Caramel Root Beer Float

I made some really lovely things last week.

Lemon frozen yogurt and toffee bars to name a few. 

Unfortunately, a week of bad luck and some computer mishaps left me with no pictures of said lovelies :(

While drowning my sorrows in an A&W root beer float, I had a moment of inspiration.
They're rare and far between but occasionally I have them, moments of inspiration that is.

I thought to myself, "Self, this would taste pretty amazing with a healthy drizzle of caramel..... No, wait! a healthy drizzle of salted caramel sauce on top.''

Because I generally always do what the voices in my head tell me to do, I bought some ice cream and some root beer and made a batch of caramel sauce and let the voices take over.

Listen to your inner voice and try this.

If you like root beer floats, you'll love this!

Caramel Root Beer Float

I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how to make a float. Make sure you buy really good vanilla ice cream and extra bubbly root beer. Top it with homemade caramel sauce (with a pinch of fleur de sel if you're feeling sassy).

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

'Cause baby, 

it's cold outside.

Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

Serves: 2

2 tbsp good quality cocoa powder

3 tbsp confectioner's sugar

2 cups milk 

½ tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick

To garnish (optional):

whipped cream, cinnamon stick, cinnamon hearts 

Directions:

1. Heat milk on medium low until small bubbles start to form on the surface (if using a cinnamon stick take off heat and steep for about 10 minutes or until milk reaches desired strength and return to heat). Whisk in cocoa powder, cinnamon and sugar until dissolved. Allow milk to boil just for a second (you heard me..... it makes it creamier). Garnish with whipped cream and ground cinnamon and enjoy with the one you love.

Coconut Banana Date Batido

Batidos are a South American frozen milk drink similar to a smoothie. They're great as a quick grab and go breakfast or snack when you can't quite stomach the thickness of a smoothie.

Some leftover coconut milk (from carrot coconut soup) inspired this delicious combo. The banana and coconut make the drink taste tropical and the dates provide some natural sweetness. The flax is a completely optional fiber boost.

Play around with some different flavours for a unique taste. Some ideas I've seen are fig rose, banana ginger, and mango basil.

I've been feeding this to my munchkin for snack time; she seems to really love it.

I know she doesn't look enthused but she's smiling on the inside, I'm sure of it.

Coconut Banana Date Batido

Serves 1

Inspired by Urban Pantry by Amy Pennington

1/2 cup milk (use any type)

1 banana

4 tbsps coconut milk (can substitute shredded coconut)

4 -6 dates, quartered

3 cubes of ice

1 spoonful of flax seed (optional)

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend at low speed until everything is chopped up. Increase speed and continue to blend until smooth and creamy.

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

This is fall flavored syrup.

Just trust me on this.
I don't lie about fall.
Or syrup.

As Buddy the elf once said,

"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup."

Of course I'm not an elf but I do have an affinity for elf culture,

so I take my syrup seriously.

This syrup is really yummy.
It's intended to be used to make the infamous pumpkin spice latte but I've only used it on pancakes so far.

It was a little thinner than regular pancake syrup but it still worked well and tasted great.

This whole straining thing didn't work for me. I cooked the mixture too long which made it too thick.

The cloves and nutmeg are definitely the dominate taste so feel free to adjust the spices to your preference.

Happy Fall!

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Makes: about 1 ½ cups

Source: Cook Like a Champion

1 ½ cups water

1 ½ cups sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp cloves

½ tsp ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

3 tbsp pumpkin puree

Directions:

1. In a small pot over medium heat, dissolve sugar in water.  Once sugar is dissolved, add remaining ingredients.  Allow to cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently.  Do not boil.
2. Strain mixture using cheesecloth or a tea towel.
3. Pour into a small (8-10 ounce) bottle and store in the refrigerator. 

Linked to: Seasonal Sundays

Apple Juice

I love the fall. Love it. Love it. Love it.

It makes me want to watch You've Got Mail, my favorite movie ever, while cooking with cinnamon and cloves. 

It also makes me want to preserve. 

And what's the best and cheapest thing to preserve in the fall?

APPLES!

(Especially if they're free apples from the neighbour's tree.)

Since I have about ten thousand apples (I'm exaggerating), and I didn't feel like peeling them I decided to make some juice.

Enter my mom's trusty Mehu-Maija.

This juice extractor is basically a big steamer that catches the juice from fruits or vegetables.

It's a great way to practice 'kitchen recycling'.

You can use any sort of food scrap in it. (In this case apples.)

I threw in apple cores, apple peels, soft apples and bruised apples and it steamed their little hearts.

Think of it as a last stop before the compost.

