Watermelon Coconut Cooler

Summer feels like its slipping through my fingers. I'm not sure why that's such a big deal to me. My kids aren't school age and we don't usually take a vacation in the summer, so it doesn't affect my day to day routine. Maybe its the thought that I won't be eating watermelon, berries, pineapple, mangoes, kiwis and coconut nearly as often in a couple of months. I love fresh produce. Send me to a farmer's market and I'm like a kid in a candy store. I'm just not ready for pumpkins and squash just yet. We are eating fresh and raw like nobodies business around here, well except for the Taco Bell we ate last night but try not to hold that against me. I'm not even sure Taco Bell in real food but every once in a while I can't help but indulge. Judge me, I deserve it...

Anyway... Back to real food. My Mom had a cookout last weekend and the food was amazing a usual. Not to brag or anything but my family can cook! This summery deliciousness was one of the drinks we served. The other was sweet tea with flavored syrups but more on that at a later date. This is a simple naturally sweet and refreshing drink that you can serve instead of punch and not worry about any extra funky business that you can't pronounce being in it. I love this stuff!!! It tastes like summer. Better yet while I was sipping on it I thought I heard waves. Maybe I just really need to go to the beach! Hint, hint husband!

Watermelon Coconut Cooler:
Juice of 1/2 a watermelon
36 oz coconut water (we used the kind with pulp)
1 lime, juiced

To juice the watermelon, cut you melon in chunks and either run through a  juicer or pop in a blender and blend until liquid and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Combine watermelon juice, coconut water, and lime juice. Refrigerate and serve cold!


*To make sparkling add a 2 liter of Sprite of Club Soda.
**Cut the remaining watermelon into chinks and freeze and stir in to keep it cold without watering it down.

Currently.

This Saturday my Mom is having another epic family cookout. I may have made a tropical menu compilation.  I'm headed to the store tonight to get the ingredients for the flavored syrups and salsas and maybe a few things for that s'mores bar! Oh yeah! To be continued...

Jesse and The Ripper's on Jimmy Fallon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My inner 10 year old is doing cartwheels in my mind! You should know that my cousin and I both used Forever in our weddings. She used their version, cause she's hardcore Full House FOREVER! I used an acoustic mash-up original arrangement of their's and Beach Boys' version. Luckily, even at 11 my little cousin was a musical genius and worked it out like a pro. 

I am obsessed with Olio Board. I have re designed half my house already. When I run out of rooms I may start redesigning other people's homes! Family and friends you have been warned!

A couple of years ago the hubby and I decided to cancel our cable to save  money since I was cutting back hours at work. Luckily we have every newish gaming system so we can stream Netflix and Hulu through them. Its actually been a great way of monitoring how much tv we watch since we have to seek out what shows we see instead of mindlessly flipping channels. But the down side, other than not having all of our favorite shows available on the tv,  is that I have the tendency to watch that show and only that show until I have watched everything possible. I did that recently with Fringe, Drop Dead Diva and CSI NY. But, my newest obsession is Sherlock! I watched all three episodes from season two while Lee was at work in one day! That was nine hours in his 10.5 hour work day. I feel ashamed of my weakness, but I neeeeeeeeeeed season three to be available! I am SHERLOCKED! If you don't get the reference you should watch it. Seriously!

Rememeber the sneak of the Mickey Mouse party signs I was working on. I have now gone one step farther into crazy and bought me, the hubby and both boys matching Mickey shirts. I have crossed the line into THAT Mom.

My Caleb has been OBSESSED with the song Thrift Shop by Macklemore since it came out. (Don't worry he's only heard the edited versions) He has been running around singing "I got tenty in my pockets, come on, come, yeah, yeah" for months! It is adorable! He has recently moved on to Mirrors  by Justin Timberlake, which I'm totally ok with. That is my jam! Everyday he will randomly steal my phone and I will hear the song blaring from another room and when I walk in he will be doing a "white boy" dance to it. He cracks me up when choosing his music prefrences. He's never really been one for "children's songs" he has always liked regular music. I think that is why he loved Imagination Movers. When he was 18 months to 2 he always asking for the "magi eeee me" song (Magic by B.o.B. featuring Rivers Cuomo.) Liam's music choices seem to be more of a normal baby. He likes "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Skidamarick." He also really likes the Spider-Man song too. Maybe he isn't really that typical.

I've been on a crazy salad kick lately. I think it may have to do with that hunk I am married to learning to love lettuce. Be prepared for my next few posts to include several salads. I'll even try to keep them healthy too, but I don't make promises. 

