Look what I got for xmas

The fun begins and I say fun because I think my addiction is more in designing than popsicles. The Zoku popsicle maker instantly freezes liquid and you can make really cool designed popsicles. Well so the recipe book shows at least but honestly I am not sure if I will ever achieve this after my first take. 

Cherry and Grape Koolaid

Vanilla and Fudge with cookies in the middle

I've only tried this thing out once and think its going to be a playdate staple...that is how this got its first test run. The girls thought it was so cool to instantly make popsicles. Mom thought it was cool to make fun designs or at least attempt because really these aren't so cool! 

All in all I think its a fun product but I am sure the novelty will wear off. Or hopefully not. I know Bethany got one, had issues, got another, had more issues and finally threw the towel in and Zoku then sent her a free one. Wow...a company that really stands behind their product with customer service. So they get an A for that. Mine worked totally fine out of the box. Oh and they get an A for a nicely designed product too. It's pretty sleek and very compact. It makes three pops at a time (7-10 minutes per 3) and you can get about 9 pops before they just won't freeze anymore. It's probably the size of a Turkey Hill quart.

Expect to see future posts with my creations!

So Oooey and Gooey...so Good!

How can anyone pass up an ice cream dessert that has the words "truffle" and "Gooey" and "Brownie" in its name. Oh and did I forget "chocolate" and "fudge"!

Seriously what doesn't this sweet little treat have in it. When this was sent to me I opened the box and a light shined upon two boxes of Culinary Circle's Chocolate Truffle Gooey Fudge Brownie Ice Cream Dessert. So what to do but immediately tear one open and break out my spoon. The picture on the box made this look way to good to save for later.

I must say this was quite good. The ice cream which was layers of two different chocolates was super creamy and it was topped with lots of chewy truffle brownie bits that sat amongst a pool of gooey fudge. My problem was that I couldn't stop eating it and seriously finished it myself. Hard to tell the size here and when you open it it surely looks like one person could easily handle this but really its for two and I had a big ol' belly ache after devouring it all on my own (but I was eating for two at the time so its okay right?!).

One tip I would have is to let it sit and thaw slightly for a few minutes to allow for the fudge topping to become a smoother consistency. Regardless its good but this allows for it to flow better and not be so thick. I do have to say if you put this on a fancy plate and drizzled some fudge swirls on the plate you'd think you were in a fancy restaurant. And actually that is what the brand is trying to achieve...."With chef inspired cuisine that mirrors today’s most popular restaurants, Culinary Circle is transforming creative casual dining at home." I'd definitely serve this to my guests and actually did. They had the same reaction...super good, rich, and sweet. This is definitely a chocolate lover's dream!

This was sent to me and I had never seen the brand before so not sure exactly where to lead you to get it but the site does have a store locator. Unfortunately it gave me addresses but no store names but there are store logos on the site that may be near you. Looks like they sell many other yummy looking prepared foods for the busy cook that could be worth checking out. If the quality and taste are as good as this sweet treat I might have to try them myself.

Sundae Sunday

I have to admit, when I make my ice cream, I usually don't put all the fixin's on it, because I like it it in its pure form. But sometimes a sundae is just the right treat.

There's a sundae that I share a passion for with my mom and my cousin Dan. It's a Friendly's creation. The problem is (or is it?) that they only sell it in their five scoop sundae, which is usually a bit too much for me. It's the Reese's^® Pieces^® Sundae which they describe on their site as "... vanilla ice cream, peanut butter and marshmallow toppings, hot fudge, a mound of whipped topping and a cherry. Topped off with delicious Reese's^® Pieces^® ." Ordering it smaller isn't that easy. Dan and I have been twice and the first time they left off the marshmallow! This didn't make us too happy -- while we still enjoyed the marshmallowless creation, we did agree that it was all the ingredients together that made this one so wonderful. In the picture at left, Dan is clearly enjoying every last drop of the marshmallowless sundae so it can't be too bad. Or maybe Dan just sees the world through rose colored glasses...

What's your favorite sundae?

Side note from the trip: We went to the Meadow Glen Mall for our first Reese's^® Pieces^® Sundae trip. The Friendly's is tucked away among the shops so you have to go through the mall to get there. On our way out, we passed a Mini Melts machine. We didn't get any while we were there (too full on sundae) but they looked a lot like Dippin' Dots. I'll have to go and try them out some time soon so I can report back!

[Scoopalicious is celebrating National Ice Cream month with a Post-A-Day throughout the month of July!]