Strawberry Ice, Ice Baby

One of our cool treats in the summer time is homemade fruit ice. I got this super easy recipe from a parent's mag last summer and it's a keeper! You don't have to use strawberries (though that's my favorite); use anything you have handy. The only trick is the fruit MUST be frozen. You can just use bagged frozen fruit or cut up your own fruit and then freeze it yourself.

We've only done the strawberry and watermelon ice. If you try any of the other fruit flavors, let me know how they turn out.

Enjoy!


Fruit Ices

1/2 cup each, sugar and water
2 Tbs. lemon juice
Fruit of your choice (see options below)

1. If you're not using bagged frozen fruit, freeze chopped fresh fruit on a plastic cutting board or a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. (I like to use a piece of waxed paper on the baking sheet and spray that with cooking spray - makes for easier clean up).
2. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, then boil until sugar is dissolved. Let cool; stir in lemon juice. Place frozen fruit in food processor and puree while slowly adding sugar syrup.
3. Transfer to container or ice-pop molds and freeze, or eat soft. (You don't have to use popsicle molds, we just use a tupperware container and it works fine).

Fruit:
5 cups strawberries (or one 20 oz. bag of frozen berries)
3 cups sliced peaches (or one 10 oz. bag of frozen slices)
2 cups blueberries (or one 16 oz. bag frozen berries), plus 1 large banana
4 cups diced watermelon
1 cored fresh pineapple (in the container, core removed)
4 cups seedless green grapes
4 cups diced cantaloupe
4 cups diced honeydew