Currently, I’m deep in the throws of a Harry Potter obsession. In the last week and a half, I’ve read and watched the first four parts of the series. I have a friend who had just finished rereading the series. And then another friend is reading them for the first time. As a result, my phone has been filled with excited text messages gushing about love and loss in Harry Potter. So you see, it wasn’t a joke when I said I’m currently deep in obsession. For that reason, on Harry’s birthday, I’m sharing a recipe for butterbeer. Happy birthday Harry! 

I have been a Harry Potter fan since I was a kid. And it’s a story I continue to love. Adventure, good versus evil, love, friendship, struggle, and a magical world… what more do you need? It’s a story that is familiar and relatable, while simultaneously transporting you to another world. As I read my way through the series yet again, I enjoy it more and more.

Probably like many people my age, I grew up pre-ordering the books from my local bookstore, then avidly reading them nonstop. In high school, I skipped soccer practice to camp outside the movie theater with my friends in order to see the movie the day it came out. I even had a Harry Potter pillowcase! Then when I lived in London, I made sure to visit the Harry Potter studio.

Then, back in April of this year I was able to check something off my bucket list: visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Florida. Some friends of mine from London were going to be in Florida and they invited me to come along. I said yes, as long as I could go to Harry Potter. Long story short, that park is AMAZING.

If you ever have the chance to go, GO! It was amazing to walk down Diagon Alley, browse the shops in Hogsmeade, and ride the Hogwarts Express. I walked through the halls of Hogwarts and ate at the Leaky Cauldron. I even bought an interactive wand, where at designated spots I could cast spells and make water shoot out of fountains or set off fireworks in a display (like I am in the photo above). It was awesome to feel like, for one day, I wasn’t a muggle. I loved it so much, I still have my wand on my bedside table.

It was during lunch at the Leaky Cauldron that I tried butterbeer. I know Harry, Ron, and Hermione usually have it warm, but I was in Florida so I went for cold. It was delicious. Butterbeer has a sweet, creamy, butterscotch flavor that is slightly indulgent but not overpowering alongside my meal. It was so good, I had to try making it again at home.

Quickly, let me say that if you do go to Florida, also try the frozen butterbeer. When that first sip of frozen butterbeer hit my lips, I felt my whole body cool down and my face break out into a smile. It was the most refreshing, delightful, amazing treat.

This recipe for butterbeer is also crazy good. I’ll admit it’s not as good as at the park because it’s missing the magical ambiance and pure joy that goes along with feeling like you’re in Harry’s world. But it’s still really good.

The use of real butter and sugar in this gives it a very rich and luscious flavor you won’t find at Universal. For that reason though, I find this to me more of a dessert, than a beverage to go with food. If you’re feeling really indulgent, make this with the cream I’ve included in the recipe. The fluffy cream adds a great flavor and texture to the butterbeer, but it also makes it very sweet. Maybe even too sweet.

There’s cream soda in this recipe and it will naturally create a foam, which I like a lot. That foam gave me the light fluffy texture I wanted, so I don’t think you strictly need whipped cream. However, sometimes a little extra sweetness can be nice. I say try it both ways and see what you prefer. What I absolutely recommend is making a batch of this to share with your favorite Harry Potter fan. Then cozy up on the sofa and watch your favorite Harry Potter movie. Or maybe all of them in a row.

For those of you who love Harry Potter, you understand my long held love and renewed obsession. For those who aren’t fans, you might think, really Mariel? You still love Harry Potter? After all this time? Always. 

Adapted from Wizarding World Park.

Messy level: For a beverage, it’s a little messy because there are a lot of steps. It’s sort of like two recipes put together to make one wonderful drink.

Butterbeer

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

7 mins

Total time

17 mins

 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup/ 200 grams light or dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 6 tablespoons/ 84 grams butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
• ¼ cup/ 60 ml heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon rum extract
• Four 12-ounce/355 ml bottles cream soda
• ½ cup/ 120 ml heavy cream (optional, if you want to make whipped cream)

Instructions

1. In a small pan over medium, stir the brown sugar and water together.
2. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240°F/115°C on a candy thermometer.
3. Remove from heat. Add the butter, salt, vinegar and ¼ cup heavy cream to the brown sugar mixture.
4. Set aside to cool to room temperature. This is important because if you move ahead while it's warm you'll end up with crystallized sugar in your final product.
5. Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rum extract.
6. If you'd like to make whipped cream: In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and ½ cup of heavy cream. Use an immersion blender or an electric mixer to beat until just thickened. You want it thick enough that it holds it shape, but not so thick that it is solid and is undrinkable.
7. To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses. Fill the cup ½ way with cream soda. Stir to combine the brown sugar mix and the soda.
8. Fill each glass with the rest of the cream soda.
9. Spoon whipped cream on top if using.
10. Serve!

