The Purple Mixer

Oreo Turkey Pops

thepurplemixer — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 04:01:32 +0000

You’ve probably seen many variations of these Oreo Turkey Pops on the web, but I think these are the cutest! And guess what, you can buy a kit to make them at Brit + Co. Make sure you order them this weekend so you receive them before Thanksgiving!

Oreo Turkey Pops

Makes 6 pops

Ingredients
Sugar for dusting work surface

18 assorted candy fruit slices (I used Walgreen’s Nice! brand)
6 caramel squares
1 package Wilton candy melts
6 Oreos
6 orange mini-M&Ms
12 Wilton candy eye balls
6 heart sprinkles

Supplies
6 lollipop sticks
Wilton disposable pastry bag
Wilton No. 5 round decorating tip

First, create the turkey’s tail feathers. Spread 1/2 cup sugar over a cutting board and place one fruit slice in the middle. Using a rolling pin or the heel of your hand, gently flatten until slice is very thin, adding more sugar as necessary to prevent sticking. Repeat with remaining slices.

Layer 3 slices atop one another and stagger to create a tail effect. Use the heel of your hand to gently flatten and secure the slices at the base of the tail (straighter edge). Repeat with remaining slices. Trim excess from bottom to create a straight edge.

Insert lollipop stick from the top of the tail one layer from the back. Gently press to seal between layers. Set aside.

Next, heat caramels in microwave for 5 to 7 seconds until just softened. Roll into a ball and gently flatten.

Take a Wilton disposable pastry bag (or Ziploc if you’re feeling scrappy) and use scissors to remove about 3/4 of an inch from the tip. Insert a Wilton round tip, or any other piping tip you’ve got.

Heat candy melts in microwave for 30 second intervals until completely melted. Transfer melted chocolate to decorating bag.

Pipe dots of melted chocolate onto caramel for eyes, nose, and gobble. Attach each facial feature. Repeat with remaining caramels.

Insert tip of pastry bag between tail layers and pipe small amounts of chocolate to seal layers.

Pipe a small circle at the base of the tail feathers and attach Oreo body. Stand turkey up and gently press to ensure turkey is properly aligned to sit upright. Lay turkey flat to dry.

Last, we’ve gotta attach the face to the body. Pipe a small circle at the top of the Oreo and attach caramel head. Place turkeys in refrigerator for 15 minutes to let chocolate set.

Remove turkeys from the refrigerator and stand upright. If turkeys are wobbly, pipe melted chocolate along the base and stand upright on wax paper or foil to dry.

Blue Moon Ice Cream Push Pops

thepurplemixer — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:23:25 +0000

Never heard of beer ice cream or does the idea weird you out? Our taste testers were skeptical of the idea at first but we won them over. You definitely taste the yeasty, malty, and orangey notes of the Blue Moon beer but it’s also creamier and sweeter from the addition of cream and sugar. We cook the beer to reduce the water, which intensifies the flavor, and to burn off some of the alcohol, which can inhibit freezing. Note: This recipe is great for push pops but might not freeze as well for traditional ice cream. Be sure to check out the post at Brit.co!

Blue Moon Ice Cream Push Pops

Makes 8 push pops

Ingredients

1 12-ounce bottle Blue Moon beer

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups whipping cream, divided

Sprinkle of orange zest

Brown and/or yellow food coloring

Orange slices for garnish

Special equipment

Push pops

Hand mixer

Pour beer in a small sauce pan and boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half (6 ounces). Transfer beer to a liquid measuring cup. Add sugar to beer and stir until dissolved. Grate a sprinkle of orange zest into the beer mixture. Prepare an ice bath and place measuring cup in ice bath to cool. Set aside until very cold.

In a medium-sized bowl, whip 1 cup of whipping cream to soft peaks. Gently pour chilled beer into whipped cream; fold beer into whipped cream until thoroughly incorporated. This will deflate a significant portion of the air you whipped into the cream but it will still result in a thicker and creamier ice cream than if you hadn’t taken the step to whip the cream.

Pour ice cream base into a liquid measuring cup; add desired amount of food coloring. Divide ice cream base between 8 push pops molds, leaving some space at the top for garnish. Freeze overnight or until firm.

After freezing the pops, it can sometimes be difficult to attach the push pop stick. If you’re having issues, we recommend placing a flat surface (such as the bottom of a glass) over the top of the push pop so you have something to press against when inserting the push pop stick.

Whip remaining 1/4 cup of whipping cream to soft peaks. Slice the orange into thin horizontal slices and then each slice into 4 quarters. Top each push pop mold with whipped cream so it looks like foam. Add an orange slice for garnish. Cheers!

I Can’t Believe These Are Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies!

thepurplemixer — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:55:17 +0000

A couple of weeks ago at Brit.co our theme of the week was healthy snacking. And we gave ourselves quite an ambitious goal – to create a healthy chocolate chip cookie that could rival the Nestle® Tollhouse® Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Boy, were we surprised…

On the first try we whipped up something pretty great that our taste testers went wild for. Not only that, these cookies are gluten-free and can be made vegan by excluding the egg whites and using dairy-free chocolate chips such as Ghiradelli or Guittard. These cookies will have you saying, “I can’t believe these are healthy chocolate chip cookies!”

