A Taste of the Blue & Gold

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

If you are among the tens of people reading this, you clearly have impeccable taste. Not only are you a generous supporter of the basketball arts, you also appreciate the fine cuisine that is popsicles – as does Kevin Pritchard, the President of Basketball Operations for the Pacers.

Congrats on your enlightenment. Like you, I am also a connoisseur of the best form of frozen treats. In fact, I’ve made it my mission to spread the joy of Outshine Fruit Bars, whether driving near and far to locate every flavor or power ranking them on my now defunct podcast.

There is no such thing as a bad Outshine Fruit Bar, some are just more good than others. Really, if there is any complaint to be had, it’s that there aren’t more flavors. To remedy this, my amazing and super talented sister has been trying her hand at the craft popsicle game, whipping up my ideas for concoctions ranging from Kiwi Honeydew and Cranberry Lime to Wassail.

To celebrate the launch of Basketball, She Wrote - a blog about the basketball played by the Indiana Pacers, she and I – as the non-influential influencers that we are (seriously, I promise this isn’t an ad. I just really like popsicles.) – came up with something extra special for the extra-special readers of this publication:

Blueberry Lemonade Frozen Fruit Bars!!!!!!!!

Please. Applaud. The. Brand. Synergy. If I were a celebrity (or even remotely notable), this would be my celebrity meal. Alas, I am not. But! We – as the normal, everyday basketball enthusiasts that we are – can still delight in this offering together, pairing a taste of the Blue & Gold with the words that are written about the Blue & Gold. If you go get the ingredients and start now, these tasty morsels might even be frozen by game-time (surely this will be the case for a game at some point, right?). Here’s what you need to do, as described to me by my sister.

Don’t worry, she’s got this.

Blueberry Lemonade Frozen Fruit Bars

Makes approximately 8 (3.5 oz) fruit bars

INGREDIENTS

Blueberry Lemonade Layer

1/2 c. blueberry lemonade (Simply brand preferred)

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries (divided into 1/2 c. and 1 c.)

Lemonade Layer

1 1/2 c. lemonade (Simply brand preferred)

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/4-1/2 c. fresh blueberries, optional

BLUEBERRY LEMONADE LAYER INSTRUCTIONS

Put the 1/2 c. blueberry lemonade and 1/4 c. sugar in a small saucepan. While stirring, heat the mixture to boiling. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely. (The cooling process can be sped up by transferring the syrup from the hot pan into a heat safe measuring cup or bowl.)

While the syrup is cooling, mash 1/2 c. of the fresh blueberries to the consistency that you would like the fruit pieces to be in your popsicle. Once mashed, set aside.

Place the other 1 c. of blueberries in a blender and pour in the cooled syrup. Blend completely.

Pour the blended fruit and syrup through a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl. Using the back of a spoon, press the mixture to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids. Add the reserved mashed blueberries.

Fill each popsicle mold 1/3 to 1/2 way with the blueberry lemonade mixture. DO NOT PUT IN STICKS. Freeze for at least 3 hours.

LEMONADE LAYER INSTRUCTIONS

Put the 1 1/2 c. lemonade and 1/2 c. sugar in a small saucepan. While stirring, heat the mixture to boiling. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely. (Again, the cooling process can be sped up by transferring the syrup from the hot pan into a heat safe measuring cup or bowl.)

Once the syrup is cooled, remove the semi-filled popsicle molds from the freezer. If you are adding the additional whole blueberries, fill each mold with lemonade to about 3/4 inch from the top and add 4-6 blueberries to each mold. If you are not adding the additional whole blueberries, fill each mold with lemonade up to about 1/4 inch from the top to allow for expansion during freezing. Put popsicle mold handles (or sticks) into each mold. Freeze for at least six hours.

When you are ready to enjoy your fruit bars. Run the molds under cold water until you are able to wiggle the fruit bars free. Do not pull hard or you risk pulling out the handle/stick!

NOTES

While it may be tempting to add less sugar, it is important to include this amount as the flavor of the mixture will mellow upon freezing. Also, the presence of the sugar allows the mixture to freeze to a consistency that can be bitten, instead of a hard ice cube.

If you do not own a blender, you can achieve the necessary consistency for the blueberries with a potato masher and some effort.

Filling the popsicle molds can be tricky. Using a measuring cup with a pour spout usually works best, but sometimes using a spoon allows you to more evenly disperse the small pieces of fruit.

Conclusion

Well, Extra-Special readers, there you have it. Personally, I think she nailed it and see no reason why these aren't being sold as a celebrity meal at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (kidding!). If you end up giving "A Taste of the Blue & Gold" a taste, let me know what you think. Or, better yet, send me pictures of your creations.

This is just the beginning.