Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Watermelon: Beginning and End

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on August 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Summer isn’t summer unless watermelons are on the menu. There’s nothing quite like biting into a slice of crisp, juicy-sweet watermelon on a hot summer day. To that end, I double your delight by presenting two recipes that highlight the qualities of watermelons and create surprising melon moments at the beginning or at the end of your meals!

Recipe Number One: The Beginning
Watermelon for appetizers? You betcha! This appetizer has it all: a salty and tangy dip juxtaposed against the sweet crunchiness of melon, with an added a kick at the end. So unexpected, but so delicious!

Watermelon Appetizer with Asian Dipping Sauce
Adapted from an August 1992 Sunset Magazine recipe

Ingredients:
1 small (6-8 lb.) or 1 cross-cut piece (4-5 in. long) watermelon
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar*
1 T minced pickled ginger
1 T sugar
1 T fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla) or soy sauce
About 1 T crushed dried hot red chilies

Directions:
1. Cut melon into small 1-inch wedges (with rind) and place on serving platter.
2. Make Asian Dipping sauce by mixing together the lime juice, rice vinegar, pickled ginger, sugar, and fish sauce.
3. Place dipping sauce in a small, shallow serving dish next to watermelon platter.
4. Place crushed red chilies in another small, shallow serving dish and place this next to the watermelon platter as well.
5. To eat, dip melon into sauce, then into chilies, as desired.

*or 1/3 cup rice vinegar and 2 teaspoons sugar

Recipe Number Two: The End
Eating watermelon for dessert is not unusual, but this recipe for Watermelon Icicles shines because of its simplicity. It’s a perfectly refreshing and low-calorie treat for a hot summer day.

Watermelon Icicles
Adapted from a 1992 August Sunset Magazine recipe

Ingredients:
Wooden ice cream sticks or “Popsicle” sticks
1 Seedless watermelon

Directions:
1. Cut watermelon into triangular-shaped pieces about 1-inch thick and 3-inches wide at the base. Remove rind.
2. Push an ice cream stick into the wide part of the slice, almost all the way through.
3. Cover a flat baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
4. Lay the watermelon wedges in a single layer on the baking sheet.
5. Cover with plastic wrap.
4. Freeze until solid, about four hours.
5. Serve, or transfer to a freezer container and freeze up to 1 month.

Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Pepper Pizzas

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 2, 2011| 2 Comments »

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked? Well, just maybe Peter made some of these light, summer-fresh, pepper pizzas and ate them all up!

Pepper Pizzas
Adapted from a recipe in the July 1989 Sunset Magazine

Ingredients:
6 English muffins
1 small yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
2 cups (1/2 lb) Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1 small fresh Anaheim green chili, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
Olive oil
Pinch of both salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Split English muffins in half and lay, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until lightly toasted, then turn muffins over and toast other side, about 4 minutes total. Remove and set aside.

2. Put a little olive oil in a small fry pan and when the oil is hot, add the onion slices. As soon as the onion becomes golden-brown, add the yellow peppers. Stir. Add salt and pepper and then stir until onions are caramelized and peppers are just slightly limp. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. With cut sides up, evenly cover each half of English muffin with bell pepper and onion mixture. Top with shredded cheese and then Anaheim chili slices.

4. Return to broiler until cheese melts, about 4 minutes.

Makes 12.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. For a less spicy pizza, shredded Swiss cheese can be substituted for the Pepper Jack.

2. The original recipe called for raw onions and peppers to be placed on top of the English muffins. I’m not a fan of raw onions, so I sauteed the onions to caramelize them and then added the peppers to cook them slightly. Caramelizing onions brings out their flavor.

3. Of course I used more onion, yellow pepper, and cheese than the recipe called for!

ENJOY!

Read Full Post »

Berry Brown Betty

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on July 26, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Grumble, grunt, slump, cobbler, crisp, and brown betty . . . oh my! Without a doubt, juicy summer berries tempted more shoppers than the peach, their summertime rival, at last week’s outing to a farmer’s market. With high nutrient and fiber levels, who could ignore these sweet gems of summer. I couldn’t! After purchasing three pints of blackberries and three pints of yellow and red raspberries, the only thing harder than trying not to eat them on the drive home was trying to decide what to make with them.

