Pineapple-Banana Burst Smoothie #DoleRose

This Dole-icious smoothie captures paradise and the crisp winter holidays in one glass, with a flavor profile that includes Dole® Pineapple Juice, frozen Dole® Pineapple Chunks, cinnamon and nutmeg. What a great way to celebrate the Dole Packaged Foods participation in the first  "Live on Green" event in Downtown Pasadena, December 29-31, and its annual tradition of participating in the Tournament of Roses Parade—this year’s float will feature a zip line, with a rider “Soaring Over Paradise” nearly 100 times!
At “Live on Green,” Angelenos and visitors from around the world will explore 100,000 square feet of free entertainment, unique and rare exhibitions, and fun activities, as well as indulge in healthy snacks and beverages at the Dole Bistro. Dole California Cook-Off Champion Ally Phillips of Ally’s Kitchen will perform live cooking demonstrations and share quick and fun recipes featuring Dole Packaged Foods’ products. 

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Dole Pineapple Juice 1-1/2 cup Dole Frozen Pineapple Chunks (partially thawed) 1 Dole Banana 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Garnish with banana sliced dipped in  organic cane sugar and a chunk of frosty pineapple with a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Enjoy! More Pineapple Recipes:
Pineapple Upside Down Minis Pineapple Avocado Salsa Jalapeno Pineapple Preserves Pineapple Pie Squares Sweet & Sour Cocktail Meatballs

Fresh Home-Pressed Tomato Juice

What else can you do with all those juicy tomatoes?  Your neighbor gives you some to add to the bowl on your counter and you dread the thought of peeling and cooking down the tomatoes for hours to make a fresh sauce.  The alternative is to make yourself some delicious, fresh tomato juice.  There is no peeling necessary - just the help of a food mill.  For breakfast, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some freshly ground black pepper or fix yourself a spicy Bloody Maria.
Fresh Tomato Juice
3 lbs. fresh tomatoes (about 12 medium) 1 rib celery, including leaves 1/2 medium Vidalia onion 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar
Wash tomatoes.  Cut into quarters.  Remove core and add to a heavy saucepan.  Add celery and onion and simmer about 30 minutes, or until tomatoes break down. Pass through a food mill to remove skin and seeds. To each quart of juice, add 1 tsp. each of salt and sugar. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Makes 1 quart
BLOODY MARIA
2 wedges lime 2 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning or celery salt Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 12 oz. Blue Agave blanco tequila 3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp. hot sauce (or to taste) 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish 4 cups fresh Home-Pressed tomato juice Celery stalks or scallions
To prepare the glasses, rub the rim of each glass with a lime wedge.  On a saucer, combine the Old Bay Seasoning or celery salt, 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.  Invert the glass and dip the rim of the glass into the mixture.  Set aside.
Combine tequila, lime juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, balsamic vinegar, horseradish and tomato juice.  Add a pinch of the Old Bay salt mixture and stir well to combine.

Fill cocktail glasses with ice and fill with your fresh Bloody Maria mixture.  Garnish with celery stalks or scallions.  Garnish are not limited to celery stalks.  Garnish contenders include dill pickle spears, pickled jalapeno slices, green olives, lemon slices, bacon, basil and hard-boiled eggs.

Enjoy!

Skip the Mix - DIY Hot Chocolate

You have probably been making Hot Chocolate without a recipe for your entire life - for many, hot chocolate can mean dumping a few scoops of a mix into a mug, adding a few glugs of milk, and heating the whole thing in the microwave.

Hot Chocolate is like pancakes.  Both aren't hard to make from scratch, but most people use mixes and the end results suffer.

Think back to winter days when you played outside so long that the snow penetrated your boots, bulky leggings and even the woolen mittens clipped to your sleeves.  Nothing could cure that chill like hot chocolate.  You can probably recall the warmth of the steaming cup warming your hands.

THE RECIPE:

2 cups whole milk

2 cups half and half

4 oz. Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chips or bar

5 oz. Dove Silky smooth Milk Chocolate

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Whipped cream and grated chocolate for garnish

1.  Heat milk and half and half in a saucepan over medium heat to just below the simmering point.

Chop chocolate into small pieces for easier melting.

2.  Remove the pan from the heat and add both types of chocolate.

3.  When chocolate has melted, add the sugar and vanilla and whisk to combine.

4.  Reheat gently and serve immediately garnished with whipped cream and grated chocolate.

We've all had powdery hot cocoa - watery, with those occasional crunch of undissolved marshmallow clumps.  Still cocoa was - and still is the best thing to stir into a mug on a winter afternoon.
Booze it up with a teaspoon (or more) of Godiva Chocolate Liqueur or Frangelico, or "virgin", laced with cinnamon or peppermint or marshmallow topped, this recipe is guaranteed to produce wintry, chocolate bliss.

