Fresh Squeezed Orange Popsicles

When I was a kid I would walk to my grandparents' house after elementary school. They had a huge back yard full of citrus trees, so there were always oranges to snack on. In warm months (er... all year in CA) my grandma would squeeze oranges, mix the juice with sticky corn syrup, and turn them into the stickiest, sweetest, most delicious popsicles ever. It was like licking orange juice concentrate and I'm not describing that as a bad thing.



I've been lusting over popsicle molds for months now, but have not found any in stores. Target does NOT have popsicle molds! Ridiculous. However, I ran into a set with reusable sticks for $2.99 at Kmart and bought two sets.



Commence popsicle season. Here are two ways to enjoy popsicles with fresh OJ, hold the corn syrup.

A few tips first:

1. Get an electric juicer. This will save your wrists from the juicing. It takes about 10-12 oranges to make 8 popsicles, so unless you want crazy strong forearms, just use an electric juicer. Or I suppose you could buy your OJ, but I might shun you.



2. You need to know how much juice you need for your molds. Fill your popsicle molds with water, then dump that into a measuring cup. Now you know how much liquid you need! No guesswork or waste involved!



3. And finally, make freezer space BEFORE you start.




Orange Vanilla Agave Popsicles


1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed OJ
2 tbsp agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together. Agave likes to separate, so whisk well!



Pour into molds.



Freeze for 4+ hours.

And if you're feeling a bit tropical....

Coconut Orange Pops


1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed OJ
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1/3 c. shredded sweetened coconut flakes

Mix all ingredients together.
Pour into molds.



Freeze for 4+ hours.

To release popsicles, fill a sink with hot water and dip the molds in the hot water for a few seconds, or until the pops release!

Tastes like summer!

Orange You Glad?

Please don't delete me from your google reader just because I made an "orange" joke. I promise to make it up to you by the end of this entry.

I come from a very citrus-y family. My grandpa came to California from Texas to work at the Limoneira farm in Santa Paula, which is now one of the world's main suppliers of citrus fruits. Growing up, my grandparents always had several orange trees on their property. I remember my grandma always made orange juice popsicles for my sister and I to enjoy after school. (Orange juice mixed with white Karo syrup, that is). I learned to drive a tractor doing figure eights around lemon and lime trees. I can honestly say that my family has never ever paid for an orange at a supermarket.  Have I proven my point?

imagine me... a real tractor... and some citrus trees!

We at the Roady household have a humble dwarf navel orange tree/bush thing. It's not like the giant huge trees my grandparents had, but it still produces more fruit than a family can eat. So, other than eating one every morning with breakfast, we need to find some creative ways to use these things. They are starting to get ripe and delicious!

And what goes better with orange than.... Sriracha!?

source: theoatmeal.com

PS, click that link ^up there ^ for an LOL.

Sriracha Orange Shrimp
for 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs raw, peeled, tail-on shrimp, thawed if frozen
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• zest of 1 large orange
• juice of 3 oranges (about 3/4 c.)
• as much sriracha as you can handle (start with 1 tbsp, add as you wish)
• slurry: 1 tbsp corn starch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

Instructions

• Heat EVOO in a saute pan over medium high heat
• Add garlic and stir around for a few moments until garlic is softened and super aromatic
• Toss in shrimp and stir fry for 3-4 minutes or until turning pink
• Add OJ, zest, and sriracha and reduce heat to medium low

• Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until sauce it hot hot hot and shrimp is thoroughly cooked

• Add slurry to orange juice sauce and very quickly whisk in! Any pause at this step will result in corn starch globs and that is effin gross. 

• Stir well. Sauce will thicken up in moments.

The sriracha makes the sauce a nice bright orange color. You do eat with your eyes first . . .

On the side, I quickly stir fried snow peas, snap peas, broccolini, baby bok choy and portabellas in garlic and a touch of oil.

Also, I had some leftover brown rice from my black bean and brown rice burgers that I spruced up with fresh diced green onion and sesame seeds.

Winner winner spicy orange sriracha shrimp dinner!

This recipe would be equally excellent with tofu or chicken. 

Orange you glad you didn't de-follow me?