My husband’s East Coast origins cried out for me to make a grumble, grunt, slump, cobbler or crisp, but never having made a brown betty before, I wanted to try making one. With its origin dating back to colonial days, a traditional and popular brown betty is made of alternating layers of buttered crumbs (bread or graham crackers) and layers of sweetened and spiced apples. That sounds perfectly delicious, but after reading Martha Stewart’s recipe for Berry Brown Betty, with its two types of raspberries and brioche breadcrumbs, this recipe won hands down. Who could resist the rich butter and egg flavor of brioche combined with fresh-picked berries? Not me!

Berry Brown Betty
Recipe by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh raspberries (red and golden, if available)
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups fresh brioche breadcrumbs (about 6 ounces)
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix all but 1/4 cup berries with lemon juice, and set aside to macerate. Brush four 6-ounce ramekins with 1 tablespoon butter; coat inside of each with granulated sugar, and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with remaining 4 tablespoons butter, and set aside. Sprinkle the brown sugar, flour, and nutmeg over raspberries, and gently toss to combine. Divide one-third of breadcrumbs evenly among ramekins. Top with half the berries, and then with another third of breadcrumbs. Repeat with remaining berries and breadcrumbs. Gently press down on layers.

3. Bake until the crumbs are golden and berry juices are bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool 5 minutes.

4. Invert ramekins onto serving plates. Remove ramekins, and top each dessert with whipped cream; garnish with reserved berries.

Serves 4.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. I purchased fresh brioche rolls at Whole Foods and made breadcrumbs out of them using my food processor.

2. Taste your berries before adding the sugar. If they are deliciously sweet, you will not need to add all the sugar specified. If they are not as sweet as you’d like them to be, you may need to add more sugar than specified.

3. It required more than one tablespoon of sugar to coat all four ramekins.

4. Although not necessary, I combined the brown sugar, flour and nutmeg in a bowl before sprinkling them over the berries. Doing this allowed for more even distribution of the dry ingredients.

5. I needed more buttered brioche breadcrumbs than the recipe specified – probably because I’m not good at estimating amounts!

Enjoy this simple summer dessert!

Read Full Post »

Chicken Salad with Vietnamese Seasonings

Posted in In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on July 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »

During these warm summer days, light and refreshing salads appeal to those who want to fit into their swim suits and also get out of the hot kitchen. Myself included! Recently, I had a craving for chicken salad, but with outdoor temperatures soaring into the triple digits, my stomach churned at the very thought of a mayonnaise or sour cream-based salad. Searching for a light, but flavorful chicken salad, I hit the jackpot when I saw Mark Bittman’s recipe for Chicken Salad with Vietnamese Seasonings. The fresh flavors of lime, cilantro, and mint are well-juxtaposed against the saltiness of nam pla and the kick of chili pepper. Although you can reduce the amount of cilantro and mint, you still need to be a fan of them to enjoy the salad. Grilling the chicken breasts outdoors eliminated heating up my kitchen. If you want to stay cool, drive in your air-conditioned car to an air-conditioned grocery store and buy a rotisserie chicken! This easy and flavorful salad would also be delicious in a lettuce wrap or a bread wrap.

Chicken Salad with Vietnamese Seasonings
Recipe from Mark Bittman’s cookbook The Best Recipes in the World

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon nam pla
1 teaspoon cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 small fresh chili, preferably Thai, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 medium to large shallots, chopped
2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped rau ram or 1/4 cup each mint and cilantro leaves
Salt to taste
12 or 16 leaves, Boston, red leaf, or green leaf lettuce

Directions:
1. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a bowl and toss with the chicken; set a bit of the herb aside for garnish, then stir the rest into the mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt if necessary.

2. Arrange the lettuce on 4 plates and top each leaf with a portion of chicken salad. Garnish with the remaining herb and serve.

Serves 4.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Nam pla is a fish sauce that is one of the basic ingredients in Thai cooking. Fish sauce, in general, is used in a lot of Southeast Asian recipes and can be purchased in Asian grocery stores, specialty markets, and some general grocery stores.
2. I added no salt. The nam pla I used was plenty salty.
3. Having no Thai chilies on hand, I used 1/2 teaspoon of finely minced red jalapeno. The heat level of this dish can be easily adjusted by adding more or less chilies.
4. Rau ram (Vietnamese coriander) is the Asian herb of choice for this recipe, but it can be hard to find. I followed Mr. Bittman’s suggestion and used cilantro and mint with success, but the minute I find some rau ram, I’m going to make this salad using it and compare the flavor!

