Starbucks Copycat – Blackberry Mojito Tea Lemonade


20141116_125615 (1)I give full credit to Deseree Kazda for this lovely copycat recipe from http://www.lifeambrosia.com

It breaks down as follows:

Lemonade Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of water (divided into 1 & 2 cups)
  • 1 cup sugar (I used Xyla)
  • 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • Ice

Blackberry Mojito Green Tea

  • 4 cups of water
  • 5 green tea bags
  • 6 ounces black berries
  • 8-10 mint leaves

Instructions

  1. Prepare a syrup by heating 1 cup of sugar/xyla with one cup of water until the sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and chill
  2. Mix 1 cup of lemon juice with 2 cups of water and chill
  3. Brew 5 green tea bags in 4 cups of boiling water.  steep for 10 minutes and then chill
  4. Purée blackberries in a food processor.  Strain through mesh sieve to remove seeds.  Add Purée and diced mint leaves to brewed tea.  Mix well
  5. Add lemon and water, sugar syrup to brewed tea.  Mix well and chill
  6. Serve over ice

Refreshing green tea mojito lemonade for quenching your thirst.

Sharing the Love (aka good websites)


Hi Everyone,
Its been awhile since I posted, however, I found this fantastic site for busy peeps like me. It gives you 20 freezer slow cooker recipes and the shopping list (for Costco) Now as we know not all Costco’s are created equal so some of the ingredients may not be available in your local store. But give it a try it might be well worth checking out:

http://www.5dollardinners.com/gluten-free-slow-cooker-freezer-packs-costco-meal-plan/

Recipe for Strawberry Daquari’s using fresh ingredients


I wanted to make a strawberry daiquiri without using concentrates and syrups. I found this fantastic recipe on AllRecipes.com courtesy of TBOND that I want to share.

6 cups ice (I have a smaller blender so I ended up using 3 cups of ice)
1/2 cup white sugar (I used a 1/4 cup)
4 ounces frozen strawberries (I used fresh strawberries and the more the merrier)
1/8 cup lime juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup rum
1/4 cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage (I used one cup of Soda Stream – (another favorite kitchen appliance of mine) Country Time Lemonade flavored soda – almost no sugar or calories)

Original recipe makes 8 servings

These daiquiris were like heaven in my mouth. I don’t think I will ever go back!

Sloppy Joes, slop sloppy joes


Sloppy JoesHoagies and Grinders, Hoagies and Grinders. Remember Adam Sandler’s tribute to the lunch lady?

Well this is actually a recipe for the best sloppy joes I’ve ever had.  So simple, so quick and so tasty.  This recipe comes to you courtesy of one of my favourite cook books: The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook.  

INGREDIENTS

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 16-ounce can of pork and beans
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
6 8-inch-long rolls

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large skillet,over medium-high heat, cook first 3 ingredients for 10 minutes until ground beef is well browned.
  2. Stir in next 4 ingredient; heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
  3. Halve rolls horizontally.  Add 2/3 cup of ground beef and pork and beans mixture and enjoy.

Nuts and Bolts/Bits and Bites Recipe – My party/camping standby


I have to admit my frugal side cannot bear to spend almost $3.00 a bag on nuts and bolts/bit and bites at the store when for about $20 I can make 12 bags that are double the size of the $3.00 bag and they taste SOOO much better

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 to 2 cups of vegetable oil
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp salt
2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion salt
7-8 drops of Tabasco sauce
optional: 1/4 tsp tumeric and 1/4 tsp cumin

1 Medium size box each of Cheerios, Shreddies & Crispix (I also add Bugles)
1 Bag of Pretzels
Optional: Peanuts or Mixed Nuts

DIRECTIONS

  1. Mix cereal, pretzels (Nuts) in a large roasting pan with a cover.
  2. Mix above ingredients and slowly pour over cereal mixture.
  3. Mix well to ensure roaster fill of ingredients is well coated
  4. Bake (covered) in an oven at 250 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes

I bag them in dollar store clear cello gifts bags.

Enjoy!!! (They never last long in my house)

Christmas Favorite – Prize Butter Tarts


I went so far as to steal an old cook book my mother NEVER used – sorry Mom.  The Five Roses Cookbook.  Printed in Winnipeg Manitoba – back when we actually made stuff in our own country.  I absolutely love this tart recipe and it is SO easy.

INGREDIENTS

1 Pastry RecipeButter Tart Ingredients
1 egg beaten
1/3 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tblsp milk
1/2 cup raisans, currants or chopped pecans (I just use pecans or walnuts)
1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS

Prepare pasty recipe, roll 1/8 inch thick and cut into 4″ rounds.  Press into medium size tart pans.
Mix all ingredients together, fill tart shells 2/3 full.  Bake in a hot oven 450 degrees  8 minutes, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer until pastry is delicately brown.

If using store bought frozen tart shells I bake at 350 for 15 – 20 minutes just watching for the right brownness on the tart shells.

Makes 12 – 15 tarts.

Ready for the Oven
Ready for the Oven

Beef Stew that is as good as if not better than Kelly O’Briens


I have to thank Facebook and everyone who shared for this recipe.  Tried it, loved it, gets my stamp of approval!!!  I believe the beer, Worcestershire and tomato paste are the key to it’s flavor success.

