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Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur….I never knew this was something that could be concocted using some pretty basic ingredients, but it is. I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled onto this super simple recipe on a cold December evening. I had friends coming over and I wanted to serve some Bailey’s on ice along with some other fun cordials, but when looking for my rarely used bottle of Irish Cream I just couldn’t find it.
So who hasn’t been in this situation…you think you have something on hand, but when you realized you actually didn’t and needed it, was in a bind. Well that is what happened here and I am not gonna lie, I was frustrated. In this case my husband had been using the velvety liqueur to add to his coffee before his morning golf rounds over the previous months. Since I rarely drink Irish Cream I understand why he didn’t think to tell me we ran out, but in the moment I was annoyed.
I got over it and since almost ANYTHING can be found on the web I decided to see if there was an alternative and was stupid-excited to find out I could make it at home. Not only did I find a great substitute from store bought Irish Cream, but I also realized that this would make a great hostess gift. Who doesn’t love homemade items?
Easy, delicious and can makes an excellent hostess gift. It tastes better than Bailey’s, makes an amazing hostess gift and couldn’t be easier to make. This recipe for homemade Irish Cream Liqueur is a keeper.
Have you ever been running around all day only to find that you look up and it is 5:30 and everyone in your house is hungry? I have to admit that this scenario plays out sometimes several times a week in my house, so I have a few recipes that I can always whip up in no time. These recipes include staple items that I always have in my pantry and fridge. This pasta with peas & chicken is one of my go to meals that is just perfect.
The combination of pasta (who doesn’t love pasta?), chicken (the perfect protein) and peas (frozen ones keep for a very long time) make this just that, a staple. The longest part of this recipe is waiting for that darn pot of pasta water to boil which can always be a drag when you are in a rush. I generally will throw in an extra item or two from my never ending “to-do” list which is helpful. Think laundry, lunges, dishes, helping kids with homework…you name it there is always something extra that needs to be done.
I definitely think that this is one recipe to keep in your arsenal. It will be loved by your family and in the event anyone has an aversion to peas, which my boys do, you can just omit them or separate their portion and add them in after separated. Without further ado, here is the recipe…enjoy!
I love summer, absolutely love it! With the warm weather comes my desire for a creative refreshment so I decided to create a new category on the blog called Sips. This category will contain drinks for grownups, kids and some for both. This post for Watermelon Juice will definitely please both adults and kids alike. It is cool, refreshing, delicious and a welcome departure from the usual juice.
Watermelon. When I think summer and warm weather I definitely think of this fresh, pink, refreshing fruit. Everything about it screams summer. It is the perfect picnic fruit since you can eat it with your hands and with its high water content it will cool you down on those hot summer days. Since watermelon is so tasty I decided to turn this crisp melon into a refreshing drink.
The first step in creating this drink is to remove the watermelon from the rind and dice the fruit up into chunks. I generally cut them into about one inch chunks but since this is all being blended, preciseness isn’t necessary. Also, I do cheat sometimes and buy the prepackaged, cut watermelon that can be found in the refrigerator case to make life a bit easier. Along with the watermelon I like to add fresh squeezed lime juice and my son likes the addition of a bit of simple syrup for a bit of sweetness.
This juice tastes amazing straight or with a touch of club soda for a little fizz. On occasion I also enjoy this juice with a shot of liquor (vodka, tequila – use your imagination) for an extra kick. The kids love this stuff straight and I know why. My son loves helping me make this treat and especially loves drinking it. Here’s to summer – Cheers!
Watermelon Juice
Ingredients
About 2 pounds cut watermelon (I usually find I get this from one medium size watermelon)
1/3 – 1/2 cup lime juice (this is to your taste – I enjoy a watermelon juice that is more tart so I use 1/2 cup)
Simple syrup, to taste (to make simple syrup place equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until melted – let cool! You don’t want to use hot syrup in your watermelon juice)
Directions
Place all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Drink, enjoy, wow family & guests with your delicious drink.
