Tomato Juice

It's been a while since I've chatted with you, but it hasn't been for lack of desire.  It's been a crazy summer, one of sadness, misfortune, miscommunication, and just downright cosmic ornery-ness, it seems.  We all go through these cycles, and it was just my turn to endure and grow and learn from it all.

In the meantime, I haven't done a lot of new cooking, relying on the quick and familiar in an uncertain time. However, one of the goals I had set for myself this season was to have a small garden and learn how to do some canning.  I turned the plot over by hand (as I said, it was a small garden), fertilized and planted, and everything seemed to go along swimmingly. I was so happy to see my little garden flourishing!

Then the rains came.  Soft and gentle at first, and we were happy to see it water the garden,  And then it didn't stop, and then it rained so hard that my yard flooded, became a pond, and a lot of my back-breaking effort was washed away. I am not complaining; our sister state, Vermont, has suffered severe losses of homes and property, and businesses.  Some roads are still barely passable.  For us, it was more of an inconvenience so we were fortunate to be able to  salvage what we could, and a few gorgeous tomatoes were among them.

We drink a lot of tomato juice in this household, maybe a half a gallon every week and we never seem to tire of it.  We take the occasional break and try other juices but always return to tomato juice, so it was no big surprise that I decided to try homemade tomato juice.

Just let me assure you that there is no comparison!  Good golly, Miss Molly, this was good!  It took a little getting used to because everthing was fresh (and admittedly gave poor Ole Sweetie-Pi "bubbles in the belly" because he's not accustomed to consuming glasses and glasses of fresh veggies, smiles).

If you enjoy having fresh vegetables, no preservatives or chemical addivities, I believe you'll enjoy this.  It's like drinking liquid sunshine.

Tomato Juice
(Food.Com)

12 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into quarters
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine the first six ingredients in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Put the vegetables through a food mill or a sieve, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.  Discard cooked vegetables (or if you're clever and frugal, perhaps use in a soup?)

To the juice, add the spices. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your personal taste.   Chill the juice thoroughly before serving. 

Ginger Tea

I recently went to the library and borrowed a book about superfoods and their purported health benefits; one of the superfoods mentioned was ginger root.  At virtually the same time, after renewing my health insurance benefits, I learned that my premiums were going to increase $200 a month (I won't even tell you how much my employer is contributing, but let me say it's nearly four figures!!), and then through sheer serpendipity my long-time dear friend Jane mailed me these adorable gingerbread men mugs  (as well as several other sweet gingerbread men themed gifts.  I can't say enough how much I love them).  Anyway, signs and omens tend to come to me in groups of three and I took this as a sign to wake up and smell the ginger root.

Did you know that ginger root has a long history of being healthful with healing qualities?  Me neither.  Gnger root has been used to alleviate the inflammation of arthritis; nausea caused by pregnancy, indigestion and chemotherapy; migraines, menstrual cramps; upper respiratory infections.  Wow, huh?  All this goodness in a wonderful, delicious, aromatic tea.  I know I feel better just holding warm mugfuls of this golden drink and breathing it in.

Ginger Tea
(bookedmarked for over a year by One Perfect Bite)

8 cups water
1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lemon or lime, thinly sliced
1/4 to 1/2 cup dark honey
In a medium sized pot, bring water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat. Add ginger and lemon. Cover pot and let sit for 20 to 40 minutes. The tea becomes stronger the longer it steeps. Strain. Stir in honey. Serve hot or cold.

The Pause That Refreshes

For a long time I have admired your blogs with the collages. After four days of fussing, I finally figured out how to do it on Picassa. I feel like one of the big kids now! I couldn't wait to show off for you!

Do you remember that old commercial where the tag line was "the pause that refreshes?" Was it for Coke? Or Pepsi? Maybe it was Mountain Dew? I don't remember anymore but I do remember the catchy line.

Cherry Lemon Cooler
(From Getting By on A Dime and The Northwest Cherry Board)

3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh sweet cherries, halved and pitted
1 cup fresh lemon juice, refrigerated
Crushed ice
1 bottle (1 liter) club soda or seltzer
Fresh sweet cherries with stems, for garnish (and just plain good eating!)

4 long stems fresh mint-optional (for garnish)

Combine water and sugar in small saucepan; add halved cherries. Bring mixture to boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Strain syrup into container with tight fitting lid; discard cherries. Refrigerate syrup until cold.

Fill a tall 12 to 16-ounce glass with ice. Pour 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup syrup over ice and top with club soda. Garnish with cherries and mint. Makes 4 servings.

Tip: Leftover syrup may be stored, refrigerated, up to one week.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: 140 Cal., 0 g pro., 0 g fat, 37 g carb., 0 mg chol., 1 g fiber, 28 mg sodium


Vietnamese Coffee

8 cups chilled coffee (leftover coffee is perfect for this!)
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Combine both ingredients in a pitcher. Find a long handled spoon; stir until well combined. Make sure and click the spoon against the sides of your glass picture. It's music. Get yourself a tall frosted glass. Toss in some ice cubes, pour chilled coffee over ice, hear ice crackle.

Summer is too short. Kick back and enjoy!