Pork Chops with Figs and Thyme

November 21, 2024

Pork Chops with Figs and Thyme

Deliciously seasoned and cooked until just done, Pork Chops with Figs and Thyme is a warm, savory meal. Enjoy with a tangle of egg noodles and pan gravy. The dish is a nice balance of salty and sweet.

Meat and Fruit Pairings

Most of us have heard of pork chops and applesauce being served together (anyone else remember the Brady Bunch episode where Peter says "pork chops and applesauce" in his best impersonation of Humphrey Bogart?). It is a traditional American combo that dates back to the 19th century and possibly even further. Pork and apples go well together because of the savory and sweet elements playing off each other.

Other classic meat and fruit pairings include

Chicken and mango
Duck and orange
Ham and pineapple
Prosciutto and melon
Shrimp and lemon
Turkey and cranberry

In this dish, dried figs add caramel-y sweetness that complements the savory meat.

Onion, dried figs, pork chops, and thyme.

And of course, add herbs of all kinds to amp up the flavor! Here I've used fresh thyme but equally good additions could be oregano, parsley, rosemary, or sage. Fresh herbs, while pungent, don't always carry the intensity of flavor that dried herbs do. When herbs (or fruits for that matter) are dehydrated, the water content is reduced and the flavor becomes more concentrated.

A good measure to remember: 1 Tablespoon fresh herb = 1 teaspoon dried.

Lessons Learned

If you don’t have or like figs, sub in another dried fruit like apricots, cherries, currants, peaches, or prunes.
Don't like egg noodles? Good options are mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, or German spaetzle.
Like the idea of meat and fruit? Some other delicious recipes to try include Ginger Cashew Chicken Salad and Tzimmes Chicken with Apricots.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Inspired Taste for the skillet pork chop recipe inspiration!

A pan of pork chops and noodles with an individual plate.

Pork Chops with Figs and Thyme

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

4 bone-in pork chops, 1-inch thick (about 2 lbs total)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil for cooking onions
1 onion, cut into slices
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoon olive oil for cooking chops
½ cup dried California Black Mission figs, diced
12 to 16 oz dried egg noodles

Pan Gravy Ingredients:

¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Fresh thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)

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Instructions

Pat the chops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the salt on both sides of each chop and allow to rest for 10-ish minutes.
In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Sauté the onions for 5 to 7 minutes until they are soft and translucent. Remove the onions to a bowl and set aside.
Pat the pork chops dry again. Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the chops, using all of the mixture.
Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Place the chops in the pan (may need to do this in 2 batches so you don’t crowd the pan) and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 2 or 3 minutes. The chops should be golden to deep brown on both sides. Move the chops to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions. Drain and keep warm.
Make the pan gravy by melting the butter over medium heat in the skillet. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. It will be clumpy, but don’t despair. Tip in the broth and whisk everything together until it is smooth. Throw in the fresh thyme sprigs and the figs.
Serve the pork chops over the egg noodles and drizzle with pan gravy.

Vanilla Latte Pie

November 20, 2024

Vanilla Latte Pie

Rich, creamy, and so so dreamy! Vanilla Latte Pie appeals to both coffee and non-coffee lovers alike. A friend who is an avowed “tea only” drinker loves this.

Vanilla Latte

Whether hot or iced, vanilla latte is a very popular order at cafes and coffee houses. It is in the list of top drinks that folks order at Starbucks, clocking in at number 10.

For those who don't know, a latte consists of one shot of espresso (or two if you didn't sleep well the night before), steamed milk, and a layer of frothed milk on top. It is similar to a cappuccino but with more milk so it is creamy and mild.

Extracts and syrups are added to change up the flavor, producing drinks like pumpkin spice latte, chestnut praline latte, gingerbread latte, and of course the quintessential vanilla latte.

The combination of coffee, vanilla, and cream is delicious and not-too-sweet, so why not make it into a pie?

Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Variations

Vanilla lattes are also made with plant-based milks. How to make this pie dairy-free? Friend, I’m not entirely sure. This is a very dairy-filled pie, after all.

But!

My best guesstimates are:

Sub in plant-based butter for the dairy butter in the crust.
Use full fat coconut milk to sub for the whole milk in the custard, but be aware that the custard will not be totally silky smooth (even after straining) once it’s chilled because coconut fat coagulates when cold. There will be tiny bits of coconut fat, but that might not bother you.
Use non-dairy whipped topping like CocoWhip to sub for the whipped cream.
To make this gluten-free, sub in GF Oreos (they exist!) in the crust. Also, double check that you have pure cornstarch without added gluten.

If you make a dairy-free or gluten-free version, please be sure to leave a comment and let us know.

Lessons Learned

All the components can be made a day ahead, if necessary, leaving the assembly of the pie until the day of serving.
Even though this pie is light and fluffy, it is rich. You can cut it into 10 or even 12 slices rather than the 8 mentioned in the recipe.
Another delicious pie based on a warm drink? Mexican Hot Chocolate Pie!

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Dough Eyed for the coffee cream pie recipe.

Vanilla Latte Pie

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours or overnight
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes plus chilling

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Crust Ingredients:

25 Oreo cookies
4 Tbsp butter, melted

Custard Ingredients:

⅔ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup cornstarch
2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
¼ tsp salt
2 cups whole milk
4 egg yolks
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients:

2 ½ cups heavy cream
3 Tbsp powdered sugar

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 F/175 C. Make the crust by placing Oreos in a blender or food processor and blitzing until fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl, add the melted butter, and stir until combined into a wet sand-like mixture. Press the mixture into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate evenly on the bottom and sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Make the filling by tipping the sugar, cornstarch, espresso, salt, and milk into a medium saucepan. Whisk together and heat over medium-low heat. Allow the mixture to heat slowly.
Combine the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar together in a small bowl. Add about ½ cup of the heated milk mixture to the eggs to temper them (to avoid curdling). Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Whisk as the mixture heats and starts to become thick. A spatula dragged across the bottom of the pan should leave a clear trail. It should take about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
Now you have a choice to make. If you like your custard to be absolutely smooth with no lumps, press the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl. Any lumps or small bits of cooked egg will be filtered out leaving you with a silky smooth custard. If those things do not bother you, skip straining but instead just transfer to a bowl.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly on top of the custard so that no skin forms. Place in the fridge and chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together until medium-firm peaks happen. The volume will almost double and the mixture will look billowy with soft tips. It should take 3 to 4 minutes. Don’t overbeat or the cream will split and you will regret everything.
Remove the custard from the fridge. Break it up with a spatula into smaller blobs. Add a heaping spoon of whipped cream and incorporate it into the custard. You can be slightly aggressive here because you want to loosen things up.
Now, add about ½ of the whipped cream to the custard and this time fold in gently to avoid deflating the cream. Fold just until the mixture is the color of a vanilla latte. Tip the mixture into the prepared crust and lightly even it out.
You have another choice to make: serve the pie as is with the whipped cream on the side or plop all the whipped cream on top like I did. It’s up to you.
If you’re feeling fancy, dust with ground cinnamon, cocoa powder, or chocolate sprinkles just before serving.

