Recipe of the Week: Frozen Fruit Pops

New England or not, we think it's now safe to say summer is truly here. (If it snows next week, feel free to blame us.) One of the things we love best about this season is the amazing abundance of berries! Between the blueberries and the raspberries, it sure gets wild in our neck of the woods once the calendar flips to July.

This week we wanted to bring you a recipe that not only highlighted some of summer's best berries, but served as a tasty way to cool off. We think we've found it with these super simple ice pops - featuring three kinds of berries along with bananas and yogurt, they're also bursting with nutrition!



Frozen Fruit Pops

You need:

• 2 cups fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and sliced bananas, mixed
• 2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 8 small paper cups
• 8 popsicle sticks

Directions:

1. Place the berries, sliced banana, yogurt and sugar into a blender
2. Cover and blend until fruit is chunky or smooth, as desired
3. Fill paper cups 3/4 full with fruit mixture
4. Cover the top of each cup with a strip of aluminum foil
5. Poke a popsicle stick through the center of the foil on each cup
6. Place the cups in the freezer for at least 5 hours
7. To serve, remove foil and peel off the paper cup

Find more great fruit and produce recipes on Ruma's web site!

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Recipe of the Week: Easy Guacamole

It's the most wonderful time of the year! OK, maybe the second most wonderful... it's time for "the big game." While it doesn't technically qualify as a holiday, it sure feels like one with all the friends, family and FOOD! Even if your team isn't vying for the title (sniff, sniff) that's no reason not to enjoy yourself.

This week we've got a great recipe to help you do just that, zesty guacamole*  - easy, delicious and always a crowd pleaser. And to our local friends - just try to ignore the fact that it's green... sigh.

Easy Guacamole

You need:

• 3 ripe avocados - peeled, pitted and mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice and salt
2. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes and garlic
3. Stir in cayenne pepper
4. For best flavor, allow to refrigerate for one hour before serving

*yup, the avocado is a fruit

Find more great fruit recipes on Ruma's web site!

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Recipe of the Week: Mini Pumpkin Treats



Show-offs.

Among the inhabitants of every pumpkin patch, it is generally agreed that there is no higher purpose than to become a jack o’lantern. Scary, funny, fanciful - it doesn't matter - they're all waiting for the day when they are stoop-ified and filled with that magical inner glow on Halloween night while their roasted seeds are snacked upon and their innards added to soup or pie.

That is if you're a big, or even medium-sized pumpkin. But what of the little guys? You know the adorable palm-sized ones overflowing from wicker baskets at farmers markets and perched on the edge of your co-workers desk. Too tiny to be carved (sure sometimes they get a little face drawn on them with a marker or maybe poster paint but that’s not the same) and too tiny to be made into pie. The miniature pumpkin, like the mass of men, lives a life of quiet desperation* - their stature too small to dream big.

Well, we’re looking to change that today. We’ve found a recipe that elevates the fate of the wee sugar pumpkin – making it the centerpiece/edible fruit it was born to be. A recipe that allows these tiny gourds to make a great big delicious impression. And best of all, it couldn’t be simpler! When they're finished in the oven, they can still masquerade as festive display items until it's time to eat - making them both a trick and a treat! Neat!

Baked Mini Pumpkins

You need:

• 1 small sugar pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds
3. Place the butter and brown sugar inside the pumpkin and sprinkle with ground cinnamon
4. Put the pumpkin lid back on and place the pumpkin in a baking pan with a little water in the bottom
5. Bake for about 30 minutes or until tender

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

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*Apologies to Mr. Thoreau. Though we think he'd kinda like this recipe. He certainly liked pumpkins -"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion."

Recipe of the Week: Keep Cool - Go Bananas!

In our ongoing quest to help keep you cool during this crazy-hot summer, we're pleased to bring you a REALLY simple recipe for a sweet frozen banana treat. Three ingredients. No complicated instructions. We're so there.





Banana Sorbet

You need:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup mashed bananas (approximately 3 bananas - arms and faces optional)

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, stir together sugar and water
2. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and allow to cool
3. When the sugar syrup is cool, stir in bananas
4. Pour mixture into a freezer-safe baking dish
5. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours until set at the edges
6. Remove from the freezer and transfer to a mixing bowl, beat until smooth
7. Return to freezer until gently set, at least 2 hours

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

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Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Patriotic Pie for the 4th of July!

 

 

Happy Birthday, U.S.A.!  In honor of your special day, we're baking you a pie with all your favorite colors... to say nothing of the amazing flavors!

Red White and Blueberry Cheesecake Pie

You need:

• 
  
  8 sheets phyllo dough
• 
  
  1/4 cup butter, melted
• 
  
  2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
• 
  
  1/2 cup white sugar
• 
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  
  2 eggs
• 
  
  2 cups fresh blueberries
• 
  
  1/2 cup strawberry jelly

Directions:

1. 
   
   Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
2. 
   
