Kentucky Derby! Mint Julep Tea, Peach Pecan Spritz Cookies, & Barbie's Hat...

The Kentucky Derby is today at 6:45-ish, are you watching? May I suggest a little something smooth to sip on... This Mint Julep Tea was very nice:@) I've added my son's recommendation for a bourbon, and even a friendly little betting game if your crowd is into that sort of thing...

Maybe you'd prefer a cup of hot tea and nice little cookie... These Pecan Spritz Cookies with Peach and Bourbon Icing were very good, and look oh-so-fancy:@)

And if ~anyone~ wants to get dressed up and wear an extravagant hat, it would be Barbie:@) I found a pack of spotted craft feathers at the thrift store and thought they would be the perfect embellishment. I started with a crochet hat, added a small cluster of feathers anchored by a sheer organza ribbon bow, and of course, we have to have at least one satin rose for this race.

My picture tutorial for how to make a Barbie dress from 6" square of fabric can be found here. And Barbie says every southern lady should have at least one string of pearls... How to make a Barbie necklace here.

📌My Pinterest Boards here.

Enjoy the race, and 

Have a Happy Day😉

Walmart's Pineapple and Coconut Water Spritzer with Splash of Rum

It's the little things in life folks... I saw a new (to me) flavor in the Walmart brand of bottled waters and it screamed summer, so home it came:@) This Pineapple and Coconut Water Spritzer with a beautiful slice of lime and splash of rum is surprisingly tasty and perfect for a hot lazy afternoon lounging poolside. It's a wink and nod to a Pina Colada, but with ~much~ fewer calories. You could also easily make it a mocktail by using a drop of rum extract, or leave the rum out entirely and you have a refreshing flavored water.

Just wanted to share something I've been enjoying,

get it before it's gone!

Try something new and have a happy day:@)

Last Minute Crock Pot Hot Apple Cider -And Frozen Orange Juice Tip

I'm calling this Last Minute Hot Apple Cider because comes together with just a few pantry ingredients. The key is keeping a can of frozen condensed orange juice in the freezer. While fresh orange slices are pretty, they may not always be in the house, but I do always have a can of frozen OJ. Add a couple cinnamon sticks and cloves, a dash of sugar and you're good to go. It's also nice that folks can casually ladle warm refills from your slow cooker as desired. Oh and, even if you're not rushing around getting ready for unexpected guests, you might want to set the Crock Pot to low so this tasty, mildly spiced treat will be waiting to warm you after a couple hours of shopping or chores:@)

You can find my Spritz Cookie Pinterest Board here.

Tips:

• If really pressed for time the cider can be heated quickly on the stove then poured into the slow cooker on low or warm for serving.
• This could be set up as a little self-serve bar area, allowing guests to make themselves a hot toddy if they'd like.
• I prefer to keep orange juice concentrate in the freezer because I just don't drink a whole bottle of OJ. I spoon about a Tblsp or so (to taste) for each glass of juice or drink I make. Then push plastic wrap down into the container and press it against the top of the concentrate. This keeps ice crystals out and helps keep it fresh for a very long time. Once I get about half way through the container I simply cut through the cardboard container, make it shorter and add the plastic wrap again.

Crock Pot Hot Apple Cider
For every:
4 C apple cider
2 Tblsp frozen orange juice concentrate
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves-they get spooned out right before serving
2 Tblsp brown sugar

1. Add everything to slow cooker. Cover and turn to high for one-two hours. Reduce to low or warm setting (if you have it). Alternately, set to low for 3-4 hours. I used my 2 quart Crock Pot and it cooks hot. It was nice and warm after one hour on high, hot and nicely spiced by two hours.
2. Remove cloves before serving.
3. Ladle into mugs or tea cups and enjoy.
4. Optional-allow guests to add rum, brandy, bourbon, Grand Marnier, schnapps or liquor of choice to their cup.

Enjoy a seasonal beverage and have a happy day:@)

I'm Joining:
Craftastic Monday
Cooking and Crafting with J&J
The Scoop
Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday
Wonderful Wednesday

Mint Julep Tea for The Kentucky Derby

Get your fancy hats ready folks, the Kentucky Derby is May 6th this year. In honor of that, this Mint Julep Tea would be a nice smooth drink to sip during the festivities. Had to chuckle, that's the lone survivor of the mint from the yard for now... I have a new lawn guy this year... Bet it smelled good while he was mowing:@) If you'd like to skip the alcohol, just add the mint and maybe a pretty slice of lemon.

