Popsicle of the Week: Strawberries 'N' Cream Pie

I found this week's popsicle recipe from the latest issue of Rachel Ray's Everyday Magazine. As soon as I saw the words Strawberries 'n' Cream Pie Ice Pops, I knew I had to make them. I think I was seduced by the idea of a creamy strawberry popsicle loaded down with chunks of graham cracker crust. These were definitely one delicious summertime treat!

Strawberries 'n' Cream Pie Ice Pops
Adapted from Rachel Ray's Everday Magazine
Makes 8 to 10 popsicles, depending on your mold
Prep 15 minutes (plus freezing)
Cook 20 minutes

3 cups fresh strawberries (about 1 pound), chopped
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
One 6-ounce store-bought graham cracker crust, crumbled into coarse pieces (perhaps even a little less, depending on how much you like)

In a medium saucepan, bring the strawberries and sugar to a simmer over medium heat. Lower the heat and reduce until thick and jamlike, about 20 minutes.

Using a food processor, puree the berry mixture, then transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate until cold. Stir in the yogurt and lemon juice.

Fold the graham cracker crumbs into the yogurt mixture until half blended. Spoon the mixture into an 8- to 10-count 2.5 ounce ice pop mold and freeze for 30 minutes. Insert ice pop sticks and freeze until solid, at least 4 hours.

Notes/Results: I made some of these popsicles with the graham cracker crust and without. I loved them both ways! They really do taste like a strawberry and cream pie.

Hope you're having a great day!!

West Side Market: Cleveland, Ohio

West Side Market
1979 West 25th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
With origins dating back to 1840, the West Side Market is Cleveland's oldest publicly owned market. The market house was dedicated in 1912 and its 137 foot clock tower has stood as a Cleveland landmark for nearly a century. Today the market is home to over 100 vendors of great ethnic diversity. The West Side Market is a Cleveland tradition.
I lived in the Cleveland area for the first 26 years of my life but I had never been to the West Side Market before. My husband said that my eyes were glazed over and my head was darting around everywhere;-) He spent the next day or so teasing me about how he had to take both of our two children under his wing because he knew that I wasn't paying any attention to them! I couldn't help it. I'm easily distracted and here I was smack in the middle of foodie paradise!

My first stop was the Pierogi Palace! When you grow up in the Cleveland area you are born and raised on pierogi. I love them so much but am unable to buy them at home in Kentucky.
I brought 3 dozen and packed them in a cooler to bring back home! If you've never tried a pierogi, you simply have to! A pierogi is essentially a dumpling made from pasta dough. Kind of like a ravioli, but thicker and bigger. There are numerous fillings for pierogi. The typical filling is potato or potato and cheese, but you can stuff anything in a pierogi. Pierogi can be boiled, pan-fried, or deep fried. You can even put them in casseroles! I was so delighted to see so many varieties at the Pierogi Palace. I bought one dozen potato and cheese, 6 potato and jalapeno, 6 taco, 6 corned beef and 6 Cajun pierogi. All of them were delicious!!

Pictured above is the Taco Pierogi. It contained cheese and ground beef which had been seasoned with taco seasoning. This one was my husband's favorite. He's requested a return trip for more:-)

Anything with jalapeno is always a hit with both me and my husband and these Potato and Jalapeno Pierogi(pictured above) were no exception! The jalapeno in these was pretty hot, but they were a spicy delight! Definitely one we would buy again.

My personal favorite was this Cajun pierogi. Wanna know why? It was stuffed with mashed red beans and sausage! I think by now you all know that I love beans and this filling was smooth and creamy with little bits of spicy sausage and green pepper. I absolutely loved these and will buy about 2 dozen when I go back ;-)

This last one is the Corned Beef Hash Pierogi. Delicious corned beef with little chunks of potatoes. This one is terrific on it's own, but would be really great with some sauteed cabbage.

After leaving the Pierogi Palace we went in search of the Beef Jerky that Michael Symon recommend on Food Network's show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate".

We bought one pound of the Hot Beef Jerky, which really was the best we'd ever had. We took the jerky home to my Dad's house and everyone vowed that it really was the bomb! Definitely some addictive and satisfying stuff. I'd love to learn how to make my own.

