Kiwi Cuties

With the summer heat fast approaching here in the south, recipes to help keep cool are in high demand.  This nearly guilt-free recipe will satisfy the chocolate lover and fruit-aholic alike!

~Chocolate- Covered Fruit Pops


1 kiwi
2 bananas
1/2 a cup of blueberries
1 1/2 cups of dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate chips


Skin and cut a kiwi into 1/4 inch rounds.  Peel and cut two bananas into 1/3's.  Carefully stick the popsicle stick into the center of each piece of fruit.  The kiwi slices should look like lollipops and the bananas should look like popsicles.  Skewer two blueberries on each toothpick.  Cover a baking sheet with either wax paper or aluminum foil.  Next, melt one and a half cups of chocolate chips in a double broiler over medium-low heat while constantly stirring.  When the chocolate is completely melted, reduce the heat to a simmer and generously dunk the skewered fruit in the chocolate.  Place on the covered baking sheet.  Once all of the fruit is covered, place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to harden the chocolate.  If the fruit will not be eaten immediately, store in an air-tight container in the freezer.  To defrost, take the fruit from the freezer and allow to thaw on the counter for 10 minutes.

The Grape Gatsby

 While shopping at the grocery store, my Mom and I found a perfect bunch of grapes.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a picture of such a beautiful bunch.  Some fun ideas for using grapes are:

• Freezing them and using them as ice cubes in punch or water
• Freezing them and eating them on a hot day
• Slicing them and tossing them in a salad for a fruity kick
• Making a fruit salad
• Just eat them!

I'll Have My Cake and Eat it too!

Who loves cake?  Everyone should be saying: "me" as they read this.  This is the cake that Mom and I decorated for my Dad's birthday.  Though it's not as fancy as some of the cakes you see at bakeries, the bright colors, squiggles, and polka dots just make me smile; and isn't that what cake is all about?  This is a traditional pound cake with buttercream icing that disappeared almost instantly.