If you're looking for a few new Drinks, today's post is for you. Check out the Orange Julius, the London Fog, and the rest of today's yummy drink recipes. Do I have your attention yet? Enjoy!
WHIPPED COFFEE
This recipe is from Vaughn Vreeland in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Vaughn wrote, "This Instagram-famous drink, known as whipped coffee or dalgona coffee, is made by whipping instant coffee with sugar and water, resulting in a butterscotch-hued foam that’s spooned over milk. While it seems like a trend, many have been making whipped coffee for years. In India and Pakistan, whipped coffee has long been a popular home brew, known as phenti hui. In Greece, the frappé is dalgona’s older, frothier sibling. And, more generally, there are versions that are shaken with egg whites and served with condensed milk."
Yield: 1 drink
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021005-whipped-coffee. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons granulated instant coffee (regular or decaffeinated)
1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons hot water
Ice, as needed
Milk, as needed
Preparation
Combine granulated instant coffee, sugar and hot water in a medium bowl.
Whip by hand using a whisk or with a mixer until the mixture turns from foamy to frothy to creamy.
Spoon the fluffy mixture over milk in a glass filled with ice. (You could also spoon it over warm milk for a hot drink.) Gently combine and serve.
LONDON FOG
This is from Yolanda Gutierrez at AllRecipes. For this yummy (and interesting) recipe, Yolanda wrote, "London fog is a creamy, frothy Earl Grey tea latte with a hint of vanilla. Sprinkle lavender over the top, if you like."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 1
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/london-fog-recipe-11729062.
Ingredients
3/4 cup water
1 Earl Grey teabag
3/4 cup milk
3/4 tablespoon vanilla syrup, such as Torani®
1 teaspoon lavender (optional)
Directions
Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add tea bag; steep for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat milk in a microwave-safe cup until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla syrup. Froth milk with a frother or immersion blender until milk is foamy.
Pour tea into a cup; carefully pour foamy milk over the top. Sprinkle lavender over foam.
Cook’s Note
I froth milk 1/4 cup at a time, pouring over tea 3 times.
PEACH TEA
This is from Vallery Lomas at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Vallery wrote, "Sweetened with peaches, freshly puréed or from store-bought juice, this beverage tastes extra refreshing in warm weather. The fruit complements strongly brewed tea, and a little lemon juice further accentuates the peach flavor and helps balance the natural sweetness, which you can bolster with sugar if you’d like."
Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: About 6 cups
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022399-peach-tea. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
8 black tea bags, preferably Lipton
2 pounds ripe peaches (6 to 8), peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped, or 2 cups peach juice (see Tip)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
1 cup ice, plus more for serving
Granulated sugar, if needed
Fresh peach slices, for serving
Preparation
In a tea kettle or medium saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
While the tea steeps, purée the peaches, if using fresh fruit. Pulse in a food processor or blender until very smooth. You should have 2 cups.
Gently squeeze the concentrated tea from the bags and discard the bags. If using puréed peaches, pour the tea into the blender, add the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher. If using peach juice, transfer the tea to a pitcher, and stir in the peach juice and lemon juice.
Add the ice to the pitcher, then taste. If it’s too sweet, add more lemon juice, a couple of teaspoons at a time. If it isn’t sweet enough, stir in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dissolved. Refrigerate until the tea is chilled throughout. Serve in a large glass filled with ice and garnished with peach slices.
Tip
Be sure to use peach juice that is 100 percent juice and has no added sugar, such as Ceres brand.
CHAI LATTE
This is from Meghan Splawn in thekitchn. For this yumminess, Meghan wrote, "I fell in love with the idea of chai through the cartons of this drink mix from the grocery store. The milky sweetness partnered with the astringent black tea drew me in, but the warm spices that lingered between sips kept me drinking. It wasn’t long before the sweetness of those chai drink mixes became too much for me and I started experimenting with chai lattes at home.
"This chai latte gives you complete control over your chai latte experience, from the tea and the spices, to the sweetener and type of milk. All you need is to brew, steep, sweeten your tea, and then froth your milk. The result is a creamy cup of black tea subtly spiced and fragrant with cinnamon, black peppercorns, and ginger, and just the right amount of sweetness, so near perfect that you’ll skip the coffee shop chai (or the carton) and come home to make a pot of this at tea time."
Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-chai-tea-latte-242520. There's also a lot of info for making the chai latte as good as it gets.
Ingredients
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods, cracked
4 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea, or 6 black tea bags
1/2 cup sweetener, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup (optional)
3 cups cold whole milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk
Equipment
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Pitcher or teapot
Instructions
Toast the spices. Place the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
Brew the tea. Add the water and ginger and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Steep the tea. Remove from the heat and add the loose-leaf tea or tea bags. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Sweeten the tea. While the tea is still warm, add the sweetener and stir until combined or dissolved.
Strain the tea. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or teapot. Discard the spices and tea leaves. Store in the refrigerator for future use, or keep it warm while you froth the milk.
Froth the milk. For whole milk, froth the milk by shaking it in a jar or by whisking it vigorously over medium-high heat. For non-dairy milks, use an immersion blender to froth before heating.
Heat the milk. Heat the frothed milk in a small saucepan over low heat until warm.
Serve. Pour 3/4 cup of the warm tea base into each mug. Add 1/2 cup of warmed milk and stir to combine. Top with a heaping spoonful of milk froth.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The tea base can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Gently reheat before frothing the milk.
HIBISCUS PUNCH
This is from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this wonderful (and colorful) drink, David wrote, "This bright beverage, inspired by Caribbean sorrel drink and Mexican agua de Jamaica, is made by steeping hibiscus flowers to extract flavor — and color. It is then lightly sweetened and served chilled, like iced tea. Add cinnamon, ginger and allspice if you wish. It makes a great ruby-colored cocktail mixer as well."
Time: 40 minutes, plus chilling; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "Six Easy Recipes for the Ultimate Picnic Spread", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023213-hibiscus-punch.
Ingredients
2 cups dried hibiscus (see Tip)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 (2-inch) chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon allspice berries (optional)
1/2 cup agave syrup or granulated sugar, or to taste
Ice
Lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a medium stainless-steel pot.
Add hibiscus flowers, and cinnamon, ginger and allspice berries, if using. Turn off heat and steep for at least 30 minutes.
Strain mixture into a pitcher or bowl and cool to room temperature. Sweeten to taste. Serve chilled over ice, with lime wedges.
Tip
You can use whole hibiscus flowers or pieces, but if using pieces, steep for less time, tasting as you go, until it is your desired strength. If you wish, you can also dilute the drink with water to taste.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1-1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
Showing posts with label Orange Julius. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Orange Julius. Show all posts
Thursday, September 3, 2026
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Drinks
There are times when trying new Drinks are a good idea. Who doesn't get tired of the same-old-same-old?
To that end, here are six drink recipes to help you through the day, including Homemade Ginger Tea and a Chocolate-Espresso Smoothie. Enjoy!
PEACH TEA
This is from Vallery Lomas at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Vallery wrote, "Sweetened with peaches, freshly puréed or from store-bought juice, this beverage tastes extra refreshing in warm weather. The fruit complements strongly brewed tea, and a little lemon juice further accentuates the peach flavor and helps balance the natural sweetness, which you can bolster with sugar if you’d like."
Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: About 6 cups
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022399-peach-tea. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
8 black tea bags, preferably Lipton
2 pounds ripe peaches (6 to 8), peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped, or 2 cups peach juice (see Tip)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
1 cup ice, plus more for serving
Granulated sugar, if needed
Fresh peach slices, for serving
Preparation
In a tea kettle or medium saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
While the tea steeps, purée the peaches, if using fresh fruit. Pulse in a food processor or blender until very smooth. You should have 2 cups.
Gently squeeze the concentrated tea from the bags and discard the bags. If using puréed peaches, pour the tea into the blender, add the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher. If using peach juice, transfer the tea to a pitcher, and stir in the peach juice and lemon juice.
Add the ice to the pitcher, then taste. If it’s too sweet, add more lemon juice, a couple of teaspoons at a time. If it isn’t sweet enough, stir in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dissolved. Refrigerate until the tea is chilled throughout. Serve in a large glass filled with ice and garnished with peach slices.
Tip
Be sure to use peach juice that is 100 percent juice and has no added sugar, such as Ceres brand.
CHAI LATTE
This is from Meghan Splawn in thekitchn. For this yumminess, Meghan wrote, "I fell in love with the idea of chai through the cartons of this drink mix from the grocery store. The milky sweetness partnered with the astringent black tea drew me in, but the warm spices that lingered between sips kept me drinking. It wasn’t long before the sweetness of those chai drink mixes became too much for me and I started experimenting with chai lattes at home.
"This chai latte gives you complete control over your chai latte experience, from the tea and the spices, to the sweetener and type of milk. All you need is to brew, steep, sweeten your tea, and then froth your milk. The result is a creamy cup of black tea subtly spiced and fragrant with cinnamon, black peppercorns, and ginger, and just the right amount of sweetness, so near perfect that you’ll skip the coffee shop chai (or the carton) and come home to make a pot of this at tea time."
Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-chai-tea-latte-242520. There's also a lot of info for making the chai latte as good as it gets.
Ingredients
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods, cracked
4 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea, or 6 black tea bags
1/2 cup sweetener, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup (optional)
3 cups cold whole milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk
Equipment
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Pitcher or teapot
Instructions
Toast the spices. Place the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
Brew the tea. Add the water and ginger and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Steep the tea. Remove from the heat and add the loose-leaf tea or tea bags. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Sweeten the tea. While the tea is still warm, add the sweetener and stir until combined or dissolved.
Strain the tea. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or teapot. Discard the spices and tea leaves. Store in the refrigerator for future use, or keep it warm while you froth the milk.
