Mint Limeade

I planted some mint in a pot outside my front door a couple of months ago and it is trying to take over the front steps!

This was one of the recipes that I wanted to try from a recent issue of The Food Network Magazine and since I had all that mint, I decided it would be a good way to some of it up.
We had this for our Father's Day dinner and it was pretty good.

The limes that I purchased for this weren't very juicy, so I had to really work to get enough lime juice. It was really strange, how hard the limes were. I thought I had seen a tip from somewhere about warming the limes in the microwave and rolling them on the counter to get more juice out of them. That technique did work, but it made for a very hot, lime-y mess.

The flavors in this were pretty strong, so we added lots of ice.
It's nice to have a cold, flavorful drink every once in awhile and this was definitely flavorful.


Recipe for Mint Limeade

3 Flavors of Lemonade- Watermelon-Berry, Basil, and Cool-as-a-Cuke

I saw these 3 lemonade recipes in a recent issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.

At first I was only going to make the Watermelon-Berry version for our 4th of July celebration, but then I decided to try them all. We have quite a few cucumber lovers in our family and basil makes everything amazing, so I halved each of the recipes and we had all 3 flavors!

All 3 of these lemonades can be made ahead of time, so that made the preparation very easy.
The watermelon-berry was the most popular. It was definitely the favorite of all the kids, but the other flavors were just as delicious and everyone was glad that we had so many varieties to choose from.

I figure we still have some hot days ahead and I might just make a couple more batches of any of these lemonades and turn them into some kind of frozen ice pops.

We are driving to Nashville tonight to go see Andy Davis in concert. I am pretty excited. Have a great weekend!

Recipe for Watermelon-Berry Lemonade

Recipe for Basil Lemonade


Recipe for Cool-As-a-Cuke Lemonade

Fun Lunch for Kids- Kung Fu Panda Noodles and Berry Smoothie

My husband loves fast food. I mean, he really loves it. He actually thinks that it tastes good. Me- not so much. I really don't care for it, but occasionally take the kids to meet dad for lunch somewhere. Last time we went to Carls Jr and they gave the kids these cute little take-out containers as their toy. I put them in the car and on the way to the grocery store, I came up with an idea for a cute lunch at home. Kung Fu Panda Noodles. If you have seen the movie, then you know that Po (the Panda) works for his dad serving noodles at their restaurant. Perfect!

I love the fresh Chinese noodles that they have in the refrigerated section, by the tofu and wonton wrappers. They cook up really quickly and taste great with Asian or Thai dishes.

I decided to make a quick peanut sauce, cook up the noodles and some veggies and serve them in the cute little Kung Fu Panda containers. My daughter was looking through a recent Kids cookbook, a Disney themed one, and told me she wanted me to make her the smoothie in the picture. Complete with the pink straw, which has a berry on it. Smoothies are easy, so I complied with her wishes and served up this great lunch. It was fun and an easy way to spruce up an everyday lunch!

Kung Fu Panda Noodles by Mary Ann

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3-4 Tbls reduced sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup water

garlic salt

2 tsp dark sesame oil

3 cups broccoli florets

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

1 cup frozen edamame

2 pkg. fresh chinese noodles

Combine the broccoli, bell pepper, and carrot in a large microwavable bowl. Add a little bit of water. Cover with plastic wrap and steam until veggies are tender.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add edamame and boil for 2 minutes. Add fresh noodles and cook for 3 more minutes. Drain.

In a small glass bowl combine peanut butter and 1 Tbls soy sauce. Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds and stir. Add another Tbls of soy sauce and heat for 20 more seconds. Stir and add water to thin it out a little bit.

Add more soy sauce to taste.

In a large bowl, toss noodles with freshly steamed veggies and peanut sauce. Stir until all noodles are evenly coated and veggies are distributed. Serve in little take-out containers or in a bowl.

Berry Smoothie adapted from Disney Cookbook

1 banana, sliced

1 1/2 cups assorted berries (we used strawberries and blackberries)

6 oz vanilla yogurt

3/4 cup skim milk

drizzle of honey

Combine all ingredients in blender. Serve with a straw, which has a berry through it.

Up Next- Tuesdays with Dorie- World Peace Cookies

Asparagus, Ham, and Fontina Bread Puddings, and Hot Chocolate with Ginger

This is what we had for our Christmas breakfast. I figured we would be eating a little bit later in the morning, so I knew I would have enough time to throw it together. I made it in 8 little ramekins and cooked 6 in the water bath and 2 without the water bath, just to see what the difference was. The water bath definitely makes this more like a bread pudding and without it, it is more like a strata. Either way, it tasted really good. My husband absolutely loved these and that pretty much is a guarantee that anyone will like them.
The hot chocolate was a great way to start off the morning. It was very spicy and I wasn't sure if I liked it at first, but after a few more sips, I was sold. My family was a little divided, half of us really liked it, the other half, not so much. It was a fun breakfast anyway! Happy New Year's Eve- Have fun tonight!

