Caprese pasta salad

Consider: it's too hot to cook, but you have all of these beautiful tomatoes available in your garden/farmer's market/grocery store and they actually have amazing flavor. This situation will be non-existent by October 1. This should of course be the excuse for a meal, right?

Toss equal parts chopped fresh tomato, chopped fresh mozarella, and short pasta shape. I used oricchiette here, and the cheese is from a container of fresh mozarella pearls.  Make sure everything is about the same size. 

Chop a generous amount of fresh basil into thin slices (chiffonade) and dress with a couple glugs of olive oil, half that amount of balsamic vinegar, and season with kosher salt and red pepper flakes. Optional stir-ins: crispy bacon, capers. Dinner is served!

PAIRS WITH:

dry rose, dry lambrusco

Spooky Cocktails

Hey, what are you guys doing for Halloween?  I 'm going to dress up as pregnant Kylie Jenner (the one who wears sweatpants and eats candy) and lay around on my couch drinking.

Black Magic Margaritas

Makes 2

1/3 c. black sanding sugar
2 c. ice
4 oz. silver tequilla
2 oz. triple sec
1/2 c. lime juice
red food coloring
blue food coloring
green food coloring
lime slices, for garnish

Rim two glasses with a lime slice and dip in the black sanding sugar. Divide tequila, triple sec, and lime juice between two glasses and stir to combine. Add food coloring until desired black color is achieved. Add ice and garnish with a slice of lime. Serve.

Embalming Fluid

Makes 2

1½ oz. mandarin vodka
½ oz. sour apple mix
½ oz. lime juice
4 oz. gingerale
2 drops green food coloring, optional

Mix all ingredients except ginger ale in a shaker over ice. Shake and pour into highball glasses, then top with equal amounts of ginger ale.

El Diablo

Makes 1

1 1/2 ounces reposado tequila
1/2 ounce​ creme de cassis
1/2 ounce​ lime juice
6​ ounces ginger beer

Pour the tequila, cassis, and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a collins glass filled with fresh ice. Top with ginger beer.

Too much eating, not enough drinking

I noticed that this blog is called DrinkFoodTravel, but it's always about food lately.  Stay tuned for some travel next month, but for now, the least I could do is mix it up with some drankin'...

It is very hot here, and we just put shade sails (TM) over the patio, making it the perfect place to hunker down with a thermos full of cocktail to share with friends.  Or myself. I like to keep things simple so that I don't have to do too much work before I plop down in my lawn chair, so I'm limiting myself to three ingredients per cocktail for the next couple of weeks...

Old-Timey (at least I think it is) Gin Buck

Makes one drink

Juice of half a lemon
Ginger ale
1.5 oz. gin

Stir together in a glass and guzzle.

Pairs well with...



Dill Pickle Dip

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

12 oz cream cheese
5-6 tablespoons pickle juice
1/3 cup finely chopped dill pickle
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

Mix cream cheese with pickle juice, chopped pickle and fresh dill. Serve with celery sticks.

Another roasted chicken story, but perhaps the best one yet

Did you ever have those epic, heavy Sunday "dinners" (meaning noontime meal outside of the Midwest) involving roasted meat and vegetables, and lots of family members?  Maybe it was after church, maybe not, but there was a coziness to it--a long, luxurious meal focused on comfort food and comforting people. I miss the sense of security and simplicity I got from those meals sometimes, and I find that if you make the right dish, you can evoke a little of that feeling, even if you're all by yourself. This one tries to capture that sense, and leftovers keep well if you don't have a crowd to feed, but best of all, it's very simple and fast, allowing much more time to drink wine and be idle.

One Dish Maple-Mustard Roasted Chicken Thighs with Vegetables

Serves 6

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or with skin, or bones…)

4 medium Russet potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes

½ yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 stalk celery, diced

6-8 white mushrooms, thickly sliced

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon grainy mustard

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 425⁰F. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and maple syrup.

In a large casserole dish, toss all the vegetables (potatoes through mushrooms as listed above). Season with salt and pepper and stir to mix. Lay the chicken thighs on top in a single layer, trimming extra fat and spread out when possible. Season thighs with salt and pepper. Pour the vinegar sauce evenly on top and place in the oven.  Roast for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. 

This dish is meant to be eaten straight from the oven, but it is equally delicious the next day as cold leftovers, and you can also shred the meat and mix it all together with some broth for a soup OR turned into a curry by heating it with coconut milk and curry powder. I like to serve it the first time around with steamed green beans or broccoli seasoned with a quirt of lemon juice and salt on the side, and those can also be throw in to your leftover soup or curry.

Cocktail Hour in the summer

You know what I haven't published in a long time? Cocktail recipes!  And let's be honest, you're totally going to make all of these tonight, even though no one's coming over...