3.5.3226

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The last two weeks my fridge has been filled with greens. Greens like lettuce, pea shoots, kale, chard, and dandelion greens. It’s a great problem to have. All these greens force me to try new recipes. They’re a sign summer is here and I love that. And sure, I like the somewhat self-righteous feeling of eating my vegetables. At the same time, let’s be honest friends…there’s a limit to how much salad, sauteed greens, and green smoothies I can eat. My appetite and my palate need a change. Enter, this dandelion mojito. 

I found this recipe idea from the Bitten Word. Immediately, I wanted to make something similar. I liked the idea of using the leaves of a weed to make something fun and delicious. Also, Ryan and I were having our friends Ryan and Shane over for pizza night, so I knew I’d have a captive audience who’d be open to testing a cocktail.

This was my first encounter with dandelion greens. Let me tell you they are biiiiiiiiiiiitter! Have you ever had wine with a lot of tannins; where all the moisture feels sucked out of your mouth? That’s how I felt when I munched on a raw dandelion green only that feeling lasts way longer. If any of you out there eat dandelion greens raw, please tell me more. What do you put on them? How can you stand it!?

To cut the bitter taste, I blanched the dandelion greens first. Blanching is quickly boiling the greens and then shocking them in an ice bath. This step is totally optional. If you like bitter flavors, forgo this and go straight to making simple syrup and blending the ingredients.

Some people really enjoy bitter flavors. I feel, as an adult, I’m supposed to shy away from sugary drinks but I’m not quite there yet. For me, the blanching did the trick. The greens still had their flavor, but subtle, enjoyable, and didn’t take over my mouth.

This recipe is truly a lovely summer cocktail. It has all the characteristics of a mojito (rum, lime, sugar) but with the unique twist of dandelion greens instead of mint. The slight bitter taste from the greens is grown up, refreshing and springy. The lime, rum, and sweetness doesn’t hurt either. What started as a hard to eat leaf, turned into a really easy drinking cocktail. I loved it.

The boys seemed to like it too. From time to time, Ryan, Ryan, and I talk about opening a pizza restaurant and we discussed having the dandelion mojito as a signature cocktail on our menu. So I’ll call that a win. Hope you’ll give it a try too. Either in your kitchen, or maybe in our future restaurant…

Adapted from the Bitten Word.

Messy level: The dandelion mojito is a little unusual because it’s not that clean to make. You’ll need a pot for blanching, a pot for simple syrup, and a blender to make puree, and then a sieve to separate the solids. Admittedly it’s a little bit of work. But it’s the kind of yummy cocktail you could charge $12 for… or at the very least impress some friends at a dinner part.

Dandelion Mojito

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Author: Cooking is Messy

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 bunch dandelion greens (~3/4 cup thinly sliced greens)
• ¼-1/3 cup agave, more or less depending on taste
• ½ cup water
• 4 limes, plus more for garnish
• 1 liter, seltzer water
• white rum, optional

Instructions

1. Optional step if you want to reduce the bitterness of the greens: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the dandelion greens and let boil for 30-45 seconds. Use tongs to remove the greens from the water. Submerge the greens into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Dry greens as best you can.
2. Remove the stems and roughly chop the greens.
3. Combine agave and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. (Note: if you like sweeter drinks you can add more agave to the water, but don't go more than ½ cup)
4. Blend the dandelion greens and agave syrup using an immersion blender, blender, or food processor (Note: I used an immersion blender because the amount of stuff was too little for my blender to get it)
5. Pour the puree into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Use the back of a spoon to press out the liquid. Dispose of the solids that don't go through the sieve. Some solids will get through, but they're tiny and it's ok.
6. Juice the 4 limes into a pitcher. Through the lime rinds in after the juice. This will add more flavor.
7. Pour the dandelion puree and seltzer over the limes. Taste. Adjust with added lime juice or agave if you want it more tart or more sweet.
8. Add rum directly to the pitcher if you'd like. I prefer to keep it separate so it can be added to the tastes of you and your guests. I went with about ½-3/4 of a shot glass per 8 oz glass.
9. Serve over ice and with a lime wedge for garnish.

3.5.3226

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It’s hot. So wildly hot here in DC. What about where you are? Are you melting away this summer? Because I am.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the heat. The bright sun, the warmth on my skin, excuses to eat ice cream, and daylight late into the night. But also, my plants are starting to wither, I’m sweating at 8am on my walk to work, and I’m intimidated by a whole Saturday free because I want to go outside, but it’s so sticky! The key is, you gotta have ways to cool off. Go to the pool, sip frozen cocktails at happy hour, get a popsicle, or make this really yummy recipe for sparkling limeade. 

