A Request, A Nothing Post + Consolation Recipe(s)

Well, as you know, my Social Media for Social Good drive is over. I believe our grand total is $8,484.50. Isn’t that a fun number? I love how both years we’ve ended up with a fun result. 2010 was $1,337.00 and obviously you know 2011’s. Now my request – I asked people who donated to send me a header, headshot, book cover, avatar, whatever they wanted and the idea was to make a sort of collage. I don’t have photoshop, sadly, and was going to try to find something online that could handle it.

I guess my request is twofold. Is there any incredibly kind, generous soul out there who would be willing to do that for me? If not… got a suggestion? I was thinking fotoflexor but think it might die under the pressure/amount of images.

For the nothing part… an update on me! 😀 My blog, my universe. I’m sadly still sick. Getting slightly better, I think. But today I had some horrible allergic reaction rash thing. It actually ended up being a good thing though, because the benadryl I took knocked me out. I slept for nearly 4 hours, which is actually more than I had slept the past two days combined. Combined! Of course now the pup is going wild because omg someone to play with me!

Anyway, the sick + knocking out is why I didn’t write anything of more substance. I wanted to do another more in depth results post, about the good you all did for Save the Children, and other organizations.

Lastly… a fun summer recipe.

First, a mint-citrus simple syrup. I made mine with mine and lemon, because that’s what I had. You could of course make it with line, or orange. Perhaps a combination?

Ingredients:

sugar
water
fresh mint
citrus zest [lime, lemon, orange]

Otherwise, you only need a pot, and either a microplane/zester, or vegetable peeler. Add one part sugar, and one part water to the pot. (So if you add 3 cups of water, add 3 cups of sugar). For that amount, I added about 1 cup of fresh mint. I went outside, picked it, washed it, and dried it off – so I wouldn’t throw off the measurements of my syrup. If you don’t want to, you can just cook it longer to get the proper consistency once you add it. I then zested two lemons, and put that in immediately. Once the syrup had reduced by a third, I tossed in the mint. Once it had reduced by half, I turned it off – you could go longer if you want.

I strained the mixture, and put the syrup in small jars. They’ll keep in the fridge for quite some time as long as you don’t stick your finger in them, or a “contaminated spoon” or something. With the strained zest and lime… I actually made myself a drink – ice, the “syrup guts” – a splash of gin, and seltzer. A light and amazingly refreshing drink.

You could also blend the remains and make an amazing granita. Yum – I’m doing that next time.

I took the syrup and made myself a mango lassi smoothie yesterday.

Of course I eyeballed everything, and you can make it to taste… but let’s go with this recipe. It looked gorgeous but I was too lazy to take pictures of the process and style the end result. It was too good and I just wanted to drink it.

Ingredients:

plain yogurt
fresh or frozen mango
ice
mint citrus simple syrup

I threw about 3/4 cups of plain yogurt in a blender/container. I suppose vanilla could work if you want it even sweeter, or mango yogurt for extra flavor if they have it. Then I added 1/4 of a mango I’d cup up and frozen previously. (I like everything colder.) I actually blended this, before adding a glass of ice – and added maybe 2 tablespoons of the simple syrup. You can flavor to taste of course.

Blend. Done! If you want to be fancy you can garnish your glass with a sprig of mint, and maybe a citrus peel curl. For the mango lassi smoothie, I’d actually suggest a mint-lime simple syrup. I think that would taste even better. If you don’t want it to be a smoothie you can of course nix the ice, and just use water, and mix it well. Then it’d be a mango lassi.

Versatile! Enjoy. 😉

So – what’s your newest favorite summer drink?

0 thoughts on “A Request, A Nothing Post + Consolation Recipe(s)

    1. Limecello Post author

      Thank you so much, Julia – and thanks for all your help with the charity drive!

      As for the syrup – yes! Make some! Add the citrus though. I was going to nix it at first, but am so so glad I added it. <3

      Reply
  1. pommawolfjohnson

    I am so sorry that you haven’t been well. You worked so hard to raise the money for others, and now you need to take care of yourself….*S*
    I stopped getting colds and flu when I stopped being a professional caregiver..a CNA. I used to get the yearly flu shot but I don’t do that anymore either.
    But what I did start doing was drinking green ice tea. I must drink about a gallon of it a day, and my mango Gatorade and water. I don’t drink any pop anymore, and I still have my morning coffee though…*S* The green tea has stopped my sweet cravings, and I rarely even eat chocolate either. It was well over a year before I noticed that I wasn’t eating any sweets at all. I didn’t know that the green tea stops sweet cravings..LOL. But seriously, I haven’t had a cold or been sick in over 5 years. Plus changing jobs also dropped my stress level too, but the green tea I swear by…*S*
    Do you have a Photoshop program? I do, but my laptop is at HP being repaired after it crashed almost 2 weeks ago. They weren’t going to fix it until my Hubby “talked” to their corporate office….*S*. After we had 2 of the same model crash with the same problem….my better half was not going to take “no” for an answer…*S* So my daughter’s and my computer was shipped to them last Friday, and they should be back by the end of next week….*knocking on wood*
    But I do know that a collage can be made with Photshop, but I don’t know how to do either. You can get a free “Demo” versions online.
    Just a suggestion for you though…..*S*
    Sending you some positive energy, and little wolf magic your way, and hoping you feel better soon….*S*
    Take Care!

    Reply
    1. Limecello Post author

      Darcy – nope, I don’t have photoshop. Wanted to see if it’d be doable without downloading anything – trials are tricky, but I think Carrie is going to take care of it… I hope.
      I’m sorry to hear all the computer woes you’re experiencing. That’s really annoying and inconvenient.

      Oooo and little magic wolf sounds wonderful 😀 with little fluffy ears and a tail! I like green tea as well. Generally I drink my tea unsweetened though. (Yeah can you tell I’m so not a southerner? :X)

      Reply

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