Can’t think of much that beats a fresh, juicy peach. We have, however, come up with a close second with this lovely little Peach Smoothie on a stick. Cold, crisp, and slow to drip–as if it would ever have the chance!

Ingredients:

8 fresh peaches–peeled, pitted and cut up

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup Peach Jello powder

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Dissolve jello powder in hot water–completely. Place all ingredients in the blender and whirl until smooth.

Pour into popsicle molds.

Freeze for at least 4 hours–overnight works great.

Feed to the popsicle wolves.

Or share with someone you love.

Either way–we know you’ll love them!

*Because you asked…

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And here, my friends, we have the most illustrious Mexican Summer Salad–or Bajio Salad–as it’s known at our place. It’s truly just a glorified–reeally glorified taco salad–like the grown-ups make. The key ingredient here is the dressing—we’ll get to that later. We serve ours up buffet style where all the ingredients that you could ever want or imagine that you could ever want are in individual bowls just waiting for you to choose them. There are many ways to do it, but since it’s my blog, I’ll tell you the only true and correct way…how I do it. Being Queen has it’s privileges you know.

1) Start with a warmed flour tortilla and sprinkle lettuce all over it.

2) Next add seasoned, shredded chicken, beef or pork.

3) Spoon on black beans, refried beans or Mexican rice.

4) Add shredded cheese, tomatoes, olives and bite sized tortilla strips.

5) Top with the Magical Cilantro Ranch dressing—See below.

Try to be dainty now, and it’ll be hard. There’s something about this salad that tends to bring out starving wolf-like behavior. Go slow and no one will notice that low growl coming from your side of the table.

Magical Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 packet of ranch dressing mix
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
3 tbsp chipotle peppers
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp fresh, chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse until thoroughly blended.
Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.

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Another hint tomorrow…

Oooohh–if you didn’t love us before today, it’s gonna happen now. Here is our lovey first attempt at Italian Ice, and what better flavor to start with than watermelon.

Dang.

The official name for this sweet thing is Watermelon Granita, and I must say–it’s positively the perfect thing for those hot August days, while gliding on a porch swing, or floating in the hammock…

either way.

Positively blissful I tell you.

You may even decide to throw a garden party…just because you can.

And so you should.

Watermelon Granita

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups water
6 cups cubed watermelon

Directions:

Bring sugar and water to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Set it aside while you work on the melon. This part is fun. Cut the middle out of a watermelon unless that will make someone really mad. In that case–just cut out enough chunks to measure about 6 cups. Now, drop about 1/3 of the pieces in the blender at a time and pulse on low. We don’t want to grind up any seeds.

Pour it into a strainer and press out the juice. Discard all the pulp and seeds. Once you’ve finished you should have about 3 cups of beautiful, sparkling watermelon juice. Now, transfer it into an 8-in. square dish and stir in the hot sugar syrup. Let it cool to about room temperature then set it in the freezer for about an hour. Take it out and stir it into pieces with a fork. Now re-freeze for about 2-3 hours longer or until completely frozen, stirring every 30 minutes or so with a fork or metal spatula. Stir again just before spooning into dessert dishes. It should make about 8 luscious servings.

Make this…you’ll thank me.

I swear.

Bruschetta is a pretty little Italian appetizer that whips together in about 5 minutes tops and tastes all marvelous and fancy like you’re channeling Julia Child or something. And it’s quite likely you have the ingredients right there in your kitchen this very minute.

Lucky you…

Ingredients:

1 baguette French bread, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

——–
5 or 6 ripe Roma tomatoes diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 tsp. dried, minced onion

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped–or 1/4 tsp dried Basil instead

3/4 cup  Mozzarella cheese, diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Brush baguette slices with olive oil and toast in the oven on 350 for about 6-8 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients gently,  in a small bowl. Let sit for a few minutes. Serve on toasted bread.

Close your eyes and pretend you are in a beautiful Italian villa with someone you love…

who is very handsome.

Works for me.

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If you have a glorious weakness for chocolate, and if you love the creamy flavor of malt, AND if you have any respect whatsoever for that fact that it is National Milk Chocolate Day…and how could you not?…then, my friends, these sweet little morsels are liable to just flip you around backwards in all their chocolaty loveliness. Pretty sure I ate them…all…by…myself. I suppose I should be ashamed. I’ll work on that…soon.

