Tag Archives: Recipe

Watermelon Mint Lemonade

July 5, 2011

Filed Under : EAT - RECIPES

watermelon mint lemonade

I hope everyone had a super great 4th of July!!  I started my 4th off by the pool (laying out, eating turkey hot dogs, getting splashed by my pup) and ended it at the LA Galaxy game (again).  Even though the game wasn’t that exciting (score of 0 to 0), there were lots of nachos, beer, and fireworks and you pretty much can’t go wrong with that combination.

So I’ve mentioned my watermelon mint lemonade both here and here, and now I want to share the recipe!

Watermelon Mint Lemonade:

  • 2 cups pureed watermelon*
  • 1 cup lemon juice
  • 1 to 1.5 cups simple syrup
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 additional lemon to slice into the pitcher
  • a couple handfuls of torn mint leaves
  • a couple handfuls of ice

Basically, you add all of the ingredients to a pitcher, stir it up, and serve.  But here is a more in-depth, step-by-step process:

watermelon mint lemonade

Start by juicing 7-10 lemons.  I highly recommend using a juicer but if you don’t have one, squeezing them by hand will do just fine.

watermelon mint lemonade

Cut up about 1/4 to 1/2 of a large watermelon (depending on the size) and puree it in a blender.  Pour about 2 cups of pureed watermelon (you can pour through a strainer if you want, I usually don’t) into a pitcher.

watermelon mint lemonade

Then add about 1 cup of the lemon juice and 1 to 1.5 cups of simple syrup.  You can make your own simple syrup by adding equal parts water and sugar to a pot and simmering it on the stove until the sugar is dissolved.  Once the liquid is cooled, you have a lovely simple syrup that can be used in just about anything, from lemonades to ice teas to popsicles.

watermelon mint lemonade

Then add about 4 cups of water and a couple handfuls of torn mint leaves.  At this point, I do A LOT of taste testing.  If it’s too sour, I add more simple syrup.  If it’s too bland, I add a bit more lemon juice.  If you can’t taste enough of the watermelon, add some more pureed watermelon.  Once it tastes good, add a few lemon slices so people know it’s lemonade and a couple handfuls of ice cubes to keep it cold.  And then, you have yourself the most perfect summery drink.

watermelon mint lemonade

Enjoy with a pretty straw and lots of sunshine, preferably outdoors with lots of family and friends!

*by the way, you can swap out the watermelon for just about ANY fruit…sigh, I love fruity lemonade.

Planning a Perfect Summer Fete

July 1, 2011

Filed Under : DIY - EAT - INTERIORS - RECIPES - STYLE

Whether you’re planning a red-white-and-blue Independence Day bash or a small barbecue with loved ones, everyone loves a good outdoor party during the summertime.  I’m in the process of planning a dinner party this weekend for family (part 4th of July, part birthday party) and thought I would share some of my ideas for concocting a fun and easy summer gathering:

target string lights

I found these festive string lights on sale at Target.  Not only are they gorgeous to look at, but they add a bit of texture to your decor.  I plan on stringing mine above an outdoor table and lighting them up as soon as the sun goes down.

watermelon lemonade

Nothing is better than a few homemade elements at a summer fete.  It can be as simple as muddling fresh fruit into a carafe of sparkling water to concocting a peach sangria with lemon and orange slices.  If you’re doing nonalcoholic, opt for a fresh-squeezed lemonade mixed with different fruits.  Try it with a combination of watermelon and mint (recipe to come soon!).  If you’re doing alcoholic, definitely make a big bowl of sangria or mix it up with a spicy-flavored margarita, like this cucumber-jalapeno version.

h&m skirt

I just bough this H&M skirt a few days ago and can’t wait to wear it to my soiree.  It’s bright, flowy, and loose; the perfect combo for a hot summer evening!  If you’re hosting a party, always wear something comfortable (no ass-bearing mini skirts and 7-inch heels puuhhhleaseee) because you know you’ll be running around a lot.  Keep it simple and add elements of pizazz to your outfit through color instead.

fruit crisp

Fruit crisps can bake in the oven for up to an hour.  Keep that in mind when you’re hosting a party!  The best thing to do is assemble your fruit crisps earlier in the day and store them in the fridge.  Make sure you store your topping separate from the fruit.  About an hour before you want to serve your crisps, sneak away and put them in the oven.  As they bake, your guests will start to smell the cinnamon-y goodness!