If you're looking for a middle price point bourbon, my son recommends this brand...

And if your crowd is into a friendly little wager to add to the excitement, I posted simple block pool (with options) HERE.

KENTUCKY DERBY
POST POSITION	NAME

Mint Julep Tea-from Kohl's advertisement July/Aug 2016
~Per glass: Add lots of ice, a touch of bourbon and few sprigs of fresh mint to your favorite sweet tea recipe.

Enjoy the race and have a happy day:@)

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Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday

Saturday Snippets-Easter Clearance, Planter Update and 33¢ K-Cup Sweet Treat

Make sure you think outside of the basket when looking at Easter Clearance items folks... These little chocolate foil covered sports balls would be great cupcake toppers for a March Madness basketball party or party favors for a kids sports themed birthday party. And I was pleased to see a pack of these football eggs left, I'll use them as ornaments for my Philadelphia Eagles tree this fall... Got them for pennies:@)

The peas are up-Woo Hoo! 

My little salad planter has been happy and growing well, it's thrilled to see some rain. 

I've snipped a few leaves several times now and really enjoy the spinach. Think I'll just plant spinach next year.

I found this Cappuccino at Walmart for under $6 for 18 k-cups. This is a very tasty little treat folks! I'm not saying it's gourmet or anything extra fancy, but it has quickly become a favorite 2:30 pick-me-up at the office. It smells great, is sweet and creamy and I think you'll like it if you try it.

Yep, it's cold and rainy here in Philly today, think I'll put on some sweats and go play in the kitchen:@)

Have a happy day!

Saturday Snippets-Dollar Tree K-Cup Find

~Beep...beep...beep... Dollar Tree Alert~ I was tickled to find some Gevalia Pumpkin Spice Latte K-Cups at Dollar Tree today. At 17¢ a cup I quickly grabbed a couple boxes, it really is a nice treat! This is good coffee even if I choose to not use the latte/flavor packet.

While we're on the topic of the Keurig I wanted to give a review of the As Seen On TV Cafe Cup reusable k-cups. This allows me to use any coffee I want and is a significant savings. I find that these work pretty well and make a good cup of coffee. I love that the little scoop makes it really easy to fill the cup without coffee grounds going everywhere. Clean-up isn't as bad as I first feared, if you let the grounds dry out they can gently be tapped out of the cup, then swish it under the faucet to clean the rest of the way. I catch that water in a bowl and toss it (and the grounds) into the planters in the yard. They were sold out everywhere so I had to pick them up on Ebay but that was easy enough.

The last thing I picked up from Walmart's Christmas clearance was this little 18" tree skirt with silver glitter snowflakes for 99¢. 

It's really cute with my Valentine's tree this year. 

I hope you're getting all your snacks ready for Playoff Weekend-may I suggest...

Buffalo Chicken Mini Muffins and Pepperoni Pizza Mini Muffins

 Have a happy day:@)

Red Eye (Beer and Tomato Juice) for Super Bowl Sunday

You know by now that I love football, today is the last game for seven long months and my Philadelphia Eagles aren't in it~again. If you put all of that together, you might think the Red Eye(s) in the title are a byproduct of this disappointing season... But no, I'm over that kinda, this Red Eye is a twist on a Bloody Mary and a very tasty one at that! This drink is basically even parts beer and tomato juice (I used V8) with as much hot sauce as you'd like and a nice fragrant slice of (preferably) lime, but lemon is good too.

A quick Google tells me there are several variations of this and it may have originated using a nice hearty Mexican beer. If you'd like to add a little something-something, rimming the glass with Old Bay Seasoning or a nice chili powder/salt blend might be nice. And if you happen to have Lawry's Chile and Garlic Seasoned Salt, that would be perfect!

I hope you all enjoy whatever the best of Super Bowl Sunday means to you, 

great food, good friends, funny commercials, an entertaining half time... and oh yea, hopefully an exciting game too!

