Homemaker Monday: Rosemary Chocolate Cake Balls and Emergen-C Popsicles!

Welcome to the 94th weekly edition of...

Thank you for joining us! If you're new to this carnival and would like to enter your post, please check HERE for the rules and regs.

YOURS: This week's "YOURS" goes to "Java" over at Never Growing Old for her post on Poppy Seed Dressing! I have totally been searching for a recipe like this for months now, since I can't find my favorite poppy seed dressing in any store. We have tons of spinach in the garden right now, and I know this would dress it perfectly! For Java's recipe, go HERE. Thank you so much, Java, for linking up and we'll look forward to learning more from you in the future! If you'd like, please take the "I Was Featured" button from my left sidebar. :)

MINE: A few days ago I posted about Rosemary Olive Oil Chocolate Chunk Cake. Although we all really loved it, because I was baking so many different confections that week, plus trying myriad Popsicle recipes, only about half of this cake was eaten, and the other half was forgotten about in a remote corner of the island.

So last weekend, I was invited to my uncle's home for a cook-out. I offered to bring dessert, but because we arrived home late that afternoon from the big town, I didn't have a lot of time to bake a cake from scratch. As I stood in front of the island with my hands on my hips, considering what I would do, I noticed the Rosemary Olive Oil Chocolate Chunk Cake, forgotten and neglected. I removed the tin foil from the pan and realized that it was still good, albeit a little dry. Then I remembered that I had made way too much chocolate ganache frosting for this cake, and had placed the leftovers in the freezer, and the idea that I could crumble up this cake, frosting and all, roll it into little balls....

(I know, not so pretty, but just wait...)

...dip it in the leftover ganache, and make cake balls out of it, shone like a lightbulb over the top of my head.

So I did just that, but they still seemed a little boring, so I dug in my pantry and found some mixed, salted nuts that weren't rancid...

...chopped them up in my food processor for about ten seconds...

...then rolled the ganache-covered cake balls into the nuts and turned out a beautiful product...

Really, there is almost nothing I love more than making something really beautiful and tasty out of what could have become subject to the compost bin. These were so delicious, with the taste combinations of rosemary, chocolate and the salty nut coating.

And just in case you didn't know, there are TONS and TONS of ways you can make cake balls with different ingredient combinations. For a more detailed explanation of how to make cake balls and to get more ideas, go HERE.

And now, for the Popsicle recipe of the day....

Emergen-C Popsicles!

(Don't you love how professional these photos are, what with the dirty little boy fingernails?)

Honestly, this is probably one of my favorite Popsicles thus far. This is the Energen-C Popsicle, made with these handy little vitamin-packed packets...

Every time I look at these packets, I get a warm feeling. I was introduced to Emergen-C while I was in labor with my first-born son with my second husband, John. My doula suggested I drink these periodically for energy and to quench thirst. They tasted great and were so refreshing and I have had them around ever since.

And if I thought the drink was refreshing, this Popsicle is infinitely so. They only have 20 calories per serving and 800mg of Vitamin C! Hope you love them, too!

Ingredients

* 5 cups water
* 8 packets Emergen-C

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in a pitcher, then pour into ten Popsicle molds.

2. Freeze for at least 6 hours. To remove, run the molds under cool water for a few seconds or leave out on the counter at room temperature for a few minutes.

Direct recipe link: http://keyingredient.com/recipes/334397/

Thanks for listening!

OURS: All righty then, let's hear what awesome homemaking tips you have for us today. If you're new to Homemaker Monday, please feel free to dig in your archives and link anything homemaking. Have a great day!