Orange-Honey Frozen Yogurt

With all the great feedback we've gotten on our hand-shaken ice cream reci-pea, we had to do a fro-yo spin-off!

Here's a wholesome, homemade version of soft-serve for the kids to enjoy this summer, and you won't need an ice cream machine to make it! Using ice, salt and some elbow grease (with your help, of course!), kids can make their own healthy frozen treats this summer. Makes 2-3 servings. Serve with any kind of fresh fruit.

Orange-Honey Fro Yo

• 1 cup plain yogurt,
  Greek yogurt preferred (non-fat, low fat, or full fat)
• 2 TBL sugar
• 1 TBL honey
• 1/8 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp orange zest
• 1 TBL orange juice
• 2 ice-trays of ice
• 1/3 cup salt

In a blender or food processor, combine the yogurt, sugar, honey, vanilla, orange zest and orange juice. Blend until smooth.

Place 1 cup of the yogurt mixture in a 1 quart zip-top bag, squeeze most of the air out and seal the bag. Add about 2 trays of ice cubes to a 1 gallon zip-top bag (about 1/3 full) then add 6 tablespoons of salt. Place the small bag of yogurt inside the large bag of salt and ice, squeeze most of the air out and zip the large bag closed.

Wrap in a kitchen towel and hand to a child to shake and squish for about 7 minutes until the yogurt mixture firms up. The more you shake, the smoother the finished frozen yogurt will be. Retrieve the small bag of now frozen yogurt, snip off a corner of the bag, and squeeze out your fro-yo! Top with any fresh fruit.

Substitutions for Baking

Let us save you a trip to the store the next time you have the urge to bake, but find yourself short on one key ingredient. Below are some simple substitutions that will feel like a godsend when they come in handy. Happy baking!

allspice: for 1 teaspoon ground allspice, use 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

baking powder: for 1 teaspoon baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon corn starch.


buttermilk: for 1 cup of buttermilk, use 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to equal 1 cup. Let stand 5 minutes. Alternatively, use 1/2 cup plain yogurt plus 1/2 cup milk.

flour, cake: for 1 cup of cake flour, use 2 tablespoons of corn starch plus enough all purpose flour to equal 1 cup.


flour, self-rising: for 1 cup self-rising flour, use 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt plus enough all-purpose flour to equal 1 cup. 


sugar, dark brown: for 1 cup dark brown sugar, use 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses. Alternatively, use 1 cup granulated sugar plus 3 tablespoons molasses. 


sugar, light brown: for 1 cup light brown sugar, use 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Alternatively, use 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons molasses.

sugar, powdered (confectioners): for 1 cup of powdered sugar, use 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1/8 teaspoon cornstarch processed in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.


Sources:
* http://www.landolakes.com/tips/Substitutions.cfm

Shortcut Kefir (Yogurt Drink)

Traditionally, Kefir is a fermented milk drink that is pleasantly tart and slightly effervescent. Here's a simple recipe for making kefir at home. This recipe is very similar to Doogh (pronounced "Doh") from Persia and Ayran from the Middle East.

Shortcut Kefir

-1/3 cup plain yogurt (Greek-style, full fat or low-fat preferred)

-1/3 cup sparkling water

-sprig of fresh mint (optional)

-ice

Crush the sprig of mint and place in a glass. Add the yogurt to the glass, then slowly stir in the sparkling water (if you want a thinner yogurt drink just add more sparkling water). Garnish with a fresh mint leaf.

For a more kid-friendly version, omit the mint and start with a fruit-flavored yogurt like strawberry or peach. 

A Little Help in the Kitchen Goes a Long Way

Having help from everyone in the family transforms cooking dinner from a chore into a bonding experience, memories of which will last a lifetime. Plus, lending a hand in the kitchen is a great way to introduce kids of all ages to new foods; even picky children will want to taste the dishes they help make. Get your kids involved in the kitchen with these age-appropriate kitchen tasks:

5 years and under
pick herbs
stem fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary
scrub potatoes
wipe mushrooms
shuck corn
sprinkle cheese
brush garlic butter onto bread
sort out bruised berries
work the salad spinner
taste everything
make butter (*see “Homemade Butter” below)

6-9 years
all of the above, plus:
measure ingredients
help choose recipes
knead dough
stir continuously
crack eggs
wash fruits and vegetables
thread skewers
whisk vigorously
crank pasta machine
assemble salads
layer lasagnas and casseroles
package up extras
set the table

10-12 years
all of the above, plus:
toast nuts
mash potatoes
grate cheese
begin learning knife skills
make croutons

13-18 years
all of the above, plus:
dice onion
mince garlic
make vinaigrette
wash pots and pans
work toward making the whole family dinner once a week

* Homemade Butter
Here’s a great way to not only keep little ones busy as you cook but also allow them to contribute to dinner in their own way. Fill a jar halfway with heavy cream and screw the lid on tightly. Have your child shake the jar and in less than 15 minutes, you’ll have homemade butter. When a ball of butter forms in the jar, pour off the liquid, add a little salt and contemplate additions to flavor the butter. Minced garlic and/or any minced herb work great, but suggest playful combinations like orange-honey butter (+ orange zest & honey) for cornbread muffins or strawberry butter (+ strawberry jam) for buttermilk biscuits and let your child decide!

Sources: - Dinner at Your Door by Alex Davis, Diana Ellis & Andy Remeis

$1.00 a Glass!

Support your child's inner entrepreneur this summer by helping their lemonade stand really stick out from the competition! How about infusing plain ol' lemonade with ginger or lemongrass or lavendar? Start with our simple base lemonade reci-pea and offer one or a few flavor additions for passer-byers to customize their lemonade!

Base Lemonade:

This should be slightly concentrated because it will be diluted later with one of the flavor infusions below.

3/4 cup sugar

7 lemons, juiced

5 cups cold water

2 trays of ice cubes

Flavor Infusion(s):

Pour a cup of boiling water over 1 of the following aromatics and let steep 10 minutes. Strain and put in the fridge to chill.

lavender: 1/2 cup dried

ginger: 2 inch piece, sliced into thin rounds, about 12 slices

lemongrass: 3 stalks, bruised, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch rounds

garam masala: 2 Tablespoons

hibiscus tea: 4 tea bags

Assembly:

Start with ice in a cup. Depending on the size of the cup, add 1-2 Tablespoons or more of a flavor infusion and then fill the glass with the base lemonade. Stir and serve.