Cherry Whiskey Sour

November 19, 2024

Cherry Whiskey Sour

Cherry Whiskey Sour is a fruity twist on a classic drink. With just four ingredients (and one of them is jam!), it's an easy-to-make cocktail to enjoy at home with family and friends.

A Classic Cocktail

The Whiskey Sour is a classic cocktail that’s been around a long time. It started appearing in bartending guides in the mid-19th century but it's likely that the drink goes even farther back in history. In the age of sea explorers and long voyages, spirits and citrus fruit were kept on ships to help sailors avoid scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency.

While the classic recipe includes just three ingredients, spirit, citrus juice, and sweetener, there have been numerous riffs that add other flavors and ingredients. For instance, a New York Sour adds a float of red wine while Vodka Sour with Elderflower swaps out the spirit.

In this one, cherry and whiskey go along to get along and make a fabulous drinkie.

While sours will often include an egg white to give the drink an extra layer of smoothness, I've left it out here but feel free to add it.

Double straining with a fine mesh strainer.

Lessons Learned

No cocktail jigger? No problem. Use measuring spoons. Two Tablespoons equals one ounce.
Use whatever cherry jam or preserves you have, either store bought or homemade. I used one made by Divina but use what you like.
Fresh is always best when it comes to lemon juice! One small lemon yields about one ounce of juice.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Cooking Up Memories for the cherry whiskey sour recipe inspo.

Cherry Whiskey Sour

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 oz whiskey
1 oz lemon juice
½ oz triple sec
1 Tbsp cherry preserves or jam
lemon peel for garnish

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Instructions

1. Tip the whiskey, lemon juice, triple sec, and cherry preserves into a cocktail shaker. Add 4 or 5 ice cubes. Put the top on and shake for 20 seconds until cold.

2. Plop 3 ice cubes into a glass. Strain the drink into the glass using a fine mesh strainer to remove all the preserve/jam bits.

3. Garnish with a lemon peel and enjoy responsibly!

Mushroom Loaf

November 15, 2024

Mushroom Loaf

Warm and savory, Mushroom Loaf is a vegetarian version of meatloaf. It brings all the cozy vibes, filled with brown rice, mushrooms, and other veggies.

If you think this loaf sounds like something your hippie aunt who owned a health food store in the 1970s would serve, you aren’t wrong. Brown rice contributes chewy texture and fiber while sun-dried tomatoes bring the 70s vibe.

Meatless Meatloaf

Plant protein loaf bakes go back hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. But it was during World War I and World War II that meatless meatloaves became popular out of necessity. Civilians were restricted to a share of meat (two and a half pounds per week for adults) to help conserve the meat supply for soldiers serving in the war effort.

Eggs, celery, garlic, onion, mushrooms, brown rice, and spinach.

Things like lima bean loaf, baked bean loaf, and mock meatloaf were the home cook's answer to wartime rationing. But how did they taste? Well, they aren't very popular anymore so I think that answers our question.

In 1971, the book Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé was published and it created an interest in the U.S. regarding vegetarianism. Meat-free recipes, health food stores, and a concern for food policy in the country were some things that became part of our culture.

Today's recipe is a nod to all the above. This savory loaf combines whole grains, eggs, and all sorts of veggies into a yummy meal. It's delicious served with mashed potatoes and Baby Kale Salad with Apples and Walnuts or Zucchini Ribbon Salad.

Lessons Learned

Feel free to play around with the spices in this. If you aren't a fan of smoked paprika, sub in cumin or curry instead.
If you are using sundried tomatoes packed in oil, be sure to blot dry with a paper towel before chopping.
Frozen spinach can be used instead of fresh, just be sure to thaw and give it a good squeeze to extract all the liquid.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Things I Made Today for the mushroom loaf recipe.

Mushroom Loaf

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

½ cup uncooked brown rice (or 1 cup cooked)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups onion, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 cups white or brown mushrooms, sliced thin
5 oz fresh spinach (about ½ bag of washed spinach)
4 eggs
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp broth, white wine, or water
Fresh chopped parsley or other herbs for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Move the oven rack to the middle of oven position.
Grease a 9x5 loaf pan with oil on the bottom and sides, then set aside.
If the rice is raw, cook according to package directions, then set aside to cool.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Tip in the olive oil, onion, and celery. Cook for 5ish minutes or until onions are translucent. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and mushrooms. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms have released their liquid. Add the spinach and stir until the spinach wilts. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.
Whisk the eggs, sun-dried tomatoes, mustard, and broth in a large bowl. Add the rice and the onion mixture and stir everything together.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes or until the middle is set when tested with a knife.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edges. Cut the loaf into slices while it is still in the pan, or turn it out onto a platter and slice. Serve warm, garnished with chopped fresh herbs.

Nutty Noodles with Shrimp

November 1, 2024

Nutty Noodles with Shrimp

A delicious nutty, garlicky, gingery sauce bathes the noodles, tender shrimp, and stir-fried veggies in this Nutty Noodles with Shrimp recipe. This uses yakisoba noodles but you can use whatever noodles you prefer.

Noodles vs Pasta

What is the difference, really? I’ve always thought that noodles leaned toward Asian cuisine while pasta veered into Italian territory. And upon doing a little Google research (the world has really come to this, hasn’t it?), it seems my assumption isn’t too far off.

Traditional Italian pasta contains semolina, a type of flour made from durum wheat and is coarsely ground. When combined with water (and sometimes egg), the flour comes together in a dough that can be cut, shaped, and cooked immediately or dried for later use. Pasta is almost always served hot.