Up next was a stop to Urban Herbs which sold all sorts of fun things: Beans, Lentils, Peas, Chiles, Fruits, Marinades, Veggies, Grains, Herbs, Spices, Mushrooms, Nuts, Seeds, Vinegars, Stocks, Oils, Couscous, Orzo, Rices, Salts and Sugars. This was the place where my mind became totally overwhelmed. Not only did they sell all these great things, but so many different varieties. There were so many things I wanted and I had no idea where to start.

I decided to go for the things I couldn't get at home. I've heard that cardamom pods are expensive and since I can't find them at home I bought 2 oz. for $1.99. I'd always heard of ghost chiles and had never come across them before, so I bought a container of those. They came with their very own set of rubber gloves......hmmmmm. I also bought some farro, a type of wheat or grain that has become popular in Italian cooking. I love couscous and was tempted to buy every kind available, but settled for a pound of red Tomato couscous and a pound of Spinach Couscous. The colors of each are stunning and I can't wait to use them. I could've easily spent $200 or more in this section alone, but we were loaded down with bags so I had to walk away.

This fella worked at the Hungarian meat stand where they made their own homemade sausages. He was a super helpful and nice guy (too bad he moved when I tried to take his picture).

We bought 2 pounds of his Garlic Sausage on our way out. I wish we could've carried more. That garlic sausage was some good stuff. We almost went back up to the market on our way home to Kentucky in order to buy more!

One thing I regret not buying was his Paprika Bacon. Doesn't it look delicious?

We saw so many wonderful things while at the market. Vendors selling only sauces and marinades as pictured above.

Every kind of meat you can imagine, both whole and butchered. I happened to see a whole goat in a glass case. When I went back to get a picture it was gone and the above picture is what was left.

What I loved about the West Side Market is that almost every culture was represented. This vendor was selling English pasties, Scottish Meat Pies, Birdies and the Irish Hamburger.

Breads and baked goods were abundant in the West Side Market. So many wonderful fresh breads from all cultures. My daughter and I bought one of the Asiago Soft Pretzels, pictured above.

And, how could I resist not taking a picture of a CHOCOLATE COVERED TWINKIE? I think I've seen it all! The bad part is that I really wanted one. I didn't do it this time around BUT I'm being honest when I say that I know I would eventually cave in and eat one.

There was even a band playing high up in the balcony area.

Going to the West Side Market was a full on senses overload experience for me. So many wonderful things to see, smell, touch, taste! I found that my adrenaline was running and my mind was reeling. I felt like I was on an adventure where I was able to immerse myself in my surroundings and go on a trip with my senses. Going to a market like this is one of my favorite things to do and always stirs up the passion I have for food. I could have easily spent the entire day at the West Side Market.

I'm so happy and appreciative to have you all who are so equally passionate about food and cooking! It is so nice to be surrounded by others who have a similar passion.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Ellie Krieger's Better Burger With Green Olives and Mark Bittman's Chopped Salad

I am a big fan of Ellie Krieger's recipes. I feel like Ellie really knows how to write a recipe well and I love the way she delivers the maximum amount of flavor while keeping it healthy at the same time. I've been wanting to try Ellie's Better Burger with Green Olives for the longest time. When my friend Reeni of Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice announced a Burger Free For All for this month's Burger Club Challenge I knew that I had to take this opportunity to make Ellie's Better Burger.

Ellie's burger can be made with lean ground turkey or lean ground beef. I used 95% Lean Hereford Beef, which is some pretty awesome beef. Every time I go to Fresh Market I stock up on it. Great taste, great texture, none of the fat. Ellie's burger is flavored with coarsely chopped green olives, parsley, and cumin. Not only is this a unique combination of flavors, it is delicious. The olives give the burger that briney, salty flavor while adding some extra texture and the cumin gives the burger a nice smoky flavor. I served my burger on a whole wheat bun with lettuce, sliced red onion and mayo. I loved this burger. I loved it so much that I ate 2 of them! Not so virtuous, I know...but I'm just trying to keep it real! I have to give this burger the highest burger club rating, which is a 4!! I'm already craving another one! You can find the recipe HERE online at the Food Network.

While on vacation up in Ohio one of my girlfriends made a delicious chopped salad with all sorts of yummy fresh produce. Every time us girls get together it seems as if we are always eating salad. This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs we are celebrating Girls Night In, making food that girls enjoy while hanging out, catching up, and being just plain silly. I had to represent and bring the chopped salad. It just wouldn't be a Girls Night In without one.

