Need Sleep?

Sleep Slim Smoothie

Doze off and keep your metabolism burning through the night with this delicious smoothie courtesy of Dr. Michael Breus, PhD, The Sleep Doctor. Cherries are one of the richest known sources of melatonin, the sleep hormone that recent studies have shown can also help reverse the effects of aging, while bananas contain loads of magnesium, a calming mineral. Lastly, soy milk is high in tryptophan, the sleep-inducing amino acid. Sweet dreams!

Ingredients
1 cup tart cherry juice
1/2 banana
1/2 cup soy milk or 4-6 oz soy yogurt (if using soy yogurt, add an additional 1/2 cup fat-free milk)
5 ice cubes
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions
Combine the cherry juice, banana, milk or yogurt with fat-free milk, ice and vanilla in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Watkins membership $39.95 and all products shipped to your door!

Watkins membership $39.95 and all products shipped to your door!

Why Watkins?

• Environmentally friendly, natural home care products ensure a clean home and a clean world.
• Distinctive natural food products serve a wide range of tastes and cooking styles.
• Luxurious, natural personal care products that are certified natural by the Natural Products Association and formulated with 95% (or more) all natural ingredients.

Say Yes to Watkins!
Superior quality, Natural products for every area of your life...
Get started with your 1 year Membership for $39.95!

 395409  Janet & Paul Harrison  Natural Apothecary ~ Medicinals ~ Living Naturally

Incredible!!

Southern Living Hummingbird Bundt Cake

The Southern Living magazine always gets my attention when the latest issue arrives in the mailbox, especially the recipes inside. I try out desserts often and when I say this Hummingbird Cake, an updated version done in a Bundt pan, well…you can imagine how hard it would be to turn this down.
Needless to say, I didn’t.  It’s like banana bread with pineapple and cream cheese icing.
Not especially good for you, but boy, oh boy, was it good.

Do you see what I mean?  Could you turn this down?
I didn’t think so.

 

We ate the whole thing over the course of a few days.
Hummingbird Bundt Cake
Cake Batter:
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. watkins ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large)
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple (do not drain)
3/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. watkins vanilla extract
Glaze:
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed & softened
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp. watkins vanilla extract
1 to 2 TBL. milk

1. Prepare Cake Batter:  Preheat oven to 350*.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
2. Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 4 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.  Sprinkle 1 cup toasted pecans into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan.  Spoon batter over pecans.
3. Bake at 350* for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).
4. Prepare Glaze:  Process cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 TBL milk in a food processor until well blended.  Add remaining 1 TBL. milk, 1 tsp. at a time, processing until smooth.  Immediately pour glaze over cooled cake, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup toasted pecans.

Shrimp Creole

Shrimp Creole over brown rice

Shrimp Creole

• 1 pound of medium (peeled and deveined) shrimp
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 ribs of  celery, diced
• 2 TB Watskins Parsley or chopped 1/2 cup parsley
• 1 sweet bell peppers, diced ( I prefer red bell pepper)
• 2 cups water
• 1 TB Watkins Garlic Powder or 2 small cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
• 2 cups of diced tomatoes
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp Habenero Hot Sauce (or your choice of any hot sauce)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp Watkins Black Pepper
• 3 cups cooked rice

1. In a large skillet, sauté onions, celery, parsley and bell peppers until tender, approximately 4 minutes.
2. Add water, garlic, tomatoes and tomato juice and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Season mixture with Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, and hot pepper flakes and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Add shrimp and cook an additional 20 minutes, or until shrimp are curled, pink and tender. Mixture should be of a thick consistency. Serve over steamed white or brown rice.

Yield: 4 Serving

Delicious Lemon Squares

These are incredible!!

Ingredients --

Bottom Layer: 1/2 cup butter 1 cup flour 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 tsp Butter Extract, 2 oz

Cream Layer: 1 cup powdered sugar 8 oz fat-free or light cream cheese (at room temperature) 1 tsp  Original Double-Strength Vanilla Half of a 1-quart/liter container of whipped topping Lemon Layer: 1 pie filling recipe from Watkins Lemon Dessert package, using 2-1/2 cups water, Lemon Dessert Mix 1 tbsp lemon juice Cooking Directions Combine bottom layer ingredients and pack into an 11 x 7”/28 x 18 cm baking pan. Bake at 375°F/190°C for 15 minutes. Cool completely. Cream together powdered sugar and cream cheese. Add whipped topping and fold in. Prepare lemon pie filling; add lemon juice and let cool. Spread a thin layer of cream mixture over baked bottom layer. Spread lemon filling on top; spread rest of cream mixture on top of that. Chill. (Note: Chilling after applying lemon layer may make it easier to spread top layer.) Cut in large squares. (Note: Other Watkins Dessert Mixes may be used in place of Lemon.)

Photo by: Taste of Home

Vanilla Chai Tea Recipe

This warm chai is comfort in a cup. It’s extra special with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a sprinkling of ground allspice on top.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Ingredients:

• 8 whole peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
• 4 whole cloves
• 8 individual tea bags
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 cups boiling water
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 1 tablespoon watkins vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
• Ground allspice

Directions

• Place the first five ingredients in a large bowl; with the end of a wooden spoon handle, crush spices until aroma is released. Add the tea bags, honey and boiling water. Cover and steep for 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat milk. Strain tea into a heatproof pitcher; stir in milk and vanilla.
• In a small bowl, beat whipping cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Serve individual servings of tea with whipped cream; garnish with ground allspice. Yield: 6 serving

To Make Ahead: Whipped cream can be made a couple of hours in advance; cover and refrigerate.

