When Life Gives You Lemons

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• Ingredients:

• 
  

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 6 lemons, juiced
• 
  
• Directions:

1. 
   

1. Make a simple syrup by stirring the water and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat; heat until just about to boil and the sugar has dissolved. Place in refrigerator 30 minutes, or until cool.

1. Place the cucumber slices in a blender or food processor; blend until mashed into a pulp. Pour the cucumber pulp into a fine mesh strainer place over a bowl to catch the liquid; allow to sit until you have about 2/3 cup of liquid from the cucumber, about 15 minutes.

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Strawberries Are Finally In SEASON!!

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These cheesecake stuffed strawberries couldn’t be easier!  I’ve seen so many versions out there.  Some of which make you cut off the top and bottom of the strawberry and scoop out the centers.  Why would you give yourself more work to do and waste yummy fruit like that?!   Not me!  Nuh-uh!



Ingredients                                                                                             

• 1/2 cup Blueberries, fresh
• 24 Strawberries (1 1/2 to 2 lbs, large fresh
• 1/2 cup Powdered sugar 
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract 
• 1 (8oz) package Cream cheese

Simply cut off the stem so you have a flat end, cut an “X” in the tip, and pipe the filling inside.  It opens up as you fill it.  Don’t go wasting that fruit!


To make these patriotic, instead of sprinkling the tops with crushed graham crackers, we’re topping these with a fresh, plump blueberry.  Voila!  Red, white, and blue cheesecake stuffed strawberries!

These are a great healthier alternative for your 4th of July dessert and are guaranteed to get gobbled up!


The naturally sweet fruit paired with the cool, creamy, and lightly sweet cheesecake filling is the bomb!  I dare you to only eat one of these, it’s impossible, quite frankly!  You will need at least 2, or 3 …


Depending on how ripe your berries are, you can prep these ahead of time too.  My strawberries were still quite firm, so they lasted a couple days in the refrigerator without leaking juices all over the place and dissolving the cheesecake centers.

You should really make these though… they are pretty darn tasty!


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Pick Your Poison

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ADULTS ONLY!!!!!!

Ingredients                                                                     

• 1 Pineapple, wedge
• 1 Pineapple juice
• 2 oz Coconut rum
• 1 oz Curacao, Blue
• 1 oz Rum, light

1. Combine both rums and Blue Curacao in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake, then pour into a cocktail glass.
2. Fill the rest of the glass with chilled pineapple juice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

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Cherry Lemonade

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Todqay were going to make Cherry Lemonade!
This family friendly cherry lemonade recipe is my absolute favorite for these hot summer days and nights. I love to keep a pitcher made up to enjoy. If guests are coming over, I just add some pizzazz with fresh sliced lemons and a cherry on top. It’s the little touches, y’all! Plus, cherries are in season so you can use fresh ingredients.
What I love most is layering the cherry and the lemonade so it looks all pretty! These layers remind me of a sunset. Add a few fruit garnishes and ta-da! You can certainly stir your cherry lemonade in for a solid light reddish hue if you prefer. Either way, it’s totally delicious!

For the Cherry Syrup:
• 3 cups sweet cherries, pitted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Lemonade:
• 1 1/2 cups lemon juice
• 1/2 cup fine sugar
• 4 cups cold water

Instructions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, simmer cherries, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Once cherries are broken down and liquid is syrup-like, remove from heat. This is about 30 minutes.
2. Strain cherry syrup and discard skins.
3. Make lemonade by adding lemon juice, sugar, and cold water. Stir well.
4. Pour cherry syrup into the bottom of each glass (about 1/4 cup) and finish with lemonade.
5. Garnish with maraschino cherries and lemon slices.

You can also mix the cherry syrup with the lemonade in a pitcher instead of serving layered-style.