Noodles can also be made from wheat flour, but that is where the similarity ends. Asian noodles are also made from buckwheat, konjac, mung bean, rice, sweet potato, or tapioca. Just like pasta, the dough is cut, shaped, and either cooked or dried for later use.

However, noodles can be served hot or cold depending on the dish. A good example of this is naengmyeon, a popular cold noodle dish that originated in North Korea where my mom is from. She, along with so many others, fled the north during the Korean War and brought what they could to the south. Thankfully that included recipes and ways of preparing food. After the war, naengmyeon became popular in South Korea and is now served in many Korean restaurants all over the world.

Cilantro, garlic, ginger, baby bok choy, shrimp, and Japanese eggplant.

For this week’s recipe I used wheat noodles (because I happened to have them on hand), but you can use whatever noodle you prefer.

Lesson Learned

The dish is naturally dairy-free and can be gluten-free too by subbing in GF noodles.
Don’t like eggplant or bok choy? Substitute other veg or leave them out altogether. You’re an adult, so you can do what you want.
You can use already cooked shrimp if you prefer. Just throw them in at the last minute to warm.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to NYT Cooking for the sauce inspiration.

Noodles, shrimp, and veggies in a one-pan meal.

Nutty Noodles with Shrimp

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Noodles:

1 lb yakisoba or other noodles
2 Tbsp neutral-tasting oil
1 Japanese eggplant, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 baby bok choy, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lb frozen shrimp, thawed
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Sambal oelek or garlic chili crisp for serving

Sauce:

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
4 Tbsp sesame oil
4 Tbsp. rice vinegar
3 Tbsp tahini
3 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic

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Instructions

Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Drain, reserving a cup of noodle water, and cover.
Add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Throw in the eggplant and bok choy and stir fry for 5-ish minutes or until the veggies are tender but still have a bite to them (don’t overcook or they will be mushy). Remove the veggies to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
In the same skillet, stir fry the thawed shrimp. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, until they are just turning pink (don’t overcook or they will be rubbery and you will regret everything). Add the shrimp to the bowl with the veggies and cover.
Whisk together the sauce ingredients in the same skillet over medium heat. Add in the cooked noodles and toss until the noodles are coated in sauce. Add a little of the reserved noodle water if needed to loosen things up. Tip the cooked veggies and shrimp over the noodles.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with sambal oelek or garlic chili crisp.

Mexican Pasta Verde

October 30, 2024

Mexican Pasta Verde

Creamy with mild heat, Mexican Pasta Verde is unlike anything you’ve had before. Roasted chilis, tomatillos, garlic, and bulb onions bring some smoky char to the sauce while fresh cilantro and lime juice brighten things up!

California Cuisine

California Cuisine is what I mainly cook. It is bright, fresh, and delicious, with lots of local in-season produce and flavor combinations that reflect our state’s diverse ethnic population. I wrote an article for FoodStack Library if you want to read more about it.

One of the main influences in Southern California cuisine is Mexico. I live a little over an hour from the U.S.-Mexican border so our local area is filled with not only restaurant chains that feature Mexican food but also mom-and-pop shops. Mexican cuisine isn’t just tacos, as delicious as they are, but varies from region to region in Mexico.

For instance, in El Norte, which runs along the U.S. border and stretches for 2,000 miles, you will find all sorts of grilled meats (goat and beef, sometimes pork), cheeses and cheesy dishes, and seafood on the coast (hello, fish tacos!). The Bajio area is on the inland plains of Mexico where rice dishes are popular as well as pork. Central Mexico is where the foodie scene is, mainly in Mexico City, and where you’ll find trendy street food. The Gulf and South regions are closer to the Caribbean so their food reflects Carib, Spanish, Mayan, and even Middle Eastern influences.

Cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, bulb onions, tomatillos, and poblano.

Espagueti Verde

When my children were toddlers, I used to attend a Mothers of Preschoolers group (MOPS!) at the local church. Each meeting we had a potluck and that is where I was first introduced to espagueti verde, or green spaghetti. A mom named Ileana frequently brought it and I always looked for it on the buffet table. She learned how to make it from her mom in northern Mexico and said it was a staple at holidays and family parties.

As much as I love the original dish, I adapted Ileana’s recipe for espagueti verde to my family’s need. The majority of my peeps are dairy-free (not by choice but necessity) so I subbed in coconut milk for the cow’s milk. And you know I can’t help but tinker around, so I also added tomatillos, jalapeno, and Mexican bulb onions to give the dish a little more zip. I think you are going to love it.

Lessons Learned

Leave out the jalapeno if your tummy says no to spicy.
Sub in parsley if you don’t like cilantro.
Use any pasta you like. You’re an adult so you can do what you want.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to my friend Ileana for her espagueti verde recipe.

Mexican Pasta Verde

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

6 medium tomatillos
3 Mexican bulb onions
2 poblano chiles
1 jalapeno
1 head garlic
Olive oil for drizzling
1 bunch cilantro (about 1 cup loosely packed leaves)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (14 oz) full fat coconut milk (or other milk)
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
1 lb. penne or other pasta
1 lime, cut into wedges
extra cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F/220 C. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
Remove the papery husks from tomatillos and discard. Halve the poblano peppers and jalapeno, and remove the stems and seeds.
Cut the top off the garlic head, exposing the cloves inside. Place the head in foil or parchment, then drizzle with olive oil and seal the foil closed.
Place the tomatillos, bulb onions, poblanos, and jalapeno on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly drizzle with 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil and using your hands, distribute the oil evenly over all the veggies. Turn the peppers cut side down. Add the wrapped garlic to the sheet.
Roast for 35-ish minutes until the veggies are soft and charred in spots. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Scrape all the roasted veggies and any pan juices into a blender or food processor. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the roasted cloves into the blender. Throw in the cilantro, salt, and cumin.
Blitz for 10 to 20 seconds, then add the coconut milk and broth. Blitz again until everything is pureed and smooth. Pour the mixture into a large pot or Dutch oven and place it on medium-low heat on the stovetop.
Prepare the pasta according to package directions (don’t forget to salt the pasta water!). Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water to the side.
Tip the cooked pasta into the verde sauce and stir to coat. Add some pasta water, if needed, to loosen things up.
Add a squeeze of lime and garnish with extra chopped cilantro.