As a general rule, the “crisp” part of the fruit crisp is made up of flour, oats, sugar, butter, a little bit of salt, and cinnamon (some recipes, of course, may be different).  Once you have that down, you can pair it with any combination of fruit!  Here are some of my favorite fruit combos to make into crisps:

  • strawberry & rhubarb
  • blueberry & nectarine
  • apple & pear
  • blackberry & raspberry

Ok now go have yourself a fun, festive, and homemade summer fete! I know I’m super excited for mine!!  Have a great weekend lovelies! xo

I Heart You.

February 10, 2011

Filed Under : EAT - RECIPES

Valentine Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookie

My bf and I have been together almost 6 years (yowza!), so that means we’ve already experienced most of the generic Valentine’s Day requirements, like expensive pre-fixed dinners, bouquets of flowers, a surprise date to a beautiful outdoor ice skating rink where he forgets to bring a pair of socks for you to ice skate in (and you’re randomly sockless that night because you wanted to look extra cute and wear heels) because who remembers socks when you’re trying to plan surprise dates???  Ya, that happened.

Valentine Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookie

So now we keep it simple for Valentine’s Day.  A witty card, a sweet note, gifts in the form of food…that’s all we need!  So I made these sugar cookies, recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman, and tied them up with baker’s twine because honestly, what says I love you more than a delicious, heart-shaped cookie?

Cinnamon Pear Tart

January 27, 2011

Filed Under : EAT - RECIPES

pear tart

Before I start bragging about my pear tart (because let’s face it, it was my first time and it turned out like a champion tart), I need to confess my sins.  I committed TWO crimes in tart-baking world.  1) I used an apple tart recipe and…gasp…USED PEARS INSTEAD. 2) I altered the recipe (is this legal?) and added cinnamon…like LOADS of it.  I went against all types of baker’s code! For shame!

Ok now that I got that out of the way, let’s move forward.  For as much as I bake, I’m really not that good at it.  Half of my baked goods are total failures and the other half are semi-decent.  But for some reason this tart was a real gem.  It might be because the ingredients were so simple or that the recipe was so straightforward – either way, I didn’t F it up so I deserve some brownie points (preferably in the form of Girl Scout Thin Mints, I’m accepting all deliveries at my house, a-thank you).

The tart crust was buttery and golden and the pears had a juicy bite to them.  Not too sweet, not too heavy.  And dare I say the cinnamon was a perfect addition??  I swear, everything is better with cinnamon.

I loved this tart so much that I plan on baking it again real soon.  And who knows, maybe next time I’ll bake it with apples!  View the recipe, found on Smitten Kitchen, here.

pear tart

pear tart

pear tart

pear tart

Heart Skipped a Beet

January 25, 2011

Filed Under : EAT - RECIPES

beets

I’ve always had a major crush on beets.  I would order them in restaurants, buy them pickled in grocery stores, but never attempted to make them at home.  WAY TOO DIFFICULT.  If I haven’t seen a food prepared/cooked/demonstrated on Food Network, then I sure as heck have no clue how to make it.

But the raw beets were looking real pretty in the produce section this weekend so I took some home, googled a “how-to,” …and found out they were super easy to make.  Embarrassingly easy.  Like so embarrassing that I cleared my internet history because I didn’t want anyone to know I was googling something so ridic.  You guys, all you have to do is roast them in a 375 degree oven for an hour.  AND THEN THEY’RE DONE!

roasting beets

So that’s what I did.  I chopped off the beet greens (which actually are quite edible), wrapped them individually in foil, and roasted them in the oven for an hour.  When they came out of the oven, I peeled the skin off with my fingers (super easy), stained my entire hands purpley red, pretended the beet juice was a lip stain, and sliced the beets fairly thin.

roasted beets

I used half the beets to make a citrusy salad of sliced oranges, red onion, baby spinach, and balsamic vinaigrette.

beet and orange salad

The next night, I made a beet caprese of sorts with mozzarella cheese, chopped basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of kosher salt and cracked pepper.  I swear, you can’t go wrong with beets!

beet caprese