Mango Banana smoothie

MANGO-BANANA SMOOTHIE: 2 1/2 cups peeled, ripe mango chunks 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt 1 cup skim milk 1/2 banana, peeled 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice Freeze mango chunks 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until firm. Just before serving, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses and serve immediately. Makes 2 servings - 260 calories per serving - 2 fat grams

PANAMA'S BEACHES

Sunset in Panama over the water.

White sands. Clear waters.

EL PRESIDENTE

The President of Panama Ricardo Martinelli assumed office July 1, 2009. He was elected May 3, 2009 for a five-year term and ran as an independent centrist candidate. President Martinelli was born March 11, 1952 (age 57) in Sona District, Veraguas, Panama. He is a very wealthy businessman who owns Super 99, a supermarket chain in Panama. When President Martinelli ran for office, he said he wanted to cut corporate taxes, given tax breaks to foreign investors, cut the crime rate, and set up a pension plan for the poor. The people of Panama seem to want him to run the country as successfully as he runs his businesses.

EMPANADAS

EMPANADAS: 5 cups flour (unsifted) 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 teaspoons salt 1 cup shortening (Crisco preferred) 1 cup milk Mix flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Cut in shortening until it resembles crumbly meal. Gradually sprinkle in milk stirring until dough clings together. Knead 10 times. Let rest 1/2 hour. Filling: 2 lbs. ground beef 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste hot sauce (optional) Mix ground beef with all the ingredients except tomato paste. Fry slowly in 1 tablespoon oil until cooked. Mash around a bit so it's crumbly. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste (so that it's thick), stir very well. Turn off heat and let filling cool. Add as much hot sauce as you like. On a very well-floured surface, roll dough as thick as you would for pie crust (can divide it into 2 parts if desired). Cut 5"circles (using any container with 5" opening) and place filling on center of each circle. Brush beaten egg on lower edge of circles. Fold over and press edges with fork dipped in flour. Fry in lard about 2 minutes on each side until brown. Make sure there is enough lard to cover the empanadas--- about 3 - 4" deep. *Can be frozen unfried. Stack between wax paper, sprinkling plenty of flour in between empanadas and wax paper, or they will stick together. (courtesy of Dino Barkema) BERRY EMPANADAS 3 single pastry crusts for 9-inch pie (ready-to-use, mix or homemade) BERRY FILLING: 16.5 oz. can blackberries, raspberries or boysenberries, drained 1 cup finely chopped, pared apple (about 1 medium size, tart variety such as Granny Smith) 1/4 cup chopped walnuts 1/4 cup sugar 2 Tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla Dash salt TOPPING: 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 Tablespoon butter, melted Preheat oven to 400F. Roll out pastry and cut into twelve 4 1/2-inch rounds. Combine apple, walnuts, sugar, flour, cinnamon, vanilla and salt in medium bowl and mix well. Gently fold in berries. Place 2 tablespoons berry filling on half of a pastry round, leaving about 1/2 inch along edges. Fold the other half of pastry over filled half, moisten edges and seal by pressing with fork. Repeat this procedure until all rounds are folded and sealed. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Brush each empanada with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake on greased cookie sheet 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 small empanadas

PANAMA CITY