This Ain't Julia, Child!: I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM

Well, it had to happen. Summer is here. We made it through the last-minute flurry of final exams, piano recitals and field day. And so the question begs, "Now what?"

As Camp Mommy kicks into high gear, I consider myself fully-prepared. Memberships are updated to the Zoo, Aquarium, Children's Museum and City Park amusement area. I've located the fishing rods in the shed. Bike tires are pumped up. The blazing southern sun hasn't made the pool feel like bath water yet...YET. Wii is online. Library cards stand at the ready. I should be cool, right? RIGHT?!?

And then it starts, "Mo-o-o-m, she's hogging the remo-o-ote!" BING! Round One of the summer battles begins. I SCREAM. YOU SCREAM. Just wait till they get really bored. That, my friends, is when I pull out my secret weapons.

There is no amount of summertime angst that cannot be soothed over with something cold and sweet. For a $6 investment at the local dollar store, I have bought myself ALOT of sanity with a few little FREEZY POP trays. I figure each pop I make will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 cents. Have you priced the ice cream truck lately??? Three dollars for a nasty pop that looks like a demented Spongebob (Redundant? Discuss.) and tastes like nothing that exists in nature? $3 each??? Really????

And my pops won't have a drop of high fructose corn syrup. In fact, they'll have fruit, vitamins, milk and fiber! All summer long, we'll have fun coming up with new concoctions to tickle our taste buds (and soothe the savage beasts). Here is our first set of recipes.

BrrrrNANA POPS
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup of milk (I used canned pet milk)
1/2 cup of fresh, ripe pineapple chunks (you can use canned)
1/3 cup sweetner (sugar, Splenda...up to you)
1 tbsp honey
pinch of cinnamon
I am always looking for ways to use up ripe bananas. In the winter, I make bread but this is a great idea for summer. Just blend everything together and pour into a freezy pop tray. You can also use small cups with wooden sticks that you can get at the store. This batch makes 8 pops. If you have leftover, throw some ice cubes into the blender and enjoy a quick smoothie.

PEANUT BUTTER CUP POPS

1 ripe banana

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tbsp condensed milk

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Blend all ingredients except the chips. Stir in the chips. Freeze in your pop tray. This batch makes 4 pops.

I had lots of the second batch left so I whipped it up with ice in the blender. Put it in a fancy milkshake glass, added a large marshmallow, some chips for garnish and a sprinkle of cinnamon for color. VOILA!

Summer Bliss. Summer Blessing! And then the teenager said, "This is awesome. My mouth's havin' a party!" A happy teen - and no one is in the car or spending a fortune? That, my friends....Summer Miracle!