Milk Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2    cups Bisquick® mix
3/4    cup sugar
1/3    cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4    c malted milk powder–plain or chocolate
2/3    cup milk
1/4    cup vegetable oil
1    teaspoon vanilla
2    eggs

Frosting
2    tablespoons malted milk powder–plain or chocolate
2    tablespoons milk
2    cups powdered sugar
1    tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1/4    cup butter, softened

1.    Heat oven to 357 F. Line 16 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. In large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon evenly into muffin cups.
2.    Bake about 15 minutes. Immediately remove from pan. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
3.    In medium bowl, stir together malted milk powder and milk; let stand 5 minutes. Add remaining frosting ingredients; beat with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Spread frosting over cupcakes.

Happy National Milk Chocolate Day!

I’ve recently been informed–by the male population of this household–that the Gracious Rain Recipe tab is highly deficient–in that it does not contain a certain recipe apparently most essential to the happiness, health and well being of said male population. duh.

Anything for you my darlings…

Muddy Buddies

Ingredients:

9    cups Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Wheat Chex
1    cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2    cup peanut butter
1/4    cup butter or margarine
1    teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2    cups powdered sugar


Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
In 1-quart pan, slowly melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter on low heat. stir until melted and mixed thoroughly and smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake the wits out of it until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

Store in airtight container in refrigerator–or just pour it in a bowl and watch the wolves converge. Ours lasted about an hour.

Seriously.

If I’m sharing this little sweety with you–you must be in with us…deep. No, I mean, like, you know, family.

Summer Jam Squares

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups brown sugar

1-1/2 cups butter

1-1/2 cups summer jam–peach, raspberry, strawberry, plum–whatever!

Directions:

Measure first four dry ingredients together  and set aside. Cream brown sugar and butter together until soft and fluffy. Slowly add dry ingredients and blend until soft and crumbly. Pat 1/2 of the crumbs in a jelly roll pan.

Press firmly or roll with a dowel or small rolling pin–like this one, my favorite little baking utensil at the moment. Next, carefully spread jam over the top of crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the jam layer until covered. Press the crumbs gently to set in place. Bake at 375 for about 35 minutes or until top is golden brown. Slide a knife or spatula around the edges as it cools to keep hot jam from sticking to the sides. It will be easier to slice this way–trust me. Cool completely then cut into squares.

Prepare to be adored…

and rightly so.

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Have somewhere to be quick and need to bring a potluck? Well, here’s a super fast, incredibly easy and magnamoniously tasty fruit salad, that will likely become a family favorite.

Yes, I made up the word magnamonious.

Ingredients:

8 oz. Cool Whip Frozen Topping

8 oz. Yogurt–any fruit flavor or vanilla

Whisk both together in a bowl and add:

1 can pineapple chunks (drained)

1 can mandarin oranges (drained)

2 chopped apples

Add any other fruit chunks that you want by the cupful–such as strawberries, pitted cherries, raspberries, grapes, or peaches. Just keep adding whatever floats your boat, until you’re ready to quit. Any combination is fabulous and there is no way to do this one wrong.

Feel free to use my magnamonious word…

at your leisure.

Happy Summer y’all.

Oh, but it will. Soon…very soon.

And when it does–

oh…my-my.

Summer Garden Salad

Ingredients:

Roma tomatoes–cut in chunks

Cucumbers–seeded and cut in chunks

Snap Peas

Ranch Dressing

Italian Dressing

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

There are no amounts listed because it’s all relative. Normally, if I’m making this just for me–I’ll cut up one cucumber, 2 tomatoes, add a handful of Snap pea pods and toss. Mix equal amounts of Ranch and Italian dressing together and drizzle lightly over vegetables. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

This is one salad that stores and travels much better than wilty old lettuce. In fact, it will just make you glad to be alive.

Just perfect individually or by the fistful–so, if you go about it daintily you could nibble on them for a few days. But if your house is full of big burly brutes then..well then–expect them to disappear a bit more quickly.

Either way–everyone’s happy.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
1-1/4 cups mashed potato flakes
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 batch Bisquick biscuit dough
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat til meat is browned. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until tender; drain. Stir in the ketchup, vinegar and salt; set aside.

Make the biscuit dough and shape into tablespoon sized blobs.

Press 1  dough ball onto the bottom and up the sides of each of 10 greased muffin cups.

Fill with beef mixture.

In a small saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil. Pour into a small bowl. Whisk in potato flakes until blended. Beat in cream cheese until smooth.

Spread potato mixture over beef. Sprinkle with cheese; press down lightly.

Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve to the dudes.