Cranberry Daiquiri Slush

Ocean Spray linked to this recipe on facebook today, and it looked so good I just had to try it. In the freezer now. Hopefully they're as good as they sound.

Cranberry Daiquiri Slush

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
• 1/3 cup rum

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in an 8-inch square non-metal pan; stir until sugar is dissolved. Cover and freeze 6 hours or overnight.
2. To serve, scrape a fork over the surface of the frozen mixture and spoon a heaping 1 cup into a 10 oz. glass. Add a little more cranberry cocktail and stir to form slush. Makes 6 servings.

Cranberry Daiquiri Slush on Ocean Spray

We had some of the new Cranberry Juice Cocktail with a Hint of Lime, so I used that.  I only had 1 lime, which gave me about 1/4 cup juice, so I made up the difference with lemon juice.

Related articles

• Strawberry Daiquiri (willowandbee.wordpress.com)
• Weekly Boozer: Bourbon Slushes (emeraldowl.wordpress.com)

and some more drink recipes to try:

• Frozen Strawberry Margarita
• Cosmopolitan
• Frozen Lime Daiquiri

Chard Mashed Potatoes

Image via WikipediaI was talking to a friend this past weekend, and she was looking for some new ways to use some of the chard from her garden.  I mentioned these mashed potatoes because this is one of my favorite chard recipes.

Chard Mashed Potatoes

• 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. russet potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 to 3 tsp. salt
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup hot milk or half-and-half
• 2 to 3 Tbs. unsalted butter, room temperature
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish, optional

1. Peel potatoes, leaving some skin on each. Cut potatoes into large chunks, and place them in medium pot with enough cold water to cover. Add 2 tsp. salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and boil until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, rinse chard well. Remove and discard stems and chop leaves coarsely. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in chard and garlic. Cover pan, and cook, until wilted and tender, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. When potatoes are done, drain and add milk and butter. Mash potatoes, leaving them slightly lumpy, adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chard and serve, garnished with Parmesan if desired.

So good!  Hopefully I'll have enough chard from my own garden to make this soon.  I cut a few small leaves yesterday, enough to make a really yummy pasta dish for lunch - chard sauteed in olive oil w/ sliced green onions and minced garlic, sea salt and fresh ground pepper, then tossed with pasta and topped with Parmesan. Yum!  But my chard is going to have to grow a bit before I have any more, and the bunnies are going to have to leave it alone!
 

Related articles

• Chard and Cheese Pasta Gratin (girlinterruptedeating.wordpress.com)
• Light Swiss Chard Pasta (saturdaypersimmon.wordpress.com)

Free Cookbooks

Here are some free cookbooks I found this evening.  The first two are in .pdf format so you can download them to your computer or upload them to Google Docs, like I did.

• Betty Crocker Best of 2011
• Betty Crocker Spring 2011

and I don't know if you can download it, but this one is just very cool! Gold Medal Whole Wheat Baking.

The recipes in all of them look really good!  I am definitely going to have to try some of them.

This recipe for Mojito Bars from the Spring Cookbook really looks yummy - and appropriate, too since I read somewhere that today is National Mojito Day.  Did you even know there was such a thing?  It's a shame I almost killed my mint plant and don't have enough leaves to actually make a mojito today!
 

Lemonade Yogurt Popsicles

I found this recipe for Lemonade Yogurt Popsicles on Baking Bites, and I just had to try them. They're in the freezer now.

Lemonade Yogurt Popsicles

• 1-1/3 cups lowfat yogurt, plain or vanilla
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 5 tbsp sugar

1. In a small, microwave safe bowl, heat up the lemon juice and dissolve all the sugar into it.
2. Pour lemon mixture into a medium bowl with the yogurt and whisk until smooth.
3. Divide into popsicle molds and freeze, for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Dip popsicle molds in hot water to release the pops before serving.

I used my Tupperware popsicle molds - the ones I used to use all the time when the kids were younger - and got 6 full ones and a partial.  Next time (see, I'm already assuming there's gonna be a next time) I'll add just a touch more yogurt so I can fill them all up.
 

Related articles (more popsicles I just must try)

• Summer Popsicles (kidsincowtown.wordpress.com)
• Homemade Pops - Melt my Heart! (toppedwithsprinkles.wordpress.com)
• This might just be the best thing ever! (thelemonandlime.com)
• Endless Poptails: Cherry Apple Whiskey Sour (nolagirlsocial.wordpress.com)
• Healthy & Delicious (vakkermom.wordpress.com)
• Summertime Treat: Popsicles (atouchoflovely.wordpress.com)
• Popsicle o'clock (secret-agent-josephine.com)

Grilling Some Potatoes

When we grill, I usually peel and slice some potatoes, add some sliced onion, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap them up in foil. They're easy to cook on the grill and turn out so yummy.  These Barbecued Baked Potatoes take a little more work, especially for the griller, but they are definitely worth it - and the sauce is really good!

Barbecued Baked Potatoes

• 4 large potatoes, scrubbed not peeled
• Salt & Pepper
• Paprika
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Parboil potatoes 10 min. in their skins.  Quarter potatoes lengthwise.  Brush with mixture of butter, paprika, salt & pepper on all surfaces.  Grill potatoes for 15 minutes or so, basting frequently with remaining butter.

For sauce, combine:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. mustard powder
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. fresh herbs

Serve with potatoes.

It's been a while since we had these, so I'm thinking we need to have them next time we grill. 

Related articles

• Starving Artist Saturday - grilled potatoes (sketchbooksandstagelights.wordpress.com)
• Hodge Podge Grilled Salad (yesiwantcake.com)