Flavored Lemonade Inspiration Elsie and I are starting to plan some spring/summer back-yard parties for this coming season. It's going to be my first summer in my house (just became a first time home-owner this past autumn). We plan to host a few little get togethers, I may build a small fire pit for s'mores. Who knows! We decided to try creating a few different lemonades, gearing up for the season. Grapefruit Lemonade- to a large pitcher of lemonade add in 2 cups of grapefruit juice and fresh slices of grapefruit. Strawberry and Basil Lemonade- to a large pitcher of lemonade add 2-3 cups of chopped strawberries and a handful of chopped basil. Cucumber Mint Limeade-to a large pitcher of limeade (or lemonade) add one cucumber, thinly sliced, and a handful of chopped mint leaves. Blackberry Lemonade- to a small pitcher of lemonade add 1 cup of slighlty mashed blackbarries. Happy Monday!
Rosemary Lemonade This just might be my favorite lemonade recipe. It's simple. It's not too sweet with a little punch of savory from the rosemary. Rosemary Lemonade, makes 5-6 servings 5-6 lemons3-4 sprigs of rosemary1 cup sugar6 cups water In a small pot combine 1 1/2 cups water with 1 cup sugar. In the meantime extract the juice from 5 lemons. If you're feeling naughty add a splash of bourbon. :) Enjoy! P.S. Make Your Own Coffee Syrup (Gift Idea) Do you have any coffee lovers on your holiday gift list this year? (If not, feel free to go ahead and put me on your list!) This is a cute little idea for making your own flavored coffee syrups that you can use at home to take your morning cup of joe to the next level. If you are making these as a gift I highly recommend making 2-3 flavors. We made vanilla, raspberry, and caramel flavored syrups. For the vanilla syrup you need: 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (the clear kind is much preferred here). For the raspberry syrup you need: 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup fresh raspberries. For the caramel syrup you need: 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup caramel (store bought or make your own). You can add decorative labels or ribbons to these when gifting them. Enjoy!
» New York Times 50 Most Challenging Words (defined and used) The New York Times recently published a list of 50 fancy words that most frequently stump their readership. They are able to measure this data thanks to a nifty in-page lookup mechanism, which you can try here. Try double-clicking the word “epicenter”. Since the NYT didn’t include definitions of these words, I decided to post a job to MediaPiston to produce an article defining and using each word in the list. Voila! Just a few hours later, here it is. The New York Times 50 Fancy Words (defined and used) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50.
2 Super Simple Sangria Recipes If you've never had Sangria before you are in for a treat. I adore wine but it can be so fun to add seasonal fruits (plus a sweetener). I love how Sangria can be super informal, like fruit punch. This beverage conjures up images of laid back beach days or casual back yard cook outs. Here are are two super simple variations of Sangria that anybody can make and enjoy! Plum and Grape Red Sangria, makes one large pitcher. Needed: 2 bottles of red wine (any kind you prefer), 4 cups juice (I used pomegranate, but you could also use grape or blueberry), 4 sliced plums, 3-4 handfuls sliced grapes and a few cubes of watermelon. Combine all ingredients in a pitcher. White Raspberry and Citrus Sangria, makes one large pitcher. Needed: 2 bottles of white wine (any kind you prefer), 3 cups orange juice, 2 sliced oranges, 2-3 handfuls of white raspberries. You can add any kinds of fresh fruits you have one hand, so feel free to experiment.
Bubble Tea Recipe: How to make Boba at home! For years we tried to make bubble tea at home with no luck. Since opening our own bubble tea business in Red Velvet we learned that most boba drinks made at restaurants or cafes use commercial grade syrups (or powders) to get that wonderful sweet, fruity flavor. But this leaves you in a pickle if you are wanting to make a delicious boba drink at home for yourself or your family, as most commercial grade syrups or powders are sold in large quantities and can be a really expensive option for someone just looking to make boba drinks for a casual get together. Here's a recipe for a Strawberry Boba Slushie that anyone could easily make at home with ingredients that can be found at the grocery store. To make the boba pearls use this method. The Egg The Egg By: Andy Weir You were on your way home when you died. It was a car accident. Nothing particularly remarkable, but fatal nonetheless. And that’s when you met me. “What… what happened?” “You died,” I said, matter-of-factly. “There was a… a truck and it was skidding…” “Yup,” I said. “I… I died?” “Yup. You looked around. “More or less,” I said. “Are you god?” “Yup,” I replied. “My kids… my wife,” you said. “What about them?” “Will they be all right?” “That’s what I like to see,” I said. You looked at me with fascination. “Don’t worry,” I said. “Oh,” you said. “Neither,” I said. “Ah,” you said. “All religions are right in their own way,” I said. You followed along as we strode through the void. “Nowhere in particular,” I said. “So what’s the point, then?” “Not so!” I stopped walking and took you by the shoulders. “You’ve been in a human for the last 48 years, so you haven’t stretched out yet and felt the rest of your immense consciousness. “How many times have I been reincarnated, then?” “No.
