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Electric Lemonade

My Electric Lemonade recipe will have you thinking about summer. Made without sour mix, it contains just four ingredients and is a simple poured cocktail. Made with vodka, blue curacao, lemonade, and lemon-lime soda to make a balanced yet refreshing drink.

Who doesn't love a blue drink? They intrigue me every single time. It looks out of the ordinary and summery.

Speaking of summer, I remember my early drinking days. They often involved blue drinks and those drinks often had the name Bartles and Jaymes somewhere on it too. Yes, most of my early drinking experiences involved wine coolers.

Now, with this recipe, you can have an easy-drinking cocktail without the price tag of a pack of wine coolers.

This drink isn't strong; it is meant to be balanced. You will still feel like you are sipping on effervescent lemonade with just a slight kick.

What is Electric Lemonade?

While the cocktail history seems to be lost on this, the lemonade part is clear. The electric part is a reference to the blue hue that this cocktail has. Depending on what brand of Blue Curacao you reach for you could get anything from an aqua drink to a really blue cocktail. Vodka is here to add the kick without adding flavor.

Could You Cut Back the Sugar In This?

Totally! Use diet soda and diet lemonade to keep the sugar and carbs in check without too much impact on the flavor. Both are acceptable substitutes here.

What about Making This a Slushie?

You can absolutely do the same thing in a blender. Instead of pouring the ingredients, place everything in a blender and you'll have an electric lemonade slushie which is just as perfect for hot summer days as well.

Can I Make This Drink Stronger?

Yes! I kept this drink balanced for taste. So this is as mild-tasting as a wine cooler. If you prefer your cocktails stronger then add a bit more vodka. However, I would keep the same amount of blue curacao. Because Blue Curacao is an orange-flavored liqueur, it will throw off the balance just a bit if you add more of it.

Tips for Making This

You can make this a slushie by putting all the ingredients in a blender
You can make this more diet-friendly by using diet or sugar-free lemonade and/or soda
If you don't have blue curacao, then triple sec or regular curacao will work (just add food coloring if you need your cocktail to be blue)
This recipe can be doubled (or more just use the slider on the recipe card below)
Store-bought lemonade is fine to use as is homemade lemonade
Always use good ice.

Watch Me Make Electric Lemonade (30 Seconds)

How to Make Electric Lemonade

Step 1: Get your ingredients out. You'll need vodka, blue curacao, lemonade, and lemon lime soda.

Step 2: Put ice in a glass and measure out vodka. Pour vodka into glass.

A measuring cup with vodka in it next to a glass filled with ice

Step 3: Measure out blue curacao. Add to glass.

Blue Curacao next to a glass filled with ice and vodka

Step 4: Measure out lemonade (you can also eyeball it). Add to the glass.

A measuring cup with lemonade next to the glass filled with ice and blue curacao

Step 5: Top off the glass with lemon-lime soda.

A can of Sprite next to a glass containing ice, vodka, blue curacao, and lemonade

Step 6: Sip and enjoy responsibly!

An back lit picture of a single glass of electric lemonade with sliced lemons around it

Other Vodka Cocktails You Might Enjoy

Chocolate Martini

Red Russian

Vodka Gimlet

I hope you enjoy this Electric Lemonade recipe!

If you try this, would you mind hitting the "Rate" button? I'd love to know what you thought of it. If you modified the original recipe here, please let me know how it turned out. I love comments!

If you've tried this Electric Lemonade or any other recipe on the blog, I'd love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to see what I'm up to.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Electric Lemonade

My electric lemonade recipe will have you thinking about summer. Made without sour mix, it contains just four ingredients and is simple poured cocktail. Made with vodka, blue curacao, lemonade, and lemon-lime soda to make a balanced yet refreshing drink.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: electric lemonade, vodka cocktail

Servings:

Calories: 199kcal

Author: Brenda

Ingredients

1.5 ounces vodka
.5 ounces blue curacao
4 ounces lemonade pre-made is fine
lemon-lime soda enough to top off the glass

Instructions

Add ice to a glass
Add Vodka, Blue Curacao, and Lemonade
Top with Lemon-Lime Soda & Enjoy!

Video

Notes

You can make this a slushie by putting all the ingredients in a blender
You can make this more diet friendly by using diet or sugar free lemonade and/or soda
If you don't have blue curacao, then triple sec or regular curacao will work (just add food coloring if you need your cocktail to be blue)
This recipe can be doubled (or more just use the slider on the recipe card below)
Store bought lemonade is fine to use as is homemade lemonade
Always use good ice

Nutrition

Trader Joe's Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Serum

If this packaging looks vaguely familiar, then it should. You may have already tried a similar product called Trader Joe's Shea Butter & Coconut Oil Hair Mask. And while the packaging is similar, so is the end goal of both products: to give you soft and luxurious hair. However, Trader Joe's Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Serum are best before drying your hair.

