drink it up!

Alright, I swear, this is my last beverage post for a little while. 3 drink posts in a row? Well, I guess it's time to bottoms up!

For anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows that I'm not a big fan of bananas. Sure, I do love a slice of banana bread once in awhile, but I certainly can't stomach one outta the peel, caramelized with butter or popped into a smoothie. No way, not this girl! But, my husband is smitten with the fruit and because I'm smitten with him, I'll go ahead and caramelize some bananas as a topping to his waffle and I'll blend up a frozen banana into his smoothie. He's definitely a lucky man and he knows it!

This morning I decided to surprise him with a special seasonal smoothie....and I used another ingredient that he loves and I hate: eggnog. I remember my mom making eggnog from scratch around the holidays and loving it. It wasn't sickly sweet or gag-inducingly thick but ever since those long ago days, I've stayed away from the stuff. Commercial varieties - even the organic stuff in a bottle from Avalon - still makes me gag. But Cornelius loves eggnog and my special breakfast smoothie didn't disappoint.

banana eggnog smoothie
1 1/2 frozen banana
1/2 c eggnog (from a carton)
skim milk
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2 t cinnamon

Add frozen banana and eggnog into a blender and add enough milk to cover. Blend on high. Add in the nutmeg and cinnamon adding more milk if necessary. Blend again to combine.

drink it up!

Alright, I swear, this is my last beverage post for a little while. 3 drink posts in a row? Well, I guess it's time to bottoms up!

For anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows that I'm not a big fan of bananas. Sure, I do love a slice of banana bread once in awhile, but I certainly can't stomach one outta the peel, caramelized with butter or popped into a smoothie. No way, not this girl! But, my husband is smitten with the fruit and because I'm smitten with him, I'll go ahead and caramelize some bananas as a topping to his waffle and I'll blend up a frozen banana into his smoothie. He's definitely a lucky man and he knows it!

This morning I decided to surprise him with a special seasonal smoothie....and I used another ingredient that he loves and I hate: eggnog. I remember my mom making eggnog from scratch around the holidays and loving it. It wasn't sickly sweet or gag-inducingly thick but ever since those long ago days, I've stayed away from the stuff. Commercial varieties - even the organic stuff in a bottle from Avalon - still makes me gag. But Cornelius loves eggnog and my special breakfast smoothie didn't disappoint.

banana eggnog smoothie
1 1/2 frozen banana
1/2 c eggnog (from a carton)
skim milk
1 pinch nutmeg
1/2 t cinnamon

Add frozen banana and eggnog into a blender and add enough milk to cover. Blend on high. Add in the nutmeg and cinnamon adding more milk if necessary. Blend again to combine.

hot toddy

Last night was the first in a small batch of holiday parties that we'll be attending throughout the Christmas season. Cornelius and I dolled ourselves up, put on the sparkle and made up a batch of hot buttered rum for friends stopping by, before heading out on our bikes into the cold. I had never made hot buttered rum before but it was always something that I couldn't wait to try when I was younger. It was a very delicious drink, so I'm not sure what took me so long! It's true that adding butter to a beverage seems a bit strange but at the same time I was curiously attracted to that kind of naughtyness. And naughty it is! It's a rich, hot, sweet drink with complex flavours and a definite kick thanks to the rum. It was delicious and it warmed our insides completely. And it made the chilly bike ride to the ball a little less frigid. And yes, in case you were wondering, a girl can definitely ride a bike in heels!

hot buttered rum
1/4 c butter, softened
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 T brown sugar

4 c water
2 c apple cider
1 large cinnamon stick, broken in 3
4 cardamom pods, slightly crushed
6 cloves
1 T brown sugar

1 t lemon juice per mug
1 1/2 oz amber rum per mug

1. Prepare the butter. Add spices and sugar to butter and mix until well combined. Put in fridge to firm up.

2. In a medium sized pot, add water, cider, spices and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. In 4 mugs, add in 1 teaspoon for lemon juice and one and a half ounces of rum to each mug. Add in 1 rounded teaspoon of the cold spiced butter and then ladle the hot spiced cider to fill each mug. Cheers!

