# 56 Strawberry Slush

I know, I know....I have taken a very long break from this blog. I have no excuse other than a kitchen remodel, a very, very busy summer, finishing a school year, starting a new school year, my daughter getting into another lead role in a theatre production and now that same daughter and also my son getting into another show....I'm exhausted. I really had little free time to blog. I have however been at work in my kitchen and photographing the process. So I do have thirteen homemade pantry foods and procedures ready in the wings. I may not get to 101 before the new year is up, but I will make it to 101 at some point!

When I left off back in July, I was in the middle of a beverage and strawberry theme. I will start back where I left off, even though strawberries are not even close to being in season....oh well...next year:)

Strawberry Lemonade Slush

2 1/2 cups strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup water
Chilled 7-up or Sprite
Vodka (if you must)

1. Start by blending up your strawberries and water in a blender or food processors.

 

 

2. Next squeeze your lemon juice into a strainer, over your freezer safe bowl of strawberry puree. I used three lemons.

 

 



3. Next add the sugar and mix until dissolved.

4. Cover and pop it into the freezer until firm yet not so hard that it is hard to scoop.

5. When you are ready for this super yummy treat, scoop some strawberry slush into a glass and add lemon-lime soda pop. Add a shot of vodka if you prefer the non-virgin variety.

So good and a great treat...in the summer...so sorry I didn't get this blogged when I should have:( But now you have something to look forward to next strawberry season:) But really it's yummy no matter what time of the year. I know a lot of people that love to make slush for the holidays...and it's red and very pretty and festive:) And the virgin variety is great for the kids! Mine love it!

# 55 Strawberry Lemonade

I'm sticking with my beverage theme for a couple more recipes but I'm going to piggyback on a new theme...strawberries.....We are just getting past strawberry season here in my neck of the woods. Albeit it's about a month past last year's season, but boy were the berries yummy.

I got up really early one morning and picked two flats of delicious, yummy strawberries.  I'm doing to share all my homemade pantry strawberry recipes over the next several posts!

Strawberry Lemonade

1- 1/2 cups strawberries
Juice of 2-3 large lemons
1/2 cup sugar
2- 1/2 cups cold water

1. Using a blender, crush your strawberries.

 

2. Place a small strainer over your blender and ream the lemon juice right into the blender.

 

3. Add the 1/2 sugar and blend until it is well combined and the sugar is dissolved.

4. Add the strawberry juice to a pitcher, add the cold water and refrigerate. Taste and adjust for your desired sweetness. You can always add more water or sugar.

This beverage is so yummy! I think this will be a new tradition on strawberry picking day. The whole family loved it. My only regret is not making more....I will have to double the recipe next time:)

#54 Iced Coffee

I became an avid daily coffee drinker when my 13 year old started kindergarten and we officially became a homeschool family. It turns out that the only thing that was keeping be awake during the previous 5 years was constant activity. When I had to sit down on a comfy couch and read aloud for long periods of time...forget it....I just wanted to curl up and take a nap. So I started drinking coffee and have now daily for the last eight years. My husband then picked up the habit not long after and we now share a love of coffee. During most of the year I like it hot...really hot. In fact, I make fun of my hubs when he drops an ice cube to cool his down...ha, ha.... but in the summer I like it cold....really cold. In the past, I have just brewed a pot, put it in the fridge and added ice, cream and sugar.....but I thought there must be a better and yummier way. After looking on the internet, I found what I was looking for and it came from one of my favorite foodies/ Food Network Celebs...Ree Drummond or commonly known as The Pioneer Women...I love her! Ree and I have more then a few things in common and one of them is a love for iced coffee. So on to the recipe.

Iced Coffee
1/2 pound of ground coffee
4 quarts of water (one gallon)
Ice
Cream, milk or half and half
Sugar to taste
Chocolate syrup (homemade)
For Vietnamese Iced Coffee: Sweetened Condensed Milk (homemade)

First measure and add your ground coffee to a one gallon pitcher.

 

Add the one gallon of cold water...or as much water as you can fit in the one gallon pitcher. And stir.

Make sure all the grounds are in contact with the water. Cover and let steep on the counter for at least 8 hours.

After the time has passed, place a fine wire sieve over another gallon pitcher and line with a few sheets of paper towel. And pour the coffee mixture through the "filter."

 

 

 

 

What you will have then is a coffee concentrate. Refrigerate and serve over ice. Keeps for 3 weeks to a month, tightly covered.

 

 

To make a yummy, flavored iced coffee feel free to mix in what pleases you.

 



 

Add a spoon full of sweetened condensed milk and a splash of milk, cream or half and half to make Vietnamese Iced Coffee.

 

I'm a mocha girl, so I add my freshly made chocolate syrup along with half and half and sugar to taste.

 

However you choose to flavor it....it is sure to be yummy!

# 53 Irish Cream

Now I'm going to get to the beverage recipe where I will use the two previous homemade ingredients that I just posted. Homemade Irish Cream....or most are more familiar with Bailey's Irish Cream.

Irish Cream (Adult Beverage)

1 cup cream
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk (homemade)
1 2/3 cup Irish whiskey (I used Jameson's)
1 tsp. instant coffee
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup (homemade)
1 tsp. vanilla (homemade)

1. Combine all ingredients in the blender.

2. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds.