I used a recipe for Chopped Salad from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything Vegetarian. The base of the salad calls for Romaine, chopped celery, chopped carrots, chopped red onion, and chopped bell pepper. Bittman's chopped salad also calls for cucumber but I left it out and chose to add blanched and chopped green beans, chopped hard-boiled egg, chopped radishes, chickpeas, and boiled and chopped new potatoes. I sprinkled the salad with sunflower seeds and topped it with a homemade creamy Italian dressing. It was delicious!

I'm submitting this Chopped Salad to I Heart Cooking Clubs for Girls Night In!

I am submitting the Better Burger with Green Olives and the Chopped Salad to my friend Deb of Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sundays roundup!

Don't forget to check out Reeni's upcoming Burger Club posting!!

Restaurant Review: Michael Symon's Bar Symon

Bar Symon
32858 Walker Road
Avon Lake, Ohio
Phone: 440-933-5652
Topping my list of things to do while in Cleveland was dining at Michael Symon's Bar Symon. Located only 15 minutes from my Dad's house, there was absolutely NO WAY that I was leaving Ohio without a visit to Bar Symon. It's not every day that you can dine at the restaurant of an Iron Chef.

Bar Symon is very welcoming, open, and airy with both indoor and outdoor seating. Due to the stifling heat, we chose to sit indoors. I quickly noticed that there was some 80's rock n roll playing and chuckled to myself. Clevelanders love their rock and roll and Michael Symon is no exception. The music added a great ambiance. Lucky for us, we had arrived just in time for Happy Hour, which is from 5-6:30 Monday through Friday.

Our waiter, who was very attentive, briefed us on the Happy Hour specials and then brought out the house bread and butter. The house bread was a very crusty bread, quite possibly a sourdough. I was so busy trying to decide on my entree that I forgot to ask. Whatever kind of bread it was, it was delicious! We gobbled it up in no time.

My husband ordered the Sriracha Wings ($5 during Happy Hour) for his appetizer. Let me just go ahead and say right now.....those damn sriracha wings were the very best chicken wings I've ever ate, hands down! I have no idea how they got them to be so tender, but the meat just fell right off the bone. The flavor of the sriracha was remarkable. I found I had to restrain myself from sucking on the chicken bone. The wings were probably the highlight of the meal, sounds crazy I know, but there were absolutely remarkable.

I chose the Pierogi appetizer ($5 during Happy Hour). The power of the pierogi lives on in Cleveland and chosing the pierogi appetizer was a "no brainer" for me. The pierogi appetizer was brought out in a cute little silver bowl with 3 pierogi, cabbage and a drizzling of stadium mustard sauce. I have mad love for both pierogi and mustard and was in total and complete pig heaven with this appetizer. The homemade pierogi were filled with potatoes and cheese and went so well with the mild flavored mustard sauce. Everything about the pierogi appetizer was so well balanced and flavorful. I enjoyed it more than words can say.

For his entree, my husband ordered one of the specials of the day, the grilled Rainbow Trout served with Grilled Rapini ($14). Seasoned with garlic, the trout was cooked to perfection and my husband found it to be both meaty and light at the same time. He thoroughly enjoyed it.

I also ordered one of the specials, the Smoked Pork Tacos w/ Tomatillo Salsa and Pickled Chiles ($14). When the plate arrived I did a double take. There were 3 huge pork tacos on the plate, each one brimming with smoked pork, tomatillo salsa, pickled chiles and cilantro. The meat was perfectly juicy and tender and I really loved the spicy heat of the pickled chiles. Those tacos were perfectly seasoned and packed with flavor. I didn't even touch the salt shaker.
(NOTE: The lighting where I was seated wasn't too great and the picture of the tacos really didn't do them justice, so I decided to leave it out).
My entree also came with my choice of side dishes and I chose the Jalapeno Creamed Corn. The creamed corn was flavored with jalapeno and was loaded down with cubes of pancetta. A very hearty portion for a side dish. I wish I would've had more room in my belly.