Testing this and review

Now, just to be clear I naturally have straight hair and for the most part, it is pretty healthy. That doesn't mean I don't have my fair share of hair products. I have a whole shelf of them for purposes ranging from volumizing to hydrating, to protection for the straightening iron.

Despite going to the pool at the gym regularly, even chlorine hasn't wrecked my hair too much. For me, the ends of my hair are in the worst condition. Even my color-treated hair didn't seem too affected by the additional chemicals.

Personally, I knew the results weren't going to be overly dramatic.

But I still got results. Nothing that photography could capture. Despite the feeble attempt at hair selfies, it was hard for someone with straight shiny hair to convey the softness that followed using this product.

My ends were just as soft as the top of my head and that isn't something to be taken lightly. After drying my hair I would normally describe my ends as "crunchy" or "dry." Not after using this.

Oh, and it smells ever so slightly of coconut. I really pleasant and natural smell.

Overall

For $3.99 you are getting a reasonably priced bottle of hair serum, especially when compared to drugstore or beauty counter prices.

Now, on the downside, I do hate when they say "use a small amount." I wish they would ballpark this because too much serum can make shiny hair look greasy. My hair is just past my shoulders and one pump was sufficient.

Now, if you can't find this at your local Trader Joe's, it can also be found through third-party sellers on Amazon.

Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Serum again.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

Product photos

The bottle of Trader Joe's Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Serum:

Ingredients and directions

Ingredient list and how to use Trader Joe's Shea Butter and Coconut Oil Hair Serum

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

Don't forget to share your thoughts by going to the "user review" at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.

You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to see what I'm up to.

Trader Joe's Creamy Pink Primavera Sauce

In school, we learned about the color wheel and how to mix colors. We also learned about shades and tones of various colors. So when it comes to cooking certain rules of color just don't apply. For example, in Italian cooking, a Penne Vodka sauce starts off as red. When you add white cream to the sauce, it breaks all rules and turns a color that can only be described as being orange. Except some people also refer to that as being a pink sauce. However, there is a new pink sauce that is actually pink: Trader Joe's Creamy Pink Primavera Sauce.

An unopened jar of Trader Joe's Creamy Pink Primavera Pasta Sauce

Taste and review

In a rare moment of Trader Joe's following the rules or coloring in the lines if you will, you get a sauce that is legitimately pink. And I mean pink. Like 1980s neon pink. So pink you actually think there is food coloring in this. However, why use manufactured food coloring when you can use the natural stuff.

Enter the root veggie known as beets.

They stain pretty much anything they touch with their deep magenta hue.

Add this stuff to a cream sauce and you get a pink sauce that will have you thinking it isn't natural (to which it is as natural as you can get).

Now, color aside I'm not the biggest fan of beets. They need to be paired with something that can mellow them.

I do make beet ravioli. The goat cheese tames the assertive flavor. Add some pesto to those and it is a harmonious union of flavors.

I cracked open this jar and took a taste.

It was unlike any cream sauce I had tried previously.

It was less creamy and more acidic. The citrus and the tomato were the dominant notes. It was thick without being rustic. The cauliflower didn't come through and the chickpeas seem to only add thickness.

It was quite pleasant. I went through my cabinet to see which pasta would hold a sauce well. I opted for ziti.

After boiling and preparing the pasta, I coated my pasta in the sauce.

And just like that

BOOM.

All beet flavor.

Through some sort of magic, the acidity was gone and it became a single note sauce. All with just the addition of pasta.

When I took a tablespoon to try it without pasta, the beets seem undetectable, a win in my book.

With the addition of pasta (and a decent quantity of sauce to coat), that's all the pasta was reduced to.

And that's a shame, because, despite the glow in the dark coloring, it held promise. Now, despite it saying it is a pasta sauce, I'm going to see if I can make borscht out of it.

Beyond the notes that come out with pasta, its texture and initial taste held some promise in my book.

Overall

For $3.69 if you really, really, really, really like beets, then this is a good one to try.

Would I buy this again? Unless I can find something else to do with Trader Joe's Creamy Pink Primavera Pasta Sauce, this is a solid no from me.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

Product photos

The jar of Trader Joe's Creamy Pink Primavera Pasta Sauce:

Calories

Ingredients

After being tossed with some pasta you get:

The opened jar of Trader Joe's Creamy Pink Primavera Pasta Sauce next to a black bowl with the sauce on ziti

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

Don't forget to share your thoughts by going to the "user review" at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.

You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to see what I'm up to.

