Though I drank a lot of root beer years ago, these days all of my soda needs are taken up by Diet Coke and Pepsi (yes, I have someone learned to love both of them). But icy cold root beer can hit the spot on a warm day. I have to admit I've never had it with alcohol involved.

But AOL Food has the recipe (from DrinksTV) for Hard Root Beer, which is basically 8 ounces of root beer and 2 ounces of spiced rum. Pretty simple and delicious-sounding (unless, of course, you don't like root beer and/or rum, I guess). Some people, however, think the amount of rum should be kicked up a notch. This one calls for some experimentation.

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Tomato-based crimes are on the rise this week. First we had the massive, multi-state recall of tomatoes from restaurants and supermarkets, and now comes word of a tomato plant stand being recalled.

Or sister blog DIY says that the planter stands are being recalled by QVC and the Consumer Product Safety Commission because the legs at the bottom of the planter could become detached, which could injure someone. And this isn't just a precaution: there have been almost 350 reports of the planters falling, causing over 150 injuries.

Coming soon: Ketchup bottles: friend or foe?

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Excuse the standup comedian tone, but what's the deal with all these "anti-energy" drinks? First I posted about Drank, and now comes VIB - short for Vacation in a Bottle.

The web site says that you you will "experience the tender Polynesian breezes and the serene harmony of rolling waves with a vacation in a bottle." VIB has no caffeine, no alcohol, and is high in anti-oxidants while low in carbs and calories. Sounds like the perfect drink, if the taste is there. But that sounds good too: it's pomegranate berry, slightly carbonated.

Continue reading Mmmmm ... Vacation in a Bottle!

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Of course, I'm not talking about the ways you try to keep cool in general, such as cranking the AC, jumping into a pool, or going to the beach. I'm talking about liquid refreshment.

There are many schools of thought on this. My mom used to drink hot coffee in June, July, and August, going by the old theory that drinking hot liquids in hot months actually cools you down. I myself like iced tea and ice cold water during the summer, with some diet soda and icy Ocean Spray Light Ruby Red here and there too. Others seem to like beer and cocktails, though I really doubt their effectiveness (beyond the initial hit of cold liquid going down).

After the jump, give us your liquid solutions for the summer. Besides the drinks above, I'm thinking about asking the owner of the liquor store down the street if I can live in his giant walk in fridge for the summer..

Continue reading How do you keep cool in the summer?

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All of the McDonald's restaurants have stopped serving sliced tomatoes in all of its locations after various customers got sick in 16 different states in what might be an outbreak of salmonella poisoning. 23 people have gotten sick so far, so McDonald's doesn't want to take any chances.

Odd how all of this talk about the fast food industry and eating meat and all that, and what is making people sick is tomatoes. The chain says that they'll still keep serving grape tomatoes, but they aren't serving sliced tomatoes until further notice.

Update: the problem is even more widespread than we thought.

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It was extremely hot and humid yesterday. Not only did it reach 88 degrees with high humidity, it was the first truly hot and humid day of the year so it felt even worse. For some bizarre reason I played two hours of tennis in the sun and cooled myself with Tropicana Summer Lemonade (which is quite good, by the way). So I wanted to do a post with a really good lemonade recipe.

Instead of that, I found a recipe at AOL Food for Frozen Lemonade Pie which sounds both filling and refreshing. You make it with a graham cracker crust and a can of frozen lemonade concentrate. The oven will only be on for 7 minutes so it shouldn't get too hot in your kitchen.

(Old Orchard also has a similar recipe for Frozen Lemonade Pie (pictured above), but it includes cream cheese.)

Continue reading Frozen Lemonade Pie

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At first I thought this was some fake product that someone came up with, but apparently it's fairly popular in the south (coming to other parts of the country later this year). It's called Drank, and it takes a different track than all of the energy drinks that are on the market now. In fact, it has the opposite result: it makes you relaxed!

The press release says that it's made with melatonin, rose hips, and valerian, and is being pushed as the "anti-energy drink." The slogan is "slow your roll," and the company encourages people to drink it for "extreme relaxation" and to have a "stress-free state of mind."

I'm surprised no one has thought of the name Drank for a drink before. Someone should come out with one called Drink! I doubt that Drunk! would go over well.

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Blueberries mean summer to a lot of people, and here's a FAQ on how they get their blue color, whether or not size matters, and what that mold on the top means.

Continue reading Tip of the Day: Everything you need to know about blueberries

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• The wonders of poke.
• How about making pizza on the grill this summer?
• Summertime means a trip to the clam shack.
• Behind the scenes of the Future Chefs competition.
• Eat more fish, just for the halibut.
• Restaurant reviews: Steve's Diner and Shiraz Cuisine.
• This week's recipes: Roasted Onions with Thyme, Deviled Eggs, and Beef and Pork Chili (though I think it's a little warm for chili myself!)

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When I was a kid I was addicted to chocolate ice cream (side note: a lot of my posts start out talking about how I was addicted to some junk food when I was a kid - I'm amazed I don't weigh 350 lbs). But when I got older, my tastes changed from pure chocolate to other flavors, usually based in vanilla: chocolate chip ice cream, Heath Bar Crunch maybe some other flavors. Your taste buds must get more sophisticated as you get older.

Anyway, today is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. Check out the recipe for a very decadent-looking chocolate ice cream at The Joy of Baking, and here's one from CD Kitchen that promises to be like Ben & Jerry's.

Yesterday was National Donut Day. This isn't a good week for people on a diet.