3. Bottle in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate. Shake before using. Will keep up to two months.

Yummmm......I like to drink this on the weekend over some frozen coffee cubes! My hubs and I love it.....way better and cheaper then the brand name:)

#50 Lemonade

I was waiting for summer to make homemade lemonade. There is nothing that says summer like lemonade! And I have never made it homemade...I know...weird!

Lemonade

1/2 sugar or honey
7 cups water
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4-5 lemons)

1. Combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Then let cool.

 

2. Juice your lemons. Until you have 3/4 cup.

 



 

I had a little more....what the heck, I went with it!

2. Combine the sugar water, lemon juice, and remaining water in a pitcher. And stir.

Chill or serve over ice! Keeps in the fridge for 5 days, but it probably will not last that long! You could freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months.

Yummy! The perfect summer beverage....and pretty easy to make homemade. I like the lightly sweet fresh lemon flavor!

#49 Coffee Liqueur

I'm staying with my beverage theme here for the next few posts. I have a few days left in June and I'm pretty sure I'm going to reach my goal of 50 recipes in the first 6 months of this blog...so here we are with coffee liqueur or people might be more familiar with Kahlua...that's what this is, only homemade and a lot cheaper! The recipe comes from The Homemade Pantry.

Coffee Liqueur

4 cups water
2 cups sugar
4 1/2 Tbsp. instant coffee
4 cups cheap vodka
2 vanilla beans

I only did half of this recipe because of the size of my bottle.


1. Combine the water and sugar and instant coffee in a large saucepan and bring to a high simmer, but not a boil. Cover and cook for 1 hour, taking care that it continues to simmer without coming to a boil.

 

2. Let mixture cool and add the vodka, stirring to combine. Transfer to a bottle or jar, add vanilla beans, screw on the lid, and keep in a cool, dark place for at least two weeks. Although it will taste even better as time passes.

I waited for at least three weeks. The other night my hubby and I gave it a try with some half and half added, making it a White Russian......oooooo so yummy!

Oh....in case you are wondering, I got my bottle at Pier One Imports.....and I have since got a few more bottles for making homemade liqueurs from Ikea.

#48 Water Kefir

You may have heard of kefir, since you can find it at most grocery stores now in the dairy section. It's kind of like a liquid yogurt drink. Like yogurt, it contains lots of live active cultures benefitting your digestive system with all those wonderful probiotics. Water Kefir has the same wonderful probiotics, but is dairy-free. Here is some info from the Cultures For Health website.

 Originating in Mexico, water kefir grains (also known as Sugar Kefir Grains) allow for the fermentation of sugar water or juice to create a carbonated lacto-fermented beverage. Incredibly easy to brew, the starter culture can create a new batch of kefir every 24-48 hours. This makes a fantastic non-dairy alternative to milk kefir and can be flavored after brewing to make a variety of delicious sodas. If you are looking to replace soda pop, your family will love it!

I decided to give it a try when it was said that it was the most kid-friendly cultured product. My kids already love all the yummy homemade yogurt I make, but I was all for homemade "good-for-you" soda pop. Perfect for the summer!

 

Water Kefir

You will need:

One glass jar- quart or half-gallon
One plastic or wood stirring utensil (it is recommended not to use metal)
Plastic Strainer
One towel or coffee filter
Water kefir grains
1/4 cup organic sugar per quart of water

            ~Evaporated cane crystals or unprocessed sugars like Rapadura or Sucanat are best.

            ~Honey is not recommended because it has antibacterial properties

Water (non-chlorinated)

            ~Well water or spring water is best due to higher mineral content.

            ~It is not recommended to use filtered water via carbon activated filter or reverse osmosis due to depleted mineral content.

~ If using tap water, remover chlorine prior to making water kefir be boiling the water and allowing to cool.

 

 

I got my grains at http://www.culturesforhealth.com/ the same place I got my yogurt culture. If you decide to really get into this, it might be helpful to also purchase a starter kit that includes everything you need. That is HERE. If you want to be able to make soda a couple Grolsch-style flip cap bottles might be good too. They are HERE.

After getting your grains in the mail, the first thing you will need to do it rehydrate the grains. There are instructions in the package, so follow those.

Making water kefir is very simple. All you need to do it dissolve 1/4 cup of organic sugar in a cup of hot water in a quart mason jar. Add cool water leaving 1-2 inches of headspace in your jar. Cap it and let it come to room temperature.

 

Strain your grains from the water they were rehydrating in or from the previous batch.

 



I'm using a metal strainer that I already had. I have since learned that if you must use metal it can be stainless steel only. Since I'm not sure what type of metal my strainer is, I will be purchasing a plastic/nylon strainer from the website.

 

Add your grains to the newly prepared sugar water. Cover with a towel and rubber band.

Allow to culture for 24-48 hours at a temp between 70 and 78 degrees.

 

24 hours results in a more sweet beverage and 48 hours less sweet. If you are sensitive to sugar let it culture 48 hours, but do not let them culture for longer than 72 hours. Strain your water kefir into a jar or bottle and start over again by adding your grains to a new batch of sugar water.

Since I started making water kefir I have only made lemonade. So to make it all you need to do is add 1/4 cup pure lemon juice to your strained batch of water kefir. It is so good. And so good for you!

 

The kids LOVE it! It's hard to believe it is full of probiotics because it really just tastes like lemonade. I also plan to try to make a fruit soda pop of some kind too. I just need to get to the store and find a good organic fruit juice. Like blueberry or raspberry soda pop! Yum! I will update this post when I get a chance to do that.