Strawberry Basil Lemonade

It is finally getting warm here in Utah. It's been quite the "Spring" with cold weather and lots of rain. Now's the time for cold drinks out on the patio! 

I've been hearing of the use of basil in drinks for some time, and always thought it was strange. Then my husband and I went out to a fancy restaurant for dinner, and I made myself order one thing I'd never had before. It turned out to be a cherry basil drink. I instantly fell in love with the crisp freshness that the basil provided. So, here it is in a cold, refreshing Strawberry Lemonade! 

Strawberry Basil Lemonade

by The Double Dipped Life

8-10 lemons (1 cup of juice)

3/4 - 1 cup sugar

4 cups cold water

8-10 strawberries

1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped

Juice roughly 8-10 lemons to get 1 cup of lemon juice into a pitcher. Add 3/4 to 1 cup sugar, depending on how sweet you want it. Add 4 cups of cold water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Roughly chop the strawberries, and add to the juice. Add basil leaves. With a hand blender, blend the strawberries and basil until you reach your desired consistency.  Serve cold!

Horchata

The first time I had Horchata was while I was in college. It wasn't a great experience. Someone pulled out a 2 liter bottle of the stuff... warm.  Yuck!

 I realize that I had a bad experience, and continued to try it over the years, but never really liked it.  My husband loves it though, so when I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com, I knew I had to make it just for him.  And of course, I had to try it. And you know what? This recipe might have made a believer out of me! 

What is Horchata?  It is a Mexican drink made from rice, water, and milk!  Cinnamon and other seasonings flavor it.  Keep in mind that this recipe takes 3 hours to make. The rice and water mixture has to sit that long. So, plan ahead!

Horchata

Allrecipes.com

1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice

5 cups water

1/2 cup milk

1/2 Tb vanilla extract (yes, that's Tablespoons!)

1/2 Tb ground cinnamon (I might cut this down a little next time.)

2/3 cup white sugar

Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender. Blend until rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute.  Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours. 

Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice. Stir in the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water. Chill, and stir before serving over ice.  (You do not want this warm!) 

Now that I've found a Horchata I like, I just might experiment next time by adding coconut! Keep in touch! 

Enjoy!

Hot Pumpkin Drink

It's getting cold here in Utah. It has been snowing in the mountains all week, and is starting to snow in the valley.  While winter is my least favorite season (and that's putting it mildly), I do love the food that comes with it!  Soups, stews, and hot drinks! 

I'm told that this recipe tastes like Starbucks Pumpkin Latte.  This one, however, does not contain coffee, or any caffeine. The rich flavors of pumpkin and spices make a wonderful aromatic and tasty experience! 

Hot Pumpkin Drink

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 quart milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Nutmeg

Combine pumpkin, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large saucepan over medium heat. Use a whisk to blend well. Heat to a simmer; do not boil.  Pour into mugs, and sprinkle with Nutmeg. Drink carefully- it's hot!