Sylvia's Scenario

We managed to get a few more blackberries for this refreshing drink, although you don't really need blackberries for it.  It's made mostly with blueberries and the blackberries are used for a garnish.  I got this recipe off of  Heather Christo's blog  once again.  You make a simple syrup with blueberries and you can use fresh or frozen.  It's another refreshing cocktail for summer so hurry up and try this one before our wonderful summer comes to an end.  (I'm not ready for summer to end yet.  Can you tell?) Makes 2 drinks 6 Tbsp. Blueberry Syrup (recipe below) 4 ounces vodka 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice chilled natural blackberry soda like IZZE ice Blueberry Syrup 1 cup water 3 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 cup blueberries To make the blueberry syrup:  Simmer everything together in a small pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the blueberries have gotten plump and soft and release their juices -...

Our blackberry season is coming to a close but we managed to scrounge around to find enough to make these drinks last night.  My favorite margaritas are jalapeño margaritas that I order at one of our frequented restaurants called  Cactus .  At Cactus, they are called Baja Margaritas.  Well, I've found a recipe that tastes just like the Baja Margaritas only using blackberries.  And they are even better than the regular lime margaritas. Lauren and Ari came over for dinner last night so I wanted an interesting before-dinner cocktail. I found this recipe from Heather Christo's blog who focuses on allergy free recipes. But her recipes are outstanding even if you don't have allergies. A perfect way to end our blackberry season. For 4 drinks 3/4 cup tequila 1/2 cup triple sec, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 1 cup blackberry jalapeño syrup (see below) ice cubes fresh blackberries and line wedges for garnis...

Here is our eclipse photo from Monday, the day of the Great American Eclipse.  We returned from Sun Valley, Idaho on Wednesday where we viewed the eclipse and it turned out to be a great location because there was no crowd at all and it was a wonderful vacation. We've made the drive many times so it wasn't a big deal for us to drive there.  Usually, it is 8 hours to Boise and then another 2-1/2 hours to Sun Valley but we weren't sure how much traffic there would be with everyone heading to view the eclipse so we left on Saturday at 5:30 a.m.  We went with our friends, Eric and Sheryl and their adult daughter, who had rented a VRBO condo right next to Dollar Mountain Lodge.  They left on Friday night and drove as far as Hermiston, Oregon.  We were texting to each other much of the trip, keeping tabs of each's progress.  We've known this family since Lauren was in preschool and their oldest daughter is still friends with Lauren.  So, our...

We are in the middle of a full blown epic blackberry season this year.  They are just everywhere you turn, all over town, including in our own backyard.  Bruce goes out to pick some whenever we need to fill our container back up. We've been putting them on cereal, ice crea m, yogurt and   Dutch Babies and sometimes we'll combine them with peaches on the Dutch Babies since it's also peach season. I have a whole cookbook just for blackberri es called  Wild and Free, A Cookbook and Guide to Northwest Blackberries . This cookbook is a collection of blackberry recipes that the author gathered from neighbors and friends and then she ran ads in the newspaper asking for others to send her recipes. So, some of the recipes are a little sketchy and vague with not a lot of explanation but this blackberry bread is pretty basic.  Since we had house guests over the weekend, I thought I'd make this bread as a grab and go snack, along with the...

I've posted chocolate chip cookies before but this is a different version for those who like their cookies more crisp.   I have my favorite soft and chewing cookies  here  or chocolate chip cookies with oatmeal  here .  Now, here's a recipe for a crisp cookie that I got from  Joy, the Baker .  If you remember, I got her latest cookbook signed by her in March. That was right before we went to  New Orleans  where she lives so it was a thrill to see her here in Seattle.  I always wanted to make her Brown Butter Chocolate Chip cookies so I finally did.  My brother and his wife came to visit this weekend for a Sounders soccer game and Mariners baseball game so I try to fill the cookie jar when he comes, being that I'm his favorite sister...(since I have four sisters, I do have competition.)  Bruce and I went to two Mariner games this weekend and have a third tomorrow night so we've been busy.  The Mariner's are onl...