Ambrosia

I don't know if this is actually ambrosia, but that's what we've always called it!
My Teenager talked about the fruit salad at school all week and how they kept adding or changing it up. They even added cinnamon on Friday. He was pretty impressed with it.

We were having company for supper Sunday, so I thought I'd make it for him. I like to make it up the day before or even early morning before so it tastes even better. As I was making it he asked what it was. I told him his fruit salad, he said this wasn't it. I had him taste it and he went all Lord of the Ambrosia and tried to "My Precious" it out of the kitchen!

Ambrosia
Can of fruit cocktail (drained)
Can of tropical fruit cocktail (drained)
Can of pineapple tidbits  (drained)
Can of Mandrian oranges (drained)
1 large tup of cool whip (thawed)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon (opt)
1/4 tsp nutmeg (opt)

Throw it all in a container and mix gently. Your done! Enjoy!

Yet another lazy and easy recipe brought to you by the Spicy German.

PB Granola Bars

I am down to one after school snacker. The teenager now comes home at super time with my hubs. So I try to make it fun for LB since it is rarely just him and I. This comes from Martha Stewart and is a favorite of ours!

My Asylum is crazy this week.  Kids and hub's had Monday off, hubs had yesterday off as well.  I had a dental appointment,  and not feeling well.  Woke up this morning with a sore throat and cough.  I have an interview this morning,  so I am hoping to go back to bed for a bit after everyone leaves! Hope your Asylums are doing better!

PB Granola Balls
INGREDIENTS 1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup dried fruit

DIRECTIONS In a small saucepan over medium, heat honey, peanut butter, and butter. Stir until loosened and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cereal, oats, and dried fruit. Drop mixture by the tablespoon into mini paper cupcake or candy liners. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Five-Minute Fudge Wreaths: Chunky Chocolate Fudge Wreath with Walnuts and Currants

Hey guys!  Tuesday, yaaa, much better than Monday LOL.  Ok so we are all freakishly busy at this time of the year and anything quick is great.  Rachael Ray has always been a go to for yummy stuff pretty darn quick.  This fudge is no different.  This recipe comes from way back when Rachael Ray was still visiting on the Oprah show before heading into her own show.  Good fudge, make changes, use a variation of fruit and/or nuts. It's a good easy version of an otherwise difficult task ;-).  Enjoy!

I can't go before stating the obvious.!  10 days till Christmas! :D  I pray the Holidays are a great time at all your Asylums!  We are very greatful for all the time you spend here with us!  Thank you!

Five-Minute Fudge Wreaths:

Chunky Chocolate Fudge with Walnuts and Currants

12 ounce package semisweet chocolate chips

1 Cup butterscotch chips

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (save the can)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

8 ounce walnuts, chopped, plus more for topping

1/2 Cup raisins or dried currants (a couple of handfuls)

candied red and green cherries to decorate top (like holly)

softened butter to grease an 8" round cake pan

1.  Grease an 8" round cake pan with softened butter.  Pour the chocolate and butterscotch chips, condensed milk and vanilla into a medium sauce pan.  Put the pan on the stove and turn the heat to low.

2.  Cover the empty condensed milk can with plastic wrap and put it in the center of the round cake pan.

3.  Stir the chips and milk until they melt together, about 3 minutes.  Stir in nuts and raisins.  Scoop the fudge into the cake pan all around the plastic covered can in the center to form a wreath or ring shape.  Let it be all bumpy on top.  Keep pushing the can back to the center if the fudge moves it away from there.  cut the red cherries in half with scissors and the green cherries into quarters.  Use the green pices to make leaves and the red to make holly berries.  Decorate the fudge with several groups of holly berry sprigs made from the cherries and garnish with walnuts between the sprigs.

4.  Put the fuge in the fridge and chill until firm.  remove the can from the center, then loosen the sides and bottom of the fudge with a spatula.  Cut the fudge into thin slices and serve

**  Possible additional combinations:  White chocolate with pistachio and cranberry or even Goober and Raisinette

Have a recipe to share with the Asylum? Email us at ourasylum@outlook.com 

It's the kids' turn!