WARNING: This one is a long slow cook so not for the impatient. BUT it is worth every minute.  My 45 year old teenage says it is delicious!

The meat should fall apart if you just look at it. And the thicker, more flavorful the sauce, the better.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 50 minutes

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

  •  3 Tbsp olive oil
  •  2 lb cubed beef stew meat (1 1/4″)
  •  1 med onion, dicedBeefStew
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 12 oz beer (pale lager)
  • 3 1/2 c beef broth
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp sugar
  •  1/2 tsp paprika
  • 8 new potatoes (1 1/2″-2″ diameter), quartered
  • 4 carrots, sliced diagonally
  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  •  Finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
  • Crusty bread (optional)

 DIRECTIONS

  1.  Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef. Working in 2 batches, brown meat on all sides, 6 minutes. Remove to plate.
  2. Add onion to pot and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
  3. Pour in beer. Add broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, sugar, paprika, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and pepper to taste.
  4. Return beef to pot. Simmer until meat is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
  5. Stir in potatoes and carrots. Simmer until vegetables are tender and meat is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes longer
  6. 6. Remove 1 cup of liquid from pot and slowly whisk in flour. Stir back into pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 10 minutes. Season. Sprinkle with parsley (if using). Serve with bread, if desired.

NUTRITION (per serving) 434 cal, 25 g pro, 19 g carb, 2 g fiber, 26.5 g fat, 9 g sat fat, 523 mg sodium

Best Appy for Men – Buffalo Chicken Dip from Frank’s Red Hot


I had this recipe at a Halloween party. I know how much my burly man cub loves his hot wings and blue cheese dressing that I just had to make this for him

recipe-banner

 

Here we go:.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups shredded c

hicken

1 – 8oz package of cream cheese softened
1/2 a cup of crumbled blue cheese (or your favorite kind of cheese)

1/2 a cup of blue cheese or ranch salad dresssing
1/2 a cup of Frank’s Red Hot sauce or Frank’s Buffalo Red Hot sauce

DIRECTIONS
Mix the ingredients together in a 1 quart baking dish
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
Serve with crackers and/or celery sticks

It is easy and tasty!

Enjoy

To view the original recipe go to www.franksredhot.com

Delicious Freezer Peaches – Thanks Auntie


I owe the credit on this one to my Auntie Peggy.

This quick and simple recipe allows you to freeze peaches without them browning to be used later as pie filling, a nice topping for ice cream, smoothies or even just a stand alone treat.

Here goes:

INGREDIENTS: (per 6 medium sized peaches – makes approx 1 quart of peaches)

1/4 teaspoon ascorbic acid
1/4 cup of water
2/3 cup of sugar
6 medium to large peaches

DIRECTIONS;

  1. Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of ascorbic acid in 1/4 cup of water
  2. Peel and slice 6 peaches and place in a bowl
  3. Sprinkle ascorbic acid mixture over the peaches
  4. Add 2/3 cup of sugar and mix until the juice starts flowing
  5. Ensure enough juice is produced to cover the peaches 
    Add a small amount of orange juice if there is not enough juice to saturate the peaches
  6. Transfer peaches and liquid to zip lock freezer bags
  7. Squeeze air out of the bag
  8. Freeze
  9. Thaw to enjoy

If you find the recipe too sweet you can cut the sugar back to the desired sweetness, just ensure there is enough fluid to cover the peaches when freezing.

Cook French Onion Soup that is as good as the Keg’s


I fell in love with the Keg’s french onion soup many years ago.  I happened to try this recipe that was in my Mom’s ancient Good Housekeeping Cookbook.  It was amazing!!!  I managed to find the same book with a few touch ups (all the recipes were the same but additional information on spices and menu items) from one of those book distributors that drop off books in offices and takes order.  I LOVE this cookbook.  I just found the original version like my Mom’s in a thrift store the other day and was thinking.  I should buy it and give it away to one of my followers….still debating this.  Let me know if you are interested and I will see if I can still get my hands of the book.  Some of the best soup recipes I’ve tried are in this book!!!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.  It is so simple and easy to cook.

So here goes… French Onion Soup!

I replace swiss cheese with mozaralla in this recipe (I make this recipe so often I even know the page number – 130 – off by heart)

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
3 large onions sliced (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups of water
1/2 cup red cooking wine
2 – 10 1/2 ounce cans of beef broth (basically your standard sized can of broth works (284 ml)
1 long french loaf
1 small package of bari mozzarella

Directions

  1. In a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat, in hot butter, cook onions and sugar for 10 minutes
  2. Stir in flour until well blended with the onions and the pan juices
  3. Add water, wine and un-diluted beef broth, heat until boiling.  Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 10 minutes
  4. Cut four 1 inch thick slices of bread from loaf.
  5. Ladle soup into 4 – 12 ounce oven safe bowls and place once slice of bread on the surface of soup in each bowl
  6. Lay a slice (2 – 3 mm thick) of mozzarella on top of the bread in each bowl
  7. Place bowls on a cookie sheet or bread pan and bake at 425 degrees in oven 10 minutes or until cheese melts (I do this in my toaster over…takes less energy and time)
  8. EAT!!!!