I like the limeade idea especially after being out all day. It’s great to come home, sit on the sofa, put my feet up, and drink this bubbly cold beverage while my body gets back to neutral. It’s nice too because it’s got a bit of a kick. Sure, it’s sweet but the limes are so tart and the seltzer gives it a little bite. You can totally make this recipe with plain water, but I love the bubbles from the seltzer. I think bubbles make all drinks a little more fun and special. Plus, it just adds a more interesting texture and flavor. All in all, this sparkling limeade is a really lovely pick-me-up that I think will add some zest to the summer heat.

The slight drawback to this recipe is that you need all the limes to get even one cup of limeade. However, a few months ago I got a citrus juice press thing (the orange thing in the photo above) and it is SO MUCH FUN. It squashes the limes (or lemons) and squeezes out tons of juice. Your end result is flattened hockey pucks of limes which I think are really funny looking. Also, I like the juice press because it doesn’t make a big mess and it doesn’t take a lot of work from me. Last endorsement for the juice press, I heard on the America’s Test Kitchen podcast that they tested different kinds of handheld juicers and the juice press was the most efficient for squeezing out the most juice. So, I recommend getting on as they’re cute and less than $10.

A great thing about this recipe is that in addition to making limeade you’ll also make simple syrup. What’s simple syrup you say? It’s basically sugar dissolved into water and makes a sweetened liquid that mixes easily into cold drinks. This recipe will make more than you need for the limeade. That’s good because you can save the excess and people can add extra sweetener later if they like. As well, it stays good in the fridge for about a month so you can add it to cocktails, iced coffee, or other juices.

And for a little extra excitement, you could pop in some herbs or fruits and infuse the simple syrup with a different flavor. The possibilities are endless friends! I’ve made lavender simple syrup and strawberry simple syrup, both of which are good with lemonade and limeade. I’ve also been itching to do a rosemary simple syrup and creating some kind of herbal grapefruit cocktail. Get creative, try it out, and stay cool this summer.

Messy level: Super clean with minimal dishes. You do have to juice a bazillion limes and that can get sticky but you shouldn’t end up with a messy kitchen at the end of this recipe.

Sparkling Limeade

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

Author: Cooking is Messy

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Simple syrup

• 1 cup/ 235 ml water
• 1 cup/ 200 grams sugar

Limeade

• 1 cup/ 235 ml lime juice (from about 12+ limes)
• 1½ - 2 cups/ 350-470 ml seltzer water
• ¾ cup/ 175 ml simple syrup
• ice
• lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

1. Put sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
2. Increase the heat and bring sugar and water to a boil. Lower the heat back to medium and let it simmer for three minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Transfer simple syrup to a glass container, seal it, and store in the fridge until cold.
4. If you haven't already, juice your limes. Then, add the lime juice to a pitcher.
5. Add 1½ cups of seltzer water to the pitcher.
6. Add ¾ cup of simple syrup to the pitcher.
7. Stir everything in the pitcher and taste. Adjust to add more seltzer of simple syrup until you get your desired balance.
8. Serve in a glass filled with ice and garnished with a lime wedge (optional)

3.5.3208

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I have not been great at blogging this month. The reason being that two weeks ago I went back to London to visit my girlfriends (photo below!). I spent a glorious week eating, drinking, and playing with my friends. We went to Brighton, we had tea, we had game night, we lunched, we dressed up and went to a wine bar, and we stayed in and spent time together. It was a delicious, perfect week.

Then this last week was my birthday. I got presents, cards and ate lots of cake. I’ve also officially been of legal drinking age for ten years. Yikes, right? Anyway, all that fun and activity has meant I haven’t spent much time in the kitchen. In honor of all my partying and celebrating, I’ve got the easiest (and booziest) recipe: drunky bears plus other boozy gummies. 

Warning: this is seriously a boozy recipe. It looks cutesy and fun, but it’s a recipe for old people who can be responsible. Ok? You’ve been warned.

Basically all you do with this recipe is take your favorite kind of gummy candy and soak it in your favorite kind of liquor. It’s seriously potent, about half dozen gummies and you’ll start to feel a bit tipsy. Bring them to a party and make sure there are lots of other nibbles too. What’s fun those is you can do all kinds of combinations. I made gummy bears with rum (rummy bears!), coke bottles with Jack Daniels (Jack & Cokes!) and butterflies with strawberry mead (no cute name, but very outdoorsy).

