Brazilian Lemonade

2 limes
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
3 cups water
ice

Wash limes thoroughly. Cut off the ends and slice into eight wedges. Place limes in a blender with the sugar, sweetened condensed milk, water, and ice. Blend in an electric blender, pulsing 5 times. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove rinds. Serve over ice. (This is SO good, and creamy, I'd like to try it with oranges too, wonder if it tastes like an orange creamsicle)

Update: Our friends are hosting an exchange student from Brazil and I asked her about this drink and she said it really is a Brazilian drink and it is one of her favorites. So next time she comes over, I told her we'd make some. I LOVE this drink.

California Food Porn....

One of the great things about California - We actually get fresh and sweet strawberries practically year round. What started off as a call from hubby, "What are we having for dinner tonight? Tri-tip sounds good." Became the kick off of the summer season. We left for our trip April 2nd, got home the 14th, to find everything in bloom. Skip spring, go straight to summer. Days like today would be perfect for me year round. Open all the doors, no a/c, slight breeze, with the whiff of everyone else's BBQ's in progress.

Trimmed all the fat off the tri-tip roasts and coated with a garlic rub a friend brought us back from their trip to Gilroy. Let the meat sit out for 1/2 hour at least at room temp and BBQ real slow.

Tri-tip with Garlic Rub:




I also decided to make some BAKED BEANS.

Slow-Cooker Baked Beans:


These rolls seem to be a No. California thing. Never heard of them before moving here, I have my sandwiches made with them even because they are my favorite(second to SLO Sourdough though). Crisp them up in the oven for 10 minutes.

Dutch Crunch Rolls:


Our Table(& key)


I piled my plate with Mixed Greens, topped with a sweet balsamic vinagrette, blue cheese, and the tri-tip. Dipped my roll in CHILI OIL washed down with a tall glass of Herbal Berry Lemonade.

We also decided we needed strawberry shortcake. Not as good as the Sea Shanty's, but still tasty.

Semi-Homemade Shortcakes:



My Semi-Homemade Ice Cream:





The only thing I think missing is a big bowl of BBQ'd veggies and of course, friends!

Herbal Lemonade

I finally gave up Diet Pepsi, and it just wasn't that hard to be honest. I had yet another broken foot, and I'm doing anything and everything I can think of to get these brittle bones in my foot to heal. I started swimming to take advantage of the Natural Vitamin D and take supplements. I can't take calcium because of the kidneys(also why I have brittle bones in my tootsies, just my feet so far) so I just need to get my body to absorb it. So, in the process of getting creative(and copying Arnold Palmer and Starbucks), I came up with this.

Brew 5-6 of any berry flavored herbal tea bags in 8 cups of boiling water and let cool. I drop 5-6 in my coffee maker we've renamed Mrs. Cocoa. My favorite is Trader Joe's Blackberry Infusion(it's herbal), and I've tried and love Celestial Seasoning's Blueberry or Red Zinger(I think that's what it's called, I'm just too tired to get up and double check), ANY herbal berry flavored tea. When it's cooled, remove the tea bags and mix in a gallon pitcher with one tub of Crystal Light Lemonade and 5-6 low calorie sweetener packets such as Stevia or Splenda. Add enough water to make a gallon. Even BETTER, add 2 qts. real lemonade made from lemon juice and Stevia to the Berry Tea mix:) I'm also trying to give up artificial sweeteners and stick to Stevia. I buy it online through Amazon, cheapest and free shipping.

For you Utah girls, soda=pop. ;) I didn't realize that Californians called bubbly, "soda", and Utahans called it, "pop". LOL

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