Smoothies make a sweet treat

Hey Mom, do you need a quick idea for a summertime treat or after-school snack? Fruit smoothies are easy and fun. Let the kids design their own flavors, or scroll down for a few of our favorite recipes.

3-2-1 Smoothies!
3 — The third-best thing about making smoothies is that you don’t need to run to the store: If you’ve got a cup of yogurt, a handful of frozen berries and an overripe banana, you’ve got a smoothie. Or, maybe you open the fridge and find just two gulps of orange juice and the last scoop of vanilla ice cream: Voila! Creamsicle.
2 — The second-best thing about making smoothies is that they’re delicious.
1 — Best of all? You just cleaned out the fridge.

It’s OK to experiment:

• Try using different juices, including vegetable juices.
• Add a handful of carrot or celery slices. Once it’s blended, the kids will never know they’re eating vegetables.
• Add a scoop of peanut butter.
• Substitute milk for juice, or juice for milk.
• 8-ounce servings are too large for young kids. Make popcicles with leftover mix.

PURPLE COW

Ingredients
1 cup milk, plus more if needed
1 cup frozen or fresh blackberries
2 ice cubes
1 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons sugar
A few drops of vanilla

Directions
In a blender, puree the berries with the ice cubes and milk. If you like, strain the mixture into a bowl to remove the seeds. Rinse the blender. Pour the mixture back into the blender. Add the yogurt, sugar and vanilla, blending the mixture until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more milk. Makes three 8-ounce servings; serve immediately.

ORANGE-YOU-GLAD-WE-DIDN’T-SAY-BANANA JULIUS

Ingredients
1 banana
1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 or 6 ice cubes

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Three servings; serve immediately.

FUNKY MONKEY

Ingredients
1 cup vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup chocolate milk
1 banana, cut into chunks and frozen
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Three servings; serve immediately.

This one’s not for the birds

The kids and I made some cute and tasty Easter treats yesterday. These no-bake Easter Nest Cookies are super easy!

You just need three ingredients: Chocolate chips, crunchy chow mein noodles and some sort of candy that looks like little eggs. We used speckled Easter M&Ms, but jellybeans or even peanuts could work.  I used a little more than one bag of milk chocolate chips for each 12 ounce bag of chow mein.

Line a couple cookie sheets with parchment or wax paper. This will keep the nests from sticking.

In a medium sized pan, melt the chocolate chips on the stove (medium heat), stirring so the chocolate doesn’t burn. This will only take a couple minutes. Remove from heat and add the noodles, stirring until they’re well coated. Then use a large spoon to drop a good-sized dollop of the chocolate chow mein mixture on your lined cookie sheets. Our nests are about 4 inches across.

Carefully check to make sure the mixture’s not too hot to touch, then use your fingers to shape each drop into the shape of a nest: circular with a little indent in the center. Move on to the next nest.

After you’re through forming the nests, the chocolate should still be sticky but not real warm (don’t want to melt your eggs!). Add a couple egg candies to the center of each nest. The chocolate will work like glue to hold them in.  Chill them in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (we left ours overnight).  To make them into little gifts, I placed each nest in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon.

My kids are 5 and 3, so they were able to help stir the melting chocolate, help form the nests and add the egg candies (their favorite part). We thought the nests looked great using three eggs that were the same color (shades of blue, for example) or mixing it up. Either way, you can’t go wrong!

Book shop hosts cookie contest

Out On A Whim Children’s Book Store will host a decorated cookie contest at 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12.

For a chance to win a free book, children should bring in a batch of cookies they’ve decorated with holiday cheer. Store-bought cookies must be hand decorated by the child to qualify. The kids will vote to decide the winner.

Out On A Whim is located at 108 S. Third Ave. in Yakima. For more information, call 576-3635.

Glenna’s Brunch Eggs

from the kitchen of Glenna Hagler
12-18 large eggs
8 oz Swiss cheese, grated
Half and half or whipping cream
Parmesan or Romano cheese
Paprika
Olive oil, for the pan

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 casserole dish with a small amount of olive oil. Spread an even layer of Swiss cheese on the bottom of the pan. Place eggs on top of cheese without breaking the yolks (if you can!).

