7.20.2012

Watermelon Vanilla Bean Mojito Martini [or Margarita - your choice!]

Wow, so happy it's FRIDAY!  Friday, Friday, Friday is my favorite day... Today's post is a cocktail.  Because it's Friday.  And you need a cocktail.


A coworker inspired me with her concoction and let me just say - this drink is legit.  That's it.


Start with a vanilla mint simple syrup.


Then juice your watermelon...


...lime and orange.
 


Combine cooled simple syrup with the juice mixture.


In a cocktail shaker, add ice, one cup of the melon syrup mix to two shots of tequila or vodka.


Shake what yo momma gave ya!


Drink up.


Here's the recipe, enjoy!


Watermelon Vanilla Bean Mojito Martini [Margarita]
Prep: 10 Minutes
Makes: 6-8 drinks


Make your simple syrup:
Ingredients:
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1 Vanilla Bean, Split
1 Sprig Mint, torn into pieces


Directions:
1.  Combine sugar and water into a saucepan on medium-low heat for one minute.
2.  Add vanilla bean and mint and cook down until sugar is completely combined. 
3.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes [place it in the fridge to speed up the cool time].


Make your cocktail:
Ingredients:
1 Small Seedless Watermelon, Cubed
1 Orange, Squeezed
1 Lime, Squeezed
9 oz White Tequila or Vodka


Directions:
1.  Juice cubed watermelon and strain well to remove pulp.
2.  Juice orange and lime.
3.  Combine juices to simple syrup mixture.
4.  Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
5.  Add 1 cup of juice mixture and two shots (3 oz) vodka or tequila to cocktail shaker and shake well (approx 15 seconds).  
6.  Pour into Martini or Margarita glass and garnish with a mint leaf.


Tip:  Chill your glasses ahead of time!  Just add ice to your cocktail glass and pour water over the top.  Allow to sit while you make your tasty beverage.  Pour out ice water just before you pour your tasty adult beverage into your glass.  

7.11.2012

The Best Pound Cake Ever...

I hope you all had a Fantastic Fourth [a week ago?! Where has time gone...]!  We enjoyed a dinner with friends at home.  I like to bake a home for several reasons... [1] It's cheaper! [2] It's fun! (my version of entertainment) and [3] I don't have to rely on what a grocery store has available!  I made a delish pound cake for dessert.  


I knew I had to try out this recipe after my sis raved about it!  What a beauty.




Cream together buttah and cream cheese.




Then cream together with the sugar.



Add eggs, one-by-one [cracking in a separate bowl first to ensure no egg shells!]...




Add vanilla [madagascar bourbon vanilla bean, of course]...




Then sift the dry ingredients...



And add 'em to the mixture.


Throw it in a bundt pan and cook for ONE HOUR AND FORTY MINUTES!  



Yep, you read that correctly, 100 minutes!  Look at this golden baby.




I whipped up some fresh whipped cream and topped it with berries.






Delish! Here is the recipe, enjoy!


This post has been linked up with Frugally Sustainable, check it out!


The Best Pound Cake Ever
Recipe from Elizabeth's Edible Experience


Yield: One 10-in bundt pan
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 300 Degrees for 1 hour and 40 minutes
Cool: 10-15 in pan, 15-30 on wire rack


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
3 cups flour, sifted
1/2 tsp salt


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Cream together butter and cream cheese (don't over-beat).  
3. Mix in sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one-by-one [cracking in a separate bowl first to ensure no egg shells!]
5. Add vanilla [madagascar bourbon vanilla bean, of course]
6. Sift the dry ingredients and add to the wet mixture.
7. Pour mixture into 10-in bundt pan and cook for one hour and forty minutes [until toothpick is clean when inserted into cake].
8. Place in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes, and then allow to cool the remainder of the way for approximately 15-30 minutes before slicing.


Enjoy with fresh whipped cream and berries!

7.10.2012

..26..

So forget about the most of Monday... today is Tuesday and it's my freakin' birthday [I do what I want!]... My 26th, in fact!  This means I'm one year closer to 30, and the clock is ticking [according to my husband, of course!].  Doesn't he know that this is my theme song?


My birthday weekend consisted of the following (to sum it up, PERFECT, obviously):


The AC going out and then attempting to cool the room with a mini evap cooler.  In 114 degree PHX heat. 
Churn ice cream (freebie, btw!) to get out of the 94 degree house.

Free rootbeer floats from our property manager at work.

Borrowing my two-year old nieces sunglasses for a moment.

A sweet group of coworkers surprising me with a card, and one brought me flowers!

Pedis and Massages with my sis 

Did you know that I share a birthday with my Granny?  She's cute-ta-boot, and where I get my short-ness from.  Here we are at the cabin (4th of July 2011):



I asked for nothing for my birthday [and received many nice gifts, many thanks to you kind  and generous people].  Why no gifts, you ask?  Because material 'things' no longer matter... life is about my little family:


4th of July 2012... Stuart Little & Penny Laine are being their typical selves...
And my big families:
The Bentley's celebrating 60 years of marriage last summer!

My sister's wedding in 2004.


And friends (ok, there are A LOT of you, and if I didn't get a pic here it's because we need one or a new one!)...


 


  

 


And food, of course!


So here... on my 26th birthday I thank God for these things He's blessed me with!


Cheers to another fantastic year!

- Busy B


Portland Eats ... [Day Three]!

So... this weekend I showed you what incredible eats we had on day one and day two of our Portland trip!  After two fun-filled days, it was time for Pine State Biscuits.  
The Reggie
The McIsley
Hushpuppies
   
This was by far my favorite meal!  The biscuits are incredible, fried chicken perfectly seasoned, and the gravy a knock outta the park!  Mal had a delish bloody mary and Mr. Busy B had a sweet tea!

Of course, afterwards we had to try out another batch of Salt & Straw...
Creamy, Dreamy, Delish-ness.
We finished off a fantastic weekend at the Nike campus in Beaverton.  The campus is absolutely gorgeous and peaceful!




They have columns with plaques dedicated to the best athletes and coaches.  Here's our Man, LUTE!  
For those of you that don't know, that's where Mr. Busy B and I met.  He was a football equipment staffer and I was a cheerleader (hope you get some LOLz outta this link, ha!)... 


Here we are in front of the plaque:
 

What a great end to a phenomenal weekend!  We love our MalPal and the tasty food Portland has to offer! :)

7.07.2012

Portland Eats ... [Day Two]!

Okay so yesterday I shared the first night and day one in PDX!  It was awesome and day two was just as amazing! 

To start off the day, Mal and I went to Vivace Coffee House & Creperie.
Mal and I each had a savory crepe [of course I had to order a dessert one with nutella to share!]...


We went to the waterfront and tried out a Portland Elephant Ear from one of the food stands at the Saturday Market.

Mr. Busy B and his elephant ear.
After shopping in downtown [sales tax-less], we checked out the Nike store my friend works at and then got a chance to drop some moolaahhh at the Nike employee store.

Enter Mr. Busy B's Disneyland here.

Extra large bag?  Whoopsie!
We attempted dinner at Pok Pok but ended up at Clay's Smokehouse after realizing there was a 1 hr. 45 min. wait at PokPok! Bummer!  Clay's was ok, but I was definitely in the mood for some PokPok!

We ended the night at Salt and Straw.

Salt & Straw is redonkulous.  Just try it, you'll be able to relate after you do.  And report back.

Stay tuned for day three of Portland Eats!