Rambling #22 California Slush!

Years ago when I lived in South Jersey (or for some of you South NEW Jersey), I became very good friends with a couple named Mark and Jane. They had three children who were all just a little older than me, but from the first time I met them I always felt at home when with them or at their house. They took me in and treated me like I was one of their own. I think I can count on one hand the Sundays I didn't spend with them or at their home. Jane is a Kansas farm girl who is an incredible cook and baker (she can bake a loaf of bread from scratch because that is how they do it on the farm). One of my favorite memories is being her "gofer". When cooking she never kicked me out of the kitchen, she just pulled me in and had me stir, mix, unwrap, and fetch. We cooked for all kinds of events from sunday potlucks and church dinners to thanksgiving meals (I spent both Jersey Thanksgivings at their house). I loved cooking with Jane! Here I am with Mark and Jane in their kitchen.
In the summers she would make a delicious fruity treat called California Slush. From the first spoonful I was hooked. Since it has been sooooo hot here in Texas lately I thought it was the perfect time to make some and remember Jane. So here it is and I highly encourage you to try this for yourself!

California SlushThe ingredients: water, sugar, bananas, maraschino cherries, crushed pineapple, orange juice, (pretend you see this) lemon juice, and a couple of gallon ziploc bags.
In a pretty large bowl pour in the orange juice (I let mine thaw in the fridge, it doesn't have to be thawed.
Next add a can of crushed pineapple with the juice
This step you might want to do ahead of time, drain the cherries and cut them in half, and then half the halves, or quarter them. I like to do a jar and a half to two jars of cherries but it is up to you I like a lot of cherries.
Be aware this will stain your fingertips.
Then add the quartered cherries to the orange juice and pineapple
In a sauce pan measure two cups water
and two cups sugar and bring to a boil on the stove
While you are waiting for it to boil, slice and quarter 3-4 bananas. I think I did four and a half because the bananas I got that day were a little small.
Be sure to check your water. See its not boiling yet but it has turned clear again.
Now its boiling!
Add the boiling sugar water to the orange juice, pineapple, cherry mixture.
Add 1/4 cup lemon juice concentrate to the bowl.
Give it a good stir
Add the bananas
and then add 4 cups of water and stir well. If you left your orange juice frozen make sure it has completely dissolved and there are no frozen chunks.
Now ladle equally into two gallon ziploc bags. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to pick cherries as well as the bananas.
If you need some help you can get a tall container like this one to hold the bag while you ladle
Yummm!!!! I cannot wait till I can dig in! Squeeze out leftover air and seal.
Lay both bags flat in the freezer you can tilt the end up a little to try and evenly distribute the cherries (they tend to sink to the bottom of things). It will take 5 or more hours to freeze. If you are impatient like me you will be waiting and watching the freezer, so when it reaches a slightly slushy stage you will pull it out and dish some out. If you let it freeze completely, set it out about an hour before you want to serve. If it gets too liquidy just put it back in the freezer for a bit.
Doesn't it just look delicious! I love this slush. It is an easy treat to make with and serve to kids!
You can click the picture above to make bigger or here is the recipe below.

California Slush

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 12 oz can frozen OJ concentrate
1 Lg. can crushed pineapple (not drained)
3-4 ripe bananas, sliced and the quartered
1/4 cup lemon juice concentrate
1 cup (I like 1 1/2-2 jars) of marachino cherries, quartered
4 cups water
2 ziploc bags

1. Quarter the cherries.
2. In a large bowl combine the OJ, pineapple, cherries, and lemon juice.
3. Boil 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar.
4. Slice and quarter the bananas.
5. Add boiling sugar water to OJ mix.
6. Add 4 cups water and stir to mix well.
7. Ladle evenly into ziploc bags, be sure to scrape the bottom to get cherries too.
8. Lay flat in the freezer.
9. If frozen solid, remove about an hour before serving. Refreeze if it becomes to liquidy.
10. Enjoy!

Non-Adventure #32 Steel Magnolias!

Well here is another Chick Flicks post! This one took place in May!

Our movie was:

Steel Magnolias

Everyone came over and this time instead of signing up for food items, I had people bring beauty supplies like nail polish, curling irons, flat irons, skin care products, etc.
I went ahead and purchased food and everyone contributed to the cost of our dinner. We had chicken strips, mashed potatoes, biscuits, fried pickles, mac-n-cheese (this I made I have a great recipe from Luby's I will try and share the next time I make it.), sweet tea and pink lemonade.
We did our quiz too. Above is Robin, Rose, Adorah, and Jennifer. After dinner we all headed in to watch the movie and we continued on with the beauty treatments while we watched.
Painting Jenn's toes.
Robin doing a pore cleansing treatment
For dessert we had the Pioneer Woman's Dump Cake with vanilla ice cream, to cut the sweetness!
Adorah found a strip and ended up pouring water all down her front trying to wet it enough to get it to stick to her face.
Even Sookie watched the movie with us.
Here is everyone's fingernails all painted!