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cake cake cake cake cake

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• 1 Blueberries

• 2 Eggs, whole

• 1 Syrup

• 3 cups All-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp Baking powder

• 3/4 tsp Salt

• 3 tbsp Sugar

• 1 tbsp Vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp White vinegar

• 4 tbsp Butter

• 2 1/2 cups Milk

• Start with pancake batter. Then grab some blueberries. Or not, if you want plain pancake muffins. Either is delicious.Or how about this? Mini chocolate chips. Spray a mini-muffin pan really generously with baking spray and fill the cups 2/3 of the way full with batter.

I use a small kitchen scoop. Makes it really easy to fill them really quickly, which means you’ll get to eat them sooner. Ergo, small kitchen scoops are necessary to sustain life. If you’re going the blueberry route, drop 2 to 3 blueberries in each cup, leaving space in between them.Now pop them in a 425 degree oven for about 8 to 9 minutes! This first batch, I baked at 400 for about 11 minutes and they were fine. But I liked the slightly crispy edges and darker golden color of the batch at 425. (Plus, the latter batch puffed just a little more.) Just keep an eye on them whatever temp you use.Take them out when they’re nice and golden.Let them sit in the pan for a couple of minutes, then turn them out. You may need to use a small, sharp knife here and there, but generally speaking, they should come out easily.Yum. They look like normal little muffins…but one bite and you instantly know they’re pancakes!There’s butter in the batter, so no need to mess with that step. Just dunk ’em in warm syrup and you’re good to go. You’ll love these!

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You have to risk it to get the biscuit

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If you're like me, then you also love Red Lobsters biscuits more than the actual food. Now, all I have to do is go straight to my kitchen and make them in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the topping
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper, if using.
• In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and butter. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Gently fold in cheese.
• Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup, scoop the batter evenly onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
• For the topping, whisk together butter, parsley and garlic powder in a small bowl. Working one at a time, brush the tops of the biscuits with the butter mixture.
• Serve immediately.

Hope you enjoy this is as much as I did!

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your tongue will be twisted on which to chose

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Anyone else love to stop by the pretzel place in the mall after a long, hard day of shopping? I know I do, but now that I have found this recipe I can have them at any point I want.

INGREDIENTS:

Soft Pretzels:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil
• 3 quarts water
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
• Coarse sea salt

For the cheese sauce:

• ½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
• ½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ½ cup milk
• 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:

1. For the Pretzels: Combine the 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.
3. Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
5. Bring the 3 quarts of water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and carefully add the baking soda. It will boil over, so add slowly and be careful!
6. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one-inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.
7. Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.
8. To make the cheese sauce:
   Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
9. *If you want to make cinnamon and sugar pretzel bites instead of adding salt, sprinkle the bites with cinnamon and sugar. For the frosting mix-soft cream cheese about 3 T, powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk. Whisk together. Add more milk if it is too thick, if it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. I don't measure. I just guess until the consistency is right.*

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feeling sick?

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So what type of food normally makes you feel better when you feel sick? The food I turn to is Asiago Broccoli Soup, but that's only if my mom or I want to cook it.

I personally am not a big fan of cheese but this recipe is too good to resist, and only takes 35 minutes to prepare and cook!

So to start off you need:

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil for cooking
• 1 small Vidalia onion
• 1 large carrot
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese (block not shredded)
• 4 oz Asiago cheese (+ little more for each serving bowl) (block not shredded)
• 3 garlic cloves
• Salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 lb broccoli florets

Then you will:

1. Steam broccoli until soft. Mince it and set aside. (You can steam it in a microwave, in a steamer bag.)
2. In a medium pot, heat up oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and shredded carrot. Saute until onion is transparent.
3. Sprinkle flour and mix until veggies are coated with flour.
4. Slowly pour in vegetable broth while constantly stirring. Add heavy cream and stir.
5. Let soup heat through (still on medium heat.) Once it starts to boil, start adding cheeses.
6. Grate cheddar and Asiago cheeses into the pot. Stir slowly until cheeses are all melted. (I recommend using block cheese and grate it in yourself because it will melt much better. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in cornstarch while packaged.)
7. Add pressed garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
8. Stir in broccoli. Lower the heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Croutons: (I didn't put measurements for a reason, because you can make as few or an many as you want and it just requires a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt and cheese.) Preheat oven to 325. Cut bread into ½ inch cubes and place them in a mixing bowl. Drizzle some olive oil. add some salt and grated Asiago cheese. Mix well until all bread cubes are evenly coated. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until crunchy and golden.
10. Top each bowl of soup with some grated Asiago cheese and croutons.

