Mango Limeade Icy Pops...keep the heat away!

Tragically summer is best known for scorching heat and rising temperatures.  In the city however, those temperatures get magnified and held in by the polution and sheer number of people on the move all the time.  In Oakland, the summer temperatures are suprisingly bearable, however this has resulted in the sadly all to common LACK of any form of air conditioning in most buildings and apartments.  I have the incredible priveledge of a cieling fan, which does wonders in the heat, but most have almost no relief. 

Are there any flavors quite as refreshing as a glass of limeade and a fresh juicy mango?  At the latino fruit market across the street I can aquire a fresh mango & 5 limes for $0.89 cents.  Yet again demonstrating the joy of savvy living in the inner city!  Get your summer cure started around noon, and by the overbearing heat of 5pm, your icy relief will be ready.  So, I give you the Mango Limeade Icy pop! 

(These portions are based entirely on the number and kind of icy pop container you have.  This is set for the average store bought Icy pop trays, but make more or less to your liking.  If you don't have an icy pop tray, use your ice cube tray and popsicle sticks cut in half, or just toothpicks.  It would make great BBQ hors d'oeuvres)

 Ingredients

1 Large Fresh Mango

1-2 Lime

1 Bag of Frozen Chunks of Mango (usually in the frozen fruit section.)

***Optional Sweet Tooth Addition: Simple Syrup or (equal parts sugar & water melted together & cooled) Pictured to the left.

STEPS

1.  Peel the mango gently and scrape all of the meat out into a bowl, scraping as much off the seed and the peel as possible. 

2.  Juice the lime into the bowl with the mango.
3.  Using a fork mash the two ingredients toggether.
4.  Drop severel pieces of the frozen mango chunks into your icy pop tray.
5. Then spoon the Mango lime mixture into the tray, encouraging it to slidedown and around your mango chunks. 

*** At this point you might realize your mixture is too thick and want to dilute it a little in order to make sure it fills your containers.  You have several options.  More lime juice.  Simple Syrup.  or Water.   I reccomend lime juice if you really enjoy tart treats.  I reccomend simple syrup if you have a sweet tooth.  I reccomend water if you are giving this treat to children, the mango is plenty enough sugar for them. 

Pop ur Pops in the freezer for several hours until froozen.  When they are finished run them for 1-2 seconds under some warm water to release them from their container and let the refreshing icy pop do it's job.

Delightful Additions to make this icy pop a BBQ favorite...

1. The Latin Pop:

     Rub some simple syrup on the inside of your icy pop tray and then lightly Sprinkle Lime Salt and chilli on the insides of the containers before you fill them, adding a layer of color, texture and flavor to the outside of your pops. 

 2. Mint Pops:

Rinse a bushel of mint leaves and the spread some simple syrup inside each icy pop tray.  Stick 1-2 whole mint leaves to the sides of your icy pop containers and then fill them.  Adding dimension to your pops and a layer of fresh flavor.  But remind your guests they might not want to eat the mint leaf, just toss it out once it melts off your pop.

SummerTime Pot Roast - 15 min Prep :: 3 Hrs CookTime

 SummerTime When the Livin is Easy...
                                                                ... The food should be too!

Today reminded me of those first days of summer as a kid.  Those first few days after the school year was finally over, when you first convinced your body to sleep in.  It was mildly hot, and boredom set in about 2pm...so did hunger.  So what better way to spend an afternoon than preparing an incredible dinner.   It is with that I give you the first Inner-City Eats recipe!

Pre-Heat your oven to 350 Degrees F.

Ingredients:
Cheap Medium Sized Chuck Roast   (yes, as in 'inexpensive'...less than $10)
1 Can Cream of Celery Soup (Subsititute with your favorite 'cream of..' condensed soup)

3-6 Cloves of Garlic (Depending on your The Garlic Rule**)

3 Carrots (cleaned)

2 Stalks Celery

1/4 C. Marsala Wine

2 TBS. Worcestershire Sauce

3 Bay Leaves, Salt, Pepper, Seasoning Salt to taste.

Tools:
Dutch Oven, High Sided Cast Iron Pan, or Deep Casserole dish with a cover, or Aluminum Foil.



Prepare the Roast:

     Give your roast a relaxing massage with a light sprinkling of salt, pepper, & seasoning salt on all sides.

  2-3 teaspoons of OliveOil into a heavy bottom skillet or cast-iron over med-high heat, lightly sear all sides of the roast, about 3-4 minutes per side. 

 

As your Roast Sears:

   Rough chop a whole yellow or white onion, 3 medium sized carrots, 2 stalks of celery, garlic. 

 

 Whisk together Worcestershire, Marsala, Cream of Celery soup, Bay leaves, & 3/4 c. Water.

Prepare it for the Oven:

     Transfer your seared roast to your dutch oven, casserole dish, or a plate for few moments, while you turn down the heat on the searing pan and toss in the onions and garlic for about 2-3 minutes for a quick sautee in the same pan used to sear the roast.  

Once you have tossed them around a litte, either return the roast to the searing pan, or pour the onions over the roast in the roasting pan. 

 

 Toss all the other veggies into the pan also and pour your gravylishious mixture over the top of the roast. 

Cover it with the top, or aluminum foil and pop it in the center of the oven for 2.5-3 hours at 350 Degrees F.

**The Garlic Rule:

      1-3 Cloves:  If you are single without prospects stick with less garlic, just in case one of your handsome single neighbors smells your cooking and his nose leads him to your doorstep, you don't want to have garlic breath.

     3-6 Cloves: For those who cook for two.  If you are both eating it, your breath will be equally garlically and should not produce relational conflict.

     6+ Cloves: For either the Celebate, the Happily Married, or the one with the Cold. This much garlic urges on medicinal.  Some of my recipe's will call for this level of garlicy influence, but if used inappropriately there is no telling what harm it could do to your social life.  However, medicinally, it may kick that cold ASAP!