We are huge Veggie Tales fans at our Asylum. They are some of the few shows I didn't mind watching repeatedly.  Even now that they are older we still like to watch them! So when I found Madame Blueberry's recipe I knew I had to share it. 

It is also an easy way to introduce Littles to a recipe. OR if you are teaching "what's next". The schools would call it first/middle/last! (Sorry the substitute teacher never left me)

Intros and a HEALTHY dessert! Wait? What?

Today I am going to re-introduce us and someone new!  So please hang in there if you are one of our regulars and WELCOME to the new followers!


For those of you new here to the Asylum, I am the Spicy German.  My friend the Saucy Irish and I started this blog at the beginning of the summer to share our Residents (families) favorite recipes and tips.  Saucy is on a journey with her mom right now so she is checking in when able and we are sending her all our love and, as she tells me, pure happiness! 


I am here Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  Saucy gets the other days and we both take Sundays off (a day pass) to be with our Residents!


We do like to warn you that if you stay, you will be given a white jacket with fancy buckles to wear (they buckle in the back)!  There are days we are short and to the point (most of this summer, sorry), but there will be days that we share the hard times at our Asylums. This has become our therapy!  We have an Asylum "table" that we have you pull a chair up to and hang out with us.  We also have an Asylum "Library".  It is where we go to research any of your questions and get you the best answer we can! 


We have a Facebook page that we let you know when there is a new blog and every afternoon we share a saying, picture or quote to put a smile on your face!  So make sure you like our page to get those updates! Click on the Like button and click Get Notifications so you don't miss anything!


Want to know more about us individually?  To the left is a tab called About Us, click it!  I double dog dare you to!  We are pretty awesome, so you want to know more about us!
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OK, on to the fun stuff! Today I want to introduce you to an amazing woman that I met on Facebook!  Her name is Jessy and she has been an inspiration for me!  She is a young woman who has taken on the challenge to become a healthier person, but not lose her personality and her love of life along the way.  She is very encouraging, so if you-like me, need a little extra encouragement or a boost PLEASE go check out her Facebook page-Gaining While Losing!  Take the time to read her About section and see how her journey began and how she has lost 130+ pounds!  If you have a few extra minutes leave her a note and let her know how awesome she is!


When you are done don't forget to come back!  I am sharing her recipe today!  Although you can find it on her Facebook page, but we would love it if you came back and had a seat at the Asylum table!  Hang around and check out all the recipes and tips that Saucy and I have for you!




Skinny Peach Cobbler
Jessy at Gaining While Losing


1 bag peaches or sliced fresh
cinnamon to taste
1 can Sprite or Dt. 7UP
1 Sugar free Yellow Cake mix


Combine ingredients.  She doesn't give specifics, but I would guess that you are replacing the liquid of the cake mix with the soda. 


This looks so yummy and I would imagine you can use strawberries, or blueberries!  Or a combination like the  healthy Ambrosia I shared with you the other day! 


Irony kicks in here!  She shares this recipe on the day I have chosen to give up soda!  I am thinking it doesn't count when you are using it to bake with though.  What do you think?

Ambrosia

Today's recipe is a healthy version of Ambrosia. The Saucy Irish's Green Stuff reminded me of Ambrosia in a way and I wondered if I had a healthy version (yeah I am on that kick again).  So I searched and no luck. Then I went to the Asylum libraries and sure enough they sent me to the Mayo Clinic! Fitting, isn't it!  Well they had an amazing version that will become my summer go to, even if I'm not trying to be healthy!

Obviously if you don't have mint leaves it is no big deal. I just happen to have them growing on my porch! I think next year the herb garden is going to expand because I have loved having the mint and

Rosemary!  

Ambrosia

Mayo Clinic

1. 1/2 cup slivered almonds
2. 1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
3. 1 small pineapple, cubed
4. 5 oranges, segmented
5. 2 red apples, cored and diced
6. 1 banana, halved lengthwise, peeled and sliced crosswise
7. 2 tablespoons cream sherry
8. Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool. Add the coconut to the sheet and bake, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the pineapple, oranges, apples, banana and sherry. Toss gently to mix well. Divide the fruit mixture evenly among individual bowls. Sprinkle evenly with the toasted almonds and coconut and garnish with the mint. Serve immediately.

