Popsicle Adventures.

Shameless refreshment.

I love ice cream.  I love cake. But when it comes to hot weather, there's only one thing I want: a popsicle.  And while I have great love and respect for popsicles of the ice cream truck variety, or even the store-bought kind that you pull apart, that's not the kind of popsicle I truly crave on a hot summer day.  What I want is something homemade, and full of fresh, fruity flavor.  Matt doesn't like popsicles.  But I think that's because he's never had mine. :)

 

Raspberry, Lime & White Wine Popsicle for Mommy

In Mexico, Paletas are commonly sold in every neighborhood.  They are made from fresh fruit purees mixed with either water or cream.  I prefer the ones mixed with water and my favorite flavor is lime (though I have been known to dabble in the pineapple realm on occasion).  They are perfect on a hot day, but also hit the spot after a long walk or a day at the pool.  They are brightly colored, healthy and truly delish. 

Blueberries & Sliced Strawberries

So, what is the closest thing to paletas here in Maine? I came upon this blog entry and felt it was the perfect way to use the bountiful springtime berries of Maine and combine them with a Mexican Agua de Limon (click link for my recipe) for a fresher, wholer version of a Paleta.  It was an awesome success.  And as a special treat to myself, I also mixed some white wine into my popsicle. :)

My favorite part of this is that it is a super easy "cooking" project to do with a 3-year-old.  I set three containers of berries in front of Roman - raspberries, blueberries and sliced strawberries and let him pick which ones he wanted to put into each popsicle mold.  Then we poured the limeade in together and let the freezer do the rest.  Some were all blueberry.  Some were a combination.  But they were all yummy and very pretty to look at.  And they kept the Strawberry Monster happy, which is priceless.

  

Today after a long walk around Back Cove after school - during which Roman decided he was too tired to continue and threatened to mutiny - we were both so thankful those little guys were in the freezer waiting for us!  They were the reason Roman kept walking.  And once we'd kicked off our shoes and sat on the porch, everyone was all-smiles once again.  The giant bites of berry are SO much more delicious than any store-bought popsicle I've ever had.  

And the great thing is, the flavor combinations are endless.  Just chop up some fruit and make an agua fresca (method & recipe here) to go with it and you've got yourself the perfect hot-weather treat.  Here are some flavor combos I'd like to try, just to get your creative fresh-fruit-juices flowing:

Brenda's Future Fresh Fruit Popsicle Adventures

Hey, a girl can dream.

* Sliced Kiwi, Blueberry and Pineapple with Mango Agua Fresca *

* Watermelon chunks in Watermelon Agua Fresca *

* Melon balls in Melon Agua Fresca *

* Sliced Strawberries in Pineapple Agua Fresca *

* Blackberries in Lime Agua Fresca *

* Sliced Cherries in Lemonade *

* Pomegranate Seeds in Pomegranate-Strawberry Agua Fresca *

* Raspberries and Strawberries in Lime Margarita *

 * White Sangria Popsicles *

A Verdant Delish: Ceviche Verde & Spring in Maine

Ceviche Verde

This weekend.  I can only sigh.  This weekend made up for the past three months of wishy-washy-almost-springtime weather here in Maine.  It was warm enough to sit outside all afternoon (and get a small sunburn), but yet mild enough to sit outside all afternoon.  We grilled.  We anti-pasto'd.  We drank shameless amounts of margaritas and chilled white wine.  We smoked hookahs.  And Marcus and Becky came over (and camped in a tent in our backyard (!) ) with their two dogs, so the company was good and Roman had a field-day with "his" new pets.  There was even strawberry shortcake with homemade whipped cream thrown into the mix.  It was nothing short of glorious.

Add to that the fact that Maine was in full springtime splendor.  At this time last year we were basking in the beauty of Munjoy Hill and the Eastern Promenade so we never got to see our yard at this time of year; we moved in at the end of June.  And while a part of me misses that lovely neighborhood still, I have loved watching all the plants re-grow and blossom in our yard.  The back of our house faces onto woods which in the winter are bare and show all the houses and roads on either side of us, but in the spring and summer the woods are lush and green and beautiful, making our yard almost entirely private on one side.  The grass, which is probably the bane of Matt's existence, is beautifully riddled with wild dandelions and clovers (much more to my taste than a cookie-cutter lawn) that grow back almost within hours of being mowed.  And there are all sorts of interesting flowers and leaves and little creatures displaying their plumage at each and every corner of our beautiful little piece of Portland.  The whole thing is very idyllic, really.

Anyway, among the many wonderful things we ate this weekend, there was one dish that was left out.  It was left out simply because we ran out of time and stomach, not because I didn't desperately want to make it.  So, having a couple of perfectly ripe avocados left over, I decided to make it today - another beautiful late-spring day: Ceviche Verde.  Green Ceviche.  It represents Spring in many ways - its freshness, its acidity, its green-ness.  It's a recipe I found on epicurious.com by accident and I must admit I had my doubts about it, but I am a full convert now.  It will make the perfect easy, light, and delicious dinner I began dreaming of after my walk around Back Cove today.

But first, here are the top five pictures from this weekend, in pictorial list form.

*  *  *

Top Five Springtime Moments and Memories

from this past weekend :)

5.

The Crazy Antipasto Lunch

4.

Bubbles with Daddy

3.

Pretty flowers in the garden

2.

Bubbles with Uncle Marcus

1.

Roman & Orzo

*  *  * 

 Green Spring Ceviche: Ceviche Verde

Serves 2 as a Main

Serves 4 as an Appetizer

This couldn't be easier to make.  I changed the original recipe linked above (from La Gloria in San Antonio, TX) by using bay scallops instead of halibut.  I also used a Serrano instead of a jalapeno but you can use whichever you prefer, keeping in mind that Serrano chiles are definitely hotter.  I increased the amount of lime juice because I found 3 tbsps to be an absurdly small amount of lime for 1 lb of fish meat.  Definitely a keeper, this one.

Ingredients:

1 pound bay scallops
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
3-4 limes, juiced
1-2 ripe avocados, peeled,  pitted & diced
3/4 cup green olives, quartered
1/2 cup tomatillos, washed & diced

1/4 cup red onion, finely sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 serrano chile, stemmed and minced (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil

*Tostadas or tortilla chips for serving

Method:

1. Place bay scallops in medium bowl. Add salt; toss to coat. Add lime juice; toss to coat. Marinate until the edges of the cubes begin to turn opaque, tossing occasionally, at least 1-2 hours.

2. Add avocados to bowl along with green olives, tomatillos, onion, cilantro, and the serrano if you like some heat. Add olive oil and season to taste with salt.

Serve over tostadas or with tortilla chips for dipping.