We tried out this recipe yesterday and woke up this morning to make it. The last time we had a fabulous cold brew was in Italy. They make ice coffee like this all the time. This is not only very strong but its delicious. I like to add almond milk and water to my batch to dilute it a bit more. Enjoy!

1. Grind 1/2 lb. of coffee beans to medium grind. Not too fine, not too coarse. We just used store bought coffee already ground and it worked perfectly.

2. Spoon coffee into a large jar or a pitcher.

3. Add 9 cups of room temperature filtered water.

4. Using a long wooden spoon, stir gently until the coffee grounds on top are incorporated into the water. Don’t stir again after this step.

5. Cover jar and let sit at room temperature, without stirring, for 12-16 hours.

6. Strain the cold brew through a chinois or fine mesh strainer set over a large measuring cup or bowl. If you don’t have one, then line a medium mesh strainer with 3-4 layers of damp cheesecloth or a damp kitchen towel. You’ll have about 8 cups of coffee. Then, transfer the coffee to a jar, seal, and keep in your refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. To serve, pour the coffee over ice. Add milk or water to dilute, if desired.

It’s right around the corner! I can’t believe how fast June flew by. I’m getting ready for the 4th already! Here are a few things I will be whipping up this year. These are easy to make and look very festive as well. Enjoy!

Red, White and Blue Strawberries
Author: Itsy Bitsy Foodies
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 30 mins Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 8+

Red, white and blue strawberries are a simple and festive way to celebrate the 4th of July.
Ingredients
Strawberries
White chocolate chips or Wilton white chocolate candy melts
Blue sugar sprinkles
Instructions
Wash the strawberries and let them dry completely. (If they are still wet, the chocolate will not stick to the berries.)
Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring it occasionally, until it is smooth and runny.
Pour blue sprinkles into another bowl.
Dip the strawberries in the white chocolate to cover roughly ⅔ of each berry with white chocolate.
Let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl and wipe away any globs of chocolate at the end of the berry.
Then dip the strawberry into the blue sprinkles to cover roughly the bottom ⅓ of the berry with a blue stripe.
Place the dipped strawberries on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.
Place the berries, uncovered, in the refrigerator to harden.
Store leftover berries in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Chocolate-covered strawberries are best when eaten within 1 or 2 days of being made.

Born Free

1½ oz. SVEDKA Stars & Stripes
1 oz. watermelon schnapps
½ oz. cranberry juice
½ oz. lemon juice
½ oz. simple syrup
¼ oz. blue curacao
Soda water

To make simple syrup, mix equal oz. hot water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add watermelon schnapps and cranberry juice over ice. Carefully add lemon, simple syrup, and vodka as to layer the white layer, then very carefully layer the blue curacao to create the color separation, and gently top with soda.

Source: SVEDKA

It’s been a big baby year! I have been to so many wonderful baby showers over this past year. We just went to a Jack and Jill shower this weekend for a good friend of mine. Its always a great time with these two and we are looking forward to meeting their little one soon. I loved the baby desserts they had this weekend, so cute. These baby Nutter Butters are a great idea! Not only did they look cute but they were delish! I posted the recipe below, just in case you want to make your own! So cute!

We also, made it to the BAA 10k early Sunday morning. And boy oh boy were we not prepared for the heat! It was a hot one. All of us were happy to finish. It’s always nice to have a goal to do a few running events over the year. It’s fun to get together and it also keeps you motivated to keep training. At the end of the race we celebrate by heading to a great restaurant in Boston. I had to take everyone to my favorite spot Cinquecento in the South End. Not only is the dinner amazing, but the Brunch is also one of the best on  Sunday’s. Then we headed over to SOWA to do a little shopping. It was quite the weekend of fun!

Nutter Butter Babies (Baby Shower)

Total Time:
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
40 mins
40 mins
0 mins

4 ounces pink candy melts (I used white candy melts with pink food coloring)

4 ounces blue candy melts
16 round white chocolate candy melts, unmelted (faces)
black decorating gel (and a fine-tipped paint brush)
16 Nutter Butter sandwich cookies
wax paper
Directions:

1
In a small dish, microwave (50% power) the pink candy melts. Don’t over cook. If you do, add a small bit of vegetable shortening.
2
Pink Babies: Dip 8 Nutter Butter cookies into the pink candy, the place on wax paper to set up. Before the candy shell hardens, press a round white candy melt into the upper section of the cookie, creating the baby’s face. Allow to harden.
3
Blue Babies: Repeat the above directions. Allow to harden.
4
When the candy coating has hardened, squirt a little bit of black decorating gel onto the wax paper. Using a fine-tipped paint brush, draw the baby’s eyes, nose, and mouth on the white candy melt. You can also create those features by piping icing, but I find it easier to draw them.
5
Allow to harden, then serve.

Recipe: food.com

Since I have been on Nantucket for this past week, I am starting to revamp my summer wardrobe. That means a lot of my old outfits are off to be donated and a few things are heading to the consignment shop. I have been absolutely loving the fringe cross body bags found on the runway, fashion magazines and blogs. I have found a bunch on the island that are quite pricey and I know I will end up using the bag for one season.I found this one below! Its a great alternative to spending a whole bunch and using it for a short period of time, until the next fabulous piece comes out.

Most of you who know me best, know that I am a freak when it comes to the summer sun on my face. The last thing I want at my age is to look older. Every year, I like to invest in a sun friendly hat, one that doesn’t make me look like a Nana and a great face lotion. This primer and SPF from MAC is great. I use it daily before I put on any make up or powder.

