Tag Archives: home

Making Mint Syrup (for Minty Drinks)

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Oddly enough “mint milk” is one of the search terms that brings the most people to my blog. I once wrote about St. Patrick’s Day and the mint milk found in my area during late winter. Something about the creamy mint flavor really hooked me (and my youngest, who still asks for “green milk”).

Since the need is there, I will definitely answer the call and try my hand at mint milk! Before I continue, please remember I do not write a cooking blog (though I do quite a bit of from scratch, whole food cooking). This simple recipe turned out delicious and R was thrilled to finally have green milk after months of it’s absence. I made two versions, one with extract and one using mint from my garden. Both were delicious.

Basically, I made a minty simple syrup. Yes, the same kind of syrup used in alcoholic beverages makes the perfect sweetener for milk. Think about the difference between Quik and Hershey’s Syrup…which dissolves better? There you go, simple syrup is best for sweetening beverages.

Sugar, water, and extract or mint leaves are the basic ingredients. Food coloring is optional.

After gathering your ingredients, bring your water to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in sugar and extract until dissolved. If you choose too, add food coloring. Hopefully you will have green food coloring in your home. I do not. My girls are inordinately fond of coloring the water in their bathtub green. Fortunately, I passed grade school Art and I know blue and yellow make green.


After the syrup cools, pour it into a jar or container for storing. As avid readers of this little blog know, I love jars and use them for just about everything. To make mint milk, add 2-3 teaspoons of syrup to one cup cold milk. Stir. If you are 2 years-old and upset at the lack of green in your milk, add more food coloring.

To make the syrup using leaves instead of extract, bring your water to a boil, add washed leaves and cover. Let leaves steep and strain. The leaves left a nice green color and subtle flavor, though I could have steeped it longer for a more intense flavor.

As an aside, you could use this same method to make a ginger, basil, cinnamon, vanilla or any flavor syrup.

Mint Simple Syrup (extract method)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pure mint extract

green food coloring (optional)

Preparation:

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to boil.

2. Remove from heat and add sugar and extract, stirring until dissolved. Add food coloring, if using.

3. When cool, pour syrup into jar and store in fridge for up to 1 month.

4. Add 2-3 teaspoons to cold milk or use in place of plain simple syrup in various beverages (it would be delicious as a lemonade or seltzer sweetener).

Yields 1 cup syrup.

Mint Simple Syrup (leaf method)

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup washed mint leaves

1 cup sugar

Preparation:

1. In a small saucepan with a lid, bring water to boil.

2. Stir in leaves, cover, and remove from heat. Let steep 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on desired strength.

3. Strain water, discarding leaves. Return water to pan and bring to boil a second time.

4. Remove from heat and add sugar, stirring until dissolved.

5. When cool, pour into container and store in refrigerator for up to one month.

6. Add 2-3 teaspoons to 1 cup cold milk or use to sweeten other beverages.

Moving, Phase 3

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I’m sure you’ve noticed I’ve been blogging quite a bit less lately. So much has gone on the past several weeks: soccer, school, sick kids, sleep issues (still), even dealing with bullies (yes, I’m diverse…and tough)!

But the biggest time suck by far has been the craziness of an overseas move. The good news? I have successfully completed phase 1, Get Moving and phase 2, Schedule Everything. We’ve cleaned and scrubbed and sorted everything and everyone in the house. We scheduled every appointment we could possibly need, crossed major chunks of necessities off our list, and even sorted what we’re going to do with our animals.

We’re now in the roughest phase, phase 3:

Begin to say good-bye.

This isn’t a simple wave and exchange of email addresses. This involves slowly separating ourselves from our home, spending time with people we care about, visiting favorite places and scarfing down all our favorite, regional foods. How to do this?

