Smooth Sweet Tea.

Ingredients :

1 pinch baking soda
2 cups boiling water
6 tea bags
3/4 cup white sugar
6 cups cool water

Directions:

Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64-ounce, heat-proof, glass pitcher. Pour in boiling water, and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
Remove tea bags, and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.

Buttery Soft Pretzels.

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

Directions:

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.
When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.

Mom's Big Burgers.

Ingredients:

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 pinch chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ketchup
1/4 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1 pinch ground black pepper
4 cracked wheat hamburger buns
4 slices pepperjack cheese
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and sliced
1 bunch green onions

Directions:

Preheat the oven's broiler.
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, onion soup mix, water, garlic, hot pepper sauce, chili powder, ketchup, mustard and pepper using your hands. Pat into 4 large thick patties. Place them on a broiler pan.
Broil the burgers for about 15 minutes per side, or until well done. Place buns on the broiler pan and toast briefly. Place whole green onions on the broiler pan at the same time, and just toast until limp.
Place burger patties onto the bottom halves of the buns and top each one with a slice of cheese and some avocado slices. Top with the top buns. Serve with green onions.

Sunshine Toast

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 slice bread
1 egg
salt to taste

Directions:

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
Using a glass or cookie cutter, create a hole in the middle of the bread, removing the center so it is perfectly circular. Butter the bread lightly on both sides and lightly fry it on one side, and then turn it over. Crack the egg into the hole in the middle of the bread and fry quickly. Be careful that the bread does not burn. Serve warm.

Con amor..Kse ♥

Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen strawberries
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons white sugar
6 ice cubes
1 teaspoon wheat germ (optional)

Directions:

Blend the strawberries, milk, pineapple juice, vanilla yogurt, sugar, ice, and wheat germ in a blender until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender a couple of times. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Con amor..Kse ♥

Raspberry Pain au Chocolat (Raspberry Chocolate Croissants).

Ingredients:

• 1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

• 6 tablespoons chocolate hazelnut spread

• 3 tablespoons all fruit raspberry jam

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

• Unfold the puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut each one into thirds along the fold lines. Roll each strip of dough out to about 16 inches long, and cut strips into thirds.

• Spread some of the hazelnut spread onto one half of each rectangle to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the raspberry jam over the hazelnut spread. Brush the edges with egg, and fold over the other side to enclose the filling. Press the edges firmly to seal. Repeat with the remaining rectangles. Use a sharp knife to cut 5 slits across the top of each pastry, and place them on baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

• Bake for 18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool on racks. Dust with confectioners' sugar when cooled if desired.

Avocado Mango Salsa.

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• salt to taste

Directions:

Place the avocado in a serving bowl, and mix with the lime juice. Mix in the mango, onion, habanero pepper, cilantro and salt.