Mint Julep

Learn how to make a mint julep with this easy recipe! The traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby, this bourbon cocktail is aromatic and refreshing.

Have you ever tried a mint julep? If you like fresh mint (like me) or bourbon (like Jack), then you absolutely should. A mint julep is made with four simple ingredients: bourbon, simple syrup, crushed ice, and fresh mint. It’s the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby, and it might be as important a tradition as the horse race itself. The Kentucky Derby’s website claims that fans consume 125,000 mint juleps at the Churchill Downs racetrack over the race weekend each year! That said, it doesn’t have to be Derby Day for you to enjoy a mint julep. This ice…

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French 75 Cocktail

This French 75 cocktail recipe is perfect for celebrations! It's made with gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup and topped with Champagne. Cheers!

This French 75 recipe is my favorite cocktail. Bubbly, botanical, lemony, and lightly sweet, it’s exactly what I want to be drinking on New Year’s Eve…or anytime, really. A French 75 is easy to make at home with 4 simple ingredients. If you’re looking for an elegant, refreshing cocktail recipe to mix up for happy hours, parties, or even brunch, you should definitely try this one! In case you’re not familiar, a French 75 is a Champagne cocktail made with gin or cognac, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Ever had a Tom Collins? It’s like that, but topped with Champagne…

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Old Fashioned Cocktail

Learn how to make an old fashioned! This simple recipe calls for just 5 ingredients, so you can easily make this classic whiskey cocktail at home.

You don’t need to go to a bar or a restaurant to enjoy an old fashioned. Nope, this classic whiskey cocktail is a cinch to make at home! In fact, it’s Jack’s favorite drink, so we always keep old fashioned ingredients on hand. They’re super simple: whiskey (Jack likes rye), Angostura Bitters, a little sugar, ice, and an orange twist for garnish. Old Fashioned Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need to make this old fashioned recipe: Whiskey – Choose bourbon for a sweeter, oakier cocktail or rye for a drier one. Angostura Bitters – They add notes of clove and cinnamon.…

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Coffee Smoothie

Learn how to make a coffee smoothie to kickstart your morning! Made with banana, almond butter, and more, it's a delicious healthy breakfast or snack.

This coffee smoothie recipe is perfect for busy mornings. You know those days when you have time to make a cup of coffee or a healthy breakfast…but not both? Now you don’t have to choose! Blend up this coffee smoothie, and you can enjoy coffee + breakfast in a single glass. I love this one-and-done morning treat. Made with simple ingredients like coffee, frozen banana, almond butter, and dates, it’s super easy to put together, and it’s so delicious. The banana and almond butter give it an amazing creamy texture, and the dates make it rich and sweet. And of course,…

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Iced Matcha Latte

You don't have to go to Starbucks to get an iced matcha latte. Instead, make this recipe at home! This energizing drink is cool, creamy, and delicious.

Meet my go-to iced matcha latte recipe! I make this energizing drink just about every day from the start of summer to when the temps dip in the fall. It’s cool and creamy, with a slightly grassy, earthy flavor that I absolutely love. Matcha took off in popularity in the US a few years back, and these days, you can find an iced matcha latte on almost any coffee shop menu. I still order one out from time to time, but for the most part, I prefer to make my own iced matcha latte at home. Here’s why: I can…

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Cosmopolitan Cocktail

Travel to the '90s with this Cosmopolitan cocktail recipe! This classic vodka and cranberry juice drink may be retro, but it's still refreshing and delicious.

If you, like me, have seen every episode of Sex and the City, you have to learn how to make a Cosmopolitan cocktail, or Cosmo for short. This tart, refreshing vodka drink is a hallmark of the show, and when you watch Carrie and friends sip enough of them, you can’t help but want to try one. Below, I’m sharing my go-to Cosmopolitan recipe, which is perfect for dinner parties, girls’ nights, and binge watching the Sex and the City reboot (who else is tuning in for season 2 this week?!). It has a gorgeous blush pink color and a sweet and…

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How to Make Hibiscus Tea

Learn how to make hibiscus tea with this easy 2-ingredient recipe! This flavorful drink is delicious hot or iced, and it has amazing health benefits.

I make this hibiscus tea recipe at least once a week. In the winter, I enjoy it hot, the ruby red drink reviving me when the weather is cold and gray. In the summer, I crave it iced. On a warm day, its bold, tart flavor is intensely refreshing. I’m sharing my go-to method for how to make hibiscus tea below. If you’ve never tried it, I hope you’ll give it a go! It’s delicious and SO simple to make. This hibiscus tea recipe calls for 2 ingredients and requires under 5 minutes of hands-on prep. Plus, it has some…

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Bellini Cocktail

Move over, mimosas! This bellini cocktail deserves a spot on the brunch table too. It's made with two simple ingredients: peach puree and prosecco.

A bellini cocktail is the perfect fun, bubbly beverage to serve at brunch. It’s refreshing and delicious, and though it feels fancy, it’s insanely simple to make. You just need two ingredients: peach puree and prosecco. I love fresh peaches, and I love sparkling wine, so obviously, I love this bellini recipe. I think you will too! What is a bellini? The bellini cocktail (not to be confused with Giovanni Bellini, the artist, or Vincenzo Bellini, the composer) was invented by Giuseppe Cipriani, the founder of Harry’s Bar, in Venice, Italy, sometime around 1948. In its simplest form, it consists…

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Pumpkin Spice Latte

This homemade pumpkin spice latte rivals any coffee shop version I've tried. It's creamy, warmly spiced, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup.

The next time you’re craving a pumpkin spice latte, save yourself a trip to a coffee shop, and make this recipe at home! By October, I always feel like I should share some kind of pumpkin-y treat on the blog, and this year, I thought a homemade version of the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte would be fun. I know it’s a bit of a fall cliché at this point, so I was surprised by how much I ended up loving this recipe. Creamy, cozy, and lightly sweet, it’s warming and comforting on a cool fall morning or crisp afternoon. It’s…

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Margarita

We'll be making this classic margarita recipe all summer long. With just 5 ingredients, it’s so simple to make—break out the tequila and limes ASAP!

This classic margarita recipe is our favorite cocktail to make at home. We love it for two reasons. First, because it’s so simple—if you have tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur on hand, you can make it in under 5 minutes! Second, because it’s so delicious. The lime juice gives it a tart, refreshing kick, which the sweet orange liqueur (and a touch of agave) balance nicely. On a warm spring or summer evening, there’s nothing I’d rather drink. If you’re new to making cocktails, this recipe is a great place to start. Mix it up for a happy hour,…

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Homemade Hot Chocolate

Learn how to make the BEST homemade hot chocolate! Rich, creamy, and deeply chocolatey, it's the perfect cozy treat for a cold winter night.

When the weather outside is frightful, there’s no better way to warm up than with a rich, creamy cup of homemade hot chocolate. Really, take it from us – last winter was a particularly snowy one here in Chicago, and we did a lot of shoveling. When our fingers and toes would start to tingle from the cold, I’d come inside and make this hot chocolate recipe. It’s thick and comforting, the perfect fortifying treat on a chilly winter day. With the holidays right around the corner, I thought it would be a great time to share this recipe with…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.