cocktail contest!

I entered into a contest. I want to win. But mostly, I want to share this cocktail with you because it's AMAZING. The non-adventurous eater is probably thinking I'm out of my mind with this one. TRUST ME, herbs + berries = magic.  I served the leftovers at my cook book club (sin alcohol) and it was a huge hit. Then I sent the recipe to a friend and he too said it was delish! I'm telling you guys, make this, now!

Also, vote for me! Shameless plug, but mamma needs some $$! You'll note the cocktail recipe on the site is different from here. That was a spirit contest so I plussed up the gin amount for them. I prefer a subtle nod of gin with lots of sparkly goodness (aka, the recipe below). Cheers!

blueberry basil fizz

yields about 1 cup blueberry basil syrup

to make blueberry syrup:

1 ½ c. fresh blueberries (frozen works too)

1 c. water

2 TBSP sugar

1 bunch of basil leaves with stems (about 25 leaves)

In a small sauce pan, combine blueberries, water, sugar and bring to a soft boil. Let cook until blueberries burst. Turn off the heat and add basil leaves + stems, let steep in the blueberry mixture for 10 - 15 minutes. Pull the basil leaves out and pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, Pressing all of the blueberry goodness through the strainer. Chill until ready to serve.

for the cocktail:

yields 1 cocktail

ingredients:

½ oz gin

1 oz blueberry basil mixture

½ c. crushed ice

top with prosecco (about ½ c.)

garnish: fresh blueberries and torn basil leaves.

Combine gin, blueberry basil mixture and ice, shake or stir. Pour into a glass and top with prosecco. Garnish with torn basil leaves and fresh blueberries. I like to serve it in a stemless champagne flute but a rocks glass looks pretty too.

improv style:

first thing, this is a cocktail, you don't REALLY have to measure. just dump, dump, mix and sip! this is just my guide to the cocktail, choose your own adventure!

this can be made with just gin, berry mixture and sparkling water, likewise with just prosecco + blueberry basil syrup. if you want a refreshing summer drink sin alcohol, just mix about 2 TBSP of the mixture with ½ c. sparkling water. sparkling coconut water or even coconut milk would be delish too.

not a blueberry or basil fan? try blackberry rosemary, raspberry thyme, lavender blueberry - you see where i'm going here. 

good herbs for this: mint, rosemary, thyme, lavender, basil, or rosewater (technically not an herb, but it's in the plant family). 

good fruits: any berry, citrus fruit, stone fruit. 

fun mix in's: flavored sparkling water, gin, vodka, sparkling wine, white wine (fancy wine cooler anyone?!), coconut water, iced tea?! 

basically i'm saying everyone could use a little fruit + herb action in their life. Especially in beverage form.  

winner, winner chicken dinner!

A few months ago I was lucky enough to take a bucket list trip to visit one of my best friends in Peru. I've been wanting to see Machu Picchu for a long time and the fact that Meg moved to Cusco made it the perfect, stars aligned moment to bite the bullet and buy the ticket! 

The colors and flavors of Peru took my breath away. I wasn't really familiar with the cuisine until I did a little research. Depending on where you're at in the country, they're known for different things. Cuy - Guinea pig, alpaca, ceviche, potatoes (over 3,000 varieties), and quinoa to name a few. We were lucky enough to have the chef at our hostel create a feast of peruvian dishes for us to try. I guess that's the perk of being best friends with the owner's girlfriend :)

We feasted on lomo saltado, aji de gaina, potato dishes of all sorts, Mazamorra morada - a purple corn pudding that tastes like Christmas, ceviche, peruvian fried rice, and 3 other amazing dishes that I didn't catch the name of. We feasted like kings. My favorite was the lomo saltado - a simple steak dish with peppers and onions served with french fries AND rice. Everything in Peru seemed to be served with two forms of starches. 

One thing I really enjoyed were all the different ways they used and prepared quinoa. For our first meal in Cusco, Meg took us to one of her friends restaurants. Almost immediately upon sitting down they brought us some little nuggets of chicken crusted in quinoa. Um, GENIUS! I immediately proclaimed to Meg that this would be making an appearance on the blog, and here it is!