Skeleton Key

October 25, 2024

Skeleton Key

Fizzy, floral, and fun to look at, the Skeleton Key might become your new favorite cocktail. It's built with just four ingredients at the base. The fifth ingredient? Bitters.

Angostura Bitters

What are bitters? They are very concentrated extracts of herbs, roots, and spices that have been steeped in an alcohol base. Yes, they taste bitter!

In the ages past, they were like medicine to help with digestion (sometimes called digestifs) and other gastrointestinal ailments. And along the way, someone decided they'd be great in a drink, maybe to make them more palatable.

One of the most commonly used bitters today in the cocktail world is the Angostura brand. Originally crafted in 1824 by Dr. Siegart, a German living in Venezuela, these bitters were used as a medical elixir for the Venezuelan army. He eventually began selling and exporting the bitters all over the world.

Once the family moved to Trinidad, his three sons took over the growing business. At the beginning of the 20th century, cocktails came into popularity and the use of bitters played a role in their development. The result: cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, and Sazerac.

Companies all over the world produce a large range of bitters today. I tend to come back to Angostura bitters time and again because I like the classic taste.

Normally it's just two or three dashes of bitters in the crafting of a cocktail, but this one uses double that amount as a float. It's delicious!

Lessons Learned

Use your favorite whiskey or bourbon (a specific type of American whiskey) in this.
Don't have a cocktail jigger? No worries. Use your kitchen measuring spoons. For example, 2 Tablespoons = 1 ounce.
Ginger beer is a non-alcoholic beverage with carbonation. It is similar to ginger ale but with more ginger-y flavor.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Tasting Table for the skeleton key cocktail recipe.

Skeleton Key

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 oz whiskey
1 oz St Germain or other elderflower liqueur
½ oz lemon juice
4 oz ginger beer
6 to 8 dashes Angostura bitters

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Instructions

Add 5 ice cubes to a tall glass. Pour whiskey, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice into the glass.
Tip in ginger beer and stir with a bar spoon (a chopstick works, too).
Sprinkle six to eight dashes of Angostura bitter over the drink. They will gradually seep down into the drink. Sip and enjoy responsibly.

Bordeaux Cherry Mezcal

October 11, 2024

Bordeaux Cherry Mezcal

Pair smoky mezcal with the sweet fruitiness of real maraschino cherries to get Bordeaux Cherry Mezcal! It's deliciously good with dark cherry flavors. Plus, it only needs a handful of ingredients.

What are Maraschino Cherries?

Old World maraschino cherries are from Croatia and Italy. The cherries steep in a cherry liqueur yielding a luxurious concoction. Italian Luxardo cherries are the gold standard for cocktails and their continuous quality and delicious flavor have stood the test of time. During Prohibition, these European cherries were banned in the U.S. because of their alcohol content.

To compensate, American-made maraschino cherries were made without alcohol to replace the boozy European ones. They became the "cherry on the top" for ice cream sundaes, Shirley Temple drinks, and even Old Fashioned cocktails. Neon red, over the top sweet, and almost waxy in texture, they taste nothing like real cherries, thanks to the calcium chloride, sulfur dioxide, sugar syrup, and red food coloring added to them.

Recently, I found a jar of delicious Oregon-grown Bordeaux cherries. Made by Royal Harvest, they cost less than one-third of the price of Luxardo. No red food coloring here, just deep dark cherry flavor. They are perfect for this smoky cocktail!

Bordeaux cherries, agave syrup, fresh lime, and mezcal.

What is Mezcal?

Many people see mezcal as a smokier version of tequila. They are both agave spirits but that is where the similarity ends. Mezcal production includes any kind of agave but tequila comes from only the blue agave. Because the core of the agave is roasted in the production of mezcal, the final product has a smoky, earthy flavor.

The production of mezcal is all done by hand by workers called mescaleros. The labor intensive methods and small batch production are part of why mezcal is a higher price point than many other agave spirits. Each bottle contains many hours of labor.

Lessons Learned

If you have room in the budget for Luxardo, go for it! You will not regret buying them.
Looking for a less pricey option? There are several good quality maraschino cherries including Royal Harvest, Trader Joe's Amarena Cherries, and Peninsula Premium Cocktail Cherries.
Mezcal range in price from $30-ish up into the $100-ish per bottle. If you are new to drinking mezcal, start with a small, more reasonably priced bottle like Madre Mezcal. Or visit a bar that does a mezcal sampling to determine which one you like best.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Hip Cooks for the blood-red cherry margarita recipe inspiration.

Bordeaux Cherry Mezcal

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 oz lime juice
1 oz agave or simple syrup
1 oz cherry syrup from the jar of cherries
3 oz mezcal
Bordeaux cherry for garnish

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Instructions

Add lime juice, agave, cherry syrup, and mezcal to a cocktail shaker.
Add 4 ice cubes, put on the top, and shake until cold.
Strain into a class and garnish with a cherry. Enjoy responsibly!

Vegan Curry

October 8, 2024

Vegan Curry

Warm, hearty, and plant-based protein at its best! Vegan Curry is a combination of flavor-filled tofu, cauliflower, carrots, and onion all baked in a creamy coconut curry sauce. Delicious for vegans and non-vegans alike.

The secret: extra-firm tofu.

Extra-Firm Tofu

Tofu comes in several different styles and they are all used in different ways. Block tofu is what we see in most grocery stores today. The blocks come packed in water, so drain the water before adding to recipes.

Cauliflower, cilantro, garlic, onion, carrots, tofu, and spices.

Tofu types include

Silken. Very delicate and falls apart easily. Use it in dressings, smoothies, and desserts.
Soft. Firmer than the silken variety. Spoon-able and easy to add to hot soups.
Medium. A step up in firmness, you can cut this tofu and add it to salads or stir-fries.
Firm. The most popular type of tofu! Use it in a wide variety of dishes: baked, pan-fried, stir-fried, and even boiled.
Extra-Firm. Best in hearty dishes, this tofu can do it all. It has the firmest texture.

Other variations include dry tofu and smoked tofu which come in vacuum sealed pouches.

Because extra-firm tofu has a denser texture, you can play around with it without fear of it disintegrating. A good technique is to tear the extra-firm block with your hands into bite-sized pieces. The first time I made this recipe I couldn’t get over how the pieces looked so much like chicken once baked.

