Wishing You A Smooth Sunny Day....Recipes Too!

"We need, each of us, to begin the awesome, difficult work of love: loving ourselves so that we become able to love others without fear so that we can become able enough to enlarge the circle of our trust and our common striving for a safe, sunny afternoon near to flowering trees and under a very blue sky."

June Millicent Jordan

I've decided that a change of pace would be nice and since I have a smoothie every morning and they are a refreshing delight to start a 5 am day - not when my body clock say I am to rise.... I've listed a few that sounded delish to me. I uses as much fresh fruit as possible. We have a Trader Joe's by my house and now an enormous Wegmann's - so I buy berries, bananas, kiwi, apples, etc. But there are frozen peaches and other fruits that are good for on the go risers if you chose not to use ice cubes or simply to have on hand if you're low on fruit and they really are very tasty. I keep yogurt in the frig. in regular size containers but you can also just buy the larger one to save a few pennies. If you have a recipe you'd like to share - send it over. When the fresh fruit starts to come out - I'll be there! When I can pick at the local places ... even better!

Peach Pie Smoothie


2007 Ellie Krieger
Ingredients:
1/2 cup nonfat or 1 percent lowfat milk
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup unsweetened frozen peaches
1 tablespoon honey, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger

Directions:
Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.


Calories: 212; Fat: 0g(Saturated Fat: 0grams); Protein: 10g; Carbohydrates: 47g; Sugar: 41g; Fiber: 2g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Sodium: 120mg

Peach-Mango Smoothie


by jenny sansouci "It’s so good – almost like a healthy creamsicle!"
Ingredients (makes 1 smoothie):
1/2 banana
1 cup chopped peach
1 cup chopped mango
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
A few ice cubes (unless you’re using frozen fruit)

You can make your smoothie as healthy

and fruity and smoothy as you like -

lots of flavors, lots of colors, kids can help,

make them to-go, a special treat....

whatever you do...

do it for YOU.

It's Friday...choose a good book

take time to smell the flowers

treasure all the people in your life

and know you are loved by GOD.



Fruit of the Gods! Summer Recipes and Ideas....

winding down....the school year...

gearing up on summer fruits!

Banana Kiwi Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 ½ frozen bananas
1 kiwi
½ cup vanilla yogurt
Splash of milk
Drizzle of honey
How to make it:

Blend and serve.
Garnish with a clementine  or orange slice.

there's one idea!    I love fruit. I shop in Asian markets. I try new things.
have you sampled Dragon Fruit yet? it's colorful and delicious.

sort of like a kiwi with bits of teeny edible seeds. I'm big on smoothies too.
I can make them for an on the go breakfast, lunch or dinner.
with the nice weather here - check out what's available near you - local markets, Amish markets have some cool things - if you have an Asian market they can have fantastic buys ( limes 10 for $1, Fuji apples .69/lb )

layer it up

serve it up

dish it up

pottery barn ideas....

partee on!

Does it Matter How We Say It? Why Not Limes?

why flowers?

roses?

tulips?

daisies?

candy?

cards?

why can't we give limes?
I mean I can't picture myself giving someone a bunch of bananas - or a bag of popcorn. I love bringing big bouquets of flowers to friends fresh picked from my garden. Home-made cookies. I have been known to give herbs to fellow cooks.

so why not limes?  ( or a jar of marbles, or seaglass or...)  

I shop at Asian markets most of the time. I went with my son Todd and his wife Ravy after a fab Korean lunch yesterday. Limes were 8 for $1.00. I bought 32. Mangoes, a Pineapple (.99 each), Fuji apples, Nectarines, Peaches, Oranges, Strawberries = $16.00. I made my stuffy nosed hubby a big fruit salad. Autumn and Spice like apple cores and strawberry ends.

Today I brought in a basket full of limes to the main office of the high school I work in.

next time..... when I go to a friend's

why not give...

balloons!

I mean why do there have to be rules?

I would like a balloon - wouldn't you?

Love, Jenn

Not Just Any Day At The Beach ... Recipes, Family and Summer NJ Style!

    hot news, hot grill and ME going on and on..

