Shamrock Shake

Nothing says Happy St. Patrick's Day like a cold, creamy Shamrock Shake!  If you want to skip McDonald's and just make them at home, here's a super yummy and super easy recipe.  I took the liberty of adding in Andes Mints because they are just awesome and do good things to this shake.  It you want to keep it true to the Micky D's version, leave out the Andes Mints.  And I have to apologize for the less than green coloring of this shake.  I just used my green food coloring a few days ago, so I know I have some.  It was no where to be found when it was shake making time though.  My attempt at mixing yellow and blue to make green wasn't that successful, as you can see.  Even without the vibrant green color, it still tastes amazing!  Go make yourself a yummy St. Patrick's Day treat and you'll be feeling pretty lucky!

6 cups vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup Andes Mints pieces
1 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
15 drops green food coloring
whipped cream and green sprinkles to garnish

Put ice cream, milk, Andes Mints, peppermint extract and food coloring in blender.  You can add more or less mints, extract and food coloring according to your personal likes.  This amount is just about right for us though.  Mix until well blended.  Top with whipped cream and sprinkles.  Enjoy!

Source:  The Slow Roasted Italian

{Healthy} Banana Cream Pie Smoothie

Any time you can mix "healthy" and "yum", you know you've got a winner.  Check out the ingredients in this smoothie:  greek yogurt, almond milk, bananas and a little honey to sweeten it.  Totally healthy!  Flavor it with some vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and you'll think you're drinking a slice of banana cream pie for breakfast - guilt free!  If you want to make it a little more dessert-y, throw in some vanilla wafers and top it off with a dollop of whip cream.  How good does it really taste, you ask.  Let's ask my three year old.  The first time I made it, he eagerly watched as I mixed it up and then took pictures of it.  As I clicked away with my camera, he sat next to me, dramatically licking his lips loudly the whole time.  I kid you not.  This kid is such a silly little hamm!  As soon as I was done and gave him the green light to take it down, he slurped it up in no time at all.  When he was done he turned to me and with a huge, content grin on his face said, "Dat is da best ting eber!"  Translation:  "That is the best thing ever!"  I'd have to agree with him.  We've had one almost every morning since.  When you make this smoothie it is very important that you freeze the bananas ahead of time to get the right consistency.  I like to slice up a bunch of bananas and portion them out into ziploc bags, with enough for one smoothie in each bag, then throw them in the freezer.  Make sure you lay them out flat so that you don't end up with a big frozen blob of banana slices.  It's easier to work with them if they're in a flat layer.  Then when I get a request for "da best smoothie eber", I grab some bananas out of the freezer and mix up some healthy yumminess.  And the smile I am rewarded with in return gets me every time!

Ingredients:
2 bananas, sliced and frozen
1/3 cup low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk
4 vanilla wafer cookies
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 ice cubes (more or less to fit your desired consistency)

Directions:
Throw all ingredients in the blender. Blend thoroughly until smooth and creamy. Top with dollop of whip cream if desired.  Serve at once!


Source:  Baker By Nature

Creamy Caramel Cider

There's nothing like a big warm mug of apple cider to make a long cold winter day more bearable.  I've always been an apple cider fan and when I came across this recipe, I was pretty sure we were going to be best friends.  The original recipe just called for a "dollop" of whipped cream.  Dollop is a fun word to use but I decided that this situation called for more then a dollop.  After a generous scoop of whipped cream started melting into my cup of cinnamon, apple, caramel goodness, I knew I had done the right thing.  The creamy factor that it added to this cup of yum turned it into a cup of perfection.  I think I may be addicted.

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon apple cider
• about 6 ounces caramel topping
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• whipped cream
• cinnamon sticks to grate, to taste

Directions:

1. Put apple cider and cinnamon sticks in a crock pot on low for 4 hours
2. One hour before serving, remove cinnamon sticks then add caramel and stir.
3. When serving top with a generous scoop of whipped cream (this is what makes it creamy, so don't be shy).  Grate some cinnamon sticks over the top, snuggle up in a warm blanket and enjoy.

*Source:  Six Sisters

{Homemade} Hot Chocolate Mix

We lived in Iowa for five years and, as expected, the winters were long and cold.  Hot chocolate became an essential part of our winter diet.  When a good friend of mine gave me this fabulous recipe for homemade hot chocolate mix, I knew it would become a staple and we've made it every year since then.  My kids know that fall is in the air when we make our hot chocolate mix.  It makes so much that one batch of it usually lasts all winter long.  It's a fun gift to give to neighbors and teachers too.  You'll notice that most of the ingredients below don't include an exact amount.  It's a very flexible recipe so play around with it.  And, if you're like me and scared of powdered milk, don't worry.  All of the other flavors mask it well and there's not even a hint of powdered milk in the finished product.  So, pull on a sweater, put a log on the fire and pour yourself up a big cup of hot chocolate!

Ingredients:
50 oz powdered milk
1 bag powdered sugar
2 containers of Nesquik chocolate powder drink mix
2 containers of non-dairy coffee creamer (hazelnut is our favorite but you can use any flavor)

Directions:
You need to combine and mix all of these ingredients together.  There is so much and all the powder is so messy.  My friend recommended a nonconventional way to mix it that works great and has become part of the fun in making it.  Get a large clean garbage bag and dump everything into it then twist it closed and shake it all up.  The kids love helping me with the dumping and shaking!  Store the hot chocolate mix in plastic containers sealed tight with a lid or in gallon sized Ziploc bags.  To make the hot chocolate, add about 1/4 cup of the mix to a regular sized mug of hot water or milk.  Adjust to taste.  Drink as is or add in any mix in's that you'd like.  Some of our favorites are whipped cream, peppermint sticks, marshmallows, Andes Mints bits, drizzle of chocolate syrup or caramel sauce.  The possibilities are endless.  If you're going to drink some calories, drink some calories!

*Source: Kerri Trost