June Bug on the Rocks

Jed was recently flipping through our free Better Homes and Gardens magazine when he came across this yummy recipe.

3 cups Ginger Ale
4 TBSP Grenadine
4 TBSP Orange Juice (we've used freshly squeezed from an orange, and store bought)
3 scoops Orange Sherbet*

Blend and serve over ice.

*What's with Orange Sherbet these days? It was my ice cream of choice as a kid, but here are my last two times buying it:

1. I have to look up and down the freezer aisle, open the freezer door, step up into the freezer and reach to the very back of the top shelf to get the last carton of orange sherbet. Not just a certain brand... the only orange sherbet carton in the store.
2. At a different store, they have no orange sherbet. Jed is waiting at home for me to bring it home so he can make more June Bugs. I have to drive to another store (not the one from example 1 because I know I already cleared them out a couple days earlier) and wipe the frost off the carton of Orange Sherbet they have stockpiles of, but all covered in a quarter inch of frost.
   

Chilled Hot Chocolate

I'm sure none of us bought a giant tub of hot chocolate mix at Sam's Club this winter and then barely made a dent in it before the weather warmed up. None of us, right? But if you were foolish enough to have done such a thing, I have the perfect chilly solution for you...
Chilled Hot Chocolate.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups warm water
4 envelopes* (1 ounce each) instant hot cocoa mix
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1-1/2 cups half-and-half cream

Directions:
In a blender, combine water and cocoa mix; cover and process until dissolved. Add ice cream and cream; cover and process for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour into chilled mugs. Yield: 4 servings.

Verdict:
Yum!
I had high hopes for this recipe, but deep down figured it would taste too much like a chocolate milk shake (and I'm not such a big fan of chocolate ice cream or chocolate milk). It did not disappoint my high hopes. As a hater of chocolate milk shakes, I LOVED this. So I figure, if you are like a normal person who loves chocolate milkshakes, this thing should be heavenly to you.

*One envelope is about 2 heaping tablespoons.

Russian Refresher

There are these two women who live in my town and go to my church that are awesome cooks. I'm sure there are more than two, but these two always do our food demonstration at our Super Saturday craft activities. This year one of them gave us this recipe she calls:

Russian Refresher Mix



2 cups powdered orange drink mix (Tang works)
1/3 cup presweeteened powdered lemonade mix
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well. Put in a 1-quart airtight container. Label. Store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months. Makes about 3 1/2 cups mix.

To serve: Add 3 tsp of Russian Refresher Mix to 1 cup hot water. Stir to dissolve.

She wraps some up in a cute jar or mug and gives it out as small Christmas presents. Like you sometimes see Cookies in a Jar or Hot Chocolate given as gifts.

It's a lot like Hot Apple Cider, but with Orange instead. I loved the tiny little sample we each got and woke up this morning with a sore throat thinking how good this drink sounded to me right now. Unfortunately I don't keep Tang on hand or I'd be drinking it right now.

Making Banana Pancakes

image from www.Marrder.com

I hate green bananas. I like my bananas almost too ripe, just before they start getting the brown spots when they are still very yellow. So bananas around my house tend to ripen very quickly if I buy them in that barely green stage and then they get ignored for a bit. I try not to waste them, but I can only make banana bread so often. And I haven't yet found a banana bread recipe that I absolutely love. (Please send me your recipe if you've got a great one.)

While Google image searching for a picture of bananas, I came across a bunch (HA!) of banana recipes that looked tasty and may have to try out as well. I also learned that I can stick them in the freezer until I am ready to bake. Here are the recipes:
Mad about Banana Muffins
Vanana Cookies (Vegan Banana Peanut Butter Cocoa Cookies)
Chocolate Banana Nut Bread
Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Peanutty Banana Brownie Pizza (I've made this... Yummy yummy!)

Then there's my favorite milkshake/smoothie that I like to call the purple cow (which I thought I got from here, but they call theirs "The Purple Banana," so I don't know where I got it from).
It's just vanilla ice cream, milk, blueberries, strawberries, and a banana blended together. Yum.

Back on topic... Banana pancakes. That's why we're here. I came across the following recipe the other day in a cookbook of recipes gathered from the women at church when we lived in California and plan to try it out tonight.

Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2-3 large bananas mashed

Directions:
Microwave butter in milk until melted. Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth. Lightly grease heated griddle. Makes about 18 (4 inch) pancakes.

*Later tonight- I've now made these and they were yummy. The adults really enjoyed them, the kids... just sort of. I think they enjoy regular pancakes better. Buddy ate all his but when I tried to give him more since he always eats a ton of pancakes he said he didn't want more because he wanted to be the first one done. Princess Sparkley isn't big on fruit, so she didn't like the gooey banana bits. Next time I might add pinch of cinnamon, or sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top for the kiddos.

Orange Summer Cooler

This was a summer staple of my childhood, it's sort of an Orange Julius knock off, but not really. And we never did the fancy orange garnish.

image from www.allrecipes.com

Orange Summer Cooler

Ingredients:
1 6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
10-15 ice cubes
optional: banana, berries, etc.

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender. Cover and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately or freeze some for later. Makes about 6 cups.


Another fun cold orange summer drink and a story: Once while eating at Denny's the waiter recommended what was basically an orange Creamsicle milkshake. I love orange Creamsicles almost as much as I love chocolate with peanut butter. Basically make your normal vanilla milk shake (vanilla ice cream and milk) and add some orange juice. I don't know how much... 1/2 to 3/4 cup maybe. Super yummy. I ordered this at Denny's every time we ate there from then on, and surprisingly when we were first married, we ate there a lot. I think it was the Moons Over My Hammy. And the milkshakes. And the being opened late. And the being down the street from one of our first apartments. Sometimes the waiter was cool with it. Sometimes he was confused. Sometimes they charged me for a vanilla milkshake and a small orange juice. Argh. Try it out!