Hope this helps you feel better also!

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Egg Rolls

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So today, I will talk about the best place to get egg rolls. I really love egg rolls, so I can definitely tell you the best place to get them.
As you can see, I really love Chinese food, so I clearly I know all the good places.
I recommend you to go to King Wok in the Sumter Mall. You can get two egg rolls for just a dollar and some change. You can also get  a plate of great lo mein or fried rice with two types of chicken for just six dollars and some change. 

The fried rice at King Wok is almost as good as chicken shacks.

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Buffalo Wraps

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So, since my last blog was about the best Chinese food, this one will be about the best buffalo wraps. Both of these delicious foods are my favorite.

The best place in good ole Scumter would have to be Buffalo Wild Wings. The best way to get this wrap, that I prefer, is with the fried chicken, no cheese, no tomatoes, and floppy chips. AHHH my mouth is watering just thinking about it. The fried chicken may not be good for you if you're dieting, but it is SOOOO worth the extra calories!!

Honestly, if the wait at Buffalo Wild Wings wasn't so horrible, I'd go more often. I would definitely be broke if they delivered!

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Best Chinese

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Today I'm going to tell you where you can get he best fried rice and chicken for the best price!
So, if you live in or close to Dalzell, then you most likely have heard of Chicken Shack. 

Chicken Shack might look like a run down drug house, but their food is better than drugs. The prices, also better than the prices of drugs. My favorite food from there is the sweet and sour chicken with ham fried rice. I prefer to get the chicken made with no vegetables because the vegetables have been lost in the sauce and are not healthy, they also take up a lot of room so therefore I get less chicken. 

The price of one of these delicious plates is a small fee of just $6.95, give or take a few coins. And trust me, this is worth your money. They fill that box up til it barely closes!

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summer foods

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Want a reason to throw out that old expensive bikini? WELL have I got the recipe for you!

Ingredients

3 Eggs, large

1/3 cup Evaporated milk

1/2 cup Chocolate chips

1 box Duncan Hines red velvet cake mix

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1/3 cup Oil

1 package Oreo cookies

1/2 cup Butter

1 8-ounce package Cream cheese

1 cup Sour cream

1 package Jell-o instant pudding

1 1/4 cups Water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease sides and bottom of pans.
3. Blend together cake mix, oil, water, eggs, sour cream, and pudding mix. Beat at low speed (for 30 seconds).
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean). Baking time may vary based on the  size of the pan.
5. Crush Oreo cookies (best with a food processor) and stir in cream cheese until fully blended. This will be a very thick "filling".
6. After cake has cooled, spread Oreo filling between layers as you stack. Again, it's very thick so you might have to use your hands to help spread it onto the cake.
7. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt together butter, sugar, and evaporated milk.
8. Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute and stir in chocolate chips.
9. Remove from heat and pour over cake (fudge sets up quickly) and garnish with chocolate chips!
10. Enjoy!

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P.S. if you have any suggestions let me know!

Getting Ready for Summer

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Aren't we all just dying to get that quick summer body with little to no working out? Of course, that's what we all want! I have recently tried this recipe and thoroughly enjoyed it. The recipe today is a swimsuit slimdown drink. Drink this drink before meals to break the fat cells down quicker.
The ingredients are:

• 1 cup of grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, or orange juice.
• 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp of honey

After gathering all the ingredients you will mix them all in one drink.