I love the idea of using this seed (although I think of it as a grain) to create a healthier, protein + fiber packed chicken finger. I baked mine but if you're feeling naughty, frying would make them spectacular. That's how they were served to us in Peru and I have to say, I preferred the crunch frying gives it. And lets be real, how naughty could it be when you're using such healthy things?! 

quinoa chicken fingers

yields 4 servings

ingredients:

4 chicken breasts or 8 - 10 chicken tenders

2 eggs beaten

2 c. cooked quinoa (I used red but you can use any type)

1 c. panko bread crumbs

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

salt + pepper to taste

drizzle of olive oil

In a shallow bowl, beat eggs and set aside. In another shallow bowl, combine: quinoa, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, salt + pepper.

Pat your chicken dry with some paper towels and then dunk them in the egg mixture. Pick one piece up at a time, allow the excess egg to drip off and then dump it in the quinoa breading mixture. Pat hard so that you get as much of the coating to stick to the chicken breast. Place on a baking sheet (TIP: I like to put my wire cookie cooling racks on top of the baking sheet so that they bake up extra crispy). Repeat until all chicken pieces are coated. Depending on how much mixture sticks to the chicken you may need to add more breading. This isn't science, just dump some more of the breading ingredients and continue dipping. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and place in oven. 

Bake at 350º for about 20 - 25 minutes depending on thickness (15 - 18 if using chicken tenders). Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

improv style:

you can make this gluten free by using all quinoa or using GF bread crumbs. i served this with a roasted red bell pepper sauce but you could add all sorts of fun seasonings/flavors to the chicken tenders before baking. consider using this spice mix or your favorite curry spices lightly dusted on the tenders before dipping into the breading. also, marinading the chicken in some buttermilk or dairy with spices would be a great idea. give the meat some flavor while tenderizing it!

you could even serve these as little chicken nuggets by chopping up the chicken tenders into bite sized pieces. this is how we had them as an appetizer in Cusco. next time i make these i'm totally doing bite sized pieces. 

i used red quinoa but you could use brown quinoa or even experiment with other grains/nuts. additionally, i used panko bread crumbs but experiment with your favorite or whatever you have on hand. i liked a 2:1 ratio but maybe you'd like more or less bread crumbs in the mixture? if you like your tenders extra crispy, i recommend frying them in a little bit of oil instead of baking. watching your cholesterol? you can whip up egg whites instead of using whole eggs.

these can also be frozen before baking and kept in an air tight bag/container for a few months. so make a double batch and freeze half so you can have tons of chicken on hand for later!

genius!

This isn't so much a recipe but a trick that is so obvious I feel silly I didn't think of it a long time ago. Ice cubes made out of coffee! You no longer have to deal with the painful last sips of a watery iced coffee. It's so simple I'm not leaving you with a recipe but I do have TONS of improv suggestions!

improv style:

consider making the ice cubes out of your favorite coffee additives (think creamer, almond milk, flavored milk, soy, boozy laced ice - baileys anyone?!). i like my coffee black which is why i just freeze extra coffee when i have it but the combinations are endless! 

why use the ice in just iced coffee? i've been blending them up with peanut butter + chocolate green smoothies. consider serving your adult beverages with iced coffee ice… hello fancy/delicious/awesome white russian!

not a coffee drinker? this principle applies to your favorite iced beverages. i mostly drink tea… why not freeze up some iced tea to keep your beverage from diluting?! or, if you're making iced tea, freeze some lemonade or fruit puree so as it melts, your beverage takes on new flavors! the possibilities are endless. 

this is a fun idea for every day but an even more impressive idea for your next party. what's your favorite improv combo of "fancy ice"?!

berry salvage

I've been on a bit of a fruit kick the past few weeks. I've gotten a TON in our CSA and I couldn't be happier. The thing is, I've had a pretty insane 2 weeks of traveling and work and that left me with a pint of  "I need to do something with these strawberries now or they're getting tossed". Since they were a little past their prime in regards to eating them plain, I decided to go back to a dessert my mom made me a few years ago.