An quick and yummy side with this? Easy 30 Minute Flatbread.

Lessons Learned

Don't have garam masala? Sub in 1 teaspoon cumin mixed with ¼ teaspoon allspice.
This is not a spicy dish but you can turn up the heat by adding a teaspoon of cayenne or serving with a chili sauce garnish.
Be sure to use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest sauce.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Minimalist Baker for the coconut curry inspiration.

Vegan Curry

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

16 oz. extra-firm tofu
1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp curry powder
1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch
3 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup diced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp curry powder
1 can (14 oz) unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
Chopped cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Move the oven rack to the center position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Tear the tofu with your hands into bite-sized pieces. Tearing instead of cutting gives them the craggy texture you want. Add them to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with the soy sauce, garam masala, salt, and curry. Stir gently to coat the pieces. Sprinkle on the cornstarch and stir again to evenly coat.
Place the pieces on the prepared baking sheet so that none of the pieces are touching each other. They need their space. Bake for 20 minutes.
While the tofu bakes, tip the cauliflower, carrots, onion, and garlic into a 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle on the salt and curry powder evenly. Pour on the coconut milk.
Remove the tofu from the oven and lower the heat to 400F/200C. Arrange the tofu over the veggies and coconut milk. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until carrots are tender. Garnish with lots of chopped cilantro. Serve with hot steamed rice or naan.

New York Sour

September 27, 2024

New York Sour

The New York Sour is a layered, lovely cocktail that is easy to shake together, tastes delicious, and looks like a million bucks. It has a deep crimson float of dry red wine on top, but at it's base this drink is a riff on a traditional whiskey sour.

Whiskey Sour

The family of cocktails called sours normally consists of a spirit + citrus + sweetener. Many times egg white is added to smooth out the combo of liquor and citrus juice, plus it adds a velvety mouthfeel to the drink.

Here, the base spirit is whiskey. Combine that with fresh lemon juice (fresh is always best!) and a viscous sweetener. Best options for a sweetener are simple syrup, pure maple syrup, or agave.

And the egg white? Again, fresh is best. Crack a fresh egg and carefully separate the white from the yolk (reserve the yolk for another use). Fresh egg white has proteins that when shaken billow into a white foamy head. Egg whites in a carton are normally pasteurized and might not yield the same result.

Red wine, bitters, whiskey, maple syrup, egg, and lemon.

Shaken, not stirred, and strained into a glass.

Lessons Learned

The red wine float looks fancy but isn't too hard. Pour the wine over the back of a spoon onto the cocktail. The overturned spoon helps it distribute evenly. Even if you mess it up, the drinkie still tastes great.
Use any dry red wine that you like. Traditionally, it's Cabernet Sauvignon but I've seen Merlot and Syrah used as well.
Does using a raw egg white give you the ick? You can leave it out altogether or sub in an equal amount of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of garbanzo beans) instead. Doing this also makes the cocktail vegan.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Liquor.com for the New York Sour recipe.

The drink from above. See the red wine dribbles?

New York Sour

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 oz lemon juice
2 oz whiskey
2 dashes of bitters
1 egg white
1 oz maple or simple syrup
1 to 2 tablespoon dry red wine

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Instructions

Pour lemon juice, whiskey, bitters, and egg white in a shaker tin. Put the top on and shake for 30 seconds until frothy. This is called a "dry shake," meaning without ice. This allows the egg white to froth up nicely and gives the drink a silky smooth texture.
Plop in 3 or 4 ice cubes. Shake again for 20 seconds or until cold.
Strain into a glass.
Pour the red wine slowly over the back of a spoon and into the glass, trying to cover the entire surface area.
Admire your handiwork and enjoy responsibly!

Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

September 25, 2024

Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Tender, meat-free, dairy-free, and delicious! Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce features plant-protein, thanks to lentils. The easy roasted red pepper sauce is blitzed in a blender and comes together in minutes.

Meatless Meatballs

Yes, meatless meatballs is an oxymoron. But how else do we describe something that we know and love (meatballs) that don't contain the meat? Lentil balls doesn't quite have the same cachet.

The point here is that something shaped like a meatball, served like a meatball, and sometimes tastes like a meatball, might in fact be meat-less!

Garlic, spices, egg, parsley, couscous, red pepper, lentils, and oats.

Plant proteins like vegetables, legumes, nuts, and even grains form the base. Mushrooms, lentils, beans, rice, oats, and walnuts are all common ingredients in meatless meatballs. The secret is to cook ingredients until they are tender, add a binding ingredient, and season with spices.

Once baked, meatless meatballs can be served just like regular ones: alongside a pasta dish, tucked in a hoagie roll, or with veggies. Today's recipe is delicious garnished with plenty of fresh herbs or some Homemade Zhoug.

Lessons Learned

Need this to be vegan? Easy! Swap out the chicken broth and egg and use veggie broth and flax meal instead.
Red lentils are actually orange and lend a warm color to the meatballs. You can use brown or green lentils if you prefer but be aware that the meatballs will take on a different hue.
A fresh, crunchy salad is delicious with this! Try Marinated Zucchini and Yellow Squash or Zucchini Ribbon Salad.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Dishing Out Health for the Moroccan lentil meatball recipe inspiration!

Lentil Meatballs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Meatballs:

¾ cup dried red lentils
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken or veggie broth
1 cup uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats (not steel cut)
1 shallot, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 egg (or 1 Tbsp flax meal with 2 ½ tablespoon water)
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

Sauce:

1 jar (15 oz) roasted red peppers, drained
¼ cup olive or avocado oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp granulated garlic

Side:

1 ½ cup Israeli (pearl) couscous
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups water or broth
Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

