5 Favorite Popsicle Recipes to Beat the Summer Heat!

Did You Know?

The popsicle was invented by an eleven-year-old boy.

In 1905, eleven-year-old Frank Epperson from San Francisco, California invented the popular hot weather treat, the Popsicle as we know it today. However, the invention supposedly came about as a pure accident! According to the Popsicle company, one cold evening Frank left a mixture of powder flavored soda water with a stir stick in it on the porch. Because of the cold weather outside, he awoke to a frozen treat on a stick.

Seventeen years later, in 1922, Epperson served his ice lollipops at a Fireman’s ball and they were a huge hit. It didn’t take long then for Epperson to realize the commercial possibilities of his accidental invention. A year later, in 1923, he introduced the frozen pop on a stick to the public at Neptune Beach, an amusement park in Alameda, California. It was a big success. He soon after applied and received a patent for a “frozen confectionery”, in 1924, which he named the “Epsicle Ice Pop”. He began producing it in different fruit flavors on birch wood sticks.

Enjoy 5 of my favorite variations on the popsicle found around the web by 5 wonderful food bloggers -- from the Coconut Lime Pop to the Mango Pineapple flavor!

1.  Coconut Lime Popsicles by Kelli at The Corner Kitchen

2.  Peach & Lavender Sangria Popsicles by A Thought for Food

3.  Strawberry Shortcake Greek Yogurt Popsicles by The Kitchen Paper

4.  Sea Salted Limoncello Popsicles by Pink Patisserie

5.  Mango Pineapple Popsicles by Grandbaby Cakes

Five Minute Patriotic Pie

When we view the flag, we think of liberty, freedom, pride, and Betsy Ross. The American flag flies on the moon, sits atop Mount Everest, is hurtling out in space. The flag is how America signs her name. Sign her name this 4th of July by making this 5 Minute Patriotic Pie.

Flag Facts:

Q: Who cut the American flag into pieces and was honored for doing it?

A: Robert Peary, who left pieces of the flag scattered at the North Pole. Ref

Q: The American flag first flew over a foreign fort in what country?

A: Libya — over Fort Derne, on the shores of Tripoli.

Q: What is done with worn or outdated flags?

A: Flags are used until they are worn out and then they are destroyed, preferably by burning.

Ingredients:

1 prepared pie crust (I just use Marie Calendar’s for crust cooked according to the package)

1 1/2 lb. fresh strawberries

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp strawberry Kool-Aid

4-5 Tbsp of Ultra Gel or Ultimate Gel

1/2 cup whipped cream

1 heaping Tbsp. powdered sugar

dash of vanilla

18 or so fresh blueberries

Directions:

Wash the strawberries, remove the tops, and slice in half.

In a large bowl, combine the water, sugar, Kool-Aid until sugar is dissolved.  Then add  the Ultra Gel or Ultimate Gel one Tbsp at a time, whisked to mix in each time.  One you have reached the desired thickness fold in the strawberries and pour into the pie crust.

Whip the whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla until firm peaks form.  Pipe the whipped cream around the pie and add a squeeze in the middle.  Decorate with blueberries and enjoy.

Red, White, & Blue Sangria

Red, White, and Blue Sangria courtesy of Recipe Girl... featuring strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and pineapple- for 4th of July. 

Ingredients:

2 bottles dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc is good)

1 cup triple sec

1/2 cup berry-flavored vodka

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup simple syrup (see tips below)

1 cup blueberries

1 1/2 cups hulled and sliced strawberries

1 cup raspberries

1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl or pitcher and stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve well-chilled with a good scoop of fruit floating in each drink, or serve over ice.

Tips:

*To make 1/2 cup simple syrup, boil 1/2 cup water and add 1/2 cup granulated white sugar. Turn heat to simmer and stir until dissolved. Turn off the heat and let cool. Now it's simple syrup!

*Use fresh fruit for this recipe. Frozen just won't be great.

*To make star-shaped pineapple pieces, cut long & wide pieces of pineapple off the side of the fresh fruit. use a star cutter to cut shapes.

Red, White, & Blue Scones

Did you know?

The origin of Uncle Sam probably began in 1812, when Samuel Wilson was a meat packer who provided meat to the US Army. The meat shipments were stamped with the initials, U.S. Someone joked that the initials stood for “Uncle Sam”. This joke eventually led to the idea of Uncle Sam symbolizing the United States government.

The Liberty Bell sounded from the tower of Independence Hall on July 8, 1776, summoning citizens to gather for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon.

The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’

Before cars ruled the roadway, the Fourth of July was traditionally the most miserable day of the year for horses, tormented by all the noise and by the boys and girls who threw firecrackers at them.

Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826.

In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday. It is one of the few federal holidays that have not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday.

Show you're patriotism this Fourth with these Red, White, & Blue Scones courtesy of Two Peas & Their Pod.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup fresh chopped strawberries

1 large egg

3/4 cup cold heavy cream, plus extra cream to brush the tops

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling on top of shortcakes

1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted-for drizzling

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Use your fingers or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients. You will have some small pea size pieces of butter and that is fine. Gently stir in the blueberries and strawberries.

In a small glass measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the egg, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Pour mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until the dough comes together. Carefully knead the dough by hand, just until the dough comes together.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Pat the dough into a circle. Gently roll out the dough. You want the dough to be about an inch thick. Cut the dough into star shapes using a cookie cutter. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Lightly brush the scones with cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer shortcakes to a rack and cool to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, drizzle each scone with white chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is dry.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries: Red, White, & Blue

Variously known as the Fourth of July and Independence Day, July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution (1775-83). In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.

With that being said, do you know what you're serving for your Independence Day celebration?  Stay tuned for daily All-American recipes up until July 4th here at Yum In My Tum.  Up first, strawberries dipped in white chocolate and drizzled with blue syrup courtesy of Life Tastes Like Food. 

Ingredients:

1 pound of ripe strawberries

1 bag of white chocolate candy melts (or a bag of white chocolate chips)

1 cup of confectioner’s sugar

1 tablespoon of milk

1 tablespoon of light corn syrup

Blue food coloring

Wax paper

Directions:

Wash and completely dry the strawberries. In a pot, simmer 1-2 inches of water and place a glass or metal bowl on top of the pot to create a double boiler. Slowly melt half a bag of the candy melts. When the melts are completely melted, remove from heat, add the second half of the candy melts, and incorporate until smooth. If the mixture has cooled down too much to melt everything nicely, simmer the pot of water again and let everything warm up a little bit.

Once the white chocolate is completed melted, dip strawberries about 3/4 of the way and then set on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper for chocolate to harden. After you’ve dipped all the strawberries, in a separate bowl, mix together the confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup and milk. Then add as much blue food coloring (two drops at at time) to get the right shade of blue you want. If you want a thicker icing, use less milk. And if you want a thinner icing, add more milk.

Then spoon icing into a piping bag (I used a ziplock bag). If you are using a ziplock bag, cut a very small hole in the corner. Once the chocolate on the strawberries is completely hardened, drizzle the icing back and forth on the strawberries until about half of the white chocolate area is covered. If it’s easier, hold the strawberry by the stem/top as you drizzle so you can rotate it easily to make smoother lines. Let the icing set, then grab one for yourself, take a big bite, and enjoy!