Key Lime Martini

It's light and frothy.  It's not too sweet, not too tart and so easy to make.  It's the perfect martini to sip on the deck on a warm evening.  Move over Lemon Drop - there's a new drink in town!

2 oz Vanilla vodka

2 oz fresh squeezed lime

2 oz half and half or cream

2 heaping teaspoons powdered sugar

Fill shaker with ice. 

Add ingredients.

Shake until ice crystals form on shaker.

Pour into martini glass rimmed with fresh lime.

Garnish with a sprinkle of lime zest if you must.

This is a simple cocktail.  Less is more.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Portabello Mushroom Caps

Fresh eggs have returned to the farm!

With the increased number of eggs, comes the hunt for new ways to use them.  This was an incredible find and definitely share worthy. Portabello caps, a drizzle of speciality olive oils, fresh eggs with golden yolks and garden fresh basil roasted to perfection.  We had fresh mozzarella on the side, tonight, but I think next time we will shred it right on top before roasting.

What you will need:

Portabello mushrooms, washed and dried with stems removed

Eggs

Olive oil with rosemary

Olive oil infused with black truffle

Fresh basil

Thyme, dried

Pepper

Sea salt

Cover baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Place mushroom caps and drizzle lightly with both olive oils.  (A hint here: a few drops of the flavor infused oil goes a long way, don't over-do it.)  Crack egg in separate dish, then pour gently into mushroom cap without breaking yolk.  (This is easy with fresh eggs.). Large Portabellos will take more than one egg.  Our eggs are still small so we used 2-3 for each cap.  Add fresh basil, sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper.  Place in 300 degree oven for 12-25 minutes depending on size of mushrooms and filling.  We cooked them long enough to cook the yolks through.  The bigger mushrooms did accumulate a bit of moisture in the cap as the mushroom cooked down, I simply drained it before placing on the serving dish.  

This is great for a hearty meal on a meatless night.  I am already thinking of foods to add for variations of it - sautéed asparagus spears?  Bacon?  Sun roasted tomatoes?  Capers served with cool cucumber sauce on the side?  Oh yes!  This is a good one!

These are my olive oil favorites.  The truffle oil is difficult to find outside of a specialty gourmet shop (or Amazon) and a peek at the price tag may send you in the opposite direction with empty hands thinking that it's not worth it. I'm here to tell you, it's worth every cent and a little goes a long way. There is a reason the spice trade has been going on since 3000 BC - spices, herbs and seasoning turn "average" into AMAZING.  Be brave, take risks, try new tastes.

Blueberry Lemon Cake Martini

It's "just enough" sweet balanced with the perfect amount of tart.  It quenches your thirst but leaves you wanting more.  It advances a fruity foo foo cocktail to the next level and adds a twist of sophistication.  Move over Cosmopolitan.  (Insert wink here.)

1 part Three Olives Cake Vodka

2 parts Simply Lemonade with Blueberry

Lemon slice to garnish

Rim chilled martini glass with squeeze of fresh lemon.  Add vodka and juice to shaker over liberal amounts of ice.  Shake vigorously, until frost appears on outside of shaker.  Pour into martini glass and garnish with fresh lemon slice.  Enjoy!

Crockpot Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup with Bacon

1 package of bacon, cut into small pieces

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons of garlic, minced

6 tablespoons of flour

2 cans of evaporated milk (12 ounces each)

1 bottle of Black Butte Porter 

3 cups of chicken broth

5 cups of broccoli florets, stems removed

16 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 cup of cream or half & half

Salt

Pepper

Garnish: spoonful of sour cream and finely sliced green onions

Sauté bacon until cooked, drain off most of the fat from the pan but leave 2-3 tablespoons.  Add onions. Continue cooking over medium heat until translucent then add minced garlic.  Continue over medium heat, stirring often.  Add flour 2 tablespoons at a time and stir into paste.  Slowly add evaporated milk and stir until well combined.  Add half the Porter slowly and incorporated over low heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chop broccoli florets into bite sized pieces and put into crockpot.  Cover with remaining beer, broth and then slowly pour rest of mixture over the broccoli.  Set crockpot on high and cook stirring occasionally for 3-4 hours.

Turn crockpot to warm (or off), add butter, cream and grated cheese stirring in to incorporate.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top with a sprinkle of green onions.

Triple Chocolate Porter Cupcakes?! Yes!

Want to add a little depth to a cake box cupcake?  Add some adult flavor to an old favorite?  Easy peasy!  

Replace the water in any cake box mix recipe (I used Betty Crocker's Triple Chocolate Fudge) with your favorite Porter or Stout.  Kona's Pipeline Porter has the added layer of Kona coffee.  I also split the oil measurement with half sour cream and half olive oil for a bit more tang and to add density. The only thing I kept the same was the number of eggs I added.

Easy, chocolate and Porter.  Three of my favorite words.  I don't know if they will last long enough to frost!

Crockpot Pork Tenderloin

Oh my yum!  Beyond bacon or an occasional good ham, I'm not a giant fan of pork but this meal is a double thumbs up at our house and so easy to throw together that it's a "must share".

The pork tenderloin is currently available at Costco in sealed packages sold by the 4 pack.  I usually cook 2 at a time because we have a large crockpot and the leftovers make incredible sandwiches. The hardest part about this recipe is simply remembering to take the meat out of the freezer to thaw the day before!

