Fake Ginger

mint

Homemade Shamrock Shake

This Homemade Shamrock Shake recipe is the best copycat recipe for the classic McDonald’s treat! It is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any day you need a sweet, minty treat! Only 4 ingredients!

This McDonald's copycat recipe for the Shamrock Shake is perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any day you need a sweet, minty treat! Only 4 ingredients!

This blog post originally published on March 10, 2014. Updated on March 2, 2018. 

Hi guys, happy last day of the week!

I’m updating this post for the 3rd time because I hated the pictures. I always say drinks are my favorite to photograph (I mean, look at these gorgeous margaritas) but shakes are a different story. The whipped cream sinks or everything starts melting together so you scrape off the first whipped cream and do another swirl. And repeat 57 times.

But I love these shakes and I want everyone to make them because they are amazing. Plus I read that McDonald’s is only releasing them to select restaurants this year and that’s just wrong.

I had my first Shamrock Shake 2 years ago, I think. Crazy, right? This recipe had been on my site for several years at that point.

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Balela Salad (Trader Joe’s Copycat)

 This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Rubbermaid®.

Balela Salad – Trader Joe’s copycat recipe! Middle Eastern bean salad with veggies, fresh herbs, and a light citrus dressing. So easy, so delicious, and perfect for meal prep!

Balela Salad - Trader Joe's copycat recipe! Middle Eastern bean salad with veggies, fresh herbs, and a light citrus dressing. So easy, so delicious, and perfect for meal prep!

Happy Monday, guys! Let’s start this week healthy.

Because tomorrow I’ve got a cinnamon apple monkey bread and we are going to indulge.

ANYWAY.

How was the weekend?

Mine was pretty boring. I’m not even sure that I left the house.

The highlight was me freaking out for over an hour last night because I lost the memory card that had SIX RECIPES still on it. I had put it in the pocket of my sweatpants and then I started working on some yoga stuff and put it on my nightstand so that I wouldn’t lose it.

And yep, went looking for it not long after and it was GONE.

Found it in my running shoes an hour later.

Still don’t know how it happened but hey, I found it and now we have this Balela Salad to talk about.

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Watermelon Mint Margaritas

Watermelon Mint Margaritas – the most refreshing summer cocktail! Fresh watrmelon is blended with tequila, lime juice, and an easy homemade mint simple syrup. These margaritas are so pretty and so delicious!

Watermelon Mint Margaritas - the most refreshing summer cocktail! Fresh watrmelon is blended with tequila, lime juice, and an easy homemade mint simple syrup. These margaritas are so pretty and so delicious!

I feel like I’ve been so behind on holidays this year. I didn’t post a single Mardi Gras recipe, I think I posted one for Easter, and I can’t name another holiday that’s passed to save my life.

It’s safe to say that if there were more, I definitely missed them.

But I will not miss Cinco de Mayo! We’re starting a couple weeks early so I can squeeze in all the margaritas and melted cheese I can come up with.

I’ve been obsessed with watermelon for the last couple summers and it looks like it will be continuing this year since I couldn’t wait to share these Watermelon Mint Margaritas with you!

They’re really easy and yes, they start with fresh watermelon. No fake stuff here! 

I bet they would be delicious next to a pool or on the beach or basically anywhere that it’s hot! And look how pretty they are!

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Pineapple Blackberry Mojitos

Pineapple Blackberry Mojitos – the BEST summer cocktail recipe! Pineapple, blackberries, and mint are crushed and then mixed with rum, lime juice, and sparkling water!

Pineapple Blackberry Mojitos - the BEST summer cocktail recipe! Pineapple, blackberries, and mint are crushed and then mixed with rum, lime juice, and sparkling water!

It is really Monday again?

How does this keep happening to us?

Ugggghhhh.

I hope you had a relaxing and/or exciting weekend and hopefully Monday won’t be too bad to you.

But just in case, I made us some Pineapple Blackberry Mojitos.

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Lemon Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Mint

Lemon Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Mint - light and fluffy cake with delicious strawberries on top!

I have to tell you guys, I’m having a week. 

This whole moving thing is waaaay more stressful than it needs to be. We’re 3 weeks out and STILL waiting for paperwork to be signed. We don’t have a date for the movers, I haven’t talked to the kids’ school, and my husband’s still going to work every day even though his leave was supposed to start on Monday. And to top it all off, the house that I really, really, really wanted to rent got snatched up by someone else since the rental company couldn’t hold it longer than 2 weeks. Gahhh, I only had to wait 4 or 5 more days before I could put down a deposit! 