A MUCH EASIER with GREAT TASTE..  WATKINS CHAI TEA:

 

Chai Latte

The exotic taste of chai…the creaminess of latte…
the ease of instant cocoa! Have it all with this delicious beverage that’s perfect for a quiet evening by the fire. This is true effortless entertaining with style.

(7.5 oz) - $6.99

Banana Split Cake

Yummy Dessert

Author: Courtesy of watkinsonline.com

Ingredients

• banana dessert Mix
• vanilla Pudding Mix
• 1 package yellow cake mix
• Strawberries, blueberries or other fruit of choice
• Non-dairy whipped topping or whipped cream flavored with Original Double-Strength vanilla
• Optional toppings: chopped nuts, maraschino cherries, chocolate syrup

Instructions

1. Prepare banana pudding;
2. while still warm, blend with cake mix and bake according to directions on cake mix package.
3. While cake is baking, prepare vanilla pudding.
4. When cake is done, poke holes in warm cake and pour vanilla pudding over cake.
5. Let cool.
6. Add layer of berries or other fruit; top with whipped cream.
7. Decorate with chopped nuts and cherries and drizzle chocolate syrup on top.

Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring

Gooey Yummy....

Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring

2 small tubes refrigerator buttermilk biscuits OR 1 tube Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits 

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 C. pancake syrup (any brand you like, I used Mrs. Buttersworth)

1/3 C. packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. watkins cinnamon

1/4 C. chopped pecans, optional

1/4 C. chopped almonds, optional

Instructions:

Spray a fluted pan with non-stick spray. Combine the melted butter and syrup in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts (if desired). Place about half of the syrup mixture in the bottom of the pan. Then sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture on top. Lay the biscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping edges (closely together) to form a ring. Top with remaining syrup and sugar mixtures. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute in the pan, then invert onto a serving platter and enjoy!

** I ended up using 1 1/2 tubes of the Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits (1 tube didn't seem like enough) and baked it for about 30 minutes. It needed a bit longer to bake since I used more.

HOMEMADE ROOT-BEER

Yum... Root-Beer Float!!

1-3/4 cups sugar
2-1/4 cups water
2 tbsp Watkins Root Beer Extract
Club soda or sparkling water

Combine sugar and water in medium saucepan; heat and stir until mixture starts to boil and sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cool. Add root beer concentrate and mix thoroughly. 

To serve, add 1/2 to 1/3 cup (according to taste) root beer syrup 

to 5 fl oz club soda or sparkling water.

Makes 3 cups root beer syrup.

Pizza Margherita

A Taste of Summer

A bouquet of fresh basil has an especially summery fragrance during the winter months.

Southwestern Tomato Sauce
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 chopped green pepper
1/2 chopped onion
1 tbs fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp Natural Garlic & Herb Seasoning Blend
1 tbsp Watkins Chili Powder
1-1/2 tsp Watkins Garlic Liquid Spice
3/ 4 to 1 tsp hot pepper sauce
Freshly ground, to taste Watkins Sea Salt
Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes. Serve over hot cooked pasta. Makes 4 servings

One of our favorite meals to make is Southwestern Tomato Sauce is Pizza Margherita. 

For the sauce, simmer all seasonings with diced tomatoes to preferred thickness. 

Pizza dough recipe :

Whole-Wheat Thin Pizza Crust Mix

Our delicious, fast-rising mixes make homemade pizza quicker and easier.
Save money and get a better pizza, made just the way you like it.
Makes one fantastically wholesome 14-inch crust.

Remove from oven and drizzle with Garlic & Parsley Grapeseed Oil 

or your favorite olive oil over crust and top with fresh tomato sauce. 

You may use fresh basil or add Watkins excellent All-Natural Gourmet Basil

Top with shredded Italian cheeses

Bake at 425 until done

Cajun Caramel Corn

Cajun Caramel Corn

Cajun Caramel Corn Recipe! In February-buy2 Snack & Dip Seasonings-save $1.00 on each! Blazin' Cajun Snack & Dip Seasoning, (3.5 oz) 02069 Turn "ordinary" into "extraordinary" with our versatile Gourmet Snack & Dip Seasonings. Just mix with regular or low fat sour cream, pureed cottage cheese or plain yogurt to create delicious dips and spreads for everything from crackers to crudités. Mix with cream cheese for flavorful spreads for roll-ups, cheese balls and canapés. $8.99 Order yours today, click here! Cajun Caramel Corn Makes a great Super Bowl snack   8 cups popped popcorn 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/3 cup light corn syrup 1 tsp lemon juice 2 to 4 tsp Watkins Blazin' Cajun Snack & Dip Mix 1/2 tsp baking soda Heat oven to 200° F/95° C. Pour popcorn into a large roasting pan. In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, butter, syrup and lemon juice. Mix well. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil until mixture reaches 260° F/125° C (hard ball stage). Remove pan from heat. Quickly stir in 2 tsp/ 10 mL of Watkins Blazin' Cajun Snack & Dip Mix and the baking soda. Pour over popcorn and stir to coat well. Bake for 1 hour in preheated oven, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Empty popcorn onto waxed paper. Break apart with hands. Sprinkle with additional Blazin' Cajun seasoning to taste, if desired. Store in a tightly-covered container. Makes 18 (1 cup) servings

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