SLURPEE – FREE SLURPEE

By Terry Orr

What is your favorite flavor Slurpee?  Can you remember the your first Slurpee? In honor of 7- Eleven’s 86^th birthday, they are offering free Slurpee’s (7.11 ounce size) at participating stores, from 11AM to 7PM.

Here is a comprehensive list of current (and past) Slurpee flavors.

Slurpee Flavors

7-Up

7-Up Green

7-Up Ice

7-Up Tropical

Amp Energy Freeze

Artic Burst

Banana

Banana Split

Black Cherry

Black Pina Colada

Blue Berry Blast

Blue Meanie (Australia Only)

Blue Raspberry Rush

Blue Shock

Blue Vanilla

Blue Woo Hoo! Vanilla

Bruisin’ Berry

Bruisin’ Berry Grape

Bubble Yum

Bumblebee Blast

Café Latte

Candy Cane

Cherry Coke

Citrus Splash

Code Red

Coke

Coke Classic

Cotton Candy

Cranberry Sprite

Cream Soda (Barq’s)

Crystal Light Berry Pomegranate (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Cherry Limeaide (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Orange Pineapple Ice (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Passionfruit (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Peach Mango Fusion (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Raspberry Ice (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Strawberry Banana (Sugar Free)

Crystal Light Tangerine Lime (Sugar Free)

Diet Pepsi

Dr. Pepper

Fanta Banana

Fanta Birch Beer

Fanta Blue Cherry

Fanta Blue Raspberry

Fanta Ginger Ale

Fanta Grape

Fanta Green Lemon Lime

Fanta Green Melon

Fanta Kiwi Strawberry

Fanta Mandarin Tangerine

Fanta Orange

Fanta Orange Cream

Fanta Pina Colada

Fanta Pineapple

Fanta Purple Berry Cherry

Fanta Raspberry

Fanta Red Licorice

Fanta Super Sour Apple

Fanta Super Sour Cherry

Fanta Super Sour Watermelon

Fanta Vanilla

Fanta Watermelon

Fanta White Cherry

Fanta Wild Cherry

Fanta Wild Cherry Reduced Calorie

Frawg

French Vanilla

Full Throttle Blue Demon

Full Throttle Frozen Blast

Game Fuel

Grape

Grapefruit

Grapermelon

Green Apple

Gully Washer

Hawaiian Punch

Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red

Hawaiian Punch Green Berry Rush

Honeycomb

Iced Tea

Jolly Rancher Sour Apple

Kryptonite Ice

Lemonador

Licorice

Lime

Liquid Artillery

Livewire Orange

Mango Bango

Margarita

Mellow Yellow

Minute Maid Blue Cherry

Minute Maid Blue Raspberry

Minute Maid Blueberry

Minute Maid Cherry

Minute Maid Grape

Minute Maid Lemonade

Minute Maid Orange

Minute Maid Passionfruit Orange

Minute Maid Peach

Minute Maid Pineapple

Minute Maid Raspberry

Minute Maid Strawberry

Mocha Chocolate

Monster Black Ice

Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew Blue Lightning/Shock

Mountain Dew LiveWire

Mountain Dew Pitch Black

Orange

Orange-Pineapple

Pepsi

Pepsi Blue

Pepsi Samba

Pina Colada

Pineapple

Pitch Black Grape

Powerade Ice

Purple S-cream

Radiation Rush

Raspberry Crystal Light

Red Cherry

Rootbeer

Rootbeer (Barq’s)

Shrekalicious

Sierra Mist

Slurpucchino

Slurpurita Pomegranate

SnowBawls (Bawls)

Sobe Citrus

Sour Peach

Sour Strawberry

Sour Watermelon

Sprite

Sprite Ice

StawberrWii Banana

Strawberry

Strawberry Banana

Strawberry Cream

Strawberry-Kiwi

Tropical Punch

Tropicana Twister Berry

Twizzlers Strawberry

Vanilla Coke

What-a-melon

Wild Cherry Pepsi

So tomorrow will be another hot day from most of America – great reason to visit your local “Oh Thank Heavens, It’s 7-Eleven” for your FREE Slurpee!!

National Cherry Popover Day

(Google Image) 

By Nurse Diane

(Google Image)

Long before George Washington could not tell a lie and confessed to chopping down the famed cherry tree, cherries were a wildly popular fruit. Not only were they eaten right off the stem, but they were also baked in pies, cakes and popovers.  I love cherries, but I don’t eat that many of them, they are very good for you and full of melatonin, a substance that aids in sleeping.  In fact the only time I eat a cherry is when it is in a bowl of fruit cocktail, or on the top of some cheesecake.  My husband loved them, and would take a jar of them, stab them with toothpicks and devour the whole jar.

