Thursday, August 25, 2011

Pea + Peanut Salad

This is one of those "you have to try it before you decide" recipes. It sounds weird; I was skeptical at first as well. But once I tried it, I was sold. It's sweet and crunchy, savory and creamy, all at the same time.

Pea & Peanut Salad





1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 lb frozen peas, thawed
1 lb Spanish or cocktail peanuts

In a bowl, combine everything except the peas and peanuts. Mix well. Gently stir in the peas and peanuts, ensuring everything is coated well. Chill at least one hour before serving.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars - a nice, different side dish. I served it with smoked sausage and noodles. As a bonus, my two-year old scarfed it down!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Iced Coffee

You know how some things just taste better when they are not homemade? That's how I've long felt about iced coffee. It just tasted better when I bought it vs. made it at home. I tried brewing super-strong coffee, buying instant coffee, using my Keurig, using a French press, etc.

But that was before I learned about cold-brewing coffee. The secret is so simple - letting the coffee grounds brew in cold water overnight. That's it. That is the secret to iced coffee at home. You and your fat wallet can thank me later.

Iced Coffee Concentrate

10 oz coarse ground coffee
4 L water

Dump the coffee grounds into a large container (I used a Pampered Chef pitcher.) Add water. Put in fridge overnight (at least 8 hours).

The next morning, give yourself an hour. Pour the coffee water through a fine mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth.  Stir with a spoon to help it through. I cleaned the kitchen and did some other chores as the coffee slowly made its way into the new pitcher. I went through about 4 or 5 coffee filters along the way as they clogged up.



But it was worth it. I now have 4 L of iced coffee concentrate that will keep in the fridge for up to a month. I used it to make a Vietnamese iced coffee this afternoon, which is just iced coffee concentrate, ice cubes, and a few tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk. YUM

Rating: 5 out of 5. Perfectly tasty.