Battle Quills... ready! Circulation: 193,350,746 Issue: 685 | 12th day of Relaxing, Y17
Home | Archives Articles | Editorial | Short Stories | Comics | New Series | Continued Series
 

Five Make-It-Yourself Recipes for Summer


by josephinefarine

--------

Summer is almost upon us! The days are getting longer and warmer. Your Neopets are begging you to buy them some ice cream and take them to the pool. You’re storing the scarves and breaking out the sunglasses. During this time of year, it’s important to keep yourself cool and comfortable. I’ve found that summer comes with an abundance of fruits, which is why fruit smoothies and refreshing fruit salads are so appealing around this time. That’s why I’ve prepared some make-it-yourself recipes that will fit the bill! These recipes provide wonderful, authentic alternatives to their pricey counterparts, and are easy to prepare. When it’s so hot that you’d rather stay inside than go out to eat, try these refreshing treats with your Neopets!

    

Banana Split Smoothie

A personal favorite of mine, this unique smoothie puts all the mess of a banana split into one, easy-to-sip drink. It’s also a lot healthier than its sundae counterpart, as it requires little sugar, yet perfectly replicates the familiar, sweet taste of a classic banana split. In other words, your pets won’t be running around on a sugar high after consuming this treat. To prepare two easy-to-make smoothies, you will need:

2 whole bananas

1 cup of ice cubes

½ cup of Plain Yogurt

¼ cup of Chocolate Milk

A handful of cherries

2 Tbsp. of Chocolate Flakes

Start by putting the bananas, yogurt, Chocolate Milk, and a few cherries in a blender and blend. Add the Chocolate Flakes and ice cubes to the mix and blend until the drink is completely smooth. After pouring the smoothie into a cup, add a cherry on top.

    

Citrus Trifle

This trifle bursts with flavor! My Neopets love eating this dessert after dinner on warm evenings. It’s light, yet filling, and incredibly fruity. The citrusy flavor certainly packs a punch, and I do not advice is for the faint of heart, or people who are afraid of lemons. I like to prepare this stuff in one big bowl, for the entire family to dig into at the dinner table. For this recipe, you will need:

2 lemons

1 orange

1 Soft White Cheese

2 cups of sugar

2.5 pints of heavy cream

1 Nova Sponge Cake

1 cups of Sliced Strawberries

In a cup, squeeze the juice from the lemons. Grate and squeeze the juice from the orange (in a different cup), but reserve some orange zest as garnish for later. In one large bowl, mix together the Soft White Cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and some orange zest until completely blended. In another bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks begin to form. Fold the whipped cream into the first mixture (in the first bowl). Break the Nova Sponge Cake into little pieces, and dip them in the orange juice. Line the bottom of a glass or trifle bowl with some the sponge cake. Spoon half of the cheese filling (from the first bowl) into the dish, and add a layer of sponge cake with the remaining pieces before spooning the remaining filling at the top. To garnish the dish, arrange the Sliced Strawberries in a circular pattern on top of the filling, and sprinkle the reserved orange zest on top. Let the desert chill before serving.

    

Fruity Scone

Whether served warm or enjoyed cold, these scones are an amazing addition to any picnic, party, or dessert. They’re super fun to make with your Neopets, and even better to share. I used to purchase these scones by the dozen at the Bakery, but they’re so popular, they vanish off the shelves the moment they’re restocked. Furthermore, they sell at quite a hefty price. I’ve found that, not only does making these treats at home save me Neopoints, they’re a lot less stressful to get ahold of. To make 15 scones, you will need:

4 cups of Wheat Flour

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of baking powder

2 teaspoons of salt

3 sticks of butter

4 large neggs (lightly beaten)

1 cup of heavy cream

1 cup of Sliced Strawberries

1 cup of blueberries

1 negg beaten with 2 tablespoons of water or Kau Kau milk (for the negg wash)

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Then, combine the neggs and heavy cream, and quickly add them the butter mixture. Combine until blended. Add the Sliced Strawberries and blueberries to the dough and mix. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll the dough (but keep it thick). Cut the dough into squares, and then triangles. Brush the tops of the triangles with the negg wash, sprinkle on some sugar, and bake them from 25 minutes, or until the outsides are crisp and the insides fully baked. Serve hot or cold, with a glass of Kau Kau milk.