What I did was first take one cup of orange juice and mix it with the apple cider vinegar and honey. Personally, the first time I tried this I did not mix  the ingredients well enough and the honey was stuck in the bottom and did not taste well. So, just remember to mix the ingredients well!

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DELICIOUS MUG CAKE

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So today I would like to teach y'all how to make 3 Minute Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake!
But wow!  Why did I not get into the mug cake phenomenon until now?  When I would see the pictures of mug cakes floating around on Facebook.com I thought, seriously, how could a cake be made in the microwave and actually be good?  Well, I am here to tell you mug cake works! Not only does it work, it is incredible. It’s brilliant.  It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread!
I think I may gain 10 pounds this month from adapting this method for making cake.  I created this recipe because I adore cinnamon rolls but I’m not a fan of the prep/wait time.  This can be made, ready to eat in 3 minutes flat.  This cake is surprisingly moist, it has every flavor of a cinnamon roll, it’s easier and last but definitely not least, clean up is a breeze!  How can I go back to the tedious method of rolling and rising cinnamon rolls now?  I love the idea of mug cakes because really, what dessert can be made so quickly and taste so decadent as though it took hours to make?  How amazed would unexpected guest be when you have this delicious, fancy cake sitting in front of them in just a number of minutes.  If you are not a baker, fool anyone into believing you are with this simple cake :).  It’s easier than making a box of mac n’ cheese.  So husbands that say they can’t cook, see here.  You’ve just run out of excuses.

To start off, grab you some:
2 Tbsp applesauce 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp buttermilk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 1/2 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 dash ground nutmeg (optional)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp (scant) salt   

Cream Cheese Icing

1 Tbsp Cream Cheese or Neufchatel Cheese, softened

2 Tbsp powdered sugar

1 tsp milk

Directions:

Prepare Cream Cheese Icing according to directions listed, set aside. Combine all ingredients (minus Cream Cheese Icing) in a mug then whisk together with a fork until combine and nearly smooth. Microwave mixture on high power for 1 minute then check cake for doneness. If it is not fully cooked microwave for an additional 15 seconds. Serve warm topped with Cream Cheese Icing.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED!!
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Ramen Eater

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So today I would like to teach y'all how to make 2 types of fancy ramen!


To start off we are gonna make bacon and egg breakfast!

(makes 1 serving)

• 1 package of ramen 
• 1 large egg
• 1 slice of thick-sliced bacon
• 1/2 scallions, thinly sliced 
• 1/2 packet of soup base
• 1 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp Korean chili paste
• a drizzle of sesame oil
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1/4 sheet of nori, thinly sliced 

Place egg in a medium pot with 3 cups of water and bring to boil over medium heat. Cook egg to desired consistency and remove from water using a slotted spoon. Place into an ice bath, peel and set aside until ready to serve. Be sure to reserve the cooking water to prepare the noodles.

I cook my egg for about 6 minutes for a nice runny yolk.

Cook the bacon in the skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until just browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

In a small pot, add the chicken broth, a few pieces of sliced tomato, water, chili paste and 1/2 of the flavor packet, and bring to a gentle simmer for 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust to your liking. Remove from heat. 

Bring reserved cooking liquid (from the egg) to a boil.  Add the noodles, separating them with chopsticks as they soften, about 3 minutes. Drain immediately and place into serving bowl. Carefully pour soup over noodles and garnish with bacon, tomato slice, scallions, nori and sesame oil. Cut the egg in half and gently place on top of noodles. Serve immediately.  

The next ramen noodles we will cook are Creamy Bacon Noodles

 I chopped up about 2 strips of bacon and 1/4 of a red onion and got those cooking in a pan. You shouldn’t need to add any oil as the bacon fat will render out. Once the onions are cooked down and the bacon is cooked to your liking (some people like it crispy, I actually like mine still soft), add about 1/3 cup cream.

Also, add the Ramen spice pack to the cream at this point and let it simmer on low for a few minutes. The cream will start to thicken and then you can add in your cooked, drained Ramen.

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