It might sound a little weird or gross, but trust me, this dessert is to die for! Plus it has fruit so it's healthy, right? You start by making a pretty typical caramel but then you hit it with some aged balsamic at the end for an awesome acidic kick that transforms the dish. A couple minutes of that caramel cooking with fresh sweet strawberries makes for a sensational sauce. For those more adventurous in the kitchen, I know you're vibing with me right now. Top that sauce off with some chilled, lightly sweetened lemony mascarpone cheese and you've got yourself a lighter summer dessert that will impress your ______ (friends, family, man, whoever). The best part? I think a few basil leaves sprinkled on top makes it even more amazing. It's got that whole fresh, caramely sweet thing going on and I like it. Best part? It comes together in 15 minutes start to finish! 

strawberry balsamic caramel + lemon mascarpone

yields 4 servings

ingredients:

for the sauce:

½ c. packed brown sugar

2 TBSP butter

2 TBSP aged balsamic vinegar

pinch of salt

1 pint of strawberries cut in half or slices (however you prefer)

for the cream:

8 oz mascarpone cheese chilled

juice of ½ a lemon (about 1 TBSP)

zest of a lemon

2 TBSP powdered sugar (to taste)

to garnish:

basil leaves or some lemon zest

in a medium sized bowl, combine cheese, lemon juice + zest, and powdered sugar. stir or whisk until incorporated. place in refrigerator and let it chill while you make your caramel sauce. 

in a large pan place sugar and butter over medium heat. when the mixture melts and starts to bubble, keep a close eye on it. you'll want to make sure to cook it until the sugar dissolves but you have to be careful not to burn it. this will take about 7-8 minutes. once the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is caramelized, pour in your vinegar. it will bubble and go crazy, don't worry, it's supposed to. stir until combined and calmed down and then add in your strawberries and cook for 1 more minute. this will let the strawberry juice combine with the sauce and warm them up a bit. 

place a scoop of the mascarpone mixture in a bowl and drizzle your balsamic strawberry caramel over the cheese. top with basil leaves (if desired). 

improv style:

this can be done with regular granulated sugar if you don't have brown sugar. cooking method is the same but it might take a little longer to melt. you might also have to add some extra liquid to thin it out depending on how thick you like your caramel.

i love the italian flavors here but if you're not a fan of herbs with dessert, you can totally leave out the basil. lemon and mascarpone play so nicely with this mixture but if you're trying to be budget conscious, mascarpone can be substituted for vanilla ice cream. this is actually really good over ice cream and takes even less time since you don't have to make the cheese mixture. just put your lemon zest and juice in with the caramel sauce and you'll get the same flavors. if you want to do the whole cheese thing, you could try substituting for a combo of goat and cream cheese or just plain goat. ricotta would be interesting too (i'm not a huge fan of the texture but if you are, i think it would play nicely here).

strawberries really shine and hold their shape well but i'm sure this would be great with blackberries, blueberries, probably even raspberries. use what you have on hand! don't have aged balsamic? that's ok, you can totally use regular balsamic vinegar -or- you can cook your balsamic down until it's a thick syrup and you'll achieve a similar flavor/consistency. i personally think aged is a lot less harsh and has a more round and sweet flavor than non-aged which is why i use it. again, it's all about what you like so just go with that! nothing complicated, just a few simple ingredients that come together to make something magical!

southern belle

Remember last week when I told you I was successful at making myself like watermelon?! Here's the story behind that other dish I alluded to...

I'm in NY visiting my future in-laws. Matt and I took a day to see some of our friends who live in the city and that included brunch with one of my favorite foodie friends. A few years ago when we lived in SF, she took me to an amazing place for brunch. In fact, that same place inspired one of my first posts, pumpkin bread french toast with bourbon caramel sauce. The pictures don't do it justice, that dish is AMAZING! But back to brunch with Helena at Brenda's French Soul food… Hels ordered a watermelon sweet tea and I completely dismissed it because, well, I'm not a big fan of the fruit. When that watermelon showed up at my door, the timing couldn't have been more perfect. I had just made plans to meet Helena for brunch which lead me to thinking about the last time we brunched together. I knew I had to try making my own watermelon sweet tea.