There are two ways to go about doing this. First, put the gummies in a bowl and cover them with your preferred liquor. Then, either put them in the fridge and let them sit there for 4-5 days. Stir them 1-2 times per day so they don’t get to soggy and sad. Or, for speedier results, leave the gummies at room temperature for 2-5 hours. The longer you leave it the boozier they will be. Then drain off the excess booze (I guess save it if you want?) and serve your gummies to your party guests.

What I enjoy about the gummies is they get plump, soft, and shiny as they absorb the alcohol. I especially liked the Coke bottle gummies as they turned into shiny jewels. The gummy bears turned a little wrinkly and funny looking. The butterflies got fatter and lost a bit of detail. I will say, while all of the combinations I made have merit my favorite was the mead gummies. It was sweet, fruity, and a really lovely treat. I will say, I recently discovered Charm City Meadworks and I’m obsessed. Check them out if you can. It’s tasty with gummies or for regular sipping.

After a very fun June, this is a simple recipe to keep the party going. But, I promise I’ll be back later this month with more traditional recipes for the kitchen. Until then, hope you’re enjoying your summer too.

Messy level: I don’t think there’s a recipe that could be less messy. You are literally pouring something onto something else and then walking away. What’s cleaner than that?!

Drunky Bears and Other Boozy Gummies

 

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Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

3 hours

Total time

3 hours 2 mins

 

Author: Cooking is Messy

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• Variety of gummy candies (let's say 1 bag of gummy bears)
• Preferred liquor, enough to cover the gummies (vodka, rum, whisky, whatever)

Instructions

1. Pour the gummy candy in a clean bowl. Make sure you have enough space to pour liquid into the bowl.
2. Pour the liquor over the gummy candy. Make sure the gummies are submerged.
3. Let the gummies sit at room temperature for 2-4 hours.
4. Drain off the excess liquor.
5. Serve the gummies at a party. Or store covered in the fridge for 1-2 days.

3.5.3208

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So, the last two recipes I’ve posted have included kale. And now, we’re going for three in a row.  Yes it’s another kale recipe. This one is for peach almond smoothies (with kale). It’s really taking me forever to get through that giant bag from the grocery store! Also, have I mentioned I’m also growing kale on my balcony?! I might have a problem. But for real, shoving kale into a smoothie is my favorite way to get my greens.

I’ve said it many times before and I’ll say it again, I believe in hiding my veggies and doing whatever it takes to get more into my meals. I’m just not someone who will push myself to eat a big salad and then also have a giant mount of vegetables next to my protein at dinner. Balance is not always my strong suit. But this recipe is killer because it includes four out of the five food groups! This week I’m into the food groups as I recently taught a lesson two 4th graders about food groups and healthy snacks. So we’ve got fruit (peaches), dairy (Greek yogurt), vegetables (kale), and protein (almond butter). The only thing we’re missing are some grains.

I especially love the almond butter with this recipe. I know it kind of sounds weird. Peaches, kale, and almonds? But people do that with salads, mix sweet and savory, so why not do it with a smoothie? And honestly, it’s freaking delicious. It nicely compliments the flavor of the peach, or as Ryan said, “it really adds something.” So, I admit it, I know it sounds weird but trust it.

The other reason I love the almond butter is that it keeps me full. Often when I make a green smoothie, I pack it full of fruits and greens and it’s super tasty and I feel all nutritious and proud of myself. And then it’s 10am and I’m at work and hungry and I get tempted to eat a granola bar or… a donut. The almond butter adds some fat and protein to help fill me up and keep me going until lunch. And that’s the whole point of breakfast right?

The only ingredient not pictured is peach nectar. I found peach nectar in the international section of the super market, but you might also be able to find it in the juice section. As a warning, peach nectar isn’t necessarily lower in sugar or any better for you than juice. However, I like peach nectar because it’s a bit thicker and has a much richer flavor because it uses the fruit’s pulp and not just the juice. If you’re feeling unsure about the nectar you can use water instead, but then you’ll have a subtle peach flavor.

I hope you’ll try this smoothie out. For real, it makes me excited to get ready for work in the morning. And is there a bigger endorsement than that?!

Adapted from My Happy Plates.

Messy level: As always, a smoothie is super easy to make. It’s cleaning the blender at the end that’s the absolute worst!

