Summer Berry Turnovers

One of my favorite things about summer is the fruit. I can't get enough of them! Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, YUM! This year, I've been trying to figure out how keep those berries around for a little while after they go out of season. These are delicious! They are fresh and delicious, and simple to make. We took these to Music in the Park tonight, and they travel very well!

Summer Berry Turnovers
(Adapted from Fine Cooking Picnics and Cookouts)


Crust
1 cup unbleached flour
(plus extra for rolling out dough)
1 cup whole wheat white flour
14 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut onto pieces, then chilled
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 Tbs. lowfat milk
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt

Place all ingredients in food processor.  Pulse dough until the dough forms together into large clumps.  Turn dough out onto counter.  Shape dough into a 1-inch thick dish and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.

Filling:
3/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup raspberries
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

Rinse and dry berries.  Toss berries with spices.  Set berries aside.

Allow dough to become pliable, but not too warm that it breaks.  Sprinkle dough with flour.  Roll dough out n lightly floured surface.  Cut dough into 2 inch diameter circles.  You will make 12 circles.  Place rounds on baking sheet (If using aluminum baking sheet, line with parchment.

Fill circles with 1-1 1/2 tsp of fruit filling.  Fold each circle in half, and score with fork.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  To take on a picnic, layer pastries with parchment paper, do not layer warm pastries right on top of each other!

I'm linking to Sweet Tooth Friday.

Peach Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

This week, I had a lot of time that I could have used to be unproductive or get some things done around the house.  Instead, I decided that I wanted a yummy summer dessert with some fresh summer fruit.  Here's what I came up with!

Peach Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

4 peaches, peeled and cubed

8 slices of good quality bread (I used a brioche loaf)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup 1% or nonfat milk

2 tbsp butter

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

caramel sauce (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  I used my stoneware pan for this recipe.  If you are using glass, grease your pan.  Peel and cube your peaches (boil water on the stove, create an ice water bath in a large bowl, boil peaches 1-2 minutes, then drop into ice water, peel peaches after 2-3 minutes in ice bath)  Tear bread slices into bite-sized pieces.  Place bread and peaches in a 9x9 square baking dish.  In a small sauce pan, heat whipping cream and milk until skin just forms on top of the milk.  Remove milk from burner and add butter.  Stir butter into milk until it melts.  Allow milk mixture to cool.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sugars and cinnamon.  When milk mixture is cooled to room temperature, combine milk mixture and egg mixture, whisk until combined.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.  Bake until egg and milk mixture is firm and not runny.

Caramel Sauce:

1 cup of sugar

6 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Heat sugar, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until sugar melts and and is golden brown.  Remove sugar from burner and add butter.  Stir sugar and butter mixture until butter melts.  Allow mixture to cool about 10 minutes.  Slowly add cream, a little at a time, whisking so its blended.

Store caramel sauce in the fridge in  a mason jar, heat as necessary.

I'm linking to Sweet Tooth Friday and Sweets for a Saturday

S'mores Ice Cream Sandwiches

Last weekend, my son wanted s'mores while we were on vacation.  Between being out site seeing in the Sierras and not wanting to fire up the gas grill, it didn't happen!  This week, back at home, it was HOT, HOT, HOT!  I didn't want to stand over a grill or oven of any kind!  Instead of S'mores, this is what I came up with!

S'mores Ice Cream Sandwiches
2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
2 cups nonfat or 1% milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used 3/4 cup semi-sweet and 3/4 cup bittersweet)
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows (I used organic ones)
2 squares graham crackers
In ice cream maker, mix milks and sugar according to the directions on your ice cream maker.  As the ice cream begins to freeze, slowly add chocolate chips and marshmallows.  Continue to churn for about 15 minutes.  Freeze in freezer for 1-2 hours.  To make sandwiches, scoop ice cream onto graham crackers and make into a sandwich.  This is a great hot day treat!


I'm linking to Sweet Tooth Friday and  Sweets For a Saturday.

Summer Science day 2

This one is easy, but will require a follow-up next week.  We are trying to peel a raw egg!

Place an egg in a cup and cover the egg with white vinegar.  See what happens!  Updates to come...

What are your child's hobbies?  How do you encourage them?

Summer Science

I thought I would start a thread here once or twice a week about what we are doing to keep boredom at bay this summer.  I got my son The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book: Boil Ice, Float Water, Measure Gravity-Challenge the World Around You! (Everything Kids Series) because he's been wanting to do science experiments a lot lately.  Today, we're starting out with what happens when you add ice to boiling water.  This book is great!  It gives the procedure, explains how to make a hypothesis and has a place for the kids to write what they found during the experiment.  Most of the ones I've seen while flipping through have mostly materials you have around the house.  Absolutely worth the $9.00 I spent and I will reuse some of these in my class next fall too.

Here are some pictures from this week's science experiment...

Who Said a watched pot never boils?!

Being very careful to put the ice in and not splash the hot water (mommy very closely watching)

The notebook page of the book where he can write his observations.  He said, "When I put the ice in the hot water, it stopped boiling."

You can find more summer ideas on how to keep the kids busy here at Works For Me Wednesday.

Besides camps, TV, computer games and outside activities, how are you and your family combatting boredom this summer?

Summer!

Today was our first official day of summer.  A girl could get used to this :)  We had to be at a playdate with some dear friends who are leaving for Wisconsin later this week (I am very sad, in the 2 years they've been here, they have become very special friends).  Then I took my little guy and we headed over to Sprouts Farmer's Market .  I have to admit, I love Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, but Sprouts takes the cake!  I had heard that is was like a combination between the two.  well, its that, and then some!  I'm trying to figure out how I can change my grocery shopping routine so I can shop out there.  They have everything I need, and then some!  I felt like I was in grocery heaven.  They are out near my work, so I'm trying to figure out what day I could get over there after work.  I'll have to work that one out.

We got home and made rice crispies with brown rice crisps, organic and gluten free marshmallows (yummy) and added some dark chocolate chunks.

Right now, my stepson and my son are playing Star Wars on the xbox.  We'll head out for karate in a bit.

I just love the relaxed pace of summer.  What are you up to now that school is out?