What makes you think of summer? When I think about summer I think of fresh fruit, outdoor activities and snow cones. Ah, snow cones the perfect treat on a hot summer day.
Snow cones are simple treats of crushed ice and flavored syrup. I serve them to my kids in these reusable silicone cups. Clean up is so simple and easy. I love it!
As much as we enjoy snow cones we dislike the taste of most artificial syrups. So I made my own syrup using fresh ingredients. With flavors like blueberry and lemon these snow cones were a hit!
Fresh blueberries and lemon juice
Squeeze juice from lemons
Puree blueberries
Add pureed blueberries and lemon juice to saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Strain liquid through a sieve to remove pulp.
Pour cooled syrup over shaved ice and enjoy the simple pleasure of a cold, sweet snow cone!
Ingredients
2 cups Granulated Sugar
1 cup water
1.5 pints fresh blueberries
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Directions
In saucepan, combine sugar and water. Squeeze juice from lemons and puree blueberries. Add pureed blueberries and lemon juice to saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside 1 hour to cool. Strain liquid through a sieve to remove pulp. Pour cooled syrup over shaved ice. Cover then refrigerate remaining syrup.
recipe adapted from: http://www.dixiecrystalssugar.com
While cleaning and reorganizing my craft supplies I came across a bunch of scrapbook paper scraps leftover from old projects. I decided the time was now to either put those scraps to use or recycle them!
I also kept several cardboard circles that you find in frozen pizza boxes. The cardboard is ideal for crafts and makes the perfect base for wreaths. Like this one!
So that's what I did! After cutting a circular hole out of the center of the circle I used my butterfly craft punch along with the scrap paper to make a wreath. I attached the paper to the cardboard using my hot glue gun.
I wanted the wreath to resemble a flower so I added a few paper leaves.
To add dimension to the wreath, I bent the butterfly cut outs in half.
Pretty cute, eh! With the soft pink colors, this would be sweet addition to a little girls room.
Hello friends! Remember my bar from my recent thrifty finds post? Well after a few tweaks I'm excited to show you the full reveal.
Although I loved the mirrored top, I decided to add some fun and interest; the gold vinyl dots were the perfect addition. I didn't worry about creating perfectly spaced dots. I just eyeballed the distance and tried to space the dots evenly.
All of the glasses were thrift store finds. The hammered tray is a recent purchase from Target.
As much as I thought about painting the cart, in the end I decided leave it as is. The wood was in great condition so I didn't want to cover it up. And because I love the look, I dipped the legs in some navy paint for a fun addition of color.
Cute little stirrers from Etsy.
The coasters are from Etsy as well!
The ice bucket is perfect for chilled beverages.
I love how the cart came together. It's now ready to mix up our favorite drinks. I can't wait to use it this summer!
Summer is here and for my family that means a relaxed schedule and easy weeknight meals.
Shrimp tacos have become our new favorite dinner. This is a great summer meal, quick and easy to pull together and tastes great.
Spicy grilled shrimp, combined with fresh arugula, shredded cheese, dried cilantro and warm tortillas. For the sauce we used Yum Yum or shrimp sauce typically served at Japanese steak houses. The sauce goes great with just about anything, we enjoy it best on our tacos.
The sauce can be hard to find in most grocery stores, but is available to purchase online here. Unfortunately it's much more expensive online.
With just a little effort, you can still enjoy a nourishing home-cooked meal and allow yourself plenty of time to enjoy those summer nights!
Ingredients
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 large clove garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (8-ounce) bag of shredded Asiago Cheese
10 flour tortillas
1 (5-ounce) bag fresh arugula leaves
Yum Yum sauce
2 tablespoons cilantro
Directions
Preheat grill for medium heat. In a large bowl, crush the garlic with the salt. Add in cayenne pepper and paprika, then stir in olive oil. Toss shrimp in mixture until evenly coated. Lightly oil pan for cooking. Cook shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque. Set aside. To warm tortillas, place the tortillas in a dry (no oil) skillet over medium heat and cook them for about 30 seconds on each side.
To assemble tacos, spread desired amount of Yum Yum sauce over warm tortilla. Place arugula leaves over sauce. Sprinkle shredded Asiago cheese over arugula. Add cooked shrimp and top with cilantro. Serve and enjoy!
Strain liquid through a sieve to remove pulp.
