7 things making us happy …that we just ha to ud share with yo!

Bliss in every bite

Citrus slush mmm

“Hot, humid days call for cool, sweet treats,” cheers Charles Grayauskie, FIRST Associate Food Editor. “So this week, I decided to make my famous citrus-mint refresher. First, I trim 1⁄4" from the bottoms of 4 oranges, then slice 1⁄3 off the tops. I scoop out the fruit, squeeze the juice, discard the solids and reserve the orange bowls and lids. I mix the juice with

1⁄4 cup of sugar and 2 mint sprigs, then simmer until the sugar dissolves. I strain the syrup into a 2-qt. baking dish and freeze until just solid, 2 hrs. Then, using a fork, I scrape the ice to form crystals, spoon the crystals into the orange bowls and top with the lids.

It’s frosty, fun and always wins raves.”

C ra fti ng up s m il e s

So-sweet candles

“Adding candlelight to my picnic table makes any meal on the patio so special,” says Patty Bontekoe, FIRST Executive Editor. “For a fun touch, I made ‘fruit’ candles. To do: I melted wax from old taper candles in a double-boiler and tinted it different colors by stirring in drops of gel food coloring (green for a ‘rind,’ pink for berry or watermelon, yellow for pineapple). I poured a layer into each jar, then popped a wick into each. Once hardened, I topped each with a different hue of melted wax, then drew on details with marker. Cute!”