Tag: recipe

National Iced Tea Day

Today, June 10th is National Iced Tea Day. Enjoying a tall glass of iced tea on a summer day is a great way to quench your thirst. Cold, plain tea by itself is a perfectly fine beverage. But if you want to try something new, adding different flavors may be a surprising twist to an old classic.

Ways to Enhance Your Iced Tea

Experimenting with diverse flavoring is the best way to find a perfect match for you. Do not be afraid to try something new. Who knows, you may find the best combination to serve at your next family gathering.

Mint

Adding fresh mint from your garden provides a refreshing taste to your iced tea. Simply wash, chop leaves to the desired size, and add to your tea. Or chop mint leaves into smaller pieces and freeze in your ice cubes. Later add the frozen cubes to your tea.

Berries

Experiment by adding different fruits to your iced tea. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and other types of berries are a wonderful addition to your beverage. By experimenting you are able to find the perfect one to quench your taste buds.

Citrus

Along with berries, lemons, oranges, and grapefruit are another perfect addition to your iced tea. Simple wash and cut the citrus into slices to add to your tea.

Sweet

Of course, along with the healthier alternatives to add to your iced tea, you may add a sweetener. Many individuals prefer a sweet tea as an extra pick me up on a warm summer day.

So are you ready to add something new to your iced tea? Or are you happy drinking the tea without any new additions? Honestly, the choice is completely up to you. Just take the time to relax and enjoy an ice cold glass of tea on hot summer’s day.

 

 

 

National Indian Pudding Day

Today, November 13, 2017,* is National Indian Pudding Day. Is your reaction the same as mine? What exactly is Indian Pudding? Or perhaps, you have heard of the old fashion recipe.  For myself, when I first read this, I had no clue what to expect from the recipe or even how to create the dessert.

So, like most things, I had to start with some research. The recipe is actually well known in the New England area. The history of the tasty dish goes back to the early 17th century. The dessert was mainly served during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Prior to making the new dessert, I searched for different recipes. For the people who know me well, they are fully aware I am not the best baker. I basically do not have the patience to bake. For the most part, I do know how to bake and cook. But my skills are not top notch in the kitchen department. We all weaknesses. Admittedly, I do enjoy canning and making homemade jam.

After reading the recipe, I knew I was in over my head. I never even heard of the term “temper the egg” before reading the instructions. So, I did what I normally do when I cannot understand a recipe: I called my mother. Of course, she came over to help me. (By the way tempering an egg means slowly adding the hot liquid to the egg mixture to bring the two different temperatures together).

Most of the recipes called for cornmeal, molasses, sugar, milk, and spices. So, my mom and I picked the one, we thought would be the simplest to try for the first time. The recipe was an older one, but the sugar amount was reduced. I did not want or need a lot of sugar in my dish.

The main ingredients for Indian Pudding plus flour and sugar.

The ingredients start by cooking on the stove top.

The mixture coming together.

The next step requires baking. As the Indian Pudding begins to bake, the wonderful smell filled the house.

Baking in the oven.

The final product was finished. I will admit the look of the pudding was not what I had expected.

The finished product straight out of the oven.

 

The wonderful smell matched the deliciousness of the Indian Pudding. The recipe suggests topping with vanilla ice cream or heavy whipped cream. Well, I used the store bought-brand but the final product was still “yummy” good. I am glad I was able to try something new. As an extra bonus, my mom was able to help share this blogging experience.

*Note: This blog was originally written on November 13, 2015, for my other site.