Being a semi-single girl (being that the boyfriend is otherwise busy), it seemed like a good night to invite my best friend over for food, chatting, and movies.   I wanted to make a munchy that would stay warm through an evening of conversation, be easy to prepare whenever we decided we were ready to eat, and be a finger food that would allow us to nibble at it. 

Seeing that my friend and I often like to order espinaca or con queso appetizers when we go out for the evening, I decided to try my hand at a homemade espinaca.  I knew I could prepare it quickly and place it in a fondue pot or mini-crockpot to keep it warm throughout the evening.  I also planned on serving a pineapple salsa with the chips, as my friend often has a craving for salty and sweet.  Two different dips, chips, and some beverages and we would be set for our girls’ night.  Let the fun begin!

Espinaca Dip

1-1/2 lb. block American cheese (from the deli), cubed

1/2  10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/2 white onion, diced

4 oz. can diced chiles, drained*

1 plum tomato, seeded and diced

milk

Place cubed cheese in a medium-sized pot and add 1 tablespoon milk.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently.  While stirring add spinach, chiles, onion, and tomato.  Add additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed for desired consistency.  Place in fondue pot or mini-crockpot to keep warm.

Serve with tortilla chips.

*Additional chiles or jalapenos can be added for more spice.

I am a low-dose coffee addict. I don’t need to have an i.v. of coffee, but I definitely need my morning cup of coffee. I prefer to sip slowly on my hot beverage during the start of my workday. This leads to the problem of finding the perfect travel coffee mug. For a while, it seemed that finding this mug would be as hard as finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

I searched many a rainbow, looking for the elusive travel mug. There have been mugs made of different materials, with and without handles, with different means of closing the drinking spout or with a continually open drinking spout. All of them have had flaws: the coffee cooled too quickly, the spout was hard to open, the cup slipped in my hand, it didn’t fit well in my cup holder. All of these journeys ended with a pot of fool’s gold.

However, my luck changed two years ago. Shopping in a kitchen store, I found the OXO Good Grips Click & Seal Travel Mug. There was a rainbow of colors before my eyes: red, blue, green, gray. I had seen many a rainbow, so I was dubious as to whether this rainbow would include the pot of gold. Only after purchasing and using this new mug, would I know if it were really good as gold.

The Click & Seal Travel Mug proved to be that pot of gold. Its many features made it the perfect coffee delivery system. The drinking spout opened easily with the click of one finger, which allowed many quick sips while driving to work. During that ride, the cup sat nicely in a cup holder, having a slim shape and no handle to interfere with its placement. The mug fit nicely in my hand and had an anti-slip coating that made it easy to hold.

With all of these features working for my new mug, it had one more test to pass: coffee temperature. I like my coffee to be piping hot, not quite enough to burn my taste buds but enough to make my throat radiate with heat. The mug was put to the test, as fairly often I don’t finish my beverage until a few hours after I have brewed it. The OXO mug passed with flying colors! My coffee was still the correct temperature.

My search for the pot of gold has ended, and my wishes have been fulfilled. There will be no more searches for the ideal travel mug. The OXO Good Grips Click & Seal Travel Mug proved to be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

In the midst of summer, it seems that most of us are busy trying to keep cool. Whether it be by consuming many ice cold beverages, finding a shady spot in the yard to lounge, or staying inside an air conditioned home, we have the same goal. We want to avoid the heat and humidity.

What herb speaks best of keeping cool? In my opinion, it would be mint. The very flavor of mint conjures thoughts of the icy cold: enjoying a peppermint candy, eating mint chocolate chip ice cream, or chewing on spearmint gum. Each one of these makes your mouth feel refreshingly chilly.

Mint is a versatile herb that adds a bite of flavor and coolness to many dishes. A perennial that comes in a number of varieties, it is spearmint that is most often required in recipes. Like most herbs, it is a simple plant to have in your garden, once you know how to grow herbs. As the Tasty Thought herb of the month, I am sharing a few of my favorite recipes that utilize this herb.

TK’s favorite mojito

6 fresh mint leaves

3 tsp. sugar

juice from 1/2 lime

1-1/2 oz. rum

2 oz. soda water

sprig of fresh mint

Place mint leaves and sugar in high ball glass. Using a pestle, muddle the mint leaves. (When muddling, you merely want to bruise the leaves to release the flavor.) Add lime juice, rum, and soda water. Stir gently. Add ice to fill glass. Garnish with mint.

Makes 1 serving.

Frosty Fruit Salad

1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved

1 cup honeydew melon balls

1 cup canteloupe balls

1/2 cup blueberries

1 Tb. fresh mint, chopped

1/4 cup orange juice

1 Tb. sugar

mint leaves, optional

Place strawberries, blueberries, honeydew melon, and canteloupe in medium bowl. In small bowl, combine mint, orange juice, and sugar. Pour mint mixture over fruit and stir gently. Chill for 2 hours. Place in individual serving bowls and garnish with additional mint leaves, if desired.

Serves 4.