hot toddy

Last night was the first in a small batch of holiday parties that we'll be attending throughout the Christmas season. Cornelius and I dolled ourselves up, put on the sparkle and made up a batch of hot buttered rum for friends stopping by, before heading out on our bikes into the cold. I had never made hot buttered rum before but it was always something that I couldn't wait to try when I was younger. It was a very delicious drink, so I'm not sure what took me so long! It's true that adding butter to a beverage seems a bit strange but at the same time I was curiously attracted to that kind of naughtyness. And naughty it is! It's a rich, hot, sweet drink with complex flavours and a definite kick thanks to the rum. It was delicious and it warmed our insides completely. And it made the chilly bike ride to the ball a little less frigid. And yes, in case you were wondering, a girl can definitely ride a bike in heels!

hot buttered rum
1/4 c butter, softened
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 T brown sugar

4 c water
2 c apple cider
1 large cinnamon stick, broken in 3
4 cardamom pods, slightly crushed
6 cloves
1 T brown sugar

1 t lemon juice per mug
1 1/2 oz amber rum per mug

1. Prepare the butter. Add spices and sugar to butter and mix until well combined. Put in fridge to firm up.

2. In a medium sized pot, add water, cider, spices and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. In 4 mugs, add in 1 teaspoon for lemon juice and one and a half ounces of rum to each mug. Add in 1 rounded teaspoon of the cold spiced butter and then ladle the hot spiced cider to fill each mug. Cheers!

a nice hot cup of tea

I love chai tea. The first time I tried it about 10 years ago, I declared it was like having cake in a cup! Oh my, it was sweet and rich and full of spice, instantly comforting and wonderfully cozy. While popping a commercially prepared chai tea bag into a mug of hot water can be just what you need, making your own tea from scratch is a whole new experience in itself. It's simple to make and I get to use my mortar and pestle to crunch on down those green cardamom pods (totally satisfying!) It smells great while it simmers away on the stove and it tastes even better. The best part about making it yourself is that you can control the sweetness and richness. I use skim milk and a big dollop of honey and found it perfect. Enjoy this nice hot cup of tea!

chai tea
4 c water
1 3" chunk of ginger, peeled & sliced
8 cloves
1/2 t black peppercorns
10 cardamon pods, slightly crushed
1 large cinnamon stick, broken in two
3 bags orange pekoe tea
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 T honey

In a medium sized pot, bring water, ginger, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom and cinnamon stick to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain liquid and return to pot. Add tea bags and let steep for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and add milk and honey. Return to heat and simmer for a few minutes until steamy. Serve in big mugs.

a nice hot cup of tea

I love chai tea. The first time I tried it about 10 years ago, I declared it was like having cake in a cup! Oh my, it was sweet and rich and full of spice, instantly comforting and wonderfully cozy. While popping a commercially prepared chai tea bag into a mug of hot water can be just what you need, making your own tea from scratch is a whole new experience in itself. It's simple to make and I get to use my mortar and pestle to crunch on down those green cardamom pods (totally satisfying!) It smells great while it simmers away on the stove and it tastes even better. The best part about making it yourself is that you can control the sweetness and richness. I use skim milk and a big dollop of honey and found it perfect. Enjoy this nice hot cup of tea!

chai tea
4 c water
1 3" chunk of ginger, peeled & sliced
8 cloves
1/2 t black peppercorns
10 cardamon pods, slightly crushed
1 large cinnamon stick, broken in two
3 bags orange pekoe tea
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 T honey

In a medium sized pot, bring water, ginger, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom and cinnamon stick to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain liquid and return to pot. Add tea bags and let steep for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and add milk and honey. Return to heat and simmer for a few minutes until steamy. Serve in big mugs.

sunday freshness

After we finished dinner this evening, Cornelius turned to me and said, "We ate really well this weekend". So true. Everything we ate was fresh and didn't require extensive cooking or baking or heating. Our morning started off right with light and crispy waffles topped with fresh and juicy peaches. Since we had a relatively late breakfast, lunch wasn't necessary. Dinner was tomato and red onion and feta sandwiches (because everybody likes sandwiches, right?!) served with fresh refrigerator pickles and accompanied by some icy cold homemade lemonade. As for dessert, the previous night we worked up a sweat the old fashioned way as we whipped up a batch of homemade coffee ice cream with a touch of cinnamon, some roasted pecans and some dark chocolate shavings. Oh my!

