Refreshing Raspberry Mojito | ? la carte kitchen Fresh mint is super abundant this time of year. The crop in my garden is already a bit out of control, and it’s only May! I use mint all summer long in iced tea, fruit salads, tabbouleh, and more. But, hands-down, the best use for fresh mint is for making an icy-cold Mojito on a hot summer evening. The Mojito is a traditional Cuban cocktail made with lime juice, sugar, sparkling water, white rum, and of course, fresh mint. as photographed by our team, à la Carte Partners Raspberry MojitoMakes 1 serving 8 fresh mint leaves 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice 1 teaspoon superfine sugar 2 ounces white rum 2-3 ounces seltzer 4-6 fresh raspberries - Place mint leaves, lime juice and sugar in a highball glass (something tall and narrow is perfect). - Fill glass with ice cubes. Heather
Unfettered F-U-N . . . Rainbow Jelly Shooter! Rainbow Jelly Shooter Its been a whirlwind at the test kitchen. The book is progressing (crossing fingers that it is going to press in early December!), we have been working on a little something (three little somethings, actually) for Saveur.com, and about a million more actions items cropping up here and there, many of which have not received appropriate attention and are currently housed in a bin marked "anxiety provoking". One of the highlights of our week was a lovely chat with Erin over at Tablespoon.com, who mentioned that they were hosting a Double Rainbow Week, which sounded like such fun! (And it IS - featured items include double rainbow . . . donuts! So, when the weekend rolled around, rather than trolling cocktail books for jelly shot inspiration, we decided it was high time for a bit of unfettered f-u-n . . . I love the "rainbow" gelatin technique - borrowed from the popular recipe for kids' finger gelatin. Cheers, Michelle Rainbow Jelly Shooter Yield: about 45 jelly shots
Homemade Butterbeer Recipe I also have a Frozen Butterbeer recipe! Check it out! 🙂 As I continue my little celebration of the release of Harry potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 1, today I get to share with you my favorite treat that I have ever, ever made: butterbeer! It seems to be the Harry Potter food that most people want to try more than any other! I was lucky enough to go to WWOHP back in June. It. was. amazing. As for the butterbeer…well, I have to admit that it was definitely on the top of my list of things to do there! It was so delicious! There are several homemade butterbeer recipes that have popped up online since the opening of WWOHP, but I have to admit, I haven’t tried any of them. I started with the butterbeer itself. I considered butterscotch syrup, but ruled it our for two reasons: 1. 2. What else could give me that buttery flavor, but butter? Now, all I had to worry about was the “foam.” This has been, by far, the most fun, the most exciting thing that I have made. Ingredients Recipe by Darla
End of Summer Jelly Shots - Mimosa with Orange Flower Water Mimosa Jelly Shots, cut with an oval cookie cutter and skewered with edible flower petals The fourth submission for the End of Summer Cocktail survey is a no brainer. It is so obvious in fact, that I can't believe this cocktail didn't make it into the upcoming Jelly Shot Test Kitchen Recipe book. (Good thing the recipe follows!) So, without further aediu we present Mimosa Jelly Shot, a mildly alcoholic jelly shot, lovely on skewers, molded or cut into cubes. Mimosa breaks two of my cardinal jelly shot rules: 1) don't gild the lily, and 2) strain to remove solids. And speaking of juice, fresh squeezed is specified in the recipe - it really does make a difference. Mimosa Jelly ShotI ascribe to Ina Garten's garnishing philosophy- garnish according to the actual flavorings used in preparation of the item. Recommended Pan: 9x9 cake pan Pour juice and sugar into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. To serve, cut into desired shapes. Makes 24 to 32 jelly shots.
Buffalo Chicken Rolls I’m thinking we’re very comfortable together at this point, me and you. You and me. At best, we’re virtual soul mates bonded through food and cooking. At worst, we’re in a one-sided pen pal relationship and you’re not keeping up your end of the bargain. But really, it’s mostly good, isn’t it? Give and take. So today I’m going to ask you a favor. Ready? Okay. Please get your cute bottom to the market, pick up a package of egg roll wrappers, some hot wing sauce, blue cheese, toss in a box of Junior Mints for good measure, and then get situated in the kitchen to make these. Buffalo Chicken Rolls. They are beyond perfect for the Super Bowl. The exterior is a crispy, crunchy flour shell. Here’s the step-by-step process to make them yourself: **Note: Find egg roll wrappers in the refrigerated case of the produce department at your grocery store. Ingredients Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Notes
Cherry Limeade the Radioactive Way Want that dazzling super glowy look? Try this radioactive cherry limeade. It’s the secret skin enhancer of the stars. Your new glow in the dark skin will cause car accidents from the glare, and all your friends will be envious. With this extraordinary product you’ll stand out in the crowd, like the star you were meant to be. Call now, for only $19.95 plus $1,245,967 shipping and handling, you can turn your whole life around. Warning: Side effects may include hyperactivity, addiction, and radioactive iodine poisoning. Ingredients1 ½ cups granulated sugar1 ½ cups waterSmall pinch of salt1 ½ cups fresh squeezed lime juice1/3 cup maraschino cherries, not the juice2 TBS grenadine3 to 5 cups cold water (Depending on how strong you like your limeade)Maraschino cherries & lime slices for garnish In a sauce pan bring sugar, 1 ½ cups of water, and a pinch of salt to a boil. Place all the ingredients together in a half gallon pitcher and stir to combine.