Pour enough half and half or whipping cream to fill in the gaps made by the eggs. Be conservative on the liquid here — use just enough. Too much will increase your baking time.

Bake in oven about 10 minutes, just long enough for the eggs to look a bit cooked but not done. Remove from oven and top with Parmesan and paprika and return to oven.

Cook another 10 minutes or until set. Serves 4-6 people as a main course. You may substitute Cheddar, Colby or Monterey Jack cheese for the Swiss.

Onion Roasted Potatoes

from the kitchen of Ingrid Rodgers

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
2 lbs all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/3 cup olive oil

As a time-saver, you may prepare the potatoes the night before and soak them in water to cover. Drain, and proceed.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large plastic bag, add all ingredients, close and shake to coat potatoes evenly. Place potatoes into a shallow baking pan and discard bag. Bake, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender and golden brown. Serves 8 people.

Chocolate Filled Croissants

from the kitchen of Adrienne Humfeld

1 package store bought crescent roll dough
1/2 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 egg
Splash of water

Preheat oven to package directions and roll out dough on a prepared cookie sheet (using cooking spray if needed). Cut and separate dough into perforated triangles.

Place 1/2 teaspoon of chocolate chips in center of triangles. Beat egg with water to thin it out a little for an egg wash. Roll up crescents, and brush with a small amount of egg wash. Bake to package directions until deep golden in color. Serve warm.

An Easy Christmas Brunch

By Adrienne Humfeld

When we wake up Christmas morning, making breakfast is usually one of the last things that comes to mind. With all the hubbub, shrieks of delight and the usual testing out of new toys, moms need to make life easier on themselves!

The following recipes require very little prep time, and deliver with good taste. To make things even easier, some preparation can be done in advance.

These recipes are sure to please even the pickiest little eaters, and provide warm memories for years to come. Serve with a mug of cocoa, tea, or your favorite juice.

Adrienne Humfeld lives in Yakima with her husband and daughter, Macrina. She is an avid gourmet cook, artist and writer.

Glenna’s Brunch Eggs

Onion Roasted Potatoes

Chocolate Filled Croissants

Build an A+ lunch

Somewhere between deciding what’s for dinner and whether to pick up another gallon of milk — always! — you find yourself cooling off in the grocery’s refrigerator aisle trying to think of something for the kids’ lunch. Read more

Trail Mix

Ingredient ideas:
Dry snacks: low-sugar cereal, small pretzels, mini rice cakes, animal crackers.
Dried fruits: raisins, cherries, apricots, coconut flakes.
Nuts and seeds: Peanuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds.

Directions: Combine any or all of these ingredients into an airtight container and toss gently to mix. Stores for weeks.

Pineapple Kabobs

Ingredients:
Pineapple chunks
Marble cheese cubes (1/2-inch pieces)
Ham, cut into 1-inch squares
Toothpicks

Directions: Place a ham square, pineapple chunk, ham square and cheese cube on each toothpick.
Veggie version: Substitute teriyaki-flavored baked tofu for the ham and cheese.

Super Sub Sandwich

Ingredients:
Medium hero roll
sliced cheese
4 to 6 slices of deli meat
4 thin tomato slices
1/2 c. shredded lettuce
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Slice the hero roll in half lengthwise and scoop out some of the soft bread inside. Line both sides of the roll with your child’s favorite cheese and deli meat. Top with shredded lettuce and tomato slices. Sprinkle with oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper. Close the sandwich, cut it in half and wrap in plastic wrap.

Simple lunch box stuffers

• Fresh fruit, sliced or whole.
• Dried fruit.
• Raisins.
• Applesauce cups (no sugar added).
• Ants on a Log: Fill celery sticks with cream cheese or peanut butter, push in raisins for “ants.”
• Peanut butter with apple slices, or crackers.
• Sugar snap peas.
• Carrot sticks.
• Baby carrots with hummus.
• Nuts.
• Yogurt or a smoothie (watch the sugar).
• Low-fat pudding cups.
• Hard-boiled egg.
• Pretzels (extra credit if you buy whole grain).
• Air-popped popcorn.
• A note from Mom.
• Whole grain crackers.
• String cheese or cheese cubes.
• Lunch meat roll-ups with cream cheese.
• Leftovers.
• A thermos of hot soup.
• Trail mix made from cereal, nuts and dried fruit.
• Fruit leather made from real fruit (most “fruit snacks” are not).
• Granola bars (look for brands lower in sugar).
• Milk.
• Water.
• Flavored water drinks.
• 100% fruit juice.
• Don’t forget to include a couple of napkins, or a wet wipe if you pack something especially sticky.

