Orange JuJu

There are some really good things about moving around all the time as a military wife. You get to go new places and try new things every couple of years. I really enjoy exploring new places and finding what each location has to offer. The down side is that sometimes the new place is missing something that you really, really like from another place.

For instance, I've only had a Trader Joe's at one of the last four places we have lived. That's a tough gig! The other missing item that I lament is the Orange Julius. Firstly, I am all about smooth, frozen foods. I love ice cream, sorbet, slushies, etc. I seem to always be craving something cold and sweet. I grew up with Orange Julius, but for the last two stops in our life, I have had to do without.

Frustration finally took over and I began trying to make my own version to fill the hole. Only being able to have an Orange Julius when I was home visiting was simply not cutting it. It only took about fifty tries, but I came up with something that completely satisfies my craving.

I have a blender with a lid that fits onto mason jars, so I simply make my smoothies in a pint sized jar. It works great because the jar I use to make it is the jar I use to serve it (which is great because I hate washing that big blender pitcher). Not all blenders will fit a mason jar, but I find it is very useful, so I searched one out. Once I have made the smoothie, I wrap a paper towel around it (it's cold to hang on to!), stick in a straw, and slurp it down! And don't feel guilty about this snack. If you use 1% milk, it is low in fat and a great way to get your calcium!

Orange JuJu
Yield: 1 16 oz serving

1/2 cup crushed ice
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Dreamwhip powder
3/4 tsp meringue powder (such as Wilton's)
1 cup milk (1% works fine)

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and then blend it a little longer. That extra bit of blending will get the Dreamwhip powder to froth up a bit, which adds a nice lightness to the drink.

Red Zinger Iced Tea

My family was living in Boulder, CO back in the '70s when Celestial Seasonings first released their Red Zinger herbal tea. My mom made an iced tea using honey and orange juice that we practically grew up on. Well, as so many things, for reasons we don't always quite remember, we stopped drinking it. Last year, I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to recreate this tea, but my mom couldn't remember the proportions she used. So I set out to figure it out... one batch of tea at time. Eventually, I came up with this recipe which I like very much. This tea is reminiscent of fruit juice, but without all those calories. A great drink for the whole family. (Just remember that children under one shouldn't be given honey).

Red Zinger Iced Tea

3 cups almost boiling water
8 Red Zinger tea bags (available in my aStore)
1/4 cup honey
4 cups water
1 cup no pulp orange juice

Makes 1/2 gallon of tea.

I heat the water in a 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup until it's got bubbles but is not actually boiling. Add tea bags, stir, and then cover with a plate to steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, add honey and stir. Add 4 cups of cool or cold water. Then add orange juice and stir. I prefer no pulp OJ for this recipe despite really liking pulpy OJ. It just makes a cleaner, prettier tea, but it certainly doesn't hurt it to have pulp in there!