   On a flat surface, place one sheet of phyllo dough; brush it with melted butter and cover with another piece sheet of phyllo; repeat until all sheets are used
3. 
   
   Using kitchen scissors, cut layered phyllo into a 12 to 13 inch circle; carefully place circle into a greased 9-inch pie plate; gently fan edges
4. 
   
   Bake until edges are just golden, about 6 to 8 minutes; let cool; lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F
5. 
   
   In a medium bowl, beat  cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in eggs until well combined; fold in 1 cup of blueberries and pour mixture into crust
6. 
   
   Bake at 350 degrees F until set, about 40 to 50 minutes; to prevent over cooking of crust, gently cover pie with foil during last 25 minutes of baking
7. 
   
   Allow to completely cool
8. 
   
   In a small bowl, beat jelly until smooth; spread jelly over cheese filling
9. 
   
   Arrange remaining 1 cup of berries in a star pattern on top

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!
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Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Great Galettes

They sound all fancy, but in reality galettes are more like a "fancy-free" cousin to the traditional tart. In other words, this yummy dessert is easy to make!

Fresh Summer Fruit Galettes

You need:

• 2 (9 inch) refrigerated pie crusts
• 3 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 pint fresh strawberries
• 1/2 pint fresh blueberries
• 4 tablespoons white sugar, divided
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 6 tablespoons turbinado sugar (aka raw sugar), divided
• Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Lay out one pie crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment or on a baking stone, leaving room for the second pie crust next to it
3. Mix the sliced peaches with half of the blueberries, 2 tablespoons of the flour and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a bowl
4. Pour over one pie crust leaving a 1-inch border
5. Fold up the uncovered border over the edge of the fruit and pinch into pleats
6. Sprinkle the crust and fruit filling with 3 tablesppons of turbinado sugar
7. Lay out the second pie crust on the baking sheet
8. Mix the sliced strawberries, the remaining blueberries, 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of sugar in the bowl
9. Pour over second pie crust and form the galette as in step 5
10. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of turbinado sugar
11. Bake until crust is lightly browned, about 12 to 14 minutes
12. Serve warm or at room temperature topped with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

__________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Fresh Fruity Salsa

No summer party is complete with out the chips and salsa! Try this fresh and fruity, sweet and salty take on everyone's favorite dip.

Fruit Fiesta Salsa

You need:

• 1 tomato
• 1 orange, peeled and segmented
• 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
• 1 red onion, coarsley chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2 jalepeno chile peppers
• garlic salt to taste

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients, except garlic salt, in a food processor
2. Process using pulse setting until ingredients are finely chopped, but not quite smooth
3. Transfer to a medium bowl and garnish to taste with garlic salt

Looking for more great fruit recipes? Click here!

__________________________________________________________

Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Recipe of the Week: Summer Sweetness

This one is refreshing, fast and easy - not to mention tasty! A great thing about this recipe is that any combination of fruit may be used and it still will be delicious.







Summer Fruit Parfait

You need:

• A 10-inch prepared angel food cake, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 (32 fluid ounce) container vanilla yogurt
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Cover the bottom of a large bowl with 1/3 of the angel food cake cubes
2. Generously cover the cake with 1 1/3 cups of the yogurt
3. Spread 1 1/3 cups of the strawberry slices and blueberries on top of the yogurt
4. Repeat the first three steps two more times
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve

Makes 10 servings

Looking for more yummy things to do with your summer fruit? Visit the recipe page on our web site.

__________________________________________________________
Always have fresh fruit on hand - join Ruma's Royal Fruit Club or purchase a monthly plan for a friend! Shipping is FREE!

Fruit is the (an) Answer!

Don’t know about you, but watching the Olympics always makes us feel really inspired to get outside and kick some winter sports butt! Oh, if only we’d stuck to our New Year’s resolutions, we’d totally be doing that ski and shoot thing. For real.

Of course, we also know all too well that sitting on our own butts in front of the TV for two weeks can be a bit of a detriment to the ol’ “get up and go.”

What to do? Well, for starters, there’s nothing like adding heaping helpings of healthy, nutritious fruit to put the swish back in your slalom! When you eat better, you feel better, and when you feel better, well, there’s no mountain you can’t climb (and then do crazy tricks back down!)

And since we know the first step can be the hardest, we want to make it a little easier for you. When you sign up for ANY of our Royal Fruit Club memberships – tasty, fresh, seasonal fruit delivered to your door each month for 3, 5, 8 or 12 months – the shipping is FREE!

If you just need a little inspiration, or want to give a quick shot of oomph to a friend or family member, we also have a huge selection of fantastic fruit gifts like the Fruit Orchard and our fun Marathon Basket.*

And since Ruma’s has been carrying the torch of top notch produce sales for more than 100 years, you can be confident your order will score a perfect 10 – we guarantee it!

So, what are you waiting for, another bad Olympic pun? Okay – go for the gold and order today, because this free shipping offer won’t last forever!

*Regular shipping rates apply to these gifts. Free shipping offer good only on Royal Fruit Club orders.