Have a 'super' day everyone:@)

Homemade Grape Wine from Bottled Grape Juice

I am soooo easily influenced... As soon as I saw the cool one gallon jugs of homemade wine bloggy buddy Michaele was making I had to Google how to do it. It appears proper wine making requires fruit at the peak of perfection and lots of patience... So I looked into the, um, "quick" method of wine making:@) This Homemade Grape Wine from Bottled Grape Juice only requires a 64 ounce bottle of 100% grape juice, a cup of sugar and a pack of baker's yeast. It was an interesting $4 experiment and one that made the boys laugh. The juice only takes 10-14 days to ferment, then you run it through a coffee filter and at that point you have wine!

Now, is this a gourmet velvety smooth wine to serve your in-laws at a fancy dinner party? Ah... no. But it is a fun wine to make and a good simple starting point if you've ever been curious about wine making. It's pretty tasty too.

I found a two part U-Tube Video that was in depth and informative, and since the guy has been making wine this way forever, it must be ok to drink:@) Part 1 is HERE and Part 2 is HERE. He makes an apple pie wine that sounds interesting too.

Homemade Grape Wine from Bottled Grape Juice
64oz bottle of 100% pure grape juice, no additives-get a name brand folks
1 C sugar-you can use anywhere from 3/4 to 1 1/4 C
1 envelope yeast or 2 1/4 tsp from a jar

1. Remove 1 1/4 C juice from the bottle. Hand it to a kid and make him happy:@)
2. Add the sugar (a funnel helps), replace the cap and shake well. Let it sit for a bit and shake it again. Do this until you don't see sugar on the bottom of the bottle any more.
3. Add the yeast (a funnel helps), replace the cap and shake well. Do this a few times.
4. Remove the cap, replace the cap snugly, give it a little itty turn so that when you lightly touch it it wiggles just a bit. The video illustrates this well. Place tape over the top of the bottle to keep the cap in tact. 
5. Set in a cool dark place for 10-14 days. It's ready when it no longer makes bubbles. You can see the bubbles by holding a flashlight up to the side of the bottle. It will take a few hours for the bubbles to start-remain calm... Lynn.
6. When it's done put a coffee filter inside a sterilized strainer and gently pour all but the 1" or so (you'll see the sediment on the bottom) into a sterilized jar or pitcher. I just used a mason jar and left it in there for storage.
7. Clean out your original bottle really well (with extra hot tap water or water heated on the stove), pour the wine back into it, screw on the cap and you're good to go. You can let it age a couple months if you'd like. He suggests serving it really cold, even over ice.

Let's raise a glass to trying something new and have a happy day:@)

Pumpkin Mustard Dip for Pretzels

I'm determined to use every last drop from the can of pumpkin I opened the other day! This Pumpkin Mustard Dip is a nice change of pace for pretzels and would probably be great with Kielbasa and cheese too. Or add to a charcuterie board for a seasonal treat. Super simple and only three ingredients-now that's my kind of dip:@)

Sweet and spicy, if you have extra pumpkin this is a great way to use some up.

The last few hearty tsp of pumpkin were frozen, I'll add one and a couple shakes of pumpkin pie spice to my coffee basket for a cup of homemade pumpkin spice coffee.

Pumpkin Mustard-from Food Network Magazine, October 2013
2 Tblsp canned pumpkin
2 Tblsp grainy mustard-I had spicy, grainy would be very pretty
2 Tblsp honey
~Mix well.

Have a happy day:@)

There's A Pig In The Pinot Noir!!!

How cute is this Piggy Bottle Stopper from WineEnthusiast.com! It has rubber gaskets to ensure an air tight seal and the spring provides lots of movement and big smiles:@)

They also didn't forget about folks that might prefer a beer… I was offered these cool Double Wall Mouth Blown Beer Glasses to review. They work great for keeping an icy cold beverage, well… icy cold! The double wall keeps the heat from your hand away from the drink, and there's no condensation, so no drips or rings on the table. And of course these 12 oz tumblers would be good for iced tea or soda too. 

A perfect gift for that guy that's so hard to buy for!

I wasn't the only one to try them out...

These glasses have been Earl tested and approved!

