There are a bunch of recipes floating around the interwebs for snow cone syrups so I just picked out the [...]]]> Somehow the stores are gearing up for back to school. Apparently fall is coming? (Someday?) But it’s still 110 degrees in the shade right now and I’m HOT. And so are the kids. Enter: snow cones!

There are a bunch of recipes floating around the interwebs for snow cone syrups so I just picked out the bits that sounded good and came up with this one. You will need:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 packet Kool Aid*

*(Or whatever brand; Kool Aid does not know I exist)

To make:

1. Stir the sugar and water together in a saucepan and heat till boiling; boil for one minute and remove from heat, then stir in drink mix
2. Let it cool completely then funnel into a bottle (a Wilton-type squeeze bottle or a water bottle with a sports top work brilliantly)

Sadly, I do not own a groovy Snoopy snow cone maker, but I do have one of these spiffy blenders that I used to grind ice into little snow cone cups I picked up at Target — mission accomplished! The kids had a great time getting to pour on the syrup themselves, and eating them on the back patio meant minimal cleanup. Go make some!

Last year I sweet talked a barista into selling me a bottle of peppermint syrup so I could have my own peppermint coffees at home. You know, for less than $6 a cup. This year [...]]]> This is another one of those “I can’t believe I ever spent money on this” sort of recipes. I love those!

Last year I sweet talked a barista into selling me a bottle of peppermint syrup so I could have my own peppermint coffees at home. You know, for less than $6 a cup. This year I thought I’d go one better and make it myself. As with so many things, it is ridiculously simple to make on your own. Your arsenal:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

I did this in the microwave in my trusty Pyrex but in a saucepan on the stove is fine too — just stir together the sugar and water and heat till the sugar dissolves, then stir in the peppermint extract (which, by the way, is STRONG STUFF; 1/4 tsp. is plenty).

You can also replace the peppermint extract with vanilla for quick and easy vanilla syrup.

That’s all, folks! Then add about a tablespoon to your coffee, hot chocolate or whatever floats your boat. Enjoy!

Summer’s not quite over yet (as evidenced by the 90+ degree September we’re currently having in Nashville), so I thought I’d pass this one along while there’s still some heat in the air.

You can make this with lemon, lime, key lime or any combination thereof; today I had a bunch of limes so limeade it [...]]]>

Summer’s not quite over yet (as evidenced by the 90+ degree September we’re currently having in Nashville), so I thought I’d pass this one along while there’s still some heat in the air.

You can make this with lemon, lime, key lime or any combination thereof; today I had a bunch of limes so limeade it is.

You will need:

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups lime juice (or lemon or key lime)
• Additional 4 cups water

So complicated, right? All my recipes are, you know.

1. Heat the water and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved; you can do this in a saucepan on the stove or in a glass Pyrex in the microwave
2. Let the sugar mixture cool and stir in juice and additional water
3. Serve over ice, ideally on a veranda.

This may or may not be great with a splash of vodka. I haven’t heard either way. Ahem.

The folks over at Pom Wonderful contacted me a while back and asked if they could send me some of their juice to try (for free, okay, FTC?). I [...]]]> Some people come from money; I, on the other hand, come from funny (which is even better). My Uncle Steve named this drink. Don’t you love it?

The folks over at Pom Wonderful contacted me a while back and asked if they could send me some of their juice to try (for free, okay, FTC?). I was honestly a little hesitant because, um, I was pretty sure I was the last person who hadn’t tried pomegranate anything yet and I wasn’t sure what to expect. A lot of people love the stuff, however, so I gave it a shot.

For my first attempt I thought I’d try pomegranate molasses.

Fail, party of one. Not having a clue what I was doing following a specific recipe, I cooked the mixture too long and ended up with a giant Le Creuset-shaped lollipop. Oops.

Not wanting to wash that pan again repeat my mistake, I thought I’d try something different. And, if y’all haven’t noticed, it’s a million degrees outside so a cool cocktail sounded like the thing for my next pomegranate attempt.

Success! It is yummy and tart and sweet and limey (is that a word?) and I’m loving it.