Turns out, I shouldn't have snubbed the beverage. It plays nicely with strong black tea. Agave gives it a nice sweetness in addition to the fruit. Straining it in a fine mesh sieve gets rid of that sweet mush I'm not very fond of. But now that I'm thinking about it… I bet if you didn't strain it and added in some ice or even frozen watermelon cubes into the blender, that this would make one fine slushy. I'm trying that next! 

I totally should have frozen some watermelon cubes and used them instead of ice cubes for this drink, too. Think about it… iced tea that stays cold and doesn't get watered down?! That's ideal for summertime sipping! I highly recommend doing that if you have the time. How fun would that be for your 4th of July party?! Very festive if you ask me! And an easy last minute addition to any party since it's 3 steps!


Happy 4th of July everyone!

watermelon sweet tea

yields 4 - small glasses

ingredients:

2 c. cubed seedless watermelon

2 c. brewed iced tea

4 T. agave nectar (to add a little sweetness, it is sweet tea after all)

In a blender, combine ingredients and puree until combined. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Pour over ice, sip, enjoy!

improv style:

you like pulp in your oj? skip the sieve step - the texture will be similar. you could make this into a slushy as mentioned above by freezing your watermelon first. not a fan of watermelon? i don't blame you. cantaloupe would be delicious combined with a black or white tea. that's another thing you can improv. sweet tea is traditionally black tea but why not use green or white?! get creative with it! i'm not an overly sweet lover so i kept the sugar level down. add as much as you want (i'm sure true southerners are thinking i'm crazy for suggesting this is "sweet tea"). speaking of sweeteners… agave was my choice but honey, simple syrup (1 c. sugar + 1 c. water heated up until dissolved), artificial sweetener, super fine sugar… they all work. whatever you have on hand you can use. didn't get enough watermelon flavor out of this? add some more. like i said, i'm slowly starting to appreciate the fruit, don't push me! :) 

feeling like day drinking?! add in some vodka or light rum and you're on your way to summertime sippin! enjoy!

kick up the heat

Summer is in full effect and it's almost July. Seriously, where did June go?! Time is FLYING by. For me, nothing says summer like fresh corn, berries, chilled wines, and perfectly tart homemade lemonade. For a lot of people, watermelon is on that list.

Can I be honest with you? Watermelon is not my favorite. In fact, 10 times out of 10 I'll give you my slice if it comes as a garnish on a plate. I gaze over it at BBQ's, and it's the only thing left at the bottom of my fruit cocktail bowl. I'm aware that this probably makes me un-american and not human… what can I say?! Something about the overly sweet mush that I'm not a huge fan of. Well, until I played around with it a bit. 

I got a big ole hunk of watermelon in my CSA last week. Talk about a disappointment. I decided to make it my mission to create a watermelon dish that I could enjoy (part of the reason why I joined a CSA in the first place - to be more adventurous/experimental in the kitchen). I'm happy to announce I was successful not once, but twice! Last Summer I remembered seeing an article from Tasting Table about a Chicago restaurant serving up a watermelon salad in a fun way. I rememberd thinking - that makes me want to try watermelon and I'm not even a fan of the fruit. THAT is how powerful presentation can be in the world of food. No matter what kind of food I'm making, I always try my best to make it look fun/interesting/appetizing. So today I give you my play on Francesca's Forno watermelon salad presentation.

I think watermelon salads can be done well or terribly. A few weeks ago I had a watermelon cube served as an appetizer with a whipped feta. It was disgusting. It was an appetizer that tried to be friends with the savory crowd when it only knew how to play with the sweets. 

I used some of my favorite ingredients, basil and goat cheese for this version. I think the tang of the goat cheese plays nicely with the fruit (instead of trying to compete). Basil adds a nice herbal burst to cut through the sweetness as well. I added a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar to further counter the sweet watermelon. But the real secret to this salad?! Salt and a light sprinkle of cayenne pepper. The salt helps with the sweet savory balance but that cayenne, it's the real star of the dish. I used just enough to leave a little tingle on the lips. It's definitely an unexpected and welcome kick to something you expect to just be sweet and juicy. If you're not a fan of spicy, you can totally leave it out. There's something really fun about watermelon salad with cayenne though… it's sweet heat!