For dessert, my husband ordered the Warm Chocolate Cake with Cherry Compote and housemade Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream ($5). The warm oozing chocolate cake contrasted beautifully with the cool vanilla ice cream. Upon first bite you could tell that the chocolate cake was made with dark chocolate which really contrasted with the sweet cherry compote. This was a luscious and perfectly balanced dessert which we would happily order again on a return trip.

I ordered the Beer and Pretzels dessert($5), which was recommend by the waiter. I'm sorry to say that the picture of this dessert did not turn out at all, but it was absolutely fantastic. The Beer and Pretzels dessert consisted of two scoops of Housemade Guiness Ice Cream, fudge and caramel sauce and was topped off with crushed pretzel rods. This dessert was fantastic! A perfect example of sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy. This is the kind of dessert that warrants a trip to Bar Symon all on it's own!
My husband noticed that they were offering autographed copies of Iron Chef Symon's new cookbook, Live to Cook, for $35, so he bought me one! It was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Dining at Bar Symon was sheer delight and I highly recommend it if you live in the area or happen to pass through. The food was bursting with BIG FLAVOR and everything was cooked to perfection. I thought the prices were more than reasonable and some were actually a downright value. We found the wait staff to be both helpful and attentive and loved the casual, yet upscale atmosphere. This is the kind of place where friends can meet over drinks and appetizers OR you can saddle up and have a terrific three course meal. Either way, you WILL NOT leave disappointed.

As for me, I'm already scheming a return visit!!

Pasta with Bacon and Breadcrumbs

You know how you arrive home from vacation to find that you have virtually nothing to eat? You're craving good home cooked food because you've been eating out A LOT and you don't feel like running to the store? This recipe is perfect for that situation. I almost always have pasta, bacon and breadcrumbs on hand. This was the perfect meal to make after a long ride in the car with two kids. It goes together quick, easy, pleases everyone and best of all IS NOT ROAD FOOD. Amen to that!

Pasta, bacon, toasted breadcrumbs, garlic and red pepper flakes.....does it get any better than that?

Pasta with Bacon and Breadcrumbs
Adapted from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express
Boil salted water for pasta and cook it, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Meanwhile, cut bacon into small pieces and fry it in a bit of olive oil until just crisping; remove from the pan and add two or three minced garlic cloves to the pan; cook over fairly low heat, turning until just fragrant, a couple of minutes. Toss in a cup or so of breadcrumbs and a pinch of red pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs turn golden (they go fast). Toss the pasta and the breadcrumb mixture along with the bacon and a little of the reserved liquid. Top with some more olive oil and a bit of chopped parsley or basil.

Notes/Results: We cooked one pound of whole wheat rotini with one pound of sliced bacon. It ended up being a good pasta to bacon ratio. I would definitely double the garlic and sprinkle in quite a bit of red pepper flakes next time. The pasta was great and disappeared in one setting!

This is my submission to this week's Better With Bacon theme over at IHCC!

I'll be skipping the Popsicle of the Week feature this Monday so that I can post about my trip to Michael Symon's Bar Symon. My husband and I were able to go without the children and had a wonderful time!

Poppee's Popcorn North Ridgeville, Ohio

Poppee’s Popcorn, Inc.
38727 Taylor Parkway
North Ridgeville, Ohio 44039
Phone (800)452-3235
Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm EST

We just got back from our week long vacation up in northern Ohio. We had a lot of fun visiting with my Dad and childhood friends. We also had time for a lot of other fun things: Cedar Point Amusement Park, Cleveland's West Side Market, dinner at Michael Symon's Bar Symon, and lots 4th of July fireworks and celebrations. There are always a million things I want to do when I go back for a visit. One of our family traditions is to go to Poppee's Popcorn, aka Jenny's Popcorn, in North Ridgeville, Ohio.

I first discovered Poppee's Popcorn while on my way to work years ago. Poppee's was located right by my office, where I used to go to work every morning. Back then I always rode with my windows down and every morning I would drive by and smell the sweet scent of caramel corn wafting from their popcorn factory. One day I decided that I had enough of "just smelling" the popcorn and I decided to go in and see what they had to offer.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I walked into Poppee's, but what I found tickled me to death. Poppee's sold HUGE 5 pound bags of their popcorn!! I had never seen such a huge bag of popcorn and I had to buy one, if only for a joke. That 5 pound bag of popcorn is ABSOLUTELY HUGE! No matter who you are, you have to laugh when you see it. It is at least 3 feet tall and about a foot wide. In fact, the entire bag is just about as big as my nine year old daughter.