ENJOY!

Read Full Post »

Bloomin’ Onion Bread

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 6, 2011| 3 Comments »

Rereading these words on the recipe “Serve warm or cold,” made me laugh. There’s zero chance that this fantastic appetizer could be served cold. Go ahead and try taking a crispy loaf of Bloomin’ Onion Bread out of the oven and see how long it lasts. Chances are good that it will be devoured before the green onions can finish their descent on the oozing cheese. It’s so good that it disappears right before your eyes – a sure sign of a winning recipe!

Bloomin’ Onion Bread
Recipe adapted from Buns In My Oven

Ingredients:
1 round loaf of sourdough bread, unsliced
12-16 ounces thinly sliced Monterey Jack Cheese
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup finely diced green onions
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut the bread lengthwise in rows about one-inch apart without cutting through the bottom. Turn the bread and repeat to create a grid-like pattern. This can be challenging, but just hold the bread together with your other hand as you slice across your first cuts. You should end up with little cubes of bread still attached to the bottom.

3. Place loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Insert cheese slices between the cuts of bread. Fill in the spaces as much as possible.

4. Combine melted butter, green onions, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.

5. Pour evenly over bread.

6. Cover the bread with foil and bake for 15 minutes first. Uncover the bread and bake 10 minutes longer.

7. Serve warm or cold.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. For best results use a good quality, rustic, sourdough round.

2. I used at least 16 ounces of sliced cheese. I stacked the slices and then cut them into 6ths. I put two slices in between each cut, starting at one end and working to the opposite end. I then turned the loaf around and put 2 slices in each cut going crosswise.

3. Instead of pouring the butter-onion-cheese mixture over the loaf, I spooned it into the crevices around each cube for better distribution.

4. I sprinkled a light dusting of Parmesan cheese over the loaf before putting it in the oven.

5. This recipe is very versatile. Experiment with cheeses or toppings. What about sprinkling bacon bits over it? What about using brie? Have fun and let your imagination go wild!

ENJOY!!

Read Full Post »

Mango Iced Tea

Posted in About me, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on June 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Hot air hit my face as I opened the door and stepped outside. “It’s going to be a hot one,” I mumbled to myself as I turned to look at the thermometer hanging on the stucco wall. Yep, 84 degrees and it was only 10:30 in the morning. “Time to go back inside and make a big pitcher of iced tea!”

A while back I posted a recipe for Boston Iced Tea. Today’s recipe is another fruit-flavored tea that’s thirst quenching and super easy to make. Make sure you double the recipe, though, because it’s a good one to have on hand during the hot days of summer!

Mango Iced Tea
Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay

Ingredients:
1-1/2 quarts cold water
6 high quality black tea bags
2 cups mango nectar
Sugar
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Thinly sliced mango

Directions:
Bring water to a boil, turn off heat and add tea bags and steep until tea is dark, about 5 minutes. Remove bags, add mango nectar and add sugar, to taste. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Place in pitcher and add mint leaves. Pour over ice and garnish with mango slices.

Serves 4.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. I use 2 of Lipton’s family-sized ice tea bags.

2. I’ve made this using mango juice and mango nectar. The results are slightly better using the nectar – a tiny bit more sweet and a more pronounced mango flavor.

3. One tablespoon of sugar is all I add to the tea and nectar solution, but I don’t like my iced tea too sweet.

4. Let the flavored tea cool before refrigerating and definitely serve it chilled.

5. Omit the mint only if you absolutely hate mint! The mint leaves lend a wonderful, cooling, fresh taste to the tea.

6. Instead of garnishing with thin slices of mango, I added frozen mango chunks that I’d purchased in a large bag at Costco.

7. The fruit flavors in this recipe and the Boston Iced Tea recipe can be easily adapted – just substitute different flavors of nectar for this recipe or frozen concentrate for the Boston Iced Tea recipe.

Enjoy and stay cool!

Read Full Post »

Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies

Posted in Husbands, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on June 14, 2011| 3 Comments »

What could be better than a moist, spicy, carrot cake slathered with cream cheese frosting? Not much! But what if all that delicious goodness could be held in your hand in the form of a cookie? A portable carrot cake – how perfect! Since carrot cake is my husband’s favorite type of cake and since Father’s Day is this coming weekend, I whipped him up a batch of wholesome carrot cake cookies and sandwiched them together with a rich, not-too-sweet, cream cheese filling. After wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and freezing them, he can now have his “cake” (whenever he wants) and eat it too!

Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies
Recipe by Martha Stewart

Ingredients for Cookies:
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots, (about 3 large carrots)
1 cup raisins

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugars and butter; beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until well combined.

2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; stir to combine. Gradually add flour to butter mixture; mix on a low speed until just blended. Mix in oats, carrots, and raisins. Chill dough in refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour.

3. Using a 1/2-ounce ice-cream scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Transfer to oven, and bake until browned and crisped, rotating pan halfway through baking to ensure even color, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat baking process with remaining dough. Once cooled completely, use an offset spatula to spread about 2 teaspoons of cream-cheese filling onto a cookie. Sandwich together with a second cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Makes about 25 sandwiches

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners’ sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.

Makes about 2 cups

Linnell’s Notes:
1. To make the cookies more wholesome, I used whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
2. Because I like the smaller size of currants, I used them instead of raisins.
3. For a bit more texture and some added nutrients, I added 1 cup of chopped walnuts.
4. Although it is easier to buy a bag of grated carrots, the moisture content and fresh flavor of freshly grated carrots add much to this recipe.
5. I used a smaller ice-cream scoop for the dough and made 72 perfectly round 2 1/2-inch to 3-inch cookies.
6. These cookies spread – allow the specified 2 inches. If cookies seem to be spreading too much, chill the dough a little longer.
7. I doubled the cream cheese frosting which was the perfect amount to fill 36 cookie sandwiches.
8. These cookies absolutely have to be refrigerated! Not only because they have a cream cheese filling, but primarily because they will become too soft and will fall apart easily if left out at room temperature.
9. As mentioned in the introduction, I individually wrapped my sandwiched cookies with plastic wrap, placed them in Ziploc-type plastic bags, and froze them for future cravings.

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Scampi alla Griglia

Posted in About me, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on June 7, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Flavorful Scampi alla Griglia was one of my “go to” recipes to serve company in the early years of my marriage. Not only did it have an exotic name, but it was a gourmet triple treat – garlic, butter, and shrimp! I recently rediscovered this recipe when trying to figure out the “surf” part of a surf and turf birthday celebration for a friend. It was as good as I remembered!

Scampi alla Griglia
Adapted from a recipe in The Cooking of Italy cookbook by Time-Life

Ingredients:
2 lbs. large fresh shrimp in their shells or defrosted frozen shrimp
8 T. butter
1/2 cup olive oil
1 T. lemon juice
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or scallions
1 T. finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 T. finely chopped fresh parsley, preferably the flat-leaf Italian type
Lemon quarters

Directions:
1. Shell the shrimp, being careful not to remove the last segment of shell or the tail.  Devein the shrimp by slitting down the back of each shrimp with a small sharp knife and lifting out the black or white intestinal vein. Wash the shrimp quickly under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Preheat broiler to its highest temperature.

3. In a shallow flameproof baking dish or pan just large enough to hold the shrimp in one layer, melt the butter over low heat on the stove top, being careful not to let it brown. Remove from burner.

4. Stir in olive oil, lemon juice, shallots, garlic, salt, and a few twists of freshly ground pepper. Add the shrimp and turn in the butter and oil mixture until they glisten on all sides.

5. Broil them 3-4 inches from the heat for 5 minutes, then turn the shrimp over and broil them for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until they are lightly browned and firm to the touch done.*

6. Transfer the shrimp to a serving platter, pour the sauce from the pan over them, and sprinkle them with parsley.

7. Garnish with lemons and serve.

Serves 6.

Linnell’s notes:
1. I buy the U20’s (under 20 shrimp per pound) size shrimp at Costco. They still have shells on, but the shells are slit and the shrimp are deveined.

2. *Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the shrimp you are using and the amount of heat generated by your broiler. Keep an eye on the shrimp while they are broiling, because they can quickly become overcooked! I did not need to broil mine for the total time suggested in the recipe.

3. This recipe would make a fabulous hot or “cold” appetizer. If serving it cold, my only word of advice would be to not serve it right out of the refrigerator because the butter will be congealed.

4. In the photo above the Scampi is served with an herbed quinoa “pilaf” on the side. I’ll post the quinoa recipe at a later date, but if you can’t wait, email me and I’ll send you the recipe.

Enjoy!!