1. Plan all out-of-state travel.

Book tickets, coordinate dates, make sure you’ll see those important people who you might not see for several months (or years, for that matter). For my family, that means planning time in Pittsburgh with my in-laws and a trip to Arizona to visit my family. Since my family, our stuff, and our car is leaving from the east coast, my Pittsburgh relatives will see a bit more of us. (We have a car to deliver to New Jersey, recovery from packers and interstate travel, etc. I promise if we were going to Hawaii, Alaska, or Asia, we would definitely hang out in Arizona much longer!)

Nomadic Tip: Book all air travel well in advance, researching multiple sites. If you wait too long and prices are looking scary, hold off until right before your trip and snag a last-minute trip. Always try to fly on Tuesday or Wednesday, the least busy (and cheapest) days of the week. The most expensive time to purchase tickets is 30-10 days out from a trip.

2. Pick a date to leave town.

Once you plan your out-of-state visits, you have to choose a date to leave your community. It’s rough. Every time someone asks you “So, when are you leaving? Are you getting close?” you’ll cringe a bit when you answer (especially if the person asking is someone you’ll really miss). This is essential though. We have many friends here and this good-bye will be rough. We need to pace ourselves!

Nomadic Tip: Remember to leave a day or two after the movers are all done packing to recover before leaving town. You’ll need it before setting out on the next leg of your journey.

3. Plan your goodbyes.

It can be especially hard for children to say goodbye to their friends. Some special time, even if it’s a few hours at a playground, can make that easier. Gifts are certainly not necessary, but a picture of those you care about can make a difference. When a good friend left this past winter, she planned an early birthday party for her daughter. Our children were able to make t-shirts with everyone’s handprints on them (dipped in fast-drying fabric paint and labeled with a fabric marker) and had plenty of playtime. Cake, memorable craft, and play…perfect.

For adults, a lunch with a good friend, a small get together at your house, or even the time for a real phone call (yes, actually speaking instead of sending 76 text messages or an ongoing Facebook message) is all you need. It really is just enough to say good-bye without drawing out the memories and tears. Make sure you have phone, mail, and email addresses!

Nomadic Tip: Search for “free printable business cards” like these at How About Orange. Include your email address and any other information you have available. Have them ready to hand out to friends.

4. Take time off.

You and everyone in your family needs time off from goodbyes, cleaning, sorting, and running errands. Take a weekend off, I promise you will miraculously crunch everything into your remaining time. If taking a break before you’re all ready to go stresses you out, get things done and relax until the movers come. I promise this second option only works for a small portion of the population. If you aren’t naturally organized, don’t shoot for it. Plan that relaxation time in the middle of your preparation.

Nomadic Tip: Use this time off to relax in your home and visit some local, nearby favorite sites and restaurants. Stay close to home so you have plenty of downtime, don’t do too much!

I’m ready for number 4, taking some time off. I can’t wait to get there…I’m really wishing I had Samantha’s wiggly nose.

Pink Bliss

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A couple days ago, I shared opening day at our local, northern New York Farmer’s Market. My girls and I managed to grab a big bunch of rhubarb for $1.50. Not bad, since I don’t know anyone who grows this delicious, though misunderstood vegetable.

Yes, it is a vegetable and while I was certain it had to be related to celery, it is actually related to sorrel and buckwheat, though a New York court deemed it a fruit in 1947, decreasing the tax on the plant at the time. One interesting and tantalizing bit is that rhubarb is perennial. This means all the time you spend caring for the plant won’t end in just one season, it will come back next year. Delicious!

After my first experience with this plant, I am determined to plant some in Spain. It didn’t take much research to realize rhubarb has a dedicated following. At the suggestion of a recent spotlight on rhubarb by Simple Bites, I decided to forgo the usual strawberry-rhubarb pie and create a compote to use on different foods. Then I saw this delcious little cocktail and decided to make some syrup as well. (For more recipe ideas, visit TasteSpotting and search “rhubarb.”)

After cleaning and slicing my rhubarb, I divided it into two saucepans, using slightly less required rhubarb for each recipe (everything turned out fine…just go by taste), added the remaining ingredients, and after a little straining and canning,

I ended up with these gorgeous beauties.

