Oranges.......

so i'm kinda hung up on all shades of orange this year.

and to take it a step further........

foods that are orange!

i've always said one of my favorite scents is that

of orange blossoms.

when I came to Florida as a kid,

i LOVED the scent of orange blossoms.

so much that when it came time for a souvenir,

i would choose orange blossom perfume 

in a little orange container

 and

orange gumballs packaged to look like a 

bag of oranges:)

and i THINK i used to eat these orange candies.

YIKES........not sure i could now:)

and my all time, all time, 

ALL TIME favorite cake was ORANGE cake!

my poor family.........

every single birthday was a big orange cake, complete with fluffy frosting

that i colored from time to time.

(one year it was light blue:)

if you haven't tried it,

do it!!!!!!

you'll LOVE it!

my favorite ice cream bar was a creamsicle.

that orange coating and creamy vanilla inside.........

summer on a stick if you ask me:)

here is a cake recipe using my favorite orange cake mix.......

ORANGE CREAMSICLE CAKE

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) box Duncan Hines Orange Supreme cake mix
• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant vanilla OR cheesecake pudding mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 (3 ounce) box orange Jell-O
• 1 cup boiling water

Frosting:

• 1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 1 (8 ounce) container thawed Cool Whip

1. Blend cake mix, instant pudding mix, eggs, water and oil and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake, following the chart located on the back of the Duncan Hines cake mix box. Cake is done when a toothpick insterted in center comes out clean.
2. While the cake is still hot, mix together orange Jell-O and one cup boiling water. When Jell-O is dissolved, poke holes in the cake with a straw or fork and pour hot Jell-O over cake. Let cake cool completely before frosting.

3. Frosting:

1. In a large bowl or mixer, beat instant vanilla pudding with 1 cup milk. Stir in the extracts. When the mixture becomes very thick, fold in the thawed Cool Whip. Spread frosting between layers and on top of cake. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Yum, Yum, YUM!!!!!!!

and remember those places in the mall that sold

Orange Julius drinks?

those were AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!

and here is a little drink recipe to remind you of the 

good ol' days.

ORANGE CREAMSICLE DRINKS

Directions

 mix together in a blender:

8 oz diet orange soda
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
ice cubes to thicken

Blend together, serve, enjoy. Frozen yummy treat, tastes like an orange creamsicle ice cream treat!!

If you want top with whipped cream, add more or less heavy cream to desired creaminess. 

now, don't you just love a good fruit dip?
well, thanks to Madiganmade,
here is her mom's
DREAMY ORANGE SUMMER FRUIT DIP
1 8 oz container whipped topping1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 6 oz container of frozen (concentrated) orange juice 
(may use unfrozen if preferred)

and finally,
my love of oranges ends with this useful tip.....

i can't actually verify this because,
wellllll......
i'd have to work out first, now wouldn't I? :)


have a good one.......
hugs, Suzanne

Cool Dessert Idea

Before I get to this yummy dessert idea, thank you to everyone who left such sweet comments on my mom's birthday post. She had a wonderful day and loved her tribute.

I thought I better get in a few more blog posts before this weekend, when I will be writing for my daughter's 12th birthday. I know, I know...as Steve Martin said in Father of the Bride 2...'What are we, the SCMALTZ family???" Yes, as a matter of fact, we are:-)

Okay, on to the fattening stuff! I don't know about you but I LOVE trifles. The point of them, I think, is they are easy to make, you make them ahead of time, they look pretty and taste great, right? Well, yesterday my new Taste of Home magazine came in the mail (thank you to my Aunt Margaret) and on the cover are 3 beautiful trifles. The whole idea is to have a "trifle bar", kind of like a make your own sundae bar, where guests create their own trifle. The dry ingredient of cake, brownie or whatever wouldn't soak overnight but otherwise it would look and taste the same as if you made it yourself. The good thing about this is each person can make the trifle they would love to eat. (And because this is my blog and I can say what I want...ladies, if you go to someone's house and they bothered to cook for you, please eat it...at least a little...and diet or work out harder tomorrow. I see this all the time and always feel so bad for the hostess. Okay, that's it for my rant...not too painful, huh?:-)

Anyway, you set out an assortment of trifle ingredients as well as small glass dishes, mugs or parfaits (mix and match) and let them have at it. Here are some suggested trifle ingredients or create your own.

CAKES:
Angel food, pound cake, quick breads (pumpkin, banana...),gingerbread, doughnut holes
FILLINGS:
Instant puddings, whipped cream, jello, mousse, pie filling
FRUITS
Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, pineapple, mandarin oranges...
TOPPINGS:
Plain or flavored whipped cream, syrups, caramel sauce, mini chocolate chips, coconut
EXTRAS:
Mini cookies or cookie crumbles, nuts, granola...

You don't have to include everything but these are just a few ideas. Almost makes me want to have a party!

Orange Blossom Moments...

...and random thoughts.

This morning, when I went outside to take my dogs out for a walk, the scent of orange blossoms was in the air. I just stopped on the stairs and breathed in one of my favorite scents. I remember as a kid, when we came to Florida from Michigan at Easter, smelling the orange blossoms. I used to love to get some scented oil in a little orange shaped container and that (as well as Love's Baby Soft) would be my perfume for the year:-) Now that I live in the south, I consider it a good day when I smell the orange blossoms! Hmmm...all this talk about orange blossoms makes me hungry for orange cake, my all-time favorite:-)

To all Lilly Pulitzer fans...today is the day Lilly takes over the Martha Stewart show. Should be lots of fun...and plenty of pink and green to go around! I'll be watching, I think it's impossible to live for any time in the Palm Beach area (we were there 13 years) and not love Lilly.

My husband has to run a disaster drill at the hospital today. He says he is going to channel his "inner Jack Bauer". I just hope he doesn't get carried away and actually torture anyone!!!!! You laugh...but I bet he has a few employees who think it could happen. hahaha

Look at these new Tracey Porter dishes. I LOVE THEM!!!


Maui, my goldendoodle, woke me up at 5:00 today. My husband apparently got up early and closed off the hallway door to my girls rooms, where Maui now likes to sleep. He is 70 lbs and could easily push the doors open but at 9 months, he's still a baby and hasn't figured out just how much he can really do.

My girls are taking their state tests (FCAT's) this week and next. They usually do school from home but go to a public school for the tests. They are both bright and do well, but am I the only one who is not in love with these tests? I actually think they are depriving the kids from so many things they could be learning about, because teachers are under such pressure to "teach the test". And for those kids who don't "test" well, I feel so sorry! The funniest thing is they have to wear khaki pants and a polo shirt...tucked in. They are far more upset about this than the test. Apparently, tucking in your shirt is for NERDS! They won't even let me take their picture for fear it will end up on Facebook or something horrifying like that. LOL

My sister told me about a new book by Debbie Macomber..."20 Wishes". She so loved it and immediately wrote me to tell me to pick it up. When someone finishes a book and can't wait to recommend it, sign me up! She said it is a light, easy "beach" read and there is an idea running through it about making a "wish" journal. I absolutely LOVE that idea!!! As soon as I finish it, I'll let you know what I thought.

Guess that's it for now but I do have a few other things I want to post sometime today. I'll leave you with this great quote...

"The measure of success is not whether you have a tough
problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you
had last year."
-- John Foster Dulles