Trader Joe's Kunefe

Have you ever looked at the calorie count of an item and put it back? Or prayed it was really good to justify the calories? Well, that's pretty much how I felt after I picked up Trader Joe's Kunefe. While this box isn't big, this packs a heavy hit of calories.

[feast_advanced_jump_to]

Taste and review

But oh was it worth it.

Every. Single. Bite.

Here is an item that I nearly dismissed on the calorie count, I thought I would be writing to tell you that 2 servings were way too big (it really is not) and that you wouldn't need quite as much of the sugar syrup that was included.

On each of those, I was wrong.

So in the box is a small dessert that will fit on a salad plate. It is quite small. I now think of it as portion control.

It took just under 20 minutes in my toaster oven to achieve proper doneness.

While I was waiting I was really pondering how much of the syrup I would need. I even wondered if honey would pair well with this. For the sake of reviewing, I kept everything as is.

And I'm glad I did. After taking this out of the toaster oven, I was rewarded with a golden crisp nest-like disc with melty, gooey cheese in the middle.

After pondering what to do about the syrup packet, I added half. I looked at it again and it looked like the Kunefe had consumed all of the liquid. I added the rest of the packet.

And then there was a teeny tiny bag that I haven't noticed initially. There was a plastic bag with a smidge of pistachio nuts. Now, when I say a smidge, I mean a smidge. Like someone had the job of grounding up exactly 3 nuts per bag. Maybe even 2.5. This was a super tiny bag and I was wishing for more.

When I finally went in for a taste, I portioned out a quarter of the Kunefe figuring that would be adequate. Nope.

The phyllo is so finely shredded it adds texture and holds up well against the sweet syrup that was added before serving. So you are hit with crispy and gooey, melty cheese. You are also hit with savory and sweetness between the syrup and cheese.

Despite thinking it would be too much, it was enough syrup.

I just wished the pistachios were added a bit more here. Because there were so few of them I can't say they contributed to the dish in any way.

Overall

I can honestly say I've tried a LOT of sweets this year, but out of everything that I've tried, this is hands down one of the best items I've tried for 2019.

In terms of authenticity, I've never had a dish like Kunefe, but if you can compare them, I'd love to hear it in the comments section.

For $3.99 this is totally worth a try.

Would I buy this again? Trader Joe's Kunefe will likely end up in my cart again.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!

Product photos

The box of Trader Joe's Kunefe:

Calories and ingredients

Calories, nutritional information, and ingredients in Trader Joe's Kunefe

Directions

Description and cooking instructions for Trader Joe's Kunefe

Out of the package you get:

The contents of the box of Trader Joe's Kunefe — There was also a tiny bag of pistachios in the box too.

After being cooked you get:

A fully baked Trader Joe's Kunefe on a plate with a fork and knife next to the plate

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe's for a searchable list.

Do you love these reviews?

Don't forget to share your thoughts by going to the "user review" at the bottom of the box (click on the number of stars you believe this product deserves) and leave a comment below.

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Broiled Lobster Tail

If you have been intimidated by preparing lobster tail, fear not. With some good kitchen shears, you can have a luxurious, low-calorie broiled lobster tail at a fraction of the restaurant price. Best of all, it makes for a quick easy meal that will come out tender and delicious. The directions below yield perfect broiled lobster tails regardless of size.

A fully cooked lobster tail with lemon, parsley, and melted butter on a white plate

Before I started taking cooking classes, I was most afraid to cook seafood. I love seafood. But there was always a true fear of it making me sick.

Thank goodness for recreational cooking classes, I was ashamed that I had waited that long to learn how to prepare seafood. While they didn't cover lobster, they went over food safety, how to look for fresh seafood, and the basics of how to cook shellfish.

Since the weather is getting warmer, maybe having the stove on less is a good thing. After all, isn't your broiler just an upside-down barbeque grill?

Are frozen lobster tails good?

Absolutely! If stored properly, lobster can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months, making it perfect for planning ahead for a special meal like a birthday, anniversary, Valentine's Day or just a day when you or a lobster lover in your life should feel special.

What should I serve with lobster tails?

Most often you'll see lobster served with melted or clarified butter, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with serving it with a vinaigrette or mayonnaise-based sauce to dip.

Ideas for vegetables that pair well include: artichokes, asparagus, avocado, cabbage, corn, green beans, carrots, celery, cucumbers, fennel, haricots verts, leeks, lentils, mushrooms, peas, snow peas, spinach, and tomatoes.

Other flavors that pair well with lobster include bacon, Swiss and Parmesan Cheeses (hello mac and cheese), coconut milk, cream, red curry paste, garlic, miso paste, onions, shallots, Wasabi, and Worchester sauce.