The measurements are flexible.  I never make it the same way twice and it has never failed to turn out great every time.

The basic ingredients are:

Pork tenderloin roasts

Garlic

Wine, a red cab or merlot

Broth, we use chicken broth

Rubbed sage

Rosemary

Salt

Pepper

Brown sugar

Balsamic vinegar

Cornstarch

Horseradish, cut or creamed (optional)

Add 2 minced cloves of garlic to bottom of crockpot, rinse the tenderloins and put them on top of the garlic.  I then add 1-2 cups of leftover red wine and fill the rest with a combo of broth and/or water. Sprinkle in the teaspoon of sage, teaspoon of rosemary, salt and pepper.  I make sure the tenderloins are covered or just barely peeking out.

Turn the crockpot on low for an all day roast or high for a 4-6 hour cook time and go on with your day.

The pork should be cooked through to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.  I pull it out and shred it into large chunks in a 9x11 baking dish, covered with foil to keep it warm.  

In a saucepan mix 1 to 2 cups of the broth from the crockpot, 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar, a teaspoon-ish of minced garlic, a half a cup of balsalmi vinegar, salt, pepper and a tiny bit of minced horseradish.  A tablespoon or two of corn starch will thicken it.  Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't.  Heat this mixture up stirring until it boils, then pour over the shredded pork.

I broil the pork in the oven, turning the shredded pork over a few times, until the topping coats and sticks to most pieces.  Sometimes I skip this step, too.  The sweeter I make it, the more important this step is but my husband isn't a big fan of sweet so a light coat of sauce is plenty and glazing it on to make a nice crust isn't as important.

My favorite way to serve this is on a toasted potato roll bun, smeared with a light coat of creamed horseradish but I've watched a grown man eat it with a fork, right out of the serving dish.

The Pink and Purple Panther

It's a cousin of Cupid's Cup (http://cocktails.about.com/od/vodkadrinkrecipes/r/cherub_cup.htm) and the Red Martini Bar's (Redmond, Oregon) Cupid's Kiss!

Crisp, light, dry and fruity but not too sweet.  A perfect cocktail to sip in the hot tub!  

Happy Valentines Day!

Muddle:

1/4 cup (or handful) of fresh or frozen huckleberries

2 oz vodka

1 oz St. Germain

Loosely strain mixture over ice:

Finish with a light layer of Pink Moscato Champagne

or substitute Sprite or seltzer water in place of champagne.

Stir and enjoy!

Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

Butter for greasing

1/3 cup powdered sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

8 to 10 drops red food color

Generously grease bottom and sides of 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with butter; dust with 1 tablespoon of the powdered sugar. In bowl of stand mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water to soften; set aside.

In 2-quart saucepan, heat granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/2 cup water over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Heat to boiling; cook without stirring about 30 minutes to 240°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water forms a ball that holds its shape but is pliable; remove from heat.

Slowly pour syrup into softened gelatin while beating on low speed. Increase speed to high; beat 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture is white and has almost tripled in volume. Add peppermint extract; beat on high speed 1 minute. Pour into baking dish, patting lightly with wet hands. Drop food color randomly onto top of marshmallow mixture. Pull table knife through food color to create swirl pattern over top. Let stand uncovered at least 8 hours or overnight.

Dust cutting board with about 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Place remaining powdered sugar in small bowl. To remove marshmallow mixture, loosen sides from dish and gently lift in one piece onto cutting board. Using kitchen shears greased with butter, cut into 1-inch squares (11 rows by 7 rows). Dust bottom and sides of each marshmallow by dipping into bowl of powdered sugar. 

Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 weeks.  

Dip in melted dark chocolate chips and crushed candy canes and add to a cup of hot cocoa for an extra special Christmas treat!

The Peppermint Bark Martini

Don't let this drink's festive appearance fool you.  I think it's nickname will be "Jingle Juice" cuz it's guaranteed to ring some bells!

1 oz Vanilla Vodka

1 oz Godiva White Chocolate liqueur

1/2 oz Peppermint Schnapps

Splash of cream

Corn syrup

Crushed candy canes

Rim martini glass with light coat of corn syrup.  Dip in crushed candy canes.  Put in freezer.

Fill cocktail shaker with ice, add vodka, white chocolate liqueur, peppermint schnapps and a splash of cream or half and half.

Shake until shaker begins to frost on outside, pour into chilled martini glasses.  Garnish with mini candy cane.  Enjoy!

The Parley Cocktail

When you'd rather ask for forgiveness than for permission:

3 oz Mandarin Absolute Vodka

1 oz St. Germaine 

4-6 oz Cran-pomegranate  juice

Cherry gelatin powder

Honey or corn syrup

Ice

Rim glass with honey or corn syrup then coat with dry cherry gelatin.

Add ice to shaker with vodka, St.Germaine and cranberry-pomegranate juice.

Shake until outside of shaker begins to frost, pour and enjoy! 

Herbed Zucchini Rice

So good and so simple!  A perfect use for a prolific garden zucchini crop.

Dice 3-4 cups of zucchini with skin on.

Dice 1/2 Walla Walla Sweet Onion

Mince 1-2 garlic cloves

Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to rice cooker.

Add zucchini, onion and garlic

Add 2 cups of dry rice

Add 3-4 cups of water

Sprinkle with sea salt and about a teaspoon of dried rosemary.

Cook as you normally cook plain rice and enjoy!