Sweeten Summer with Cool, Refreshing Smoothies

(ARA) - Warm summer days call for the perfect frosty refreshment. Try homemade fruit smoothies -- sweetened naturally with pure honey. Creating your own creamy concoctions is easy -- simply blend together your favorite fruits with ice cubes, milk or yogurt and a touch of honey. Honey is the secret ingredient to enhancing the sweet flavors of the fruits.

Blend up your own delicious smoothies with these easy tips:

* Add variety: Experiment with different combinations of fresh fruits. Try melons, berries and tropical fruits such as mangoes, bananas and pineapple.
* Make it thick: Add a few more ice cubes for a creamier mix.
* Keep it cold: Instead of using fresh fruit, use frozen fruit for a colder and thicker beverage. You can buy frozen fruit or freeze your own.
* On the go: Make smoothies ahead of time and store in the freezer.
* Prevent sticky situations: Add honey and any additional liquids to the blender first to prevent it from binding up on the frozen fruit and getting stuck.

Try these simple smoothie recipes from the National Honey Board. For more recipes and additional honey tips and information, visit www.honey.com.

Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
1 large kiwi, peeled
1 container (8 ounces) low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup honey
12 to 15 ice cubes

Directions:
In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Serve immediately.

Tropical Smoothie
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
1/4 cup honey
2 medium ripe bananas, peeled
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla (Substitute vanilla yogurt for plain yogurt and vanilla, if desired.)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 ice cubes

Directions:
Combine milk, bananas, yogurt, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg in blender or food processor; process until thick and creamy. Add ice cubes, one at a time, and blend until smooth.

Honey Breakfast Drink
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup low-fat dry milk
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 large banana, peeled and sliced
4 to 5 ice cubes

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and mix well.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Celebrate the Queen Bee in all Women

CC Note: There are plenty of local honey growers in Fayette and Coweta counties. Get some honey and let your "honeys" know how much they mean to you!

(ARA) - Although moms get their own special day of recognition every May, what about all of the other women that help make the world go ‘round? Grandmothers, sisters and best friends all deserve to know how much they are appreciated on a daily basis.

The summer months are dotted with special days dedicated to the ladies. This summer, declare all of the women you know a queen bee and celebrate the things that make them beautiful – inside and out. Keep these dates in mind and surprise her highness with a day of pampering.

Gorgeous Grandma Day – July 23
Girlfriend’s Day – August 1
Sister’s Day – August 3

Natural beauty is easy to attain with an item you most likely already have in your kitchen cupboard – pure honey. Used by itself or with a combination of ingredients, honey can help moisturize, ward off unwanted bacteria and help give your skin an all-over natural glow. Not only is honey a humectant, it also contains vitamins, enzymes, minerals and antimicrobial properties, making it one of the more natural ways to indulge your skin.*

Christopher Watt, Hollywood aesthetician to stars such as Halle Barry and Jennifer Lopez, has developed a database of recipes especially for the National Honey Board that focuses on natural ingredients and easy do-it-yourself directions.

* Not a significant source of vitamins, enzymes or minerals.

RECIPES:

The Honey and Gold Luxe Facial

Ingredients:
1/3 cup pure honey
1/4 cup papaya, peeled, seedless (optional)
1 banana (optional)
1 Tbsp. Chamomile tea (optional)
24-karat gold leaf sheets

Treatment Instructions:
Steep 1 Chamomile tea bag for 5 minutes and set aside. Mix together honey, papaya and banana in a small bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. Chamomile tea; mix until completely blended. Apply to clean skin in circular motions. Leave on face for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove using tepid water. Apply gold leaf sheets to entire face and neck. You may need to use tweezers to handle as the gold sheets are very thin and delicate. Leave on skin for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water, followed by a cool rinse. Skin may appear shiny after application. If desired, wash face with a gentle cleanser. Apply moisturizer.

Note: Honey may be used alone on clean, damp skin prior to the gold leaf application.

Golden Honey Body Polish

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pure honey
1/2 cup Dead Sea Salt (can substitute Epsom Salt)
2/3 cup grape seed oil
24-karat gold leaf sheets

Treatment Instructions:
Combine honey, Sea Salt (or Epsom Salt) and grape seed oil. Crush 2 to 3 sheets of 24-karat gold leaf until almost powder consistency; add to honey mixture and combine. Apply in bathtub or shower to damp skin. Work the mixture in on rough areas such as elbows, knees and the soles of your feet. Rinse with warm water. Towel dry and apply moisturizer.

Note: You may also add the crushed gold leaf to further enhance your favorite moisturizer.

Foaming Vanilla Honey Bath

Ingredients:
1 cup sweet almond oil, light olive or sesame oil may be substituted
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup liquid soap
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Treatment Instructions:
Measure the oil into a medium bowl. Carefully stir in remaining ingredients until mixture is fully blended. Pour into a clean plastic bottle with a tight-fitting stopper or lid. Shake gently before using. Swirl desired amount into the bathtub under running water - then step in and descend into a warm, silky escape.

For additional beauty tips and recipes using pure honey, visit www.honey.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Yorkshire Pudding

I grew up in England. One of my favorite early memories is of Yorkshire pudding. It's only good with brown gravy and roast beef, or at least that's how we ate it when I was younger. I don't eat red meat any longer, so it's been many, many years since I've had Yorkshire pudding. I may have to try this recipe again and eat it with some honey or jam (as many in Great Britain will... they also add other ingredients to jazz it up a bit). A lot of people prefer onion gravy rather than traditional brown gravy.

3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
4 tbsp. oil

Note: some people use three eggs.

Beat flour, salt, eggs, milk together until very smooth, scraping bowl occasionally. Refrigerate 2 hours or longer. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Measure oil into 8 x 8 x 2 inch square glass pan. Heat for 2 minutes. Pour batter into pan and bake for 20-30 minutes. Do not open door. Serve immediately.

Your Yorkshire pudding should be puffy and irregular in shape when it comes out of the oven. After a few minutes it will settle a bit. The outer crust should be tender yet crisp, while the middle should be softer and somewhat custard-like.

Another alternative way to cook the pudding, and a more traditional method, is to put it in a large pan under your roast as it's cooking. It will catch the drippings from the roast and will add flavor. And yet another way some make the pudding is to catch the drippings from the roast and use them instead of regular oil.

Add sausage and it's known as "toad in a hole.'

Some will make bake their pudding in muffin tins to make individual puffs.

Left overs can be frozen if you cover tightly.

If you've never tried Yorkshire pudding you may find that it becomes a staple. It's easy to make and very versatile.