Friday, June 11, 2010

Friday Fives return!

                                *picture and recipe from Epicurious,  recipe noted at bottom of blog

After a good long break here, I am ready to get back to blogging.  However, I have found that the break has thrown my blogging mojo off, and I've been waiting to be inspired as to what to post about!  Graduation was a week ago, and life is humming along....everyone doing their respective jobs.  It was a bit surreal, watching my baby cross the stage.  She is so independent, but of course she is still my baby!  I have more than a handful of friends going through this same experience but only a few of them share that this is their last little birdie to leave the nest.......bittersweet, full of joy, happy and sad all wrapped up into one package.  I will, in fact, enjoy welcoming a grandbaby this year, and love that I will be able to go and be there as often as I am allowed! :D


So in order to get back into the swing of things, I  think a set of Friday Fives are in order!  Wouldn't you agree?

1. Do you read more in the summer than the rest of the  year?  What's your favorite reading spot?

2. What's your Go To Meal for a hot summer day?  Share so the rest of us will have some easy ideas in store!

3. What is one item on your "bucket list" that you'd like to see happen in the next two years?

4. What is one housecleaning tip that makes things easier for you?

5.  What 's in your glass in the summertime?  Pretty frozen drink, cocktail, water, soda???

I'm glad to be back, but I'll still be on the lookout for some blogging mojo if anyone feels like they've got some to share!!!

Berry Rum Punch
Berry Rum Punch
Bon Appétit | July 2005
by chef Tom Douglas
2/3 cup water 2/3 cup sugar 3 cups fresh raspberries, divided 2 cups fresh orange juice 2 cups pineapple juice 1 cup dark rum 1 cup light rum 1 orange, peeled, diced 1 cup diced peeled fresh pineapple 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Ice cubes
Bring 2/3 cup water and sugar to boil in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat; cool syrup completely. Puree 2 cups raspberries in processor. Pour puree through fine strainer set over saucepan with syrup. Press on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Mix orange juice, next 6 ingredients, 1 cup berries, and raspberry syrup in glass bowl.
2 of 2
Berry Rum Punch (continued)
Cover; chill at least 4 hours and up to 1 day. Strain into pitcher. Serve punch over ice.

3 comments:

southerninspiration said...

1. Yes, I often do catch up on some reading that I don't have time to do during the year.

2. Go to meal? Probably burgers on the grill, bbq sausage or tortellini salad, depending on whom I am cooking for!

3.On my list of things to do for a long time, has been a trip to Paris. My husband and I plan to do that next year for our 30th wedding anniversary!

4. Cleaning tip? Hire someone...not really...I haven't done that yet, but I have thought about it! I am looking to y'all to share some great tips with me, because I'm not sure I have any!
Zud for the kitchen sink...cleans white sinks better than any other product I've ever used!

5. Love a frozen margarita every once in a while, or a raspberry lemonade. I also enjoy water with citrus fruit in it!

Debbie said...

First, I am having the same trouble with the mojo. Could it be that we're just physically and emotionally drained from graduations? Wondering...

Second: So glad to see you back, though.

Questions:
1. I read the most in the winter months for some reason. Summer makes me want to DO things.

2. Go to meal has to be chicken on the grill *he grills* with a salad and some corn on the cob.

...either that or we GO TO Subway....

3. Mine thing would be to own a little hobby farm in the country.

4. My best tip is sort of a no brainer but I have a bucket of supplies, gloves, etc. for each upstairs bathroom and for the downstairs as well. I never have to lug supplies.
I also stumbled on a great copper cleaner yesterday which I might yak about on the blog.

5. I love homemade coffee smoothie things. Also I love Knudsen Farms spritzers.

FrouFrouBritches said...

1. I read more during the school year because I read in the school line while I am waiting to pick up kids. If I read during teh summer with the kids at home, I find myself reading the same page over and over for an hour!

2. go to meal? anything grilled so I don't heat up the whole house.

3. I got nothing!


4. Cleaning tip? I'm freaky about my dishwasher. All my utensils have a specific place - knives together, forks together, spoons together, etc. It makes unloading sooo much faster!

5. water, sweet tea, Dr. Pepper, margarita or Miller Lite - one of those.