The RoadRagesicle & Puddin'sicle

Hello everyone - I'm back. I had to take a bit of a hiatus for my busy schedule. But I'm back, realizing it's pops and people that keep me sane, and bringing you two popsicles to make up for some lost time.

Now, I've been working downtown in St. Paul for about three months so far, and I've become ... a commuter. This is a different, strange breed of people. The Minnesota Nice in everyone takes a bit of a back burner to the commuter in everyone. Me? I become a little aggressive. Not dangerous, but soon I'm squeezing myself into lanes before they let me in and muttering to myself as someone edges their way into the space I left between me and the car in front of me. Some people turn to RAGE, like I witnessed as a woman from Ohio merged into the left lane going 45 mph during morning rush hour traffic. There was much flailing and hand gestures. Traffic brings out the interesting in people.

That brings me to new popsicle #1 -
meet the RoadRagesicle.

This popsicle is mad.
This popsicle is provoked.
This popsicle is going to get to work on time
if it's the last. thing. it. does.

Like all Minnesotans in traffic, they look normal until tested. This popsicle looks like your run-of-the-mill fudgesicle, but just try it, and you'll find out that  it's got more zing than you bargained for. Sweet at first, then burns your throat a bit like the last "JUST GO!!" you shouted out your window.

I may need to mention now that this popsicle is more of an acquired taste.  

What you'll need: 

-Instant chocolate pudding. (the chocolatier, the better)

-Milk, to make the chocolate pudding

-Optional: cocoa powder. (that is, if you're the dark chocolate lover kind)

-Cinnamon. mm mm.

-Chili Powder (going primal? Mayan style)

-and, as always, popsicle molds. 

To make: If all you have are chili flakes (like I did) try to grind them up with mortar and pestle or any sort of material that will whittle it down to more of a powder. Prepare the pudding and dish some into a small bowl. If you're more of a dark chocolate kind of person, add cocoa powder, enough to make the cocoa ratio a little higher. Add chili powder to pudding, to taste. If it's too much, add more pudding. If it's not enough, add more powder. It should taste like chocolate and then kick in with some heat on the back end of it. Add cinnamon to taste, for some sweet, toasty warm familiarity. Then load it into your mold and let freeze. Feel free to give it angry eyes ... just don't give it a car.

Now, if spice and chocolate is not your thing (it sure is out there), I've got another popsicle that will make you smile just like you've hit free-flowing traffic. 

This pudding is classic, like Coca-Cola. Except it's not made out of pure sugar and carbonation. 

Meet The Puddin'sicle.

This popsicle is cake, but not made from cake. It's a cup of tea, no tea included. It's like Mac and Cheese, and don't think that thought hasn't crossed my mind. What I'm saying is, it's easy, it's delicious, and you better believe I already ate two.

Materials: 

-Chocolate Pudding

-Pistachio Pudding

-Cocoa Powder, again, for those who love dark chocolate

- Milk, to prepare the pudding. 

So, easy as pie, make your ingredients - prepare the pudding and make sure you do it quick. You don't want it to set before you're off making swirls and mixes. As my mold only lets me do a certain amount of swirling, I dumped in the not-yet-set pistachio pudding and blopped in a bit of chocolate. Then I pushed in the popsicle stick, dragging down some of the chocolate into the middle. Feel free to make any designs you like - the prettier, the more delicious. 

Well, ladies and gentlemen, there you have it. The moral of the story is - no matter how much the seasons change, popsicles will stay awesome. So, as the air gets a little cooler, don't think your popsicles aren't going to get just as cool. And if you're not into cold things when you want to be warm - layer. Yogurt and fruit, chocolate and vanilla, and my favorite - strawberry and cream. 

Stay tunedsicle.

Blackberry Lemonadesicle

I realized as I woke up this morning in this August's blazing hot glory that I really, really wanted a truly summery popsicle. I haven't had much of a summer. Well, at least not like the summers I used to have before I found myself commuting to a 9-5, coffee in hand, keycard ID around my neck. I've missed that - the refreshingly cold and sweet taste that brings you back to sitting out on the deck with an ice cold glass of that fruity summer lemonade. And while my job isn't as monotonous as I've made it sound, it's about time for a summer standard. And that's what brings me to my popsicle creation of the day, the Blackberry Lemonadesicle. I recently learned how to make fillings, and well, that is exactly the name of the game with this tart deliciousness. And if that doesn't work for you, you're in luck ... you don't need a Zoku to make it just as tasty.