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I've never been very good at making cocktails where you have to pour in the ingredients in a certain way to create a layered effect. But the colors on this one, if you can do it right, make the drink seem rather intoxicating (no pun intended).

It's the Traffic Light, a red, yellow, and green concoction that has a few variations. This one comes from In The Spirit and involves a shot glass (the pic above is a slightly different version, from B52s). You need a half shot of of Midori, a half shot of Disaronno Amaretto, and a shot of De Kuyper Cranberry Liqueur. You pour each one (in the order you see) over the back of a spoon, being carefully to layer them in the glass. The site categorizes this drink as "hard."

Needless to say, just because this drink has the name Traffic Light doesn't mean you can drive after drinking it.

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At first I thought, there's no way I'm taking a bunch of cherries and rubbing them on my arms and legs, but then I saw that you have to eat them.

Our sister blog That's Fit has a post about how eating tart cherries can actually help you if you have soreness after a hard workout. They're a natural anti-inflammatory, if you eat them twice a day, that is. This news comes via research conducted at the University of Vermont.

They could also help with arthritis.

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Sometimes I wonder how certain food holidays are created. They seem so specific. Is there an Applesauce Cake Council that demands a day of their own?

Oh, by the way, today is National Applesauce Cake Day! I've never had it, but it sounds quite good. I keep picturing something that is moist and chewy and wet and dry all at the same time. AOL Food actually has two recipes for it, one from The Joy of Cooking and the other from Woman's Day.

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Some people spell it donut and some people spell it doughnut. However you spell it, today is the day to eat them.

Krispy Kreme is going to celebrate the day by giving away one free donut (it's only in participating stores so you'll have to ask if the store in your area is, you know, participating). Are you flying on Southwest Airlines today, out of Dallas' Love Field or airports in Tulsa, San Antonio, or Kansas City? They're giving away free donuts at those locations too. You are now free to move around the country if you can with donuts in your stomach.

I don't think Dunkin' Donuts is doing anything for the day, which is too bad. Unless Krispy Kremes are hot and fresh, they're not as good as Dunkin's.

(I've always wanted to try Stan's Doughnuts in L.A. Luckily they have a web site.)

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I always find something great over at Mom's Best Recipes, and this one is no exception. It's Peanut Butter Cookie Pie, from Shirley McNevich, and while I can't stand peanut butter in other desserts like ice cream, I will gladly eat it in cookie and/or pie form.

There's something very retro about this recipe, with its use of Cool Whip and Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Nestle's Chocolate Chips. And how many recipes do you find that actually include Nutter Butter cookies?

Continue reading Peanut Butter Cookie Pie

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I can't remember the last time I had fish. I just don't eat fish, which means I'm probably incredibly unhealthy because I don't get all of the great things into my body that fish provide. I'm not a big seafood lover in general. I'll order chicken before I get fish, though I do love clams and scallops.

When I do eat fish, haddock is my favorite. My mom used to make it when I was a kid, and it was the only type of fish I could stand. I probably haven't had it in 25 years or so, but this recipe for Haddock Marinara from Kristimoo at AllRecipes might make me jump back into the fish world, at least once in a while. If you like your fish plain this might not be for you (it has a lot of stewed tomatoes and mozzarella cheese), but it sounds great.

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How do you like your iced tea? What I mean is, do you like real brewed iced tea or do you like the stuff from the store, with all the sugar and lemon?

As I think I've mentioned here before, I can't stand real brewed iced tea. It just seems like, well, I got a hot cup of tea and I let it sit on my desk for a couple of hours and now I have to drink it cold. And no matter how much sugar and/or lemon I add, it just doesn't have the same taste as the packaged Lipton or Nestea.

Anyway, June is National Iced Tea Month. I drink more iced tea in the hotter months of July and August, but since June marks the start of summer I guess it's a logical time to have the holiday (holimonth?). AOL Food has some great iced tea ideas, including tips on making the best iced tea, reviews of iced tea, and even an iced tea quiz.

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Here's the weird story of the day.

A man entered a Fredericksburg, VA gas station store and began to sing loudly. When he walked out of the store, another man was looking at him because he was singing, so the singing man picked up a rock and hit him with it. A friend of the man hit with the rock got out of the car and confronted the assailant, and then the assailant grabbed a fish out of his car and hit that man. He then threw a beer bottle at the man's car and dropped his pants.

Police caught the man and charged him with assault, malicious wounding, destruction of property, and indecent exposure. No word on what type of fish he used or how big the fish was. The fish could not be reached for comment.

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There's a new (well, old, but gaining momentum) controversy in the world of food: should food dyes be banned?

Many people want the dyes (with names like Red 40 and Blue 2, which sounds like a score from an episode of Hell's Kitchen) used in food banned because they think they might cause hyperactivity and ADHD. The Food and Drug Administration insists that study after study has shown that food dyes/artificial coloring is safe for kids and adults to eat. Though as CBS' Nancy Cordes says, a study a few years ago of 21 top studies done showed that the dyes could actually have an effect on the restlessness and attention problems in children. A non-profit group is asking for the dyes to be banned.

I have to admit that food dye is an ingredient I never even think about when buying packaged foods. How about you?

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I don't know if this recipe refers to the month of June or a woman named June. Perhaps Ward Cleaver created it after his wife got all jealous and suspicious when he worked late at the office so many nights in a row. But it just sounds like a June (the month) the drink, so here we go.

It's from Alex's Cocktails in the UK and includes very summer-sounding ingredients such as Midori, white rum, Cointreau, and pineapple juice.

Continue reading Tuesday Happy Hour: Jealous June

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