Watermelon Slushy Cocktail

This watermelon cocktail is a great summer drink.  It is cool and refreshing supper for outdoor activates, such as pool parties, barbecues, etc.  Kids as well as grownups can enjoy it, because you can drink it with alcohol or alcohol free.


Serving Size:  4
Preparation Time: 3 hours and 15 minutes
Money Savings: $5.00
Approximate calories per serving: 186

Ingredients:
3 cups of frozen watermelon cubes
1 cup water
3 tbsp maple syrup
Juice of 2 lemons
2 shots of tequila (optional)
A blender

Directions:
Take the watermelon, water, syrup and lemon juice an tequila (optional) put these on a blender.  Blend on high for about 3 minutes or until is juice is like a slushy. You put it back in the freezer for about 1-2 hours and enjoy.  

Healthy Papaya Smoothie

I don’t know why, but I believe that papayas are in season at least by my neck of the woods, because papayas are less expensive now than at any other time.  Papayas have antioxidants besides when very ripe they are very sweet and tasteful.  Ether way it is wonderful to enjoy a delicious papaya shake.  All you need is milk, a very ripe papaya and some kind of sweetener, (a touch of cinnamon) and waa la! Enjoy.  It is easy to prepare and delightful in taste.

Serving Size: 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Money Savings: $3.00
Approximate calories per servings: 343 on a 10oz glass

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup of papaya
16oz (skim)milk
Sweeten to your taste
2 tbs. ground flax seed
16 ice cubes
Pinch cinnamon powder


Preparation:
Blend together papaya, milk, sugar, and flax seed. Then pour into a glass place 4 ice cubes and cinnamon.

Tip:
You can take agave instead of sugar or artificial sweetener.

Yogurt & Fruit Popsicles

This is a great, healthy and delicious snack when your kids come home from school.
This recipe is easy to prepare and all who taste it will love it.  All it take is plain yogurt some kind of sweeteners, for example sugar, agave or honey if you want, and fresh fruits.  I loved to make treats for my kids when they where younger.  This is also a wonderful treat for kids birthdays and kids gatherings. This is in all a fine treat.

Serving Size: 16 popsicles
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Freezer Time: 8 hours
Money Savings: $10-$12.00
Approximate calories per serving: 30

Ingredients:
32 oz plain yogurt
Sugar/honey/agave to taste
2 fresh kiwis
¼ cup blue berries
1 small banana sliced
¼ cup fresh strawberries sliced
Popsicle molds  

Directions:
Place the yogurt in the a bowl mix sweetener.
Place pieces of the fruits in the mold then pour the yogurt into the molds.
Can alternate and pour yogurt into the mold to fill it have way then place pieces of fruits on it.
Then freeze them for about 8 hours and they are ready to devour

Tips:
If you would like you can puree the fruit and mix it in with the yogurt it also tastes delicious.

Frozen Papaya Popsicle Sticks

You want to taste something smooth, refreshing on a hot summer day you may want to do it with a great tasting home made cold frozen papaya popsicle sticks. It feels cold and smooth in your mouth and it is wonderful for your small kids and your big kids or who ever would love to have a cold tasty treat.


Preparation time: 10 minutes
Mixing Time: 5 minutes
Money Savings: $2.00
Approximate calories per serving: 8

Ingredients:
1 2lbs papaya pealed and deseeded cut into ½ slices
Agave/Sugar to taste
1 quart water
3 oz cups/popsicle molds

Directions:
Place the papaya, agave/sugar and water in a blender blend everything for around 5-7 minutes then place the bend into cups or popsicle molds place the sticks on top and freeze for about 4-7 hours.  And enjoy!

Pineapple Aide

If you want to cool down in this brutal summer heat. Do it with a tall glass of delicious pineapple aide.  It is made with real pineapple so you wont get all those preservatives from the can.  In that case it is healthier, and less calories.  Best of all it is easily prepared.  All you need is a ripe pineapple, water, and sugar to taste.  Simple and thrust quencher.  