(Google Image)

I am talking about cherries today because today is National Cherry Popover Day.  A popover is similar to a muffin.  It is light and airy, and filled with cherries.  It may seem like a difficult dish to make, however there is a simple recipe from foodnetwork.com that will help you celebrate this day.  So if you have never tried a cherry popover, what are you waiting for?  Make a batch today and celebrate!

Cherry Popovers

(Google Image)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 teaspoon room temperature for pan
• 4 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 1 cup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Grease a 6-cup popover pan with the 1 teaspoon of butter.
3. Place all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and process for 30 seconds. Divide the batter evenly between the cups of the popover pan, each should be about 1/3 to 1/2 full. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the popovers to a cooling rack and pierce each in the top with a knife to allow steam to escape. Serve warm.

National Spumoni Day

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest

I have an Italian friend who often shares with me some of the wonderful foods he eats.  While I love Italian food, there is one delicacy from Italy that I have never tried.  I'm talking about Spumoni.  Typically it is of three flavors, with a fruit/nut layer between them. The ice cream layers are often mixed with whipped cream. Cherry, pistachio, and either chocolate or vanilla are the typical flavors of the ice cream layers, and the fruit/nut layer often contains cherry bits—causing the traditional red/pink, green, and brown color combination.  Spumoni differs from ice cream in that it should always be sliced, never scooped.  I don’t know the purpose of this, however, if I have to slice it in order to try some of this delicious ice cream, I don't' mind.

(Google Image) 

Today is National Spumoni Day.  You should be able to find it at your grocery's freezer, or any Italian grocery.  So don't miss out on this wonderful treat, and have a slice of Spumoni today.

(Google Image) 

(Google Image) 

National Pie Day

(Google Image) 

By Diane Forrest,

Little Jack Horner

By Mother Goose

Little Jack Horner

Sat in the corner,

Eating a Christmas pie;

He put in his thumb,

And pulled out a plum,

And said, "What a good boy am I!"

Yum! Apple
(Google Image) 

If you are eating in a restaurant in the south, chances are you will see Pecan Pie on the menu.   While Apple Pie may be all American, Pecan Pie is all Southern!  It is the first pie I ever baked, and one that I have baked thousands of times during my life.  Baking them can get a little tricky at times, the filling may not want to set properly, and then you have runny syrup instead of a nice firm pie.

Pecan Pie
(Google Image) 

While Pecan Pie may be my favorite, there are many different pies to choose from.  Not all pies are sweet desserts; there are savory pies as well.  One of my family's favorite is Chicken Pot Pie.  My grandmother used to make individual chicken pot pies and they were always eaten up quickly.  They were so much better than the frozen ones, and you can add whatever vegetables you like in them.

Chicken Pot Pie
(Google Image) 

Meat pies have been around for centuries.  In 9500 B.C., the Stone Age, pies were made to be able to transport food easily, and to keep it fresher longer.  Of course it was not the same thing as we would identify as a pie today.  In 2000 B.C. a recipe for Chicken Pie was written on the wall of Pharaoh’s tomb.

In the 1800's people in North America began to put a scoop of ice cream on their fruit pies, this is known as Pie a la' Mode.

Pretty sure Granny's kin-folks started this (Yum)
(Google Image)

Today is National Pie Day.  What every type is your favorite; you won't go wrong eat a slice today.  I am including my never fail recipe for Pecan Pie.  If you get a chance, give it a try today.  Or you can watch the movie Michael, and sing along with the pie song:

Pie

Pie

Me oh my

Nothing tastes sweet, wet, salty and dry

all at once o well it's pie

Apple!

Pumpkin!

Minced

an' wet bottom.

Come to your place everyday if you've got em'

Pie

Me o my

I love pie

Diane's Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 Regular pie shell (not deep dish)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Karo syrup
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix sugar, syrup and melted butter.  Add beaten eggs and 1 tsp vanilla.  Add pecans to syrup and mix well.  Bake in oven for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and bake for 30 minutes.  Pie is done when center of pie shakes a little.

Cherries Jubilee Day!

By Diane Forrest,

Imagine you are at a friend's home for a dinner party.  The meal is over, and in walks the host with a gorgeous silver bowl with flaming cherries.  Well this could be your lucky day!  It’s Cherries Jubilee Day!

The recipe is often credited to Auguste Escoffie who prepared the dish for one of Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations. Whether it was the Golden Jubilee in 1887 or the Diamond Jubilee in 1897.   Cherries jubilee quickly became a standard dessert item in America's finest restaurants reaching its peak of popularity in the 1950s and 1960s.

