Our Christmas Punch

My family has this every year for Christmas, thus the name. (We actually use our family name in the title but I try to be somewhat private, believe it or not...) My mom has always made it, so I will give her credit. I did not make it this week but we had it at my niece's birthday party via my mom or my sister, so I had to snap a pic and add the recipe. It is a family favorite. Ans it tastes just as good if it is not Christmas...

1 12 oz. can frozen punch (Note: As of this week, there was none to be found in our grocery store's frozen section...I think they ended up using just a can of punch from the juice aisle)
1 12 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 12 oz can frozen pineapple juice
6 12 oz cans water
2 liters 7 up

Mix all ingredients together in a punch bowl. Add an ice ring (which can be made using Tropical Punch Kool Aid).

Enjoy!

Reba

Strawberry Smoothie

Recently a friend of mine posted about making smoothies with her daughter. She made strawberry banana smoothies, I believe. That got me to thinking...it sounded yummy. The only thing is I am not that crazy about bananas. (Don't tell my kids...they will eat them all day long!) So I set off on an Internet search for a strawberry smoothie...strawberry being the only fruit.

I finally found one on Allrecipes.

Here it is with a few minor adjustments.

Ingredients:
8 strawberries, hulled...I actually have a bag of frozen strawberries in my freezer. I am typically all about fresh if possible, but when I buy fresh strawberries, they typically get chomped up in no time by my young ones. So I bought frozen and just take the ones I need. Plus I like that they are frozen which goes with the whole smoothie image :)
1/2 cup milk (I just use 1 percent since that is what we have on hand typically)
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
3 tbsp sugar
6 cubes ice (I have just been using cubes, my blender is pretty tough :)

Place all ingredients in the blender. Blend on high until it is the texture you want.

Yum.

I have been having it as part of my meal. I just eat some pistachios on the side (or tonight I had avocado and light Tostitos). Figure I am getting my dairy and fruit. :)

I promise, the mint chocolate brownie recipe is coming...soon.

Reba