To make this particular popsicle, you're going to need:

--blackberries
--blender/magic bullet (OR something to mash with)
--a kind of juice (apple is a good neutral)
--lemonade (I used pink Simply Lemonade)

and, as always, 

-popsicle mold (or any cup** will work)

-popsicle sticks

** if you're going to use a cup as your popsicle mold, use tinfoil on top and poke the popsicle stick through to hold it in the center, popsicle-style.

So ... ready, GO. 

--I started out by throwing a handful of blackberries into my magic bullet (or you can use a blender, or even mash it up with a fork or some kind of mashing... apparatus) and threw in some apple juice to make the mooshed up berries more liquid.

--I pulled my popsicle mold out of the freezer (not a bad idea for all molds) and poured the Lemonade in the wells. 

--Once the lemonade has frozen enough to stick to the sides of the wells about a couple milimeters, I took a straw and emptied the wells of the excess liquid so all that remained was a thin, lemonadey shell. 

--I then took the blackberry liquid and poured it into the lemonade shell, letting the remainder of the popsicle freeze all the way through. 

--when frozen, remove from popsicle mold and enjoy the summery scrumptiousness. 

Sometimes, with cups/regular molds, it doesn't work to make shells/fillings, as the entire container of liquid freezes at once instead of outside-in. Instead, try layers - fill the mold half full with lemonade, and then when that is frozen, fill the rest with the blackberry. Or mix it all together. 

Because like all the good things in life - cookies and milk, pb and j, Pam and Jim, coffee ice cream and kahlua... they are better together! Happy Summer. 

The Popsicle Project

I've been searching for a focus for this blog since I created it. Originally, I wanted to just start writing, but I found myself much more blocked than in my everyday personal journal; I didn't feel like throwing the deepest inner workings of my brain straight onto the internet. I started writing about my wedding planning, which was great, but I sure can't come close to the loveliness that are blogs like Ruffled and Style Me Pretty. Then I found that I was of the many twenty-somethings trying to break into the ever-elusive career world, and started writing about that... and it worked, for a while, until I realized it was making me more frustrated. So I started to think about other things I am passionate about, and I came upon this, the Popsicle Project. It's a project in which I will try to document every popsicle I make - weird or not - right here. Maybe I'll tie them into the type of day I'm having. Maybe I'll ponder things while I make them. For now, it's popsicles and me, and that's it.

I have to credit this discovery to my uncle, Mark, who was over here the other day with my cousin and my aunt. I was huddled over my popsicle materials, slowly making funny faces out of cutouts and sticking them to the inside of my popsicle molds. "Making popsicles, eh?" he said. I smiled and nodded. Then he said, "You are very passionate about popsicles," which made me laugh - but I couldn't help but agree that yes, I am very passionate about popsicles. This dates back to the ice cream truck days that I (and so many others) remember fondly. I loved the double ones that you could break and half and share. OR eat all to yourself, because... well, why the heck not?

Sir Ken Robinson is constantly talking about finding your element - and that starts with passion. I'm not saying that this project is the most poignant or life changing, but it's for funsies, and I'm all about that. And well, eating popsicles. It's lighthearted, it's lovely, and it's delicious.

So I begin. At the beginning.

My materials:

---Zoku popsicle maker, purchased at Williams-Sonoma, $49.95 - this is NOT a necessary purchase for making popsicles, it simply makes it easier. MUCH easier. They also just came out with a Duo, which is $10 cheaper. Let me tell you, it IS 40 bucks, but worth the money. Also... must reiterate that it isn't necessary and that every popsicle I will post here is popsible (too cutesy?) without the help of the Zoku. Here ends the plug.
---basically what I've got in my fridge. From fruit to ice cream to pudding to even carrots (which didn't taste so great), I've put it in a popsicle. So most things I use will either be a common fridge item, or easily found at grocery stores.

 Stay tuned!