Blueberry Popovers

March 10: National Blueberry Popover Day

Let us call Yorkshire pudding


A fortunate blunder;


It’s a sort of popover

That tripped and popped under.

Ogden Nash

American Poet

August 19, 1902 – May 19, 1971

Highlander and his family grew up eating Yorkshire pudding (see our blog recipe post). So Islander baked something similar and slightly sweeter for him to try: blueberry popovers. They are like a cross between a blueberry clafoutis and blueberry muffin (both recipes also have been posted previously on our blog). The blueberry popovers are moist, burst with juicy fruit and have a texture of French toast. They are a nice change for breakfast with a little maple syrup or powdered sugar.  Prepare blueberry popovers for National Blueberry Popover Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from Lanier’s Bed and Breakfast)

Ingredients

• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup whole milk
• 3 eggs

Directions

Wash the blueberries and then place in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of the lemon over them. Toss with brown sugar and set aside.

Meanwhile, put a thin slice of butter into the six wells of a popover pan (see Notes). Put in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F and melt but do not brown the butter (about five minutes). Remove from the oven and brush the sides with the melted butter. Keep the pan hot until ready to pour the batter into the wells.

While the popover pan is heating up in the oven, make the batter. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, milk and eggs until slightly smooth. Divide the batter evenly into the hot popover pan (1/3 to ½ full). Scatter the blueberries evenly in each well over the top of the batter.

Place in the oven and continue to bake for 20 minutes. The popovers will rise in the pan and seem to pop over the top! When browned, remove from the oven and carefully take them out of the pan. Serve hot.

Notes 

• We purchased our popover pan for less than $10 at World Market. They are also available at Williams-Sonoma and other specialty cookware stores at higher prices.
• Use a muffin or cupcake tin if a popover pan is not available. Oven-safe ramekins are suitable as well.
• Bake a batch of cherry popovers for National Cherry Popover Day on September 1.
• Search our blog for more blueberry recipes.

Rice Krispies Treats

March 7: National Cereal Day

We went on a “food field trip” to Cereal City USA in 2005, a few years before the tourist attraction closed down. Located in Battle Creek, Michigan, the “Breakfast Capital of the World” and headquarters of the Kellogg Company were about a four-and-a-half hour drive from where we used to live in Northern Illinois.

At Cereal City USA, we were able to tour part of the production facility and learn how corn became corn flakes, see several interactive and historical exhibits on display, play in the kids’ area, put our picture on a mini-cereal box and eat toaster tarts and, of course, cereal. We even had breakfast with Tony the Tiger (Frosted Flakes cereal) and mingled with other mascots, such as Toucan Sam (Froot Loops cereal) and Snap, Crackle and Pop (Rice Krispies cereal)!

Our own mothers used to make marshmallow treats out of toasted rice cereal for us when we were children. Nowadays, these sweets snacks can be found from bake sales and bakeries to coffee shops and convenience stores. They are also pre-packaged as breakfast bars/square treats. But why buy them when they can be made at home in a snap…crackle and pop?!

Below we post the original recipe for Rice Krispies treats and its chocolate variation. Rice cereal marshmallow treats are good to eat for breakfast, at snack time and on National Cereal Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from Rice Krispies)

For the original rice cereal treats

• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
• 1 package (10 ounces) or 5 cups regular marshmallows (or 4 cups miniature marshmallows)
• 6 cups rice cereal (Rice Krispies— gluten-free also available)

Directions

In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Mix in the cereal until combined well.

Spread the mixture into a greased 13×9-inch pan. Press down evenly using parchment or waxed paper. Allow to cool, then cut into squares and serve.

Bonus Recipe

Cocoa Krispies Treats

For the chocolate rice cereal treats

• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
• 1 package (10 ounces) or 5 cups chocolate-flavored regular marshmallows (or 4 cups miniature marshmallows)
• 6 cups chocolate-flavored rice cereal (Cocoa Krispies)

Directions

In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Mix in the cereal until combined well.

Spread the mixture into a greased 13×9-inch pan. Press down evenly using parchment or waxed paper. Allow to cool, then cut into squares and serve.

Notes

• There are other flavored marshmallows in jumbo and mini sizes. And there are other kinds of toasted rice cereal (fruit-flavored, gluten-free, frosted and generic). Check for availability in local grocery stores.
• Rice cereal marshmallow treats may be formed or cut into shapes, stacked as cakes, dipped in chocolate, frosted and decorated, made into pops, fortified and flavored with fruits and nuts and much more!
• Click HERE to download a PDF of Kellogg’s press release about the Rice Krispies mascots—Snap, Crackle and Pop.
• Check out the Cheerios Bars recipe which we also blogged about for National Cereal Day.

Oreo Birthday Cookie Pops

March 6: Nabisco (National Biscuit Company) launched in 1912

The Oreo cookie turns 100 on March 6, 2012! The ubiquitous sandwich cookies with the creamy center are a favorite among many children—including kids-at-heart like us. Nabisco, a division of Kraft Foods, was launched in 1912 with its most famous cookie product—the Oreo. Although we have eaten Oreos out of the package plain with a tall glass of milk, we especially enjoy decorating them into extra special desserts, like birthday cookie pops. Whether plain or prepared as pretty treats, Oreos are fun to eat! Happy birthday, Oreos!

Recipe

(Inspired by Kraft)

Ingredients

• Oreo cookie “double stuf” 
• White tube frosting (we used Wilton brand)
• White chocolate (we used Wilton brand pink candy melts)
• Colorful non-pareils (we used CK Products brand edible confetti/pastel sequins)

Directions

Twist and separate the Oreo cookies. Squeeze the white tube frosting (“adhesive”) in the middle of one cookie and place a lollipop or popsicle stick on it. Sandwich with the other cookie. Freeze for a few minutes to set the frosting.

Meanwhile, slowly melt the chocolate or candy melts over a double boiler. Coat the Oreos in the melted chocolate/candy, tapping off the excess. Sprinkle with colorful non-pareils. Stand the Oreo pops by sticking them on a styrofoam or wood base with holes. Refrigerate to firm up the candy coating. Serve as is or cover each cookie pop in a treat bag and tie with a decorative ribbon.

Notes

• We used Oreos to make Mickey Mouse pops as well as turkey cookies with candy corn. Crushed Oreos can be made into crumb crusts for pies.
• Work quickly when coating the Oreos so the frosting “adhesive” between the filling does not melt. Otherwise, the coating will be too heavy and the cookie will slide off the stick (see our Food Flops page).