Alien Smoothie - Mango Banana Spinach

Aliens are green right? Well, that is what inspired this smoothie. We'll call it {The Wanda} or maybe just {Alien Juice} - because that it what my kids called it when I was making it.

Ingredients:
1 banana
1 cup fresh spinach
1 cup frozen mango chunks
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 cup water ( or 1 cup apple juice if you want it sweeter)
Directions:
Throw it all in your blender and hit {Puree}!

Now doesn't that color look very alienish green right?? I was very impressed that all you Book Club gals drank it! It almost looks a little too {healthy} if you know what I mean. SCARY! ;)

The book "The Host" inspired the name and little {alien} surprise at the bottom....

Cheers!

Early American Apply Grunt

Linda Larsen made this YUMMY dessert for us at Book Club a few months ago. We read Miracle At Philadelphia and she had the fun idea to serve a dessert from that time period.

Early American Apple Grunt Instructions:

This version of apple grunt is baked, but in colonial days, it was cooked in a Dutch oven hanging over an open fire.
The name GRUNT presumably came from the sound the pudding made as it bubbled and grunted beneath the biscuit like topping.
If desired, this very same pudding also may be cooked over an open fire.
Just cover it tightly and simmer for 1 hour.

Early American Apple Grunt Ingredients:

4 tb Butter
1/3 c Tightly packed brown sugar
2 c Pared, cored, and sliced
-fresh apples
3/4 c Chopped walnuts
1 Egg
1/2 c Granulated sugar
1/3 c Milk
1/8 ts Salt
1 ts Baking powder
1 c All-purpose flour
Whipped cream or ice
-cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt butter in an 8-inch baking pan.
Remove 2 tablespoons of the butter and place in a mixing bowl.
Add the brown sugar to the pan and stir until dissolved.
Arrange apples over the brown sugar.
Sprinkle with walnuts.
Add eggs, granulated sugar, and milk to the bowl with the 2 tablespoons butter.
Mix in the salt and baking powder, then add the flour, mixing until smooth.
Pour batter over the apples.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Loosen cake from sides of pan with spatula and invert onto a serving platter.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Frankenstein Marshmallows

Ingredients:

1 cup of green melting candy (we used Wilton Candy Melts)
24 large marshmallows
skewers
waxed-paper-lined baking sheet
M&M's Minis
Chocolate sprinkles
black gel
Green Tic Tac mints

Directions:
Microwave 1 cup of green melting candy (we used Wilton Candy Melts, available
at party supply stores) for 1 minute at 50 percent power, then stir. If necessary, heat in 15-second intervals until completely melted.

One at a time, spear 24 large marshmallows with a skewer and roll them in the melted candy, coating the sides. Set them on a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet, add M&M's Minis for eyes, and place them in the refrigerator to chill.

Add black gel facial features and 2 green Tic Tac mints for bolts.
Top each monster head with chocolate sprinkles.

*Submitted by Ali Kiehn