In My Corner

BANANA - TEA  SMOOTHIE

4 ounces  Oregon Chai* original concentrate
4 ounces yogurt, whole milk or dairy base
1 medium banana, peeled
2 ounces crushed ice (2 cubes)

Place chai concentrate, yogurt, banana and ice in a blender. Puree and serve immediately.

Tip: Use this mixture as a base and toss in raspberries,blackberries, pears, kiwis, or mangoes.





MANGO BANANA SMOOTHIE

2 ripe mangoes (peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped)
1 ripe banana, peeled
1 cup low-fat yogurt
4-6 ice cubes
Sprigs of fresh mints




BANANA-GRAPE BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

½  cup seedless grapes
½ banana
¼ cup milk
½ cup plain yogurt
1-2  tablespoons  honey
¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2-3 ice cubes

Combine grapes, milk, banana, yogurt, honey, lemon juice and ice in a blender. Process on high speed for 15 seconds. Serve immediately.






FRUIT BREAKFAST TEACUP
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons butter
2 pcs each of (nectarines, peaches, plums, apricots), sliced
½ pound seedless grapes, halved
3 tablespoons apricot preserves 
 
Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in orange juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it comes to a full boil. Boil for 2 minutes; remove from heat and stir in butter. Cool.
Toss fruits together in a bowl and place in teacups (good for 8 teacups). Drizzle orange sauce over the fruit and add  a dollop of apricot preserves.




TEA SHAKE

6 Lipton “Brisk” Cup-size Tea Bags
1 quart boiling water
1 pint any flavor sherbet or ice cream
Strawberries for garnish

Place tea bags in a teapot; pour boiling water over the tea bags. Cover and brew for 3-5 minutes. Remove tea bags; Chill.

In a 5-cup blender, combine 2 ½ cups tea with sherbet or ice cream ; Process at high speed until blended. Garnish, if desired with whole strawberries.

   

STRAW-NANA SMOOTHIE

1 cup Silk Vanilla soymilk
½  cup dices frozen strawberries
1 frozen banana, sliced
2 tablespoons sweetener of choice (optional)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

In a blender, combine Silk vanilla soymilk, strawberries, banana, sweeteners and vanilla. Blend until smooth and creamy.









CHERRY-LEMON COOLER

3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh sweet cherries, halved & pitted
Crushed ice
1 cup chilled fresh lemon juice
1-liter bottle club soda or seltzer
4 stems of fresh mints

Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan; add cherries. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate syrup until cold

Fill a 12-16 ounce glass with ice. Pour ¼ cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup syrup over ice; top with club soda. Garnish with cherries and mint.

Tip: Leftover syrup can be stored refrigerated for up to 1 week.

 


HOT APPLE CINNAMON FLUFFS

4 cups Apple Juice or Apple Cider
1 cup marshmallow crème or fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat apple juice and pour into mugs.

Place marshmallow crème in a bowl and stir in vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Spoon the marshmallow mixture on top of the warm juice and serve.





SUMMER FRUIT GRANITA

1 lb. fresh ripe peaches, plums or nectarines
½ cup sugar
½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries (only if using nectarines)
¼ cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Cut fruit into a large saucepan, discarding the pits. Add sugar and 1 cup water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, or until fruit is tender. Let fruit cool; Add raspberries if using nectarines.

Pour fruit into a blender and purêe. Strain through a sieve; discard any pulp. Stir in orange and lemon juice; taste and add sugar as needed. Pour into a 9-inch square non-reactive metal or glass pan. Cover and freeze until ice crystals form around the edges, about 30 minutes. 

With a fork, stir the ice crystals toward the center. Repeat process once or twice before it is completely frozen to create a granular texture. Break up the frozen mixture with a fork (or chop with  knife). Serve in stemmed glasses.
 




ICED CAFÉ MOCHA

4 cups chilled Kirkland Signature* coffee
1 ½ cups milk
¼ cup instant chocolate milk powder
1 ½ cups + ¼ cup whipping cream
4 scoops vanilla ice cream
Nutmeg, cinnamon

Pour chilled coffee, milk and instant chocolate into a blender. Add 1 ½ cups whipping cream and ice cream; blend well.
Pour the remaining ¼ cup cream into a small bowl and beat until stiff peaks form
Pour the coffee drink into the tall glasses. Garnish with whipped cream, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste.