Homemade popsicles!

I love popsicles. You probably love popsicles. Most people love popsicles. Last year for my birthday I asked for a popsicle mold, but I left it at home when I went off to grad school in the fall. But this summer I asked for one again, and got not one, not two but three popsicle molds. Enough to make 12 at a time. :)

So I've been having a lovely time providing cold refreshment to everyone who comes to visit me. So far I've done a lot of juice popsicles, (tangerine-grapefruit, white grape raspberry, orange, orange pineapple, grape, grape cranberry) as well as smoothie-popsicles with strawberries, raspberries, banana and peaches and just pineapple orange banana.

Here's a list of suggestions I found online. I'm planning on making some tea popsicles next. Or limeaide.

31 Great Homemade Popsicle Recipes from http://blisstree.com/eat/homemade-popsicles-recipes/

1. Apricot : Mix 2 cups apricot juice with 1/2 cup soy milk (or skim) and freeze.

2. A tablespoon of organic raspberry jam mixed with water or milk. This is nice for that last bit of jam in the jar.

3. Pineapple and carrot juice

4. Plain old carrot juice

5. Smashed strawberries

6. Homemade lemonade

7. “Glitter” pops. These take some time. Sprinkle colored sugar into your mold. Fill the mold half with water. Freeze. Sprinkle in more colored sugar. Add more water. Freeze. I can’t figure out how to simply mix in the sugar because it’ll melt, and/or sink to the bottom. These pops look a lot more glittery if you make them with yogurt – the sugar doesn’t dissolve much.

8. Homemade limeade

9. Sparkling Organic Pear

10. Maraschino-lemonade pops

11. Applesauce: sometimes thick applesauce needs to be mixed with a little water or it freezes oddly.

12. Fudge pops

13. Tangerine juice – tangerine lime is also really good.

14. Red beans and coconut

15. Blend raspberries (about 6 oz), 1 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 3/4 cup water, and mint (either a handful of fresh mint leaves, or 2 tsp mint syrup) – blend really well and freeze.

16. Green tea root beer

17. Chocolate and vanilla layered pudding – or make it easy on yourself and simply add both flavors to your mold and swirl them with a thin knife.

18. Honeydew lime

19. Fresh pureed peaches, a tablespoon of honey, and whole small wild blueberries. Mix and freeze.

20. Brew strong green tea, mix in honey, freeze.

21. Strawberry cinnamon

22. Salad pops: Blend half a cantaloupe and a couple cherry tomatoes to sort of still chunky. Add 1/4 cup of chopped mint, basil, or lemon balm (not all three, choose one). Add a cup or two of plain organic yogurt. Freeze.

23. Mashed bananas, a dash of milk, peanut butter, and chocolate sauce – mix smooth and freeze.

24. Mango Kulfi

25. Pureed watermelon mixed with white grape juice

26. Sweet potato pops – cook, mash, mix smooth (adding some soy milk to thin it), sprinkle in a little nutmeg, freeze. These are really good.

27. Banana and pomegranate

28. Chamomile sun tea pops – just like they sound. Make sun tea and freeze. I love lemon sun tea pops, too.

29. Chocolate chip mint popsicles

30. PLAIN WATER – plain water is way fun to freeze. Every kid I know likes plain ice pops, and we need lots of water to stay healthy. Also, if you’re having a summer picnic, you can make plain water pops with beautiful tiny edible flowers, flower petals, small whole berries, or whole herb leaves in them. Stick them in a bucket of cubed ice to serve and everyone will think you’re some sort of Martha Stewart genius. People will fawn over you for freezing water. No kidding.

31. Fruit and yogurt pops