Fresh Watermelon Jello + Sea Salt I guess I'm into jello now. After making these mojito jello shots I just keep thinking of my jello related ideas I want to try. I decided to try watermelon jello next. I found these fairly small seedless watermelons at Target last week and thought they might make the perfect vessels. Vessels for my jello creations. I have a feeling seedless watermelon means underdeveloped. Fresh Watermelon Jello + Sea Salt, makes 4 large wedges. 3 cups fresh watermelon juice2 cups water*1/2 cup sugar4 packets unflavored gelatincoarse grain sea salt Start by cutting the watermelon in half and scooping out the fruit. In a pot combine the water and sugar and stir to dissolve while cooking over medium heat. *If you'd like to make this jello recipe more adult substitute 1 cup of the water with either white rum or vodka. Once the jello has set, place the watermelon halves on a cutting board with the jello side facing up. Sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt and serve!
3 Easy Infused Water Recipes Infused waters are one of my favorite warm weather beverages. These fancy waters are perfect for parties or just a special treat to yourself! You can make a pitcher for a group of friends or single servings, like these. This summer I tried out lots of different flavor combinations. Here are a few favorites... Lemon and Cucumber Water. Strawberry and Basil Water.This recipe a unique and so pretty! Mint Water. I hope that you enjoy some pretty fancy water! 101 Ways for the Traveler to Work Abroad The number of ways to work and travel are infinite but we only got as far as 101 travel jobs to inspire you… quit stalling and get out there. Hospitality Jobs – Business Jobs – Labor Jobs – Intellectual Jobs – Skilled Jobs – Artistic Jobs – Underground Jobs The main excuse people give for staying home is that they’ve managed to tie themselves down with a thousand real or imagined responsibilities – the job, the relationship, the dog, the chess club – none of which they could dream of leaving behind. Other people are simply too afraid to take their chances looking for a job overseas. Their current job might be boring but at least it’s safe. The idea of facing a foreign language and culture in the quest to make a buck is altogether too much. Still others would like to find a job abroad but just have no idea of how to start. Yet this world is still full of opportunity for the talented, the hard-working, the creative, the brave or simply the lucky.
Fireworks Red, White and Blue Daiquiris Recipe : Food Network Kitchens Directions Begin by making the blue layer: Put 1 1/2 cups of the ice cubes in the carafe of a blender. Add the passion fruit liqueur, lime juice, blue curacao, rum and sugar. Blend until slushy and there are no chunks of ice left, adding the remaining 1/2 cup of ice if needed. Transfer to a large measuring cup or small bowl and place in the freezer while you make the next layer. For the red layer: Rinse out the blender and then add the frozen strawberries, watermelon, lime juice, rum and sugar. For the white layer: Rinse out the blender and add the coconut sorbet, rum and lime juice. Pour the red layer into the bottom of six 8-ounce glasses, about 1/3 cup each. Sweet Tea Hot Toddy One of our favorite local spots start serving hot cocktails during the colder months of the year. I love a good hot toddy. It's the perfect drink to sip and enjoy good company and chilly weather. Most hot toddy recipes are pretty simple and can be made with ingredients you already have. Sweet Tea Hot Toddy, makes two. Needed: tea of choice (I used a vanilla chamomile. Heat water and when ready steep the tea. Super easy and super comforting.
DIY - MAKE YOUR OWN WAX FOR HAIR REMOVAL I was chatting with someone on my flight back from my vacation. She lived in another country where salons are hard to come by or if they are around, they aren't very good. So, sometimes a girl has got to depend on herself. You can make one on your own so easily. So when I described it to her, she loved it and she said I just have to put it up online. Wax recipe Ingredients 2 cups sugar ¼ cup water ¼ cup lemon juice Method Pour the sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan, and heat it over a low flame. How do you know it is done? Take a glass of water and put a drop of wax into it. Benefits of making your own WAX: 1. Waxing strips: We used to do this in college all the time. NOTE: The inner facing fabric of the jeans should be the one touching your skin otherwise if you use the opposite side, your skin will probably get blue with the denim color. Waxing technique Test the temperature before applying the wax to your skin. Benefits of Waxing 1.