Cocktail Popsicle: Honeydew Cucumber Margarita Popsicles
I love refreshing popcicles when it warms up. These are really great but you want to keep them away from the kids!
Makes five 2-and-1/4-oz. popsicles
Here is what you need:
1 cup honeydew juice (approximately a whole melon weighing 1lb, ripe)
1/3 cup cucumber juice (approximately half a cucumber weighing about 5oz.)
½ cup tequila
1 tablespoon triple sec
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Instructions:
1. Place the honeydew and cucumber in a food processor or a blender and process until everything is pureed. You want to give it a nice smooth texture. Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice and mint syrup and process for another 20-30 seconds to blend well. I pulsed the processor a few time sto get things to start to mix then processed it for 20-30 seconds. Pour mixture into popsicles mold.
2. Freeze for about 2 hours or until mixture starts to solidify enough to hold a popsicle stick upright. Insert popsicle sticks and finish freezing popsicles overnight. You want to make sure they have plenty of time to freeze. Run hot water on the outside of popsicle molds for a 2-3 seconds this wil loosen them up.
Yummy! Enjoy! These are great after a BBQ for the adults!
Homemade Flavored Water Drinks
I really have been trying to drink more water. I just hate the taste! This fun way to make your water taste a little fancy because everyone knows if you want to have a healthy body you have to DRINK, DRINK, DRINK water!
Here are 8 homemade vitamin water recipes to help you keep hydrated and healthy!
The Classic Cooler: lemon/cucumber:
Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + 1 cucumber and a lemon, thinly sliced + 1/4 cup fresh finely chopped basil leaf + 1/3 of finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
The Limeade : Strawberry/Lime or Raspberry/Lime:
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 6 strawberries / 0r Raspberries and one thinly sliced lime + 12 finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
The Digestive Cleanse : Fennel/citrus
First: infuse 1 to 3 grams of dried and crushed fennel in 150 ml of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool.
Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + lemon juice (put the leftover lemon in the mix) + a small thinly sliced orange + 12 fresh chopped mint leaves + the infusion of fennel seeds. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.
The AntiOX Blend: Blackberry/Sage
Note that a part from the berries, sage leafs is the herb that has the highest antioxidant content.
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of blackberries that have been very slightly crushed + 3-4 sage leaves. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.
WATERmelon : Watermelon/Rosemary
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of watermelon cut into cubes + 2 rosemary stems. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.
Tropical Blend : Pineapple/Mint
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of pineapple cut into cubes + 12 fresh mint leaves finely chopped. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
The Apple Crisp : Apple/Cinnamon
Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of apple cut into cubes + 2 cinnamon sticks + 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
The Ginger Zinger : Ginger/Tea
In advance: heat 1 teaspoon of ginger in two cups of tea, let it cool down. Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water with two cups of the ginger tea + 4-5 pieces of fresh ginger cut into cubes. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Homemade Vanilla Syrup
A bottle of fancy flavored syrup will run you between $3 and $8 depending on the size you buy. I rarely ever see coupons for it and the only way to get a deal (until now) is to buy it in bulk. I’d have to say that this recipe will make twice as much will cost you less than $1.00!
The bonus is you’ll know exactly what the ingredients are of and if you prefer to use organic or all natural products you can do that too. This also allows you to make enough to give as gifts. How nice it would be to make a great gift basket with all the fixings for iced coffee, or a morning breakfast basket with coffee, a cute mug and all the fixings for both!
This is also perfect for making vanilla milkshakes, adding to soda or other dishes!
Ingredients:
3 ½ cups water
3 cups sugar
½ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, gently stir together the water and sugars. It is vital that you watch this so that the sugar does not burn or scald. Cook until mixture becomes thick and syrupy (approximately 10-15 minutes).
Allow to cool and stir in vanilla extract. Yields 1 quart.
How to Make the Best Homemade Iced Coffee
I love Iced Coffee, but can’t always get out of the house to grab some starbies plus, it is wildly expensive to do everyday. I started making own iced coffee at home and it is so easy that I think that this is a fun and frugal must try!
Here is what you will need:
- One pot of strong coffee (cooled)
- Cream
- Sugar or flavored syrup
When you make your “strong coffee” or coffee concentrate, you will need to add a half more ground coffee to the pot then normal. So if you had “10 scoops” add 15 scoops to the coffee maker. Brew and then cool your coffee. You can store this coffee concentrate in a jar, pitcher or other container for up to a week in the fridge.
Then when you are ready to make your iced coffee, just add about 1cup of concentrate to 1/2 cup of ice. Then add cream and sugar to taste. I know many people that like to put a splash of real vanilla or use homemade vanilla syrup to sweeten the deal!
Then serve and enjoy. Depending on the cost of your coffee, you can make this for just cents per glass!
Check out the homemade vanilla syrup recipe here
Fun Frugal Microwave Popcorn
I love popcorn. My kids love popcorn. However microwave popcorn as you buy it in the store is expensive, fattening and full of horrible things that I can not begin to pronounce. Then I found a great way to make it for just pennies!
Here is how!
- 1/3 cup popping corn
- 1 brown paper bag
- tape
- butter (optional)
- salt (optional)
Open your bag. Dump in the 1/3 cup of un-popped popping corn. Fold bag over twice, then put about one inch of tape in the middle. Place in the microwave, lay flat and cook on high until you have about 6-5 seconds between pops (you have to play with it a bit because microwaves vary).
Remove and add butter and salt if you desire!