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Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

Posted by Keelin Hollenbeck on July 2, 2013

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

Although I love a chilled glass of rosé in the summer and the occasional icy cocktail, sometimes I love a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade.  My favorite summer drink is to mix lemonade with iced tea and make what I call a half ‘n half, but it is also known as an Arnold Palmer.

When I was in high school, I worked at the New York State Fair for the two weeks it ran every year in Syracuse.  It was a great way to make extra cash to buy my back‐to‐school clothes.  I worked for a fried dough place that also owned lemonade stands.  The lemonade stands were in the shape of a lemon sliced in half and then propped open.   I would always work in the lemon which was fun because I got to people‐watch and drink lemonades.   The occasional fried dough also helped.  Whenever I drink fresh lemonades, it reminds me of when I worked in the lemon.

The recipe for lemonade is pretty basic; lemon juice, sugar, water and ice.  In this recipe I use super fine sugar because it dissolves easier than regular granulated sugar.  This sugar is found in most grocery stores.  If you can’t find it you can use regular sugar…you may just have to stir it a little longer.   I give a range for the amount of sugar because it is based on personal preference.  My lemons were very tart so I used the full 3/4 cups of sugar.    I used my hand lemon squeezer which works very well for juicing.   This recipe can be halved or double based on your crowd size.

Serve a pitcher this week at your Fourth of July party with a pitcher of ice tea!  You could also use this recipe to make Arnold Palmer popsicles or basil lemonade.

Glass of Fresh Lemonade

Print
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
Author: 2 Sisters 2 Cities
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup of lemon juice, from 4-5 lemons
  • ½-3/4 cup of super fine sugar
  • 4 cups cold water
  • 1 cup ice
  • lemon slices, for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a large pitcher add all ingredients and stir vigorously until all the sugar is dissolved. Serve with additional ice if needed.
3.2.1753

Source- Adapted from Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Lemonade

sisterk (2)


Filed Under: K's post, K's Recipes, Party Ideas Tagged With: arnold palmer, fourth of july menu ideas, fourth of july party, fourth of july recipes, fresh lemonade, fresh squeezed lemonade, lemonade, lemons, non-alcoholic drinks, summer drinks, summer recipes

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on August 15, 2012

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

At last- the recipe you have been waiting for! It’s the final dessert recipe from my family’s Fourth of July Party, the salted caramel brownies.  I have been waiting to post this recipe because I wanted to bake them again for a baby shower that I was going to.   Let me tell you, these brownies are to die for!  At both parties these brownies went very quickly and everyone who got to try them loved them.  One of my good friends I work with told me that she wants me to make these for her birthday next year.  I am totally okay with is because I would love another excuse to make these brownies again.

I am starting to wonder what world was like before this whole salted caramel thing came around.   I hope it is here to stay because I love love love it!!   The combination of the salt and sweet caramel is so amazing. I assure you there will be plenty more salted caramel recipes to come on this blog because this girl can’t get enough.

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

 

Print
Sea Salt Caramel Brownies
Author: K
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 24
 
Ingredients
  • For the caramel sauce: 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tbsp. corn syrup
  • ½ cup heavy cream, warmed in microwave for 15 seconds
  • 1 tsp. fleur de sel or kosher salt
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • For the brownies: 1¼ cups AP flour
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
  • 11 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • For topping: 1 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. fleur de sel or kosher salt
Instructions
  1. To make caramel sauce- mix sugar, corn syrup and water in a sauce pan. Heat on stove top over medium high heat, stirring frequently until the mixture reaches 350 degrees on a candy thermometer. The mixture should be deep gold in color. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in heavy cream. Once the cream is all mixed in add in salt and sour cream and stir until smooth. Set caramel aside while making brownie batter.
  2. For brownies- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9X13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt and cocoa powder and set aside.
  4. In a large microwavable bowl, add in chopped bittersweet chocolate and butter cup up into 1 inch chunks. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring with a spatula in-between until the chocolate and butter are melted together and smooth.
  5. Whisk sugar and eggs into the melted chocolate mixture until smooth.
  6. Next whisk in vanilla extract.
  7. Mix in dry ingredients until just combined.
  8. Spread half the brownie batter into the lined baking pan. Smooth with a spatula so that the batter is evenly spread in the pan.
  9. Pour the caramel sauce over the first layer of brownie batter in an even layer.
  10. Top the caramel sauce with the remaining half of brownie batter making sure to cover then caramel layer completely.
  11. Bake for 30-38 minutes, turning the pan half way.
  12. Remove from over and place on cooling rack.
  13. Combine 1 tsp. sugar with 1 tsp. fleur de sel and sprinkle on top of warm brownies to your liking.
  14. Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting.
2.2.8

Source– adapted slightly from Annie’s Eats

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies Platter


Filed Under: K's Desserts, K's Recipes Tagged With: brownie recipe, brownies, chocolate recipe, dessert to bring to a party, desserts, fourth of july party, salted caramel recipe, sea salt caramel brownies

Summer Party Ideas

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on July 8, 2012

Fourth of July Party Buffet

We are fully in the midst of summer and I wanted to share some fun summer party ideas!  The theme for my party was actually a red, white, and blue Fourth of July party, but a lot of these ideas could be customized and used at any summer party.

At my family’s annual reunion, each year we have a wiffle ball tournament.  For those of you that don’t know what wiffle ball is, it is similar to baseball/softball except played with a plastic ball and bat.  You probably have seen them at the grocery store or Target/Wal-Mart during the summer.
32 Inch Wiffle Ball Bat With Baseball Combo
My family is extremely competitive and the winners of the annual wiffle ball tournament get bragging rights all year.   A few years ago, we started hosting the wiffle ball tournament at my parent’s house because of their large back yard and proximity to where everyone is staying. After the wiffle ball game, we then have a lunch for everyone.