Froth the milk. For whole milk, froth the milk by shaking it in a jar or by whisking it vigorously over medium-high heat. For non-dairy milks, use an immersion blender to froth before heating.
Heat the milk. Heat the frothed milk in a small saucepan over low heat until warm.
Serve. Pour 3/4 cup of the warm tea base into each mug. Add 1/2 cup of warmed milk and stir to combine. Top with a heaping spoonful of milk froth.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The tea base can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Gently reheat before frothing the milk.
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
”Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals - It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO SMOOTHIE
This is from the February 2007 issue of Runner’s World.
Ingredients
8 ounces chocolate yogurt, such as Brown Cow “Cream Top”
1 large banana (browned & frozen)*
2 shots espresso, chilled
2 C ice (about 14 ice cubes)
1 dozen chocolate-covered espresso beans
Directions
Place half of the yogurt plus all the remaining ingredients in blender & puree until smooth. Add remaining yogurt & pulse until smooth. (If you add full container of yogurt at beginning, mixture is too thick to blend easily.)
For a thicker smoothie, blend in up to a cup more ice. Serves two.
Note:* Any ripe banana will work, but a browned & frozen banana lends better flavor & texture.
With Brown Cow: calories: 230; fat: 7 g; carbs: 39 g; protein: 7 g.
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
This, as well as other yummy recipes, can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4 – 5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
To that end, here are six drink recipes to help you through the day, including Homemade Ginger Tea and a Chocolate-Espresso Smoothie. Enjoy!
PEACH TEA
This is from Vallery Lomas at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Vallery wrote, "Sweetened with peaches, freshly puréed or from store-bought juice, this beverage tastes extra refreshing in warm weather. The fruit complements strongly brewed tea, and a little lemon juice further accentuates the peach flavor and helps balance the natural sweetness, which you can bolster with sugar if you’d like."
Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: About 6 cups
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022399-peach-tea. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
8 black tea bags, preferably Lipton
2 pounds ripe peaches (6 to 8), peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped, or 2 cups peach juice (see Tip)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
1 cup ice, plus more for serving
Granulated sugar, if needed
Fresh peach slices, for serving
Preparation
In a tea kettle or medium saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
While the tea steeps, purée the peaches, if using fresh fruit. Pulse in a food processor or blender until very smooth. You should have 2 cups.
Gently squeeze the concentrated tea from the bags and discard the bags. If using puréed peaches, pour the tea into the blender, add the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher. If using peach juice, transfer the tea to a pitcher, and stir in the peach juice and lemon juice.
Add the ice to the pitcher, then taste. If it’s too sweet, add more lemon juice, a couple of teaspoons at a time. If it isn’t sweet enough, stir in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dissolved. Refrigerate until the tea is chilled throughout. Serve in a large glass filled with ice and garnished with peach slices.
Tip
Be sure to use peach juice that is 100 percent juice and has no added sugar, such as Ceres brand.
CHAI LATTE
This is from Meghan Splawn in thekitchn. For this yumminess, Meghan wrote, "I fell in love with the idea of chai through the cartons of this drink mix from the grocery store. The milky sweetness partnered with the astringent black tea drew me in, but the warm spices that lingered between sips kept me drinking. It wasn’t long before the sweetness of those chai drink mixes became too much for me and I started experimenting with chai lattes at home.
"This chai latte gives you complete control over your chai latte experience, from the tea and the spices, to the sweetener and type of milk. All you need is to brew, steep, sweeten your tea, and then froth your milk. The result is a creamy cup of black tea subtly spiced and fragrant with cinnamon, black peppercorns, and ginger, and just the right amount of sweetness, so near perfect that you’ll skip the coffee shop chai (or the carton) and come home to make a pot of this at tea time."
Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-chai-tea-latte-242520. There's also a lot of info for making the chai latte as good as it gets.
Ingredients
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods, cracked
4 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea, or 6 black tea bags
1/2 cup sweetener, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup (optional)
3 cups cold whole milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk
Equipment
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Pitcher or teapot
Instructions
Toast the spices. Place the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
Brew the tea. Add the water and ginger and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Steep the tea. Remove from the heat and add the loose-leaf tea or tea bags. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Sweeten the tea. While the tea is still warm, add the sweetener and stir until combined or dissolved.
Strain the tea. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or teapot. Discard the spices and tea leaves. Store in the refrigerator for future use, or keep it warm while you froth the milk.
Froth the milk. For whole milk, froth the milk by shaking it in a jar or by whisking it vigorously over medium-high heat. For non-dairy milks, use an immersion blender to froth before heating.
Heat the milk. Heat the frothed milk in a small saucepan over low heat until warm.
Serve. Pour 3/4 cup of the warm tea base into each mug. Add 1/2 cup of warmed milk and stir to combine. Top with a heaping spoonful of milk froth.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The tea base can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Gently reheat before frothing the milk.
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
”Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals - It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
CHOCOLATE-ESPRESSO SMOOTHIE
This is from the February 2007 issue of Runner’s World.
Ingredients
8 ounces chocolate yogurt, such as Brown Cow “Cream Top”
1 large banana (browned & frozen)*
2 shots espresso, chilled
2 C ice (about 14 ice cubes)
1 dozen chocolate-covered espresso beans
Directions
Place half of the yogurt plus all the remaining ingredients in blender & puree until smooth. Add remaining yogurt & pulse until smooth. (If you add full container of yogurt at beginning, mixture is too thick to blend easily.)
For a thicker smoothie, blend in up to a cup more ice. Serves two.
Note:* Any ripe banana will work, but a browned & frozen banana lends better flavor & texture.
With Brown Cow: calories: 230; fat: 7 g; carbs: 39 g; protein: 7 g.
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
This, as well as other yummy recipes, can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4 – 5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Drinks
While we all need to eat, we also need Drinks. Here are six yummy drink recipes to help you through the day, including an Orange Julius and Watermelon Ginger Beer. Enjoy!
LONDON FOG
This is from Yolanda Gutierrez at AllRecipes. For this yummy (and interesting) recipe, Yolanda wrote, "London fog is a creamy, frothy Earl Grey tea latte with a hint of vanilla. Sprinkle lavender over the top, if you like."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 1
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/london-fog-recipe-11729062.
Ingredients
3/4 cup water
1 Earl Grey teabag
3/4 cup milk
3/4 tablespoon vanilla syrup, such as Torani®
1 teaspoon lavender (optional)
Directions
Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add tea bag; steep for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat milk in a microwave-safe cup until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla syrup. Froth milk with a frother or immersion blender until milk is foamy.
Pour tea into a cup; carefully pour foamy milk over the top. Sprinkle lavender over foam.
Cook’s Note
I froth milk 1/4 cup at a time, pouring over tea 3 times.
PEACH TEA
This is from Vallery Lomas at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Vallery wrote, "Sweetened with peaches, freshly puréed or from store-bought juice, this beverage tastes extra refreshing in warm weather. The fruit complements strongly brewed tea, and a little lemon juice further accentuates the peach flavor and helps balance the natural sweetness, which you can bolster with sugar if you’d like."
Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: About 6 cups
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022399-peach-tea. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
8 black tea bags, preferably Lipton
2 pounds ripe peaches (6 to 8), peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped, or 2 cups peach juice (see Tip)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
1 cup ice, plus more for serving
Granulated sugar, if needed
Fresh peach slices, for serving
Preparation
In a tea kettle or medium saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
While the tea steeps, purée the peaches, if using fresh fruit. Pulse in a food processor or blender until very smooth. You should have 2 cups.
Gently squeeze the concentrated tea from the bags and discard the bags. If using puréed peaches, pour the tea into the blender, add the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher. If using peach juice, transfer the tea to a pitcher, and stir in the peach juice and lemon juice.
Add the ice to the pitcher, then taste. If it’s too sweet, add more lemon juice, a couple of teaspoons at a time. If it isn’t sweet enough, stir in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dissolved. Refrigerate until the tea is chilled throughout. Serve in a large glass filled with ice and garnished with peach slices.
Tip
Be sure to use peach juice that is 100 percent juice and has no added sugar, such as Ceres brand.
PUMPKIN CREAM COLD FOAM
This is from Diana Moutsopoulos at AllRecipes, and begins, "Wondering how to make pumpkin cold foam at home? Pumpkin cream cold foam is a fall favorite at Starbucks, but it's so easy to make this copycat version in your own kitchen with a handful of simple ingredients!"
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Servings: 1
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/pumpkin-cream-cold-foam-recipe-11803001.
Ingredients
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
1 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more for dusting
Directions
Place heavy cream, milk, vanilla syrup, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice in a small measuring cup or jug. Using a handheld milk frother, froth until thick and creamy, about 1 minute.
Pour desired amount of Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam over your iced drink of choice. Dust with additional pumpkin pie spice. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tip
If you don't have a handheld frother, you can use a blender, immersion blender, or mini food processor, but results can vary. If you want to make cold foam often at home, it's worth investing in a handheld frother for the best results.
WATERMELON GINGER BEER
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "The recipe for this batch drink, from Nicole Taylor’s book, “Watermelon and Red Birds,” includes the juice from a red-fleshed watermelon, ideally from one with seeds. (They can be hard to find; seedless melons work too.) If you own a juicer, proceed with the seeds and all and don’t worry about straining. Watermelon is over 90 percent water and is a nutrient-dense food. This drink can serve as an everyday accompaniment at breakfast, lunch, dinner or with a snack."
Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 drinks
This was featured in "Building a Juneteenth Menu for the 21st Century, One Recipe at a Time," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023219-watermelon-ginger-beer.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons fresh fennel fronds (optional)
Filtered water
6 cups (1-inch) cubed red watermelon (from about 3 pounds watermelon)
2 cups ginger beer, homemade or store-bought (see Tip)
Preparation
Divide the fennel fronds, if using, between two ice cube trays. Fill with filtered water and freeze until solid, 4 to 8 hours.
