Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Frozen Flower Fruit Pops & Adult Fruit Kabobs-Isabellas Summer Snacks


This is not a recipe. More of a process, rather. It was time once again for Isabella's summer snack to take center stage, which she graciously let's her brother partake in, much to his delight, if he happens to not be napping. This time it was so hot out that I couldn't fathom turning our oven on for baked goods or muster up the energy to dirty my kitchen too badly, so instead we made these super cute fruit pops.

Only 3 ingredients are needed which include green apple, watermelon and pineapple, not to mention the wooden skewers used to hold it all together. It's simple really. You just cut and assemble and when they are all said and done you are left with a treat that is fresh, good for you and frozen through, but still soft enough to bite.

You don't need to stick to this flower design either. I used to freeze grapes as a kid and eat them out of a plastic bag. And just recently I read that the Four Seasons somewhere gives out little complimentary mini frozen grape kabobs as a pool snack. They, of course serve it on those sweet little green skewers with a little vloop on top. Way to take it up a notch guys. But what I'm really trying to say is that frozen fruit kabobs of any kind are going to be received with rave reviews throughout the summer. Here's a revolutionary idea; try putting fruit together that actually compliments one another, like you would in a smoothie. Combinations like peach and raspberry kabobs or watermelon and kiwi or pineapple, mango and strawberry. Keep fruit like grapes alone in a solid string. If you are feeling randy, you could take a melon baller to your various melon pieces and soak them in vodka before skewering and freezing. You could also just forget the skewering and add the frozen fruit to the bottom of a glass with crushed ice and mint and muddle together and top with ginger ale or pellegrino or club soda.

Come to think of it, a mini frozen fruit pop would be cute served along side a cheese plate on a hot night. Whatever you do, it's simple and rewarding, so get skewering!

Frozen Flower Fruit Pops
adapted from Family Fun Magazine

For each pop:

1 slice of green apple, core removed
1 ball of watermelon, from a melon baller (or grape)
1- 1/2" thick slice of pineapple, core removed (to create a ring)
1 wooden skewer

Cut notches into the pineapple ring along the sides to create "petals". Pierce the green apple on first, width wise, like in the picture above to look like two leaves on a stem. Slide it down to the middle of the skewer. Then skewer the pineapple ring, length wise, stopping when you get to the middle, briefly to add the watermelon ball into the center and skewer back into the pineapple. Push the fruit down enough so that the sharp top of the skewer comes all the way out of the top of the fruit. Then cut off the top with scissors so the end is flat. Freeze on cookie sheets in the freezer for 2 hours and enjoy!

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