We all had so much fun. I will list below the quiz if you would like to take it for yourself it is about Julia Roberts. This movie didn't have recipes for food but it did have some recipes to make your own beauty type products which I will put in after the quiz.

Julia Roberts Trivia Quiz

1. What was Julia Roberts' first name before she changed it to Julia?

2. What movie launched her career success and earned her an Academy Award nomination?

3. Julia Roberts was the first actress to ear what salary for her role in Erin Brockovich?

4. What is Julia's true hair color?

5. What special event did Julia celebrate in 2004?

6. Why was a 9,000-year-old skeleton excavated in Bulgaria given the name "Julia Roberts" by archaeologists?

Truvy's Sugar Scrub

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons oil (canola or olive)

1 drop scened oil (optional)

In a small bowl, mix the sugar and oil. Add one drop of scented oil, such as lemon or floral oil, if desired. To use, put 1-2 teaspoons on hands and rub all over backs of hands, palms, and fingers. Rinse with warm water, and pat dry on a towel. Leaves hands silky smooth!

Truvy's Lip Gloss

1 tablespoon petroleum jelly

1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed powder eye shadow

cosmetic glitter (optional)

Combine the petroleum jelly, eye shadow, and glitter. Use a cotton swab o dab on lips. Try different shades of eye cream for fun!

Truvy's Bath Salts

2 cups Epsom salts

scented oils

food coloring (optional)

Mix Epsom salts with a drop or two of scented oil and food coloring. Make ahead or have each woman make her own with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of salts. Place finished bath salts in small jars or bags to take home.

If you try any the recipes let me know what you think about them. Leave a comment if you would like to take a guess at the answers to the Julia Roberts Quiz!

Non-Adventures #28-31 A Quick Review of Spring

In this post I am going to quickly review some of what happened this spring. For starters we had a nice girl get-together where we headed out to Northpark for a Bobbi Brown make-up event.
My friends Robin, Tamela, Beth, Adorah, Jennifer, and I all headed down and had the pros do our make-up. Here is Robin and I posing after being beautified.
My friend Meredith was there as well, and we of course could not miss the opportunity to take a pic together!
After every one's make-up was done we headed to the food court so everyone could choose their own meal and we commandeered a couple of tables where we ate, chatted away, and people watched. We all did a little shopping around afterward before finally heading out our own ways.
A great time was had by all and everyone looked so beautiful!

In May as usual there always tends to be a flurry of a graduation events. I attended a couple for my friend and one time babysitting charge Hope. I headed out to McKinney one weekend in May to go to a graduation party at her house and Graduation Sunday at her church.
They had a special service in the morning at church after which we all went out to lunch to celebrate Hope. After a long morning most of us just chilled back at her parents house until it was time to head back up to the church for a reception honoring the grads.
They had a cake with all their names on the side.
We somehow managed to snag and completely fill a table. L to R: Valinda (her mom), Sweetie (her maternal grandmother), Jay and Christie (her uncle and aunt), Popsie (her maternal grandfather), Pop Pop and Meme (paternal grandparents). All of her cousins were there too but they spent the time running around the youth room and playing outside.
The graduates:
all the girls
Hope and I
The grad and her parents.
I have been so blessed to be a part of her life and get to watch her grow up. I have watched her grow from a precocious 4 year-old, to a gymnast, a spunky and fun loving teenager, to an accomplished, confident, and beautiful young woman who is starting college soon. I enjoyed being a part of such a huge milestone in her life and I am so proud of who she has become! I hope she enjoys her time at OU!


On a different weekend in May Baylee and I headed to Taste Addison and met up with Rob and Robin. Rob obliged and took our girl picture.
In May I also attended a Rough Riders game in Frisco with a group of girls. Here they are Robin, Adorah, Jennifer, and Tamela. It was a great little deal for like $10 we got a ticket, hat, and as much food and drink from this food section that we could eat.
Robin and I
Heading in.
Enjoying the game, our hats, and our food!
It was a CRAZY busy Spring but a lot of fun! I had so much fun I was too busy to blog! Keep checking back there are still more posts to come!