Make the meatballs by pouring the broth into a medium saucepan. Bring the broth to a boil. Rinse the lentils in a fine mesh strainer, discarding any small stones or wrinkled lentils, and tip them into the broth. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20-ish minutes or until lentils are soft and water is absorbed.
While the lentils cook, add the remaining meatball ingredients (oats, shallot, garlic, egg, parsley, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and pepper) into a blender or food processor. Pulse for a few seconds to combine.
Once the lentils are done, drain off any water, then add them to the blender. Blitz for a few seconds until everything is combined. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to hydrate the oats. The mixture will be slightly loose but should be cohesive enough to hold together. If it is still too loose after 10 minutes, stir in another ¼ cup of rolled oats and blitz again. At this point, you can transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight if you are prepping ahead of time.
Preheat the oven to 425F/220C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a 1 ½-inch cookie scoop to scoop out the lentil mixture. I got 18 meatballs using this size cookie scoop. If you don’t care how they look, use a large spoon to portion them out. Place scoops on the baking sheet evenly spaced. They will not spread so you can place them fairly close together. Spray or brush the tops with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes.
Make the sauce by adding all the sauce ingredients (red peppers, oil, paprika, salt, garlic) into a blender or food processor. Blitz until smooth. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
Make the Israeli couscous while the meatballs bake by heating the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the couscous and stir to coat in the oil. Cook for a few minutes to toast the pearls until they are light brown. Add the water or broth and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and couscous is tender. Remove from the heat.
Serve the lentil meatballs and couscous together, drizzling the sauce over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Homemade Fig Simple Syrup

September 18, 2024

Homemade Fig Simple Syrup

Made with fresh California Black Mission figs, Homemade Fig Simple Syrup is sweet, figgy, and delicious! Pour it into cocktails, salad dressings, marinades, and desserts. And it's incredibly easy to make.

How to Make Simple Syrup

Simple syrups are basically liquid sweeteners. Typically an equal amount of water and sugar are boiled together and slightly reduced. The result is an easy to use sweetener for beverages like coffees, iced teas, lemonades, sparkling water, and your favorite cocktails.

The beautiful thing about homemade simple syrups is that you can play around with the flavors. Infusing the syrup with fruits, herbs, and even flowers yields delicious aromas and tastes, like in this Rose Simple Syrup.

Fig simple syrup is easy to make and is a two-fer. For your efforts, you get a delicious figgy syrup but you also come away with jammy fig pieces that are fantastic over yogurt, ice cream, soft cheeses, and savory appetizers. Tuck some into a chicken dish for something different.

Make an easy appetizer: layer those jammy fig pieces over crumbled feta or goat cheese, drizzle with honey, and serve with crackers. Yum!

Lessons Learned

There are many different types of figs including Adriatic and Brown Turkey. Use whatever is available in your area.
Use a fine mesh strainer to rid the syrup of any stems and seeds.
Need a cocktail idea? This Fig Margarita uses fig simple syrup and is delish!

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Cocktail Contessa for the homemade fig syrup recipe using fresh figs.

Homemade Fig Simple Syrup

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 1 ½ cups syrup 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 cups quartered fresh figs
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Dump all ingredients into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Strain to separate liquid and solids. Pour the syrup into a jar and store covered in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Store the cooked figs in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Fig Margaritas

September 18, 2024

Fig Margaritas

Deliciously autumnal, Fig Margaritas are the perfect drinkie for the fall months. They are so pretty, thanks to fresh fig syrup that you can easily make or purchase. Plus, they are simple to shake together at home, saving you time and money.

Everything has gotten more expensive lately, but have you seen the price of cocktails? Whoo-ee. It’s well into the double-digit range. A margarita at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Laguna Beach is anywhere from $15 to $25, depending on the brand of tequila. Ouch. What a damper on date night when the price of drinks is nearly equal to the cost of the entrees.

But! We don’t have to go out for drinks.

Make Cocktails at Home

In another life, I used to be a ghostwriter of other people’s blogs and cookbooks. It was while I was working on a cocktail and home mixology book that the lightbulb went off in my head—I can make these drinks at home!

The caveat, of course, is we won’t enjoy the ambiance and luxury of someone else shaking together our liquid sanity saver. But if it means I don’t have to drive anywhere and can enjoy a cocktail while watching The Great British Baking Show in my jammies, then I am very happy to make my own cocktail, thank you very much.

Cost

For fun, let’s price out how much it is to make a margarita at home. These costs are all approximations based on the price of 750mL bottles at my local BevMo. It may be cheaper or more expensive in your area. And if you get your liquor at Costco, the price per ounce is probably going to be less.

As reference, a 750mL bottle is approximately 25 ounces. If we use 2 ounces per drink, we can make 12-ish drinks per bottle. I chose two tequilas, one considered value-priced and the other top-shelf.

Warning: lots of numbers ahead. And they are all loosey-goosey, not scientific, and rounded to the nearest cent.

Value-priced:

Cazadores Reposado Tequila is $21.99 at BevMo = around 88 cents per ounce
Triple Sec is $10.99 at BevMo = around 44 cents per ounce
Limes are 33 cents and yield around 1 ounce
Cazadores (2 oz) + triple sec (1 oz) + lime juice (½ oz) = $2.36 per cocktail

Top-shelf:

Patron Silver is $39.99 at BevMo = around $1.60 per ounce
Cointreau is $37.99 at BevMo = around $1.52 per ounce
Limes are 33 cents and yield around 1 ounce
Patron (2 oz) + Cointreau (1 oz) + lime juice (½ oz) = $4.88 per cocktail

Compare that to the $25 margarita at the Mexican restaurant. Excited? Me too.

Lessons Learned

Fig simple syrup is easy to make (recipe is here) and is a two-fer. For your efforts, you get a delicious figgy syrup to use in cocktails, salad dressings, marinades, and desserts. You also come away with jammy fig pieces that are fantastic over yogurt, ice cream, and savory appetizers.
If you are saying to yourself “That sounds delicious but I’m never going to make fig syrup in a million years,” then you will be happy to know you can purchase 8 ounces fig syrup on Amazon for $19.75.
Quality ingredients are key to a good cocktail! Buy the best that you can comfortably afford.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Kasey, my supplier of fresh figs, for giving me the idea for fig margaritas.

Fig Margaritas

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 oz tequila
1 oz fig syrup
1 oz lime juice
1 oz orange juice

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Instructions

Rub the cut half of a lime around the rim of a glass and dip in coarse salt.
Pour the tequila, fig syrup, lime juice, and orange juice into a cocktail shaker.
Plop 4 or 5 ice cubes into the shake, cover, and shake for 20 seconds until cold. Strain into the prepared glass.
Garnish with a slice of fresh fig if you want to feel fancy. Enjoy responsibly.

Pizza on the Grill

September 16, 2024

Pizza on the Grill

Delicious crust with char and melty cheese from your outdoor grill? Yes, yes, and yes with Pizza on the Grill!

