A Couple of Yummy Things

So, now that summer has hit with full force (seems we skipped Spring, again!) I'm trying to come up with some new fun/yummy things to keep us all entertained and fed.

This shake is really not totally new, it's similar to my Banana Shake I posted about a while back. But my son specifically wanted it with NO banana, and I decided to add some ice cream (of the lite variety) and a fun squirt of whipped cream on top (also the lite variety).

It's funny to me how both my kids just LOVE coffee flavored things. None of us in this house drink coffee, but we just returned from a long weekend at the lake with some family, including my coffee-loving brother-in-law and somehow we ended up with his large canister of coffee. It's sitting on the counter and the kids request to smell the stuff several times a day. They are a lot like me. I love the smell, I love a hint of the flavor, but I don't think I will ever be a coffee drinker unless my cup contained 10% coffee and 90% cream & sugar. Anywho, here's the recipe for this icy coffee drink that we've had for our afternoon snack the last couple days. I'm estimating the measurements like usual.

Icy Coffee Shake

2 c milk
2 T flavored coffee powder (that Int'l Foods stuff in a tin, if kids will partake, I do decaf)
1/3 c cold water
a couple hand fulls of ice
a couple scoops of chocolate-y ice cream





Put it all in the blender and blend till thick and icy.
We have ours with a nice squirt of whipped cream on top.
Makes two servings.

Just for fun, I calculated (roughly) the calories and fat per serving.
155 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. That includes a generous dollop of cream on top!

Just for more fun, I'm going to compare that to a (small) Sonic Mocha Java Chiller, which is....drum roll please...505 calories and 23.7 grams of fat. Wowza!

Next time I have one (tomorrow probably) I'm going to drizzle some chocolate syrup on top for good measure.




And this next recipe I found in my newest Taste of Home magazine. It is a cranberry/sauerkraut/onion (helloooo Vidalia onion season!) relish for hot dogs. Sounds a little weird but it was really good! We had lots of hot dogs left over from our weekend so I decided to give it a try.

Sweet & Sour Cranberry Relish

1 T olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T sugar
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t hot sauce
1/2 c sauerkraut rinsed and drained

Saute onion in oil till tender. Add cranberry sauce, mustard, sugar, garlic powder and hot sauce. Heat on medium until sauce melts. Then add sauerkraut and heat through.

Twas delicious on our dogs, such a fun mix of flavors, though we all decided a little ketchup and mustard was still good along with the relish.

A sloppy pic-




And just a note, I checked THIS book out from the library today and I'm SO excited about it. There are so many awesome-looking recipes in it, I may have to splurge and buy a copy for myself so I don't get this one all messy. I already have several I'm dying to make. I'll be sure to post about them when I do!