Meanwhile, place the watermelon in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor using a rubber spatula and blend again.
Place a fine metal sieve over a large bowl and strain the pureed watermelon through the sieve. (This should yield 2 to 3 cups of juice). Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve; it will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To serve, fill four highball glasses or rocks glasses with the ice cubes. Stir the watermelon juice and add 1/2 cup to each glass. Top off with 1/2 cup ginger beer.
Tip
Unlike ginger ale, ginger beer is fermented. It’s nonalcoholic and has a spicy kick and tends to have more flavor than the soft drink. If buying ginger beer from the store, try finding the options from Barritt’s or Bruce Cost.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
SLOW-COOKER PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
This comes from The Food Network, and starts off, “Made and served in the same pot, our slow-cooker cocoa is thickened and enriched with dark chocolate. Set up an add-ons bar beside the cooker (mini marshmallows, crushed candies and peppermint schnapps take cocoa to a whole new holiday level), then stick a ladle in the pot and let guests help themselves.” The recipe's last ingredient is peppermint schnapps, which is optional. I don't use it, and, if this is being served to children and/or people who normally don't drink – or if you're not sure – don't use it. I find that it really doesn't need it. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 5 min; Cook: 2 hr; Yield: 14 cups; Level: Easy
To read more, go to: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-peppermint-hot-chocolate.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
12 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
24 peppermint candies, crushed (about 1 cup), for serving
3 cups mini marshmallows, for serving
2 cups peppermint schnapps, optional, for serving
Directions
Whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a 6-quart slow cooker. Turn the cooker to high, and slowly whisk in the milk to prevent lumps from forming. Add the vanilla and salt, cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours. The sugar and cocoa powder should be completely dissolved.
Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Replace the lid, and cook until thickened, 30 minutes more.
Turn the cooker to warm, and serve with small bowls of the peppermint candies and mini marshmallows and a small pitcher of schnapps, if using. For minty cocoa, let a few teaspoons of the peppermints melt in an 8-ounce cup or add 2 tablespoons of schnapps.
LONDON FOG
This is from Yolanda Gutierrez at AllRecipes. For this yummy (and interesting) recipe, Yolanda wrote, "London fog is a creamy, frothy Earl Grey tea latte with a hint of vanilla. Sprinkle lavender over the top, if you like."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 1
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/london-fog-recipe-11729062.
Ingredients
3/4 cup water
1 Earl Grey teabag
3/4 cup milk
3/4 tablespoon vanilla syrup, such as Torani®
1 teaspoon lavender (optional)
Directions
Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add tea bag; steep for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat milk in a microwave-safe cup until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Add vanilla syrup. Froth milk with a frother or immersion blender until milk is foamy.
Pour tea into a cup; carefully pour foamy milk over the top. Sprinkle lavender over foam.
Cook’s Note
I froth milk 1/4 cup at a time, pouring over tea 3 times.
PEACH TEA
This is from Vallery Lomas at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Vallery wrote, "Sweetened with peaches, freshly puréed or from store-bought juice, this beverage tastes extra refreshing in warm weather. The fruit complements strongly brewed tea, and a little lemon juice further accentuates the peach flavor and helps balance the natural sweetness, which you can bolster with sugar if you’d like."
Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: About 6 cups
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022399-peach-tea. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
8 black tea bags, preferably Lipton
2 pounds ripe peaches (6 to 8), peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped, or 2 cups peach juice (see Tip)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
1 cup ice, plus more for serving
Granulated sugar, if needed
Fresh peach slices, for serving
Preparation
In a tea kettle or medium saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes.
While the tea steeps, purée the peaches, if using fresh fruit. Pulse in a food processor or blender until very smooth. You should have 2 cups.
Gently squeeze the concentrated tea from the bags and discard the bags. If using puréed peaches, pour the tea into the blender, add the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Transfer to a pitcher. If using peach juice, transfer the tea to a pitcher, and stir in the peach juice and lemon juice.
Add the ice to the pitcher, then taste. If it’s too sweet, add more lemon juice, a couple of teaspoons at a time. If it isn’t sweet enough, stir in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dissolved. Refrigerate until the tea is chilled throughout. Serve in a large glass filled with ice and garnished with peach slices.
Tip
Be sure to use peach juice that is 100 percent juice and has no added sugar, such as Ceres brand.
PUMPKIN CREAM COLD FOAM
This is from Diana Moutsopoulos at AllRecipes, and begins, "Wondering how to make pumpkin cold foam at home? Pumpkin cream cold foam is a fall favorite at Starbucks, but it's so easy to make this copycat version in your own kitchen with a handful of simple ingredients!"
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Servings: 1
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/pumpkin-cream-cold-foam-recipe-11803001.
Ingredients
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons vanilla syrup
1 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more for dusting
Directions
Place heavy cream, milk, vanilla syrup, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice in a small measuring cup or jug. Using a handheld milk frother, froth until thick and creamy, about 1 minute.
Pour desired amount of Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam over your iced drink of choice. Dust with additional pumpkin pie spice. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tip
If you don't have a handheld frother, you can use a blender, immersion blender, or mini food processor, but results can vary. If you want to make cold foam often at home, it's worth investing in a handheld frother for the best results.
WATERMELON GINGER BEER
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "The recipe for this batch drink, from Nicole Taylor’s book, “Watermelon and Red Birds,” includes the juice from a red-fleshed watermelon, ideally from one with seeds. (They can be hard to find; seedless melons work too.) If you own a juicer, proceed with the seeds and all and don’t worry about straining. Watermelon is over 90 percent water and is a nutrient-dense food. This drink can serve as an everyday accompaniment at breakfast, lunch, dinner or with a snack."
Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 drinks
This was featured in "Building a Juneteenth Menu for the 21st Century, One Recipe at a Time," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023219-watermelon-ginger-beer.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons fresh fennel fronds (optional)
Filtered water
6 cups (1-inch) cubed red watermelon (from about 3 pounds watermelon)
2 cups ginger beer, homemade or store-bought (see Tip)
Preparation
Divide the fennel fronds, if using, between two ice cube trays. Fill with filtered water and freeze until solid, 4 to 8 hours.
Meanwhile, place the watermelon in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor using a rubber spatula and blend again.
Place a fine metal sieve over a large bowl and strain the pureed watermelon through the sieve. (This should yield 2 to 3 cups of juice). Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve; it will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To serve, fill four highball glasses or rocks glasses with the ice cubes. Stir the watermelon juice and add 1/2 cup to each glass. Top off with 1/2 cup ginger beer.
Tip
Unlike ginger ale, ginger beer is fermented. It’s nonalcoholic and has a spicy kick and tends to have more flavor than the soft drink. If buying ginger beer from the store, try finding the options from Barritt’s or Bruce Cost.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
SLOW-COOKER PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
This comes from The Food Network, and starts off, “Made and served in the same pot, our slow-cooker cocoa is thickened and enriched with dark chocolate. Set up an add-ons bar beside the cooker (mini marshmallows, crushed candies and peppermint schnapps take cocoa to a whole new holiday level), then stick a ladle in the pot and let guests help themselves.” The recipe's last ingredient is peppermint schnapps, which is optional. I don't use it, and, if this is being served to children and/or people who normally don't drink – or if you're not sure – don't use it. I find that it really doesn't need it. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 5 min; Cook: 2 hr; Yield: 14 cups; Level: Easy
To read more, go to: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-peppermint-hot-chocolate.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
12 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
24 peppermint candies, crushed (about 1 cup), for serving
3 cups mini marshmallows, for serving
2 cups peppermint schnapps, optional, for serving
Directions
Whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a 6-quart slow cooker. Turn the cooker to high, and slowly whisk in the milk to prevent lumps from forming. Add the vanilla and salt, cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours. The sugar and cocoa powder should be completely dissolved.
Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Replace the lid, and cook until thickened, 30 minutes more.
Turn the cooker to warm, and serve with small bowls of the peppermint candies and mini marshmallows and a small pitcher of schnapps, if using. For minty cocoa, let a few teaspoons of the peppermints melt in an 8-ounce cup or add 2 tablespoons of schnapps.
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Drinks
While most of us have the same things we like to drink, whether coffee, tea, soda, water, milk, whatever, there are other Drinks we can fix. To that end, here are six drink recipes to help you through the day, including Chai Latte, Homemade Ginger Tea, and an Orange Julius. Enjoy!
CAFE DE OLLA
The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
4 allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)
2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, optional
Directions
Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.
Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
"Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals – It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1-1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
SLOW-COOKER PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
This comes from The Food Network, and starts off, “Made and served in the same pot, our slow-cooker cocoa is thickened and enriched with dark chocolate. Set up an add-ons bar beside the cooker (mini marshmallows, crushed candies and peppermint schnapps take cocoa to a whole new holiday level), then stick a ladle in the pot and let guests help themselves.” The recipe's last ingredient is peppermint schnapps, which is optional. I don't use it, and, if this is being served to children and/or people who normally don't drink – or if you're not sure – don't use it. I find that it really doesn't need it. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 5 min; Cook: 2 hr; Yield: 14 cups; Level: Easy
To read more, go to: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-peppermint-hot-chocolate.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
12 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
24 peppermint candies, crushed (about 1 cup), for serving
3 cups mini marshmallows, for serving
2 cups peppermint schnapps, optional, for serving
Directions
Whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a 6-quart slow cooker. Turn the cooker to high, and slowly whisk in the milk to prevent lumps from forming. Add the vanilla and salt, cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours. The sugar and cocoa powder should be completely dissolved.
Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Replace the lid, and cook until thickened, 30 minutes more.
Turn the cooker to warm, and serve with small bowls of the peppermint candies and mini marshmallows and a small pitcher of schnapps, if using. For minty cocoa, let a few teaspoons of the peppermints melt in an 8-ounce cup or add 2 tablespoons of schnapps.