This year, my mom and I started thinking about summer party ideas weeks before the lunch.  We wanted dishes we could make ahead of time and pull together easily after the game.  Some of the desserts are repeats of recipes I have posted about, but the rest of the recipes are new and I will post more details about them through out the week.

Our Summer Party Menu:

Lunch
Mediterranean Dip with Pita Chips
Tex-Mex Pimiento Cheese Dip with Red, White and Blue Tortilla Chips
Mixed Greens Salad with Strawberries, Grilled Chicken and Poppy Seed Dressing
Sliders with Cheddar, Colby Cheese or Plain
Baked Beans
Kielbasa with Caraway-Root Beer Sauce
Kettle Chips
Lemonade, Ice Tea, and Water

Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
Sea Salt Caramel Brownies
White Trash Party Mix
Party Favors:
Sugar Cookies

Summer Party Decorations

I was inspired by Pinterest to make decorations for the party with a Red, White, and Blue theme since it was Fourth of July weekend. Earlier this weekend, I posted about the Pennant Banner that I made for the party.  I hand-folded the stars in the background by following this post at The Gunny Sack.
Pennant Banner with Hand-Folded Stars in Background
For the flowers we bought red carnations and white filler flowers, and then cut lavender from my mom’s garden.  We placed them in mason jars and tied red, white, and blue ribbon around the jars.  Then we placed the jars in a red 2-tied basket.

For the napkins and silverware, I wrapped the plastic silverware in a white napkin and then wrapped a red or blue star napkin folded in half around the bundle and tied with the opposite color ribbon.  I found two small red and blue baskets at Jo Ann’s Fabrics that I placed all the bundled silverware in and topped off with flags in the sides of both displays.
Flower Display
Here is a close-up of the flowers:
Close Up of Flowers

Outside we had two tables, chairs and a tent.  I made confetti for the tables using a paper punch and some leftover red, white, and blue paper.  It was a very windy day so we used  tablecloth clips to hold down the tablecloth and taped down the confetti.
Outside Tables
Simple, yet beautiful center pieces we made for the outside tables.  We had to wait to bring these out to the tables because of the wind.
Table Center Pieces
We had mason jars with ribbon tied around the rims and colorful patriotic themed paper straws all ready for my family to use as their drink glasses.  The paper straws are from this cute store called Shop Sweet Lulu.  I made homemade labels for all the food and drinks, which I will be posting about later in the week to explain how to make your own.
Mason Jar Glasses- Close-up
Another view of the island being set up for the lunch.  I hung handmade paper garland from the lights by sewing together scalloped edged circles punched out with a paper punch (adapted from Nest Of Posies.)
Table Display
The dessert table decorated with white tablecloth, red runner, and the handmade garland.
Dessert Table 2
The drinks station set up on the counter.
Drink Table
The Mediterranean Dip with Toasted Pita Chips.  Recipe to come soon, this one is a keeper!
Mediterranean Dip with Pita Chips
The Tex-Mex Pimiento Cheese Dip before it went into the oven.
Tex-Mex Pimiento Cheese Dip with Tortilla Chips

After is came out of the oven, it was gone after a few minutes.  Please don’t worry though- I have made it twice since because I wanted to get good photos of it cooked.  The sacrifices that I make for our loyal 2S2C readers!  Kidding-  this dip is seriously amazing, I really have made it twice since, but it was by no means a sacrifice.  Yum!!Pimiento Cheese Dip
Delicious Baked Beans, and yes, that is bacon on the top.
Baked Beans
Sliders with your choice of cheeses or no cheese.  I have decided that a slider is the perfect size burger for me.  I was so full after one (and all that pimiento cheese dip Smile.)
Sliders Close-up
We had these really cute squeeze bottles filled with ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise and a bowl of dill pickle chips for the sliders.
Sliders
Mixed greens salad topped with Strawberries, candied almonds, grilled chicken and poppy-seed dressing.   This is one of my favorite summer salads.
Mixed Green, Strawberries, Grilled Chicken and Poppy Seed Dressing
A tower of my classic vanilla cupcakes and buttercream frosting.
Cupcake Tower
The cupcake liners are also from Shop Sweet Lulu.  Love them!  They really inspired me to keep the cupcakes simple with white frosting and flag toppers.
Cupcakes Liners from Shop Sweet Lulu
These Sea Salt Caramel Brownies were heaven!  I am dreaming about them now.
Sea Salt Caramel Brownies
The White Trash Party Mix placed in small polka dot red and blue paper cups, which we also bought at Shop Sweet Lulu.   I added patriotic sprinkles to this batch of white trash and I was so happy with the results.
White Trash Party Mix
Last, but not least, the sugar cookie party favors were given to everyone as they left.
Sugar Cookie Favors
This party was a lot of fun to pull together with my mom and sisters.   I know that Fourth of July has already passed, but many of these ideas can be translated into Summer cookouts or summer birthday parties.  I can’t wait to share more details about the recipes and craft ideas from this party with you for the next week or two.   Stay tuned!

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Filed Under: Crafting & DIY, K's post, Party Ideas Tagged With: 4th of july, fourth of july, fourth of july party, labor day party, memorial day party, party ideas, patriotic holiday menu, patriotic menu ideas, patriotic party ideas, red white and blue party, red white and blue themed party, summer party, summer party ideas

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