Twin Sisters Chicken & Rice Casserole

from Laura Larson, Cubmaster for Cub Scouts Pack 266

Ingredients:
1 package Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup mix
1 cup instant rice
1 can chicken meat
1 cup water

Directions:
In a pot, bring water to boil. Add soup mix. Then add rice. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until rice has cooked through. Add drained chicken meat. Heat through and serve.

Omelets in a Bag

from Laura Larson, Cubmaster for Cub Scouts Pack 266

Ingredients:
1-2 eggs per person
Shredded cheese
Favorite omelet options (mushrooms, bacon bits, chopped onions/peppers, etc.)
Freezer-style zip-lock bags (sandwich/quart size)

Directions:
Break two raw eggs into a zip-lock bag. (NOTE: Must be a freezer-style bag. Regular sandwich bags don’t hold up.) Add cheese and any combination of optional ingredients. Seal bag, releasing any extra air from the bag. Use hands to “squish” ingredients together.

Have an adult drop bag into pot of boiling water and allow to cook for several minutes until done. If boiling several bags, mark names with a permanent marker before placing in the pot.

Camp Fire Banana Boats

from the cabin of Janet Gallant

Leaving the peel on, split a banana lengthwise. Fill it with three marshmallows and chocolate chips. (Coconut and chopped nuts work well, too.) Wrap in aluminum foil set on hot coals for about two minutes. Tip: You may want to remove some of the banana to make room for toppings.

Tin foil dinner

Tin foil dinner
from the cabin of Janet Gallant

Ingredients:
hamburger patties
carrots
potato
onion
green peppers
favorite seasoning
butter, or cream mushroom soup
heavy aluminum foil

Directions:
Place a piece of heavy duty foil in front of you, lay slices of potatoes, onion, peppers and carrots on the sheet of foil, then place a hamburger patty on top. Cover with another layer of vegetables. Season with salt and peper, or favorite seasonings, add 2 Tbsp butter or soup.

Fold up foil, sealing all ingredients inside. Use fingernail polish to write names on the foil. Place foil on hot coals for 30 to 45 minutes, turning twice during cooking.

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

from the cabin of Janet Gallant

Ingredients:
1 lg can sliced peaches
1 pkg white or yellow cake mix
1/4 lb butter (1 stick)

Directions:
Prepare charcoal (abt 35 pieces) for dutch oven cooking. Rub inside of the dutch oven with cooking oil, place 8 pieces of hot coals under the dutch oven, and 20 pieces on the lid.

When the oven is hot, pour peaches and juice into the oven. Add the dry cake mix on top of the peaches. Cut the butter into pats (small chucks) and place on top of the cake mix. Lightly dust everything with cinnamon. Place the lid back on the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

Check cake with a clean straw or knife: Sticking the straw into the cake mix. If the straw comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, add charcoal to the oven and bake another 10 minutes. Check again.

Ice Cream in a Bag

from the cabin of Janet Gallant

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk (doesn’t matter what kind; chocolate milk makes chocolate ice cream)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla (try other flavors)
zip-lock freezer bags (pint and quart sized)
rock salt
ice

Directions:
Add these to a pint-size zip-lock freezer bag; zip closed. Place that bag in a larger (quart or bigger) zip-lock bag. Add ice to fill larger bag 1/2 way, plus 6 tablespoons salt (rock or regular). Zip that one closed and shake, turn, toss and mix the bag. In about 5-10 minutes you will have cold hands and yummy ice cream!

Janet’s Tips: Don’t try to double this recipe, as it doesn’t seem to work. Rinse all of the salt off of the small bag before you open it. BE SURE TO USE FREEZER BAGS; the others are too thin. Hold onto the zipper part of the bag at all times. The bag does get cold, so gloves are recommended. Kids will have jumping around and shaking the bags. The ice cream thickens and you’ll need to eat it with a spoon. Melts very fast.