Frozen Watermelon Splendor (for adults)

I had a get together at my house the other day for my daughter and niece, and their boyfriends, who both just got back from afghanistan. We had a few of their friends there and since I am a bartender it was decided i should make some frozen adult beverages. So i started asking for flavor suggestions. My daughters boyfriend Jacob wanted watermelon. Challenge lol. So this is what I came up with and it was a huge success. Seriously this is one you gotta try!

2 watermelon italian ices, i used lindys you can use luigis too
several large chunks of watermelon (seeds removed)
shmirnoffs watermelon vodka


1 Break up italian ices a bit and put in blender. Add watermelon chunks. Pulse until blended and smooth. Add watermelon vodka to one of the italian ice cups. Fill to top. Add to the blender and pulse just till blended. Pour into your favorite glass.


2 Take a melon scoop and make a ball of watermelon. Holding this over the drink pour watermelon vodka over the watermelon ball. then attach it to the side of the glass before severing. Pour additional watermelon vodka over the top of each filled glass allowing it to sit on top of frozen mixture and serve and enjoy!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie done My Way

This is my take on this well loved smoothie. I dont like to start a drink off with ice in order to make it that slushie smooth since ice is water and water delutes. So I always find an alternative to the ice in my frozen drinks. This is so delicious and is made out of such yummy ingredients you cant help but love them. For an adult version add rum at the end.

1 single serving frozen italian ice, strawberry flavor
(i used lindys, you can also use luigis)
1 large banana
6 large strawberries green removed
strawberry banana nectar
additional strawberries to decorate glass

1.Place strawberry italian ice in blender and seperate with fork a bit so its not one solid chunk (save the italian ice cup)

2 Cut banana in about 3 pieces and toss in on top of italian ice

3Toss large strawberries in on top of all this

4Fill italian ice cup 1/2 to 3/4 full with strawberry banana nectar

5Using crush ice button on low or the pulse button on blender, blend till smooth

6Pour into your favorite smoothie glass and garnish with a strawberry.

Fruit Loop Cake

Another great from a mix recipe I put together in order to use up the cake mixes i seemed to aquire during a sale. This one is great for kids since it seems unanimous that it tastes like fruit loops lol. My son helped me decorate the cake for my nieces birthday. Usually I get real fancy with birthday cakes but my son wanted to help so here ya go. The cake was super moist and very good (unless of course ya dont like fruit loops lol.

1 box orange cake mix

3 eggs
1 1/3 c orange juice (mine had pulp)
1/3 c oil
3/4 of a single serving orange yogurt
your favorite vanilla frosting with 1/2 t orange extract blended in


1
Grease 2-9 inch pans and lightly flour them. Preheat your oven to 350
2
Put cake mix in large bowl

3
Add remaining ingregients (except frosting)

4
Mix on medium speed until blended well.

5
Divide batter between two pans and bake according to box directions. (I used 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes) Tooth pick should come out clean.
6
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely
7
Invert one cake onto cake plate and spread frosting on cake. Invert second cake onto a plate and flip over so the flat side is now on top of first cake.
8
Frost cake and decorate as desired.

9
Now that I know the cake tastes like fruit loops I may incorporate them into the decorating next time I make this cake for the kiddies : )

Anise and Walnut Biscotti

My family loves anise and they love biscotti. This is a biscotti recipe that starts with a mix and it is pretty easy to do. I made anise walnut flavor but you can use a lemon mix and lemon extract with a lemon glaze, or orange mix, orange extract and a chocolate or orange glaze, or maybe a white mix and almond extract, crushed almonds and a chocolate glaze. the possibilities are endless. We love our biscotti with our morning coffee. yum

1 box yellow cake mix
5 eggs
2 t anise extract (yes 2 tablespoons)
3/4 c oil
1 c chopped walnuts
favorite vanilla frosting with anise extract blended in


1
Pour cake mix in large bowl

2
Add oil

3
Add all five eggs

4
Mix by hand until blended.

Add extract and walnuts

5
Now beat with mixer on high for about 2 minutes

6
Pour into jelly roll pan sprayed with non stick spray. (Mixture is kind of thick)

7
Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. (it will be slightly pulling away from edge of pan and a nice golden color)

8
Remove from oven and allow to cool

9
Once cool slice with knife vertically and then horizontally into size desired. Turn oven temp up to 350 degrees

10
Now remove from jelly roll pan gently and place cut side down on UNGREASED cookie sheet, Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes per side. (flip over and bake other side) (baking longer makes more crisp)
11
Cool slightly and then frost or drizzle with anise icing. Store in tightly sealed container at room temp once biscotti are completely cooled.

