Recipe: Caramel popcorn milkshake

No-cook blended drinks are easy options for a grab-and-go kind of morning. They're a cinch to make and can be done ahead of time with just one blitz using an all-purpose blender.

Here are some tips to help you get the best of your blender:

1. Choose your fruits. Almost any fruit in your refrigerator can help you whip up the perfect fruit smoothie. All you need is simple base of fresh or frozen fruit, natural yogurt, ice and some honey.

2. Don't waste. Store leftover smoothies in individual freezer safe containers with airtight lids. Allow some space in the container as the smoothie will likely expand when it freezes. This will kep for about 1 month. Thaw for at least 1 hour at room temperature before serving.

3. If you want your smoothie to be heavier so you can feel full longer, try adding some muesli, a scoop of peanut butter or a tablespoon of nuts into the mix. Special extras like protein powders, wheatgrass, barley, oats and flaxseed make for a healthier blend.

4. You can also let the kids in on the fun! Swap the fruit smoothie with a homemade milkshake and hear your kids scream in delight.

Here's a unique and yummy recipe you might want to try this weekend:

Caramel Popcorn Milkshake (Serves 4)

- 1 pack caramel popcorn
- 8 scoops mantecado or French Vanilla ice cream
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 cups fresh milk, chilled

1. Put the ice cream, maple syrup, fresh milk and half of the popcorn in a blender and blitz until well-blended but still thick.

2. Pour into chilled glasses. Top with popcorn and serve immediately.

For more tips and recipes, check out Food magazine's December issue, out in newsstands and bookstores. Digital edition available on Zinio.com and the iTunes App Store.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Jodi Sta. Maria opens milkshake bar

MANILA – Inspired by her son's fondness of milkshakes, actress Jodi Sta. Maria has put up a milkshake bar in Las PIñas.

Called the Happy Barn Milkshake Factory, the stall located at the Rustan's Supermarket in Evia, Las Pinas allows customers make their own milkshakes apart from the standard flavors, explained Sta. Maria, who stars in the top-rating daytime series "Be Careful With My Heart."

“We wanted to offer the market something new – a milkshake bar, a place where people have the freedom to make their own milkshakes, aside from the flavors that we are offering,” she told ABS-CBN News during the official opening on Sunday.

“I have enrolled dati sa isang cooking class pero doon sa paggawa ng flavors ng milkshake, ang naging susi ko 'yung pagiging mom ko. Kasi I have a 7-year-old kid na mahilig sa milkshake. When I was developing the flavors, si Thirdy din ang taga-taste-test kung magugustuhan niya,” she added.

Sta. Maria proudly shared that they use their own ice cream for their milkshakes, adding that they will soon come up with more varieties.

“At home we would use 'yung brands of ice cream na existing sa market. With Happy Barn Milkshake Factory, we formulated our own ice cream… We also use low-fat and low-sugar ice cream. And in the coming months, we will be serving a lactose-free, fat-free and sugar-free variety,” she said.

With the success of their first branch, Sta. Maria and her business partners are planning to open two more branches at Market! Market! in Taguig, and Power Plant Mall in Makati.

“Next month, we are opening two more branches. By December, we’ll be open to franchising. Hindi lang dito sa Philippines, we’ve been getting franchise inquiries from Malaysia, Singapore,” she said.

Happy Barn Milkshake Factory is Sta. Maria's second venture in the food and beverage business, after the Mardi Gras-inspired restaurant Rue Bourbon in Eastwood in Libis.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com