To make a long story short, the very first 5 pound bag of popcorn was a HUGE HIT and everyone requested another and another. We've been buying those 5 pound bags of Poppee's Popcorn for the past ten years and it has become a big family tradition. Not only is it a fun thing to buy, it is economical ($7 for 5 pounds), and it's delicious.

We always pack the car a special way so that we have enough room to bring back 2 five-pound bags with us to Kentucky (my in-law's request a bag too)! This time around we got 2 five-pound bags and a pound of cheese corn. I highly recommend Poppee's if you live in the area or even if you are passing through. The kids go absolutely crazy for it and adults like it too. Either way, I couldn't resist sharing the picture of all that crazy good popcorn goodness!

Can't wait to get back into the kitchen and catch up on all my blog reading! Looks like you all have been making some great things.

Hippie Rice Salad

I saw this recipe in Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything Vegetarian and it tickled me. Hippie Rice Salad. It caught my eye for a few reasons. The first being that it was a healthy recipe, the second being that it reminded me of my parents. When my parents were first married, they lived in a renovated school bus which they parked on a farm on Maryland's Eastern Shore. The picture below was taken on my parent's wedding day. My Dad was carrying my Mom over the threshold of the school bus, which was home to them.

As a young couple, their alternative lifestyle was lots of fun for them. They parked their school bus on a farm with an old farmhouse, where several other couples lived. From what I hear, they had the time of their lives. They all lived on the farm for a couple years. Once the babies came, people starting going their own ways. My parents sold the school bus, left Maryland, moved to Ohio, and had me!

My parents gave up a lot of their old lifestyle in order to start a family, BUT healthy food was still a big part of their life. We never ate processed food and we rarely ate out. Although my parents continued to eat meat, vegetables were king. We snacked on them all the time. One of our favorite all-time snacks were green onions. We used to go through bunches of green onions, dipping them in a little salt and eating them on their own. It sounds funny to me now, but they really tasted great that way and I still love them today.

This healthy eating made me rather naive about the world around me. When I started school, I discovered Spaghettio's, Ho-Ho's, Cheese Crackers, juice boxes and all kinds of other processed junk. I had no idea what any of it was, but I learned quickly. Naturally, I wanted what all the other children had and relentlessly begged my Mom for all sorts of treats. Every once in awhile she would cave in and buy it for me, but for the most part, she stood her ground.

Here's to my parents for sticking with it over the years, teaching me how to eat real, wholesome food. This Hippie Rice Salad is something that I know they would like (and it even has green onions)!!

Hippie Rice Salad
Adapted from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman
3-4 cups cooked brown rice, cooled
1/4 cup chopped scallion (green onion)
1 small or 1/2 large red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 cup cooked and shocked broccoli florets
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup Vinaigrette (recipe directly below)
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons good wine vinegar, or more to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large shallot, cut into chunks (optional)
Combine all the ingredients except the shallot in a blender and turn the machine on; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add more vinegar a teaspoon or two at a time until the balance tastes right to you. Add the shallot and turn the machine on and off a few times until the shallot is minced within the dressing. Taste, adjust the seasoning; and serve.
To make the Hippie Rice Salad:
Put the rice and all the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and use 2 big forks to combine, fluffing the rice and tossing gently to separate the grains. Add salt and pepper, taste, adjust if necessary. You may want to add in more vinaigrette if necessary. Right before serving, sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top and serve at room temperature.

Notes/Results: This is a terrific recipe and holds very well at room temperature, making it perfect for picnic baskets, this week's theme at IHCC! I found some gorgeous orange bell peppers at the market and decided to serve my rice salad in the bell pepper cups. It was delicious. Everyone enjoyed the slight nutty crunch from the sunflower seeds. Hippie Rice Salad was a total hit! I would definitely make it again.



I am submitting this Hippie Rice Salad to my friend Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her weekly Souper Sundays roundup. I am also submitting this recipe to I Heart Cooking Clubs in honor of this week's Picnic Basket theme.

My family and I will be leaving for Ohio tomorrow morning to visit with my Dad and some of my old friends. I'll be back in about a week!! I hope everyone who is celebrating the 4th of July weekend has a safe and happy time!!