Asparagus, Ham, and Fontina Bread Puddings from Cooking Light

1 pound asparagus

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

Cooking spray

5 (1.4-ounce) slices firm white sandwich bread (such as Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup chopped reduced-fat ham

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese

1 2/3 cups fat-free milk

3/4 cup egg substitute

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°.
Cut a 3-inch tip from each asparagus spear, reserving the stalks for another use. Cut asparagus tips into 1/2-inch pieces.
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add asparagus; cover and cook 4 minutes, stirring once. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Coat 6 (10-ounce) custard cups or ramekins with cooking spray; place in a large baking pan. Place bread cubes evenly into custard cups. Top evenly with asparagus mixture, ham, and cheese. Combine milk and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Pour evenly into custard cups; let stand 20 minutes. Add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Hot Chocolate with Ginger from Cooking Light

1/3 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons water

4 cups 1% reduced-fat milk

1/2 cup fat-free chocolate syrup

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and is golden (about 5 minutes), stirring frequently.

Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in milk and syrup; cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a whisk. Heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge of pan, stirring frequently (do not boil). Strain mixture through a sieve; discard solids.

Coming Tomorrow- Pork Chops and Swiss Chard with Balsamic Syrup

Barefoot Bloggers-Mexican Turkey Soup and Spiced Pomegranate Sipper

This Barefoot Bloggers recipe was chosen by Judy over at Judy's Gross Eats. I was going to make this before Thanksgiving, but then I decided it would be a great way to use some of that leftover turkey, so I waited until today. I used the turkey stock we made after we carved the turkey, reduced the amount of olive oil, added a can of black beans, and topped it with Greek yogurt. This was a welcome change, after eating lots of Thanksgiving leftovers and was a perfect lunch for a cloudy day.
I also added on the recipe for the drink I made for Thanksgiving. It was different and we really liked it. The recipe included lots of different options of how to serve it and I went for the Fizzy variety. Yummy!

Mexican Chicken Soup from The Barefoot Contessa

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (I used leftover cooked turkey)

Good olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)

1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)

2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)

4 large cloves garlic, chopped

2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade (I used homemade turkey stock)

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed (I used diced tomatoes, without draining)

2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (I omitted this)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional

6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas

For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 (I used 1 Tbls) tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, beans, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

Spiced Pomegranate Sipper from Southern Living

1 (2 1/2-inch-long) cinnamon stick

5 whole cloves

5 thin fresh ginger slices

2 (16-oz.) bottles refrigerated 100% pomegranate juice

4 cups white grape juice

1/2 cup pineapple juice

Garnishes: pineapple chunks, orange rind curls

1. Cook cinnamon stick, cloves, and ginger in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until cinnamon is fragrant.
2. Gradually stir in juices. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a heat-proof pitcher; discard solids. Serve warm. Garnish, if desired.

Tipsy Hot Spiced Pomegranate Sipper: Prepare recipe as directed. Stir in 1 1/4 cups almond liqueur just before serving. Makes 9 1/4 cups.
Cold Spiced Pomegranate Sipper: Prepare recipe as directed. Let stand 30 minutes. Cover and chill 2 hours. Store in refrigerator up to 2 days. Stir and serve over ice. Prep: 10 min., Cook: 25 min., Stand: 30 min., Chill: 2 hr.
Fizzy Spiced Pomegranate Sipper: Prepare Cold Spiced Pomegranate Sipper as directed. Stir in 1 (33.8-oz.) bottle ginger ale just before serving. Makes 16 cups.


Coming on Monday- Butternut Squash Salad and Liz's Pasta Salad

Weekend Brunch- Monkey Bread Minis, Canteloupe-Peach Salad with Honey-Lime Drizzle, Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Thyme, and Berry Smoothie

One of my favorite things about the weekend is how things slow down a little bit in the morning. Unfortunately, my kids don't sleep in, they get up early, but I don't feel as rushed as I do during the week. I can send them downstairs to watch some cartoons and spend a little time on a great breakfast. Some prefer to stay in the kitchen and help me and that is fine too.

I saw these Monkey Bread Minis in the last issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray and knew they were a must try. I just had to fit them in somewhere. I thought maybe for an afterschool treat, but decided they would be better as a breakfast item. They were devoured. I almost didn't get to try one because they disappeared so fast. Yum-O, as she would say. Definitely worth the time, but if you want to make something similar without making the dough from scratch, check out Picky Palates recipe- I plan to make those on a weekday morning because these monkey bread minis are just too fun and cute, not to mention tasty, to make again!
The smoothie was thrown in because I had a bit of frozen yogurt and a small amount of frozen berries, so I blended them up.
Canteloupe is cheap right now and we have been eating it everyday. Plus there are all those fresh peaches from the tree outside, so I livened it up a little with a bit of honey and some lime.

Had to have some protein in there and ever since I made the Barefoot Contessa's Herbed Baked Eggs, I throw in fresh thyme everytime I make eggs for breakfast. It makes them so scrumptious!
So, if you have the time, have a nice laid back brunch. This one will fill you up for quite awhile and if you don't have time, make some, you won't be sorry!




