We’re going to tackle three different types of cocktails to make to impress – a super simple classic cocktail, a unique drink everyone will be talking about, and a showstopper. Let’s start with our easy peasy classic, the Aperol Spritz.
This simple drink has grown in popularity. Before traveling to Italy, we did some research on the food and drinks to see what are the must haves while visiting. An Aperol Spritz was top of the list to try when arriving. Leading up to the trip we started to notice Aperol Spritz on every menu in America. We clearly were late in the game on this trend but patiently waited to have our first spritz in Italy then compared it to an American version. They’re exactly the same but you know a spritz will always be better on vacation overlooking the Amalfi Coast.
So here’s the easy peasy recipe. No tools required besides a glass. It’s vibrant orange color will make it instagramable and everyone will think you were a professional bartender in your past life.
We started this blog to share the hottest spots in Austin, TX and NYC and even some amazing places around the world. Considering our current situation, the hottest spot right now are our own homes.
Maybe venturing from room to room all day is getting redundant. You’re feeling confided and limited. We’re starting to see that quarantine has some people going stir crazy already. Maybe some realize they don’t have a hobby besides going out and spending money. Things that are rather iffy right now.
So, we’re switching gears and focusing the blog on developing a hobby. We’re going to dabble on every topic and interest. All the DIY’s and activities we know. Infact, it’s a new series of posts on how to be good at everything.
This is about learning a new skill or task seemingly without effort. It’s not about being a know-it-all or a bottomless wealth of knowledge, knowing every bit of information about everything to take on every hobby. It’s about being versatile and maybe you can find your new, one passion.
We will gather everything we have learned on our adventures and post what we’ve taken from every experience.
If you’ve ever wanted to perfect your cooking skills, have a go to dish people request at party’s, masterfully craft a cocktail, learn a unique sport, arrange a beautiful charcuterie board, pick up a language, learn how to pair wine, improve your fashion, be crafty and actually nail a Pinterest project, start interior design, learn how to sew, or just learn how to be a badass at something…. we’ll cover that!
A lot of you have a lot of free time right now so there’s no excuse. Let’s learn a few new things while we’re cooped up and bored.
Dalgona, also referred to as “whipped coffee” is the latest trend to take over the coffee world amid people missing their Starbucks coffee routine. People are whipping up this caffeinated creation during their extra time at home during quarantine.
The light and airy coffee drink from South Korea has gone viral on social media. It’s pretty, it’s simple to make, it’s delicious and it provides us with memories of our days sipping lattes at the coffee shop.
It’s made of layers of whipped coffee cream and iced milk. It comes together in a flash with minimal ingredients and equipment, and almost makes up for the routine we all miss so much.
Ingredients:
2 TBSP Instant Coffee (Yes, it has to be instant)
2 TBSP Boiling Water
2 TBSP Sugar (Any sugar will work fine)
NOTES: It has to be Instant Coffee because using just any other coffee will not whip. Although, next time you make a regular coffee, blend it and it will change the consistency and flavor to a less bitter taste. It just won’t whip like instant coffee.
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and WHISK away. You can use a hand mixer too. Whisk until coffee is golden brown and frothy.
Fill your glass with milk and ice first. Preferably a clear glass to admire the beauty.
Pour the whipped coffee ontop of the milk and violá!
Notes: Any milk will work. Even non-dairy! The whipped coffee will keep it’s shape and not melt into the milk. Scouts honor.
How to enhance your coffee even more – Add vanilla to your whipped coffee and top with cocoa nibs or chocolate chips. We suggest adding extra sugar to the instant coffee to help with the bitterness.
You can also enhance your milk too – Use ice cream or yogurt. We used a non-dairy milk and blended it with coconut and dates. We think the milk part tasted even better than the coffee.
The creamiest and fluffiest lotion ever. SO worth it to make your own. It’s super hydrating and better than store bought – who knows what’s in that stuff. Making your own anything avoids unnecessary ingredients. Although, store bought always seems to appear better, in the long run there are so many chemicals in their products that do more damage in the long run. Skip the harsh chemicals and enjoy a little DIY during quarantine.
Let’s discuss ingredients and how to customize your body butter to your needs.