Each recipe serves 1

Slojito
1.5 oz.Sloe gin
Soda water to taste
Crushed ice with
4 wedges of lime, plus one to garnish
One teaspoon of brown sugar
10 basil leaves

Take a chilled rocks glass, throw in 9 basil leaves, 4 wedges of lime and a teaspoon of brown sugar. Muddle until the lime juice is soaking the other ingredients. Fill the glass with ice and pour over the Sloe gin. Top with chilled soda and stir. Garnish the cocktail with a wedge of lime and a basil leaf, for  best Instagram results.

Jan Collins
3/4 ounce vodka 

1/4 ounce triple sec 

1/2 ounce club soda 

3/4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

1/4 ounce simple syrup 

Orange wheel for garnish

Combine vodka, triple sec, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a glass, top with club soda, and garnish with half an orange wheel. Then tell people it's not a girly drink.

Astoria Bianco
1 1/4 ounces gin
1/2 ounce Italian (sweet) vermouth 1 dash orange bitters
Orange twist for garnish

Combine gin, vermouth, and orange bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake contents and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Rusty Nail
3/4 oz Drambuie 

1 1/2 oz Scotch Whisky

Pour all ingredients directly into old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Stir. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Breakfast all day!

Hello, my friends. I hope you all enjoyed excellent celebrations yesterday, if you are Stateside.  As some of you may know, yesterday was also, coincidentally, my birthday, so I hope you figured out your own grilling recipes and party cocktails, because I was too busy to share mine.

The best thing about having a birthday in the summer (well, if you are an underemployed freelance classical musician), is that you can be a lazy, unproductive pig all day. And the best part about it happening on a holiday is that no one will even notice you stumbling around drunk in your front yard at noon, because they are all concentrating on trying not to fall, themselves.  And so this day, the day after my and also the nation's birthday, I treat myself to my favorite meal: brunch. Because I love eggs, and they also sop up the extra alcohol in my system.

But I've already shared plenty of egg dishes with you people before.  Let's refresh your memories, shall we?






There are the many configurations of migas. Similarly, you could make the Best Breakfast Tacos Ever. Or if you want to channel your inner Middle Easterner, shakshuka.

There are casseroles, like this crustless quinoa quiche,  Or a similar one with wild rice, instead. Or this custardy orzo, bacon, and spinach bake or savory bread pudding (both of which can be put together ahead of time).













I love putting fried eggs on top of this Thug Kitchen okra and potato hash or on some potato pancakes topped with avocado bearnaise. Or kimchi fried rice hash.

WHEN DOES BRUNCH START?!

Midwest is Best: How to Salad Correctly

A colleague who grew up in New Mexico once told me about the time she spent teaching in Iowa. At the end of her first year, she had a potluck party for her college students, most of whom had grown up within 75 miles or so of their humble state U. She decided it would be fun to cook up a big batch of green chili, just like she had grown up eating in New Mexico, to share something from her culture with her students. They didn't like it.  It was way too spicy for all of them (although, being from Iowa, they were extremely polite in their rejections).  The students all brought typical Midwestern potluck fare, and my colleague was absolutely aghast.  Snickers salad, various mismatched foods frozen in aspic, and hotdish all made the list, and they were all totally foreign and bizarre ideas to her. I loved that story when she told it to me years ago, because at the time I was new to the Rocky Mountain region and was therefore just learning what about my Midwestern upbringing was not universal.  Now here I am, ten years on, and I do the same thing with my (almost always) non-Midwestern students.  When I make some of these typical flyover-country "salads" for my students, I am a traditionalist, like a faithful Civil War battle recreationist.  I do also update some of these for more healthy consumption when I'm trying not to embarrass myself with my peers. But for the record, everyone usually loves the unhealthy, Grandma Riner version...

"Oriental" Cole Slaw: this one was so awesome to me as a kid, because it had uncooked ramen noodles in it!  How radical is that?!  My mom would never make it, I realize now because she had some standards.

THE ORIGINAL:
Serves 12
1 16 - ounce package shredded cabbage with carrot (coleslaw mix)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 3-ounce package chicken-flavored ramen noodles, broken up
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup salad oil
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine coleslaw mix, green onions, ramen noodles (set aside seasoning packet for the dressing), almonds, and sunflower seeds in a salad bowl. Chill, covered, until serving time, up to 1 hour.

For dressing: In a screw-top jar, combine oil, vinegar, sugar, pepper and seasoning from the package of noodles. Cover and shake. Chill until serving time.

Before serving, shake dressing; pour over salad and toss to coat.

SUBSTITUTIONS / ADDITIONS:

Take out some cabbage and replace with finely chopped broccoli or sliced sugar snap peas

Ditch the sunflower seeds and almonds for cashews (or not)

Replace the uncooked ramen noodles with 3-4 oz. cooked angel hair spaghetti, soba noodles, etc.