Monkey Bread Mini's from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine
For muffins
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 buttermilk, chilled
For icing
1 cup powder sugar
2 tbsp whole milk

To make muffins—
Preheat oven to 425F.
In a small bowl microwave 4 tbsp butter and maple syrup at high power until melted, about 30 secs; stir. Set aside.
In another small bowl combine 1/3 granulated sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a food processor, combine flour, baking powder, the remaining 2 tbsp granulated sugar and salt; pulse to combine. Cut the remaining 1 stick of butter into smaller pieces and pulse with flour mixture until course crumbs form. Pulse in the buttermilk until the dough just comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface; pat into a 10 inch square. Quarter the dough, then cut each quarter into 16 equal pieces; roll into balls. Dip each ball into the maple butter then dip in the sugar mixture. Place about 5 to 6 maple-sugar balls into the muffin cup and press to compact.Bake until cooked through and golden, about 15-17 minutes. (Tent with foil if the tops darken too quickly.) Transfer muffin pan to rack and cool for 10 minutes. Using a knife; loosen the sides of the monkey bread; invert and serve warm.
To make icing— Mix powder sugar and milk. Drizzle over the bread as it cools

Canteloupe-Peach Salad with Honey-Lime Drizzle by Mary Ann
1 canteloupe, cubed and refrigerated overnight
3 peaches, peeled or not, cut into bite size pieces
2-3 Tbls honey
juice of 1 lime
zest of 1/4 or 1/2 lime (as much as you like)

Combine refrigerated canteloupe and fresh cut peaches in a bowl.
In another small bowl, stir together honey and lime juice, until well mixed. Stir in zest.
Spoon canteloupe-peach mixture into bowls and drizzle honey-lime mixture over top.

Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Thyme by Mary Ann
8 eggs
splash of skim milk
salt and pepper
1/2 cup any shredded cheese
fresh thyme

Whisk together eggs and milk. Heat a skillet and spray with cooking spray. Pour in egg mixture and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top. Scramble, and just before they are cooked the way you prefer, sprinkle in some fresh thyme, or when you plate the eggs, sprinkle fresh thyme on top.

Berry Smoothie by Mary Ann
1 1/2 cups Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Rich and Creamy Yogurt Blends Berry Granola Crunch
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen raspberries

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. This will be thick, so you might have to use a spoon!

Elephant Monkey Choco-Delight and Panzanella

This milkshake/smoothie might not look too tasty, but it is my son's most requested drink. It goes well with meals, or can be an after-school snack. I always use Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Rich and Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream when I make this smoothie. It makes me feel a little bit better about the fat content. This pleases kids and adults, alike. We had it along with The Barefoot Contessa's Panzanella, because some things are so good, you just have to make them again. I made the panzanella a few weeks ago for Barefoot Bloggers, but repeated it because it has also become a new family favorite.

Monkey Elephant Choco-Monkey Delight
1 medium banana, sliced and frozen for at least 2 hours
1 cup skim milk
1 cup chocolate ice cream (I use Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned 1/2 less fat)

1/4 cup peanut butter

Place all ingredients in blender and puree until smooth. Serve immediately!

Watermelon-Lime Fizz

I think I have probably mentioned before how much I love watermelon. Well, I love fun little drinks too, so I came up with this fruity concoction which was inspired by a photo and recipe I saw in Cooking Light. My kids loved it, and with just a hint of carbonation, it was a great treat on a hot day!

Watermelon-Lime Fizz by Mary Ann, inspired by Cooking Light
3 cups seedless watermelon chunks, with their juice
1 cup sparkling mineral water with lime flavoring
juice of 1/2 or 1 whole lime
1/4 cup sugar
8-10 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Serve immediately, with lime slices if desired.

Kiwi Smartini

Okay, when I saw this in the latest issue of Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine, I thought, that looks really yummy and is actually a little strange. It was oh so good! Seriously, everyone loved it and it was a really fun way to start out our meal. The funniest part was seeing a sippy cup whose top was completely blocked because of all the seeds! Try this, you won't be sorry!
Kiwi Smartini from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine
8 kiwis, coarsely chopped, plus 1 for garnish slices
1 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 6-7 lemons
2 cups ice cubes
1 cup sugar
2 cups water

Place all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with kiwi slice.

Orange Julius

Here is a great, tasty, quick treat, that is quite refreshing on a hot summer's day. This one has to be served immediately after it is made or it begins to separate.

Orange Julius
1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
5-6 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately.

Oatmeal Horchata

Oatmeal Horchata
Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk (I use fat free)
1 can evaporated milk (I use fat fee)
3 cups quick-cooking oats, instant
Sugar to taste
4 or more cups Fat free milk (depends on the texture and thickness that you like)
Ice cubes
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon


1. Mix condensed milk,evaporate milk, and oats in the blender. Blend until everything is liquid the best that your blender can. Put the mixture in a big pitcher.
2. Mix milk, cinnamon, and ice cubes in the blender until liquid; add to the pitcher
3. Stir together and add sugar to taste and more milk or cold water if desire. Put in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.

You can use whole ingredients if you like
If you like to make rice horchata, replace the oats with 2-3 cups of cooked rice