Dog Days or How to Stay Cool!

Got the dog day blues, perk up your summer with afternoon coolers on the summer porch. Tis the ideal time to relax on the swing with an inviting pick me up. Throw in a joggle board for the kids and sit back and enjoy life.

My latest flea market entertaining finds include an American Concord ice bucket, by Brockway, a set of sunday glasses, and a set of pressed glass punch cups. Each of these items are ideal to use during the dog days of summer.

Banana Slush

2 cups sugar
3 cups water
3 ripe bananas mashed
3 cups pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups orange juice
2 T lemon juice
32 oz (4 cups) lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage, chilled.

Combine sugar and water. Bring to boil. Boil 5 minutes and cool.

In large non-metal container combine mashed bananas, juices, and sugar mixture. Mix well and freeze. Two hours before serving remove frozen mixture from freezer. Just before serving stir in carbonated beverage. Serve immediately. Makes 20 1/2 cup servings. Calories per serving: 150.

Chocolate Cream of Soda

Fill soda glass with vanilla ice cream.
Top with chocolate syrup.
Fill space around ice cream with soda water.

Serve with straws or ice tea spoons.

Cafe Latte Slush

1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
2 cups strong brewed coffee or espresso
2 cups milk or half and half, divided
Garnish: chocolate syrup

Combine sugar and hot coffee. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add one cup milk or half and half. Cover and freeze. Thaw slightly in the refrigerator. Place partially thawed mixture in a blender, add additional 1 cup milk or half and half. and blend smooth. Garnish if desired. Serve immediately. Yield, 7 one-half cups servings.

Tomato Quick Fix

Pillsbury frozen biscuits
Hormel pre-cooked bacon
Prices pimiento spread
Fresh tomatoes
Mayonnaise

Bake two biscuits for each guest. While baking, wrap 2 slices (per person) of precooked bacon in paper towels, microwave for a minute. Wash and slice tomatoes. When biscuits are done, slice in half, Spread mayonnaise on one half, pimiento cheese on other, add a slice of salted tomato and top with strip of bacon broken in half. Serve at once.