Berry Passionate Lemonade Smoothie Recipe

Hola Amigos! It's been a little while since I made a smoothie and even though holiday flavors like cinnamon and peppermint should be on my mind while the snow falls outside, I can't help but thinking that in other parts of the world it's sunny, toasty hot and summer is on it's way! I guess you can take a girl out of the Tropics but you can't take the Tropics out of the girl!

This is a super easy and refreshing smoothie. Something different if you want to try new sweet flavors and add a bit of "zing to your swing" this season.

The color is absolutely beautiful, reminds me of Caribbean's pink sand and the flavor delicious! It's also low in calories so you can still look amazing and in great shape for Christmas while enjoying a cool looking beverage!

Top it of with some fresh whipped cream, a few sugary sprinkles and strawberries for a festive look!

Make it even healthier by adding some wheat germ or flax seeds! See those little specks floating around? Wheat Germ! yumm!

Before I close this short but sweet post I want to thank all the sweet comments and emails I've gotten from you my friends since around Thanksgiving and been unable to answer. Due to health problems I haven't been able to get to my computer or blog at all! I hope and pray things get better as the weeks go by and come back and have fun with all of you!. In the meantime, please hang in there with this your blog. I will try to pop a few times a week to say hi to all and drop a little recipe or two.

Keep the shopping going my sweeties and enjoying the holiday cheer always keeping in mind that everything tastes better with a Pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

Berry Passionate Lemonade Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 (6 oz) Chobani Passion Fruit Yogurt, frozen

3/4 Cup Lemonade, chilled

1/2 Strawberries, frozen

1 tsp Wheat Germ (optional)

Fresh Whip Cream and Strawberries for garnishing (optional)

Directions:

Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Top with Whip Cream and Strawberries for a pretty presentation if you want. Enjoy!

Prep Time 3 minutes                                                                       Serves 2 (4-6oz) Cups

Sharing my Tropical Holiday Smoothie at these Fabulous Parties:

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Chocolatines de Navidad=Christmas Brownies

Just in time for the Holidays I came across this recipe and what's even better I had every single ingredient handy! Isn't that perfect? Yes it Is!!!! Very simple and quick to make, you will be waiting more for them to bake and cool, than for them to disappear right before your eyes! They are very hard to put down and you will be coming back for just one more bite.

Without further ado here is the recipe:

M&M's Christmas Brownies

1 8oz package of Cream Cheese

1 egg

1/8 cup of Milk

1/3 cup of Sugar

1 Package of Brownie Mix of your preference, Cake style is preferred.

1/2 cup  Milk M&M's

1/4 cup Marshmallows (optional)

These are Milk M&M's but Almond or Peanut would be great too!

I found that Marshmallows give Brownies extra gooey texture!

Heat your oven at 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl mix the Brownie mix according to instructions. Pour 2/3 of the mix in a parchment paper covered 9x13 baking mold. Drop the 1/4 cup of Marshmallows all over the Brownie mix. Set aside.

By the time I had to add the Marshmallows I think only a few were left! LOL

In a separate bowl, mix the Cream Cheese, Egg, Milk, Sugar until everything is well blended. Pour this mix over the mold containing the Brownie and Marshmallows. Try to cover as much area as possible.

Pour the rest of the brownie mix and with a fork or a knife scrape the surface to create a marble look a like look.

Add the 1/2 cup of M&M's spread all over your brownie/cream cheese mix and place it in the oven for 40-45 minutes until spongy but after testing it with a knife in the middle comes out clean.

It can get any easier and delicious than this!

Have them with a glass of milk or a cup of your favorite coffee! Yummy!

The layer of Cream Cheese, just puts them in a whole new category of sweet and savory morsel!

Give this little guys a try! You will love them as much as my family does!

This is going to be my last post until Christmas! Wishing you all Peace, Love, Harmony and Health! Feliz Navidad! Merry Christmas!

And remember, everything tastes better with a pinch of Love!

