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Summer produce is now at its peak sweetness, so why buy supermarket pops? Now you can make your own popsicles for it is easy as pureeing fruit, and balancing it with some sugar, and with a little of this and a little of that then freezing it in a mold.

I picked a couple of recipes I know your family will like, but pick your favorite fruits and have some fun experimenting.

First try these two for it’s all about balancing the sugar.

You can usually pick up some plastic molds at the dollar store or I have listed a web site where you can order some stainless steel retro molds for $40 you will not have that plastic freezer taste.

Go to http://www.amazon.com and look for Onyx molds.

Another option is to use Dixie cups with pop-cycle sticks.

Happy eating!

Peach-Vanilla Cream Pops

Makes 8-10

½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise (can use 1 tsp. of vanilla extract)

4 cups sliced peeled ripe peaches (4 med. about)

Or 16 oz. frozen sliced peaches, thawed.

½ cup chilled heavy whipping cream

¼ cup Greek-style yogurt or Dannon Plain

2 Tbsp. amaretto (optional)

Place sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Transfer syrup to a small bowl; chill. Discard vanilla bean. Puree syrup and peaches in a food processor until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium pitcher; strain, pressing on solids to extract about 2 ¼ cups puree. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Divide among molds. Cover; insert ice pop sticks. Freeze until firm. Dip bottoms of molds into hot water for 20-30 seconds to loosen pops, remove pops from molds and serve.

Strawberry-Blueberry Pops

Makes 8-10

Strawberry Puree

1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled, halved

¼ cup of sugar

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Puree all ingredients and ¼ cup water in a food processor until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a small pitcher; strain, pressing on solids to extract about 1 ¼ cups puree. Set aside.

Blueberry puree

12 oz. fresh blueberries (about 2 ½ cups)

1/3 cup of sugar

1 tsp. fresh lime juice

Puree all ingredients and 3 Tbsp. water in a food processor until smooth. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a small pitcher; strain, pressing on solids to extract about 1 ¼ cups puree.

Pour 1 Tbsp. strawberry puree into each mold; freeze until just firm, about 30 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. blueberry puree to each mold. Freeze until just firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat until molds are filled. Cover; insert ice-pop sticks. Freeze until firm. Dip bottoms of molds into hot water for 20-30 seconds to loosen pops. Remove pops from molds; serve.

Katherine Aras

Look who’s Cooking Now

409-670-3144