Ah, Popsicles!

In the middle of a scorching Arkansas summer ask me what I want to eat (for breakfast, lunch, or dinner) and I will probably answer one of two things 1) popsicles or 2) snowcones. The concerned and caring husband will of course reply, "that's not a [breakfast, lunch, or dinner]!" What can I say? I've loved the icy treats since I was a kid. I have many fond memories of tongues stained bright colors, the refreshing fruit taste, and getting a real shaved ice in Puerto Rico on our honeymoon. 

There's a Mexican grocery store next to the restaurant where I work so of course I grab a paleta if I happen to get a break. I even read that some ice pop makers are using veggies in their popsicles. Including my Nashville favorite Las Paletas.

Anyway, I've been making lots of  homemade popsicles lately and I thought I'd share them! They're made with fresh local fruit from the farmer's market so they beat anything in the frozen food aisle. (Haven't tried any with veggies yet, but I am curious)

fresh peach pops and peaches & cream pops

 I used two recipes from Ice Pops. This book has basic but, also some interesting combinations for homemade popsicles.

For the fresh peach popsicles, I used 3 peaches (unpeeled), 1/4 cup of superfine sugar, 1 T of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Combined the ingredients in the blender, poured the mix in the molds, and waited impatiently for them to freeze.

We liked these ice pops the best. The other recipe called for half & half and though they were good the peaches didn't need any thing else. Save for the bit of lemon juice that was a perfect addition. The Peaches & Cream recipe also called for blanching the fruits before pureeing. I had never tried this technique before. It made peeling the peaches a cinch and is SOP for freezing fresh fruits and veggies because it preserves the nutrients and all that good stuff.

What summer treats are you enjoying lately?