So now we have to find a new house. Or move on post. Which we don’t want to do. At all. 

Stress does not describe what I’m feeling.

Good news though! 

I went to the eye doctor earlier this week and he said that I DEFINITELY need to be wearing glasses everyday. Which probably sounds like an “ugh” to most people but I have been actively trying to fail an eye exam since 1994. So this was good news to me. 

Also, maybe I won’t have headaches anymore. 

But I have to wait 3 weeks for the glasses to get here. And at that point, we may or may not be on our way to Texas. 

I definitely had cake for dinner more than one night this week. But it’s angel food cake so it’s basically just egg whites and egg whites are a perfectly healthy dinner. Right?

I’ve been working my way through all our herbs since we can’t really take them with us so I mixed some mint with the strawberries. I don’t really love biting into a mint leaf but I let the mixture hang out overnight in the fridge and the mint flavor really infused the strawberries. It was delicious!

Lemon Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Mint - light and fluffy cake with delicious strawberries on top!

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Frozen Peppermint Mocha

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Frozen Peppermint Mocha

This is a sponsored post featuring DREAM Latte™.  All opinions are my own.

I don’t know if you know this but I’m kind of a coffee addict. Like, I’m that person that starts thinking about my morning coffee at midnight and has to make a cup of decaf.

Something else you may not know about me is that I don’t drink any kind of cow’s milk, half and half, anything like that. I mean, I make exception for heavy cream every once in awhile just because heavy cream is delicious and I’m weak but other than that, I don’t drink any dairy. I don’t have an allergy, I just prefer to stick to nut milks. 

So I was excited to try the new DREAM Latte™which comes in two flavors: Caramel and Mocha! They are free of soy, lactose, dairy, gluten, and cholesterol. They are rich in calcium and vitamin D and are made from fair trade organic, non-gmo coffee beans.

Most importantly, they are delicious! I have to say, I’m not a mocha person but I’m in love with the DREAM Latte™ Mocha!

Frozen Peppermint Mocha

I wanted to make a frozen drink using the DREAM Latte™ because coffee shop frozen drinks are expensive. Plus, most coffee places still don’t have almond milk! Get with the times, coffee shops! Geez.

I went with a Frozen Peppermint Mocha because, like I said, I don’t usually love mocha so I never have peppermint mochas and then I’m always jealous when I hear other people talking about them. 

That’s weird, right? To be jealous of someone’s ability to like something that you don’t?

I know. 

But anyway, since I do like the DREAM Latte™ in Mocha, I made a quick simple syrup with peppermint extract and blended it all up with ice. Topped it with whipped cream (google coconut milk whipped cream if you’re dairy-free – it’s so easy!), chocolate syrup, and crushed peppermints. 

Frozen Peppermint Mocha

It was so delicious. Peppermint just gets me feeling all sorts of festive so I’m thinking this is going to become my official holiday drink this year. 

Everyone has an official holiday drink, right?

I don’t even know anymore.

Frozen Peppermint Mocha

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Frozen Peppermint Mocha
Ingredients
For the peppermint syrup:
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
For the Frozen Peppermint Mocha:
  • 1 11-ounce carton DREAM Latte™ in Mocha
  • 1 - 2 tablespoons peppermint syrup recipe above
  • 1 cup ice
  • whipped cream try coconut milk whipped cream if dairy-free
  • chocolate syrup dairy free as needed
  • crushed peppermints
Instructions
  1. To make the syrup:
  2. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Lower to low and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Stir in peppermint extract.
  3. To make the Frozen Peppermint Mocha:
  4. Combine Dream Latte™ in Mocha, 1 - 2 tablespoons peppermint syrup, and ice in a blender and blend until no chunks of ice remain. Pour into a glass, top with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and crushed peppermints, if desired.

Frozen Peppermint Mocha

 This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of DREAM™.

 

Peppermint Crunch-Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am so excited that it’s time for one of my favorite parts of the holidays season: cookies! I plan on going cookie crazy over the next month so get excited!

This first cookie I made is so awesome. It’s like a regular chocolate chip but has the Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces throughout. This was my first time buying the Peppermint Crunch and I expected it to be like the green ones but it really does have a fun little crunch. And the red is just so festive!

I love these so much and will be including them in my Christmas Eve baking this year!