Serving Size: 4 (8oz cup)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Mixing Time: 5 minutes
Money Savings: $3.00
Approximate calories per serving: 15 in 1 8oz cup.

Ingredients:
1 raw pineapple pealed and cut into small pieces
2 quarts of water
Sugar to taste
A blender
A coarse strainer
Ice

Directions:
Take the pineapple, water and sugar place it in the blender. Until pineapple is fully crushed.  Pour through a coarse strainer into a large container.  Pour it into a class with ice and there you have it.

Tips:
The raw pineapple can be replaced by a can of crushed pineapple but I prefer not to because of the preservatives that a can contains.

Pineapple Pudding

You might love dessert as much as I do. But you don’t want the extra calories.  You will love this pineapple pudding. This is a wonderful dessert with   less calories, it is made from scratch, and
with the most natural ingredients but best of all it is easily prepared.  This is a recipe my mom would prepare for us when we were young. It is made from real pineapple peelings and cornstarch.  I’m sure your kids will love it as much as we did.

Serving Size: 8
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Money Savings: $2.00
Approximate calories per serving: 37

Ingredients:
The peel of 1 pineapple was pineapple
1 quart water
2 stick of cinnamon (optional)
1.6 oz corn starch
½  cup sugar

Directions:
Place pineapple peels on a medium cooking pot with water.  Place 1 stick of cinnamon (optional). Place pot on medium heat let it boil for about 10-15 minutes.  Take a coarse strainer and strain into another pot place that pot into medium heat pour the corn starch into the pineapple water quickly with a spoon mix well until water becomes thicken pour sugar and continue mixing. Pour into small dishes and into the refrigerator for about 4-5 hours or the next day.  Until its has thicken.

Morir Soñando (Die Dreaming)

Morir Soñando or translated into English is die dreaming. This is a non alcoholic drink that comes from the Dominican Republic . A Dominican friend of mine showed me this recipe. It is very easy to prepare and it a delight to drink this shake. It tastes smooth, rich, full, soft and sweet. This drink is so delicious it taste just like its name to die dreaming.

Serving Size: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Money Savings: $8.00
Ingredients: 2 cups of Orange Juice
 ½ cup sugar
2 cups of evaporated milk
2 cups of regular milk
3 cups of Ice cubes
Directions:
Take the orange juice, the sugar, the evaporated milk, regular milk and ice cubs and put everything in a blender on slow for about 2-3 minutes.

Beef Shish Kobob

Beef shish kobobs are fabulous to prepare for you next BBQ party. They are not only great tasting but they are quick and easy to prepare. This is my husband’s recipe, he loves to prepare these full-flavored, meaty, and tender kobos. When you bite into a peace of meat you can actually savor all those condiments in your mouth. It is a divine experience.

Serving Size: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Money Savings: $17.00
　
　

Ingredients:
2 ½ lbs beef lion meat steak cut in cubes
Complete Seasoning
Garlic powder
4 tsp Italian salad dressing
2 medium red onions cut in 4^th
16 oz mushrooms
3 plum tomatoes cut in 4^thKobob sticks

Directions:
Sprinkle complete seasoning, and garlic power. Then pour in the Italian dressing. Set aside for ½ hour.
Place onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes on grill plate. Place meat on the grill. Grill on medium heat. Once is cooked to your liking place the meat on the sticks. Placing one piece of meat, then piece of onion, then a piece of tomatoes, then a piece of much room…and cont.

Watermelon Juice

My mother has a way of preparing juices, they are simple, but with a great taste. This watermelon Juice is sweet, and refreshing specially for the hot summery months. It has a sparkly, zesty taste the seltzer water and the lime gives a bit acidy flavor to it. The sweetness of the watermelon takes on such a cool, stimulating taste to any dry mouth.
　
Serving Size: 10
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Money Savings: $5.25

Ingredients:
8 cups non-seeded watermelon divided
1 cup of water, divided
1/3 cups sugar, divided
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 liter of seltzer water, chilled

Directions:
Combine half the watermelon, half the water and half the sugar in a blender and puree it. Pour through a coarse strainer into a large container. Repeat with the remaining watermelon, water, and sugar. Stir in lime juice. Refrigerate until well chilled. Before serving pour in the seltzer water.