Lots of improv suggestions below. Swap out the ingredients for your favorites… it's a salad after all!

kickin' watermelon salad

ingredients

watermelon slices

crumbled goat cheese

torn fresh basil leaves

drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar

sprinkle of salt

light sprinkle of cayenne pepper (seriously just a small pinch dusted over the slice)

No measurements here, use as much as you like. Just like making a salad, you can't really go wrong (unless you dump TOO much cayenne pepper or salt). Use a light hand, you can always add more.

improv style:

i think the traditional watermelon salad involves feta cheese, olives, thinly shaved onions, and fresh mint leaves. i like 2 of the above ingredients so i improv'd it to my taste. use your favorite flavors. here's some suggestions:

combine any of the following:

• semi-hard crumbly cheese - like feta, goat, blue cheese
• fresh herb of sorts (in this case, fresh is a must) - mint, basil, cilantro, parsley
• toppings - olives, onions, slivered nuts, sesame seeds, cucumber, tomato, wonton strips
• dressings - your favorite type of vinegar, a honey dressing, your favorite salad dressing, maybe an asian toasted sesame?! - get creative or go naked!

you can serve it as a pizza slice but you could also just dice the watermelon and serve it up traditionally. if you don't have cayenne but still want to add heat you could try using hot sauce or siracha. just watch how much you put on… a little goes a long way! Also, don't have aged balsamic? just pour some in a pan and reduce it until it becomes a thick syrup. boom, now you've got your own thick syrupy balsamic without the huge price tag! 

happy accident

I love when a mistake ends up becoming a good thing, especially in the kitchen. Like the time I used my mom's fancy port when making spaghetti sauce. Because at 12 years old, the bottle looked like wine to me. Turns out the sweetness of port adds a nice touch to a spaghetti sauce. Now I add 1 TBSP of brown sugar and shredded carrots to my sauce to get the same effect (plus actual red wine). 

Sometimes accidents don't turn out so well. Like the first time I made spaghetti sauce and added tarragon. All I remembered was that my mom put a lot of green herbs into the sauce. Turns out, tarragon wasn't one of them. Same dish, 2 very different outcomes. 

Last year, when going to order Matt a jim beam and ginger ale, the bartender thought I said gin and ginger. This left Matt with a very unpleasant and surprised cringed face. Can you imagine expecting bourbon and getting gin instead?! I offered to go back and get him a new one but he said it was fine. On second sip, expecting gin this time, he decided that it was actually pretty good. A few sips later he declared it his new favorite summer drink. 

I'm not a gin lover so I was hesitant to try it. But even I have to admit, it's perfection. It's crisp and clean with a bit of a floral bite from the gin. Refreshing is the perfect way to describe it. We named it the happy accident as that's exactly how it was discovered. With summer upon us, I couldn't think of a more perfect cocktail to share with you.

happy accident (gin + ginger ale)

yields 1 drink

ingredients:

1 oz gin

1 ½ c. ginger ale

4 - 5 ice cubes 

lime wedge for garnish (optional)

mix, stir, serve. 

improv style:

this is a cocktail - just glug, glug, and stir. you don't actually need to measure. i will say that if you have a heavy hand and aren't a fan of gin, be easy. i like this as a refreshing summer sipping cocktail, not a "lets get loaded" drink. when i order it out i usually request a single in a tall glass to ensure it's not too strong. gin can be overwhelming and i'm not a huge gin fan. this drink is totally the exception. if you're skeptical, give it a try once. it might just make you a fan… 

you could totally overcomplicate this if you want. elderflower liquor or a splash of something citrusy would be a welcome addition. the whole K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid) rule really applies here. any brand of gin and any brand of ginger ale will work. if you're into making everything from scratch, try making my friend over at a sage amalagam's homemade ginger ale. She adds some fun spices to her mixture wich would be a great twist to this cocktail. If you're going for simple, you could leave those out and just make the ginger simple syrup.