Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Popsicles & Dots

What does summer look like at your house? You heard me. What are the signs that everyone sees, who knows you, on your counter, on your walls, in your freezer or fridge that means summer is "officially" here?

Corn on the cob, watermelon, and popsicles are totally summer at our house. My son has been talking about popsicles since January. So I bought some at the store a few weeks ago. It was fun wellll eating them was fun. Buying frozen stuff like that is kinda risky in 100 degree weather here in southern Az. For example I just had a chocolate mint melt in the purse - fun. LOL. My poor purse puts up with a lot of abuse... spilled drinks, my son driving over it with his trucks, melted candy... Anyways if chocolate can melt in my car while I am driving with the a.c on, you can imagine what kind of mess or shapes popsicles can turn into during the 5-10 minute drive home.

It is over 100 degrees today. It is definitely summer now. We went to the park today but even that was a stretch after an hr and half because we didn't have any water - spontaneous trip. You wouldn't believe how awesome and grassy some of the parks are here. Anyways... so as I am enjoying all the great summer veggies, daydreaming about grilling corn on the cob, I am finding it is a pain in the butt to find healthy popsicles at the store. I spent 10 minutes in the grocery store looking at labels on boxes just trying to find one that listed fruit as the first ingredient. I found one. Wow it was a pain. So when I came across some websites that reminded me how easy they are to make at home, I was smiling from ear to ear. Summer time corn on the cob is best - super sweet. Yeah I am one of those people who will even eat leftover corn on the cob the next day cold straight out of the fridge in my jammies, but you didn't hear that from me. There is no evidence.

Strawberry Popsicles & Dots 

Adapted from Sisters Playing House - Treats on a Stick  -
Great place for other ideas too

This made alot of popsicle filling. Made: 8 popsicle molds 2 oz each, plus a tray full (30+) of dots So if you have the larger size popsicles you should be good. Before I tasted the dots tonight I was thinking I should've halved the recipe. No way.

I loved eating the dots. Amazing flavor!
My son enjoyed eating them outside too then I told him I needed to water the grass and turned on the sprinkler. Pretty soon he was soaked from head to toe and no longer had any sticky pink on his hands.... easy clean up. 

1 lb (16oz package) fresh rinsed, hulled strawberries

1 &1/2 cups of plain yogurt (I used organic) 

2 tsp of honey or to taste

2 tsp of lemon juice

2 tsp of v8 juice (orange tropical) just adds more nutrients

Making Popsicles: 
There are two ways to do this.... the easy way or the hard way. The pretty way or yeah I am making homemade Popsicles and that needs to be good enough way.  

First way: put everything above in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Fill your popsicle containers and freezer for approx 4-6 hrs plus or minus some - depending on size of your containers. 

Second way: Now if you want to be extra creative and cool. Blend up everything except the creamy white yogurt. Then will you go to fill the Popsicle containers alternative between layers of strawberry puree and yogurt and you will get extremely cool looking treats.  This way isn't too much harder takes probably about the same amount of time but just sayin'. 

Making Dots:

Use the leftover yogurt mix to make fun discs. If you decided to make pretty popsicles then go ahead and mix the rest of the plain yogurt in with the rest of the strawberry puree. Use a spoon, turkey baster (yeah I have too much time on my hands), or even a plastic bag to pipe out small or medium sized circles onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Totally easy. Look they don't even have to be the same size. Look at the picture. Freeze for them for approxiately an hr or longer. Eat them outside. Trust me. Messy but totally fun. 

Enjoy something cold. Make a fun dessert with your kids. Start summer off right... I remember running barefoot down the street to get a popsicle from the ice cream man when I was a kid. Good times. These you don't have to chase down the street. Share good times with others. 
From my a.c. filled glorious kitchen to yours. 

Related Link:

Chocolate Pumpkin Donuts (cold & chocolate - Yum!)