Saturday! Popsicle Day!
Don't you love Saturday? I still get that, "no school, play outside, run after the ice cream man" felling on Saturdays. I guess I'll never outgrow it.
Saturday is also the perfect day to announce the winner of our Zoku Quick Pop Maker. And, the winner is.... number nineteen... Heather Buen!!! Yeah! Yippee! (Picture muppets going crazy here).
You do realize why we had a Zoku Quick Pop Maker give away, don't you? So I could buy one for myself and play around, of course. And that's exactly what I did this week. I loved popsicles as a child. Can you believe I actually played outside in this heat? Popsicles were such a great way to cool down. Of course, Mom sent us back outside with them, but we didn't care. We made them with Kool Aid back then—quick and easy and guaranteed to color your lips for days!
People make them out of everything, now. Yogurt, fresh fruit, pudding... you name it. I think they can be the perfect after-school snack, as well (I still remember walking home from the bus in the heat of August and September). Just fill your popsicle molds with chunks of fresh fruit juice and put them in the freezer early in the morning, or even the night before, so they will be ready when the kids get home. If you have a Zoku Quick Pop Maker, you'll need to put it in the freezer 24 hours before and put the ingredients in the fridge so they are chilled and ready to go when the kids get home.
I decided to recreate the Ultimate Summer Slushie, a Strawberry Lemon Eegee, for my first try. Tucson has been the birth place of many culinary originals: the cheese crisp, the chimichanga and the Eegee. Not quite a slushie, not quite a sorbet, Eegees have an icy texture and are made with fresh fruit. You eat them with a spoon and wind up with bits of frozen lemon rind and strawberry in almost every bite.
I saw so many creative popsicles (I guess they are called "pops," now) around the web this summer that reminded me so much of those simple summertime treats. I thought I would share them with you and Heather. My recipe for Easy Strawberry-Lemon Popsicles is at the bottom of the post.
B
lackberry Basil Yogurt Popsicles recipe and photo by More Than Burnt Toast
Berry-Lime Popsicles (with Iced Tea) recipe and photo by My Baking Addiction
Berry Yogurt Popsicles (Red, White & Blue Yogurt Popsicles) that are sugar and gluten free by Simply Sugar and Gluten Free
Easy Stawberry, Lemon Popsicles
Ingredients:
3 cups prepared lemonade or make your own with
1 cup water
1 cup fresh lemon juice (5 or 6 lemons)
½ cup sugar
3 or 4 cups chilled water
1 cup strawberry puree or 10 ounces sweetened, frozen strawberries
1 lemon, washed and thinly sliced (optional, but my favorite part)
4 to 6 strawberries, diced
popsicle mold or disposable cups and popsicle sticks
Directions:
Prepare lemonade by combining water and sugar in sauce pan. Heat until sugar is dissolved completely but, do not boil, set aside to cool. Juice as many lemons as it takes to make 1 cup of juice (usually 5 or 6). Combine the sugar mixture with the lemon juice. Add 4 cups of water and test for the desired strength before adding more.
Remember, the lemonade should be tart because the strawberry puree will add sweetness. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
If using sweetened, frozen strawberries, puree and chill until use.
Thinly slice one lemon and cut the circles in half. Omit if your children will not appreciate the tartness.
Place one half slice of lemon in the popsicle mold.
Add a few pieces of strawberry.
Fill the molds ⅔'s of the way with lemonade.
Top off the molds with strawberry puree.
Freeze until set.
Un-mold the popsicles by dipping in a little warm water or peel the paper cup away from the popsicle.
Note: If using a Zoku Quick Pop Maker, follow the product instructions carefully. Please watch so that little fingers do not get inside the pop maker.
Have fun making the Ultimate Afternoon Snack.
-posted by Sandy
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