Yes, the title is true, I have found a dry shampoo dupe – cornstarch! I know, it’s weird…cornstarch? This is the stuff that hangs out in my pantry and every so often I will bust it out when a recipe calls for it, but really that isn’t too often. The thing that cornstarch is amazing at doing is absorbing oil. Oil absorbing? Sounds like something my dirty hair could use. I also have to add that I in doing my fair share of research corn starch is one of the main ingredients in numerous dry shampoos on the market. Dry shampoos that are wayyyyyyyyyyy more pricey.
Now let me back up on how this trick was first mentioned to me. I was shoe shopping and the girl helping me was wearing this amazing hat, which I quickly complimented her on. She mentioned that she didn’t have time to wash her hair that day and she couldn’t find her cornstarch. I must have given her an inquisitive look because she quickly followed up by telling me what a great alternative cornstarch was to dry shampoo. I took note and decided to try it. I have to say that I now almost exclusively use corn starch as my main dry shampoo source because it works crazy good. Not to mention the price difference is an added bonus. A container of corn starch usually runs anywhere from $3-$5 for a 16 oz container, while higher priced powder shampoos run anywhere from $20-$30 for 2-3 oz. of product. Here are a couple of examples where corn starch is one of the primary ingredients, Alterna Cavier Anti-Aging Dry Shampoo and Bumble & Bumble Pret-a-Powder Dry Shampoo.
Here are some of my tips on how to use this stuff. I keep a tub of Argo cornstarch in my vanity along with my other makeup essentials. Whenever I use it, I simply dip three fingers into the powder, shake off any extra and dab it into the roots of my hair making sure to blend it in well so you don’t see any white powder. I continue this process until I am happy with how it looks – sometimes this is a 30 second process and other times it takes a bit longer. It all really depends on how dirty my hair is, but don’t judge – we have all been there. 🙂
I have to admit that I was hesitant to try this since I was so in love with mainstream dry shampoos, but I highly, highly recommend that you try it. Remember to utilize the tips noted above and hopefully you will fall in love with the results as much as I have.
We have been having our home remodeled which has been a massive pain. Now that it has been completed I am thrilled with the end result, however the process was painful. Since my ability to cook was sidelined I searched for delicious and healthy options to curb my hunger, which is how I stumbled across a salad at my local PCC store called, the Perfect Protein Salad. I instantly became addicted and wanted to share my version, which tastes extremely similar to PCC’s Perfect Protein Salad.
One of my favorite parts of cooking is the ability to customize recipes. In this case the recipe calls for lemon, dill and garlic. Since I am crazy about these three flavors I upped the amounts to make them more pronounced. The base for this salad is garbanzo beans and spelt berries which provide both a creamy texture and a chewy texture. Since I am huge on texture the crunch of numerous veggies, including cucumbers, celery, peppers and onions are also a complete bonus.
In a nutshell, this has become one of my go to salads. I love enjoying it for a quick lunch, enjoying it at dinner with a grilled piece of chicken or fish and it also makes a great salad to take to a friends house. In the event you have someone in your life that is vegan, this version is made with vegan mayonnaise* which is an added bonus. I hope that if you live in the Northwest you stop by PCC and try their Perfect Protein Salad or make it at home for yourself.
Perfect Protein Salad (inspired by PCC’s Perfect Protein Salad)
(serves 2 for a main dish or 4 as a side dish)
Ingredients
1 – 15 ounce can of Garbanzo Beans
2 stalks cucumber, diced
1 cup cooked spelt berries
1/3 c. Vegenaise
2 carrots, diced
1/4 c. green onion, thinly sliced
2 T. red onion, small dice
3 T. lemon juice
3 T. italian parsley, thinly sliced
1 T. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic
2 T. fresh dill weed or 1 t. dried dill weed
2 T. fresh basil or 1 t. dried basil
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Combine all ingredients. Put in refrigerator and let flavors meld together for a couple of hours if possible. More often than not I am rushed and not able to do this, but if you can, definitely do this. This salad is very easy to make and lasts for a day or two in the fridge so you can make it ahead and enjoy leftovers later.
* Side note, vegenaise tastes great! If you have never tried it, I would recommend doing so. I was extremely hesitant at first, but now I really love it.)
