Banana and Cherry Jell-o Pops

There is a story about me and my Jell-o making abilities that goes something like this. When I was a freshman in college I had no cooking skills whatsoever. My roommates like to remind me, as they laugh and writhe in giggling agony, of the day I realized I really didn't know my way around a kitchen. I was making dinner for my boyfriend and Jell-o was on the menu. I looked at my roommates announced I should start the Jell-o and they responded with a perfectly legitimate question. "When is he coming?" My naive response. "In 2 minutes."

Oh I have come such a long way in 17 years. I still don't make Jell-o very often. I think those packets make great flavorings for pies, Like my pineapple lime pie. I do however keep boxes and boxes of jello mix and pudding on hand (OK mostly pudding). So, in honor of so many things: my roommates, my vastly improved cooking skills, banana week and summer, I give you the recipe for my own invention, Cherry Banana Pops.

Recipe

1 box (4 oz) of sugar free cherry gelatin (or other delicious flavor)

3 bananas

1 tsp lemon juice

1 8 oz tub of light whipping cream (or make your own if so inclined)

1 can of Apple Cherry juice concentrate (feel free to use any flavor your heart desires)

1 Cup boiling water

1 Cup cold water

Ice cubes

Place cherry gelatin in medium bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water and stir 2 minutes until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add enough ice cubes to 1 cup cold water to make 2 cups cold water. Add to gelatin and stir until ice cubes are completely dissolved. Pour evenly into 16 plastic cups or popsicle mold. (I used huge wide cups and the popsicles were a little too big. 5 oz cups would have been much better.) Add about 1/4 cup to each cup and freeze for 1 hour.

Slice 3 bananas and add bananas and lemon juice to whip cream. Spoon mixture onto frozen gelatin in cups. Stick plastic spoons or popsicle sticks into center of each cup and freeze for another hour. Top off with juice and freeze for an additional 4 hours or overnight.

To remove pops from cups, place bottom of cups under warm running water and press firmly on bottom of cup.