    

Raspberry Iced Tea

After one sip of this tea, my Neopets quickly agreed that this was the best tea they’d ever tried. Unfortunately, Raspberry Iced Tea is hard to come by, and its formidable price on the Shop Wizard is truly cringe-worthy. I made a recipe that replicates the great-tasting, refreshing flavor of this drink, but not the outrageous price. This tea is perfect at the beach, by the pool, or for a picnic. To prepare 8 servings of this iced tea, you will need:

8 cups of water

¼ cup of water

5 tea bags (green or black)

⅔ cup of sugar

2 Raspberry Baskets

In a big pot, boil 4 cups of water, and stir in the sugar until it’s completely desolved. Remove the pot from the heat and add the tea bags. Steep them for 6 minutes before discarding them. Finally, add the remaining 4 cups of water. In a different pot, boil the raspberries in the remaining water. Once they boil, reduce the heat and let them simmer for 3 minutes. Strain them to remove the pulp and add the raspberry juice to the tea mixture. Let it cool before serving in chilled in glasses, with ice. Enjoy! P>    

Pineapple Rice Bowl

This dish is a healthy addition to any meal. Rather than purchase it fully cooked from the Healthy Foods shop, I prefer to prepare this dish at home, with the help of my pets. Though a rice dish, this meal is heavily centered on pineapple, a tropical fruit especially popular during the summer months. The fried rice is a perfect foundation for the spicy and sweet ingredients that you’ll be adding to it. For four servings, you will need:

4 tablespoons of olive oil (I recommend Flask of Olive Oil)

2 neggs (beaten, with a dash of salt)

1 ½ cups of Pineapple Cubes

1 Red Scorchipepper, diced

½ cup of thinly sliced spring onions

Two Garlic Bulbs, minced

½ cup of cashews

2 cups of brown rice

1 tablespoon of Brown Sauce

2 tablespoons of Chilli Chia Hot Sauce

1 small lime, halved

A handful of mint leaves

Place a pan on a stove and keep a bowl nearby. Once the pan is hot, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Pour in the neggs and stir occasionally, until the neggs are scrambled, then drop them in the bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan again, and add the Pineapple Cubes and diced Red Scorchipepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, or until the pineapples have caramelized on the edges. Then, add the spring onions and Garlic Bulbs. Cook for 30 more seconds before transferring the mixture to the bowl.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan and pour on the cashews to cook, always stirring until they are fragrant. Add the rice and combine the two ingredients, stirring occasionally until the rice is hot. Pour the contents of the bowl back into the pan and combine. Once everything is warmed through, remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of Chilli Chia Hot Sauce and lime juice from half the lime. Present the dish on a large plate or a hollow pineapple half, and garnish with mint leaves.

These were some homemade recipe alternatives to their pricier counterparts. All of them are based on easily obtainable fruits and very simple to prepare with your Neopets. These meals are perfect for hot summer days, but can be enjoyed just as well during colder times. Try these recipes out to your liking. I encourage you to experiment with other homemade versions of foods. Cooking is, after all, a great way to spend time with your Neopets. Bon a petit!

 
Search the Neopian Times




Great stories!


---------

Scarab Queen
The constitution meeting was to take place in the throne room – this served as a not-incredibly-subtle reminder from Jazan about who exactly was in charge here.

by saphira_27

---------

Color Fail #3
Fire plus ice does not always equal water

by sppyder2

---------

Yooyuball Troubles
Those pesky Darigan Yooyus...

Also by Princessdiva7737

by mandypandy667


---------

10 Things We Did While The Neopian Times Was Gone
At the very least, enjoy this reprieve from the hectic schedule of your day-to-day Neopian pursuits! Also by Synneblynn

by j_harkness



Submit your stories, articles, and comics using the new submission form.