Start with your base – Shea Butter and Coconut Oil. Now let’s build from here. You can add any additional butters, lotions, oils, and scents desired. I suggest cocoa butter, jojoba oil, almond oil and a mix of essential oils. Some great essential oils that are beneficial to the skin are tea tree oil and frankincense. I also suggest adding an essential oil for a preferable scent which just adds more benefits to this lotion. You are literally creating a topical superfood for your skin. Go to the health section in your grocery store where the lotions are and scope out what’s available.
Some essentials oils that smell great are lavender, lemongrass or grapefruit. These essential oils provide many benefits for your skin as well as your health. If you put your lotion on before bed, go with lavender as it is a calming aid for sleep. Lemongrass is a powerful anti inflammatory and has an amazing scent. Grapefruit is sweet smelling and proven when applied topically to help with thyroid issues. Frankincense oil is not the best smelling but has anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and pain-relieving properties. The same with tea tree oil, it’s not the most pleasant scent but has long been known to be great for the skin and fights acne.
Butters and Oils – Shea butter and coconut oil have so many vitamins and health properties that these are a must and provide the best base for your lotion. For the coconut oil, you can choose a hardened one from the cooking aisle but more preferable is the liquid coconut oil as it only makes the body butter more luxurious in texture. Other great options to add are cocoa butter, avocado oil, apricot oil, almond oil or jojoba oil which only compliment it.
INGREDIENTS:
1 container of Shea Butter
1/4 cup Liquid Coconut Oil
4 TBSP of Any Additional Oil (almond, avocado, jojoba, etc. or can be a mixture of all)
7 drops of Any Essential Oil for Scent (lavender, grapefruit, etc.)
DIRECTIONS:
Now let’s get started:
Step 1.) Use a glass bowl to melt all the shea butter in the container and add about 1/4 cup of coconut oil in a double boiler. Let ingredients completely liquify and combine naturally. It’s not necessary to stir during the melting process.
Step 2.) After completely melted, immediately remove from the heat and let sit on the counter top to harden. I do not recommend refrigerating because it gets too hard to be able to whip. If you are getting impatient then place in the refrigerator but just for a short time. Remove soon as it becomes an opaque white color.
Step 3.) When the mixture becomes opaque use a hand mixer to whip the oils for a minimum of 10 mins. After about 2 minutes it will look and feel so luscious and soft like icing but trust me, you need to whip it for at least 10 minutes. The longer you mix, the better. You cannot over mix this. After about 2-5 minutes of whipping and the excitement ensues, you can add all your additional oils and continue to mix.
Step 4.) You’re not exactly done. Most recipes tell you to whip for 10 minute, jar it and voilá you’re done. The one necessary additional step that I have is to let the lotion sit overnight in the glass bowl on the countertop and mix a second time the next day. You will notice after it sits overnight it’s not as soft and fluffy. This is why you NEED to mix it again for another 10+ minutes.
Step 5.) Now you can jar it. I recommend using a new large glass jar with a lid (can be bought at Michael’s) because the lotion will increase in size and be too much to put back in the shea butter container.
With the current shortage of hand sanitizer, here is a recipe to make your own with items you already have in your house.
If making hand sanitizer at home, adhere to these tips:
Be sure to work in a clean environment – wiping down and disinfecting your work space.
Wash hands thoroughly.
Use clean utensils, bowls and a sterilized bottle.
Double check the quality and purity of your ingredients.
Do not touch the mixture with your hands until it is ready for use.
Ingredients:
Isopropyl or Rubbing Alcohol (99 percent alcohol volume)
Aloe Vera Gel
Essential Oil – such as Tea Tree, Lavender or Lemon Juice will work.
NOTES: The key to making an effective, germ-busting hand sanitizer is to stick to a 2:1 proportion of alcohol to aloe vera. This keeps the alcohol content around 60 percent. This is the minimum amount needed to kill most germs.
Directions:
Measure out desired alcohol and aloe vera gel – Recommended amount is 3/4 cup alcohol and 1/4 cup aloe vera. Add 10 drops of desired essential oil.
Combine all ingredients and whisk until incorporated.
The Pineapple Life 