Crisp, tart, slightly sweet, and always fragrant, the classic mojito is a classic cocktail that I never get tired of sipping.

I’ve been a fan of mojitos for a while now. I tried my first mojito about 15 years ago, while on a camping trip with several families. Our friend Tony made the mojitos and I was hooked.

(Yes, that would be Tony, the same person who introduced us to the crazy delicious Slow Cooker Baked Beans recipe and Italian Cream Liqueur.)

We’ve tried quite a few mojito recipes over the years. I enjoy the Pineapple Mojitos and Basil Mojitos as well, but I always circle back to the classic cocktail made with plenty of fresh mint, lime, and rum.

Classic Mojito

Add in a refreshing splash of club soda and you have summer in a glass. This cocktail recipe is ideal for sipping at a garden party or for relaxing on the porch with friends on a warm summer evening.

And since I lived in one of the hottest cities in the US for a very long time, this drink became a favorite pretty much year-round.

I’ll warn you now that once you start making your own mojitos at home, you won’t be nearly as happy with anyone else’s. The exception to that is my friend Holly. She makes an absolutely fabulous mojito and I never turn one of hers down.

You can check out Holly’s recipe here,  if you want to give her version a try. You might notice our recipes are close to identical. (That just might be the reason I love hers too!) Great mojito-loving minds obviously think alike.

Mojito Ingredients

A classic mojito is simultaneously elegant yet simple. It brings to

Strawberry Blueberry Banana Smoothie brings summertime straight to your glass. Sweet and creamy, this good-for-you smoothie is an easy way to start your day or refuel in the afternoon.

My family loves smoothies and I make them several times a week either with our breakfasts or as snacks. Pink, purple, green, blue, brown, they come in countless colors and flavors. Strawberry Smoothies and Blueberry Banana Smoothies are some of our favorites that get made often.

A while back, I combined both of those smoothies into this one and it was an instant hit.

Strawberry Blueberry Banana Smoothie

This is a very simple combination that we all agree is delicious. I like to freeze all of the fruit ahead of time so that the smoothies get cold without any ice needed. On the rare occasion that I forget to pop some berries in the freezer in advance, I’ll add an ice cube or two but it waters down the flavor a bit.

When strawberries and blueberries are on sale I buy a ton to freeze so we always have smoothies on hand. If you prefer, ready frozen berries from the freezer section work beautifully in this smoothie recipe, too.

I prefer smoothies that are similar to a milkshake consistency and frozen bananas are the key. I buy extra bananas and simply peel them and put them into a ziploc bag in the freezer.

When I am ready to make a smoothie, I just grab however many I need and toss them in the blender. It’s also a great strategy for using bananas that are getting overripe and gives smoothies the perfect consistency.

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Have you heard of Milk Punch? This old-school cocktail is made with bourbon, whisky, or brandy. It is a very lightly sweetened drink that starts with milk and half-and-half, it’s flavored with hints of vanilla and nutmeg.

What is Milk Punch?

Milk Punch is about as old-fashioned as a cocktail can get. This creamy, dairy-based cocktail actually dates back to Scotland in the 1600’s. And as far as I can tell, there isn’t just one way or accepted recipe for the drink either.

This drink was originally made and served warm, as refrigeration wasn’t a thing when Benjamin Franklin was sipping his own milk punch. Lucky for us, the cocktail is now more commonly served cold.

This particular recipe creates a slushy-like drink that is irresistible both in the winter months and in the midst of a hot summer. Imagine a boozy milkshake that’s not overly sweet, and still refreshing. Yes, it’s possible and yes, it’s good.

Milk Punch Recipe

This recipe is one that I found in my Canal House Cooks Everyday cookbook and as soon as I saw it, I had to try it. I’d never even heard of Milk Punch prior to that day.

I absolutely love finding fun new recipes to share with you and like the Italian Cream Liqueur that our friend Tony introduced us to a few years ago, this Milk Punch begged to be shared from the very first sip.

