Here Comes The Sun - Ready for Spring Ice Pops

By: Amy Weinberg

If you’re like me, March 1^st officially means spring to you. It means flowers are starting to bloom, snowstorms are turning into thunderstorms, and ice pops are once again edible. Yes, there is still snow on the ground. Yes, it still gets dark before 6pm. Yes, playoff basketball hasn’t even started yet. I do not care. To me, March = Spring. While I tend to commit to spring a little early, I understand that t-shirts and ice pops in March may not be for everyone. I’m not here to tell you how to spend your March. I am here to get you JACKED UP about spring and all of the fun desserts we will make to celebrate.

I am going to dive head first with this dessert and go straight for the ice pops. And no, I will not be turning our delicious coffee cake into an ice pop. (Although, if I ever figure out how to do that, you guys will be the first to know.) Instead, I’m going to give you an ice pop that will leave you feeling so great, so refreshed, that you'll be ready for that second slice of coffee cake in no time. 

I mean, who doesn’t love popsicles? They’re cool, refreshing, and you can make them out of just about everything. The ice pops I’m going to be making are even healthy.

What You'll Need:

1 cup spinach, packed

1 mango

1 banana

1 cup fruit juice (something lightly colored - I used Dole Mango, Peach, Banana juice) 

A blender

It probably could not be any easier to make these ice pops. Simply take your spinach, banana, mango, and juice and combine them in a blender. 30 seconds in my new NutriBullet and these pops are ready to freeze. 

Pour the combined ingredients in your popsicle molds, secure the tops, and pop them in the freezer for a few hours. 

As I was making these I was thinking to myself, "Why don't I make ice pops more often? They're incredibly easy to make and they taste great." Only when I tried to pop the ice pops out of the molds did I realize why I don't make ice pops more often. With three pop-less sticks sitting on my counter, I had one chance left to get this popsicle out of its mold and in one piece. 

Luckily, I was able to wiggle that last pop out of its mold.

And let me tell you, these popsicles were DELICIOUS. Who would have thought that frozen, blended up spinach would taste great? Certainly not someone whose desserts normally consist of coffee cake. But here I am, frozen spinach in hand, waiting for that grass in front of me to turn the same color green as the ice pop. 

After finishing my ice pop I turned to my mother to see if she could bestow any of her ice pop knowledge upon me. I remember making an ice pop or two when I was a kid so I figured she MUST have some insider tips to get the rest of them out. The one tip she gave me was so simple, yet so perfect - 

"Uhhh... Just dip the mold in warm water for a few seconds."

Of course it worked perfectly. Moral of the story, every now and then you just have to suck it up and ask your mother for help, even if you know that her response will be sarcastic.

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

by: Amy Weinberg


Spring is coming.

"To get Spring, you must be willing to endure Winter" - A quote said by many different people, in many different ways, throughout many different time periods. 

I remember having to walk my friends though the meaning of that one after I tweeted it years ago. Well, anyone who is reading this is alive and (hopefully) well, and that means you were able to endure Winter. So, congratulations! It helped that this Winter was like a vacation in the Bahamas compared to Winter last year. Regardless, we all endured which means that soon we will be able to bask in the glory that is Spring. 

Yes, apple cider is a fall drink and yes, I drink it to celebrate the coming of Spring. As long as my grocery store keeps selling it fresh, I'll keep buying it. And what pairs better with apples than caramel? Today I'm celebrating the coming of spring and warmth with this Apple Cider Caramel sauce. 

What You'll Need:

2 cups apple cider 

1 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp. butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. apple pie spice

1/2 tsp. kosher sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

First you have to boil down the apple cider. Place 2 cups in a small saucepan and boil for about 10-15 minutes. A good half of the apple cider should be evaporated at this point. Next, remove the pan from heat and stir in the brown sugar, butter, cream, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. 

Return to heat and let simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Remember that sauces thicken as they cool! That being said, you'll definitely want to mix and thicken this up a bit before refrigerating. After reaching an ideal thickness, remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and salt.

Once the sauce cools a little bit, you'll be safe to seal in an airtight jar or container. Store in the refrigerator until use. 

The sauce may separate a tiny bit in the fridge. In this case, just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds and mix it back together. No, this is not in fact raspberry preserves. Yes, we recycle in the Weinberg household. 

I used this sauce on an Original Cinnamon Walnut coffee cake because it is what I had in the house. This sauce would be perfect with a number of our cakes, including the Cinnamon No-Nut, the Granny Smith Apple, and the Chocolate Chip Walnut. Try out this sauce with any one of our cakes and get ready for a great Spring!