MMMMM tasty

I've wanted to take part in Joelen's Tasty Tools ever since she started it. Unfortunately the lack of tools (either because I don't have them or because they were packed up) has kept me from joining in. This time around however, I just HAD to join in. Why? Because the tool of the month is the blender!

Ah the blender. The first appliance of every college student. Because we all know how much college students love....um.....smoothies? Yes. Smoothies. Which reminds me of one of the favored snacks of Freshman year...see one of the on campus food choices was a smoothie place. Which was great for a quick breakfast on your way to class. At night however these smoothies served an ENTIRELY different purpose when combined with...um....other ingredients that Freshman students DO NOT keep in their dorms. Promise.

Wait, where was I again? Oh right, the event. A couple weeks back Thatboy and I made a deal that there'd be no more random weeknight drinking. Apparently its not a good sign when you're doing shot after shot in your kitchen on a Wednesday night. Which means I had to find a nonalcholic use for the blender. It didn't take very long for me to think of a GREAT summertime treat that requires a blender. POPSICLES!!!!!!

With all the fresh fruit that starting to become available, I should let you in on a little secret - I ADORE frozen fruit. It can't be healthy. As soon as fruit starts becoming available fresh I start sticking it in the freezer to snack on. Backwards huh? At least if I put it in popsicle form I get less weird looks. I wanted this to be super summery so I used Thatboy's favorite fruit - watermelon. I then added the two ingredients that I add to every summer recipe - mint and lime.

Summer Pops

1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup watermelon, roughly chopped
1 lime
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp mint, chopped

1) Place strawberries, watermelon, sugar, and juice of lime in blender.

2) Hit blend. Blend until its all blendy. Oh wait- blend in your blender until all blendy. There ya go.

3) Strain your blended fruit mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Alrighty, so I REALLY need a bigger fine mesh strainer. Hopefully you have a bigger one - it makes things go SO much faster. Otherwise this is the part where you stand around complaining about how you just can't reach your medicine until someone sitting nearby feels sorry for you and offers to help...and passes you the medication while you silently curse them for not getting the hint.

4) Now's the time when you add the mint you chopped up. Stir it in good.

5) Pour into popsicle molds. I poured the strained mixture with mint back into the pitcher because it is MUCH easier to pour from a pitcher than a bowl. Also a little note - I have popsicle molds because I make a TON of pops in the summer. I got it at Kohls a couple years back for $3. If you don't have a mold, this would work equally well with small cups and popsicle sticks or straws.

6) Place in freezer overnight. However, that's a really long time to wait, so...

7) Make sure you save enough to pour into a glass to drink while you wait. It tastes just like summer. And yes that is a jelly jar - its my all time favorite glass. The pops will be ready in no time!