HIBISCUS PUNCH
This is from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this wonderful (and colorful) drink, David wrote, "This bright beverage, inspired by Caribbean sorrel drink and Mexican agua de Jamaica, is made by steeping hibiscus flowers to extract flavor — and color. It is then lightly sweetened and served chilled, like iced tea. Add cinnamon, ginger and allspice if you wish. It makes a great ruby-colored cocktail mixer as well."
Time: 40 minutes, plus chilling; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "Six Easy Recipes for the Ultimate Picnic Spread", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023213-hibiscus-punch.
Ingredients
2 cups dried hibiscus (see Tip)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 (2-inch) chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon allspice berries (optional)
1/2 cup agave syrup or granulated sugar, or to taste
Ice
Lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a medium stainless-steel pot.
Add hibiscus flowers, and cinnamon, ginger and allspice berries, if using. Turn off heat and steep for at least 30 minutes.
Strain mixture into a pitcher or bowl and cool to room temperature. Sweeten to taste. Serve chilled over ice, with lime wedges.
Tip
You can use whole hibiscus flowers or pieces, but if using pieces, steep for less time, tasting as you go, until it is your desired strength. If you wish, you can also dilute the drink with water to taste.
CHAI LATTE
This is from Meghan Splawn in thekitchn. For this yumminess, Meghan wrote, "I fell in love with the idea of chai through the cartons of this drink mix from the grocery store. The milky sweetness partnered with the astringent black tea drew me in, but the warm spices that lingered between sips kept me drinking. It wasn’t long before the sweetness of those chai drink mixes became too much for me and I started experimenting with chai lattes at home.
"This chai latte gives you complete control over your chai latte experience, from the tea and the spices, to the sweetener and type of milk. All you need is to brew, steep, sweeten your tea, and then froth your milk. The result is a creamy cup of black tea subtly spiced and fragrant with cinnamon, black peppercorns, and ginger, and just the right amount of sweetness, so near perfect that you’ll skip the coffee shop chai (or the carton) and come home to make a pot of this at tea time."
Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-chai-tea-latte-242520. There's also a lot of info for making the chai latte as good as it gets.
Ingredients
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods, cracked
4 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea, or 6 black tea bags
1/2 cup sweetener, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup (optional)
3 cups cold whole milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk
Equipment
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Pitcher or teapot
Instructions
Toast the spices. Place the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
Brew the tea. Add the water and ginger and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Steep the tea. Remove from the heat and add the loose-leaf tea or tea bags. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Sweeten the tea. While the tea is still warm, add the sweetener and stir until combined or dissolved.
Strain the tea. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or teapot. Discard the spices and tea leaves. Store in the refrigerator for future use, or keep it warm while you froth the milk.
Froth the milk. For whole milk, froth the milk by shaking it in a jar or by whisking it vigorously over medium-high heat. For non-dairy milks, use an immersion blender to froth before heating.
Heat the milk. Heat the frothed milk in a small saucepan over low heat until warm.
Serve. Pour 3/4 cup of the warm tea base into each mug. Add 1/2 cup of warmed milk and stir to combine. Top with a heaping spoonful of milk froth.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The tea base can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Gently reheat before frothing the milk.
CAFE DE OLLA
The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
4 allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)
2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, optional
Directions
Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.
Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
"Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals – It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1-1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
SLOW-COOKER PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
This comes from The Food Network, and starts off, “Made and served in the same pot, our slow-cooker cocoa is thickened and enriched with dark chocolate. Set up an add-ons bar beside the cooker (mini marshmallows, crushed candies and peppermint schnapps take cocoa to a whole new holiday level), then stick a ladle in the pot and let guests help themselves.” The recipe's last ingredient is peppermint schnapps, which is optional. I don't use it, and, if this is being served to children and/or people who normally don't drink – or if you're not sure – don't use it. I find that it really doesn't need it. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 5 min; Cook: 2 hr; Yield: 14 cups; Level: Easy
To read more, go to: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-peppermint-hot-chocolate.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
12 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
24 peppermint candies, crushed (about 1 cup), for serving
3 cups mini marshmallows, for serving
2 cups peppermint schnapps, optional, for serving
Directions
Whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a 6-quart slow cooker. Turn the cooker to high, and slowly whisk in the milk to prevent lumps from forming. Add the vanilla and salt, cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours. The sugar and cocoa powder should be completely dissolved.
Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Replace the lid, and cook until thickened, 30 minutes more.
Turn the cooker to warm, and serve with small bowls of the peppermint candies and mini marshmallows and a small pitcher of schnapps, if using. For minty cocoa, let a few teaspoons of the peppermints melt in an 8-ounce cup or add 2 tablespoons of schnapps.
HIBISCUS PUNCH
This is from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this wonderful (and colorful) drink, David wrote, "This bright beverage, inspired by Caribbean sorrel drink and Mexican agua de Jamaica, is made by steeping hibiscus flowers to extract flavor — and color. It is then lightly sweetened and served chilled, like iced tea. Add cinnamon, ginger and allspice if you wish. It makes a great ruby-colored cocktail mixer as well."
Time: 40 minutes, plus chilling; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "Six Easy Recipes for the Ultimate Picnic Spread", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023213-hibiscus-punch.
Ingredients
2 cups dried hibiscus (see Tip)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 (2-inch) chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon allspice berries (optional)
1/2 cup agave syrup or granulated sugar, or to taste
Ice
Lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a medium stainless-steel pot.
Add hibiscus flowers, and cinnamon, ginger and allspice berries, if using. Turn off heat and steep for at least 30 minutes.
Strain mixture into a pitcher or bowl and cool to room temperature. Sweeten to taste. Serve chilled over ice, with lime wedges.
Tip
You can use whole hibiscus flowers or pieces, but if using pieces, steep for less time, tasting as you go, until it is your desired strength. If you wish, you can also dilute the drink with water to taste.
CHAI LATTE
This is from Meghan Splawn in thekitchn. For this yumminess, Meghan wrote, "I fell in love with the idea of chai through the cartons of this drink mix from the grocery store. The milky sweetness partnered with the astringent black tea drew me in, but the warm spices that lingered between sips kept me drinking. It wasn’t long before the sweetness of those chai drink mixes became too much for me and I started experimenting with chai lattes at home.
"This chai latte gives you complete control over your chai latte experience, from the tea and the spices, to the sweetener and type of milk. All you need is to brew, steep, sweeten your tea, and then froth your milk. The result is a creamy cup of black tea subtly spiced and fragrant with cinnamon, black peppercorns, and ginger, and just the right amount of sweetness, so near perfect that you’ll skip the coffee shop chai (or the carton) and come home to make a pot of this at tea time."
Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-chai-tea-latte-242520. There's also a lot of info for making the chai latte as good as it gets.
Ingredients
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods, cracked
4 cups water
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea, or 6 black tea bags
1/2 cup sweetener, such as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup (optional)
3 cups cold whole milk, coconut milk, or other non-dairy milk
Equipment
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Pitcher or teapot
Instructions
Toast the spices. Place the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom in a small saucepan over medium heat and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
Brew the tea. Add the water and ginger and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Steep the tea. Remove from the heat and add the loose-leaf tea or tea bags. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
Sweeten the tea. While the tea is still warm, add the sweetener and stir until combined or dissolved.
Strain the tea. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or teapot. Discard the spices and tea leaves. Store in the refrigerator for future use, or keep it warm while you froth the milk.
Froth the milk. For whole milk, froth the milk by shaking it in a jar or by whisking it vigorously over medium-high heat. For non-dairy milks, use an immersion blender to froth before heating.
Heat the milk. Heat the frothed milk in a small saucepan over low heat until warm.
Serve. Pour 3/4 cup of the warm tea base into each mug. Add 1/2 cup of warmed milk and stir to combine. Top with a heaping spoonful of milk froth.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The tea base can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Gently reheat before frothing the milk.
Thursday, January 9, 2025
Drinks
Many of us tend to drink the same thing, day after day, with little variation; maybe coffee or tea, first thing in the morning, with milk, water, or whatever throughout the day. It's easy to get into a rut when it comes to drinks, as they're almost secondary to meals.
However, there's no reason why we can't try something else throughout the day. To that end, here are six Drinks to try. Check out the Slow-Cooker Peppermint Hot Chocolate, the Lizard Lounge Tea, along with the rest of today's yummy drinks. Enjoy!
WATERMELON GINGER BEER
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "The recipe for this batch drink, from Nicole Taylor’s book, “Watermelon and Red Birds,” includes the juice from a red-fleshed watermelon, ideally from one with seeds. (They can be hard to find; seedless melons work too.) If you own a juicer, proceed with the seeds and all and don’t worry about straining. Watermelon is over 90 percent water and is a nutrient-dense food. This drink can serve as an everyday accompaniment at breakfast, lunch, dinner or with a snack."
Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 drinks
This was featured in "Building a Juneteenth Menu for the 21st Century, One Recipe at a Time," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023219-watermelon-ginger-beer.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons fresh fennel fronds (optional)
Filtered water
6 cups (1-inch) cubed red watermelon (from about 3 pounds watermelon)
2 cups ginger beer, homemade or store-bought (see Tip)
Preparation
Divide the fennel fronds, if using, between two ice cube trays. Fill with filtered water and freeze until solid, 4 to 8 hours.
Meanwhile, place the watermelon in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor using a rubber spatula and blend again.
Place a fine metal sieve over a large bowl and strain the pureed watermelon through the sieve. (This should yield 2 to 3 cups of juice). Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve; it will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To serve, fill four highball glasses or rocks glasses with the ice cubes. Stir the watermelon juice and add 1/2 cup to each glass. Top off with 1/2 cup ginger beer.
Tip
Unlike ginger ale, ginger beer is fermented. It’s nonalcoholic and has a spicy kick and tends to have more flavor than the soft drink. If buying ginger beer from the store, try finding the options from Barritt’s or Bruce Cost.
