Rhubarb Iced Tea

So… my life looks kind of like this right now:

As you can see, I’m busy packing, and next week, moving.  Most of my kitchen is either packed, or I can’t be bothered to make food when I know it will involve washing things that still need to be packed.  Basically, moving makes me incredibly lazy.

But moving also makes me thirsty.  And when I finally take a break, I want a few minutes to sit back and enjoy a refreshing, thirst-quenching beverage (and not necessarily the alcoholic kind).  This week, I had some fresh rhubarb in my fridge, and I couldn’t bring myself to make strawberry rhubarb the other day, so I found a rhubarb iced tea recipe and decided to try that out instead.

Also, how awesome is this old-timey map tray?

The tea cooked and chilled while I packed, and when I was ready to sit down and relax for a minute, this lightly sweetened, ice-cold drink was exactly what I needed.  It would also taste delicious outside in the sun on a hot day.  You could easily spice things up by adding some sparkling water or a sprig of fresh mint.  If you want to get really crazy, mix in a splash of vodka for a refreshing and summery cocktail.

Ok, break time is over.  I have to finish packing up my life now.

Champagne Cupcakes with Strawberry Champagne Frosting

We’re celebrating this week.  And making some big announcements.  And we’re also thanking so many people this week.  Because usually these things all go hand in hand.

A year and a half ago, I would not have believed you if you told me that this was the direction my life would take me in.  I had a BA in International Affairs and a job in a related field.  I thought I was on my way to being the next big thing in foreign policy, something I thought I had wanted since middle school.  But, for a number of reasons, I was unhappy.  So I made a major change, quit my job, and have spent the last year taking post baccalaureate classes to qualify for a graduate program in dietetics.  And I found out over this past weekend that my hard work has paid off.

So I’m leaving DC and moving back to my hometown of Philadelphia for grad school.  I’m incredibly sad to be leaving DC after living here for 5 years.  I’ll miss the community I’ve developed and the friends that I’ve made.  But I'm also excited for a new adventure (not to mention being in a town that roots for the same sports teams as I do).

I just want to take a moment to thank all the people who have helped and supported me.  Not once, during this whole process, has any one of my friends, coworkers, teachers, or family members told me that this was a bad idea.  I’ve been incredibly lucky to have the support and encouragement of so many people in my life.  So thank you, thank you, thank you to the professors who inspired, encouraged, and even accommodated me (I'd like to see you try doing an orgo lab one-handed) over the past year, and an even bigger thank you to all my friends and family who have been nothing but positive support since I decided to change everything.

To celebrate, I would like to offer a toast to all these people.  We’re toasting with cupcakes – champagne cupcakes to be exact (because can you really toast with anything else?).  I also recently discovered Trader Joe’s freeze-dried fruits, and I instantly knew that I wanted to pulverize them and use the powder as a pop of flavor.  I always associate champagne with strawberries, so I figured this would be the perfect recipe to experiment with.

The cupcakes are light and airy, and the frosting packs a wallop of strawberry flavor.  It has just a hint of tartness, but not enough to overpower the light taste of the champagne.  These cupcakes are definitely worthy of any celebration.

(And yes, I do see the irony that I'm about to start a program in nutrition and I'm celebrating with desserts)

Bruschetta

Let’s keep things light and simple.  Let’s eat food that lets its true flavors shine through.  Let’s not mess around with nature too much because it does great things all on its own.

This may or may not be my mindset because I’m limited in what I can make, or because I have an obscene amount of studying to do this week (yay finals!).  Whatever the reason, sometime I just want to eat fresh, unadulterated food.  Sometimes I just want good ingredients, very little work, and something delicious, and maybe even a bit fancy, to eat.

That’s where bruschetta comes in. 

I like to keep my bruschetta super simple.  I mean, you’re combining bread, tomatoes, and basil, how much more do you really need to add to make it delicious?  I know a lot of people like to add cheese to their bruschetta, but I don’t think it adds much.  Especially as tomatoes get sweeter and juicier as tomato season gets closer.  I like the sweetness of tomatoes, the bright taste of basil, and just a touch of tanginess from the vinegar.  A sprinkling of parmesan couldn’t hurt, you know, if you’re into that kind of thing.

This makes for a great, easy, and fancy looking starter to any dinner party.  Or maybe it’s a snack.  Or maybe you’re like me and you eat half a baguette’s worth for lunch, just because you can.

I'M BACK! Let's drink!

There are so many things to celebrate!  I’m well on the road to recovery (though I am still mostly one handed).  The weather has finally caught up with the calendar and there have been some seriously beautiful, happy-hour-on-the-patio kind of days.  And in just a few short days, it will be Cinco de Mayo.

So I’m mixing up some drinks to celebrate.  Mostly because drink making is more handicap-friendly than cooking.  Also, the recent weather has inspired me.  And when I think about enjoying a drink, my mind goes to one of two places; a glass of wine (or sangria), or, if I’m feeling extra celebratory, tequila.  And what else would you really want to drink on Cinco de Mayo?

Now, tequila has a bad rep, which is totally understandable, but there is so much more to it than margaritas and tequila shots (both of which I am happy to visit another time).  A good tequila can be delicious and refreshing.  It can range in flavors from fresh, agave notes to butterscotch and brandy-like flavors.  It can easily fit in at the most upscale parties or at any college frat house.  Tequila is just so wonderfully versatile.

May’s issue of Cooking Light seems to like tequila as much as I do.  I was inspired by a cocktail recipe there, pairing tequila with lime (a traditional pairing) and cucumber (not as traditional) and brightened with some mint and cilantro.  I adjusted the recipe a bit (mostly by taking out the cilantro, which I can’t stand), mixed it all together, and came up with a delicious, refreshing, downright summery cocktail. 

Let’s all just take a moment to sit back, relax, and celebrate the good things in life, preferably while soaking up some sun.

P.S.  I totally missed this, and I totally missed you guys!  Who knew I would become such a blogging addict?  Let’s just pretend I never left, ok?

Don't you just love the color?