Frozen Pops

Frozen pops are the perfect treat for summer, and they come in so many flavors. (SHNS illustration courtesy Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune)

They drip. We lick. They're cold. We're hot. Frozen pops are the perfect match for summer. And the rainbow colors? They're the vivid shades that seem to shout out the season: ORANGE! GREEN! YELLOW! RED! BLUE! PURPLE! (There's nothing subtle about these hues.)

The most noteworthy attribute? With such a treat in hand, we're all kids. The younger set aren't the only ones whose ears perk up at the melodic-- some might say annoying-- sound of the Good Humor truck's musical refrain.

Of course, you don't have to wait for the truck to rumble by. Nor do you have to make a run to the grocery store to stock up on your favorite flavors of packaged treats. If you've got a freezer, you can make the frozen pops yourself, even if you don't consider yourself a cook. (There's no cooking involved.)

So gather those craft sticks, stock up on paper cups and get out the blender.

Here are some suggestions to get you on your way to making frozen pops. Combine any flavors to taste, pour into containers and freeze.

• Iced tea and juice, or iced tea and sorbet.
  
• Juice or fruit nectar combinations, such as mango-orange, pineapple-banana or others. Yogurt drinks also can be frozen.
  
• Lemonade with grenadine or flavoring extracts, or pureed fruit (berries, peaches, cherries).
  
• Tropical Pops: 1 cup pineapple juice, 2 cups diced mango, 2 bananas and 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice.
  
• Frozen Pina Colada: 1-1/2 cups pineapple juice, 1/2 cup cream of coconut.
  
• Coconut Mango Freeze: Juice from 1 lime, 3 scoops mango sorbet, 1 cup coconut milk, 1/4 cup water.
  
• Citrus Pops: 1 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup grapefruit juice, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1 sliced banana tossed in a bit of lemon juice.
  
• Yogurt Freeze: 2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt, 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate, 2 tsp. vanilla extract.
  
• Watermelon: Pureed watermelon chunks, apple or pineapple juice, and lemon juice.

Ingredients:

1 cup hot water
one 3-ounce package instant pudding mix
1-1/2 cups cold water or milk

Preparation:

Add hot water to powdered pudding mix and stir to dissolve. Add cold water or milk and mix well. Pour into containers and freeze.

Yield: About 10 (3-ounce) pops.

Basic Frozen Fruit Pops

Note: Without gelatin, the water in the juice in the frozen pop will separate. It won't matter to kids, and probably not to you if you're hot and thirsty. But to get the consistency of store-bought, a little dissolved gelatin will help. If you don't have the gelatin, just skip this step.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fruit juice, milk or water
1 cup hot water
1/2 (0.25-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
2 cups pureed fruit
2 to 3 tbsp. sugar, or to taste

Preparation:

Combine the fruit juice and hot water. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let sit for 1 minute, then stir until gelatin is dissolved. Add fruit and sugar, and stir. Pour into containers and freeze.

Yield: about 10 (3-ounce) pops

Basic Yogurt Fruit Pops

Note: If bananas are used, toss the slices first with a bit of lemon juice to keep them from discoloring.

Ingredients:

1 cup plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt
1 cup pureed fresh fruit
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. sugar, if desired.

Preparation:

Combine yogurt, fruit, water and sugar. Pour into containers and freeze.

Yield: about 10 (3-ounce) pops

Kool-'Sicles

Ingredients:

1 (0.16-ounce) envelope powdered drink (such as Kool-Aid), any flavor
1 small package (about 3-ounce) flavored gelatin
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups hot water
1-1/2 cups cold water

Preparation:

Combine dry powdered drink, gelatin and sugar. Add hot water, let sit for 1 minute and stir until dissolved. Add cold water and mix thoroughly. Pour into containers and freeze.

Yield: about 20 (3-ounce) pops

Cookies 'N' Cream Pops

Note: Who says frozen treats have to be healthful?

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups milk or cream
1/8 cup chocolate syrup
1-1/2 cups mint-chocolate-chip ice cream, softened
1/2 cup crushed chocolate wafer crumbs (from Oreos, Nabisco or the like)

Preparation:

Using a blender, mix together milk, syrup and ice cream until smooth. Stir in cookie crumbs. Pour mixture into containers and freeze.

Yield: about 10 (3-ounce) pops

Watermelon-Lemonade Ice Pops
(From Bon Appetit)

Ingredients:

2 cups finely chopped seeded watermelon
3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate (half of 12-ounce can), thawed
3 tbsp. sugar
pinch of salt

Preparation:

In a processor, combine the watermelon, lemonade concentrate, sugar and salt. Puree until very smooth. Pour into containers and freeze.

Yield: about 10 (3-ounce) pops