Most of my family is crazy about strawberries. I’m the one who is just so-so on them. I think it’s the seeds.  They’re little and they get stuck in my teeth. There was a Mother’s Day when Andrew peeled all the seeds off of the strawberries he cut up for the fruit salad my wonderful family was serving me. It was such a sweet gesture that has stuck with me all these years.  I don’t remember anything else about that particular Mother’s Day celebration!

Strawberry season is well under way. It runs from late April to mid June in these parts. I like to buy strawberries in 2 pound containers and make all kinds of things with them! I have a bunch of go to favorites but Kelly recently found this recipe that she wanted me to try out. I made her a dozen of the “popsicles”. She ate them for dessert & breakfast & snacks. “Just like a smoothie,” she claimed.

Now for some botanical truths! Strawberries are not actually berries. Blueberries and cranberries are true berries because they have the seeds on the inside. Strawberries are considered a multifruit or a “pseudofruit” with each seed of the strawberry being an individual fruit. I love learning something new everyday!

Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles (adapted from domesticfits.com)

Makes 8-12 popsicles, depending on the container you use

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 6 large fresh strawberries, chopped or ¾ cup frozen strawberries
• 6 full sheets of graham crackers
• 2 tablespoon melted butter

Instructions:

In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar and milk, processing until they are well combined.

Blend the cream cheese, sour cream, milk and sugar together.

Add the strawberries, pulsing to combine.

Add the cut strawberries to the processor.

Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, leaving about 1 inch of the top empty for the crust. (If you use small bathroom cups like Dixie Cups, rinse the inside of the cup with a little water to wet it, draining all the water out. Sprinkle the graham cracker/butter mixture in the cup so it adheres to the bottom & sides of the cup before adding the strawberry mixture.)

Dixie cups can be substituted for popsicle molds.

Processor the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. While the food processor is running, add the melted butter in a slow stream until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Add the graham cracker crumbs after the strawberry mixture if you are using molds.

Divide the crust evenly between the popsicles, pressing down gently to compact. Insert popsicle sticks if you are using small bathroom cups and freeze them for at least 6 hours. These will keep in the freezer for about 2 weeks.

With Kelly in the house, the dozen popsicles I made didn’t last 2 weeks!   ~Linda

Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles (adapted from domesticfits.com)

Makes 8-12 popsicles, depending on the container you use

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 6 large fresh strawberries, chopped or ¾ cup frozen strawberries
• 6 full sheets of graham crackers
• 2 tablespoon melted butter

Instructions:

In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar and milk, processing until they are well combined.

Add the strawberries, pulsing to combine.

Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, leaving about 1 inch of the top empty for the crust. (If you use small bathroom cups like Dixie Cups, rinse the inside of the cup with a little water to wet it, draining all the water out. Sprinkle the graham cracker/butter mixture in the cup so it adheres to the bottom & sides of the cup before adding the strawberry mixture.)

Processor the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. While the food processor is running, add the melted butter in a slow stream until the mixture resembles wet sand.

Divide the crust evenly between the popsicles, pressing down gently to compact. Insert popsicle sticks if you are using small bathroom cups and freeze them for at least 6 hours. These will keep in the freezer for about 2 weeks.