MOJITO POPSICLES « Blue Jean Gourmet Rum and I haven’t always been friends. After a collegiate night of bad choices featuring one too many glasses of Diet Coke & cheap rum, I swore off the stuff for years. But a few months ago at my favorite Houston bar, I took a tentative sip of a friend’s rum-based cocktail. And rum and I have been going steady ever since. Dark & stormys? Rum swizzles? Yes, please. Popsicle recipes seem to be the trend of this summer, and I’m okay with that. These little guys were a big hit when I served them to friends this weekend: tangy, refreshing, and dead-easy to make. I found these little plastic shot glasses in the dollar section of Target and used them to make 12 mini-pops, with kids’ craft sticks providing the assist. If you’ve never bought superfine sugar, you should be able to find it on the baking aisle of well-stocked grocery stores or at specialty baking stores or cooking-supply stores like Williams Sonoma. ingredients: Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
The Cook Abides. The Ultimate Strawberry Lemonade One of the first times I ever realized that – HEY! I can cook for myself! – was when I first learned to make lemonade. I magically found the refrigerated lemon juice at our house and followed the directions to make my own lemonade. I stirred and stirred and stirred again until that sugar was finally dissolved. Sorry for the detour. Anyway, there was a summer there where I made my own lemonade every single day, making sure to rub it in my sister’s face that I knew how to and she didn’t. The key to this being the ultimate lemonade is that you blend it up with the lemon rind in there. And any time of day for that matter. (makes 2 pint-glass servings with ice) 3/4 cup sugar2 large lemons, microwaved for 30 seconds2 cups water1 cup of frozen strawberries, microwaved for 1 minute (you could use fresh, but I think the frozen works better here) In a blender squeeze the lemons and add the rest of the lemon, rind and all. Now if that doesn’t say summer, I don’t know what does.
Raspberry, coconut, and lime – oh my! | Cocktail Culture Labor Day is knocking on the back door, imploring you to bask in its sunshine and grill untold pounds of meats. One last romp, for old time’s sake, before entering the bitter cold of winter. But I’m not quitting on you yet, summer. This combo of raspberry, coconut, and lime, which highlights the freshest ingredients of the season, is pretty much synonymous to sunshine and beach time. Making this drink even more of a winner, the ingredients to purchase are incredibly light on the wallet and the recipe itself is far from ‘labor’ intensive. I can’t believe I actually cracked that joke. Summer State of Mind 2 parts Malibu Coconut Rum1 part Hiram Walker Raspberry SchnappsJuice of one limeLemon-lime soda Build first three ingredients over ice in a Collins glass and top with lemon-lime soda. Cheers! Like this: Like Loading...
Life Blog | Personal Finance News & Advice Mint is, in all honesty, one of the best spring investments you can make. No, not Mint.com — that’s a given. Mint as in, the herb. For as little as $2.50 per pot at a farmer’s market, you’ll have years of bounty. The perennial is hardy: Frugal Foodie has had the same pot on her balcony going on five years now. Growing your own is a much better bet than buying fresh from the supermarket, where a tiny clam shell costs $2 and loses its pep within days. There are also numerous mint varieties beyond a basic mint, if you feel like getting adventurous. Frugal Foodie likes chocolate and ginger mints, and there are also pineapple, orange and apple, among others. Even if you’re not much of a chef, mint is a great investment for bar purposes alone. We asked cocktail aficionados for their best options. Strawberry Mint Champagne Cocktail Mint-infused syrup provides a little zing in this recipe from Michelle Maskaly of “The Adirondack Chick.” Want a mintier flavor? Minty Cucumber Gin & Tonic Berry Mint Crush
The Pink Breeze We have been having our share of warm spring air, pretty flowers & nascent green leaves against the blue blue sky (although it seems to have wandered off for the past week, & the nasty cold has butted it’s ugly head again). I have been enjoying the outdoors with my kids, the smell of the freshly mowed grass & humming “The spring is in the air/I’ll see lovers everywhere/I’m singing a song…..” to myself. I also have been thinking Pink. I thought of plain & simple The Pink Drink, & the playful The Pink Wink, & even the elusive Pink Dream. But there had been pioneers before me, all those pinks were already taken. While I had been researching names, the master mind behind this pretty pink concoction is actually my better half. For the lovers of alcohol & also the non lovers, we have presented here 2 versions of drink. The Pink Breeze This is an extremely quick drink but the pleasure is endless. Related Posts:Bahama MamaFlor de JamaicaAn Angel’s Delight
Boozy Salted Caramel Mocha Happy Holidays! Now that Thanksgiving is past I’m already thinking about all of the entertaining we’ll be doing from now thru New Year’s Eve. Yes I get a little giddy about things like that. This year I’m going the Silkology route. Want to try out Silkology on your own? Baci! This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. Recipe adapted from Silkology. Boozy Salted Caramel Mocha What You Will Need: 1/2 cup Silk Chocolate soymilk 1 shot espresso Pinch of salt 2 tablespoons caramel flavored syrup, divided 1 shot Bailey's Irish Creme whipped cream 1/8 tsp sea salt for garnish What To Do: Combine Silk, espresso, pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon caramel syrup and Bailey's in a saucepan and heat just until warm.
Pop Rocks Rimmed Cocktails Add a little firecracker spark to your cocktails (or mocktails for the kids) this summer! How? It’s easy! 1. You can also simply drop the POP ROCKS into your cocktail for a festive FIZZLE! 1/2 oz Vodka 1/2 oz Midori melon liqueur 1/2 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur 3 splashs Pineapple juice Drop Watermelon Pop Rocks on top 1 shot Strawberry Schnapps Fill with 7-Up Drop Strawberry Pop Rocks on top 1 oz Malibu rum 1 oz Blue Curacao 1 splash Pineapple juice 1 splash Cranberry juice Drop Fruit Punch Pop Rocks on top Image via Food Network