I'm not sure if I'll post the ice cream recipe because I found it was a bit too sweet for my tastes, but the rest of my Sunday cooking adventure can be found below. Enjoy.

crispy waffles
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c cornstarch
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
3/4 c milk
1/4 c vanilla yogurt
2 T vegetable oil
2 egg whites
1 envelope of vanilla sugar

1. In a batter bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

2. Measure yogurt, milk and vegetable oil in a 2-cup measuring cup.

3. Whip up egg whites into soft peaks.

4. Beat egg white in a small bowl with an electric hand mixer to almost soft peaks. Sprinkle in sugar and continue to beat until white and glossy.

5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until just mixed. Fold in egg white to batter in dollops. Fold in with a spatula until just incorporated.

6. Add batter to waffle irons and cook as usual. Serve with syrup or fresh peaches.

lemonade
1 c sugar
1 c water
1 1/4 c lemon juice (use fresh only! approximately 6-8 large lemons)

1. Create a sugar syrup by bringing water and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and add in lemon juice.

2. Pour into pitcher along with 4-5-6 cups of cold water. Add enough water to suit your tastes. I like a lot of water, so I usually fill up my pitcher with about 6 cups of water. Serve over lots of ice. Decorate with fresh mint, if desired.

refrigerator pickles
I spotted these refreshing pickles over at Kitchen Parade and decided that I'd start making some right away. It seemed like the most perfect summertime snack. Tangy and sweet and crispy fresh. I made these in the morning and ate almost a whole jar by the afternoon! What can I say, I love pickles! I made one batch according to Alanna's recipe (subbing the mustard & celery seeds and tumeric with dill, garlic and hot peppers since its' what I had on hand), but then decided to make a second version with different vegetables and different spices altogether. Both versions tasted great and I'll post my version here.

1 c white vinegar
1 c water
1 c white sugar
2 t pickling salt
1 long stick of cinnamon, broken into 3 peices
1 t hot peppers
3 cloves garlic
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1/2 small red onion, cut into quarters
baby carrots

1. In a small saucepan, heat vinegar, salt, water and sugar to the boiling point. Remove from heat. Add carrots to simmer in the hot liquid for 5 minutes.

2. Add green pepper, red onion and garlic and spices into a glass jar. Add carrots to the jar and pour in the hot liquid. Cap off jar and let cool before putting into the fridge.

Once you are finished the jar (and I've already polished off one), you can add more vegetables into the liquid. I've added in some radishes and yellow peppers for my next batch. This should keep for about 1 month in the fridge.

tomato sandwich with lemony-feta spread
I like my sandwiches with a bit of a bite. If you want a fresher taste, then you can skip marinating the tomatoes and onion in the vinegar and just add them fresh to the sandwich.

Please note Cornelius' lovely handmodeling duties!

2 red + ripe tomatoes
1/2 red onion
2 T red wine vinegar
handful of fresh basil, torn
1/2 avocado, sliced
romaine lettuce
1 small block of feta cheese
1 T olive oil
1/2 c parsley
1/2 lemon, juiced & zested
salt + pepper
good bread, toasted

1. Cut tomatoes and onions into slices. Place in a shallow bowl and drizzle with vinegar and add some salt & pepper over top. Tear some fresh basil over top and marinate for 30 minutes. You can skip this step if you don't like a tangy sandwich!

2. In a small bowl, mash together the feta, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and parsley together.

3. Toast the bread. Add feta mixture to one slice and mash avocado on the other slice. Add tomatoes and red onions and lettuce to the feta side and cover with the avocado side. Add salt & pepper if necessary.

Serve with fresh refrigerator pickles.

southern hospitality

Last night I felt inspired enough to make an entire meal with drinks, a main course, a couple of sides and a dessert. It even had a Southern theme! Unfortunately, my camera died before I could take a photo of everything plated, but rest assured, it was a sight to behold. Truely.

The first undertaking was drinks and since it was a southern meal, I decided to make some lemon iced tea. I don't like to add a lot of sugar, so please adjust to your own taste buds.

lemon ice tea

• I set my kettle to boil
• put 2 orange pekoe tea bags in my pitcher
• added the juice of 2 lemons and the hollowed out lemon carcasses (for extra lemony flavour, dontcha know)
• dumped in a 1/4 c of white sugar and poured the boiling water over the whole lot. I topped up the pitcher with cold water and stirred everything around. When the tea bags had finished their steep, I removed them from the pitcher and just let the mixture cool on the counter before refrigerating

...

