This hot number was introduced today in Whole Foods! Bottled La Croix!! Check it out, I picked up this 1 liter bottle for $1.00!
~ With Angela O'
Get Rid of Fruit Flies the Classy Way
I've been doing this now for a couple years and realized I never shared this saavy tip. I'd been plagued with fruit flies during the spring months in Austin and didn't know how to rid them. Never had I experienced them before moving to Austin. I'd read many stories about how fruit flies live in sinks, etc but never really cared as my only concern get rid of them. A friend of mine told me that all I needed was to put apple cider vinegar in a bowl and cover it with aluminum foil poking holes through the top. Well, the idea sounded doable but I liked things to look classy and I hated the idea of having a random bowl with sloppy aluminum foil sitting on my counter all the time. So I went home and put together a plan of attack. A couple of days later I had set up permanent fruit fly traps in my home. Voila!
These classy little fruit fly traps make quite cute gifts during the spring and summer months, just gift them in pairs. I set them up and leave them for an extended period of time but don't forget to check and refresh them regularly.
Materials Needed:
- Glass Mason Jars, 4 oz preferred
- Mason Jar Lids and Rings
- One nail, 1/4 inch width is good
- Hammer
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Instructions:
follow the pictures and enjoy the captions
Collect your supplies
Hold the nail steady above the jar sealed tightly with lid
Hammer the nail in to make a full hole and pull the nail out
Just like this!
Keep it up until you have a sufficient amount of holes
It should look like this
Pour in the apple cider vinegar to about half full; don't fill up!
Like this!
Look at those nasty buggers!
Rust will happen on the inside. That's okay. You can reuse the rusty holed lid as many times as you wish when refilling the vinegar because it will evaporate and be full of bugs. Just throw the lid away when you are ready to make a new lid. You won't need to redo everything.
Purchase the 4 ounce mason jars and apple cider vinegar here!
~With Angela O'
ADULTS Strawberry, Basil, and Honey Punch
A delicious alcohlic refreshment that I made for our Cupcakes & Cocktails ladies meet-up group this July. It is a great way to end a hot summer day and to start a hot summer night!
Active Time: 15 min
Total Time: 30 min
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups honey
- Zest of 1 orange, peeled in wide strips
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped (about 3 cups)
- 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice (from 15 to 18 limes)
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
- 1 bottle (750 ml) silver tequila, chilled
Directions:
Stir together honey, zest, and hot water in a bowl until honey is dissolved. Let cool. Muddle berries and basil in pitcher just until basil is fragrant. Stir in honey mixture, lime juice, and tequila. Add ice and serve.
Tips:
- Lime juice from the big limes in a bag are about 8 limes or roughly one bag of limes.
- The time to prep the strawberries and orange zest will take approximately 45 minutes.
- I find that the fancy strawberry huller available for purchase in kitchen stores works great!
- Purchase a medium silver tequila. Not expensive as Patron but not as cheap as the rubbing alcohol spirits that will give you a headache in non-pure tequila. It should be 100% pure agave. Stick to about $18 dollars and you should be good. If you think that is expensive the Patron Silver is $45 for the same size bottle (750 ml).
- Use a fairly large pitcher. If not it will be hard to stir and you certainly will not be able to manage the ice inside. This drink does need to be iced.
- I'd like to find a way to strain some of the items but it may be because my basil was not chopped. They say to only muddle the basil but perhaps littler pieces would prevent the straw from being clogged.
- I absolutely detest honey. I do not like the flavor. This drink was a great balance and was very delicious so if you do not like honey do not be afraid.
This recipe is from Martha Stewart Living. It came from a 2014 issue during the Spring/Early Summer. In their magazine picture the drink is much lighter in color but I honestly do not see how that it is possible with the amount of strawberries in the recipe.
Asian-Style Chicken Salad
This chicken salad recipe is delicious and very simple to make.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
1 - 6oz package of fully cooked sliced chicken breast
1 - 10oz bag fresh angel hair cole slaw
1 1/2 cups - fresh Matchstix Carrots (julienne cut)
1/4 cup - Cookwell & Co. Asian Ginger Vinaigrette
1 - 8oz bag Mann's Sugar Snap Peas or Snow Peas
1 - small red pepper, halved, seeds and stem removed
Crunchy Toppings - Glazed Walnut and Honey Sesame Sticks
Optional: 1 to 2 cups Chow Mein Noodles, as desired
My tips: I prefer to use fresh cooked chicken (use one to two boneless chicken, skinless chicken breasts sliced up quickly with kitchen shears) and to use the sugar snap peas instead of the snow peas.
1. Toss chicken, slaw, carrots and dressing in a large salad bowl; set aside.
2. Cut peas in half, crosswise, at an angle. Cut bell pepper into thin slivers. Toss with salad mixture.
3. Right before serving, add your favorite crunchy toppings.
**This salad may also be served in a wrap in a lettuce or cabbage leaf, or rolled up in a reduced-calorie burrito-sized tortilla.
** This recipe cannot be gluten free due to the fact that asian-style vinaigrettes typically have soy-sauce in them. Soy sauce is made using wheat product.
This recipe idea compliments of my local HEB Four Points. Thanks Crystal and Terri.
3. Right before serving, add your favorite crunchy toppings.
**This salad may also be served in a wrap in a lettuce or cabbage leaf, or rolled up in a reduced-calorie burrito-sized tortilla.
** This recipe cannot be gluten free due to the fact that asian-style vinaigrettes typically have soy-sauce in them. Soy sauce is made using wheat product.
This recipe idea compliments of my local HEB Four Points. Thanks Crystal and Terri.
Summer Cocktail: Frutta d'Isola
1 750 ml bottle of Heart & Soul Moscato
1 33.8 fl oz bottle of Central Market Organics Italian Soda Frutta d'Isola
1/2 bag of frozen peaches.
Note that you really need to have the Heart & Soul brand of Moscato. Each brand of moscato varies in the fruitiness and the floweriness. Heart & Soul compliments this Italian soda (directly from Italy) perfectly.
This recipe makes 2 quarts which is a perfect amount for a small dinner party. If you are having this with several girlfriends then make sure you double up the recipe to make a gallon!
Just pour all of the liquid contents into the pitcher and stir. Add the frozen peaches last and they will double as ice cubes and garnish.
