Lakers GOLD Mango Sorbet, Game 6

Posted by Judy | Bebe Love Okazu on June 16, 2010 in Blog, Desserts & Treats, Ice Cream, Lakers | 16 comments

Lakers ROCK!!!  The Lakers took Game 6 of the Finals against the Celtics, 89 – 67, and tied the series 3 – 3, keeping the dream alive and getting us to Game 7 on home court.  Thank you, Lakers!  Thank you SO much for not letting us down!!!!!

I must also thank the Lakers for maintaining a significant lead during the entirety of the game because this kept my stress level at a minimum.  This was a HUGE relief after an anguishing day filled with tumultuous emotions.  Yes, friends… my Lakers neurosis was back in full-force yesterday. I started my day still feeling very disappointed and depressed over Sunday’s Game 5 loss and my heart was heavy. I didn’t want the Lakers season to end last night with the Celtics taking the championship. Other times throughout the day, I had moments of sheer positivity and strongly believed the Lakers would win big that night and take us to Game 7.  All day my emotions swung from one end of the pendulum to the other… but my bipolar-Lakers-neurosis was only the beginning.

I found myself driving Big Onechan to swim team practice in the late afternoon and suddenly realized I was wearing a teal cami underneath my shirt – OH NO! I quickly announced that I HAD to change as soon as I got home because teal is too close to the color GREEN – Celtics green, that is. (I am certain Big Onechan secretly tells her friends at swim that I am neurotic – LOL).  When I got home, I changed into a lavender shirt (close enough to Lakers purple), then I set-off to hunt down Bebe E’s Lakers onesie.  Knowing the game was about to start in half-an-hour, I frantically dug through her clothes in the drier and found nothing.

CONFESSION #1: I am still behind on bebe laundry.  (Ok, ok… I am still behind on everyone’s laundry.)  I only did one of two bebe loads and of course all three of her Lakers’ onesies were in the second load that was still sitting in her dirty laundry hamper.  For a split second I wondered if I could wash and dry her onesie in 1/2 an hour – nope, wasn’t going to happen. Oh well, we’d have to settle for the pink Winnie the Pooh onesie she was already wearing.

My Lakers neurosis doesn’t stop there.  It gets worse.

After swim practice, the game was underway and Big Onechan showered and came out wearing her GREEN pajama t-shirt.  I made her change. She then came out wearing Bebe Dada’s burgundy USC shirt and she asked me if this was OK.  I said, “Hmmm, well the writing on the shirt and the Trojan are gold – Lakers gold – so that’s perfect.”  Plus, in our household the USC Trojans and the Lakers are like best buds so if anything, the Trojan would bring us some luck.  (If I had any doubts before, now I’m 100% certain that Big Onechan tells her friends that I’m neurotic – LOL.)

Sadly, I don’t believe my Lakers neurosis ends with being anti-the-color-green of the Celtics, Bebe E’s Lakers onesies, my belief that the USC Trojan will bring the Lakers good luck, or my many other crazy Lakers superstitions.  I think I might just be a little crazy, period.

CONFESSION #2: Over the past three weeks I have purchased 18 mangoes. That’s right.  E-I-G-H-T-E-E-N. 18.  Am I crazy?!??!!? YES, undoubtedly so…

I purchased two boxes of mangoes, each with 9 mangoes.  You’d think one box would be enough, but our family loves mangoes and we go through them quickly. Even Bebe E loves mangoes.  She likes them pureed and frozen because it soothes her aching gums from all the teeth she’s working so hard to grow. Since Bebe E loves frozen mango so much, I thought I’d make mango sorbet for us bigger folks. PLUS, mango sorbet is the color of Lakers GOLD – perfect for enjoying after cheese pizza on game night.

I Googled mango sorbet and there were a number of recipes but I went with an unusual find – eHow.com. That’s right…  At eHow.com one can learn “how to”: wire a car stereo, remove a tick, resolve wedding planning conflicts, know if your dog needs a jacket, build a ship in a bottle, properly feed your goldfish, and “rock it like Zac Ephron” (yes, this was an actual “how to” article), but most importantly eHow.com can teach one to make mango sorbet.  Gotta love the Internet!

Lakers GOLD Mango Sorbet

• 4 cups chopped mango
• 1/2 cup sugar (original recipe calls for 3 cups)
• 3 cups water
• Some fresh squeezed lime juice (optional)

1)  In a medium pot, heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves to make a simple syrup.  Remove from heat, transfer syrup to a container and allow this to cool to room temperature then refrigerate until ready to use.

2)  In a blender, puree chopped mango, then add simple syrup, lime juice, and blend until incorporated.  Refrigerate until chilled.

CONFESSION #3: Yesterday was a furlough day and Big Onechan didn’t have school, so we picked up burritos from an unnamed Baja Fresh location.  I remembered that the mango sorbet recipe called for limes but I was going to do without them, or substitute some fresh lemon juice since I had lemons at home, but instead, I went rogue.  I packed two large salsa containers with about 8 lime wedges to use for the mango sorbet.  I considered taking a 3rd container but I’d already set a bad example for Big Onechan and I didn’t want to make matters worse.  Let’s just blame my tacky behavior on my Lakers neurosis.

3)  Add ingredients to your ice cream maker and process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.  Our ice cream maker took bout 30 minutes to make the sorbet.  I’m not sure what was better – the aroma of fresh mangoes in the kitchen as the ice cream maker churned the sorbet, or actually eating it.   If necessary, transfer your sorbet to a container and freeze for an additional 2 -3 hours.

Taste the sweetness of victory and enjoy!

GO LAKERS! LAKERS GO!

Judy | bebe mama