Frightful Family Fun - Halloween Hoopla

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Popsicles - I Will Create Food!

First

Sometimes the simplest desserts are the best.  Ask anyone that has had a S'more.  Some of the best warm weather treats are frozen banana popsicles.  The simple combination fruit and chocolate never fail to satisfy.  To add another layer of awesome to our popsicles, we've started to add a layer of peanut butter.  They are amazing!

You will need:
A couple of ripe bananas
a few tbsp of your favorite peanut butter (we use all natural peanut butter to keep the popsicles from getting too sweet)
one bag of dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Toothpicks

First slice the bananas into an even number of slices.

Next add a daub of peanut butter to one of the slices.  Then, using a toothpick, stick a second slice to the top. 

 

This can get messy.

Once you get all of your banana/peanut butter sandwiches made pop them into the freezer for a bit.  It'll help when you dip them.  While you're waiting,  melt your chocolate in a shallow bowl.  

Then start dipping.

I use a spoon to make sure I get a nice even coating.

Put them back into the freezer for a while to harden the chocolate.  After about 15 minutes you will have amazing (sort of) healthy popsicles.

But get one quick....they don't last long around here!

Eat from the Street - Beacon Food Forest

Seattle has long been a place where urban living and nature have coexisted.  We boast being one of the top 10 cities in the US for access to parks.  We are called the Emerald City even.  So it should come as no surprise that planning and construction is underway for an entirely edible and FREE forest of food.  The Beacon Food Forest is underway next door to Jefferson Park in Beacon Hill.  The Food Forest is being designed to mimic a natural ecosystem but substituting edible nuts, fruits, veggies and herbs throughout.   Phase One, consisting of building the fruit and nut tree grove, has already begun.  The Food Forest will progress over the next several years.  If you like to visit and/or volunteer at the Forest, more information can be found here: http://beaconfoodforest.weebly.com/

Explore Imagination - Fantasy Exhibit @ The EMP

There is a inherent draw to fantastic worlds and stories in all of us.  Mythical creatures, epic battles, magical duels...these things fill the stories and games that entertain us.  So the Fantasy exhibit at the EMP is a great peak behind the curtain of the things that captivate us.   With items from The Wizard of Oz to original manuscript pages from The Lord of The Rings (Plus a Dragon!) The exhibit gives a taste of many of the iconic stories from the fantasy genre.  The only downside is you will want more.  As an added bonus, your ticket to the Fantasy exhibit also gives you admission to the Can't Look Away Horror exhibit, the Icons of Science Fiction exhibit and the entire EMP Music exhibit. (we talk about it here)
EMP Fantasy Exhibit

Homemade Marshmallows - I Will Create Food!

 

In our house marshmallows are not just for camping trips.  While they are a coveted treat while sitting around the campfire, they get just as much love throughout the rest of the year.  As much as we love them, we have noticed the store bought versions have become more dense and sugary lately. After looking into making them ourselves, we discovered that not only are they fairly easy to make, but the homemade marshmallows are lighter,  fluffier and have more flavor.

You will need:

3/4 cup powdered sugar 

1/2 cup cornstarch or potato starch 

Cooking spray, for coating the baking pan

4 1/2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin (about 2 [1/4-ounce] packets)
3/4 cup cold water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Besides the ingredients you will also need an 8x8 pan and an electric mixer with a whisk attachment

Start by mixing the powdered sugar and corn starch together.  This will be a powder coating to prevent the marshmallows from sticking together.  

Prepare the 8x8 pan by lightly spraying it with cooking spray.  (to achieve a lighter coating, refrain from letting your 4-year-old from doing this step)  Add a couple of spoonfuls of the powdered sugar/corn starch mixture and shake the pan until it has a nice even coating.

Next whisk the gelatin with 1/2 cup of the cold water. Put this on the side for a minute.
Now add the sugar, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup, remaining 1/4 cup water, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Bring it to a boil, stirring until it hits 240 degrees.  While waiting for the right temperature, microwave the gelatin for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the corn syrup and the gelatin to you mixer and start it on low.

Once the mixture on the stove reaches 240 degrees add it to the mixer also.  Turn the speed up to medium and let it whip for 5 min.   After 5 min increase the speed to medium high for another 5 minutes.

 

Your mixture should be looking mighty fluffy at this point.  Add your vanilla (and/or any other flavors you want)  and increase the speed to the highest setting for a few minutes.  

Pour your marshmallow fluff into the prepared pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges.

Dust the top with more of the powdered sugar/corn starch mixture. (put the rest of the powder mixture on the side to use after the marshmallows set up.)  Put the pan in a cool, dry place for at least 4 hours (overnight works best)

When they are all set up, flip the pan over onto a cutting board.  Use a pizza cutter dusted with your powder mixture to cut out bite-sized marshmallows. 

After cutting, toss each piece in the powder mixture to prevent them from sticking together and store in an airtight container.   They will keep for several weeks (although they probably won;t be around for that long)

Happy May The Fourth and Free Comic Book Day!

May The Fourth Be With You - Star Wars Day

May the Fourth is Star Wars Day.  We are big Star Wars fans. (Which may be the understatement of the year.) Therefore, logic dictates that we will be celebrating.   Star Wars is a worldwide institution with countless fans and it has it's own day to celebrate all it's glory.  There are various ways you can get your geek on to commemorate the occasion.