With my drinks taken care of, I was onto part two of this southern feast:

pulled pork sandwiches
I didn't really know what I was doing since I came up with this one on the fly, but it turned out nicely. Cornelius commented that this tasted like real barbeque, so I think I did good.

I took a pork loin and marinated it with a lot of crushed garlic, some chipotle powder, cumin, mexican chili powder, dried thyme and a bit of salt. After a couple hours of fridge-sitting, I popped the entire thing into a small covered roasting pan and into the oven for about an hour at 450 degrees. I then mixed together some ketchup, yellow mustard, honey, brown sugar, worchestershire sauce, cider vinegar and some xxx hot sauce and poured it over the pork. I dropped the oven temperature to 350 degrees and cooked it for half an hour before taking it out of the oven and shredding it all together into one big shredded porky mess of tasty goodness. Back in the oven for another half hour before we served this on whole wheat hot dogs buns (seriously, it was all we had & the meal didn't suffer from it one bit).
...

I figured a potato salad was in order and I wanted something nice and light tasting. I had bought a whole wack of lemons (14 for $2) earlier in the day, so I figured I'd make up a lemon vinegrette and see what would come of that. The results? So fresh and tasty that the world "incredible" came up more than once.

incredible lemony potato salad
6 small yukon gold potatoes in their skins
2 stalks of celery with leaves, diced and leaves roughly chopped
1 large lemon, juiced and zested
1/4 c olive oil
1 t honey (or white sugar, if vegan)
1 t dijon mustard
1 small bunch of basil, torn
1 T capers
pepper and rock salt

1. Boil potatoes whole in their skins until done. Cool slightly and cut into large cubes. Place in bowl. Add chopped celery.

2. Mix together lemon juice, olive oil, honey and dijon into a dressing and pour over potatoes.

3. Tear basil leaves over top of salad. Add capers, lemon zest, freshly ground pepper and rock salt. Mix. Cool in fridge until ready to serve.
...

I've posted this recipe before, but it's so good that I have to post it again. An Everybody Likes Sandwiches first. It's that good. Actually, this time I used less lemons (last time I used 2), but even with just 1 fat lemon it was all good. It's the perfect snack or side dish for hot weather because these beans are eaten icy cold so it's the perfect foil for the heat of summertime.

Lemony-Garlicy Green Beans
1 lb of fresh green beans, trimmed
2 cloves of garlic, minced (1 clove if you aren't among friends)
1 fat lemon, juiced
2-3 T of olive oil
rock salt

1. Steam the green beans until bright green and crisp. You don't want to over cook these. Crisp = delicous! Drain and rinse in cold-cold water. At this point, I put the beans in the freezer just to get extra cold while I mixed the dressing.

2. For the dressing, mix the garlic, lemon juice and olive oil together. Transfer beans into a nice serving dish and pour dressing over top. Return to the fridge for extra coldness. Sprinkle generously with rock salt and serve. It's better than chips. Seriously.
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Okay, I lied about making dessert. I was fully planning on making a rhubarb and strawberry cobbler but after such a feast, Cornelius and I decided that adding dessert would be way too much. So we played board games and sipped homemade ice tea instead. I think we made the smart choice. The rhubarb can wait another day.

summer licks

First off, may I direct you to the mp3 blog, Shake Your Fist, where I was asked by the lovely Amy to write a guest post about music. I LOVE music but haven't written about it in ages, so it was a bit nerve-wracking and I was sure the moment that I finished the post I'd be hit with regret for not including this song or that song. But it was a fun post to write and thank you to Amy for asking!

iced coffee
It's summertime and the living is easy. I may drink my coffee hot in the morning, but by the afternoon, I take any leftover coffee out of the fridge and serve it up right. A little simple syrup (which is just equal parts water & sugar that have been boiled together), some milk and lots of ice and I've got a drink that Mr. Brown would be proud of.

strawberry-pineapple popsicles
Another thing I can't get enough of are popsicles. At all times, our fridge is stocked up with these homemade icy treats. I wrote about these last summer and I feel it's time again for a refresher, because they are beyond simple to make and so refreshing. Last time I added some vanilla yogurt for creaminess, this time I just blended up some frozen strawberries, pineapple juice and fresh lime juice, poured the mix into molds and into the freezer they went. Yum.