Peach Almond Smoothie

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

3 mins

Total time

8 mins

 

Author: Cooking is Messy

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1 cup/ about 250 grams frozen peaches
• 1 cup / 67 grams kale leaves massages, torn, and hard stems removed
• ½ cup/ 142 grams Greek yogurt
• ½-1 cup/ 120-240 ml peach nectar
• 2 tablespoons/32 grams almond butter (add less then adjust if worried about taste or calories)

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients into a blender.
2. Blend on high until smooth. (Or as smooth as your blender will allow) Add more nectar and blend again if you'd like the smoothie to be less thick.
3. Pour into a glass and drink with a straw. Makes 1 large serving or two small servings.

3.5.3208

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One time, a few years ago, Ryan and I went apple picking with our friends Phil and Meg. It’s incredibly easy to pick too many apples while apple picking and I remember thinking, “what can we possibly do with a wheelbarrow full of apples?!” And I think we made pies, and tarts, and ate them raw. But now, I think we should have made apple cider. Homemade apple cider makes your whole house smell like autumn and pie. And also you can use up a ton of apples. In the interest of full disclosure, I didn’t go apple picking for these apples. I just got them from the store. It’s less exciting, I know. 

But let me tell you more about the time we went apple picking – because I do have an exciting story about that time. This is a story that I think all four of us tell a lot. We drove out to a farm in rural Maryland and the place was decked out for fall. There was a little shop, hay bales, and pumpkins. And rows and rows of apple trees. We got wheelbarrows and strolled up and down the rows of apples.

There were all different kinds of apples and we picked out gigantic apples, tiny perfectly spherical apples, and overall we picked way more than we needed. In general, I need like 5 for a week so I can have one each day with lunch. And then for an apple pie I want 8-10 apples. What can I say, I like a fat pie? Anyway I think I went home with over 30 apples – and that doesn’t even count the ones we snacked on during the day.

Now back to the story…the four of us start to walk down this row of apple trees. We’re chatting mindlessly and enjoying the fall day when suddenly we see something we can never forget. One girl is holding up a coat at about waist height to cover her friend. Her friend had dropped her pants down to her ankles and she is peeing. Yes, she is peeing in the apple orchard!!! There are people – families even – all around us picking apples and this chick is peeing in the middle of it all. There was even a portable toilet back by the parking lot. But apparently this girl could not wait.

We quickly turned around and rushed to the next aisle. We’re having way down the row when we hear that girl loudly groan,

“Ugh! Feels so good!”

Most awkward and wildly inappropriate apple picking experience ever. It was shocking and horrifying in the moment, but it’s turned into a hilarious story ever since.

Ok, so I admit it, this post  was mostly an excuse to tell that story again. But if you are going apple picking this year making apple cider is a good way to use up your apples. I haven’t gone apple picking this year, unfortunately. But still, I used 18 apples from three different varieties (Braeburn, Gala, and Pink Lady) for this recipe; and it made a nice big jug of cider for me and Ryan. You can use whatever kind of apples you like, but I choose a mix so I’d have a balance of sweet and tart flavors.

This is also fun to make because it makes your house smell absolutely amazing. Seriously. It smells like pie, and cinnamon, and the best holiday scented candle you could buy at the mall. The end product will be a thick-ish concoction that tastes like liquid apple pie. You can also drink it hot or cold. When warm, I felt like it was fine as is (although a little added rum or whiskey is nice too!). When cold, I think it’s too rich and should be used more as a cordial to be diluted with water. Try it yourself and see what you think, but diluting it is a nice way to stretch the recipe. And don’t just stick to regular tap water, it’s lovely with sparkling water and ginger ale.

Adapted from Food.com

Messy level: Easy and straightforward until it’s time to strain it. Then you have to use a strainer, pour back and forth, use a lot of containers – and even strain it through cloth. It’s a bit oozy and messy and sticky. You’ve been warned.

Apple Cider

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

3 hours

Total time

3 hours 10 mins

 

Serves: ~ ¾ gallon

Ingredients

• 18 apples
• 1 - 1½ cups of sugar (depending on how sweet you'd like it)
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 - 3 tablespoons all spice (depending on how much spice you'd like)
• water