Honey Rhubarb Compote

Rhubarb Syrup

The recipe I used for the compote called for beets, but I didn’t have any on hand. I was a little nervous about the color of both recipes since many of my stalks were quite green, but they both turned a beautiful pink color.

I suggest visiting your local market or sneaking into your neighbor’s yard to score some rhubarb. You won’t be disappointed by the distinctive, refreshing flavor. Below are the recipes I adapted from Simple Bites and Patent and the Pantry.

To prepare rhubarb for cooking, rinse well in cool water, removing all leaves (they can be poisonous). Trim ends.

Honey Rhubarb Compote

3.5 cups cleaned, chopped rhubarb

.5 cup apple juice

.25 cup honey

1. Combine all three ingredients in medium saucepan and heat to boil over medium-high heat.

2. Stir and cover. Simmer on medium-low for five minutes

3. Uncover and stir. Simmer on medium-low for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and leave to cool.

4. Spoon into clean jars or container and store in refrigerator. Serve over yogurt, ice cream, cake, whipped cream, oatmeal, or just enjoy from the jar.

Yields: About 3 cups

Rhubarb Syrup

2.5 cups cleaned, chopped rhubarb

1 cup water

.5 to 1 cup granulated sugar

1. Combine rhubarb and water in medium saucepan and heat to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Stir and simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes or until color is pink and rhubarb is broken down.

3. Add sugar to taste and simmer 1-2 minutes longer. (Rhubarb is sour and should retain that quality, I used a little over .5 cup.)

4. Strain into container or directly into jar (I only had a small strainer on hand). Allow mixture to strain for 10 minutes or more to remove as much syrup as possible. Pour into jar (if needed) and refrigerate.

Use in drinks, drizzle over ice cream or even try it on your waffles.

To make a “Foxy Lady Rhubarb Cocktail”: combine equal parts syrup and vodka, pour over ice and add 1 part soda water (you can leave out the vodka, but I wouldn’t recommend it).

Yields: 1.5 cups syrup

Linking to Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrapup Party

Opening Day!

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Yesterday was opening day for our local Farmer’s Market. Yes, while many climates enjoy year round markets (or nearly so), it just finally warmed up enough for a few veggies and a fun market day.

We usually go every week the market is open and the girls were so excited. I packed plenty of shopping bags and we set out to see what we could find. It is very early in the season here, so there was only a smattering of produce available (baby lettuce, spinach, nice rhubarb, and asparagus), but we saw some of our favorite vendors and were excited to see some seasonal favorites making an appearance. Burrville Cider Mill has a booth, much to my excitement the excitement of many. Their delicious cider donuts and uniquely sweet, flavorful cider are fall treats I knew I would miss in Spain, I can’t wait for their cider to appear in the coming weeks!

A local radio station was pumping music into the street and after a simple relocation, E &R took a dance break. Dancing for my girls involves spinning in circles and jumping around. I had to stop E before she jumped off the park benches. I’m a little afraid what she’ll try if she experiences a Parkour athlete (performer?) in Europe. Maybe she can come home and find work as a Hollywood stunt girl. In case you aren’t aware of the art of Parkour, check out the video below:

Back to the Farmer’s Market. While produce wasn’t in abundance, flowers and plants definitely were. The girls enjoyed smelling every single blossom and I practiced an amazing amount of patience (made possible by the sunshine and cuteness level of my children).

We had a great day. The girls made a stop at the library and I created a meal out of the fresh produce and delicious bread I grabbed (though I’m not certain what to do with my rhubarb…any ideas?). We are definitely going back next week, I need some cider!

Are you still searching for a Farmer’s Market? Check out Local Harvest to find a local market or check out your town’s chamber of commerce website. It is definitely cheaper and far more delicious! (How much cheaper? I got a huge bag of fresh, rinsed baby lettuces for $2, compare that to the bagged lettuce in your market and you’ll get a good idea of how much you can save.)