Click on pics below to get yours! Enjoy the day!

Here is another one of my favorite summer time recipes and a great substitute to replace those “white carbs” and its really good!  This recipe is easy to make and its a great colorful dish to serve as a main course or as a side. You can even get creative and pop a fried egg on top.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 small sweet potatoes or yams, baked
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn*
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
For the Vinaigrette:
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions

In a bowl, add the black beans, corn, onions, and cilantro. Stir to combine. In a smaller bowl, mix together the lime zest and juice, oil, honey, adobo, salt and pepper. Pour over the black bean mixture and toss to combine. Slice open the baked sweet potatoes ( you can put them in the microwave for 10 min. Make sure you poke them first so they don’t explode!). Stuff potatoes with the Chipotle Black Bean & Corn Salad. Serve.
Notes

*Fresh corn is best, but when out of season, frozen (thawed and cooked) or canned is fine. If using canned, be sure to rinse and drain thoroughly.

Serves: 4

by: Alaskafromscratch

Well, we had quite the fun filled day in Nantucket! I got this gorgeous bracelet! Yes, Nick has great taste! I absolutely love it and I have been wearing it since I opened it at midnight. I know I am beyond obsessed!  We also headed to SurfSide Beach to enjoy a great beach day as well as a bike ride to the Cisco Brewery. I think I found my favorite summer vino at Cisco, Nantucket Vineyards Blueberry Pinot Gris. It was so refreshing and great for a summer cocktail on a hot island day. It’s a must try. Next time you are on Nantucket you must head to the Cisco Brewery; great beers, vino and Triple 8 cocktails. Cisco even has live music at 4:30 that is great! We like to get there right at 4:30 to get a seat and grab some snacks from the food truck and raw bar. Fresh shrimp for 147 Raw and fried calamari from the food truck with Thai sauce, to die for!!! If you are looking for a great summer vacation or wedding anniversary celebration book your boat now and head to Nantucket. More to come!

It’s been three years since our big day! And what a BIG day it was. I absolutely loved our wedding in the city with all of our friends and family. I couldn’t ask for anything better than being married to my best friend. Let the adventures continue! xoxo D

Here are a few pics to remember that wonderful day!

We just enjoyed a fabulous night on the Waterfront in South Boston. If you haven’t had a chance to see Cirque du Soleil Amaluna, I highly encourage it. Every year when Cirque du Soelil comes to Boston we make sure to go! The show is amazing and never disappoints. Get your tickets now! I also recommend heading over to Morton’s on the Waterfront. They have an appetizer special from 5-630, half off all apps, yummy! It seems that every time we go, we seem to get the same things, crab meat, chopped salad and a burger. Here are some pics! Head over soon to enjoy!

Well, we have made it and are finally closed on our condo and off for a few months to the suburbs. I haven’t a clue what will keep me busy! Probably finding a house STAT! In the meantime, I just started reading The EveryGirl’s Guide to Diet and Fitness by Maria Menounous. Sadly, I haven’t read a book in a while and I absolutely love Maria! So, I decided to buy it for a quick summer read and to motivate me to stop eating ice cream every single night before its too late! So far I am only in the beginning chapters but I will keep you posted on my final thoughts.

I also subscribed to the woman’s and men’s Birchbox. A girlfriend of mine introduced me to the woman’s Birchbox and I really liked the idea. I am on road traveling from here to there and the samples are perfect for travel. Everymonth you will receive a few samples to try out that you may or may not have heard of. If you like the samples you can buy them directly from Birchbox. They just started the Birchbox for men. I wasn’t sure how Nick would feel about this idea…but so far he is using everything he gets and seems to really like Birchbox. Great idea for a gift!

Here is the link! Give it a try!

I was looking for a summery dish that screamed healthy! I absolutely love this fresh summer dish using some of the summer veggies available right now. I am always looking for ways to cut down on the carbs such as pasta and bread, my favorites. The quinoa  is filling that void and at least giving me some healthy carbs to load up on. And, if it calls for cheese I knew I would love it. This dish can be a main course or a side to accompany a big fresh salad or a  grilled fish dish.

Cheesy Greek-Style Baked Quinoa
yield: 8 servings prep time: 20mins cook time: 15 mins total time: 35 mins
ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Cooked Quinoa
1 1/4 cup Fat Free Feta Cheese ( or chopped buffalo mozzarella if you don’t like feta)
1/2 cup Reduced Fat Shredded Mozzarella or Cheddar
1 cup Marinated Artichoke Hearts (in Oil)
1 cup Chopped Spinach
1 cup Diced Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 cup Skim Milk
1 tsp Crushed or Minced Garlic
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Parsley
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Sea Salt & Coarse Black Peppercorn – approx.
directions:

Prepare the quinoa as directed. While quinoa cooks, dice cherry tomatoes and chop spinach leaves, then set aside. Next, in food processor combine 1 cup feta, skim milk, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley, blending until smooth.
When ready, stir artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, and spinach into quinoa, plus 1 tbsp oil from artichokes, stirring well. Pour over with feta sauce, then season with onion powder and salt & pepper, combining thoroughly.
Transfer mixture to oven safe casserole dish, spreading evenly. Top with remaining feta and mozzarella (or cheddar), then bake at 400F for 15 minutes until top has melted. Immediately plate and serve.
>> Prepare quinoa with chicken broth instead of water – it retains more flavor.

ENJOY!