Read Full Post »

Chewy White Chocolate Brownies

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on May 24, 2011| 2 Comments »

What makes one brownie chewy, another one cakey and yet another one fudgy? Scanning the list of ingredients for Chewy White Chocolate Brownies and noting that it only required 1/2 cup of flour, I contemplated the different textures of brownies. Since most brownie recipes list similar basic ingredients, I figured the difference must lie in their proportions.

After some online research, I found this matter discussed in a post on Diana’s Desserts:

FUDGY BROWNIES (which purists often claim are the only real brownies) have a minimum of flour–about half a cup–and no leavening such as baking powder at all. Melting the butter rather than creaming it with sugar yields a denser, fudgier outcome.

CAKELIKE BROWNIES are really … well, little cakes! They contain less butter and more flour than fudgy brownies, as well as a bit of baking powder to make them softer and lighter. Often the softened butter is creamed with the sugar rather than melted with the chocolate. (Creaming incorporates air into the mixture, which causes the brownies to rise higher.) Many cakelike recipes also call for a bit of milk to add tenderness.

CHEWY BROWNIES usually get their texture from two factors: an extra egg (or even two) and a combination of different types of chocolate. Of all the chocolate types, unsweetened chocolate has the highest proportion of starches, which create a stiffer-textured brownie. Semisweet chocolate produces a creamier texture. Put the two together, often with a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to round out the flavor and thicken the texture, and you get a rich, satisfyingly chewy result.

BLONDIES are really butterscotch bars, made with brown sugar, butter, and eggs (and usually nuts as well), but no chocolate. Typically, blondies have a cakelike texture.

There you have it! By definition this Chewy White Chocolate recipe, with it’s 1/2 cup of flour and melted butter, should fall into the fudgy and not chewy category. But wait, because it has no chocolate (dark, semi, or milk), it’s essentially a blondie. Shouldn’t this sweet little recipe, clipped out of my local newspaper years ago, really be called Fudgy White Chocolate Blondies? Doesn’t sound right, does it?

Chewy White Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:
1-1/3 cups white chocolate baking chips, divided use
6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) butter or margarine
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter brickle baking bits (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

2. Melt 1 cup of the white chocolate chips and the butter over low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Beat together the eggs and sugar until frothy. Add the vanilla extract.

4. Slowly mix in the chocolate mixture.

5. Gradually add the flour and beat until smooth.

6. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup white chocolate chips and brickle bits, if desired.

7. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

8. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Makes 16 servings.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Don’t leave out the brickle bits – it’s the combination of white chocolate and butter brickle that make this recipe delicious!
2. Don’t over bake the brownies or else they will lose their fudgy/chewy texture.
3. Don’t leave them on the kitchen counter unguarded or else you may return to discover that “someone” has eaten one whole row of edges!

Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Boston Iced Tea

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on May 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »

A refreshing beverage for warm and sunny days, this iced tea is easy to make. I know I mention the word “easy” in the majority of my recipe posts, but I am one of those cooks who likes to get great results with a minimum amount of effort! Although this recipe is not as easy as opening a packet of iced tea mix, it’s worth the few extra steps to get the tart and fresh-brewed taste. Why is it called Boston Iced Tea? I’m guessing that moniker has something to do with the addition of cranberry juice!

Boston Iced Tea
Adapted from a recipe posted by Sean Paajanen on About.com

Ingredients:
4 quarts of water
1 cup of sugar
15 tea bags
12 oz. frozen cranberry juice concentrate

Directions:
1. Pour water into a large pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
3. Add tea bags and let them steep until desired strength is reached – about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Remove tea bags.
5. Stir in frozen cranberry juice concentrate until it has completely dissolved.
6. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
7. Serve over ice.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. I used 6-7 of Lipton’s Iced Tea family-size tea bags instead of 15 small tea bags.

2. So that the tea bags don’t fall into the pot, I wrap the tag-ends of the bags around the handle of a long wooden spoon (a long pair of chopsticks would also work) and rest the spoon across the pot opening. This enables the bags to dangle in the hot water, but they can also be easily retrieved when the brew strength is just right.

3. I’ve also made this iced tea using frozen cran-raspberry juice concentrate with good results.

4. For an event I recently hosted, I poured some of the ice tea mixture into plastic molds and froze them. When placed in the beverage dispenser, these molds kept the beverage cold without diluting the tea.

5. Whole fresh cranberries can also be frozen and placed into individual glasses or a beverage dispenser for a decorative look.

Enjoy!!

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »