As previously promised Popsicle week has at last arrived. Thankfully these pops are awesome because I think I gave myself temporary carpal tunnel syndrome after juicing eight limes by hand with a ridiculously flimsy plastic juicer. Obviously a sturdier tool is going right to the top of my shopping list. By the time I finished with my popsicle prep hard labor my hands were completely shriveled from the lime juice and looked as though I’d been soaking in a hot soapy bath for two hours.

The remainder of the recipe is dead simple though and since I only made one batch of pops with my new Shooting Star Pop Molds I had half a pitcher of mojito mix left over. A few extra splashes of rum, some ice cubes and immediate cocktail satisfaction is yours. This definitely makes the wait for these icy citrus dreams slightly more tolerable.

Loosen Up Your Fingers & Prepare for Battle	The Aftermath
Muddle	Time to Freeze

Mojito Pops
Adapted from Krystina Castella’s new book: Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone published by Quirk Books.
Makes 24 two-ounce ice cube-tray pops, six 8-ounce pops, or eight 6-ounce pops (Note: Or be like me and make six popsicles and three nice sized mojitos to share while you’re waiting for the pops to freeze).

1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice (Note: I used 8 limes)
2 1/2 cups Club Soda
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
1 lemon, peeled and cut into wedges
3 limes, peeled and cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons light rum

Pour the lime juice, club soda, and 1 cup water into a pitcher and let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the mint, lemon and lime wedges, sugar, and rum to the pitcher. Mash all of the ingredients together with a muddler or a wooden spoon.

Pour into pop molds, being sure to distribute the fruits and mint evenly among the molds. Insert the sticks. Freeze for at least 12 hours. Remove from the freezer; let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before removing the pops from the molds.

For more popsicle ideas and information please visit IcyPops.com.

Cheesesteak wasn’t the only dangerously delicious food CK and I sampled in Philly.  Our weekend both began and ended with food coma inducing extravagances.  Consumption of beer and ice cream with the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park led to pretzels, cookies, and smoothies at the Reading Terminal Market and finally ended with our first Water Ices at RIta’s Water Ice mere moments before we were dropped off at the airport. The calorie count for this trip had to have tipped the scales at levels none of us would want to admit to or coherently think about ever again.  Ladies and gentleman, please loosen your belts as I present to you the food of Philly in all its glory:

I don’t think there’s anything quite as good as a cold beer on a warm night at a ballpark. Even though the Red Sox are my true love I have to admit that I felt pretty pampered at the Phillies state of the art stadium.  The highlight of my evening though was this adorable rainbow sprinkle topped sundae.  The next day our adventures in the Reading Terminal Market brought me face-to-face with the most goregous basil I’ve ever seen.  You have no idea how much I wished I could smuggle two of those lush plants home with me on the plane.  Then I turned the corner and ran smack into a table full of perfect peppers sold by the bagful for only 99 cents.  This made my jaw drop since we usually pay more than a dollar for a single red pepper.  Oh what I could have done with just one of those packages…

CK and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to eat one of these sinful chocolate covered Chocolate Chip cookies at the Famous Fourth Street Cookie Company.  Than we chased our shared sugar shock with a glass of whole milk.  I honesty haven’t drank whole milk in probably 15 years.  You have no idea how good this combination was.  The next few items we thankfully just admired from afar including these bizarre chocolate covered onions made famous at the Custom Made Chocolate by Mueller shop.  Apparently they also make anatomically correct chocolate hearts as well but I unfortunately missed that photo op.

Doug insisted on ordering a smoothie made with wheat grass.  As a group we all collectively agreed his drink at the Four Seasons Juice Bar tasted like dirt.  Not being particularly fond of such earthy flavors CK and I drank a much less offensive banana and pineapple version.  Some of the kiosks sold pretty nasty stuff like these turkey necks.  My absolute favorite part of the market was a small area called The Cookbook Stall.  I could have stayed there all day looking at the books.  I honestly think working in that store would make me the happiest person in the world.  I took an embarrassing amount of photos while browsing the shelves.  The clerk probably thought I was a complete and total nut.  Here’s a crab waiting to be someone’s dinner.  He tried to make friends with us but I don’t really care for crab.

