Icy, blended margaritas are definitely a good way to cool down on a hot summer evening. They’re flavorful and have a little (grown up!) kick to them. They’re never better than when they’re made with fresh fruit and fresh fruit juice, and this is true of other fruity frozen treats, too. For instance, popsicles definitely taste better when they’re made with real fruit and not just fruit juice concentrates. These Strawberry Margarita Popsicles are made with real fruit – lots of it. They also have that same little kick that you get from a regular margarita in an even cooler package.

The popsicles start withe fresh strawberries, which are pureed until very smooth in a food processor or blender. I added honey to the berry puree for some extra sweetness, as well as a little bit of fresh lime juice. Of course, there is also a generous splash of tequila and triple sec in the mix (which could easily be replaced with more lime juice for a non-alcoholic version) to keep things interesting! The mixture is poured into popsicle molds – I used these Rocket Pop molds – and frozen overnight, then they can be enjoyed as an after dinner treat or even served at a party.

You do get a tequila flavor in these, but they are nowhere near as strong as a “real” cocktail. The honey and the tequila both serve to not only flavor these pops, but to ensure that they are smooth and not overly icy. The tequila slightly lowers the freezing point of the pops so that even though they are frozen solid, they melt easily once you start to eat them. For variety, you could turn these pops into other drinks, using rum for more of a daiquiri flavor or changing the lime juice for orange juice for a strawberry orange base.

Strawberry Margarita Popsicles
12-oz fresh strawberries, hulls removed
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp lime juice, pref. fresh
3 tbsp tequila
1 tbsp triple sec (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until mixture is very smooth. You can add a little more honey or tequila to taste.
Pour into popsicle molds (or make your own) and freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until solid.

Makes 6-8 popsicles, depending on size.

The hull is the leafy stem of the strawberry and the small part of the fruit that it is attached to. This part of the berry always needs to be removed before cooking with them, or chopping them up for a salad or other dish, and there are several ways to go about it. You can simply chop off the whole top of the berry, or you can use a small paring knife to cut out the hull. I usually use the paring knife method, but was tempted into trying out the Chef’n Stem Gem on a recent trip to the kitchen store.

The Chef’n Stem Gem is a neat little strawberry huller that looks like a berry and promises to make very short work of the strawberry hulling process.  You simply push the button on top to open the stainless steel claw at the base. Press the claw into the berry, around the hull, then release the button and twist the gadget to remove. The claw doesn’t have sharp edges, just uses pressure and good design to cut through the berry. This little gadget also works well with tomatoes, easily removing the stem and “hull” of those fruits, so it’ll multitask every time you want to make gazpacho or salsa.

It works very well and is very efficient. I never had to go back to a berry to get anything it might have missed and it never gets too much “good” berry as it hulls. It might be a fraction slower than my paring knife (if I’m working very fast), but the difference is not noticeable and this is much easier to use. I’m definitely glad I gave in and picked one up because it’ll get a lot of use in my kitchen this strawberry (and tomato) season!

Cookies are associated more strongly with fall and winter – thanks to the Christmas holiday where cookies are an absolute staple – than they are with summertime. This is a shame because the summer can be a fine time to bake cookies. The days are longer, so we usually feel like we have a little extra free time and, if you have kids around, you can get some extra helping hands to shape and decorate them. Nordicware’s  Summer Series 3D Cookie Cutters is a summer themed cookie cutter set that allows you to make three dimensional cookies that can stand up on their own. The set makes six different shapes with twelve cookie cutters, and the shapes include a boat, a dolphin, an airplane, a unicorn, a dinosaur and a teddy bear. The first three tie in to a summer, travel-theme, while I will admit that the latter three aren’t as obviously summery. They are, however, very cute and because the dinosaur is my favorite cutter from the set I’m willing to overlook the fact that not all of these are beach themed.

The cookie cutters come with a cookie dough and icing recipe that works well with them. If you are going to use a different recipe, choose one that doesn’t spread very much during baking (such as a stiff butter cookie dough, rather than peanut butter or chocolate chip cookie dough) because you need the cut outs to hold their shape, or you won’t be able to fit them together. The cookies are generously sized (4-5 inches) and there is a lot of surface area to decorate, which is fun for kids and adults – and not a bad way to spend a warm summer evening at home.