Feels Like Summer

Well, even though technically summer started on Tuesday, it's been hot for a while now. And when it's hot, what do people want? If you're me, you think Haagen Daz would be a good dinner solution. But after a few "dinners" like that, you'd need elastic waisted pants.

Okay, so ice cream, while delicious, is something you can't have as often as you'd like. So, when all you want is cold, sweet and satisfying, I turn to paletas. These used to be considered ice pops before Good Humor and their ilk got in on the act. Basically, it's blended fruit that's frozen on a stick. Depending on your preference (or your ingredient list), they can be dairy based, or water based. It can have sugar, or not. It can be made of one fruit, or it could resemble Chiquita Banana's head gear.

It's one of those "non-recipes." Take fruit, cut up if needed, put in blender with liquid of choice, blend until desired consistency, put in container (ice pop molds, or in my case little paper cups), freeze a bit, put in sticks, freeze some more, done! It's cold, its sweet, it's a good source of fruit, and it makes you wonder why you wanted to go buy these (disclosure: I have some "mango paletas" I bought that weren't expensive, but the flavor was not there. And for the calories I'll pass).

For me, I've been on a pineapple kick like no one's business. I had a few years where I didn't get to eat it (the things we do for people we care about...), so now I'm going pineapple crazy! It also tastes so summery (as do mangoes, reminds me of sunshine), and, I don't know why, but I've been itching for piña colada in the worst way! Again, it screams summer. 

I'm also on a personal mission to get my fill of summer flavors: melon, berries, corn, grilled meat (mmm, 

The Fisherman knows how to work a grill!), mayo-laden salads (don't ask), everything you miss when it's cold out. 

But I digress: onto the paletas. I had to make piña colada ones (sorry, no booze in these, didn't have any, and I was focused on the pineapple and coconut), so here's my non-recipe:

 Take fruit (I wanted pineapple, so I took a half for this, and half for later, mmmm), cut it up, just so it can get started in the blender. Then since this is piña colada, I got a can of crema de coco. Next time I might get Coco Lopez for more flavor, we'll see. 

 Then blend!! I wanted smaller chunks of pineapple, but I think smoother would have been better. Chewing on the coconut isn't what I was looking for.

Since I'm just starting frozen confectioneries, I used paper cups, but perhaps I will get ice pop molds. I'm dying to try a chile-lime mango, or pineapple. Maybe a mojito-flavored one. We shall see. These took about two hours to freeze, larger ones take longer of course. I think this is a good size for a reasonable sweet treat, but maybe you'd need two. Whatever works for you. I kind of wish I had one for when I first get to work, although just after getting home from work works too. It says to me, "You are hot and sweaty, but you are home. Celebrate!" Reason enough to be glad I'm home :)