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
"Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals – It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1-1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4-5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
CAFE DE OLLA
The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
4 allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)
2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, optional
Directions
Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.
Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free
SLOW-COOKER PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
This comes from The Food Network, and starts off, “Made and served in the same pot, our slow-cooker cocoa is thickened and enriched with dark chocolate. Set up an add-ons bar beside the cooker (mini marshmallows, crushed candies and peppermint schnapps take cocoa to a whole new holiday level), then stick a ladle in the pot and let guests help themselves.” The recipe's last ingredient is peppermint schnapps, which is optional. I don't use it, and, if this is being served to children and/or people who normally don't drink – or if you're not sure – don't use it. I find that it really doesn't need it. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 5 min; Cook: 2 hr; Yield: 14 cups; Level: Easy
To read more, go to: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-peppermint-hot-chocolate.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
12 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
24 peppermint candies, crushed (about 1 cup), for serving
3 cups mini marshmallows, for serving
2 cups peppermint schnapps, optional, for serving
Directions
Whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a 6-quart slow cooker. Turn the cooker to high, and slowly whisk in the milk to prevent lumps from forming. Add the vanilla and salt, cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours. The sugar and cocoa powder should be completely dissolved.
Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Replace the lid, and cook until thickened, 30 minutes more.
Turn the cooker to warm, and serve with small bowls of the peppermint candies and mini marshmallows and a small pitcher of schnapps, if using. For minty cocoa, let a few teaspoons of the peppermints melt in an 8-ounce cup or add 2 tablespoons of schnapps.
However, there's no reason why we can't try something else throughout the day. To that end, here are six Drinks to try. Check out the Slow-Cooker Peppermint Hot Chocolate, the Lizard Lounge Tea, along with the rest of today's yummy drinks. Enjoy!
WATERMELON GINGER BEER
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "The recipe for this batch drink, from Nicole Taylor’s book, “Watermelon and Red Birds,” includes the juice from a red-fleshed watermelon, ideally from one with seeds. (They can be hard to find; seedless melons work too.) If you own a juicer, proceed with the seeds and all and don’t worry about straining. Watermelon is over 90 percent water and is a nutrient-dense food. This drink can serve as an everyday accompaniment at breakfast, lunch, dinner or with a snack."
Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 drinks
This was featured in "Building a Juneteenth Menu for the 21st Century, One Recipe at a Time," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023219-watermelon-ginger-beer.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons fresh fennel fronds (optional)
Filtered water
6 cups (1-inch) cubed red watermelon (from about 3 pounds watermelon)
2 cups ginger beer, homemade or store-bought (see Tip)
Preparation
Divide the fennel fronds, if using, between two ice cube trays. Fill with filtered water and freeze until solid, 4 to 8 hours.
Meanwhile, place the watermelon in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor using a rubber spatula and blend again.
Place a fine metal sieve over a large bowl and strain the pureed watermelon through the sieve. (This should yield 2 to 3 cups of juice). Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve; it will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To serve, fill four highball glasses or rocks glasses with the ice cubes. Stir the watermelon juice and add 1/2 cup to each glass. Top off with 1/2 cup ginger beer.
Tip
Unlike ginger ale, ginger beer is fermented. It’s nonalcoholic and has a spicy kick and tends to have more flavor than the soft drink. If buying ginger beer from the store, try finding the options from Barritt’s or Bruce Cost.
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
"Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals – It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1-1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1-1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4-5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
CAFE DE OLLA
The recipe for this yummy coffee is from the December 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 47. It starts off, “Literally 'coffee from the pot,' this recipe offers a simple way to make coffee for a crowd, with a spiced twist that no one can resist.” Serves 8 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
4 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
4 allspice berries
4 whole cloves
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or 4 oz. piloncillo (Mexican raw sugar cones)
2 cups medium grind, dark roast coffee beans
2 cups low-fat milk
1 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa, optional
Directions
Lightly crush cinnamon sticks, star anise, allspice, and cloves with mortar and pestle. Place in resealable plastic bag, and pound with rolling pin. Transfer to large saucepan, and add sugar and 8 cups water. Bring mixture to a boil, and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add coffee, and let steep 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm milk in small saucepan, and whisk until frothy.
Strain coffee through fine sieve or coffee filter into pitcher. Stir in coffee liqueur (if using). Serve with frothed milk.
nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: less than 1 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g; Cholesterol: 3 mg; Sodium: 35 mg; Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 16 g; Gluten-Free
SLOW-COOKER PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE
This comes from The Food Network, and starts off, “Made and served in the same pot, our slow-cooker cocoa is thickened and enriched with dark chocolate. Set up an add-ons bar beside the cooker (mini marshmallows, crushed candies and peppermint schnapps take cocoa to a whole new holiday level), then stick a ladle in the pot and let guests help themselves.” The recipe's last ingredient is peppermint schnapps, which is optional. I don't use it, and, if this is being served to children and/or people who normally don't drink – or if you're not sure – don't use it. I find that it really doesn't need it. Total Time: 2 hr 5 min; Prep: 5 min; Cook: 2 hr; Yield: 14 cups; Level: Easy
To read more, go to: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-peppermint-hot-chocolate.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
12 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
24 peppermint candies, crushed (about 1 cup), for serving
3 cups mini marshmallows, for serving
2 cups peppermint schnapps, optional, for serving
Directions
Whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder in a 6-quart slow cooker. Turn the cooker to high, and slowly whisk in the milk to prevent lumps from forming. Add the vanilla and salt, cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours. The sugar and cocoa powder should be completely dissolved.
Whisk in the chopped chocolate a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Replace the lid, and cook until thickened, 30 minutes more.
Turn the cooker to warm, and serve with small bowls of the peppermint candies and mini marshmallows and a small pitcher of schnapps, if using. For minty cocoa, let a few teaspoons of the peppermints melt in an 8-ounce cup or add 2 tablespoons of schnapps.
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Drinks
I'm sure someone is thinking A post for drinks? That though kind-of makes sense. Many of us gravitate towards the same-old-same-old, when it comes to drinks.
But really, don't we occasionally look for something else to drink? Of course, we do!
To that end, here are six drinks to help you through the day, including Homemade Ginger Tea and Blueberry-Apple Slushes. Enjoy!
WATERMELON GINGER BEER
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "The recipe for this batch drink, from Nicole Taylor’s book, “Watermelon and Red Birds,” includes the juice from a red-fleshed watermelon, ideally from one with seeds. (They can be hard to find; seedless melons work too.) If you own a juicer, proceed with the seeds and all and don’t worry about straining. Watermelon is over 90 percent water and is a nutrient-dense food. This drink can serve as an everyday accompaniment at breakfast, lunch, dinner or with a snack."
Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 drinks
This was featured in "Building a Juneteenth Menu for the 21st Century, One Recipe at a Time," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023219-watermelon-ginger-beer.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons fresh fennel fronds (optional)
Filtered water
6 cups (1-inch) cubed red watermelon (from about 3 pounds watermelon)
2 cups ginger beer, homemade or store-bought (see Tip)
Preparation
Divide the fennel fronds, if using, between two ice cube trays. Fill with filtered water and freeze until solid, 4 to 8 hours.
Meanwhile, place the watermelon in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor using a rubber spatula and blend again.
Place a fine metal sieve over a large bowl and strain the pureed watermelon through the sieve. (This should yield 2 to 3 cups of juice). Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve; it will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To serve, fill four highball glasses or rocks glasses with the ice cubes. Stir the watermelon juice and add 1/2 cup to each glass. Top off with 1/2 cup ginger beer.
Tip
Unlike ginger ale, ginger beer is fermented. It’s nonalcoholic and has a spicy kick and tends to have more flavor than the soft drink. If buying ginger beer from the store, try finding the options from Barritt’s or Bruce Cost.
HIBISCUS PUNCH
This is from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this wonderful (and colorful) drink, David wrote, "This bright beverage, inspired by Caribbean sorrel drink and Mexican agua de Jamaica, is made by steeping hibiscus flowers to extract flavor — and color. It is then lightly sweetened and served chilled, like iced tea. Add cinnamon, ginger and allspice if you wish. It makes a great ruby-colored cocktail mixer as well."
Time: 40 minutes, plus chilling; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "Six Easy Recipes for the Ultimate Picnic Spread", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023213-hibiscus-punch.
Ingredients
2 cups dried hibiscus (see Tip)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 (2-inch) chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon allspice berries (optional)
1/2 cup agave syrup or granulated sugar, or to taste
Ice
Lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a medium stainless-steel pot.
Add hibiscus flowers, and cinnamon, ginger and allspice berries, if using. Turn off heat and steep for at least 30 minutes.
Strain mixture into a pitcher or bowl and cool to room temperature. Sweeten to taste. Serve chilled over ice, with lime wedges.
Tip
You can use whole hibiscus flowers or pieces, but if using pieces, steep for less time, tasting as you go, until it is your desired strength. If you wish, you can also dilute the drink with water to taste.
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
”Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals – It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4-5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
But really, don't we occasionally look for something else to drink? Of course, we do!
To that end, here are six drinks to help you through the day, including Homemade Ginger Tea and Blueberry-Apple Slushes. Enjoy!
WATERMELON GINGER BEER
This is from Nicole Taylor in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. The recipe begins, "The recipe for this batch drink, from Nicole Taylor’s book, “Watermelon and Red Birds,” includes the juice from a red-fleshed watermelon, ideally from one with seeds. (They can be hard to find; seedless melons work too.) If you own a juicer, proceed with the seeds and all and don’t worry about straining. Watermelon is over 90 percent water and is a nutrient-dense food. This drink can serve as an everyday accompaniment at breakfast, lunch, dinner or with a snack."
Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 drinks
This was featured in "Building a Juneteenth Menu for the 21st Century, One Recipe at a Time," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023219-watermelon-ginger-beer.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons fresh fennel fronds (optional)
Filtered water
6 cups (1-inch) cubed red watermelon (from about 3 pounds watermelon)
2 cups ginger beer, homemade or store-bought (see Tip)
Preparation
Divide the fennel fronds, if using, between two ice cube trays. Fill with filtered water and freeze until solid, 4 to 8 hours.
Meanwhile, place the watermelon in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor using a rubber spatula and blend again.
Place a fine metal sieve over a large bowl and strain the pureed watermelon through the sieve. (This should yield 2 to 3 cups of juice). Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve; it will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To serve, fill four highball glasses or rocks glasses with the ice cubes. Stir the watermelon juice and add 1/2 cup to each glass. Top off with 1/2 cup ginger beer.
Tip
Unlike ginger ale, ginger beer is fermented. It’s nonalcoholic and has a spicy kick and tends to have more flavor than the soft drink. If buying ginger beer from the store, try finding the options from Barritt’s or Bruce Cost.
HIBISCUS PUNCH
This is from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this wonderful (and colorful) drink, David wrote, "This bright beverage, inspired by Caribbean sorrel drink and Mexican agua de Jamaica, is made by steeping hibiscus flowers to extract flavor — and color. It is then lightly sweetened and served chilled, like iced tea. Add cinnamon, ginger and allspice if you wish. It makes a great ruby-colored cocktail mixer as well."
Time: 40 minutes, plus chilling; Yield: 6 to 8 servings
This was featured in "Six Easy Recipes for the Ultimate Picnic Spread", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023213-hibiscus-punch.
Ingredients
2 cups dried hibiscus (see Tip)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 (2-inch) chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon allspice berries (optional)
1/2 cup agave syrup or granulated sugar, or to taste
Ice
Lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a medium stainless-steel pot.
Add hibiscus flowers, and cinnamon, ginger and allspice berries, if using. Turn off heat and steep for at least 30 minutes.
Strain mixture into a pitcher or bowl and cool to room temperature. Sweeten to taste. Serve chilled over ice, with lime wedges.
Tip
You can use whole hibiscus flowers or pieces, but if using pieces, steep for less time, tasting as you go, until it is your desired strength. If you wish, you can also dilute the drink with water to taste.
HOMEMADE GINGER TEA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats Jolinda wrote, “Wondering how to make a simple and easy homemade ginger tea? Why go out and buy stale old tea bags when you can easily make your own fresh and homemade ginger tea at home using fresh ginger? Treat yourself to a cup of piping hot ginger tea, a healthy drink that's great for digestion.
”Here's how to make the tastiest and most soothing and healing ginger tea you've ever had! There's really no comparison.
“This healing ginger tea recipe actually comes from the raw food and natural health retreat center I used to work at in Thailand, where we served it to our guests bright and early every single morning, seven days a week. The secret to the perfect healing ginger tea? Lots and lots of fresh ginger, simmered for a long time to bring out the flavor, and the lime, which compliments the ginger perfectly, and plenty of natural agave nectar or honey for a refined sugar-free sweetener (or you might prefer it unsweetened, depending on your health goals – It's still delicious, I promise!). Try this simple ginger tea for an immune system boost or for an invigorating way to start the morning.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes; Yield: 2 servings of ginger tea
To check this out online, click here.
Ingredients
About 2 inches of fresh raw ginger (use more or less, depending on how strong you want it!)
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar, to taste)
Optional: 1/2 lime (juiced, or to taste)
Directions
First, prepare the fresh ginger by peeling it and slicing it thinly to maximize the surface area. This will help you make a very flavorful ginger tea.
Boil the ginger in water for at least 10 minutes. For a stronger and tangier tea, allow to boil for 20 minutes or more, and use more slices of ginger. You really can't over do it, so feel free to add as much ginger and simmer it for as long as you want.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and honey (or agave nectar) to taste.
The secret to making a really flavorful ginger tea is to use plenty of ginger-more than you think you will need-and also to add a bit of lime juice and honey to your ginger tea. You will also probably want to add more honey than you think you will need as well.
Enjoy your hot ginger tea! A homemade ginger tea is excellent in soothing stomach aches and in aiding digestion.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4-5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
Thursday, July 27, 2023
Drinks
As hot as this summer has been, we need to make sure to have plenty to drink; hence, here are six drinks to help you through the day. Check out the Blueberry-Apple Slushes, the Orange Julius, and the rest of the yummy drinks in today's post. Enjoy!
ICED EINSPANNER
This is from Kevin Kim, and adapted by Eric Kim at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Eric wrote, "Einspänner, in German, is either a one-horse carriage or a hot espresso topped with cool whipped cream. The temperature contrast in the Viennese coffeehouse classic is a delight, to be sure, but this iced variation tastes refreshing in warm weather. It’s sweet, bitter and a little savory all at once, like a tiramisù in beverage form. The salted, sugared cream should float atop the cold coffee without collapsing into it, creating two distinct layers: one dark and weighty like a horseshoe, and the other light as a feather."
Time: 5 minutes; Yield: 2 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022403-iced-einspanner. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you really should. You won't regret it.
Ingredients
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
2 cups ice cubes
1 cup cold-brewed coffee
Cocoa powder, for garnish
Preparation
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, sugar and salt until thickened and airy but far before peaks form. It should be decidedly thinner than whipped cream and have the consistency of melted ice cream: silky, light and pourable.
Assemble the drinks: Divide the ice and coffee between two (12-ounce) tumbler glasses. Pour the cream into each glass and, through a fine-mesh sieve or with your fingertips, lightly dust with cocoa powder.
SWEET CREAM COLD FOAM
This is from Gabriella Lewis at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Gabriella wrote, "This creamy whipped topping, introduced by popular beverage chains Gong Cha and Starbucks in 2014, began trending on social media in early 2023. It comes together rather quickly with three simple ingredients: heavy whipping cream, milk and simple syrup. What sets this recipe apart from a sweetened whipped cream is the addition of cold milk. Bearing a striking resemblance to the topping on iced einspänner and other coffee drinks, or the cheese foam served on top of milk teas, this sweet, fluffy mixture sits atop an iced coffee, a delightful frothy substitute for traditional liquid cream or dairy additions. The recipe lends itself to flavorings: Simply add a drop of vanilla extract, a splash of rose water or ground cinnamon before frothing."
Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 2 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024281-sweet-cream-cold-foam. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you really should. You won't regret it.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons cold heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons cold milk
1 tablespoon simple syrup
Iced coffee or cold brew, for serving
Preparation
In a deep cup or bowl, combine heavy whipping cream, milk and simple syrup.
With a handheld electric milk frother, whisk until almost doubled in volume, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, whisk by hand or with a hand mixer for 3 to 5 minutes or add to a mason jar, cover and shake vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes. These methods will produce a slightly softer, less fluffy foam.)
Pour the cold foam over iced coffee or cold brew.
STARBUCKS CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO COPYCAT
This is from Kiley Heidtbrink at AllRecipes. Kiley wrote, "This is my version of Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino! It's easy to make at home by blending coffee with milk, caramel sauce, and ice. Top each glass with whipped cream and drizzle more caramel sauce on top. Serve with a straw."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Servings: 2
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235850/starbucks-caramel-frappuccino-copycat-recipe/.
Ingredients
2 cups ice
1 cup strongly brewed black coffee, cooled
1 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup caramel sauce
3 tablespoons white sugar
Directions
Blend ice, coffee, milk, caramel sauce, and sugar together in a blender on high speed until smooth.
Pour into two 16-ounce glasses.
Tips
You can make strong coffee by using 2 tablespoons ground coffee beans per 1 cup water in your coffee maker.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4-5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
ICED EINSPANNER
This is from Kevin Kim, and adapted by Eric Kim at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Eric wrote, "Einspänner, in German, is either a one-horse carriage or a hot espresso topped with cool whipped cream. The temperature contrast in the Viennese coffeehouse classic is a delight, to be sure, but this iced variation tastes refreshing in warm weather. It’s sweet, bitter and a little savory all at once, like a tiramisù in beverage form. The salted, sugared cream should float atop the cold coffee without collapsing into it, creating two distinct layers: one dark and weighty like a horseshoe, and the other light as a feather."
Time: 5 minutes; Yield: 2 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022403-iced-einspanner. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you really should. You won't regret it.
Ingredients
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
2 cups ice cubes
1 cup cold-brewed coffee
Cocoa powder, for garnish
Preparation
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream, sugar and salt until thickened and airy but far before peaks form. It should be decidedly thinner than whipped cream and have the consistency of melted ice cream: silky, light and pourable.
Assemble the drinks: Divide the ice and coffee between two (12-ounce) tumbler glasses. Pour the cream into each glass and, through a fine-mesh sieve or with your fingertips, lightly dust with cocoa powder.
SWEET CREAM COLD FOAM
This is from Gabriella Lewis at The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Gabriella wrote, "This creamy whipped topping, introduced by popular beverage chains Gong Cha and Starbucks in 2014, began trending on social media in early 2023. It comes together rather quickly with three simple ingredients: heavy whipping cream, milk and simple syrup. What sets this recipe apart from a sweetened whipped cream is the addition of cold milk. Bearing a striking resemblance to the topping on iced einspänner and other coffee drinks, or the cheese foam served on top of milk teas, this sweet, fluffy mixture sits atop an iced coffee, a delightful frothy substitute for traditional liquid cream or dairy additions. The recipe lends itself to flavorings: Simply add a drop of vanilla extract, a splash of rose water or ground cinnamon before frothing."
Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 2 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024281-sweet-cream-cold-foam. While you're there, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you really should. You won't regret it.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons cold heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons cold milk
1 tablespoon simple syrup
Iced coffee or cold brew, for serving
Preparation
In a deep cup or bowl, combine heavy whipping cream, milk and simple syrup.
