice from one lime
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup of powdered sugar

Add the blackberries and water to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring periodically, for about 10 – 15 minutes, or until they are easily broken with a wooden spoon. Taste and add honey to sweeten if needed.

Pour the berry mixture into a blender (I used a Magic Bullet) and puree until smooth. Add more water if consistency is too thick.  After blended, refrigerate the blackberry puree until cool.

While the blackberry mixture cools, beat the cream cheese, milk, lime juice, vanilla, and sugar using a hand or stand mixer. Again, feel free to add more / less milk and sugar to adjust to your particular taste and consistency.  Set aside in the refrigerator until blackberry mixture has cooled.

To assemble popsicles, layer the blackberry puree and cream cheese mixture in popsicle molds (I used dixie cups). Place popsicle sticks in the center and freeze until solid, which can take up to 6 hours.


Comments

  1. Oh wow, I love the idea of a blackberry and cheesecake popsicle and the little tarts look wonderful. What an honour to be asked by your dad to join him ;-) Hope you're well, have a lovely week xo

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  2. Oh those mini fruit tarts...my weakness.

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  3. Yay. I will put this in my to-do list ;)

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  4. The closest I've come to that is telling the kids I'd have them bus tables and keep the salt & pepper shakers filled....in our family fast food joint. :) You're more than worthy, plus he wants his daughter there with him to make it fun.

    You had a delicious weekend.

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  5. Oh my gosh, Blackberry lime cheesecake popsicles? I'm drooling! I love the idea of putting my favorite dessert (cheesecake) upside down in a popsicle! I can't wait to see the other popsicles you try :)

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  6. They both look amazeballs, Rooth! Sigh....I wish I can eat pics on the internet.

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  7. That Popsicle! I can't believe you made that; it sounds ever so tasty. We may be joining you in the triple digits this weekend . . . I may have to join you in making Blackberry Lime Cheesecake Popsicles, as well! :)

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  8. Mmm, popsicles! My mom used to make kool-aid pops for me growing up, and those were my favorite part of summer. These look much more nutritious :)

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  9. that's sweet that your dad invited you to be a partner in his fantasy restaurant. you must have done something right. those popsicles look yummilicious. and your burgers sound pretty good too.

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  10. Oh, so yum girl. Tks for sharing! LOL on your dad needing you to wash the dishes!

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  11. those popsicles look soooo good!

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  12. Oh man, those popsicles sound (and look!) so delicious! My mouth is watering just thinking about them!

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  13. This looks delish! I am drooling in front of the computer, should go to bed and not get hungry again ;)

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  14. Oh yum yum yum Rooth! These looks delicious (and HEALTHY)! So tell us more about this restaurant venture?

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  15. Yum! the fruit tarts and popsicles look amazing.

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  16. oh, yum yum, love popsicles :)

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  17. oh dear. oh dear. oh dear. i bow down to your culinary (& popsicle making) prowess. Snaps. Check me out with these new words. Lol.

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  18. Are those the strawberry greek yogurt popsicles in the photo? They look amaaaaazing.

    We once made fig + goat cheese ice cream. You should try that :)

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  19. These look delicious! I'll have to try them this summer...

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  20. they look just delicious. a wonderful summer treat!

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  21. I'm a strict fruit segregationist but everything you made looks so pretty! I think I might try making the popsicles in a blackberry/lime/sugar/water kind of way once the blackberries are ripe. I can't wait until July!

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