Beverages!

Before I get started just wanted to point out some changes to the blog!  On the left hand side you will see an About Us button.  For those of you who started with us that is just our intro from the beginning.  If you are new here, go check it out and see who is in charge of the Asylum!  Also, if the search box doesn't work for you, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and you can see all the labels we have for our recipes!  Maybe you will find inspiration there!  Thanks again to everyone who has come to hang out at the Asylum table!

Now on to the fun!  We had a reader request for low calorie coffee drinks or teas, something different to get you through those hot summer days that are already here!  We would like to again apologize to our reader for your comment slipping through the Asylum cracks!
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Water and Tea

I just bought myself a cute pitcher at Target that looks like an old cream can.  It will be used a lot this summer.  We usually keep lots of drinks ready so we are not going to the soda fridge and our kids are only able to have them once in awhile.  We keep that fridge in the basement so we have to really want it to go all the way down there to get it!

Our go to is plain old water with fruits in them.  Fruit infused water, that's what it is called!  You can buy pitchers that have a separate area that the fruit goes into, or like so many on the internet use mason jars with lids!  They are portable, ready to go and can be thrown in a cooler for a summer trip!

Some ideas:
Lemon and or lime slices
Strawberries and kiwi
Cucumber
Orange and Lemon (my favorite)
Apple slices and a stick of cinnamon
Strawberry jalapeno

If none of those sound good to you, head over to Infused Waters and get some ideas!

My new pitcher will be filled with Tazo Iced Green Tea most of the summer and I like to add lemon slices and a little honey to make it sweeter, but I have been know to add whatever fruit is in my fridge!  Any tea that you make hot can be made cold as well, just follow the directions on the box.  Watch your sweeteners that is where we tend to get into trouble!
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Coffee

If you are a coffee drinker just make your favorite coffee and let it cool completely.  The better quality coffee you use the better the results!  Add ice to your cup and add your milk, this is where the calories and fat come from, so choose wisely or skip it all together!  Then add your flavoring, I have used everything from flavorings made specifically for coffee drinks and coffee creamers to what ever I find in my fridge.  The flavorings can be found in your coffee aisle.  They have plenty of sugar free or low calorie flavorings to choose from!  You can add a zero or low calorie sweetener to your drink as well, but I would stick to raw sugar-it worked for our ancestors!  Add whip cream-it is low in calories and fat!

If you want your coffee drink to be a more slushy/frap consistency, throw it all in a blender and give it a spin!  You can even add protein powders to make it a healthy choice!

If you are a Starbuck's customer HERE is a link showing you how to order your drinks low calorie!
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Lemonade

Why do I always picture a 50s housewife taking lemonade out to her husband that is mowing the lawn?

Ever tried Carrot Lemonade?  A friend made this for me once and I found the recipe HERE!  It was very yummy! 

I don't know where I found this recipe--

Fresh Mint and Ginger Lemonade1/2 c (packed) chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 c Chopped fresh ginger
1/3 c Honey
2 c Boiling water
1/3 c Fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 c (about) cold water
Ice cubes
Fresh mint leaves
Lemon slices
Combine chopped mint, ginger and honey in medium bowl. Add boiling water. Let steep 30 minutes. Strain into 4-C glass measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Add lemon juice and enough cold water to measure 4 C total. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Fill glasses with ice cubes. Add lemonade. Garnish with mint leaves.

One of my favorite blogs-Alice in Wonderland has a great homemade low sugar lemonade!
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This isn't a low calorie drink, but it is one of my favorites in the summer time.  Right up there with Chocolate Cherry Cokes! 

June Bug

Better Homes and Garden

 

Ingredients

3 cups ginger ale

4 tablespoons grenadine

4 tablespoons orange juice

3 scoops orange sherbet

Directions

1. Blend together ginger ale, grenadine, orange juice, and sherbet. Pour into ice-filled cocktail glasses. (To make a version with alcohol, add white rum.)

