Orange Julius

Is it just me, or was Teen Living (aka Home Ec) a little too early in your life?  If you go to college and perhaps follow college with a heavy dose of grad school, then there is a good chance you won't be sewing or baking until long after your teenage years are done.  Should I write to UVA Law and suggest they start offering Old Lady Living classes?

There are very few things I remember cooking in Teen Living.  I remember puppy chow (anyone with me on that) and omelets (which I did not get a good grade on, by the way).  And I very distinctly remember making orange juliuses.  I think I even "taught" my mom how to make them after we learned how in class.  I'm sure she was thrilled to learn that you add orange juice concentrate to milk and ice to make a frothy drink.

I had some extra homemade vanilla ice cream and orange juice from the farmers market, which I thought would make for a delicious orange julius.  I started Googling recipes and was shocked to be reminded this tasty drink is made from milk (not ice cream) and OJ concentrate (not juice).  I had almost given up on the concept until the lovely Elizabeth emailed me her favorite orange julius recipe that her best friend's mom made for them on the mornings after a sleepover.  I had a hunch this recipe would be exactly what I was looking for, and it was.

The OJ concentrate factor makes a lot more sense when I realized you add ice to make the drink cold and slushie, so if you were using regular juice it might taste watered down.  I used whole milk, though Elizabeth says skim or 2% works just fine.

It's hard for me to say what the serving size of this recipe is.  It makes about half a blender-full, which for me, was enough for several glasses, and I made it my lunch.  I don't really expect other people to be as crazy as I am, so I would imagine this would make 4 medium-sized servings.  But if you want to eat it for a meal, don't look at me to stop you!

Orange Julius
Courtesy of Elizabeth

6 oz. orange juice concentrate (which was half of a 12 oz. can for me)
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4-1/2 cup sugar (depending on your sweet tooth)
1 teaspoon vanilla
10-12 ice cubes (depending on the size your fridge makes)

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend for 30-45 seconds until the ice is completely crushed.  The drink should be frothy and smooth.  Serve immediately.  Makes 1-4 servings depending on your thirst.