Cold Brewed Iced Coffee, or the best thing to happen this summer

Sometimes, in the evening, do you ever sit on the couch and think that you should get up and program your coffee maker so you have fresh coffee in the a.m., but the thought of actually getting up and grinding the coffee and measuring the water and probably cleaning out the old filter, is just way too much for you? Happens to me all the time. Last night was one of those nights. I knew I was going to want a.m. coffee, but since it's iced coffee time, I debated making a pot at night and then just sticking the carafe in the fridge so that it would be ready for me when I was running out of the house.

Somewhere in the cobwebs of my brain, I remembered that last year, jessica mae was very excited about CBIC and since she screened my call, I turned to the interwebs for answers. I wasn't surprised when I found what I was looking for on Smitten Kitchen.

Seriously, you guys, this COULDN'T BE EASIER. And so delicious and really better than hot-coffee-chilled-in-the-fridge. And I get to use my own beans. And it requires NO cleaning out the filter. And I am still going after leaving my house at 6.15 a.m. and working all day and going to yoga.

Cold-brewed iced coffee (from Smitten Kitchen) - Makes 2 16 oz servings
8 tbs ground coffee (or 2/3 cup)
4 cups of water

Pour could water into 4 cup measuring cup. Add ground coffee. Put measuring cup in the fridge over night. In the morning, strain the liquid gold and enjoy over ice, with CSA milk and VT maple syrup. Drink with a straw. Be thankful that you won't have to clean out another coffee filter this summer.

*image of delicious looking coffee comes from a blog that you totally want to check out

things i am loving

*limeade with mint. so easy to make and so refreshing, this is definitely my new summer beverage. it tastes even better when you drink it while you read in the backyard with the sun shining down on you.

*driving to work. not necessarily the driving part, but the whole being able to listen to npr part.

*stone fruit at the farmers market. the sadness of losing cherries is tempered by the arrival of plums, peaches, and pluots. i had never heard of a pluot until i moved to california, but now i am smitten.

*the fact that in one week i will be in puerto rico!

Clarification

This is my new bike. The pictures in the last bike post were the ones we traded to get the new bikes. Jed rode to work today. Excited to spend time riding around this weekend.

cherries jubilee

i finished the last of these beauties last night. there's only a few more weeks of cherry season left, and i'm feeling the need to make the most of it. i think a visit to a pick your own needs to be on the agenda for the weekend. i have visions of making jam and other assorted delish pastries, but i know most of them will end up in my belly. could be worse.

images from the weekend

consumed the perfect hangover cure after seeing the most amazing band down on venice pier

rode bikes to our new favorite breakfast spot then continued down the bike path to the beach

visited the garden center where we saw this guy with about nine million pounds of pollen on his legs and looking like he wasn't done any time soon.

strung the lights over our work in progress patio. it's well on it's way to becoming our lush garden oasis.

Before & After - Kitchen Shelves

Before:

After:

The kitchen looks better after every weekend. Loving the way the orange looks with the walls and counter tops. I have one more project up my sleeves for this week, and then I'm pretty sure I'll focus on sewing.

The Details Confuse Me Too

Old bikes out of our basesment, traded for newer bikes. The balance for the new bikes paid from the insureance money of our stolen bikes. Long story short, we will finally have appropriate city bikes that will hopefully stick around for much longer than a month. I will be so happy if the new bikes are all tuned up and ready for their new home today. Bike ride anyone?

some sweets for your thursday

Last night I baked brownies from what has become our new go-to brownie recipe. I used vanilla extract that I made last year and I am afraid I can never go back to store bought. Three vanilla beans, split and stuffed into a bottle, fill it up to the top with vodka, store it in a dark place and 6 months later, deliciousness.

wednesday, i wish you were friday

checking out at whole foods, the cashier looks up at me, sighs, then says "it's wednesday, it's all downhill from here". then he went back to scanning my mangos. guess he's ready for the weekend too.

Stellar Tuesday

My day began with the earliest of early meetings, but I was able to watch the most amazing 8a.m. thunder storm from the 14th floor of my building. Also included in said day: excellent conversations, checks off my to-do list, yoga, delicious homemade dinner.

making mondays more awesome

pete got a new bike, so we rode to the park, played a game of tennis (i am pretty much the next serena williams) and had a picnic dinner. chicken sandwiches on whole grain bread, salad with apples and maple balsamic vinaigrette and for dessert, cherries from the farmers market and dark chocolate. not bad for a monday.

saturday morning

i have a new early saturday morning routine. out the door by 9am, pick up a coffee and hit the yard sales. discovered that it really is better to get to there early. 4 light green pyrex bowls for 2 dollars, 2 tennis rackets for 10 bucks and a new purse for 50 cents.

dr. pepper on the rocks

we went to this LA institution called the Apple Pan for their famous hickoryburger. burger was fab, but the best part was they serve their soda in a can with a paper cone of ice and this neat little metal cone holder.