Sno Cones! (Minus the Syrup)

When I think back on my childhood, one of the summer memories that jumps to the front of my mind is gathering up a couple of bucks, heading down to Main Street, and getting a Sno Cone from Ms. RuthAnn.  On one of those scorching Texas summer days, it was a sweet relief with all its cold sugary goodness.  Just thinking about it makes me want a blue coconut, strawberry one.  Mmm-mmmm...

And I would love to share that past time with my kids.  HOWEVER, when I think of getting one for my kids all I can see is a cup of colored sugar that will bring me grief for the next 4 to 6 hours as my kids bounce off of the walls in a crazed sugar-filled hysteria.  No, thank you.

But never one to deprive my kids of summer happiness, I've come up with my own solution.  This is just as tasty, just as loved, possibly cheaper, and made at home...

To make it all you need is a liter of Club Soda and a container of 100% juice frozen concentrate.  I love this Old Orchard brand.  We made the Blueberry Pomegranate last night, which my kids LOVED, and in the freezer I still have Cranberry Raspberry and Apple Passion Mango.  And for a yummy treat at breakfast offer your kids the Pineapple Orange.  Yum.

Now, the club soda is the magic ingredient here.  If you've ever frozen fruit juice you know it comes out hard as a rock.  With the carbonation in the club soda, it freezes differently.  Softer, if you will.  Possibly a bit airy.  Whatever you want to call it, it's the secret to a good homemade Sno Cone.

Slowly mix the club soda and the thawed juice concentrate.  Slowly is the key...and in a container big enough to hold both.  Otherwise you'll have a bubbly mess overflowing everywhere.  Trust me.

Next, pour it into containers that it can freeze in smaller portions.  I used a silicon muffin tin and plastic ice cube trays.  Either works fine.

After they freeze, pop out the desired amount (we used three "muffins" per drink) and pulse them through the food processor.  I believe a blender would work just as well, though you may have to add a little liquid to get it going.

Pulsing...

Pulsing....  He can already taste it.  He's been dreaming about this ever since I put it in the freezer six hours before.

All ready for the gobbling.

...and it's gobbled.

I love these because they're yummy, cold, cheap, and NO ADDED SUGAR...just the natural sugars from the fruit juice.  Let me know if you try them...you can even post a pic on our FaceBook wall of your little ones gobbling them up!

Now, for my next experiment...frozen margaritas...

Happy cooling off,

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