I know this can be intimidating. I mean, floppy dough on hot grates, dripping cheese flame-ups, and toppings falling into the abyss. A lot can go wrong.

However, there are some tricks to achieving a crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside crust with melty cheese and savory toppings.

Tips for Grilling Pizza

Plan ahead. Putting together from-scratch dough will require a couple of hours but it is so worth it. But even if you aren’t making dough, plan your toppings and grate the cheese ahead so everything is ready. Once the dough hits the grill things move quickly.
Start with the right dough. Sure you can grill most doughs (including store-bought), but one made with bread flour or Italian 00 flour is sturdier and easier to work with. Plus, a nice chew is achieved with these flours.
The grill needs to be hot. This is the eleventy-eth time we’ve talked about the grill needing to be hot, but the caveat here is it shouldn’t be too hot. 350 to 400F/180 to 200C is just right for grilling pizza.
Oil the grates. A light brush with oil will help to prevent anything from sticking to the grates.
Tools are your friend. If you have a pizza peel, great, use that. But I don’t, so I use a large metal spatula and a pair of tongs to move the pizza off the grill in one piece.
Don’t overload. Keep it simple when it comes to toppings. Too much and the cheese doesn’t completely melt, the dough becomes soggy, and items start falling off.

Next, let’s talk about making the dough.

Homemade Pizza Dough

If you’ve never worked with yeast before you might think this is too hard, but I assure you it is not. There are a few ways to make pizza dough and some require overnight proofing (have you tried my cast iron pizza recipe?). But the one we are making today is an easy peasy, stir it together dough.

Bread flour and 00 flour are both higher in gluten and protein than all-purpose flour. And so what? Because of this, the webby gluten network that forms from them keeps the dough stretchy and helps it to proof up bubbly so that when it hits the heat the crust develops a crispy, crackly exterior and a soft and chewy interior.

Perfectly delicious!

Lessons Learned

Grate all your cheeses and chop all the toppings ahead of time and set up a work station. It makes assembly of the pizzas quick and easy!
The dough recipe makes two 10-inch pizzas, 3 to 4 mini pizzas, or one giant pizza for those who are brave like that.
Leave out the toppings you don't like and replace them with ones you do. Anchovies? Go for it. You're an adult so you can do what you want.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to King Arthur Baking for their grilled pizza recipe.

Pizza on the Grill

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Proof Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes plus proofing

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Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough:

2 ½ cups Italian 00 or bread flour
1 cup water
1 ½ tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

Toppings:

Olive oil for brushing
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
1 ½ cups marinara sauce
1 cup pepperoni, shrimp, or other cooked meat
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms, olives, or zucchini
Freshly chopped basil or parsley

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Instructions

Tip all the dough ingredients into a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with a large spoon or the paddle attachment until the ingredients come together into a sticky ball of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate and soak up liquids.
After 30 minutes, use a spatula or a wet hand to scrape the dough from the bowl on one side, lift it up, and then press it down into the middle of the dough ball. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, working your way around the bowl until the dough has been lifted and pressed into the middle 8-ish times. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest again for 30 minutes (or up to 3 hours if you are preparing this ahead).
Deflate the dough and pull all the edges into the center of the dough. Flip it over and divide it into two equal pieces. Shape both pieces into a ball, cover with plastic and let rest again, last time, I promise, for 20 minutes (or up to 2 hours) so it will stretch nicely when you roll it out.
Preheat the grill to 350F/180C. Scrape any residue from the grill grates and lightly oil the grates with an oily paper towel or rag.
Now is the time to prep all the toppings. You want everything ready and in place once the dough hits the grill. I like to place each topping in a small bowl then place the bowls on a rimmed baking sheet for transport to the outdoor grill.
Dust parchment paper with flour. Place one dough ball on the parchment and sprinkle with flour. Start pressing the dough with your fingertips as you depress it and stretch it into a 10-inch round. Repeat with the second dough ball on a separate sheet of parchment.
Lightly brush the dough rounds with olive oil. Transfer to to the grill, oiled side down. Close the top and cook for 4 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown.
Remove partially cooked dough from the grill to a cutting board or baking sheet and flip it over so that the cooked side is facing up. Add the sauce, cheese, meat, and veggies.
Return pizzas to the grill, close the top, and cook for 4-ish minutes until the bottom is golden brown and cheese is melty.
Brush the outer edges with more olive oil, if desired, then slice and eat!

Cosmopolitan with St Germain

September 13, 2024

Cosmopolitan with St Germain

A sophisticated twist on a popular cocktail: the Cosmopolitan with St Germain. It's somewhat tart, mildly sweet, slightly floral, and 100% delicious!

Do you think Carrie Bradshaw would approve? I'd like to think so.

Cosmo

The Cosmopolitan was invented by a bartender in the late 1980s in New York City. A few years later the cocktail became extremely popular with young 20-something women when the TV show Sex and The City made it the cool drink to order on girls' night out. Even though I have never seen an episode of SATC (strange, but true), I have always associated the show with the pink cocktail.

The original Cosmopolitan cocktail contained Absolut Citron vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, and cranberry juice, a sweet and sour combination that also happened to be pretty and pink. Usually served in a martini glass, it was lovely to look at and lovely to sip while visiting with friends.

The cocktail also just happens to be an easy one to make yourself. My friend Lisa is a Cosmo fan and always orders it when we are out to dinner. But she also knows how to make a fantastic one at home, like we are doing today.

A cocktail is only as good as the ingredients that go into it, so purchase your ingredients wisely. Fresh lemon juice, mid-range (or top shelf) vodka, and quality sweetener makes a difference in the final product. Compared to the cost of ordering a cocktail in a restaurant or bar, you are still getting a bargain by making it at home!

Lemon, St. Germain, vodka, agave, and cranberry juice.

Lessons Learned

No cocktail jigger? No problem. Use measuring spoons. Two Tablespoons equals one ounce.
While St Germain is popular, there are other European elderflower liqueur brands that are equally good including Bols (Netherlands) and Fiorente (Italian).
It's important to use unsweetened cranberry juice, so check the ingredient label! Already sweetened cranberry juice will yield a cocktail that is way too sweet.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to A Couple Cooks for the St Germain & cranberry cocktail recipe.

