Margaritas

So in my last post I mentioned how the margarita jello shooters made me want an actual margarita I could sip on. I found a great recipe and wanted to record it here.

The main component is homemade sour mix. To make, dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 1 cup hot water. Then add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 3 tablespoons lime juice. Chill.

To make the margarita, mix the components using this ratio:

1 part triple sec
2 parts tequila
4 parts sour mix

I used a shaker and served on the rocks.

Margarita Jello Shooters

For some reason I had a craving for jello shots a few weeks ago. I had never been a big fan of jello shots, or shots in general, I guess because I prefer to enjoy my alcoholic beverages in larger quantities over a longer period of time! But I had tasted some delicious margarita jello shots at an OSU/Michigan party a few years ago, and decided it might be fun to make some myself.

They were easy to make, and DELICIOUS. Which was a problem, because I wanted to just keep eating one after another. Eventually I gave up on the margarita jello shots and made myself an actual margarita to sip on. So the verdict was that the recipe was a success, but better suited to an occasion where there might be a large crowd to help me enjoy them. Like an OSU/Michigan party. =)

The recipe I used is here.

And from there I found this fantastic web resource of a bunch of OTHER alcoholic jello shots. I'm looking forward to trying something else before too long.

Coffee Ice Cream

I don't have a photo to post with this entry because the photo is still inaccessible on our home laptop that won't take a charge (note to self: get your butt to MicroCenter and get this taken care of!). But I wanted to go ahead and post the recipe before I have to return the cookbook to the library.

This was my second attempt at making homemade ice cream. The first recipe I made was the easiest one I could find (a no-cook basic vanilla) just so I could get a feel for the use of my new Cuisinart ice cream maker (purchased as a 'reward' to myself for all the hard work Jason and I had put in on our flooring project over the past six months). The basic vanilla was good, but this recipe was OUT OF THIS WORLD. A custard-based ice cream really does taste richer and creamier, and while it requires a little more effort I think it was totally worth it. I also used really good coffee beans: Kona. They were pricey but I just love the flavor so much.

The recipe comes from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz. The book has great recipes and is also an excellent resource about the basics behind making ice cream at home. I may have to buy this book because there are so many recipes I still want to try. This one was messy and complicated: lots of bowls and pans and careful choreography to move between them. That's what I should have taken a picture of rather than the finished product!

1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whole coffee beans
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon finely ground coffee

Warm the milk, sugar, whole coffee beans, salt, and 1/2 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan. Once the mixture is warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Rewarm the coffee-infused milk mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm coffee mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, and then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Press on the coffee beans in the strainer to extract as much of the coffee flavor as possible, and then discard the beans. Mix in the vanilla and the finely ground coffee and stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, and then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

McStitch

This post is totally unrelated to food, but that's okay right? I wanted to share a new purchase and recommend a website if you are interested in making a similar purchase!

This weekend is the annual Dublin Irish Festival. Jason and I love to go every year. It's a great place to hear some fantastic music, running the gamut from "Celtic rock" to classic bagpipe-and-drum corps. We also like to watch the Irish dancers, enjoy beer and food, visit the "Celtic Canines" exhibit, and browse the vendors' booths.

This year we were pleased to find a booth that sells Irish dog accessories! While our greyhound Stitch doesn't have an Irish heritage, his "dad" Jason does. And I have a Scottish heritage, so I also love all things tartan.

We settled on a Martingale collar (a special type for sighthounds; it has a double-loop so the collar can't slip off their skinny heads) with a beautiful orange and white knot design and shamrocks on top.

If you are interested in an Irish-themed dog collar or leash for your dog, please check out the vendor's web site: www.mackenziebelts.com. We enjoyed talking with the owner, Heather, because she is also a greyhound owner! In addition to the dog accessories, Heather sells jewelry and belts for humans.

Here is Stitch sleepily modeling his new collar.


"You came over here to rub my belly? Here, let me move my legs out of the way for you."



"Oh, that's not what you came over here for? SIGH."

Quick update

I wanted to apologize for the lack of posts lately. I actually have a cache of pictures and recipes I want to post about and was just waiting to get around to it, and then... the computer zonked out on me at home. The computer itself is fine but it has stopped receiving power from the A/C source and the battery has completely died. This happened before and the technician determined that we needed a new A/C adapter. Things worked fine for awhile and now the exact same thing has happened again. So I need to get some power to the laptop and as soon as I can access my photos I will post! Stay tuned.

I Heart Sea Gummies

I was just taking some of my Sea Gummies supplements after eating lunch, and decided to share my love of them with anyone who cares to listen.

Sea Gummies are made by Trader Joe's and, as you can see from the picture, are an Omega-3 dietary supplement. According to webmd.com, the benefits of Omega-3s include:

" . . . reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke while helping to reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain and other rheumatoid problems, as well as certain skin ailments. Some research has even shown that omega-3s can boost the immune system and help protect us from an array of illnesses including Alzheimer's disease."

Omega-3s are a type of "good fat" typically found in fish. Most people don't get enough Omega-3s from their diet so it's a good idea to supplement. A common form of Omega-3 supplement is fish oil capsules. I tried these for awhile but experienced a gross side effect: fish burps. This problem is so common that some manufacturers produce Omega-3 supplements (such as Coromega) that claim to have no fishy aftertaste, but I still wasn't completely happy with those.

The Sea Gummies are great because they are not made from fish oil. Instead they contain a "marine algae extract" which is another source of Omega-3s. They taste like a less-sweet gummy bear! That may be my favorite part: I can eat some after a meal and I get a little bit of sweetness that makes me feel like I've had a mini dessert. All while getting the health benefits of omega-3s. It's just another reason why Trader Joe's gets an A-plus in my book.

Raising Awareness

This weekend, June 6 and 7, are Batten Awareness Days. I am writing here to raise awareness about Batten Disease because I know a beautiful little girl who has it. Celia and her family attend my church, and Celia's Aunt Vicky also used to work with me.

What is Batten Disease? From the website of the Batten Disease Support and Research Association:

Batten Disease is named after the British pediatrician who first described it in 1903. Also known as Spielmeyer-Vogt-Sjogren-Batten Disease, it is the most common form of a group of disorders called Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (or NCLs). Although Batten Disease is usually regarded as the juvenile form of NCL, it has now become the term to encompass all forms of NCL. The forms of NCL are classified by age of onset have the same basic cause, progression and outcome but are all genetically different. Over time, affected children suffer mental impairment, worsening seizures, and progressive loss of sight and motor skills. Eventually, children with Batten Disease/NCL become blind, bedridden, and unable to communicate, and it is presently always fatal. Batten Disease is not contagious or, at this time, preventable.

If you want to read about Celia's story, you can read this entry from her blog.

What can you do about Batten Disease?

You can support Batten Disease research.

1. Visit the BDSRA web site to make a donation.

2. Register your Kroger Plus Card for BDSRA. Here's how:

Just sign in to or create an account at www.krogercommunityrewards.com for your Plus card and do the following: Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and input your Kroger Plus Number located on the back of your card. Enter the new NPO (non-profit organization) code for BDSRA which is 83592 and click on Confirm. To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see our organization's name on the right side of your information page.

3. Visit GoodSearch to learn how a few mouse clicks can earn extra money for BDSRA.

You can support Celia.

1. Visit the Care for Celia web page to make a donation on behalf of Celia.

2. Keep Celia and her family in your prayers.

3. Tell others about Batten Disease and ask them to pray for Celia as well.

Thanks,
Heather