Please to mix:

• 2 Tbsp. simple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup rum
• squeeze of lime

Pour over ice and enjoy!

This makes a sweet drink, so feel free to adjust the simple syrup as your little heart desires.

What it is:

What it’s not:

What’s not to like?

Combine these:

Stir or shake to combine. The end! See? Crazy easy. And you can customize it, [...]]]>

What it is:

• Crazy easy to make with only two ingredients
• Completely natural, chemical free

What it’s not:

• Loaded with high fructose corn syrup
• Neon (because, um, ew)

What’s not to like?

Combine these:

• 16 ounces simple syrup
• 12 ounces key lime, lime or lemon juice or some combination thereof

Stir or shake to combine. The end! See? Crazy easy. And you can customize it, of course, and make it a little more sweet or a little more sour — whatever floats your boat. Or your margarita shaker.

It’s summer! The time when I reach for Lucy Buffett’s cookbook before anything else.

This one is based on Lucy’s Cadillac Margarita, adapted to, naturally, include key lime juice. Because I am obsessed love it.

Do me a favor and combine in a shaker:

Try not to be blown away by the beauty of that picture, okay?

I saw bottled simple syrup for sale the other day for a kind of ridiculous price and I was kind of horrified. Its name is no accident, folks; this stuff is crazy easy to make.

Ready for this one?

The end. [...]]]>

Try not to be blown away by the beauty of that picture, okay?

I saw bottled simple syrup for sale the other day for a kind of ridiculous price and I was kind of horrified. Its name is no accident, folks; this stuff is crazy easy to make.

Ready for this one?

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

The end. See?

I fill my glass Pyrex to the one cup mark, then pour in one cup of sugar, and microwave. I leave a chopstick in it while microwaving because it helps the bubbles escape as it comes close to a boil, and because it’s handy dandy for stirring it every so often. Just microwave the syrup for a minute or so at a time, stirring after each minute, till the sugar is completely dissolved. Then set on the counter to cool. That’s it! I store mine in a Wilton squeeze bottle, but any bottle or jar will work just fine.

Now you’re all set to make key lime amaretto sours! Iced coffee! Key lime margaritas! The possibilities are endless.

Are you all rolling your eyes at me? Seriously, I don’t know what I thought was in there, but I certainly didn’t realize it was so easy. Homemade sweet and sour mix! In seconds!

I decided to celebrate [...]]]> I discovered last night that sweet and sour cocktail mix is nothing more than simple syrup and citrus juice.

Are you all rolling your eyes at me? Seriously, I don’t know what I thought was in there, but I certainly didn’t realize it was so easy. Homemade sweet and sour mix! In seconds!

I decided to celebrate this discovery with a cocktail! I mixed:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. key lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. simple syrup
• 3 Tbsp. amaretto liqueur

Voila! The key lime amaretto sour:

Please to enjoy.

St. Patrick’s Day is coming! Why not celebrate with your own Irish cream? This is kind of cobbled together from a bunch of different recipes, adjusted for what sounded good to me.

I used:

Lissa and I have decided we’re going to be professional guacamole and margarita tasters. Anyone in the market for that? Anyone? Well let us know. We’re available.

Given our fondness for that combination, I thought it was time to share Lissa’s margarita recipe with you. I declare it Lissa week [...]]]>

Lissa and I have decided we’re going to be professional guacamole and margarita tasters. Anyone in the market for that? Anyone? Well let us know. We’re available.

Given our fondness for that combination, I thought it was time to share Lissa’s margarita recipe with you. I declare it Lissa week here at One Particular Kitchen! We’ll celebrate! (With margaritas!)

Pour this into a blender:

• 4 oz tequila
• 2 oz Triple Sec
• Splash of liquid margarita mix
• Splash of Grand Marnier
• Splash of orange juice
• 1/3 large can frozen limeade concentrate (like this, but limeade)

Blend away with plenty of ice. (One of these doesn’t hurt; I’m just sayin’. Mine even works after a user error fail!)

I am a saltaholic so I go for the lime-and-salt rimmed glasses. The Yankee not so much — no salt for him. The Kiddo? All Cheerios all the time. That’s how we roll.