Taste Test With Lauren
Basil Berry Sorbet
If you live in Oklahoma, chances are you’ve been a victim of the recent heat advisories. My daughter turns into a Popsicle monster when the heat cranks up, so I’m always looking for different, healthier options. I have never made sorbet before, but the recipe in September’s newsletter looked so easy I had to give it a try. This recipe is so easy, in fact, that I had my 3-year-old help me make it. The first thing I like to do when I’m trying out a new dish is to set out all of my ingredients and tools, so anything I need is within arm’s reach. Today, all I needed was a bag of frozen fruit, sugar, basil, lemon juice, a blender, and a couple measuring cups. The basic formula for sorbet is puréed fruit with a little added sugar. Voila! That’s your sorbet base. The simplest way to add sugar is to make a simple syrup. Simmer equal parts sugar and water until the syrup is dissolved and let it cool. While my syrup was cooling, I tossed in fresh basil. Once cooled, I removed the basil with a strainer, and it was time to make sorbet! We put the frozen berries in the blender and poured our syrup and lemon juice over the top. This was Stella’s favorite part! She loves helping me scoop and measure. We blended it until it was the same consistency as soft ice cream. Next was probably the hardest step of the recipe: Transfer to a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and let it set in the freezer for two hours. It was very tempting to go ahead and dig into it, but we were patient and settled on licking the spoon instead. While we waited, I was able to clean the kitchen, and my sous-chef took a nap. Before we knew it, we were sitting outside, playing and enjoying our homemade sorbet. With just a few simple steps and even fewer ingredients, you, too, can wow your friends and family at your next gathering with a treat that sounds too fancy and upscale to have been made at home. This recipe turned out so well! I’m going to try it with lots of other types of frozen fruit. I’m thinking mango next, but what would you suggest I try?
Just in Time for Halloween NO-CARVE PUMPKIN DESIGNS!
Jack-o’-lanterns go hand-in-hand with Halloween, but digging through the inside of a pumpkin is not something everyone enjoys. If you aren’t keen on cutting open a pumpkin, here are a few no- carve ideas you can try this Halloween! HAUNTED HOUSE Take a few pumpkins, stack them on top of each other, and create a spooky pumpkin haunted house! Then, use paint, balsa wood sheets, and hot glue to create silhouettes, ghosts, windows, and doors for a haunting effect! CREATIVE WITH STRING Use cotton twine and hot glue to create a web-like design on the surface of your pumpkin. Don’t forget to add a few plastic spiders! You can also use string art to create ghostly words or images. Lay our your design with small pegs or nails and wrap the string around them to reach your desired effect. NOTHING BUT NET You can create eerie pumpkins using fishnet stockings. Spray- paint your pumpkin if desired — just make sure the design of the stockings will stand out. Once the paint is dry, cut the legs off the stockings, slide the pumpkin inside, remove the extra fabric around the stem, and use hot glue to secure it. COLORFUL PAINT Painting your Halloween pumpkins gives everyone a chance to participate. Be creative by using different designs, cutouts for silhouettes, drip paint to create a marble design, or nail polish and water to give white pumpkins a unique and vibrant look. A SPOOKY MONSTER By adding a witch hat, wrapping a pumpkin in cheesecloth, attaching spider legs, or tying on a vampire cape, you can create a pumpkin version of the most popular Halloween monsters. Along with these accessories, you can also use paint, construction paper, and other craft materials to add the details that will make your creation pop!
For more detailed directions for these pumpkin designs and more ideas, visit WomansDay.com.
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