Nomadic Essential: How To Dispose of Old Paint

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One of my favorite movies is a comedy starring Chevy Chase, Funny Farm. I have often thought of this movie while working on our home (as well as another favorite, Money Pit). One of my favorite quotes comes from quirky Sheriff Ledbetter, “Remember Mrs. Farmer. Whenever you buy a house, whatever’s in the ground belongs to you – whether its gold or oil…or Claude Musselman.”

In our case, gold or oil or 65 cans of paint. Yes, we had 65 cans of paint, stain, polyurethane, and primer in our basement. I’ve been so angry about this paint, but I knew that it was my responsibility now and I wasn’t about to leave that around for a tenant’s child to get into or pass them off to a less environmentally responsible homeowner. As homeowners (or those who dwell in homes), we have a responsibility to our community and those who enjoy our homes after we move on. When preparing for a move, clearing your home of all debris, recyclables, and toxins is necessary. It is even more necessary to do so responsibly. Since most of us purchase paint our homes, I thought this was a process I would share.

We moved the cans to the garage long ago, I didn’t want them around our children. Since Tuesday was the last day of our dumpster, I took the time to deal with the 51 cans of paint remaining after recycling 14 empty or nearly empty cans. –As an aside, if a can is empty or just has a small amount (less than 1 inch) remaining, leave the lid off in a safe, ventilated area to dry the contents of the can, then dispose of properly in accordance with your city’s guidelines (we were able to recycle the cans).–

Tools Needed:

  • absorbent material: kitty litter, shredded newspaper, etc.
  • thick, strong plastic garbage bags.
  • paint can opener
  • several paint sticks (or old wooden spoons)
  • face mask (not joking, I wish I had one)

Our absorbent material of choice, “Valu Time Cat Litter” in an awesome orange bag. I used two bags.

After putting my youngest to bed, opening the garage, and arming myself with the proper tools, I faced the cans of paint. I went in thinking we had 27 cans of paint. I was wrong. Very wrong.

Most of the mix labels were missing from these cans, but the oldest paint I could date was from February 2002. I started making a group of them on our garage floor and prying the lids off. What a mess. I use low or no VOC paint. With the exception of a couple of Olympic paints, these were not low-VOC. The variety of harsh fumes from nearly 10 year-old paint, stain, primer and poly were pretty astounding. This is when I wish I had a face mask.

These cans are actually from my third group of cans. Notice the gloppy grossness? Also, the near full cans of paint? What a waste. Sad actually.

Next, I emptied a guesstimate amount of kitty litter into each can. You will need enough to absorb the liquid in the paint. If it is really old paint, it may be solid on the bottom with liquid on the top. This makes it more difficult to mix. Some of the cans were so full, I emptied liquid into near empty cans, for mixing purposes.

Here is litter waiting for mixing in my first group of cans. It isn’t exact, but just keep mixing until you end up with all the liquid trapped in your material and it is the consistency of really thick, clumpy oatmeal or really wet sand.

Here’s a nice close up of the consistency. It should be thick enough that no liquid seeps out.

Next, if it is acceptable with your local sanitation department, empty the contents of the cans into thick, plastic bags and recycle the cans. My sanitation department did not want to accept the cans (apparently the cans I recycled before were OK since the cans were completely empty, but there was concern over contamination), so I complied and, gulp, bagged up all these cans and added six large bags of trash to the dumpster. I was left with this sad pile of lids, pretty in their own way, but really an image of waste and irresponsibility. I’m glad to have this mess behind me. I will definitely insist all toxins are removed from our next home.

How to avoid this mess? Buy enough paint for your project. Don’t overbuy and be sure you’re certain of the color before you make a purchase. If you do end up with leftover paint, store your paint correctly (cover with a film of plastic wrap, securely reattach lid, and store upside down). Also, try to think of other spaces that can use the same color (visitors to my home will recognize leftover living room paint in my bathroom). If you realize you will never use that paint, donate it to a friend, church, or other charity; they may be able to use it to repaint a room, wall, or project. In the end, make sure you do not leave paint behind, instead dispose of it properly.