Other starches that are commonly served with lobster include potatoes, pasta, and rice.

What herbs pair well with this?

Herbs that pair well with lobster include basil, bay leaf, chives, cilantro, dill, lemongrass, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme.

Spices that pair well with lobster include cayenne, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, and saffron.

What wines pair well with lobster?

Wines that go well with lobster include Burgundy, Champagne, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc,

Of course, if you take the Julia Child approach of putting some of what you are drinking into what you are cooking here are some ideas: Brandy, Pernod, Vodka, and Whiskey.

How do you prepare frozen lobster tails?

Frozen lobster tails need to be fully defrosted before cooking. As such, they should be thawed in the refrigerator at least overnight, if not 24 hours. This is an important step because you want the meat to be released from the shell. The process of freezing the meat causes it to expand and become attached to the shell.

A fully defrosted lobster tail on a black cutting board

Tips for making this

Shellfish does not keep long, so be sure to defrost these a day in advance
Opening up the shell allows this to cook more evenly and gives a more beautiful presentation
Be sure to brush the surface with butter or oil to prevent burning
Preheat your broiler prior to starting the cooking process.

Is broiling the only way to make this?

No, lobster can be baked, boiled, grilled, pan-roasted, poached, sauteed, or steamed in addition to broiling.

Watch Me Make Broiled Lobster Tails (45 Seconds)

How to Make Easy Broiled Lobster Tails

Step 1: If your lobster tails are frozen, place them in the refrigerator overnight to defrost fully. Get your ingredients out and turn on your broiler to high and place the top rack about 6 inches from where your food will be.

Two lobster tails, butter, and paprika on a round wooden board on a white surface

Step 2: With a solid pair of kitchen shears or strong kitchen scissors, cut the shells down the middle right to the end of the where the fin meets the end of the shell.

A collage showing the scissors going into the top of the lobster shell and then the line down the middle of the meat

Step 3: Use a knife to run under the meat on the bottom of the shell to make sure it releases easily. You can also use the knife to gently push the meat out of the shell.

Step 4: Open up the lobster tail by squeezing the bottom open and removing the lobster meat by gently placing it on top of the shell. These is also referred to as butterflied lobster tails. Brush with melted butter and paprika or garlic salt.

Four lobster tails with the meat resting on top of the shells on a rack placed on top of a cookie sheet

Step 5: Place on a rack or baking sheet and place 6 inches away from the broiler. Cooking time is simple to remember. You'll need approximately 1 minute for every ounce to cook a lobster tail. These four-ounce lobster tails took 4 minutes under the broiler.

Step 6: Remove from oven when meat is opaque. Serve with butter sauce and lemon wedges (or look at my list about for inspiration for how to pair these beauties) or sprinkle some white pepper on top.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

Arugula Pesto

Mussels in White Wine Sauce

Cocktails That Pair Well with Lobster

I hope you enjoy this Broiled Lobster Tail recipe!

If you've tried this Broiled Lobster Tail or any other recipe on the blog, I'd love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to see what I'm up to.

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Broiled Lobster Tail

Quick, easy, and delicious, broiled lobster tails look fancy but are so very simple. This recipe works every time regardless of how large or small your lobster tails are.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lobster tail, seafood

Servings:

Calories: 136kcal

Author: Brenda

Equipment

Ingredients

4 4 ounce lobster tails
1 tablespoon butter
paprika to taste
1 lemon wedges for serving
4 tablespoon butter melted for serving

Instructions

If buying frozen lobster tails, defrost in the refrigerated 24 hours in advance. If lobster tails are already thawed proceed to the next step.
Turn on your broiler
Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and set aside for the prepared lobster tails.
Remove lobster tails and using kitchen shears cut down the middle of the shell without cutting the meat. Stop cutting just before the fin. Use a regular knife to ensure that the meat has separated from the bottom shell.
Open up the lobster shell (you may hear cracking, this is normal) and place lobster meat on top of the shell. Repeat for other lobster tails.
Place butterflied lobster tails on prepared baking sheet.
Brush with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and sprinkle paprika to taste on top.
Place in broiler about 6 inches away from the broiler itself. You will need 1 minute per ounce of lobster tail. So a 4 ounce lobster tail will take 4 minutes. This is per lobster tail and not how many are on your baking sheet.
While lobsters are cooking, cut the lemon into wedges and melt butter.
Remove lobster tails when meat is opaque and fully cooked.
Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Broiled lobster tails are best when they are cooked when the meat is thawed, otherwise you will have much tougher meat.
Meat is done when the meat is opaque.
It takes approximately 1 minute per ounce of lobster tail to cook. So if each lobster tail is 4 ounces (regardless of how many there are) it should take about 4 minutes.

Nutrition