Instructions

1. Wash the apples and cut them into quarters. Don't worry about cutting out the seeds or stem, it will come out later.
2. Put the apples, sugar, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and all spice into a large pot.
3. Cover the apples with water. This is tricky because the apples float, but do your best to add enough water until apples are just covered.
4. Put the pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and let it bubble for one hour, uncovered. Check it regularly just to make sure it's not bubbling over. You can also stir it a bit if you feel things are rising to the top and should be mixed.
5. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for an additional two hours. Your house will smell amazing.
6. Remove from heat and let it cool to the point that it's safe for you to handle.
7. Put a fine sieve over a large bowl. Carefully pour the contents of the pot into the sieve. The liquid in the bowl is your cider, set it aside for now.
8. Remove the cinnamon sticks from the sieve. Now, take the contents of your sieve and put it all in the blender. Blend it up until it's a even mush.
9. Put this apple mush (which is yummy by the way, take a spoonful to taste) and put it into a cheesecloth or other thin cloth that you don't mind getting dirty (like a tea towel).
10. Squeeze the mush in the cheese cloth over your bowl of cider. Squeeze until you get as much juice out as you can.
11. If you don't like bits of pulp or spice in your cider, then you can continue to strain it through the sieve and/or cheesecloth until you get it as clear as you like. I only ran it through once as I don't mind things settling to the bottom of the glass. Do what feels best to you.
12. Now you have all your cider in a bowl! Transfer it to a pitcher and put it in the fridge to cool. Or heat put it back in your pot to heat it up if you'd like it warm. You're done!

3.4.3177

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It’s Friday!! Finally. It seemed like it might never get here.

Have you ever had one of those days or weeks when nothing huge happens but by the end of it you’re completely and utterly sapped of energy and good humor. That’s been my week, and I’m exhausted. This week was the last week of summer holidays for kids and it rained a lot, which meant the museum was full of soggy, stressed, and tired adults and hyper children. I did have some great interactions where parents were appreciative and kids drew me pictures and wanted to play and talk about science. But, also there were many times when adults are rude, when kids were bored and acting out, and babies vomited on the floor. Thank goodness it’s finally Friday. But enough moaning, I bet a lot of us have had long weeks so now it’s time we look forward and treat ourselves for a job well done.

A boozy Cherry Coke float is perhaps a perfect end of the week treat because it has alcohol, ice cream, and fizzy-ness. All of that screams indulgent celebration. Most importantly though, a boozy soda float is crazy easy to make. After a long week the fun needs to start right now. For a float all you have to do is poor stuff in a glass, suck it down, and the relaxation has started.

I’m particularly into floats right now because I recently bought two glass Coca-Cola glasses from a charity shop. I love the shape, the light green glass, and they were only £1 each! I bought one that says 1899 and one that says 1994. I don’t know what those dates signify, but hopefully not the date they were made. Shortly after drinking a float from the 1899 glass, I put it in the dishwasher and it broke. At least it gets to be immortalized forever in these photos. RIP Coca-Cola glass, RIP.

The classic float combination is root beer and vanilla ice cream, but my research (ok, fine not research so much as what I read on Wikipedia) implies that it can really be any combination of soda and ice cream. I like root beer a lot but it’s hard to find here (although if you’re in the London area you can find it at Partridge’s). Anyway, Robert McCay Green is credited with inventing the float in 1874 after on a busy day in his Philadelphia shop. He said he ran out of ice and used ice cream instead. Some other people have also claimed to be the inventor, included some of Robert’s own employees. Whoever invented it, I salute you.

I used Cherry Coke in my float because I don’t use like plain Coke and I think the cherry flavoring is a nice overall addition. I also thinking using Cherry Coke (or regular Coke) is a good choice because it’s an easy mixer and goes well with whiskey. Jack Daniels and Coke is another classic combination. So why not take combine a classic float with a classic cocktail? It’s perfection. With this recipe you’ll taste all the best parts of the whiskey with none of the burn, you’ll get loads of sweetness, and you’ll still have the creamy foam on top.

As a BONUS I also wanted to tell you I created a second kind of boozy float (photo below). It’s Strawberry Pimm’s, Lemon Fanta, and vanilla ice cream. It’s gorgeous and tastes like a strawberry-lemonade creamsicle. Lemon Fanta is hard to find so I would substitute San Pelligrino Limonata or any orange soda. This combination is epic and looks really happy. To make this use the ratios from the recipe below, just use these ingredients instead.

Ok so, we’re done talking now. It’s time to go make a float. Go out and treat yo self.

Messy level: If zero spoons was an option this would get zero spoons. The only thing you’ll dirty is an ice cream scoop and the cup you use. This really is the perfect I-am-exhausted treat.

Boozy Cherry Coke Floats

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Serves: 2 glasses

Ingredients

• 1-2 oz whiskey, divided
• 1 small bottle of Cherry Coke (500ml in the UK, 20oz in the US)
• vanilla ice cream (about 4 scoops)
• 2 tall glasses
• 2 spoons
• 2 straws (optional)

Instructions

1. Pour between .5 and 1 oz of whiskey in the bottom of each glass. Use more or less depending on how boozy you want your final product to be. Alternatively, you could add more whiskey at the end.
2. Top the whiskey with 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream.
3. Slowly pour the Cherry Coke over the ice cream. Go slow or you'll get too much foam. (You want some foam but not the whole glass!)
4. Serve with a spoon and a straw. Enjoy!

