at home with ann

Last week I bought tangerines.  I don't know why.  I think they were the first citrus I saw at the market and I got all excited because they were so cute and orange.  The problem with tangerines, though, is that they have about a million seeds in them.  I ate one, bit into a seed, and the rest sat on the counter while I ate clementines instead.  Not wanting to waste them, I decided to whip them into a little treat.  A few quick internet searches for ideas and I came up with this super quick, simple orange bread.  Or tangerine bread, as the case may be.  Orange Bread 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature 1 egg 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1/2 cup plain yogurt (could use vanilla as well) 2-3 Tablespoons orange zest (tangerines aren't quite as zesty as oranges, so I only had about a tablespoon, more would be better thou...

If eating Orange Chicken put you in the mood for more Food Court favorites, you're in luck, because today we're recreating the Orange Julius.  I'm not even sure if Orange Julius exists anymore, but I do remember begging my mom to get me one when we went to the "big" mall in Manchester.  Shopping can be just parching. This isn't really much of a recipe, so I'll just give you the ingredients. Creamy Orange Shake 1 orange, peeled, cut into segments and frozen 1 handful ice cubes 1-2 cups milk Blend until frothy. Alternatively, you can use frozen orange juice concentrate in place of the orange, or add some sugar if you like. This completes our walk down mall food memory lane.  Doesn't it just make you want to hit up Claire's for some cheap earrings, the Limited Too for purple leggings,  and the CD store?

This post is part of my vacation series highlighting some amazing recipes from my favorite bloggers! We Are Not Martha - Blood Orange Sparkler I think these would be fabulous at a brunch or baby shower (or just for me...).  You could make the mixer in a big pitcher in advance, and add the champagne in for serving. Pioneer Woman - Key Lime Pie If I can find a food processor at the house in Florida, I may be making this as you read it!

Not really fishing.  More like pool, tennis and golfing. And sun, glorious sun!  The forecast is for the mid 80s, and I am ready for it! In any case, things will be a little quieter here at at home with ann until next week.  I'll be sharing some recipes from other blogs that look especially delicious, so check back occasionally! On Saturday night I wanted to kick off vacation with a little cocktail.  I normally reserve rum drinks for summertime, because they remind me of sitting on the deck at the beach watching the waves as the sun goes down.  This night, however, I felt like our upcoming time in the sun warranted an equally sunny drink. Sunny Rummy 1 part rum (I recommend Mount Gay or random bottle of Blackheart I found in the back of our liquor cabinet) 1 part seltzer 1 part orange juice Give it a stir and imagine you are someplace warm!

This smoothie reminds me of a creamsicle.  It's packed full of nutrients, and would be the perfect refreshing drink for a summer's day.  Or the middle of winter when you have a sore throat.  Also, it's a good use for a bunch of oranges on their last legs. Creamy Orange Smoothie Serves 2 ~2 oranges; segmented, and frozen* 1 banana 1-1 1/2 cups almond milk (any kind of milk or orange juice) 1 Tablespoon wheat germ (optional, ground flax would be good here, too) *It's important to use frozen oranges, otherwise your smoothie will be a weird mushy consistency.  Just peel and segment the oranges and stick them in a bag in the freezer. Add all ingredients to your blender. If you have an ice crush button, I would recommend pulsing it a couple times.  Otherwise, just let it go!  You might need to add a little more milk to get it to the desired consistency.   Drink up!