Note: If you are a alcohol drinker, you can add a flavored rum to this!

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I hope that helps and didn't make you even more confused!  It has been a crazy day here at the Asylum as I write this! Summer vacation is in full swing!  Do you think they will make my white jacket a pretty turquoise one?

Mothers!

Helllllllooooooooooo!  Feeling very much love on this rainy Saturday in Virginia.  It's funny how things work out.  I didn't realize the timing of this trip and am finding myself blessed with being with my mom on Mother's Day!  She's not the same lady as she used to be some of the time but when she is it's great!  All of you crazies out there if you have a momma be sweet to her.  If you have lost yours I am ever so sorry for your loss.  I myself am a mother of three and I find it to truly be the most rewarding job there is.  And I am proud to say that I learned to be who I am from watching my mom be who she is! <3.

Alright we all need to eat so here it goes.  Today's recipe is perfect with Mother's Day coming up tomorrow.  It's more a meal than a recipe.  I have made it, we have loved it and I can promise that I would definately enjoy having it made for me!  :D.  I hope all the mothers out there are blessed with love and many many thanks tomorrow!  I thank you for all the angels you have raised. <3

Fruit Smoothies

Prep/Total Time:  5 minutes

1 1/4 cups Milk

1 Cup frozen unsweetened strawberries

1/2  Cup frozen unsweetened peach slices

1 small ripe banana, halved

3 Tablespoons of sugar

Place all ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth  Pour into chilled glasses; serve immediately.  Yield: 2.5 Cups.  

Eggs with Feta and Asparagus

Prep/Total Time:  20 minutes

1 Cup cut fresh Asparagus (2" pieces)

1 Tablespoon Butter

4 Eggs

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

4 Strips Crispy cooked Bacon, crumbled

1/4 Cup crumbled Feta Cheese

Place 1 inch of water in a saucepan; add asparagus.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat butter until hot.  Add eggs; reduce heat to low.  Cook until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard.  Sprinkle with seasoned salt.

Transfer eggs to serving plates; top with Asparagus, Bacon and Feta Cheese.

Yields 2 Servings

Orange Coffee Cake Ring

Prep/Total Time:  30 Minutes

1 Tube (13.9 oz) Orange Sweet Rolls with Icing

1 Ounce Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 Cup flaked Coconut, toasted

Set aside icing from sweet rolls.  Arrange rolls in a greased 9 inch round baking pan.  Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

In a small bowl combine cream cheese and reserved icing.  Spread over rolls.  Sprinkle with Coconut.   Serve warm. 

Yield:  8 rolls

This quick fix 30 minute meal came from the July/August 2007 Simple & Delicious Magazine.  Enjoy!

Obscene...

Did that title catch your attention? Well it should have!

This Spicy German was introduced to a dessert that caused people to make obscene noises and use obscene words when describing and eating it! Myself included...

I was introduced to a Cream Cheese Dessert. When I googled the ingredients in one people called it a Cheese Danish another was a cream cheese bar.  Whatever you call it, I will now be calling it -The Obscene Dessert!!  The best part about this dessert, you can change it to fit your favorite flavors.  

The Obscene Dessert

1 cup sugar

2 packages cream cheese

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 crescent roll tubes (seamless if you can find it)

Fruit of your choice

In a cake pan place 1 crescent tube. Smooth up sides a little.  

In a mixer, mix the cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Spread this layer over your crescent roll. Place chopped or cut up fruit over the cream cheese layer.  Place second crescent tube over the fruit.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. I'd tell you to refrigerate the leftovers, but there probably won't be any! 

Now for the variations! There are way to many to even consider. You can use any fruit you would like, or any combination of fruits! Strawberry/kiwi would be amazing! 

I also saw where someone added lemon juice to the cream cheese and didn't use fruit! Obscene, right?

You could easily reduce the sugar amount and use reduced fat cream cheese! As my Mom-in-law was showing me how to make it, I said that The Saucy Irish would yell at me for this dessert!

Let us know in the comments what fruit or combination you would use!