31 | August | 2010 | Willow Bird Baking

Did you see Joy the Baker’s recent popsicle post? The one where she mentioned that her popsicle molds come from the dollar store?

What?

You mean I don’t have to win one of those fancy $50 molds (because there’s no way I’m buying something that expensive) to make popsicles?! You mean I can make them with a mold that costs a dollar?! Or even WITHOUT A MOLD AT ALL?!

Have you ever had one of those moments where you realize you’ve been lulled into some weird advertising-induced hypnosis? You start wondering how you could possible make ice cream without purchasing a hundred-dollar KitchenAid attachment. How in the world people wash their floors without the latest souped-up super mop. How people subsist without a dishwasher. How people can brave the harsh elements without a trendy coat in this year’s style. How people made pasta before pasta machines, bread before bread machines, pie crusts before food processors.

This dude calls it “lifestyle creep,” where luxury items slowly start to seem like necessary components of a happy life. And of course companies don’t mind — they want it that way!

This other dude talks about how companies have created a “culture of unnecessaries” (thanks to Dena for these links).

I think those dudes are right on. It doesn’t mean I’ll stop buying Coke Zero or eating out every now and again, but it is a call to step back and examine.

Maybe it has to do with being really poor right now (I’m really poor right now, y’all), but I’ve been waking up and noticing these assumptions I’ve fallen into over time. Maybe I don’t need to eat out so much. Maybe I can do without new dishes and props for photos, and instead just rearrange the ones I have. Maybe I don’t need to buy the fancy shampoo. Maybe now is not the time to cook with Gruyère (cry).

And maybe I don’t need the $50 popsicle mold before I can have some good ol’ fashioned summertime snacking fun.

Sure enough, my dollar store had mini popsicle molds. The sticks that came with the mold were kind of useless, but the store also sold regular old craft sticks. Popsicles for $2? Count me in.

I decided to create some Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles because I love the tangy, sweet mix of berries and lemon. These are yogurt pops, so they’re creamy and indulgent. It’s still about as hot as the surface of the sun in Charlotte (I decided this while sweating through my church clothes and trying to put air in my tires last Sunday), so icy treats are still welcome even as September approaches.

Want a salty snack to go along with these sweet pops? Stay tuned for Snack Attack #2! So delectable!

I have two questions to end with today: What’s your current favorite snack? and What unnecessary things have you been lulled into feeling like you “need”?

Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles

Recipe by: Adapted from Our Best Bites and The Kitchn
Yields: about 18 of my mini-popsicles, and probably about 9 regular sized popsicles

Lemonade Layer Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups lowfat yogurt, plain or vanilla
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp sugar

Strawberry Layer Ingredients:
1 pint strawberries, cored and quartered
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt

Directions:
First, make the lemonade layer mixture. Heat the lemon juice in a small, microwaveable bowl for around 45 seconds (give or take, depending on your microwave) and dissolve all the sugar into it. Pour this mixture into a medium bowl with the yogurt and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to assemble popsicles.

Make strawberry layer mixture. Place the strawberries, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a bowl. Simmer for around five minutes until the strawberries are soft. Pour this mixture and the lemon juice into a food processor and pulse until almost pureed, but not liquefied. Chill in the refrigerator until cool, and then whisk the yogurt into the strawberry mixture until well combined.

Assemble the popsicles. Use a teaspoon or tablespoon (depending on the size of your molds) to carefully spoon alternating layers of lemon and strawberry mixture into your molds. If you typically like your lemonade more sweet than tart, use more strawberry layers than lemon. If you prefer more tart than sweet, use more lemon layers than strawberry. Freeze overnight. To unmold, dip molds into warm water and gently pull popsicles out. Serve immediately (or wrap in wax paper and place in ziplock bag to store in freezer).

P.S. You know what’s funny? No one ever makes apple popsicles, pumpkin popsicles, cinnamon crumble pops. I think at some point in my life, I need to make fall popsicles. We’ll sit by the fire in our parkas and enjoy them together. Who’s with me?

P.S. 2 — A bonus for you: my tweets during this popsicle endeavor. You should follow me on Twitter for fun behind the scenes play-by-plays!