Blueberry Banana Smoothie

1c milk
1 banana, peeled
2/3c frozen blueberries
1c blueberry yogurt

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend on high until smooth. Serve immediately. (In a military family, there is always a wine glass from past Battalion formals. They are a nice touch for serving this yummy treat.)

Piña Colada

It's hot! I mean it's really, really hot! Go to the pool and take a dip hot. Turn on the radio, listen to Kenny Chesney, and wish you were in the Caribbean hot. Unfortunately, we don't have the coins for the Caribbean, but I did pick up the ingredients for this tropical treat. The kids totally love it and have asked for it three days in a row.

Ingredients:

4 fluid oz Cream of Coconut
4 fluid oz unsweetened Pineapple juice
2 cups ice
maraschino cherries and frozen pineapple chuncks (if they are handy)

Combine the Cream of Coconut (NOT to be confused with coconut milk. Cream of Coconut is found with the mixers), pineapple juice, and ice in a blender. Blend well. Garnish with marachino cherries and frozen pineapple chucks in you have them. I went a step further (and the girls felt like royalty). Add a few drops of red food coloring to a small bowl of granulated sugar and mix with a fork. Wet the rim of the glass in a little maraschino cherry syrup and dip it in the sugar. It's an extra step, but it adds a little class to this summer treat.

Homemade Lemonade

I am loving the summer! A few weeks back the kids decided to open a lemonade stand. The watered down lemonade (made from powder by eight year olds) gave me a craving for the real deal. So I rooted up this recipe...maybe someday I'll live in a house with a lemon tree in the backyard. Wouldn't that be paradise!

For homemade lemonade, you will need:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
4-6 lemons
3 to 4 additional cups cold water (to dilute)


Heat 1 cup each of sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely. While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice. Mix the juice and sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water to dilute. You can add more or less depending on how strong you like your lemonade. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it. If you are feeling fancy serve with ice and sliced lemons.