I know you're probably thinking. "Eww, yuck, I would never do that !"

But seriously, what do you think they make apple juice out of?

It's not the perfectly rounded, beautiful red apples you buy at the grocery store. It's the apples that didn't make the cut. The ones that fell off the tree and were left sad and all alone until someone found them and took the bruised and soft little guys and turned them into something delicious.

True story.

The steaming process is great because it pasteurizes the juice, killing any pesky bacteria that might want to attack you in your sleep. Or when you're awake.
('Cause no one wants to get hit with bouts of diarrhea day or night.)

It's also great because the hot juice is easily preserved by pouring it into scorching hot jars and puttin' on red-hot lids. No processing required and they seal wonderfully.

Tasteless, dry apple mush.

I think the juice is great on it's own or added to some soda for a punch.

Mmmm.... fresh apple juice. The taste of fall!

Homemade Kahlua Sauce

This is probably the only time I will ever condone the use of a large amount of instant coffee.

For this recipe it's needed, but usually

♪There's nothing like the real thing, baby.....♪

I love recipes like this. 

Boozy coffee recipes!?!

No, no.... I mean recipes that can double as gifts.

Seeing as how the gift giving season is quickly approaching (*glee*) it's nice to have ideas early on. 

This particular recipe requires at least a month to steep before reaching it's full delicious potential so I'll probably make up a few batches now so I have them on hand for Christmas.

Plus!

Doing that now will reduce some of the stuff to do once the season has hit full force.

I love that... Christmas hitting full force.

It's sweet, it's thick, it has a heady coffee aroma...mmmm. 

Why am I giving it away again?

Or right.... 'cause I'm not much of a drinker and I can only make so many batches of chocolate kahlua cupcakes.

Homemade kahlua sauce is simple to throw together and the ingredients are easy peasy to come by.

Make this for a gift or just for yourself.... because.... because.... because why not?

Homemade Kahlua Sauce

Makes about 3 ½ cups

Slightly Adapted from "Too Many Cooks'' by Emily Franklin

4 cups sugar

1 cup instant coffee granules

2 cups boiling water

3 tbsp vanilla extract

⅔ cup vodka

Directions:

In a heat proof bowl stir together sugar and coffee. Add water and stir until completely dissolved. Let cool. Add vanilla and vodka. Pour into bottles (I used my old Kahlua bottle). Keep for a least a month before enjoying.

Blended Ice Coffee

Good things are about to happen in my kitchen.

Very,very

good things.

It's going to involve this coffee.

And these espresso cubes.

And this Jersey Milk. (If John doesn't eat it first.)

And this french press. And probably some whip cream. 

Because whip cream makes the world go 'round. It also keeps cardiologists employed. 

But don't worry too much about that today. It's Friday, you deserve a big, fat, delicious treat to end your week and start your weekend.

Especially if it comes in the form of coffee and chocolate.

Coffee and Chocolate: God's very special creations put on this earth just for my enjoyment.

I love special creations.

This is my bender with espresso cubes floating about- just thought I'd make that clear.

Let something good happen in your kitchen.

Blended Ice Coffee
Serves 2
(An Original Recipe)


4 oz espresso (Jus Juiced in Revelstoke makes the best espresso!)
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee, warm
1/4 cup whip cream
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 Jersey Milk squares or chocolate syrup to taste - about 2 tbsp
4 ice cubes

Directions:
1. Make your espresso cubes. Add 4oz of water to the espresso and pour into an ice cube tray. Freeze until solid.
2. Pour coffee into blender. Add Jersey Milk squares or chocolate syrup. The heat from the coffee should melt the chocolate.
3. Add whip cream, brown sugar, espresso cubes and ice cubes.
4. Blend until smooth.

Iced Summer Berry Tea

So it's a thousand degrees out and you are thirsty. 

VERY THRISTY.

Juice just isn't gonna make the cut.  It's too sweet and somehow not wet enough.

Soda or a slurpee will definitely not do (no, they won't, John).

Water is really much to blasé for this kind of thirst.

What are you going to do?

May I make a suggestion?

 Throw a couple of Tetley's summer berry tea bags in a tea pot with boiling water and let it steep for about 10mins. (More if you have the time)

Add lots of ice, stir and drink,

and drink

and keep drinking.

And when you're done make some more and put it in the fridge so you have it for the next time the thermostat hits one thousand degrees.

You'll really need it.

If you want to fancy it up add 7up or Sprite or lemonade or 7up, Sprite and lemonade. 

You won't regret it.

It's delicious.

Now that's what I call crisp and refreshing.

There's Mommy's little helper :)

If you can find one of these to help, they sure make the heat a little more bearable.