I Can’t Believe These Are Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 28 cookies

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup light coconut milk

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons almond butter

2 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Place chickpeas, vanilla, and coconut milk in a small food processor; pulse until mixture forms a smooth paste. Pour chickpea batter into a medium bowl.

Add honey, almond butter, egg whites, salt, and baking powder to the chickpea batter; mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Without cleaning out the food processor, add the oats and grind to a flour-like consistency. Add oats and chocolate chips to batter, stirring to combine.

Drop cookies by the tablespoon onto a sheet pan. If the batter is too thin, wait a couple of minutes and it will firm up. Gently flatten and shape cookies with back of a spoon or your fingers. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 300ºF. Cookies will remain soft and will not spread.

Watermelon Margarita Popsicles

thepurplemixer — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:52:03 +0000

These Watermelon Margarita Popsicles are just the thing you need to cool down on a hot day. Throw everything into a blender, freeze, and you’re done.

Be sure to check out the full post at Brit.co!

Watermelon Margarita Poptails

Makes 5 cups of popsicle juice (40 ounces)

5 cups seedless watermelon (about 1/2 of a large watermelon)

3/4 cup lime juice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup tequila

4 limes

Margarita or other coarse salt

Special equipment

10 5-ounce Dixie cups

Short popsicle sticks or craft spoons

Dissolve sugar in lime juice by microwaving for 30 seconds. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Strain ingredients through a mesh sieve to remove watermelon pulp. You will be left with about 5 cups (40 ounces) of popsicle juice.

Divide popsicle mixture between Dixie cups or popsicle molds. Freeze for 2 hours.

If using Dixie cups, slice 3 slices of lime from the middle section; insert short popsicle sticks into limes and then place on top of popsicle mixture in mold.

Return to freezer and freeze overnight. Sprinkle with margarita salt before serving. Enjoy!

Red, White and Blue Ombre Cake

thepurplemixer — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:36:06 +0000

This cake is a fun but sophisticated dessert for your 4th of July party. I’ve leveraged cake mix and ready-to-serve frosting in order to let you focus on assembling this stunner.

Note: This is a very tall cake and takes a little time and skill to bake, assemble, and decorate. If you want to make it easier, use 2 boxes cake mix and divide batter into 5 bowls for 5 layers. Tint two layers shades of blue, leave one layer white, and tint the other two shades of red. Follow the remaining directions below and use 3 tubs of frosting to assemble.

Red, White and Blue Ombre Cake

Serves 8-10

3 boxes white cake mix

4 tubs of whipped vanilla frosting

6 egg whites

36 ounces diet Sprite (4 ½ cups)

Special ingredients/equipment

Red food coloring

Blue food coloring

Strawberry (or any red color) Pop Rocks

3 9-inch cake pans

3 medium bowls

For the blue layers: Mix one cake mix with 2 egg whites and 1 ½ cups diet Sprite; divide batter evenly between 3 medium-size bowls. Add a small amount of coloring to one bowl to make the lightest blue layer. Add more coloring to the second bowl and even more to the third bowl to create 3 layers of blue. Place batter in three 9-inch pans which have been greased and floured. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a fork placed in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Allow cake layers to cool. Place the darkest blue layer on a cake plate or large plate; cover with a thin layer of frosting. Repeat with remaining blue layers and then place cake in the refrigerator to chill until the white layers are ready to be assembled.

For the white layers: Mix one cake mix with 2 egg whites and 1 ½ cups diet Sprite; divide batter evenly between 3 medium-size bowls. Add a very small amount of blue food coloring to one bowl so that the batter is only slightly tinted blue. Repeat the same procedure with another bowl of batter but add a very small amount of red food coloring. Do not tint the last layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a fork placed in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Allow cake layers to cool. Place the slightly blue layer on top of the last blue layer assembled. Cover with a thin layer of frosting. Repeat with remaining white layer and then slightly red layer. Place cake in the refrigerator to chill until the red layers are ready to be assembled.

For the red layers: Repeat the procedure for the blue layers but with red food coloring. Bake and assemble according to previous instructions, beginning with the lightest red layer and ending with darkest.

Coat the outside of the cake with a thin layer of frosting and place in the refrigerator to harden for 15 minutes. This is called with “crumb coat” and seals in all of the crumbs from mixing with the final layer of frosting.

Remove cake from the refrigerator. Use the remaining frosting to generously coat the outside of the cake. Decoratively sprinkle Pop Rocks around the edges. Allow cake to chill for at least one hour before cutting.

Mini Watermelon Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

thepurplemixer — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:28:18 +0000

Have you ever heard of salt on a watermelon? It may be my Southern roots but I’ve always known watermelon tastes better with a dash of salt, which complements and heightens the sweetness of the fruit. Well the same principle applies to Mini Watermelon Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. I use halloumi, a salty Greek cheese that’s firm enough to be thrown on the grill. This appetizer is perfect for your 4th of July party. Just make sure to serve them hot off the grill.

Mini Watermelon Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Serves 6-8

1/4 watermelon, seedless

8 ounces halloumi cheese (firm, Greek cheese found at better supermarkets)

1 cup arugula

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Olive oil to coat grill racks

Preheat your grill to medium-high. Toss arugula with balsamic vinegar.

Cut off sides and ends of water the watermelon to create a rectangular cube; slice into thin pieces, about 1 centimeter in width.

Trim your block of halloumi to match the size of your watermelon slices, then slice halloumi to match the width of the watermelon slices.

Line a plate with paper towels to catch the juices of the watermelon after grilling. Place the watermelon slices on the grill and cook for 2 minutes. Turn slices over and add the halloumi to the grill. Flip halloumi after 1 minute. Cook for 1 more minute and then remove both watermelon and halloumi slices from the grill, and place on the plate lined with paper towels.

Place halloumi slices on half of the watermelon slices. Top halloumi with arugula and then another watermelon slice. Serve immediately.

Polynesian Pineapple Pork Kabobs

thepurplemixer — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 03:18:39 +0000

These kabobs are a favorite in our household and we’ve made them many, many times. They’re super easy and you can make everything ahead of time. Just throw them on the grill when your guests arrive. This is a very versatile recipe – great for weeknight dinners or parties.

Polynesian Pineapple Pork Kabobs

Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin

3 medium zucchini

1 red bell pepper

1 medium onion

1 8-ounce can pineapple chunks, undrained

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cut pork, zucchini, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Drain pineapple chunks, reserving juice. Place pork and zucchini in a large Ziploc bag; set aside bell pepper, onions, and pineapple.

Stir together reserved pineapple juice and remaining ingredients. Set aside 1/3 cup of marinade and pour the remainder into the ziploc bag. Chill for at least 2 hours or up to 6.

Thread pork, vegetables, and pineapple onto skewers. Grill over medium-high heat (350 – 400°F) for about 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F. Turn and baste periodically with the reserved 1/3 cup of marinade.

Bacon and Beer Cupcakes

thepurplemixer — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:40:12 +0000

Father’s Day is almost here and what do dads love best? Bacon and beer, of course!

I whipped up these crazy and delicious Bacon and Beer Cupcakes specifically with dad in mind. And did you know these are actually Skinny Cupcakes? Yup, the same diet soda and cake mix trick works with beer, too.

I went a little indulgent and topped these beer-filled wonders with salty and sweet candied bacon. Once you’ve made candied bacon in the oven, I promise you’ll never go back to the skillet method again.

Don’t forget to check the post out at Brit.co!

Bacon and Beer Cupcakes

Makes about 21 cupcakes

1 box Butter Cake Mix

1 bottle of beer (12 ounces, preferably an IPA), reserve 1/4 cup for frosting

2 eggs

12 strips of bacon

1/4 cup sugar brown sugar

1 cup salted butter, softened (2 sticks)

1 box powdered sugar (1 pound)

1/4 cup beer

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake or muffing pan with 24 cupcake liners. Add cake mix, beer, and eggs to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer according to package directions. Fill cupcake liners three-quarters full with cake batter and bake according to package directions, generally 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Lay bacon flat on parchment and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crispy and browned. Set aside to cool completely.

Place softened butter in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar, beer, and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Spread frosting over the tops of cupcakes and top decoratively with candied bacon. YUM!

Lemon-Strawberry Butter Bars

thepurplemixer — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:01:47 +0000

These bars are a summery twist on the classic Gooey Butter Bar. They’re super easy to make and another great dish to bring to a Memorial Day party.

Lemon-Strawberry Butter Bars

Serves 15

1 box butter cake mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 egg

1 to 1 1/2 cups strawberry jam

8 ounces cream cheese

1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar

2 eggs

1/4 lemon juice

Zest from one lemon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix together cake mix, butter, and egg in a large bowl. Press dough evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch dish. Cover with a strawberry jam, leaving about a 1/4 inch border around the edges.

Use a hand or stand mixer to beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and remaining ingredients; continue beating until most lumps are gone. Pour mixture over jam. Bake bars for 35 to 45 minutes until the top is golden and slightly jiggly. Allow to cool completely before serving. I like them best straight out of the refrigerator.

Tropical Salsa

thepurplemixer — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:38:25 +0000

Need an easy dish for this Memorial Day weekend? I’ve got you covered. This salsa is standard in our household throughout the summer and it is mighty delicious if I do say so myself. You can also use it to make a salad, just throw on top of some romaine or butter lettuce.

Tropical Salsa

Serves 10

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained and roughly chopped

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1/4 red onion, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 dashes tabasco

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Place beans through bell pepper in a large bowl. Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over salsa. If you have time, refrigerate salsa for a few hours for the flavor to intensify.

Adapted from Southern Living