Today’s Friday field trip is kickin’ it back to my childhood.

I’ve always loved freeze pops.  When I was a kid, that’s what I called the ice pops that came in a long plastic tube…tubes of sweet iciness that brought with them reminders of many hot, fun summers.  So, when I recently discovered that food-safe plastic tubes were available online, I had no choice but to purchase some – pronto!

As the years have gone by, I have been more and more hesitant to pick up my old favorites at the grocery stores.  Because, I have to admit, the list of ingredients in those pops is pretty scary!  This made the idea of creating my own even more intriguing!

I have been playing around with possible flavor combinations. I am still working on some recipes…and others, like the basil watermelon or the spicy chocolate, I have already perfected!

For Memorial Day, I am making ice pops from my watermelon recipe to share with my partner in freeze pop crime (aka, my son) who has been known to help me devour an entire box in a very (too short to admit) amount of time!

If you want to make some yourself and don’t have the plastic sleeves, use this recipe with ice pop molds or go old school with small paper cups and wooden sticks.   The recipe can also be frozen up in ice cube trays to add to sparkling water or lemonade.

The ice pop plastic sleeves filled, tied, and ready for the freezer.

To make these frozen confections, I first made basil simple syrup to use as a sweetener for the watermelon.  I love basil with watermelon and the flavor profile makes for a more adult flavor than the watermelon by itself.  The leftover syrup is wonderful for sweetening ice tea or lemonade…it is also great drizzled on fresh strawberries or strawberry shortcake.  Or, it can be a wonderful addition to a summer cocktail!  If you want to add a little ‘kick’ to your pop, I bet a little melon liquor would be a nice addition to the recipe.

I hope I have inspired you to try creating some of your own frozen treats this weekend.

Remember to take some time this Memorial Day to honor those who have paid the ultimate price to ensure our freedom and to thank all those who serve our country both now and in the past.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Craftberry Bush, Shabby Nest, and Crafts a la Mode.