Cosmopolitan with St Germain

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

2 oz vodka
1 oz unsweetened 100% cranberry juice
1 oz agave or simple syrup
½ oz St Germain or other elderflower liqueur
½ oz lemon juice
Garnish: lemon slice

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Instructions

Tip all the ingredients (except garnish) into a cocktail shaker.
Add 3 to 4 ice cubes, put the lid on, and shake until chilled.
Strain into a pretty glass, garnish with lemon slice, and enjoy responsibly.

Vodka Sour with Elderflower

September 13, 2024

Vodka Sour with Elderflower

Refreshing, sweet-tart, and botanical! The Vodka Sour with Elderflower is a balanced and sublime cocktail made from just four ingredients, including liqueur made from elderflower.

What is elderflower?

Elderflower

When I first heard of these tiny flowers, I mistakenly thought they were the same thing as edelweiss. You know, the bloom that Christopher Plummer sang about in The Sound of Music. Well, they're not.

Elderflowers are blossoms of the elderberry tree that flower each spring. While these trees grow all over Europe, they also grow in the U.S. My friend who lives in Tennessee sees them on her rural walks and picks some to make into tea and simple syrup.

The fragrant blossoms are also made into cordials and liqueurs.

How to Use Elderflower Liqueur

With it's subtle floral aroma and citrusy, pear, and lychee notes, elderflower liqueur brings an elegant flavor to a variety of foods and drinks. One of the most popular and widely available elderflower liqueurs is St Germain. I find it at my local BevMo but some grocery stores carry it as well.

Tip the liqueur in:

cake, muffin, and pancake batters
jams and jellies
ice creams and sorbets

And, of course, mocktails and cocktails like this one.

Fresh lemon, St. Germain, vodka, and agave syrup.

Lessons Learned

St Germain, like other liqueurs, is quite sweet. Adjust the amount of agave or other sweetener in the cocktail to suit your taste.
Fresh lemon juice is best! If you don't have any lemons on hand, bottled juice is okay in a pinch.
A cocktail is only as good as the ingredients used. Because there are only four ingredients in this one, don't use a cheap vodka if you can avoid it. Mid-range vodkas like Tito's or Kirkland Signature from Costco are perfect. If you can afford Grey Goose, go for it.

Hat Tips

Many thanks to St Germain for the flower drop cocktail recipe and to Corina Rainer on Unsplash for the elderflower photo.

Vodka Sour with Elderflower

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x

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Ingredients

Units Scale

1 oz elderflower liqueur, such as St Germain
2 oz vodka
1 oz lemon juice
½ oz agave or simple syrup

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Instructions

Tip all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
Add 3 to 4 ice cubes, place the lid on top, and shake until chilled.
Strain into a coupe or other pretty glass and enjoy responsibly.

Green Goddess Chicken Cobb

September 9, 2024

Green Goddess Chicken Cobb

A mashup of two California classics! Green Goddess Chicken Cobb features herby, creamy dressing drizzled over a non-traditional Cobb salad. It's fresh, bright, and delicious.

Two California Classics

In this salad, two California classics get married and have a baby. Green Goddess dressing originated in San Francisco in the 1920s. Cobb Salad appeared a decade later in Los Angeles.

Let’s look at a short history of both.

Green Goddess Dressing

The Palace Hotel was San Francisco’s first grand hotel when it opened its doors in the late 19th century. And it was in the hotel kitchen that Green Goddess dressing was first stirred together.

More than 80 percent of San Francisco, including the Palace Hotel, was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and the fires resulting from it. Once rebuilt, the hotel resumed its stature as a luxury hotel that hosted dignitaries, opera stars, and international actors like George Arliss.

Cilantro, basil, parsley, mayo, lemon, green onion, and garlic.

Arliss was starring in the play The Green Goddess which was on tour in the U.S. in 1923 after having great success in England. Famous guests of the hotel often had dishes named in their honor, like singer Luisa Tetrazzini who inspired the pasta dish Chicken Tetrazzini. And so it was with George Arliss except the salad dressing wasn’t named for him but for the play. Womp womp.

Regardless, 100 years later the Palace Hotel is still an upscale luxury hotel and the dressing remains on the hotel menu. It is full of fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic resulting in a bright green dressing.

Cobb Salad

Now we head down the coast to Southern California where Cobb Salad originated at The Brown Derby restaurant. Although The Brown Derby was actually a chain of restaurants in Los Angeles with locations in Beverly Hills, Los Feliz, Hollywood, and Wilshire Boulevard, it is the Hollywood branch on North Vine Street that gets the credit for inventing the main dish salad in 1937 that has become an American classic.

Rumors and legends tend to be part of the Hollywood landscape, and stories surrounding The Brown Derby restaurant are no exception. Holding court at the restaurant were movie studio execs, theater owners, and celebrities. It became a place to see and be seen.

Romaine, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, tomatoes, and avocado.

The creation of the Cobb Salad has two differing legends attached to it. The first one tells of owner Robert Cobb looking through the restaurant kitchen for a midnight snack. Pulling a little of this, a little of that, he pilfered some bacon from a busy line cook, chopped up the whole shebang, and voila! The Cobb Salad was born.

Another rendition involves the head chef concocting the chopped salad as a way to cheer up Mr. Cobb, who came straight to work after a dental appointment, hungry and irritable (as we all are after dental appointments).

Will we ever know the real story? Probably not.

Looking at an old Brown Derby menu dated September 1953, I had to marvel at the prices. Baja California Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail for $1.50. Derby Lamb Stew with Vegetables and Potatoes was $1.85. A pot of coffee for 25 cents. And Cobb Salad? $2.25. Order a Cobb in any restaurant today and you will pay 10 times that price.

It’s so much cheaper to make it at home, so let’s do that now.

Lessons Learned

Because chicken breasts can sometimes dry out when grilled, the mayo-based marinade helps keep them moist. Once the salad is assembled, drizzle the reserved portion of the herby dressing over everything.
Traditionally, Cobbs include bleu cheese and bacon but this one doesn’t. The salad ingredient list is flexible, of course. Leave out what you don’t like or add more of what you do.
And bread? This Ligurian Focaccia would be so delicious alongside the salad!

Hat Tips

Many thanks to Lillie Eats and Tells for the Green Goddess grilled chicken inspiration.

Green Goddess Chicken Cobb

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Author: Betty
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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