Everyone loves bacon so I had to include this image of what probably amounts to twenty pounds of the fatty stuff.  All of the seafood looked so fresh and inviting.  This shot of the masses eating is a good indicator for the level of business that this market has.  It was absolutely packed.  We concluded our trip with various flavors of RIta’s Water Ice.  I had banana and vanilla.  Water ice is similar in texture to a 7-Eleven slurpee but comes in a much more varied array of flavors.

So were you keeping track?  How many calories do you really think we ate over our three day excursion?  I don’t even have pictures of all of the fabulous things that Jen and Doug fed us at their home including some of the best pecan waffles I’ve ever had.  Please send me the recipe Jen!  It was so great to have someone cook for me for a change.  A girl could really get used to that.

Last weekend CK and I flew to Philadelphia to spend the weekend with our friends Doug and Jen. Never having been to Philly before our gracious hosts provided us with a whirlwind tour of the area’s attractions including a trip to sample the quintessential Philly dish: the cheesesteak.

Apparently there are two “warring factions” vying for top Philly cheesesteak honors and they just happen to exist on the same street.  Long lines wrap around both restaurants, but our host said that we would be dead to him if we dared to venture over to Geno’s, so we dutifully got into line at Pat’s. Who knew a sandwich could inspire such a violent reaction?!

I was horrified when I spied the huge containers of Cheese Whiz proudly displayed in the window at Pat’s and vehemently refused to order mine “Whiz Wit” and settled for some onions and slices of provolone. Of course after we snagged a seat and I saw how gooey and awesome CK’s cheese product slathered sandwich looked I batted my eyes a few times and he happily handed over half. Or maybe I just told him he was going to give it to me? It’s all semantics… The lesson to be learned here is that you can’t be a food snob when you’re eating a cheesesteak in Philly.  Just order the Cheese Whiz and be a man about it.

For those of you who have had the pleasure of sampling the greasy goodness I’d love to hear if you’re a frequenter of Geno’s, or a life long regular at Pat’s. Do I need to covertly sneak back to Philly and try Geno’s (risking the wrath of Doug) or is Pat’s truly the best? Anyway, we essentially ate our way through the whole city so stay tuned for the total calorie count.

Recently on a brief trip to Portland, Maine to celebrate my friend Holly’s graduation from Grad School (and also to thoroughly scope out the layout of her house so that I can covertly sneak in and “borrow” her brand new Corgi puppy) CK and I decided to make a quick stop in Freeport. Now for any of you that have had the pleasure of visiting Freeport, you know that it’s impossible for the time you spend there to ever be brief. Freeport is not only home to the Flagship L.L. Bean store, but it’s also packed with fabulous small boutiques and outlets. When I was little I loved visiting so I could check out the in-store open aquarium at L..L. Bean and watch the trout swimming at the base of the spiral staircase, and when I got older I loved having the chance to refresh my wardrobe. Therefore it’s been one of my favorite spots in Maine for most of my life.

CK had never been to Freeport, so I made sure to give him the full touristy tour and while we were checking out the large “Home” section at L.L. Bean I lost my mind, apparently forgot momentarily that I actually was from Maine, and bought a New England Maple Baked Beans gift set. I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I was seduced by that mini bottle of Maple Syrup and the cute red bow. In case you aren’t aware, Baked Beans are the traditional Saturday night fare in New England and my grandparents always served them with hot dogs and B&M Brown Bread. Yes that’s the bread that comes in a can. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

Honestly, growing up, I hated homemade baked beans, and would avoid them at all cost in favor of the one’s that came in a can. But this little gift set has changed my tune. After following the directions for sorting, soaking, prepping, and baking I was rewarded with the most delicious bowl of baked beans I’ve ever had. It probably didn’t hurt that they were full of brown sugar, tart green apple bites, Vermont maple syrup, and a really obscene amount of thick cut bacon. I served my bean “supper” with ridiculously overpriced hot dogs from Whole Foods and whipped up a loaf of Mark Bitman’s Quick Whole Wheat and Molasses Bread, which tastes eerily similar to that bread in a can I have such fond memories of.

