One of my favorite parts of summer is eating snow cones! This summer I am on the sugar-free kick again, so I was looking around for ways to make my own sugar-free syrups. The ones you buy in the stores are limited in flavors and are also made with the product that leaves a bad after-taste. This year I found a site on ebay where I can buy little bottles of syrup flavors and add my own "sugar" to make 16 ounces of syrup and it's at least 1/3rd less in cost than buying flavors in the store. Plus, they have over 100 flavors to choose from....whoohoo! I found that adding 1/4 sugar and 1 1/4 cup of splenda is a pretty good mix. (no bad aftertaste that I notice.) I also have extract for root-beer, cream soda, and vanilla creme and it makes excellent syrup also using the same concept of 1 1/2 cup "sugar" with 1 tsp. of extract. I'm going to experiment with some other extract flavors next....except I think I better use up some of what I have as I am getting a little "family flack" for my 15ish bottles of syrups cluttering the fridge...lol!
Snow Cones bring back such good memories of growing up. My two favorite flavors then were lime and blue raspberry! Not that there were many to choose from---but the colors are part of the appeal I guess! Don't you love catching a glimpse of yourself with blue lips and a blue tongue?!A week ago, the snow cone machine I've had for several years--and used a ton--started acting up. The first thing I noticed was I was sitting in the other room, with no one else in the house, and I suddenly hear this motor noise...so I go to investigate and the snow cone machine was going on it's own! (normally you put the ice in and hold the lid down to run it). So I unplugged it, which I normally do anyway, but had forgotten. The next day I went to make a snow cone and I suddenly notice flashes of light coming from the base and electrical smoke pouring out! Yikes! Needless to say I unplugged it and threw it away. :(
I called my sister-in-law, Nancy, who was going in to town, to run by Wal-mart and pick me up another one. But she reports back that they were all sold out! So, I got online and ordered one off amazon.com but it was going to be a week or so before it comes. I can't live THAT long without a snow cone so....time to be inventive!!
It took me some experimenting, but I found if I put crushed ice in a large glass, pour in some snow cone syrup about 3/4 of the way and cover the rest of the ice with water or sugar free pop, then I can insert my immersion hand blender and buzz away to an incredibly soft, slushie-like concoction that I have found to like even better than the snow cones! I have some frozen peaches that I hope to experiment in crushing up into drinks also. I think I have become the snow cone and slushie queen!! =)
Gotta love this color! Hmmmm Lime!
See how ultra smooth it makes it?! The blue Rival pictured above is my new snow cone machine. It actually got here in less than a week!
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