I may never drink lemonade again…
May 15, 2011 Uncategorized
Let me start by saying I love lemonade. Lemonade made from fresh lemons picked from the tree.
It is one of the top two drinks of all time.
But, thanks to the by-product of making Crystalized Ginger (for future ginger snaps), I may never drink lemonade again.
We’re talking Ginger Ale.
Nothing against the stuff made in the factory, but most of the time I really don’t even taste the ginger. It’s good, but it is more like Ginger-ish Ale.
The stuff you can make at home is GINGER Ale.
Now, I love ginger. Steve does not. As a result, I love this drink and he does not. So, keep that in mind when you make this. If you are not a fan of this cousin of turmeric and cardamom, this is not for you. I’ll give you some really great lemonade recipes.
For those who drink the stronger stuff, I am guessing (though I haven’t tried it myself) this tastes great with vodka.
Ginger Ale
1 cup of peeled, thinly sliced ginger
3 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
2 cups of club soda
1 teaspoon of lime juice
- In a covered saucepan, bring the water to a boil.
- Add the ginger pieces and sugar. Cover.
- Reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow it to sit for 20 minutes.
- Strain the mixture. Set the ginger aside and use to make crystalized ginger.
- Once the liquid has cooled, put it in the fridge.
- Once it’s cold, mix the gingered sugar water with two cups of cold club soda. Add the lime juice and stir. (Alternately, you could use lime flavored carbonated water.)
Tags: Boil, Cardamom, Club Soda, Cold Club, Cold Mix, Cousin, Flavored Carbonated Water, Fridge, Ginger, Ginger Ale, Ginger Pieces, Ginger Snaps, Lemonade Recipes, Lemons, Lime Juice, Saucepan, Sugar Water, Teaspoon, Turmeric, Vodka
Easy, pleasy Tuscan soup
Apr 7, 2011 Uncategorized
My friend Michelle was looking to impress someone with a healthy dish a while back. She sent a note saying she wanted some sort of healthy soup that was easy to make that had a big taste. She said she doesn’t cook too often.
Simple, tasty and healthy. Hmmmm.
Mediterranean food is always a good choice when those are your criteria. Heavy on the veggies and the beans. Easy to cook and, oh, so tasty.
So I dug through my recipe files and found this soup recipe and sent it to her. Her’s was such a success that I decided to make some of my own.
Not much time but lots of flavor.
Tuscan Soup
1 can of canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 of a large onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried of dried sage
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
4 cups of vegetable broth
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 cups of chopped spinach leaves
1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, optional
Vegetarian.
Tags: Boil, Canellini Beans, Carrots, Celery, Chopped Spinach, Diced Tomatoes, Friend Michelle, garlic, Garlic Cloves, High Heat, Mash, Mediterranean Food, Olive Oil, Recipe Files, Soup Recipe, Stalks, Teaspoon, Vegetable Broth, Veggies, Zucchini
Turn on to turnip greens
Mar 22, 2011 Uncategorized
I’m new to Turnip Greens.
I believe my grandfather forced me to eat them when I was really small, but I don’t recall for sure.
They are bitter…really bitter, but if they are prepared well, the taste isn’t so bad. Still, I’m finding I like it better if I pair it with something a little sweeter.
Turnip greens are so healthy. They’re a great source of calcium with more of the mineral than a glass of milk or even a serving of broccoli.
You’ll want to include turnip greens as one of those green leafy veggies you eat on a regular basis. You should eat about 2 cups of cruciferous vegetables about five times a week.
Here’s a delicious way to get some turnip greens into your diet.
Turnip Greens and Plantains
2 cups of Turnip Greens
1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 plantain, sliced into 1/2 inch disks
1/2 inch of oil in a pan
- Fill the bottom of a steamer pot with 2 inches of water. While waiting for the water to come to a rapid boil, chop greens. Steam for 5 minutes and toss with dressing.
- Meanwhile, fry the plantains, about 1 minute per side. Remove to a plate with a napkin on it and press them flat with the bottom of a glass or cup. Return to the oil and fry 30 seconds on each side.
- Arrange the greens on a plate. Put the plantains over the greens. Drizzle dressing over the plate.
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Vegan.
Tags: Boil, Broccoli, Chop, Clove, Clove Of Garlic, Cruciferous Vegetables, Delicious Way, Drizzle, garlic, Glass Of Milk, Great Source, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, Plantain, Salt And Pepper, Source Of Calcium, Steamer Pot, Tablespoon, Turnip Greens, Veggies