So in the Fall, if you’re looking for something hearty to serve a small army than definitely consider trying out this set or whipping up your own homemade batch of baked beans. If you do order the online kit just keep in mind that they’re calling it “Vermont Maple Baked Beans.” In addition, that cute little bottle of amber colored syrup is only a third of the amount that you actually use in the dish so be sure to stock up on your favorite real maple syrup before you begin the time consuming, but definitely worthwhile, cooking process.

For the most part, new Food Network hostess Mary Nolan has gone unnoticed and unheralded since her episodes began airing this summer. To be perfectly honest I mostly tune in because I really like her hair. Although, she absolutely freaked me out during the “Posh Picnic” episode when she repeatedly touched raw meat, followed by the blender, and finished off her germ spreading spree with a good hard pull on the refrigerator handle. Most of you probably didn’t even notice, but I’m a total germaphobe. I practically went into apoplectic shock after they discontinued the Dawn “Wash ‘n’ Toss” because that meant I would have to use sponges to wash dishes. Sponges seriously gross me out.

Even after all of those cooking missteps, I still wanted to try some of the recipes from Mary’s show. Her hair must really be impressive, right? Seriously though this salad is absolutely delicious. The tangy sugar laced dressing is amazing paired with corn and creamy avocado chunks. CK and I ate this for three days and never complained once. So Mary you (or at least your Orzo Salad) get our stamp of approval. PS: I know your Food Network kitchen is fake and all, but just try to wash your hands once in a while, OK?

Orzo Salad (recipe courtesy of Mary Nolan)

1 cup whole-wheat orzo pasta (Note: I used regular Orzo)
3 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed from cob (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Bring a pot of generously salted water to a rapid boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions, adding the corn in the last minute of cooking, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside. Pour the lime juice over the avocado and coat evenly (this will minimize discoloration). Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Drizzle over the orzo and add the avocado with lime juice, tomatoes, and parsley. Mix until combined and serve warm or at room temperature.

Don’t forget! You have until Noon (EST) on Monday, July 7th to enter the contest to win your very own copy of Krystina Castella’s Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone. Simply follow this link and leave a comment. It couldn’t be easier.

Growing up popsicles were simple affairs.  Since my favorite color was and still is purple I would only eat grape popsicles.  This meant our freezer was usually well stocked with cherry, lime, and orange until I got hard up enough to eat the other flavors.  If I ever made homemade ice pops I did so covertly using Mountain Dew (I’m losing my mind a little just thinking about this) and an ice cube tray studded with toothpicks.  As I’ve mentioned before I was a kitchen sneak.  Occasionally I also attempted to recreate pudding pops in pastel Dixie cups but they never tasted as good as the ones Bill Cosby urged us to beg our moms for during Saturday morning cartoons.  Unfortunately this led me to really not care for traditional popsicles at all.

But then I discovered Krystina Castella’s new book: Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone (published by Quirk Books) and simply put I’m absolutely blown away by the fantastic liberties she has taken with what is generally considered by the vast majority of families as a frozen grape juice concoction topped off with a craft stick.  Please believe me when I say that you have never seen popsicles like this before.  These pops are multi-layered, full of complex flavors, and truly unique ingredient blends.

The table of contents includes sections on: Healthy Energy Pops, Fruit Juice Pops, Soda Fountain Pops, Cream and Pudding Pops, Coffee and Tea Pops, and Cocktail Pops.  The “Cocktail Pops” section in particular caught my eye since it includes a Mojito Pop and I’ve been on a huge mojito kick lately.  Other pops I can’t wait to test out include Sweet Martini Pops, Thai Iced Coffee Pops, and Sugar Pumpkin Pops.  I don’t know about you, but Summer just got about twenty times more exciting for me!  In the introduction to the cookbook Krystina mentions the term “kidults” and how popsicles fit right into this cupcake buying, toy loving, crafty “grown-up” lifestyle.  I couldn’t agree more.

Please stay tuned for “Popsicle Week” on ErinCooks.com and my recreation of a few of Krystina’s amazing treats.  You’ll have to bare with me.  I had to order popsicle molds from Amazon and I’m impatiently awaiting their arrival.  The Kitchn recently posted an excellent article on summer popsicle molds and I purchased several of these items.  If you are lucky enough to already own molds than please feel free to dive right in and check out the accompanying cookbook website appropriately called IcyPops.com for ideas and recipes.