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| Kids Popsicles Below are some interesting kids' popsicles for the summer. Most of them have few ingredients and are quick to assemble. The recipes are from Parents magazine.  Banana Split Pops, serves 8
8 tablespoons strawberry topping 4 bananas, peeled and halved crosswise 1-1/2 cups strawberry ice cream, softened 8 tablespoons pineapple topping 1-1/2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened 1/3 cup chocolate-fudge topping 1-1/2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened Whipped cream 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 8 maraschino cherries (drained and patted dry)
Divide strawberry topping among eight 6-ounce plastic or paper cups. Insert a wooden stick into each banana half; place one in each cup, stick side up. Cover and freeze for an hour. Divide strawberry ice cream among cups, spooning it in around bananas; repeat with pineapple topping. Freeze for 15 minutes. Spoon vanilla ice cream, fudge topping, and chocolate ice cream into cups until full. Place a square of aluminum foil with a slit in the center over each cup. Freeze overnight or until firm. When ready to eat, peel off the cups. Top each pop with whipped cream, walnuts, and a cherry.
 Root-Beer Float, serves 8
8 maraschino cherries, stemmed, drained, and patted dry 4 cups root beer (before using, chill in bottle with cap loosened) 2-1/2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
Place a cherry in each of eight 6- to 7-ounce molds or paper cups. Fill halfway with root beer. Tilt to get the angled design and freeze until almost firm, 1 to 2 hours. Add ice cream and insert sticks. Cover and freeze for 1 hour. Slowly add more root beer, skimming off any foam, until the molds are full. Cover; freeze for at least 6 hours, or until firm. Remove from freezer. Let stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes before unmolding.
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt 1 cup reduced-fat milk 2-4 tablespoons honey, divided 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups raspberries 2 cups raspberry juice or raspberry juice blend 1/4 cup sesame seeds (optional)
Combine peanut butter, yogurt, milk, 2 tablespoons honey, and vanilla in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour peanut-butter mixture into eight 6- to 7-ounce paper cups or pop molds until they're one-third full. Cover and freeze for 1 hour. Cover and chill remaining peanut-butter mixture until needed. Stir together raspberries and juice, divide among the cups or molds, and insert sticks. Cover and freeze for an hour. Then fill with remaining peanut-butter mixture and freeze for at least 8 hours, or until firm. Let stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes before unmolding. If you want, spoon honey around the rims and sprinkle on sesame seeds.
 White Grape Popsicles, serves 8
1-1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved 4-1/2 cups white grape juice
Divide grape halves among eight 6-ounce pop molds or disposable cups. Pour in the grape juice and insert sticks. Freeze for at least 6 hours. Let stand for about 5 minutes before unmolding.
 Mango Magic Pops, serves 8
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin 1/3 cup peach or apricot nectar 2 6- or 8-ounce cartons vanilla or peach fat-free yogurt 1/3 of a 26-ounce jar refrigerated mango slices, drained, or one 8-ounce can peach slices, drained
In a small saucepan combine the unflavored gelatin and peach nectar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cook and stir over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved. In a blender container or food processor bowl combine gelatin mixture, yogurt, and drained mango slices. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Spoon mixture into eight 3-ounce paper cups. Cover each cup with foil. Cut a small slit in the center of each foil cover and insert a rounded wooden stick into each. Freeze pops for 4 to 6 hours or until firm. To serve, remove the foil and tear paper cups away from pops.
 Berry Yogurt Pops, serves 12
1 can (8.25 ounces) pear halves in heavy syrup 1 cup blueberries 2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
Drain the pears, reserving 2 tablespoons syrup. Place the pears, blueberries, and reserved syrup in a blender or food processor. Cover and mix until it's smooth. Add the yogurt to the blueberry mixture and blend again. Divide the mixture among 12 ice-pop molds; insert wooden sticks if your molds don't come with sticks or build-in handles. Freeze until firm, 4 to 6 hours
 Fruit Sundae Cones, serves 6
3/4 cup cut-up strawberries 3 cups cut-up fruits, such as apples, bananas, cherries, seedless red grapes, kiwifruit, plums, and/or peaches 6 large waffle cones 1/4 cup toasted coconut (optional)
Place strawberries in a blender container; cover and blend until smooth. Place desired fruit in bowl; gently toss together. Spoon fruit into cones. Drizzle with the strawberry puree. If desired, top with coconut.
