Popsicles

Popsicles.  Well more like boozy Popsicles or should I say adult Popsicles?  Well they're about to become my thing.

Cruising Pinterest they caught my eye and of course it only took about 2.2 seconds for me to check Smitten Kitchen for the best mold and order it from amazon.com. (Still loving that Amazon Prime!).  I think this is going to be the cocktail of the summer.  So excited. 

The Promised Land

A live bait vending machine?  This really IS the promised land!!

Coconut Ice Cream

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't really care too much for ice cream.  Sure, I love to make it. But as far as eating, I can take it or leave it. However, it is physically impossible for me to make it through the summer without having at least one bowl of Coconut Ice Cream from Four Seas Ice Cream in Centerville, Ma.

Gorgeous Post Card painted by Doug Warren

Longtime owner Dick Warren wrote the book on Ice Cream.  Seriously, he really did:

2014 is Four Seas 80th anniversary so maybe I'll even indulge in a second bowl. I'd been in good company...

 It was well known to the inner circle that Jackie’s favorite ice cream was coconut, especially the blend made by Four Seas. She even went so far as to having it shipped and flown down from the Cape to the Kennedy White House.- Helen O'Donnell

Come join me.  You never know who you'll bump into.


360 South Main Street Centerville, Ma www.fourseasicecream.com

I'd stay here

The decoration is far from complete and I've questioned the color choice a time or two, but overall I think the paint made a nice difference in the sunrise room.  Fit for a guest?  I'd stay here!

This is what it looks like not long after sunrise.  The completion of the sunset guest room is considerably further behind schedule and it looks like my darling daughter has taken up residence in there. But I have faith..

Best way to make a marinade

Though I was done with 'bests' yesterday? Well you're wrong.  There's also a best way to whip up a marinade.  Your days cleaning of extra bowls, Tupperware etc are over.

Do it in a bag.  Any close-able and disposable gallon baggie will do but I happen to prefer the zip top ones because I'm more accident probe than the average person. 

Ok you're saying, I can do that. But how am I supposed to get all my ingredients into the bag without spilling them everywhere?  Oh I've got a suggestion for that too. Find a small deep bowl or, in this case, measuring cup. 

Stick the bottom of the bag into the mixing cup or bowl and drape the open top over the edges like so 

Now you can easily pour, grate and add ingredients to your hearts content. 

All without any extra cleanup for yourself. 

When you're done just add whatever you wanted to marinate to begin with, squeeze out the excess air, zip in toss it into the fridge.  

You're welcome. 

Best way to zest

There's a best way to zest?  Seriously?  Yes folks. There is.  Try holding your zester this way:

And draw it across the top of them lemon.  Not only will you be much less likely to zest your own fingers (and don't tell me THATs never happened) but you have more control, better visibility of what has and hasn't already been stripped from the peel, better yield and most importantly, an accurate measure of how much you've accumulated. Good luck figuring out how much is a tablespoon of zest when you've done it straight into a bowl. 

Next time you have a recipe that calls for a little lemon love, try it! You'll thank me.