This is a great, refreshing dessert especially after a hearty meal. This does have to be prepared immediately before serving, but does not take a lot of time. Your guests will enjoy the blue flames when the brandy is ignited.

Here is a delicious recipe for you to try:

Cherries Jubilee

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 pound Bing or other dark, sweet cherries, rinsed and pitted (or use frozen pitted cherries)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon cherry extract
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 3 cups vanilla ice cream

Directions

1. Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch in a wide saucepan. Stir in the water and orange juice; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking until thickened. Stir in the cherries and orange zest, return to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. While the cherries are cooking, spoon the ice cream into serving bowls.
2. Remove the cherries from the heat, and stir in the cherry extract. Pour in the brandy, and ignite with a long lighter. Gently shake the pan until the blue flame has extinguished itself. Spoon the cherries over the bowls of ice cream.

The flames may get quite high when flambéing, so pay attention to anything flammable above and around where you ignite the cherries. When the initial large flame has died down, a small blue flame will continue to burn for several seconds. Shake or stir the cherries gently to expose more alcohol to the flame, being careful that they do not burn. The goal is to have the small, blue flame burn for as long as possible, thereby reducing the raw alcohol flavor, caramelizing the sugars, and entertaining your guests!   

National Cherry Popover

By Diane Forrest,

As you are sitting there reading this, I’m sure you are thinking, didn't we just talk about this the other day?  I know, I did a double take too!  September 1st (Terry forgot to post it) is National Cherry Popover day; the other day was National Cherry Turnover Day.  So...what's the difference? 

The cherry turnover is like a pie, a light flaky pastry usually in the shape of a triangle.  A popover however is more like a muffin.  It gets its name from they way it was prepared.  The name "popover" comes from the fact that the batter swells or "pops" over the top of the muffin tin while baking. 

The first mention of a popover was in a letter dated in the 1850's, and the first recipe was printed in 1876.  It is the American version of England's Yorkshire Pudding.  The Yorkshire pudding is not a pudding like we are accustoming to, Jell-O pudding.  Instead it is a batter, like a pancake batter, that was placed under a cooking piece of beef or mutton.  The drippings would fall on the batter below, and was served with the meal as filler.  Diners would fill up on the pudding, and wouldn't need to eat much else.  This was an economical way to cut back on the grocery bill.  

Today, Popovers may be served either as a sweet, topped with fruit and whipped cream and served for breakfast or afternoon tea.  They may also be served with meat for lunch or dinner.  Below is a recipe for Cherry Popovers, so if you have never tried them, today would be a perfect day to have one!

Cherry Popovers

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon, granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup dried cherries

Preparation

• Heat oven to 375° F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 2-quart baking dish.

In a bowl, combine the eggs and 1/3 cup of the sugar. Whisk in the flour until no lumps remain. Whisk in the milk and melted butter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the cherries over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and bake until puffed and golden, about 45 minutes. Serve warm.

By Diane Forrest,

Wouldn't an ice cold Cherry Popsicle really hit the spot on this hot August day?  Well you're in luck!  Today is National Cherry Popsicle Day.  Frank Epson is the father of these frozen treats. In 1905, at age 11, he left a glass of his homemade combination of fruity soda powder and water in his backyard overnight. He forgot to remove the stir stick -- or so goes the legend. It was a record cold night in San Francisco, so when he came out the next morning, he discovered it was frozen. More importantly, he pulled it from the glass and started licking!

In 1923 Frank introduced his frozen treats at Neptune Beach in California.  It was originally available in seven flavors and marketed as a "frozen drink on a stick." The form is unique, with two parts joined together on two sticks, so the two sections could be divided and shared.  In 1924 Frank patented his "frozen ice on a stick" and called it an "Epsicle ice pop." His kids decided the name was too long and just called them "Pop's sicles".  He sold the rights in 1925, and it was bought in 1989 by the Good Humor Company.

When I was young my mom used to make kool aid, pour them in a metal ice tray, the kind that has the lever in the center.  She would cover the top with plastic wrap and stick tooth picks in it.  A yummy treat for those hot summer days.   These days they have some nice popsicle molds that you can fill and freeze.  Here is a fast easy recipe if you want to make your own, however if you don't have time today, you can always pick some up in your grocer's freezer. 

Enjoy an ice old Cherry Popsicle today and celebrate the day!

Easy Cherry Popsicle Recipe

• 1 packaged cherry flavored Jell-0
• 2/3 cup hot water
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 cup sugar

In a large pitcher mix the Jell-o, hot water and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add cold water and pour into molds and freeze