With a handheld electric milk frother, whisk until almost doubled in volume, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, whisk by hand or with a hand mixer for 3 to 5 minutes or add to a mason jar, cover and shake vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes. These methods will produce a slightly softer, less fluffy foam.)
Pour the cold foam over iced coffee or cold brew.
STARBUCKS CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO COPYCAT
This is from Kiley Heidtbrink at AllRecipes. Kiley wrote, "This is my version of Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino! It's easy to make at home by blending coffee with milk, caramel sauce, and ice. Top each glass with whipped cream and drizzle more caramel sauce on top. Serve with a straw."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Servings: 2
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235850/starbucks-caramel-frappuccino-copycat-recipe/.
Ingredients
2 cups ice
1 cup strongly brewed black coffee, cooled
1 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup caramel sauce
3 tablespoons white sugar
Directions
Blend ice, coffee, milk, caramel sauce, and sugar together in a blender on high speed until smooth.
Pour into two 16-ounce glasses.
Tips
You can make strong coffee by using 2 tablespoons ground coffee beans per 1 cup water in your coffee maker.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4-5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Drinks - Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with drinks (because drinking the same old same old can get kind-of boring, right?). Check out the Blueberry-Apple Slushes, the Lizard Lounge Tea, and the rest of today's yummy drinks. Enjoy!
STARBUCKS CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO COPYCAT
This is from Kiley Heidtbrink at AllRecipes. Kiley wrote, "This is my version of Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino! It's easy to make at home by blending coffee with milk, caramel sauce, and ice. Top each glass with whipped cream and drizzle more caramel sauce on top. Serve with a straw."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Servings: 2
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235850/starbucks-caramel-frappuccino-copycat-recipe/.
Ingredients
2 cups ice
1 cup strongly brewed black coffee, cooled
1 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup caramel sauce
3 tablespoons white sugar
Directions
Blend ice, coffee, milk, caramel sauce, and sugar together in a blender on high speed until smooth.
Pour into two 16-ounce glasses.
Tips
You can make strong coffee by using 2 tablespoons ground coffee beans per 1 cup water in your coffee maker.
VIETNAMESE ICE COFFEE
This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Kay wrote, "This popular coffee drink requires only three ingredients: coffee, water and condensed milk. Traditionally, a Vietnamese press is used to make the coffee, but this recipe calls for a simple pour-over cone. (If you don't have a coffee cone, you can substitute brewed espresso for the coffee.) Vietnamese iced coffee is normally made one serving at a time, but for ease, this recipe makes a batch that will serve about four. Be sure to use a boldly flavored dark roast coffee, since the condensed milk and ice will dilute the drink."
Yield: 4 servings (about 2-1/2 cups); Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020268-vietnamese-iced-coffee.
Ingredients
1 cup finely ground dark roast coffee, such as French roast
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Preparation
Place coffee grounds in a heatproof container. Slowly pour boiling water over the grounds in a circular motion to evenly saturate. Do not stir; let steep 5 minutes.
Line a coffee cone with a paper filter and place the cone over another heatproof container.
Slowly pour the steeped coffee through the filter, allowing all the liquid to drip through completely. (You should have about 2 cups of strong coffee. See Tip.) Discard the filter and coffee grounds. Stir the condensed milk into the coffee until well blended.
Fill 4 glasses with ice cubes. Divide the coffee mixture among the glasses and serve immediately, or transfer to the refrigerator, where it will keep, covered, up to 3 days. Serve over ice.
Tip
The brewed coffee can be made a few days in advance and kept chilled in the fridge.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
COCOA JAVA
This recipe, from My Food and Family, begins, "You'll need just five minutes and three ingredients to make this tasty coffee drink. Share it with your family for a special treat!"
Prep Time/Total Time: 5 minutes
To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/050780/cocoa-java.
Ingredients
2 env. instant hot cocoa mix
1-1/2 cups hot freshly brewed MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee
1/4 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
Directions
Empty cocoa mix into 2 large mugs or cups.
Add coffee; stir until mix is dissolved.
Top with COOL WHIP.
Kitchen Tips
Tip 1
Substitute
Prepare using MAXWELL HOUSE Italian Espresso Roast Coffee.
Tip 2
Substitute
Prepare using instant reduced-calorie hot cocoa mix, or flavored instant hot cocoa mix.
Tip 3
Special Extra
To serve garnished with shaved chocolate, pull vegetable peeler across surface of 1 oz. BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate to form shavings. Fill mugs with ingredients as directed; top with shaved chocolate.
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4-5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
STARBUCKS CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO COPYCAT
This is from Kiley Heidtbrink at AllRecipes. Kiley wrote, "This is my version of Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino! It's easy to make at home by blending coffee with milk, caramel sauce, and ice. Top each glass with whipped cream and drizzle more caramel sauce on top. Serve with a straw."
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 5 minutes; Servings: 2
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235850/starbucks-caramel-frappuccino-copycat-recipe/.
Ingredients
2 cups ice
1 cup strongly brewed black coffee, cooled
1 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup caramel sauce
3 tablespoons white sugar
Directions
Blend ice, coffee, milk, caramel sauce, and sugar together in a blender on high speed until smooth.
Pour into two 16-ounce glasses.
Tips
You can make strong coffee by using 2 tablespoons ground coffee beans per 1 cup water in your coffee maker.
VIETNAMESE ICE COFFEE
This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Kay wrote, "This popular coffee drink requires only three ingredients: coffee, water and condensed milk. Traditionally, a Vietnamese press is used to make the coffee, but this recipe calls for a simple pour-over cone. (If you don't have a coffee cone, you can substitute brewed espresso for the coffee.) Vietnamese iced coffee is normally made one serving at a time, but for ease, this recipe makes a batch that will serve about four. Be sure to use a boldly flavored dark roast coffee, since the condensed milk and ice will dilute the drink."
Yield: 4 servings (about 2-1/2 cups); Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020268-vietnamese-iced-coffee.
Ingredients
1 cup finely ground dark roast coffee, such as French roast
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Preparation
Place coffee grounds in a heatproof container. Slowly pour boiling water over the grounds in a circular motion to evenly saturate. Do not stir; let steep 5 minutes.
Line a coffee cone with a paper filter and place the cone over another heatproof container.
Slowly pour the steeped coffee through the filter, allowing all the liquid to drip through completely. (You should have about 2 cups of strong coffee. See Tip.) Discard the filter and coffee grounds. Stir the condensed milk into the coffee until well blended.
Fill 4 glasses with ice cubes. Divide the coffee mixture among the glasses and serve immediately, or transfer to the refrigerator, where it will keep, covered, up to 3 days. Serve over ice.
Tip
The brewed coffee can be made a few days in advance and kept chilled in the fridge.
BLUEBERRY-APPLE SLUSHES
This is from the August 2013 issue of Heart Insight, page 23. (This is the magazine for the American Heart Association.)
This recipe begins, "Refreshing and good for you, this fruit treat comes together in a flash and provides fiber from the apple and antioxidants from the deeply colored blueberries." Serves 4; 1 cup per serving
I was unable to find a link online for this, but did want to give a head's up on where I got this.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (no thawing necessary)
2 cups ice
1 large apple (about 8 ounces), any variety, cut into chunks (peel left on)
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
Directions
In a blender, process the ingredients except the 1/4 cup blueberries until smooth. Serve garnished with the remaining blueberries.
COCOA JAVA
This recipe, from My Food and Family, begins, "You'll need just five minutes and three ingredients to make this tasty coffee drink. Share it with your family for a special treat!"
Prep Time/Total Time: 5 minutes
To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/050780/cocoa-java.
Ingredients
2 env. instant hot cocoa mix
1-1/2 cups hot freshly brewed MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee
1/4 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
Directions
Empty cocoa mix into 2 large mugs or cups.
Add coffee; stir until mix is dissolved.
Top with COOL WHIP.
Kitchen Tips
Tip 1
Substitute
Prepare using MAXWELL HOUSE Italian Espresso Roast Coffee.
Tip 2
Substitute
Prepare using instant reduced-calorie hot cocoa mix, or flavored instant hot cocoa mix.
Tip 3
Special Extra
To serve garnished with shaved chocolate, pull vegetable peeler across surface of 1 oz. BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate to form shavings. Fill mugs with ingredients as directed; top with shaved chocolate.
LIZARD LOUNGE TEA
My oldest son spent several summers traveling the country, both singly and with friends. Several times, he wound up at the Rainbow Gathering, where he hooked up with a larger group of friends. Most of them had grown up in hot areas of the country, so they nicknamed themselves lizards; their area of the camp site was the lizard lounge. They would cook up their version of iced tea, which they would barter for other commodities. They were frequently asked what their secret ingredient was.
This is a scaled down version. I found that cranberry or cranberry-apple herb tea works very nicely with this, but any herbal tea can be used.
Ingredients
1/2 gallon apple cider
4-5 herbal tea bags
Directions
Place cider in a large pan or teakettle and bring to a boil. Place herbal tea bags into a large container and pour the boiled cider over the tea bags. Let steep for 15-30 minutes and cool. Very good.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Drinks
For anyone who's followed this blog for a while, you know that drinks ocassionally pop up here. After all, there are so many more things to drink than water, plain coffee, milk, tea, and soda.
To that end, here are six yummy drinks to try out, including Copycat Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino and an Orange Julius. Enjoy!
COCOA JAVA
This recipe, from My Food and Family, begins, "You'll need just five minutes and three ingredients to make this tasty coffee drink. Share it with your family for a special treat!"
Prep Time/Total Time: 5 minutes
To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/050780/cocoa-java.
Ingredients
2 env. instant hot cocoa mix
1-1/2 cups hot freshly brewed MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee
1/4 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
Directions
Empty cocoa mix into 2 large mugs or cups.
Add coffee; stir until mix is dissolved.
Top with COOL WHIP.