I'm always looking for new recipes for the grill. Something light. Don't get me wrong...coming from an Italian family - we're big on sausage, peppers and onions, lots of garlic, LOTS of garlic. Pasta, bread. Fresh crunchy crust bread. In fact the best bagels I've ever had are in New Jersey . They have a French Toast bagel that is....well it's yummo and not listed in the calorie counter book. I'm sure it's several days of Weight Watcher points. Holy Canoli! So, moving right along....

I've seen several recipes for Shrimp Skewers that sounded delish. Lemon wedges in between those garlic marinated plump babies along with red onions. Lime marinated sea creatures ready to be inhaled after you have roasted them with avocado wrapped pancetta. Ohhh Mama Leone! Slices of bread ready to sop up the juices. Yes... bellas SOP!
                
You Will Need

1/2 fresh pineapple, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 medium nectarines, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 medium pears, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 medium fresh peaches, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 to 4 medium plums, cut into 1-inch chunks

10 apricots, halved

3 tablespoons honey or light corn syrup, warmed

What to Do
1. Thread fruit alternately onto metal or soaked bamboo skewers.

2. Grill, uncovered, over medium-hot heat until fruit is heated through, about 6 minutes, turning often. Brush with honey or corn syrup during the last minute of grilling time.

Serves 6

From Taste of Home Backyard Grilling

or...

How to make Grilled Fruit Skewers
1. Soak the skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare a charcoal grill to medium heat.
3. Start threading the fruit onto the skewers,
beginning with strawberries, then pineapple,
then papaya, and mango. Continue alternating among the four.
 4. Grill the fruit, turning as necessary, for about 6-8 minutes.
 Grill time will vary depending on ripeness of fruit.
5. Remove the skewers from the grill and serve over scoops of Butter Pecan Ice Cream.
Ingredients
skewers
1 container large strawberries, cleaned
2 mangos, peeled and seeded
1/2 large papaya, peeled and seeded
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into even pieces
1 carton Butter Pecan Ice Cream

I'm an only child. When I was little I used to pretend I had 9 brothers and sisters. In fact, I used to tell people I had 9 brothers and sisters when I would first meet them. I think of was about 7. Then my mom would call and say "Can you please send Jennifer home, she's an

only child and I am a little protective of her." Awww Mooommm! But when I was with my cousins ... that Big loving family with the open door policy - heaven.

Two Grandmas lived there always.

Friends could stay over, friends could move in.

When I would ask if there was enough dinner for me to stay, my cousin Linda 

 would say "if we can feed 8, why can't we feed 1 more?".  So when I drive up from Maryland to be with the Mondelli's ... it's not about

romance

it's about.... family        
9:32 am doctor called blood work fine - ct scan clear - 1 year cancer free
thank you with all my heart for your prayers  Jennifer

Citrine, Pear and Me....by any other name or fruit! Question/Recipe Trade-off

today is my thinkin' about pears day

i love to cook with them

decorate with them         eat them     give them as gifts    

i like their colors    citrine 

then there's how to pronounce them in other languages:

German       birne            Swedish       paron               Italian            pero

Dutch            peer               French          poire

I could eat pots of pears!

I'm including a recipe for you with one favor -
that my followers critique my posts - you see I don't
get very many comments and I'm wondering if I should choose
deeper subjects, less photos, more about me, less about me,
more humor, vintage and antique articles, gardening...
do I blab too much, post too much or should I do what I enjoy -
 which I have been doing as a fun outlet...
I think feedback will be fun... here's your fab recipe!

Pancetta Pear Recipe
Ingredients
12 thin slices pancetta (about 1/3 lb.)
1 Bartlett pear
1/2 (4-oz.) package goat cheese, crumbled
Freshly cracked pepper
Honey
Garnish: fresh thyme sprigs
Preparation
1. Arrange pancetta slices in a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
2. Bake at 450° for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack using a spatula. Let stand 10 minutes or until crisp.
3. Core pear with an apple corer. Cut pear crosswise into 12 thin rings.
Arrange on a serving platter. Top evenly with pancetta and goat cheese; sprinkle with pepper.
 Drizzle with honey just before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Prep: 15 min., Bake: 10 min., Stand: 10 min.
Southern Living
Yield: Makes 6 servings

Worthy Praise - A Toast to the Cooks!

Gluten Free

Apples Cherries Canning

Pumpkins Peaches Breads

Muffins Jams Jellies

Luscious Yummy

Awesome Amazing

Mennonite Girls Can Cook!

Look 'em up!