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When it comes to breakfast Ryan and I have two distinct needs. Ryan needs coffee. I need to be full so I’m not hangry (hungry+angry) one hour later. This smoothie does both things. Tasty, filling, and caffeinated. I like peanut butter and banana together, and I know that’s a sandwich combination usually associated with Elvis. I think a catchier name for this smoothie might be something like the caffeinated Elvis. Or maybe jumpin’ Elvis? Whaddya think?

Regardless, it’s such a good combination of foods because the protein from the peanut butter keeps you full and the banana adds a nice sweetness. Frozen bananas are especially delicious and creamy in smoothies and I highly recommend you throw some bananas in your freezer right now. Ok don’t just through bananas in your freezer, but peel them, cut them up into blender friendly pieces and store them in a tightly sealed food storage container. The smoothie also contains yogurt & milk so in one drink we’re getting three food groups. How’s that for a balanced breakfast?! Final bonus, this stores well in the fridge and doesn’t separate like most smoothies. You can drink half one morning and save the other half for the next. Yummy and efficient is the best recipe combination.

Now, I was a little nervous about combining banana and coffee – it seemed weird. And then I remembered I’ve actually had this combination before. Every summer until we moved to London (and pretty much every summer of Ryan’s whole life) we went to the beach in Stone Harbor, New Jersey. In the mornings we’d go to Coffee Talk (because as you might remember from the top Ryan needs coffee in the morning) to get breakfast and on the last day of our trip we’d buy a bag of bananas foster coffee. The delicious sweet, sort of fakey banana scent was intoxicating and the overall flavor was enjoyable and caramel like. We’ve been sad to miss out on Stone Harbor this year. Even worse, my family went to Cape May (the next beach town over from Stone Harbor) at the same time so we double missed out on the beach! This smoothie is my tiny tribute to those beach time coffee runs.

Messy level: Slightly more messy than a regular smoothie only because you have to make some espresso or coffee and then let it cool. Alternatively you could use store-bought canned espresso or coffee, but then you don’t have control of how much sugar is in those drinks. Still, a smoothie is always an easy clean up.

Caffeinated Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 frozen bananas (unfrozen is fine, but frozen gives a creamy texture)
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup espresso, cooled
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredient to a blender and blend on high until smooth.
2. Taste. If needed, add further ingredients to suit your taste.
3. Pour into a glass and serve with a draw. Drink and feel happily full and caffeinated.

3.3.3077

 

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It’s Monday, which means everyone could use some caffeine to get the day started. Even if you’re an early riser there’s something about Monday that just requires an extra boost. And, since it’s summer doing it a cooling way is obviously best. That’s assuming of course that you’re in a hot weather climate. Here in London it’s been humid but cool and rainy. So very rainy. But, with a Thai iced tea I can at least pretend I’m in a tropical climate. 

I’ve been thinking about making Thai iced tea for a while now. A few years ago my friend Charlotte and I tried to make it “from scratch” using a recipe I got from a cooking with tea cookbook. When I say from scratch, I mean we used tea bags and spices instead of prepared mixes. This cookbook has successfully taught me to make yummy rooibos cookies, so I felt trusting. However, the end result wasn’t what we wanted. It did taste good, but the flavor was more like an iced chair. And perhaps most importantly, we didn’t get the great effect of cream sitting atop the tea, then slowly mixing into orange goodness. To us, that felt like a key component of Thai iced tea.

It’s probably been over a year since my one-time failed experiment, but recently I started thinking about it again. It could be because Thai food is Ryan’s favorite thing to order for take away. Whatever the reason, I started doing some research to find a great recipe. Do you know what I found? I found that everyone uses a pre-made tea mix! The tea mix uses yellow coloring to give it that orange color. It’s not some fancy spice, it’s just yellow. So I decided to refine what “from scratch” means. If everyone’s using tea mix then who am I to say that’s not scratch or official? I order Panthai tea mix from Amazon, but Original Thai Iced Tea mix would work too (it was just more expensive). Once I had the mix, it was super easy to make. It’s refreshing, delicious, and just as pretty as any tea I’ve had in a restaurant.

One note, I used coconut milk with the tea. This is in part because it was what I already had at home, and in part because I just like it. Feel free to use half and half or sweetened condensed milk if that’s what you prefer.

Recipe adapted from White on Rice Couple.