Kitchen Tips
Tip 1
Substitute
Prepare using MAXWELL HOUSE Italian Espresso Roast Coffee.
Tip 2
Substitute
Prepare using instant reduced-calorie hot cocoa mix, or flavored instant hot cocoa mix.
Tip 3
Special Extra
To serve garnished with shaved chocolate, pull vegetable peeler across surface of 1 oz. BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate to form shavings. Fill mugs with ingredients as directed; top with shaved chocolate.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
BREWED ICED CAFE LATTE
This is from Folgers. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: N/A; Makes 5 servings; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.folgerscoffee.com/recipes/drinks/brewed-iced-cafe-latte.
Ingredients
1/3 cup Folgers Classic Roast® Coffee OR 1/4 cup Folgers® Black Silk Coffee
2 cups Cold water
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
Ice cubes
Directions
Brew coffee in coffeemaker using 2 cups cold water.
Combine coffee and sweetened condensed milk in pitcher, stirring until blended.
Serve over ice.
CREAMY INSTANT ICED COFFEE
This is from Folgers. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: N/A; Makes 5 servings; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.folgerscoffee.com/recipes/drinks/creamy-instant-iced-coffee.
Ingredients
1 (12 fl. oz.) can PET® Evaporated Milk chilled
2 tablespoons Folgers Classic Roast® Instant Coffee Crystals
1/3 cup sugar or to taste
Ice cubes
whipped cream
Directions
Combine evaporated milk, coffee crystals and sugar in blender container. Cover and process until coffee is dissolved.
Serve over ice. Top with whipped cream.
CREAMY VANILLA ICED COFFEE: Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to blender container.
CREAMY CINNAMON ICED COFFEE: Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon to blender container.
COPYCAT STARBUCKS CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO
This is from Delish, and begins, "The caramel frappuccino is the most iconic Starbucks drink. It's sweet, strong, and drizzled with lots of caramel. The drink is easy to make at home and makes the perfect little afternoon pick me up."
Yields: 2 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 c. cold, strong-brewed coffee
3/4 c. whole milk
1/2 c. caramel, plus more for serving
1 c. ice
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Blend coffee, milk, caramel, vanilla, and 1 cup of ice until smooth, thick, and icey. Add more ice, if necessary to reach desired consistency.
Pour into glasses and top with whipped cream. Drizzle with more caramel sauce.
CREAMY VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE
This came from Genevieve Ko at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Genevieve wrote, "For a vegan hot chocolate that rivals even the creamiest dairy-laden variety, add a few tablespoons of nut butter like almond, sunflower or peanut to the nondairy milk, chocolate chips and cocoa powder. Whisking is also essential here; nondairy products tend to contain stabilizers that keep them emulsified, so they can separate when boiled. If you keep whisking the mix as it heats and remove it from the stove when it’s nice and steaming, but before it boils, you’ll end up with perfectly smooth hot chocolate. Don’t worry if it breaks: You can simply blend it with a whisk or immersion blender over low heat to bring it back together."
Yield: 2 cups; Time: 5 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019960-creamy-vegan-hot-chocolate.
Ingredients
1/3 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 ounces)
3 tablespoons vegan unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons creamy nut or seed butter, such as almond, sunflower or peanut
Pinch of kosher salt
1-1/2 to 2 cups unsweetened nut or grain milk, such as macadamia, walnut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, oat or rice milk
1 to 3 teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)
Preparation
Combine chocolate chips, cocoa powder, nut butter, salt and 1/2 cup nut or grain milk in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth, about 1-1/2 minutes.
Whisk in 1 cup nut or grain milk in a slow, steady stream, and continue whisking until cocoa is steaming, about 1-1/2 minutes. Don’t let it come to a boil or the cocoa will separate.
Taste a spoonful. (Be careful: It’s hot.) If you prefer a thinner hot cocoa, add up to 1/2 cup additional milk. If you prefer it sweeter, add a teaspoon of sugar at a time, tasting after each addition. Divide among cups and serve hot.
To that end, here are six yummy drinks to try out, including Copycat Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino and an Orange Julius. Enjoy!
COCOA JAVA
This recipe, from My Food and Family, begins, "You'll need just five minutes and three ingredients to make this tasty coffee drink. Share it with your family for a special treat!"
Prep Time/Total Time: 5 minutes
To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/050780/cocoa-java.
Ingredients
2 env. instant hot cocoa mix
1-1/2 cups hot freshly brewed MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee
1/4 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
Directions
Empty cocoa mix into 2 large mugs or cups.
Add coffee; stir until mix is dissolved.
Top with COOL WHIP.
Kitchen Tips
Tip 1
Substitute
Prepare using MAXWELL HOUSE Italian Espresso Roast Coffee.
Tip 2
Substitute
Prepare using instant reduced-calorie hot cocoa mix, or flavored instant hot cocoa mix.
Tip 3
Special Extra
To serve garnished with shaved chocolate, pull vegetable peeler across surface of 1 oz. BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate to form shavings. Fill mugs with ingredients as directed; top with shaved chocolate.
ORANGE JULIUS
This comes from Kelli Foster on TheKitchn. (No, that's not a typo. If you've never checked out TheKitchn, or its sibling site, Apartment Therapy, I highly recommend checking out both. Seriously.)
Anyway, this makes 2 servings. To view the recipe online (along with a little bit about the Orange Julius), go to https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-an-orange-julius-125422.
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitutes, check package for equivalence)
1 1/2 cups ice
Equipment
Blender
Glasses
Directions
Blend the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla in a blender and pulse until combined.
Add the frozen concentrate: Add the frozen orange juice concentrate. Blend until fully combined with the milk.
Add the sugar and ice cubes: Blend until cubes are crushed and mixture has thickened. If things end up a little thick, just add a tablespoon of water and mix once again.
Pour and enjoy: Pour the drink into glasses. Serve with a straw and sip your way to blissful happiness.
Recipe Notes
I used 2% milk, though you can also use whole or skim milk with equally delicious results.
If you don't have orange juice concentrate (or aren't into buying it), I'd suggest freezing fresh orange juice into cubes (or in an 8x8-inch pan, then break it into chunks). Without that added iciness, the overall texture of the drink will change dramatically, and adding more ice in the end just doesn't work. (You end up with a more-soupy, less-flavored version of the original.)
BREWED ICED CAFE LATTE
This is from Folgers. Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: N/A; Makes 5 servings; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.folgerscoffee.com/recipes/drinks/brewed-iced-cafe-latte.
Ingredients
1/3 cup Folgers Classic Roast® Coffee OR 1/4 cup Folgers® Black Silk Coffee
2 cups Cold water
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
Ice cubes
Directions
Brew coffee in coffeemaker using 2 cups cold water.
Combine coffee and sweetened condensed milk in pitcher, stirring until blended.
Serve over ice.
CREAMY INSTANT ICED COFFEE
This is from Folgers. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: N/A; Makes 5 servings; Difficulty: Easy
To view this online, go to https://www.folgerscoffee.com/recipes/drinks/creamy-instant-iced-coffee.
Ingredients
1 (12 fl. oz.) can PET® Evaporated Milk chilled
2 tablespoons Folgers Classic Roast® Instant Coffee Crystals
1/3 cup sugar or to taste
Ice cubes
whipped cream
Directions
Combine evaporated milk, coffee crystals and sugar in blender container. Cover and process until coffee is dissolved.
Serve over ice. Top with whipped cream.
CREAMY VANILLA ICED COFFEE: Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to blender container.
CREAMY CINNAMON ICED COFFEE: Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon to blender container.
COPYCAT STARBUCKS CARAMEL FRAPPUCCINO
This is from Delish, and begins, "The caramel frappuccino is the most iconic Starbucks drink. It's sweet, strong, and drizzled with lots of caramel. The drink is easy to make at home and makes the perfect little afternoon pick me up."
Yields: 2 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 c. cold, strong-brewed coffee
3/4 c. whole milk
1/2 c. caramel, plus more for serving
1 c. ice
Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Blend coffee, milk, caramel, vanilla, and 1 cup of ice until smooth, thick, and icey. Add more ice, if necessary to reach desired consistency.
Pour into glasses and top with whipped cream. Drizzle with more caramel sauce.
CREAMY VEGAN HOT CHOCOLATE
This came from Genevieve Ko at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Genevieve wrote, "For a vegan hot chocolate that rivals even the creamiest dairy-laden variety, add a few tablespoons of nut butter like almond, sunflower or peanut to the nondairy milk, chocolate chips and cocoa powder. Whisking is also essential here; nondairy products tend to contain stabilizers that keep them emulsified, so they can separate when boiled. If you keep whisking the mix as it heats and remove it from the stove when it’s nice and steaming, but before it boils, you’ll end up with perfectly smooth hot chocolate. Don’t worry if it breaks: You can simply blend it with a whisk or immersion blender over low heat to bring it back together."
Yield: 2 cups; Time: 5 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019960-creamy-vegan-hot-chocolate.
Ingredients
1/3 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips (about 2 ounces)
3 tablespoons vegan unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons creamy nut or seed butter, such as almond, sunflower or peanut
Pinch of kosher salt
1-1/2 to 2 cups unsweetened nut or grain milk, such as macadamia, walnut, almond, cashew, hazelnut, oat or rice milk
1 to 3 teaspoons granulated sugar (optional)
Preparation
Combine chocolate chips, cocoa powder, nut butter, salt and 1/2 cup nut or grain milk in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth, about 1-1/2 minutes.
Whisk in 1 cup nut or grain milk in a slow, steady stream, and continue whisking until cocoa is steaming, about 1-1/2 minutes. Don’t let it come to a boil or the cocoa will separate.
Taste a spoonful. (Be careful: It’s hot.) If you prefer a thinner hot cocoa, add up to 1/2 cup additional milk. If you prefer it sweeter, add a teaspoon of sugar at a time, tasting after each addition. Divide among cups and serve hot.
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