Coffee Shop Drinks at Home

If you're anything like me, you love coffee shops and all they have to offer.  But let's face it, we don't always have the time (or the money) to go that often.  I've never invested in fancy coffee makers (aside form my espresso pot) or those hand-held frothers so I couldn't believe how awesome this latte turned out today. 

TO MAKE:

1. Make espresso on stovetop (or brew strong coffee in a coffee pot)

2. Heat 8 ounces of evaporated milk (I used 2%) in the microwave for 2 minutes

3. Pour heated milk into blender & mix on high for 1 minute (letting steam out the top as it froths)

4. Combine the espresso & milk, spooning foam on top

That's it!!! You can add caramel or chocolate sauce to the evaporated milk before microwaving for added flavor.  I prefer my coffee less sweet so I just added a little sugar to the blender mixture.  You could also add any flavor coffee syrups to this drink as well as sprinkling/drizzling anything in your pantry to the froth if you are feeling creative.  This tastes amazing iced, as well!! Enjoy.

The Ultimate 10 Minute Hummus

I know what you are thinking. You have made homemade hummus before and it always turns out grainy. Or hummus tastes better store bought. Nonsense!! Not only is this recipe super easy and fast (10 minutes, tops) it turns out rich and velvety. How, you ask? The microwave! Nuking the undrained chickpeas with their skins on and with the garlic cloves makes for an amazing hummus. You will want this in your party repertoire to impress all your people! I am not kidding. Enjoy!

***If you have extra time and want to bring this hummus up to an eleven, take a square of aluminum foil, throw some olive oil and 4 cloves of garlic inside it, fold it into a ball and proceed to roast in the oven for 45 minutes on 375. Add this roasted garlic to the hummus instead. Or you could add roasted red peppers, Greek olives, cilantro or roasted jalapenos to the hummus.

Salad | Strawberry + Spinach

Spring is here and that means the farmer's markets are just about in full swing!  Here is a tasty salad to make with some fresh farmer's market finds.  Pick up your favorite Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (or make your own/use any vinaigrette dressing) and toss it with the following ingredients: 

To make candied walnuts (or pecans) melt 1 Tablespoon of butter in a frying pan and add 2 tablespoons brown sugar to pan.  Add walnuts after the sugar is dissolved and fry for a few minutes, careful not to burn the sugar.  Cool on wax paper until set.  Toss in sugar to coat.  Let harden for at least ten minutes/try not to eat them all.  Enjoy and happy hunting!

Mother's Day Brunch

Mother's Day is quickly approaching so why not show mom some love by throwing her a Mother's Day brunch!  I have put together some ideas to make a pretty, easy and affordable brunch for mom. Enjoy! 

1. Lavender Lemonade 2. Lantern 3. Ranunculus 4. Festive Straws 

5. Letterpress Card 6. Napkins 7. Lavender Cake

Fruity Italian Cream Sodas

I was in the mood for something exotic (ha, ha) and fruity.  This Italian cream soda made with a fresh mixed fruit syrup was just the ticket! It is so easy to make.  I suggest making these for a party and wowing your guests. You could make the syrup days ahead of time, just be sure to pop it in your fridge.  If you have a wedding coming up, this would be a fantastic mocktaill.  Or add booze and sip on the ultimate wedding cocktail that is gorgeous and fresh!  

Recipe: Restaurant Soup In Your Home

 

I highly recommend dropping everything to make this rich, velvety soup.  It is very simple to make, but I guarantee the taste of it will blow you away!  I used vegetables I had in my fridge/from my garden, but feel free to change up the recipe to whatever vegetables you have on hand.  Now go, get cooking! You have friends who need impressing!

 

 RECIPE:

 

Garlic Infused Olive Oil

3 Small Tomatoes

5 Carrots

1 Small Green Pepper

1 Sweet Vidalia Onion

Herbs

Seasonings

Butter (optional)

Cream (optional)

Freshly Grated Parmesan (optional) 

Water

 

1. Heat a generous amount of garlic infused oil on medium heat in a Le Creuset pot or a sturdy kettle. Basically, you want enough oil to cover the entire surface of your pot. If you don't have garlic oil on hand you can add some chopped garlic to the oil, just make sure it doesn't get very brown or it will turn bitter. Add some fresh or dried herbs to the oil until aromatic.

2. While the oil is heating dice all your vegetables.

3. Add the onion/pepper/carrot mixture.  Add salt/pepper/seasonings of your choice. Sauté until onions are translucent + brown. Add a dab of butter to mixture. Add tomatoes. Sauté all ingredients for a good 5 minutes. 

4. Add enough water to cover all the vegetables + let simmer until all vegetables are soft.  Approximately 15 minutes. Then remove from heat + let cool a bit.

5. Add soup mixture to a blender. CAUTION, mixture is still hot so don't cover the blender completely.  Either use towel to cover the blender or just set the top loosely over blender so you don't get sprayed.  Puree until well blended. Add a bit of water as needed to get a runny applesauce consistency. Also, add more seasoning if needed.

6. Strain soup through a cheesecloth.  This is what makes it SO velvety. YUM.

7. At this point I added some freshly grated Parmesan cheese + a bit of cream. I think this makes it go all the way up to an eleven.  I am not kidding this soup is fantastic.

8. Enjoy.

 

***NOTE: This recipe only makes 1 larger bowl of soup.  If you are making this for a bunch of people, I recommend using 5 large, ripe tomatoes, 1 pound of carrots, 2 large peppers of any color (mixed colors), 1 large sweet Vidalia onion & more of everything else, as needed.