I am on a crazy organizing, sorting and tossing out of crap kick too. It is to the point I'm barely interested in anything else. My brain is sort, sort, toss, Mickey Mouse, Cookout, sort, sort, toss, oh maybe I should eat, sort, etc... You get the point. Be prepared for more on that too.

And last but not least, actually the best part, my Mother in law called me today to tell me we are down to 75 days. 75 days until my Brother in law is back in the states for good!!! No more of this deployment crap!!! We are all very excited but I can tell you no one more than my Sister in law. I haven't told Caleb yet but I'm sure there will be much rejoicing.

So, what is new with you? 

Chilled Pineapple aka Cruise Soup

Ya'll I need a vacation. I really really need to see this view again.

But since that isn't really possible at this moment, I whipped up something that I knew would take me and the Mr. back to the Bahamas. I made a chilled soup or "cruise soup" as we call it. It is a regular on any cruise line. They serve it as an appetizer and the type of fruit may vary. This one is pineapple but I have also made strawberry. It isn't something I would want as a meal but it is a perfect side to a salad. At least that is how we have it at our house. It is a simple and quick meal that is perfect when it is so hot the thought of turning on the stove makes you break out in a sweat. I use frozen fruit more often than not but fresh is probably the best. I usually make this on a whim and always have a bag of frozen, berries, peaches, pineapple or mango but occasionally I will have something fresh that I don't have any plans for and I will whip it up. 

1 ?oz bag of frozen fruit
1 cup of plain yogurt
1/2-1 cup of half and half or coconut milk
up to a 1/4 cup sugar

In a blender or food processor blend your fruit and yogurt. Once combined at you half and half until you get the right consistency. I prefer mine to be the consistency on a thin smoothie but that's up to you. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time until you get the sweetness you want.

* Fresh mint or basil would be an amazing addition to mix in at the end.
** This could also be served as a dessert course too.
*** I often like to top mine with a fine dice of fresh fruit.

Mickey Party Planning

Since my boys' birthdays are so close together (1 month and 11 days) we are combining our party this year. Choosing a theme that satisfied my almost 4 year old and a 1 year old was hard. Originally it was Dr. Suess but even though Caleb loves the books he did not approve of the theme. We also kicked around Scooby Doo but I really wanted something fairly classic for Liam's first birthday but was still fun for Caleb as well. Caleb really wanted a "Plants Vs Zombies" party and I would have done it had it been just his party. Instead we are having a mini party for him on his birthday. We already get together with family for dinner on his birthday and this way both boys can have a day all about just them but we can celebrate both boys together will all of our friends and family. As for the theme, I finally nailed it! We are doing Mickey Mouse.

The Menu:

The Dessert Menu:

The Drink Menu:

This is for the treat bags.

For the photobooth:

Clubhouse poster for the bounce house: 

That is it so far. I have a longggggg list of projects to get started on. You know me I love a good DIY party. This year it will be a little more detailed because last year Liam was a newborn last year I made it pretty simple for myself. This year I just couldn't help myself I was inspired. 

*** UPDATE: for more info on the party look here, here and here. ***

Pear Prosciutto Pizza

Pear, Prosciutto, Arugula and Balsamic Reduction with Fresh Mozzarella and Romano Cheese

So you're thinking I've gone mad right? Well maybe I have, but not because of this pizza. This is the most genius thing I've made in a longgggg time. While the pizza was in the oven I looked at my husband and he had a fear in his eyes, fear that he was going to have to go to bed hungry that night. He was pleasantly surprised. I ate two slices and he ate THE REST OF THE PIZZA!!! He has been known to stuff himself if he likes something but this is like nothing I've seen before. He was miserable and I was happy and rewarded. This pizza is a little odd sounding at first if you've never eaten anything like but I tell you it is wonderful. 

It was good! I mean good good GOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not great for my diet but who cares when it tastes so wondermus. Yep, I just made up a word, deal with it.  

I use this pizza dough. It is the best I've tried. You could always buy a premade crust but there is nothing better than a homemade in my opinion. 

For the Balsamic Reduction you will need:

1 cup balsamic vinegar

In a small sauce pan simmer the vinegar over medium heat until it has reduced by half and is thickened. Let sit at room temperature until you are ready to eat. Refrigerate any leftovers.

To top pizza you will need:
2 pears, peeled and sliced
4 oz of fresh mozzarella, shredded or sliced
3 oz romano cheese, shredded
several slices or prosciutto
a handful of arugula, roughly chopped
olive oil

Brush the crust with olive oil. I added half the cheese then pears and prosciutto top with remaining cheese. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.  Once out of the oven sprinkle on the arugula and drizzle over the balsamic glaze. Slice and Eat up!