The Heat is On/Off/ON

After numerous days of 100+ degree weather, we finally got some rain. Not much, but just enough for me to go into my backyard and dance around like a giddy schoolgirl. Some people get too much rain, like the folks out in the Midwest. Then there are those of us who live in a perpetual draught. All we had received was 1/3 inch of rain since the first of January. This week we gloriously got some much-needed water.



Anyway, to celebrate, I decided to make this wonderful pie – a Banana Split Pie. Oh boy is it good. I love it because it’s cool, full of fruit, and it doesn’t have any ice cream in it. (I’m lactose intolerant!) So I wanted to share it with you. You can make this for a dessert after a cookout, a light summer meal, or like with me, a midnight snack.


My husband and I love to sit outside in the evenings during the summer. It’s a nice way to stay cool and not run the cooling bill up too high. He has his usual glass of Corona and I have my glass of white Zinfandel. Last night I surprised him with a pitcher of Hibiscus Wine Coolers.
Te de Jamaica, Hibiscus Tea, was a special, cooling drink my family always had during the hot summer months of my youth. My mom didn’t buy very many sodas. But between the Jamaica and making Kool-Aid ice cubes, we always fended off the heat. Enjoy the summer, but Stay Cool Fool!

Banana Split Pie
1 cup crushed graham crackers
3 tablespoons melted butter
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
8 ounce tub of prepared whipped topping
3/4 cup crushed pineapple
6 strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced

Combine cracker crumbs and melted butter. Pat the mixture into the bottom a 9 inch pie plate and set aside.In a large mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. Fold in most of the whipped topping, leave some out to swirl on top of the pie right before serving.Spread 1/3 the cream cheese mixture over the crumb crust in pie plate. Layer half the crushed pineapple, sliced bananas, and strawberries over the that. Repeat layers and end with the last third of the cream cheese mixture.Chill pie in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Top with swirls of left over whipped topping and garnish (if you like) with additional sliced bananas and sliced strawberries. Enjoy.

Jamaica Winecoolers
Jamaica Tea has long been know as a favorite "Agua Fresca" in Mexico. Jamaica Tea is made from the petals of the Hibicus flower. It's a deep red/burgandy color, rich in it's distinctive flavor. Here I've combined a picher of Jamaica tea with a ½ bottle of white zinfandel and 3 cups of gingerale. The taste is rather unique. You must remember to sweeten the tea before mixing in the other ingredients. Top with a sprig of mint and some ice and you're ready to go.
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Mexican Word of the Day: JULY
You told me you were going to the store and JULY”
to me! Julyer!