It was a real hardship, but I went ahead and made another batch to photograph and share with you this year for the holidays.

In case my sarcasm wasn’t clear enough, it’s no hardship to mix this recipe together. Pour everything into a jar and pop it in the freezer. Shake a few times as it chills. That’s it. You’ll be sipping an old-fashioned, new-to-you drink in no time!

Milk Punch Ingredients

• whole milk
• half-and-half
• powdered sugar
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Strawberry Banana Smoothie is simple, easy, and refreshing as a snack or even a meal all on its own. It’s delicious with only four ingredients!

Strawberry and Banana Smoothie

Do you ever shake your head and just laugh at how we all complicate things sometimes? I have found that happens quite often in the kitchen. Whether that is ingredients or appliances. Do we really need an oven, a toaster oven, and an air fryer?

Now I have gotten myself off on a tangent. Back to one of the simplest smoothies ever. Sometimes the simplest things we make surprise us by being some of the best. I was in the mood for a smoothie, however, I was out of many of my favorite add-ins.

I usually like to pack my smoothies with lots of nutritious goodness like greek yogurt, spinach, or kale. This turns many smoothies into an entire meal and not just a refreshing treat. This smoothie, though, is a light and delicious treat.

This pretty pink deliciousness was the result of wanting something fruity and refreshing but not too sweet. Frozen banana gives a smooth ice cream-like creaminess. Add the strawberries and milk and you have a milkshake texture and flavor.

I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious a few ingredients in the blender can taste. It is easy to adjust the consistency with a little extra milk if you want it thinner.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe

• milk
• banana
• strawberries
• honey 

Combine milk, banana, and berries in the blender. Puree until smooth. Taste and add honey for the desired level of sweetness.

Frozen berries may be substituted for fresh berries in this recipe. If you choose to use frozen berries, you may want to use a fresh banana instead of the frozen one listed in the rec

Pineapple Mango Smoothie, a refreshingly delicious and naturally sweet kid-approved green vegetable and fruit smoothie.

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

Using up leftover bits of this and that from the fridge or freezer can often result in some great new recipes. Quite a few of our favorite breakfast smoothies have begun this way.

These Pineapple Mango Smoothies with spinach are exactly that. I mixed this smoothie together recently because I wanted to use up the remaining pineapple juice from the canned pineapple I used in a batch of Hawaiian muffins.

When I shared this recipe with a friend her kids renamed these smoothies “Green Monster Smoothies” which gave me a good laugh.

I need to take notes from her because she has also convinced her kids that smoothies and crackers and cheese or hard-boiled eggs are a meal. That meal is a special treat they beg for when dad is out of town on business!

Frozen fruit creates a smooth texture for this drink. Often smoothies have ice cubes in them, which is fine, but we prefer ours this way. In order to always have ingredients on hand, you’ll want to freeze your fruit in advance.

If you have produce on the verge of spoiling, I like to prevent waste by freezing it. Just place the fruit on a sheet pan and freeze it. Then transfer the loose, frozen fruit to a zip-top bag for later use.

I do like to use fresh spinach when I have it on hand, but if you’re staring down a bit of leftover baby spinach don’t hesitate to toss it in the freezer. While it won’t be great on its own or if you try to cook it later, it will work well tossed into future smoothies.

Personally, we don’t care for the flavor of it after it is frozen and it just doesn’t seem to incorporate as smoothly. Speaking to smoothness though, since you are using spinach be sure to blend this extra to really get it purred in with the fruits.

All smoothies need some extra liquid to help the fruits and vegetables blend. Pineapple juice is the main one but water is your other liquid. Regular cold water is fine, or if you have some coconut water on hand it will be quite tasty.

The combination here is a great one. It was very smooth and much more juice-like than some of our other green smoothies. The kids and I enjoyed our smoothies on the back patio along with our Favorite Pancakes made into PB&J sandwiches. It was a fun lunch.