 Mint Chocolate Chip, serves 8
1 box (1.75-quart) mint-chocolate-chip ice cream 16 mint wafer candies, such as Nestle After Eight Thin Mints
Fold down one long side of the box and cut the ice cream into squares that are the size of the candies. Sandwich ice cream between two pieces of candy and press together gently. Insert small wooden sticks into the ice cream. Freeze, covered, for about 1 hour to harden. All to soften a bit before eating.  Chocolate-Dipped Ice Cream Pops, serves 8
2 cups vanilla or chocolate ice cream 2 cups chopped chocolate (any kind) 1/2 cup assorted toppings, such as sprinkles, toffee bits, and coconut
Cut the tops off eight 7-ounce paper cups to make a mold that's an inch deep. Pack the ice cream into the molds. Use the tip of a knife to make a slit in the side of each mold and insert wooden sticks. Cover and freeze until firm, about 3 hours. Meanwhile, melt chocolate over low heat in a small saucepan. Allow to cool slightly. Remove pops from molds and spoon chocolate on evenly. Sprinkle with your favorite topping. Serve immediately or insert sticks into a piece of Styrofoam and freeze until ready to eat. Wrap in plastic for longer storage. Confetti Yogurt Pops, serves 6
2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt 1 cup assorted berries (raspberries, bueberries, blackberries, chopped srawberries) 5 pretzel rods, halved or 10 baked snack stick crackers In a large bowl gently stir together the yogurt and fruit. Spoon into 4-ounce ice-pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups. Cover molds or cups with foil; use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the foil and insert cut side of pretzel rod or snack stick. Freeze until firm. Remove foil and mold or cup before serving. Store for up to a month.  Sherbert Fruit Pops, serves 10, from Taste of Home
10 5-ounce paper cups 3 peeled and chopped kiwifruit 1 Tbsp. sugar 1 quart raspberry or tangerine sherbet 2 to 4 Tbsp. orange juice 10 flat wooden craft sticks
Arrange cups on baking pan. In a small bowl combine kiwifruit and sugar. Divide chopped kiwifruit among cups. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed beat together sherbet and orange juice until combined. Spoon sherbet mixture over kiwifruit filling cups. Cover each cup with a square of foil. Use table knife to make small hole in center of each foil square. Slide wooden craft stick through each hole and into fruit mixture in cup. Freeze at least 6 hours or overnight. To serve remove foil; carefully tear away cups. Serve immediately.  Chocolate Bonbon Pops, from bhg.com, serves 20
18 Oreos 1 ½ cups toasted pecan 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 tablespoon light corn syrup 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 20 lollipop sticks 12 ounces milk chocolate chips 1 tablespoon shortening
In large food processor bowl combine cookies and 3/4 cup of the nuts; pulse until cookies are crushed (almost to a powdery consistency). Add orange liqueur, corn syrup, and cocoa powder; process until combined. Add remaining nuts; pulse until coarsely chopped.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape cookie mixture in 1-inch balls. Place on baking sheet, insert a lollipop stick, and freeze for 30 minutes In a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and shortening. Cook and stir over medium-low heat just until melted. Remove from heat. Dip pops in chocolate. Return to baking sheet. Loosely cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until chocolate is set To Store: Place in covered container; refrigerate up to 1 week.
 Cookie Pops, from Taste of Home, serves 10
1/4 cup peanut butter 20 vanilla wafer cookies 10 Popsicle sticks 4 ounces milk chocolate chips 1 teaspoon shortening M&Ms® plain chocolate candies
Spread peanut butter over the flat side of 10 vanilla wafers, about 1 teaspoon on each. Top each with a Popsicle stick and another vanilla wafer. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; freeze for 7 minutes. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip cookie pops into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Return to baking sheet. Decorate with baking bits if desired. Freeze for 5-6 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
 Cookies & Creme Pudding Pops, from Kraft Foods, serves 9
1 package instant chocolate pudding mix, 4 oz 2 cups milk 6 Oreos ½ cup Cool Whip, thawed
Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Place cookies in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Use rolling pin to crush cookies. Add cookies and Cool Whip to pudding; stir just until blended. Spoon into 9 (3-oz.) paper or plastic cups. Insert wooden pop stick or plastic spoon into each for handle. Freeze 5 hours or until firm. | |
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