Cheese Fondue

          Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

2 clove garlic, minced 
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon flour 
1 cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 cup grated mozzarella 
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 fresh basil leaves, slivered

Dippers: 1 loaf crusty Italian bread that has been cut into 1-inch cubes; 
1 cup cherry tomatoes; 
8 ounces of cleaned and trimmed button mushrooms cut into small cubes.

Directions:

1. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over sun dried tomatoes in a small bowl, and leave to soften for 10 minutes. 
Remove tomatoes from water and chop into small pieces.

2. Rub inside of fondue pot with cut side of garlic. 
Next, heat cream in pot until it begins to boil. Toss cheese with flour, 
and then add slowly to pot, stirring the whole time. Add tomatoes and basil leaves to mixture and stir until smooth.

Serve with dippers.

Iced Peppermint Green Tea

              

             Iced Peppermint Green Tea

Ingredients:

4 cups of water
3-4 peppermint green tea teabags 
1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
Ice

Directions:

For those of you who want to sweeten it, you can add half to three quarters of a cup of sugar to your 4 cups of water. I personally recommend that if you choose to sweeten it, use honey. Honey, by the way, is a neutral food and has a balanced yin/yang. Don't ask me anymore questions about this. I don't know any more than I'm telling you. Besides, Google is your best friend. Just treat it right and it'll give you what you want. You can also use plain green tea and add dried mint or a drop of mint extract. I didn't use too much lemon because I can't take a lot of it but feel free to add more to your own.

Now, get your jug. Put your tea bags in it. Pour hot water over your tea bags until they're covered. Only until the tea bags are covered. Don't fill up your jug. Now let it soak while you count to 40 (or 41 if you don't like even numbers like me) for a milder taste and up to 2 minutes for a stronger flavor. I prefer a stronger green tea taste. Top up the rest of your jug with cold water. Add ice to your glass before you pour. Oh, and you can also add the lemon wedge like me. It makes you feel special. Now, go find a mandarin orange while I go get another one and another glass that I'm frosting in the freezer. Be gone.

Toffee-Chocolate Chip Shortbread

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup toffee bits

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together butter, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in flour and salt just until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips and toffee bits.
2. 2. Using your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, 1 inch apart, pressing down lightly on each one with a moistened palm.
3. 3. Bake until cookies are firm and just golden around edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Place baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.