So yesterday was actually this summer’s 9th day of reaching 100 degrees or higher. Compared to the city average of 23 days of triple degree weather, that seems actually pretty good. It’s been three hot weeks of school so far for my kids. Taking the bus and walking home in this kind of heat gets old pretty fast. I think we all prefer the really hot weather to happen during summer vacation.
Today is officially the first day of Fall, and the forecast is 98 degrees.
They say the dry heat here is more bearable than the humid heat in Hawaii. I don’t know though, I don’t remember it ever being so intensely hot in Hawaii. It never hit 100 degrees there. Growing up, I don’t even remember the temperature even getting into the 90’s. I know it occasionally gets into the 90’s now– global warming?
“Scrapbook of Memories- Ice Cream Slushie”
I do remember taking “The Bus” (that is the official name of the city buses in Honolulu) home from school myself, and feeling hot and sticky from the heat a lot of the time. I would long for something cool and refreshing like Shave Ice, Icees, popsicles, or Otter pops.
An ice cream slushie would have been a real treat, but you had to get those at the Crack Seed Center at Ala Moana Shopping Center, and that wasn’t on my bus route or my transfer spot. The bright red fruit punch slush from a machine, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, was soooo good! I didn’t get to have it very often, so when I did get it, it was very special. I read several months ago that the Crack Seed Center closed after over 50 years at Ala Moana, but they still have an online store selling all of their specialty arare, preserved seeds, snacks and candies.
So with the hot weather continuing, I decided to surprise Laurel and Quill with Ice Cream Slushies after school yesterday.
I start off by using a 12 ounce can of frozen fruit punch 100% juice or fruit punch beverage concentrate.
Obviously getting a 100 percent juice concentrate without artificial colors or flavors is best, but the “punch beverage drink” type of concentrates work just as well.
In fact, they are probably more authentic in their use of artificial colors and added sugars. Another plus for the juice beverage concentrates is that you can find more flavors, including tropical ones like guava and passion orange. As long as it’s just an occasional treat, I don’t worry too much about the artificial colors and sugars.
Experiment yourself and find a flavor or flavor combination that you enjoy. I like to stick with something red or berry colored.
Here I’m using 100% juice White Grape-Raspberry concentrate. Pour into a blender.
Add three juice concentrate cans of ice cubes and blend until all the ice is smooth.
Depending on how powerful your blender is, you may need to blend half at a time. I have a Vita-Mix blender, which has a powerful engine, so I do it all at once.
If your ice cubes are on the large side, you also may need to add a little water if it looks and sounds like the blender is stuck, like there’s too much ice for it to blend.
Try a little taste. If it’s too sweet, blend in a little more ice. Remember, the flavor will dilute out a little with the addition of the vanilla ice cream.
Use regular or lowfat vanilla ice cream.
I don’t recommend nonfat ice cream because you really need a little creaminess to balance the sweetness of the fruit punch.
Fill glasses or cups with slush and top each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Raspberry Grape Ice Cream Slushie. Simple and good.
This one is made with the Paradise Punch Beverage concentrate.
I blended it with a little more ice, so it’s a bit thicker, and fun to eat with a spoon-straw.
I smiled as I heard shouts of delight.
But then came the moans of pain. First Laurel, then Quill quickly followed.
“What’s wrong?” I worriedly asked, my mom-radar quickly kicking in. Silence.
“Brain Freeze!” they both yelled. Oh, okay.
“So, you want me to finish up those slushies for you two?” I had to ask.
“NOOOO!!!!! We’ll finish them!!!”
“Thanks, Mom.” I heard them say between giggles.
See, I still remember what it’s like to be a kid.
- 1 (12oz) can frozen fruit punch 100% juice or juice beverage concentrate, thawed
- 3 juice cans of ice cubes (4-1/2 to 5 cups)
- 4-5 scoops regular or lowfat vanilla ice cream
- Pour fruit punch concentrate into blender. Add ice and blend until smooth. Depending on how powerful your blender is, you may have to blend half a recipe at a time. Using large ice cubes may require you to add a little water to help the blending process. It is important to make sure the juice concentrate is thawed, and not frozen. The blender needs enough liquid to blend up the ice cubes.
- Pour into cups or glasses. Top each with a scoop of ice cream.
