Smoothie Hints

Smoothie Hints

Smoothies are a yummy and filling way to get all kinds of "good for you" things into your diet.  Here are some smoothie basics.

Use a combination of fresh and frozen fruit.  The frozen fruit will make it cold without diluting the flavor.  Bananas, as well as apples, are great for adding sweetness.

Choose just a couple types of fruit.

Add raw honey or maple syrup as a sweetener if needed.

It is so easy to add probiotics, some greens (spinach, lettuce, etc), liquid vitamin D, chia seed gel, egg shell water, ground flax seed, apple seeds, etc. to boost the nutritional value.  Hannah doesn't like green smoothies so if adding greens I usually make sure and use blueberries to make it purple instead.  :)

Raw milk, Kiefer, raw milk yogurt, or juice work wonderfully to thin the smoothie to the desired consistency.

Don't forget to add a splash of vanilla for extra yumminess!  :)

Very Berry Smoothie

Mommy created recipe

2 apples
2 bananas
10 frozen strawberries
small handful frozen blueberries
small handful frozen raspberries
small handful frozen blackberries
splash of grape juice

Quarter the apples and remove the stem.  Peel the bananas.  Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Mommy likes to make smoothies for breakfast or lunch.  They are never the same twice but Hannah liked this one so much she wanted me to write down what I did.  :)  It was really good!  Smoothies are a wonderful way to get all kinds of "good for you" stuff and still have it taste really yummy!


Love Always, 
Mommy

Chocolate Eclair

Joanne Rittmueller

Frosting:
1/2 C butter
1 C sugar
1/2 C baking cocoa
1/4 C milk

Place frosting ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 1 minute, remove from heat and set aside.  (Be sure to use the timer for this- the frosting will burn easily.)

Filling:
1 box graham crackers
3 1/2 C milk
8 oz. Cool Whip
2 sm. packages Instant French Vanilla Pudding

Mix pudding and milk.  Whip with a whisk until thick.  Blend in Cool Whip.

To assemble, line a 9x13" pan with whole graham crackers.  Top with half the pudding mixture.  Add another layer of crackers.  Top with remaining pudding mixture.  Add a third layer of crackers.  Spread cooled frosting over the top.

Refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.  Make sure the lid does not touch the frosting until the frosting has hardened or it will stick to the cover and pull it off the top of the eclair.  This is even better if made the night before.

Oh- this is an amazing dessert!  It is always a hit when I bring it places and there is rarely any left when we leave.  Joanne Rittmueller was the counselor in charge of the Peer Counselors at Mommy's college.  Mommy was a Peer Counselor for a couple of years.  Joanne brought this to a meeting one time and gracious shared the recipe when we asked.  I have been making it ever since.  This is some good eatin'!  :)
Love Always,
Mommy

Best Banana Bread

Suzanne from PWOC

4 bananas, mashed
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 C oil
2 eggs
1/4 C milk
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mixing well.  Pour into two greased loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Tent with foil after 30 minutes of baking so the top isn't overly brown.

Mommy got this recipe from a lady in Turkey named Suzanne who attended the Protestant Women of the Chapel Bible study with me.  I don't remember very much about her, but this was her mother's recipe and I have never made a different banana bread since the first time I made this one.  This is Daddy's all time favorite banana bread.  It is so yummy!
Love Always,
Mommy

Other Mama's Cherry Pie

Daisy Nitcholas

Family lineage for this recipe:
Daisy Nitcholas (Other Mama)
Wanda Southerland (Gran Gran)
Michael Southerland (Grandpaw)
Jason Southerland (Daddy)
you children

2 cans cherries, packed in water
1/2 C water, reserved from the cherries
2 pinches backing soda
3 C sugar, divided
1/2 C flour
sliced buter
2 refrigerated pie crusts
sprinkle of milk
sprinkle of sugar

Drain the cherries; reserving the juice.  Combine the cherries, baking soda, 2 C sugar, and cherry water in a pan and bring to a boil.  Combine 1 C sugar and the flour and stir into the boiling mixture.  Cook down until mixture is thick.  Pour mixture into a pie shell.

Places slices of butter on top of filling.  Place top crust on pie and cut slits to allow the steam to escape. Sprinkle to top crust with milk and sugar.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.  Cover the edges of the crust with foil or pie shields and bake another 15-30 minutes or until crust is browned.

Daddy grew up on this pie.  Grandpaw (Michael Southerland) really likes this too!  This is the sweetest pie Mommy has ever tasted.  :)  Mommy has several memories of Aunt Kimby making this during Christmas for family get togethers.  
Love Always,
Mommy

Heritage Dutch Apple Pie

Marjie Davis

Filling:
6 C sliced granny smith apples
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 9" unbaked pie crust

Topping:
1 C flour
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C. butter, softened
cinnamon

Combine apples, 1/2 C. sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon in a bowl; mix well.  Arrange mixture in a pie shell. Combine dry topping ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well.  Cut butter in with a pastry blender until crumbly.  Sprinkle over the apples.  Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or until apples are tender.

This is a very yummy pie!  Daddy and Mommy really like it.  We were stationed in Turkey with Marjie Davis.  
Mommy also really likes to use this topping on any muffins we make.  So yummy!  You can make the topping and store it in the freezer until you need it.  An quicker method to cutting in soft butter is to grate cold butter into the dry ingredients then use a pastry blender.  Works quickly to cut in the butter.
Love Always,
Mommy