Messy level: Usually a drink is one spoon, but this one is two. The reason for that is that you have to strain the tea after it steeps. This is requires additional dishes and a little finesse to ensure you don’t spill orange liquid all over your kitchen.

Thai Iced Tea

 

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Cook time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Serves: 4-6 cups

Ingredients

• 5 cups water
• ⅔ - 1 cup Thai Iced Tea Mix (use more or less depending on strength preference)
• ¾ cup sugar
• ice
• coconut milk (or half and half or sweetened condensed milk)

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, bring the water to a boil.
2. Once the water is boiling add the tea and sugar to the pot. Stir a bit to help encourage the sugar to dissolve. Lower the heat so everything is still bubbling, but the bubbles are gentle not vigorous.
3. Let the tea steep in the boiling water for 3 minutes.
4. Remove pot from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes.
5. Put a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or pitcher. Pour the tea through the strainer to strain the tea from the tea leaves. Discard the tea leaves. [Note: If you don't have a fine strainer, you can line your regular colander with cheese cloth. I think a couple layers of paper towels might also work]
6. Let the tea cool in the refrigerator. Alternatively you can serve it immediately over a lot of ice.
7. To serve, fill a glass with ice. Fill the glass ¾ of the way full with tea.
8. Top the tea with the coconut milk. Enjoy the beautiful look.
9. Stir and enjoy!

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Recently I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about eating outside. I’ve thought about having a birthday party picnic next month, I’ve reminisced about steak and pepper kabobs Ryan used to make on the grill, I’ve pined for chili cheese dogs at a Nats baseball game, and I’ve wished for a Leinenkugel summer shandy. The weather is nice, the sun has been out, and all I want to do is eat outside. Last week my friends and I sat outside at a pizzeria and in Greenwich we had a mini picnic, but still I want more summer flavor.

Maybe because it’s Memorial Day in the US, and a bank holiday here in the UK, and people everywhere are outside enjoying a good meal – all I want to do is immerse myself in summer. In short, it’s the perfect time to be thinking about summertime foods and drinks. One recipe that is perfect for the season is an Arnold Palmer. Sure, sometime soon Ryan and I are going to buy one of these disposable barbecues, head to the park, and cook up some burgers and hot dogs – but until then this drink is going to bring summer inside to my flat. Because look at it, this drink just looks like liquid sunshine.

Half lemonade and half iced tea, and named after the golfer Arnold Palmer, this is the perfect drink refreshing and delicious drink to cool down in the summer time. (You can see the fantastic Sports Center commercial with Arnold Palmer making one here) I always get excited when I see an Arnold Palmer on a menu or when I can buy a bottle of it in the store. It’s simply fantastic, perfect for summer, and I can’t believe it took me so long to make it.

Especially because, it’s so easy and inexpensive. You need four things: black tea, lemons, sugar, and water. I imagine in the US you’d use Lipton tea bags, but I used English breakfast. I think use whatever straightforward black tea you like best. The other you’ll need to do is make simple syrup. All that is, is sugar and water heated up so the sugar dissolves. This is an important step! Sugar doesn’t dissolve in cold liquids, so if you dump sugar straight in then your going to have some tart sips and some crunchy sugar sips. So peopple don’t wait! Get your pitcher, make a batch, and invite some friends over to sit outside, chat about nothing, and enjoy being outside. And if you’re having a barbecue, invite me over!

Adapted from Food Network.

Messy level: This is two spoons only because you’ll might need a few different vessels as you prepare you tea, lemons, and simple syrup. Overall though, so easy and not messy at all.

Arnold Palmer (Half Lemonade - Half Iced Tea)

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

7 mins

Total time

12 mins

 

Serves: 6 cups

Ingredients

• 2-3 black tea bags (use more tea bags if you like a stronger flavor)
• 1 cup lemon juice (4-6 lemons)
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 cups water, divided
• lemon wedges, optional for garnish

Instructions

1. Put 2-3 tea bags in a heat-safe pitcher or bowl.
2. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling pour the water over the tea bags. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the tea bags and set the tea aside to cool.
4. If you haven't already, juice the lemons. Add the lemon juice to the cooling tea.
5. In a small saucepan combine the sugar and 1 cup of water. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, stir occasionally.
6. Once the sugar has dissolved, you now have simple syrup. Add it to the Arnold Palmer mixture. You can add less than the whole cup if you don't want it as sweet.
7. Add the final one cup of water to the Arnold Palmer. Taste. Add more water if you find it too sweet or too tart. Make more simple syrup if you'd like it sweeter.
8. Put in the refrigerator to cool completely.
9. Once cool, serve in a glass over ice. If you like, dd a wedge of lemon for garnish.

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