Saturday, August 25, 2007

Shirley's Orange Juice Special

Food! I don’t like to cook. It wasn’t in my genes when I was conceived. I love to plan and prepare huge meals. I suppose I could have been a chef but for the hours. For holidays, picnics, family reunions, huge gatherings, I’m right in there. But this everyday stuff is boring. (“What is it tonight, beef, chicken, or pork – the choices are so limiting.) And a good meal is time consuming. I’d much rather do something else than prepare food.

So I go for the easy to do. In summer, when it’s too hot to cook, I like a refreshing drink, something that’s filling and delicious. If it’s also healthy, that’s just coincidence.

Years ago I went to visit a friend in Austin, Texas. Being from Buffalo, NY and living in the District of Columbia where they know humidity, I’d never felt anything like the heat in Texas. I decided to go for a walk the first day I was there and nearly died of the heat. I got to a small strip mall and ordered something called an Orange Julius. I’d never heard of it before and I’d never tasted anything so good.

They wouldn’t tell me how it was made so I experimented with my blender until I got something that tasted just as good. I don’t know if it’s the same. This is my personal recipe. One morning some of my sons’ diving team friends were here for breakfast. As athletes should have healthy meals, I made them Shirley’s Orange Juice Special instead of straight orange juice. Even the guys who didn’t like orange juice liked this. I hope you do too.

Shirley’s Orange Juice Special

Ingredients:
2 cups orange juice
1 large egg
½ cup sugar
Ice

Directions: Put the juice, sugar and egg in a blender. Fill with ice. Blend ingredients until they are smooth. Serve in tall glasses with straws.

Note – if you want add a banana for additional fiber and flavor.

17 comments:

Susan said...

Shirley’s Orange Juice Special sounds delicious! I'm going to try it tomorrow.

I'll never understand why restaurants are so secretive about drink recipes.

Shirley Hailstock said...

Susan,

It wasn't a restaurant. It was a small stand in the mall. The servers looked like high school students. They probably didn't know what to do, so they erred on the side of caution.

Anyway, mine taste just as good if not better.

Shirley

Susan said...

I tried your drink today and it is absolutely fabulous! Next time I'm going to try it with the banana. Thanks so much for sharing!

You are probably right about the kids and I can't blame them.

PatriciaW said...

Sounds delicious. The kids probably did the right thing by erring on the side of caution. The company they work for might consider the recipe proprietary.

Maureen said...

It looks good.

Shirley Hailstock said...

Susan,

Yeah!!! I'm so glad you liked it. I'm drinking coffee right now so I can stay up and do revisions on a manuscript. They are due back on Thursday. But I would really like to go make an Orange Juice Special and just relax with it.

And we have bananas. I could add one.

Shirley

Shirley Hailstock said...

Patricia,

I agree. If I'd been working there, I wouldn't have told how the drink was made either.

However, I watched them make it and they had ingredients from containers and I didn't know what they were, but a little experimenting in my kitchen and I got something great.

Shirley

Shirley Hailstock said...

Maureen,

If you get a chance, try it. As a substiution for plain orange juice at breakfast, it's a hit.

Surprise your family one morning.

Shirley

ChristyJan said...

This sounds delicious.
Thanks for sharing!

Cherie J said...

Sounds good! Thanks for sharing!

anne said...

Many years ago when I lived in Montreal, there was a Orange Julep on Decarie blvd. Everyone loved their drink and it was foamy and delish. Just like yours. Thanks.

diane said...

Appealing drink which is perfect for this summer heatwave.

Shirley Hailstock said...

Anne,

I tried a Mint Julip once or twice is an Orange Julep anything like that?

Shirley

Shirley Hailstock said...

Diane,

You're right. We had a couple of cool days, but the heat is back and tonight I was in the grocery store. I made the Orange Juice drink for my and my daughter. We hung out in from the the TV and pool enjoyed out drinks.

Shirley

Shirley Hailstock said...

Christyjan & Cherie,

Thanks for dropping by and leaving a note. Try the drink. It's quick and easy.

Shirley

Michele L. said...

Oh wow you know the secret recipe to an Orange Julius? Whoa! Do you have an undiscovered talent for analyzing the ingredients in food? I have tried doing that but mine never taste exactly the same. I love stir frys but I can never exactly duplicate the sauce they use in Chinese restaurants. Some barbecue sauces are extra special too and trying to duplicate something like that is really hard!

I am definitely going to try your recipe! Thanks for sharing it with all of us! You are so generous!

Michele

Shirley Hailstock said...

Michele,

Even though I don't like to cook, when I find something I like, I'll try and duplicate it. The Orange Julius only took a little while.

Barbecue sauce is something I was going to write about at first. I used to make my own and got rave reviews on it. Then I discovered K.C. Masterpiece and it tasted the same or better, so now I buy it.

A waittress in TGI Friday's told me that's what they used on the meal I had eaten when she was putting it in a container for me to take with me.

In addition to that, one day I was shopping for my family reunion and I thought I was buying K.C. Masterpiece and accidentally picked up the store brand (Super Fresh's America's Choice barbecue sauce -- Super Fresh is owned by A&P). It was the same and cheaper.

Happy Labor Day, hope you have great picnics.