Ice Ice Baby.

Alert:: This post is not intended for those who abhor coffee. After typing that statement I realize that was an abomination. Fellow coffee lovers, short and tall, grande and venti, I found a simple recipe for iced coffee. It's not rocket science, but there is an art to the making of the perfect iced coffee. Now I won't get into the particulars and snobbery associated with coffee beans and where you should be purchasing them, but I will recommend you give this iced coffee concentrate a try, if you're an iced coffee lover.

The Pioneer Woman is a blog (really a well-rounded website) I've known about and have visited occasionally, but this past week I've been paying close attention to it. I feel ashamed for not having "plugged" this sooner because this is a site worth of plugging, drooling, and lusting over. I've managed to print several recipes, one of which, was her recipe for the perfect iced coffee.

I'm the kind of girl who can't drink hot beverages on hot days. Sue me, I'm a temperamental lady. I'm making a conscious effort not spend so much money at coffee shops unless I'm buying coffee beans so finding this recipe was immediately of interest to me. I made half a batch of the concentrate over the weekend and have enjoyed several glasses of this refreshing beverage. I chose to use a lesser quality of beans for it, but I'm quite happy with the results. I sweetened my iced coffee with lowfat milk and sweetened condensed milk, because I'm a caffeinated gangsta.

Spicy Cucumber Salad.

Lately I think I've failed as a blogger, it's been slim pickins' around here and I'm not quite sure why. I need to fill up my blogging tank I suppose. Anyhow, I've been wanting to share this gem of a blog I found and one recipe that I have been making consistently since I stumbled upon this fine blog.

One of my new favorite foodie blogs is Bap Story – devoted to Korean cuisine, two L.A. dwellers demystify Korean food in their own kitchen. Simply laid out, they shoot beautiful photos of ingredients and dishes in various stages. For obvious reasons, you are intrigued and less intimidated by said recipes as a result. I've loved trying Korean food, but often am not familiar with names of dishes and all of the components.

The recipe I want to plug is the spicy cucumber salad, also known in Korean as Oee Muchim. Persian cucumbers play the leading role in this refreshing salad. The perfect side dish for a hot summer evening. It's the perfect no fuss side dish to accompany grilled fish or a bowl of white rice and it will take you all of less than 10 minutes to throw it together. Who can argue with that? And it's better the next day. If you're staying away from that big white box in your kitchen due to heat or humidity, this recipe is sure to become your new best friend. Give it a go, you'll be going back for more, again and again.

Jive Talk.

Sometimes I wish there were enough hours in the day to enjoy all the simple things in life and thank God for blogging because we can share them with one another. Here are some things I've been jiving on lately. Feel free to share your favorites too!

Jen Lee's latest blog post is priceless. She has a way with words and every time I read her posts I get the sense that I should stop whatever else I'm doing because it isn't nearly as important as soaking in her inspiration and humble words.

The Wednesday Chef's latest blog post will make you smile. It's nice to be reminded again and again of the simple pleasures in life even in the midst of a "perfect" day as a wedding can be.

I will never get bored looking at Etsy's home page, which features different sellers practically on the hour. The handmade world is so under-appreciated.

I have yet to try the recipes but I am constantly saving recipes from Melissa Clark's column, A Good Appetite featured in the NY Times.

Finding out that Tori Amos has finally shared her U.S. tour dates, you'll know where to find me on December 17th and 18th.

** Flower arrangements above are my first ones. I learned how to do it when I visited my mommy in May. Thanks Tracy!