Tips:
This is great for get-togethers.

Coconut Ice Pops

These ice pops has been a hit within my family. These are a great summer sensation. What I love about these coconut ice pops is that they remind me of my carefree childhood life and for a few cents I would go to the neighbors house where she had her own little pulperia (small local store) and I would buy (paletas de coco Coconut ice pops). This summer sensation is not only refreshing, but they taste magnificent. The rich taste of tropical coconut and the fine taste of cinnamon is awesome when it hits your tongue.

Serving Size: 20
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 minutes
Freezer Time: 8 hours
Money savings: $9.00

Ingredients
2 cups of water
2 cinnamon sticks1/4 cup of milk
1 can coconut milk
1 can cream of coconut
1/3 cups of coconut flakes
3 oz plastic cups
Popsicle sticks

Directions
In a medium sauce pan boil on medium heat the water with the cinnamon sticks. Pour in the milk let it simmer, then add the coconut milk, cream of coconut and the coconut flakes. Let all that simmer.

Let it cool for about 1 hour.

Then pour the ingredients into the cups, put into freezer for 1/2 hour then put the sticks in let it freeze until frozen ready.

Tips:
Remember in any frozen desserts it should be a bit more sweet then your usual.

Tutti Frutti

It is funny how memory comes in different forms. For example, food or meals bring nostalgia to me. Especially this perfect dessert brings back so many memories. Just seeing the gelatin, with the Frozen vanilla Yogurt, and the fruit cocktail. Takes me back when I was a little girl back in my county and my mom took me and my brother to a little booth right by the beach and would buy us what ever dessert we wanted and I remember always asking for this sweet refreshing tutti frutti. It was prepared with gelatin, vanilla ice cream, and fruit cocktail. Now, I recreated that same feeling but instead of ice ream I used Frozen yogurt and instead of the regular gelatin I used sugar-free gelatin and let me tell you; it taste as magnificent as the real thing.

Serving size: 4
Preparation time: 5 mintes
Money savings: $7.00

To double serving size just double ingredients
To reduce size just reduce the ingredients

Ingredients:
Sugar-free gelatin
Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
1 14oz can of fruit cocktail

Directions:
Fallow the directions from the box on how to make the gelatin.
Then you place about 1/3 of a cup of gelatin onto a glass or a cup, take 6 oz of the vanilla frozen yogurt and place it on top of the gelatin. Then take 1/3 of a cup fruit cocktail and place it on top of the frozen yogurt and top it of with a cherry on top.

Topical Fruit Salad




This beautiful, healthy tropical fruit salad is one of my family summer favorite. This colorful sweet salad is combined with mouth-watering watermelon, cantaloupe, papaya, grapes, pineapple, and strawberries. This fresh, sweet, delicious salad will be great for summer hot days you can serve it as a dessert or as a sank, either way I grantee your family will love it; as much as my family does.

Serving size: 24
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Money Saving:  $20.00

To Double serving size just double the ingredients
To reduce size just use ½ of the ingredients

Ingredients:
1/2 watermelon seeds removed/seedless and diced
1 cantaloupe, seeds removed and diced
1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 cups seedless red grapes
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and diced
1 papaya seeds removed and diced

 

Directions
In a large bowl, combine watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, pineapple, and papaya. For a more elegant presentation, all melons (cantaloupe) can be cut into balls using a Melon Ballers, and the rest of the fruit can be arranged on a platter instead of in a bowl. It does not need extra juices, the juices come from with in the fruit.

TIPS:
To make sure fruits are ripe and sweet you need to make sure that the watermelon is hollow, (you knock on the watermelon if it sound hollow then it is ready). The cantaloupes is yellow and like an avocado make sure it is soft on both ends. The strawberries need to be extremely red. Grapes need to be very sweet as well. Pineapple should be very yellow. The Papaya should be very orangey-red.