12
Read my notes for other flavor variations on this crisp on the outside and softer in the center flavorful cookie.

Easiest Pot Roast Ever with Amazing taste

The smell of my steak seasoning reminded me of the smell of porketta, which is probably my favorite choice for meat. So I decided to try and use the seasoning on a roast. I wanted to be hands free all day so I chose the crockpot to do the cooking. Wow my house smelled amazing all day and the taste Oh My God it was to die for. It fell apart in your mouth and just had this unique delicious wonderful flavor. I used the leftovers to make soup the following day and Lord that was one amazing beef soup. Both recipes are here and require easy and few ingredients. Give it a try and tell me what ya think.

 

Crockpot Roast..so tasty you will never spend hours on another roast

Ingredients:
1 chuck roast
montreal steak seasoniong
garlic powder
water

1. Place chuck roast into the crock pot

2. Season roast with montreal seasoning. (be generous)

3. Now season with garlic powder (again be generous)

4. Turn roast over and season the other side in the same way
5. Add water to crock pot (just enough to come up around sides of roast.

6. Cook on low in crockpot till roast falls apart when you try to lift it with a fork

Serve with mashed potatoes and some baked corn on the cob.

(put leftover meat and juice in a container for tomorrows soup)

Day 2 Pot roast soup

You will need:
Bag frozen mixed veggies
sliced potatoes (you can use fresh, canned or I actually used the potatoes from a box of scalloped potatos.i hate boxed scalloped potatoes so i took out the bag of potatoes from the box and used that..dont like waste)
Box orzo noodles

1. Return meat and juices to crockpot and turn to high. Heat on high until juices are hot.
2. Add your frozen veggies and potatoes

3. Cook until everything is cooked thru
4. In meantime boil water for orzos, cook orzos until al dente and drain
5. Put a nice scoop of orzos in each bowl and top off with soup.

No seasoning is needed. not even salt, It is just so delish. Serve with some nice toasted croutons or garlic bread.

Devil's Delites

So I  somehow ended up with a zillion boxes of cake mix in my cupboards and I never use cake mix.. I decided I best come up with some recipes using them as the base so I could fit actual foods in there lol. So, here is the first of quite a few, recipes based on a cake mix. With the right ingredients added you can do wonderful things to your basic mix. This one starts with a devils food cake mix (hence the devils) and when you bite into it your mouth gets a surprise of wonderful cherries encased in all that chocolate!! Oh so yummy (hence the delites) These were moist and delish. As you will see I used several different toppings, a fluffy cherry almond frosting, a fudge frosting and cherry pie filling. You decide what sounds best for you!

Devils Delites

Ingredients:

1 box devils food cake mix
1/4 c water
3 eggs
1/3 c oil
1/2 of a container of chocolate yogurt (single serving size, you can use cherry or vanilla)
1 can cherry pie filling


Topping: your choice: fluffy cherry almond icing (recipe follows)
Cherry pie filling
Fudge icing
Or do some of each like i did : )



1. Line muffing tins with paper liners

2. Pour cake mix into a large bowl

3. Add, eggs, water, oil and yogurt

 

4. With mixer beat on medium speed until completely blended.

 

5. Fill paper liners 1/2 way with cake batter.

6. Now add a nice teaspoon of cherry pie filling to each liner.

7. Top off with more cake batter.

8. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until done.

9. Allow to cool completely.

10. Remove cupcakes from muffin tin and frost with desired frosting.

Cherry almond fluffy icing:

Empty a container of fluffy white icing into a small mixing bowl

Add a few spoonfulls of the glaze from the remaining cherry pie filling

Stir until well blended adding more filling until desired taste

Stir in 1/2 t almond extract

 

cool in frig until you are ready to use it so it stiffens up just a tad

Pipe onto cakes and top with a cherry from the remaining pie filling

For Pie filling topped cupcakes

Using an additional can of cherry pie filling, using a melon ball scooper, scoop out the top of each cupcake very carefully. Fill this hole with cherry pie filling

or top them off with your favorite fudge frosting and then use left over cherries from the pie filling to decorate