You can:

1. Watch all 6 movies (this one's obvious, but important nonetheless)
2. Have a lightsaber battle throughout your neighborhood (bonus points if you can get passerbys involved)
3. Go to a bar/restaurant with a live band and convince them to play the song from the Cantina bar
4. Have a Wookie calling contest from the tallest hill you can find
5. Head to Card Kingdom and try one of the several Star Wars themed games
6. Have a creative party and craft yourself some awesome Star Wars tchotchkes (head over to StarWars.com for some great ideas)
7. Get a Star Wars themed tattoo (only for advanced Fans)
8. Host a dramatic reading of one of the many Star Wars novels
9. Take some time to create your own Star Wars fan film (See ours here or check out some awesome ones here)
10. Be Vader for a day and tell your kids you are their father (or mother) in a loud and raspy voice as much as you can

Whatever you do, Have Fun!    And May the Force be with you!

Scream For Ice Cream - Free Scoop Day @ Cupcake Royale

Wednesday May 1st is Free Scoop Day!  Go to your local Cupcake Royale and get your ice cream needs met...For FREE!!!

Spare Gutter + Soil = Recycled Planter - Create A Custom Window Box

Historically our house has had a love/hate relationship with gardens.  We love to garden and hate it when our plants die.  This year the 4-year-old has made it his mission to change that.  He has been the driving force behind our renewed gardening efforts.  He has selected the plants, set a watering schedule and loving placed random toys in the planters.   We needed more planting room in a limited space so we created our own planter from a recycled gutter.  First we drilled some drain holes along the bottom of the gutter about 18" apart.  After cleaning the gutter, we filled it with soil and planted some lettuce and basil. A couple of zip ties to attach it to the railing and our planter was done.  Our balcony is beginning to look like an oasis thanks to our little green thumbed gardener. 

Revel In Stories of Derring Do - Free Comic Book Day

Everyone dreams of being a superhero.  Even if it's just a little bit.  And as super powers tend to involve things such as radiation, mutation and/or death of a loved one, I've stopped trying to get them.  The next best thing is living vicariously through the people who have them.  That's where Free Comic Book Day comes in.  Free Comic Book Day is the first Saturday of May (this year is May 4th) in which comic book companies give out special comic books through your local comic book store to introduce you to new heroes and story lines. It's a great way to explore and expand you comic book knowledge.  And possibly find new powers to dream of. http://www.freecomicbookday.com/StoreLocator

Walk Into Fantasy - Fremont Troll

There are not many places where you can come face-to-face with mythological creatures.  And there are even fewer chances in the city.  Which is why the Fremont Troll is such a magical creature.  Built in 1990 to protect and transform the area under the Aurora Bridge, the troll has become a Seattle icon.  The Troll is holds a full size VW Beetle under his hand and holds court at the top of his own street, Troll Ave. This is one of our favorite stops on neighborhood hikes, with the 4 year old proclaiming him "Friend Troll" and the 11 year old figuring out how to put his head in the Troll's nose.

Homemade Mozzarella - I Will Create Food!

In my mind the image of cheese making is a long and tedious process.  I couldn't be more wrong.  In about 30 minutes we made our own fresh mozzarella and it was fun to boot!  It's a fairly easy process that requires a bit of preparation first.
First off you will need to find rennet.  Rennet is a group of enzymes that can be animal or plant based.  If you live in the Seattle area we found ours at The Cellar Homebrew on Greenwood Ave or you can order it from a variety of sources including Amazon and New England Cheese Making Supply Company.  It's pretty inexpensive and will make many batches of cheese.  

You will also need Citric Acid which you can buy at most cake decorating shops or online.

You will need:
1 gallon of milk - NOT ultra-pasteurized (it should say on the label whether it is or not)  You can use any type of milk (whole, skim, 2%) but the lower the fat content the less cheese you get in the end.
Rennet
Citric Acid
Salt (to taste)
Stainless Steel pot
Thermometer 

Begin by prepping your citric acid and rennet.  Dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoons  of citric acid into 1/2 cup cold water.  Also mix 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet, or 1/4 tablet of rennet, into 1/4 cup of cold water.

 

Pour your milk into a large stainless steel pot and start gently heating it to 55 degrees. At 55 degrees add the citric acid and stir thoroughly.  

Continue heating the milk until it gets to 90 degrees.  At 90 degrees add the rennet, mixing in an up/down motion.  Cover and continue heating until it gets to a little over 100 degrees.  

You should see the cheese curds forming(don't over stir it as it breaks up the curds into smaller bits...we learned the hard way)  Scoop out all of the curds you can into a large microwaveable bowl

Now gently press out as much whey as possible. Once the whey is pressed out, pop it into the microwave for 1 minute.  Take it out and press some more whey out. Gently knead the cheese to get it evenly heated.  Put it back into the microwave for another 30 seconds and knead it again.  One more time at 30 seconds and kneading. 

 On this last kneading add salt to taste while kneading to evenly distribute it though the cheese.

Once the cheese has a taffy like consistency it's done.  You can braid it, cut it into strips for cheese sticks, roll it into little balls...

Which ever you decide, toss it into an ice water bath to quickly cool it off and put it into a tightly sealed container or wrap it with plastic wrap to store it.  It will last for about a week, but it probably won't be around that long.