Announcing Edible Marin Wine Country Magazine Premiere Issue (drum roll please)
We here in Marin, Napa and Sonoma are thrilled to be contributing to a great new magazine. Read Stone's Soup Corner my kid centric foodie column. See The fabulous cover that Matthew shot, and find out about seasonal foods and recipes. Grab one at your local natural foods store or farmers market, you can always subscribe. We hope you enjoy it!
Because peas are coming into season I changed this recipe to accommodate fresh peas but if you are unable to get them use frozen.
On the searing summer days of my childhood, I spent
long hours outside with other kids, playing hide
and seek, getting dirty, and making mud pies. The
moment we heard the bells of the ice cream truck, our ears
perked up in unison and we raced off to get our ice cream treat.
Now, 30-something years later, I hardly ever see an ice cream
man. Maybe it's because grocery stores today are stocked
with so many more ice cream choices, or maybe it's because
kids play indoors more. Whatever the reason, the summer
school break presents a great opportunity to spend time with
your kids, cooking with them and teaching them about food
and family. It should be easy to entice them into the kitchen
to help create these unique and deliciously cooling Minty
Pea Pops and Veggie Corn Pops.
They may not get to chase
the ice cream man, but they will be having fun, enjoying
their dessert, and eating their veggies, too!
Sweet Veggie Pops
A New Twist On an Old Treat
By Jenifer Carden
Minty Pea Pops
Peas on a Popsicle stick? Just tell them it tastes like mint–chocolate
chip ice cream—but these are not quite ice cream and not quite vegetable.
They are now a staple in our house—a great dessert, snack, or
treat on a hot day. Have your kids help shop for and shell the peas.
You'll love it when your child asks for a Pea Pop!
Makes 6 cube-shaped pops
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup shelled sweet English Peas
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/8 to 1/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
6 Popsicle sticks or wooden craft sticks
Place the cream cheese, peas, and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl
and microwave on high for 20-second intervals until the cheese is
softened to room temperature.
Using a blender or food processor, puree these first three ingredients
into a smooth paste. Add the extract and mix again, scraping the
bowl frequently. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.
Place the mixture into a food grade plastic bag and cut about 1/2 inch
off of one of the bottom corners. Squeeze the puree into an ice cube
tray or mini muffin tin, place 1 Popsicle stick into each serving and
freeze until solid, about 1 hour. You may also spoon the puree into the
molds. Depending on your freezer, you may have to let them freeze for
up to 4 hours. For best results, make and freeze these overnight.
Once the pops are frozen, remove them from the molds by twisting
just like ice cubes. You may need to go around the edge with a warm
knife if you used a muffin tin. Sealed in an airtight container, these
will keep for up to 1 month.
Variation: Sprinkle a layer of graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of the ice
cube trays or muffin cups and place the corn puree on top; the result will look and
taste similar to a mini cheesecake on a stick.