Besitos,

Lizy

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A Luz de Vela=Candlelight Walk

Hola Amigos! Seems like up here,  we are going to have a White Christmas after all! The kids are finally on Christmas Break and excited about Christmas! Time to celebrate the Season with the family.
I want to share with you a candlelight walk through our home. Today was a very dark and windy day, a blizzard is hitting us at this moment...not the best when you need to take blog photos, but perfect if you want to create an atmosphere of coziness with the warmth of aromatic candles, tucked in under a thick blanket and sipping a cup of hot cocoa! Ready?....let's go for a little walk.

Our entry comes to life with our simple and traditional tree, a candy garland to give the area a touch of whimsy, my FIL's sled from back when he was a little 7 year old and an old tool box filled with bags of treats to help us count down the days left for Christmas.

Here you are also going to run into our Baker Santa right next to one of his latest creations, a gingerbread house and a peppermint infused candle to put you right in the holiday mood!

Our Kitchen has little touches of Christmas here and there, because for us, the main attraction of this area are the different smells of the season... ginger, clove and spices! It sure feels like Christmas!

I am crazy about signs and this one is one of my favorites and since the kids are now off it will live to it's expectations...keeping a full Cocoa Bar for all to enjoy 24/7!

Even Mrs Claus and Santa share their love for cocoa and goodies around the kitchen!

Our kitchen faces the family room, to us our main room and here, a variety of Nutcracker Folks await friends and family  offering their cupcakes, gingerbread cookies and even s'mores, all with a smile of course.

There are trees around the house to make each member feel special...but a tree comes to life at night when all the lights shine and makes us feel all warm inside!

Each one with it's own magic!

Each one with it's own story!

All the elements above help fill this house with spirit of Christmas. But the most important one is Love! and that one my friends...no matter the frightful weather outside always shines with a light of its one creating the Picture Perfect HOME! Happy Holidays!

Besitos,

Lizy

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Guirnaldas=Festive Wreaths

During my walk around the house, preparing pictures for My First Home Tour ever, I noticed that something was missing. Something so representative of the Season that I can't believe I overlooked it! The Wreaths !!!

My doors were bare!!! nada, zero, zip!!! except for a little snowman jingle to alert me when someone is either leaving or coming through the front door, and even he is super tiny.

So this weekend I got busy trying to create garlands out of basically everything and every material I had left over from every season. At this point, I'm not spending one single dime on decorating anymore...Presents for loved ones is #1 priority.

My first wreath is the Owl one! I just loved this one...I've always been fascinated with owls. Those big eyes are mesmerizing and the way they move their heads...well, amazing! I used my ever lasting Dollar Tree pool noodle and re-covered it with red yarn that I also had left from some other project. Snowflakes from last year's Christmas decor completed the look...oh and the Owl...I got it for Halloween and Micheal's lost it, so I couldn't use it and had to replace him with another one I found and then....out of thin air, checking bins for the Christmas tree..there he was!!! Well buddy, right on time! He is going on the inside of the front door! I want to look at him all the time!

My Second one is the Grapevine Monogram Wreath. Who doesn't have 1 or 2 (or 3 in my case) of these wreaths laying around the basement? Grabbed it and tied half of it on white and red tulle left over from a project. A couple of extra red bulbs that I had no more use for anywhere else and some candy cane picks and candies that I got in my first seasonal trips to the dollar store and never got around them for decorating. (well truth be told, I forgot I got these guys). The Big M...was from last year's Christmas. Painted in Red with white polka dots...and Voila! My front door Christmas Wreath was done!

My last wreath I keep moving around until hopefully before Dec 24th, it will find it's permanent home. It's made out of the pool noodle I used for my Halloween Hat Wreath, extra bulbs for the tree and Burnt and Not Burnt out lights from my hub's outside light strand...some of them were still good, but he said he didn't want to use them again because it seems that is more expensive to buy 1 single bulb at the time than a new strand. So...to make a long story short...they ended up in my wreath. A number of them were kind of transparent to begin with and those are the ones that got a coat of glitter...also left from other projects.

A 3 practically money free wreaths and now my doors are festive and I'm ready for my First Home Tour, Christmas Style....I think (wink wink)

Besitos,

Lizy

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