One year ago: Artikchoke Dip

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Peppermint Crunch-Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 7 ounces milk chocolate chips
  • 7 ounces Andes Peppermint Crunch Chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
  3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar on medium speed just until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  4. Beat in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Mix in the flour until just combined.
  5. Take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball; place on prepared sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Take a glass (or something with a flat bottom) and gently flatten each cookie.
  6. Bake, rotating the baking sheets midway through baking, until the cookies are very lightly browned in the centers, about 10 minutes.
  7. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to handle, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.

Candy Cane Blossoms

I’ve never been a fan of the “blossoms” cookies. You know, the peanut butter ones with the Hershey’s Kiss pressed into the center. My thoughts were always something like this: “Who wasted this perfectly good peanut butter cookie by placing a piece of chocolate on top?!” Call me OCD but I also don’t like that you can’t layer them nicely in a container. ‘Tis true.

I saw this recipe and well, I’m a sucker for sprinkles so of course I had to make them. Just look at them! Bright colored cookies with a  red and white Kiss on top! So stinkin’ cute! They turned out fantastic. The cookie is a little puffier than I expected but I’m not one to complain about a super-soft cookie.

If you’re scared of the Candy Cane Kisses, don’t be. I was expecting white chocolate with peppermint extract which just didn’t sound great to me but as it turns out, there are pieces of candy cane in it. So it’s more like a bark than anything. They are so yummy!

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Candy Cane Blossoms
Ingredients
  • 48 Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • red & green sprinkles for rolling the cookies
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350F. Remove wrappers from candies.
  2. Beat butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla in large bowl until well bended. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; add alternately with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.
  3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in sprinkles. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly brownies and cookie is set.Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Press a candy piece into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.


Peppermint Patty Brownies + Giveaway!

Happy Monday to you!

Today we’re talking holiday baking. Why? Because I was invited to visit the Unilever Test Kitchens in NYC week to participate in a holiday bake-off for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!

I had such trouble coming up with a recipe! I was dead set on white chocolate and peppermint because that screams holidays to me (thanks for Peppermint White Mochas from Starbucks) but the white chocolate just wasn’t working out for me and finally, after 3 failed batches of goodies, I gave up and switched to regular chocolate and made these delicious brownies. The filling is supposed to be like the filling of those York Peppermint Patties and seriously tastes just like it. Yum!

There’s a giveaway below the recipe so make sure you enter! Part of the competition is to get the most votes on this post so please, comment, comment, comment! :P

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Peppermint Patty Brownies + Giveaway!
Ingredients
For the brownies:
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!
  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
For the peppermint patty:
  • 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
For the glaze:
  • 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8 x 8 baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with oil.
  2. To make brownies, in a double boiler or a heatproof boil set over a pot of simmering water, melt I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! and chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently. Once melted, pour over sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine and to cool chocolate down. Add eggs and stir vigorously until everything is combined. Stir in vanilla and salt. Sift in flour and stir just until flour is incorporated.
  3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
  4. To make peppermint patty, use a mixer to combine sweetened condensed milk and extract. Mix in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until combined. Spread on top of cooled brownies. Pop in fridge (or freezer) to allow the peppermint to set.
  5. For the glaze, melt chocolate and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! in a double boiler. Spread glaze over peppermint patty mixture. Put in fridge to set.


What about the giveaway? Oh yes.

This awesome giveaway consists of:

Crate and Barrel Bake and Store Brownie Pan
Sur La Table Basics Stainless Steel Double Boiler
Dualt 5 Speed Chrome Hand Mixer
coupon for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! product

To be entered to win, comment and let me know you’re favorite holiday treat. Leave a link if you want!

For extra entries:

  • Like Fake Ginger on Facebook. Come back and leave another comment saying that you did. Also comment if you are already a fan.
  • Follow I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter on Twitter. Come back and leave another comment saying that you did. Also comment if you are already an ICBINB follower.
  • Become a subscriber either by email or RSS of Fake Ginger. (Subscription form is at the very top of the page.) Leave another comment if you did that. Also comment if you are already a subscriber.

Giveaway is open to US residents only, sorry! The giveaway will close on Friday November 12 at 8 am Eastern.

In addition to this giveaway, I’m receiving an all-expenses paid trip to NYC and the Unilever Kitchens.

And the winner is!

Congrats Amy! You should have an email from me! :)