Sharing with Simple Supper Tuesday Linking up with Baking in a Tornado - Brrrr Brigade

You could have had a V-8! Homemade V-8 Juice

I love V-8 juice!  I love anything with tomatoes.  Bloody Mary, tomato sandwich, spaghetti sauce, you name it!
Now that I'm on a low sodium regiment, I decided to make my own V-8. This is made in a juicer without any salt at all. Once you get used to things without adding salt, everyday foods will taste "too" salty after a while.

This has all the ingredients in the processed V-8 juice except that this is fresh. This can be made without a juicer by cooking all the veggies and putting them through a food mill, but cooking the vegetables is also removing the nutrients.
You will need:
5-6 ripe tomatoes Carrots (small bunch) 3-4 stalks celery 1-2 small beets (peeled) 1 handful fresh parsley 1/4 head chopped lettuce 1 handful watercress 1 handful fresh spinach 1/4 fresh lemon (optional)

Experiment by using more or less of the ingredients in the recipe or create your own by using your favorite vegetables.
Run a piece of fresh lemon around the rim of your glass. Dip into Mrs. Dash Original and serve ice cold.

ENJOY!

Orange Mint Tea

This easy orange mint tea recipe actually contains no tea.  The mint is steeped, as tea leaves would be, to make a refreshing, cool drink.  It can be made with honey instead of sugar and is best served cold.  Take advantage of fresh spring mint!

Ingredients:

3 cups water

6 sprigs well-rinsed fresh mint (each about 6 inches)

1/3 cup sugar or to taste OR 1/4 cup honey

2 cups fresh orange juice

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Cold water

Ice cubes

Fresh mint for garnish

Slice of orange or lemon for garnish

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil.  Add mint, cover, remove from heat and steep 15 minutes or longer.  Remove mint.  Add and stir until dissolved 1/3 cup sugar (or honey).  This concentrate may be cooled and frozen if you like.

Combine orange and lemon juices in a 2-quart pitcher.  Add mint concentrate and enough water and ice to fill the pitcher to the top.  Chill completely and serve with garnishes.

(a little vodka wouldn't hurt either)

White Chocolate Hot Cocoa Cones - Stocking Stuffers!

This is a quick, yummy little stocking stuffer that can also be given to teachers, the mailman, anyone that you might have forgotten at Christmas time. 

You will need:

• 2 disposable cake decorating bags
• 1/2 cup instant Hot Cocoa mix
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup mini marshmallows
• Candy cane or small ornament
• Chenille stem or ribbon

Directions:
1. Package hot chocolate mix. To make it easier to fill and package cone bags, insert them inside a tall, narrow drinking glass, votive or vase. Fold the cuff of the bag down over the lip of the glass, and add hot cocoa mix to the bag.
Remove cone bag containing hot chocolate mix, and secure with twist tie. This bag will be placed inside the second bag to hold the hot chocolate mix securely. Trim ends of bag to 1 inch.


2. Package candy treats and marshmallows. Place the second cone bag inside the glass, and fold down the top around the glass rim.
Place the sealed bag of hot chocolate mix inside the second bag, then layer chocolate chips over the top, followed by marshmallows.

3. Secure cone and decorate. Remove the filled bag from the glass, and use the chenille stem to secure the cone around the contents.  Add a candy cane (for stirring to add peppermint flavor to the hot cocoa) or a cute little ornament.
Each packet of will make approximately 4 8-ounce cups of hot chocolate.  The white chocolate will melt into the cocoa making an instant mix something special!

On a Christmas gift tag, add directions:

For a warming winter drink, add 2 Tablespoons

cocoa mix to 8 ounces hot water or hot milk;

garnish as desired, stir with the candy cane,

sip and enjoy!

~Adapted from Organized Home

 

THINK CHAI!!

Substitute your coffee with some Healthy Alternatives - think Chai!

Switching to Chai Tea will cut your caffeine intake in half.  The black tea is rich in antioxidants and the spices have been used for thousands of years to promote health and treat ailments.

This is great on cold days, or when your feeling under the weather.

EASY CHAI TEA LATTE

• 2 tea bags (preferably Darjeeling)
• l tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 c. brown sugar

Boil water and add tea bags and spices.  Steep for 2-3 minutes.  Heat milk and brown sugar and to tea mixture.

Thanksgiving Cocktail

While your waiting for the turkey to finish, try this Thanksgiving Cocktail.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 oz. gin
• 3/4 oz. dry vermouth
• 3/4 oz apricot brandy
• 1/4 oz lemon juice
• maraschino cherry for garnish

Preparation:

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake well.  Strain into a chilled glass.  Garnish with the cherry.