If you’re looking for great gifts for a wine lover or to treat yourself to specialty items 

be sure to stop by WineEnthusiast.com. 

Have a happy day:@)

Disclaimer: Thanks to WineEnthusiast.com for providing the products, the review and opinions are are my own.

Pumpkin Beer Review

Hey everyone! When it comes to seasonal brews, pumpkin is the king! With Halloween and Thanksgiving coming up I thought it might be fun to taste a few different brands. Oh the things I do for this blog:@) Perhaps my unbiased reviews will help you decide which one you might like to serve or take to a party!

The cast of characters:

Shock Top: Pumpkin Wheat

A cloudy ale the color of pressed apple cider. Slightly sweet with the aroma of honey and light cinnamon. Brewed with pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves-I think I taste ginger... This is a wonderful beer that would be great for sipping and perfect with a pork dinner!

Tommyknocker: Small Batch Pumpkin Harvest Ale

A very dark Ale, almost like a stout. They say it's made with pumpkin and a touch of molasses and spice. I can taste/smell the molasses, it almost smells a little smoky too, but I can't pick out any spices. While I don't think it's seasonal, boy this is good! If you like darker, heartier beers this one's fun to try.

Blue Point Brewing Company: Pumpkin Ale 

A very pretty orange/amber colored ale. The bottle says it's a malt beverage brewed with pumpkin and spices. This has a very faint scent of fruit and cinnamon and is better at room temp. Not sweet but easy to drink, it also has a light spice aftertaste.

Harpoon Brewery: Pumpkin UFO-Unfiltered Pumpkin Ale

 Another pretty orange/amber colored ale. Brewed with pumpkin and spices with spices added. This doesn't have any noticeable seasonal scent/flavor but I will say the word "caramel" did pop to my mind. It's a touch sweeter than the one above and has a slight cinnamon aftertaste. Serve cool not cold.

Smuttynose Brewing Co: Pumpkin Ale

A cloudy, orange ale. They say it's an ale brewed with pumpkin puree and spices. While it has a strong ale flavor, I don't pick up the pumpkin or spices. It's just a touch bitter too, which is funny because the very light honey scent would lead you to believe it would be sweeter. Not a fun beer or one I'd try again.

Six Point Craft Ales: Autumnation

An amber color slightly clearer and lighter than the other ales. My initial thought from both scent and taste is "bitter". They say it's made with ginger, spice, pumpkin and fresh-harvested wet hops. The predominant scent and flavor to me is grapefruit??? I didn't take one sip without making a face, this is not a pleasant beer. Of course that's my opinion, my son was surprised to hear this, he likes it.

So there you have it folks, if I wanted to showcase a pumpkin seasonal beer for a party (of the six shown) I'd pick Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat. It's not only easy to drink and you can taste the spices, but the bottle gives you instructions on how to pour it! Pour all but 1/2" into a glass, give the bottle a swirl and pour in the rest to release the spice aroma. It's just a fun beer!

Samples were provided by (my son:@) and:
The Bottle Shop
1837 East Passyunk Ave in South Philly.
If you're in the area, please stop by this female owned start-up business for your own tasting.
Have a happy day!

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Foodie Friday

Teeny's Peach Martini!

Happy Foodie Friday! Have you read Michael's new book Gone With A Handsomer Man yet?

It's really fun and has some great surprises! I thought I'd join the party with a themed post this week:

Teeny's Peach Martini

As Teeny awaits her ex-fiancée Bing at McTavish's Pub she orders a Peach Martini, the bartender brings her two because it's happy hour... The stool beside me creaked. I glanced up as a dark-haired man sat down and ordered a Guinness. He wore ragged jeans and a faded blue t-shirt with LAWYER OR LIAR-YOU MAKE THE CALL printed across the front. As he leaned his elbows on the counter, a curl fell down over familiar gray eyes.

Please God, not him.
Not Cooper O'Malley.

Peach Martini
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Peach Schnapps
1 oz Cranberry juice
Splash of orange juice
Mix all ingredients in a chilled cocktail shaker, pour into glass and garnish with peach slice.

So, who portrayed Cooper O'Malley in your mind's eye?

I enjoyed envisioning him as Matthew McConaughey-YUM:@)

Cheers!