The drink that was always on our table at lunch or dinner was iced tea. When I think about it I can’t remember a time when there wasn’t a pitcher of tea in the fridge. The picture in the background is a photo of my grandparents (Bubba and Moo Moo) leaving for their honeymoon. Iced tea also makes me think of Sunday lunches at their house (now my parent’s home).

Iced Tea Cupcakes

3/4 cup milk

2 bags brewing tea (Lipton)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup cake flour, sifted

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t course salt

1 t tea leaves

4 T unsalted butter, room termperature

3/4 c packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs room temperature

Preheat oven to 350. Line mini muffin tins with paper liners. Bring milk to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; add tea bags, and let steep, covered, 15 minutes. Remove tea bags, squeezing the bags over the pan, and discard in your composter. Allow milk to cool completely. Whisk together both flours baking powder, salt and tea leaves.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time beating until each is incorporated, scraping sides ow bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of tea-infused milk, and beating until just combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until tops spring back when lightly touched and are pale golden, 10-12 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Finish with Lemon Frosting:

Lemon Frosting:

3/4 cups sugar
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Share/Save

Learning from my previous attempt, I searched out a different approach and found a quick 5-day limoncello recipe. BINGO!

Look at this gooey yummy-ness.

The result? Well, I’m not too sure it’s any less harmful than moonshine. What I mean is that it is very strong and thinner than the limoncello I’ve had in Italy.

Quick Orangecello (modifications in red)

1 1 litre bottle (change servings and units)

Ingredients

* 4 oranges

* 150 g sugar (just over 5 ounces)

* 750 ml vodka (a standard bottle)

Simple Syrup

* 170 g sugar

* 150 g water

Directions

Peel the oranges carefully, making sure you have none of the white pith on the peel – you want just the orange skin.

Put all the peel and 150 grams sugar in a food processor and process until the peel has been finely minced into the sugar. Empty mixture into a wide-mouthed jar, add vodka, and screw top closed.

Put in a dark, cool place. Shake once or twice daily for four to five days.

Make simple syrup by bringing sugar and water to boil in a small saucepan. Let cool.

Strain orange peel/vodka mixture into another jar. Press on solids to remove as much of the liquid as possible. Discard solids. (if you can find something tasty to do with them, please mail me with the recipe directly ). Add cooled simple syrup and stir to combine. Pour into a the bottle you will be using.

via Quick Limoncello – 392218 – Recipezaar.

Share/Save

I was not an early adopter to Facebook. I’ve had my account almost two years and at first I had a small group of contacts and now my contact list has really grown. I’ve got the usual FB suspects including high school friends, college contacts, adult hood friends and family.

I love having my family on FB because it gives me a chance to see what’s happening in their everyday lives. I mean how often to you call your aunts and uncles? I think that our FB relationship allows me to know more about them and gives them a chance to learn more about me.

The other day my Uncle Pat updated his status with:

mmmmmmmm. Coffee with a packet of Swiss Miss milk chocolate in it. Gooooood! BTW HOOK”EM HORNS!

That sounded really good to me. Recipe: So this morning I made a big cup of coffee, stirred in a packet of Swiss Miss and added a drop of peppermint extract. Yum. Its a great compliment to our chilly morning in Phoenix.

On another note, I’m torn on if there is still time to put up Christmas lights outside.

I had my tree up two weeks before Thanksgiving, but somehow the outside lights didn’t quite make it.

But you know, I’m comfortable with keeping it simple.

Share/Save

A few weeks ago I decided to change up my hair and I had bangs cut. My hair stylist said something about Heidi Klum and before I knew it I had a new look. I should issue an apology to Superwife, because I didn’t consult with her before I made this leap and she had to find out via a Flickr upload.

It seems to me that some people think the bangs make me look Italian. At least 3 people this week made a comment about it and truth be told, I’m okay with that! Italy far and away is my most favorite place in the world.

Perhaps it was all my Italianess this week that put Bellini’s on my mind.

I think this recipe is close to the original Harry’s Bar Bellini in Italy. It was crisp and refreshing. The original Bellini isn’t served like a peach diquari like you get at most restaurants State side.  (<–I don’t mind the frozen ones either.)

Arizona Peach Bellini

ingredients:
3 oz. peach puree
Drop of pureed raspberries
3 oz. Peach Schnapps
Champaign, Sparkling Wine or Prosecco to top the glass

Mixing instructions:
Puree ripe peaches in a blender and spoon into a large, chilled wine goblet. Sprinkle pureed raspberries. Fill with ice cold Peach Schnapps and champagne.

You can substitute peach juice or peach nectar for the peach puree.

Share/Save