Replace dressing with this ginger-sesame viniagrette

Broccoli and Raisin Salad: The combination of sweet, bitter, and salty actually makes this much better than you're probably expecting. Honestly, though, it does look like baby diaper on a plate. 

THE ORIGINAL:

Serves 6

4 cups fresh broccoli florets (1 medium bunch)
3/4 cup golden raisins
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
3 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, raisins and onion. In a small bowl, combine the Miracle Whip, vinegar and sugar. Pour over broccoli mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with bacon. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

SUBSTITUTIONS / ADDITIONS:

Blanch the broccoli

Add 1 cup boiled new potatoes + 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs

Omit the raisins (you substitute halved grapes): seriously, the sugar in the dressing is enough

Sub vegan mayo (Just Mayo is great) for the Miracle Whip

Apple Salad: My grandma made this one a lot, and I never liked it.  Somehow the mayo always ruined the apples for me (also, I hated bananas, because I was difficult). She never put mini-marshmallows in this, but I've seen it done at many a picnic. But it's still a salad, because MIDWEST.

THE ORIGINAL:

Serves 12

4 large apples, diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 sliced banana
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup mayonnaise

In a large bowl, combine the apples, celery, banana and walnuts. Add mayonnaise; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

SUBSTITUTIONS / ADDITIONS:

I'm just going to go ahead and make this the dessert it is trying to be. Add a cut up orange in there, too--what the hell. Get rid of the celery, and replace the mayo with honey-flavored Greek yogurt thinned out with a teaspoon or two of lime juice. Now you can put it on your waffles at brunch. 

Snickers Salad: No one in my family made this, and I was always bummed.  But Julie Hanson's mom made it, and I thought she was awesome (until I found out she was an alcoholic). 

THE ORIGINAL:

Serves who cares you're going to die anyway

6 SNICKERS® bars, diced
12 oz. Cool Whip
5-6 green Granny Smith apples with peelings on, diced

Mix diced SNICKERS® bars with Cool Whip. Refrigerate overnight. This step is important. The next day, mix in diced apples. Chill at least 1 hour. 

SUBSTITUTIONS / ADDITIONS:

Are you kidding?  I just wanted you all to know that this exists. Don't make this if you are over 10 years old. However, if you are trying to suck up to a 10-year-old, you should definitely bring this to the party.  And then drink a lot, because your life must be very sad to have to curry favor with a fickle 10-year-old. 

Weekend links for a springy cocktail party!

Spring was both hilarious and tiring in the 90s.

Storm Regis sprinkled a little snow on us last weekend, but spring seems to have come back here in the Rockies, igniting everyone's fever anew. What do you do to celebrate the ability to sit outside looking like a J. Crew model? Drink and eat snacks while laughing hysterically, of course!  You may have to bundle up a little, and your mitten may leave a bit of lint on your canapes, but one can still dream...

Drinks...

This blushing whiskey sour is lighter on the whiskey and freshened up with lemon and berries, and it is divine.

Confectionalism.com is clearly run by mad geniuses, and this Coconut Lavender Lemonade is the proof. I might spike mine with vodka, though...

Mint is always the first thing to come up in my garden, even through the lingering snow, so I know I'll be able to make these Cucumber-mint Martinis very soon.

Snacks...

I LOVE the kale and sunflower seed dip here for scraping my veggies and crackers through.

These spinach balls  look amazing, and although I have not yet made them, I want you to know about them right now.

Apricot and goat cheese make great friends in these quick canapes from cookthestory.com.

Come on, these cucumber cups from Lemons and Anchovies are adorable! For the record, I fill mine with hummus and sprinkle with cayenne, however.

It's my Valentine's Day and I'll drink if I want to.

I'm not going to write you a special blog post about how you can honor the very real holiday called Valentine's Day by eating and drinking red-colored things while peering at your lover around a huge, throbbing vase of red roses.  I think Valentine's Day is stupid, roses are expensive and die quickly in vases, and food is food, either good or bad, but it is not romantic or non-romantic. However, I will reminisce about some of my favorite indulgent cocktails that you may or may not find appropriate for this weekend. And if you are single, as I was for many Valentine's Days in my life, I hope you enjoy it however the hell you want, and do not feel bad about not being part of some nauseating couple who tortures everyone else with their existence.

Redhead in Bed

Enough for a small group
3 pounds strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons citrus vodka
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
Ice
1/3 cup chilled Riesling


In a bowl, toss the strawberries with the sugar and let stand, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries release their juices, about 10 minutes.

In a blender, combine half each of the strawberries and their juices, the vodka, and lime juice with 1 cup of ice and puree. Pour into a pitcher. Repeat with the remaining strawberries and juices, vodka, and lime juice and 1 more cup of ice.

Fill 10 collins glasses halfway with ice. Pour the cocktail into the glasses, top each with about 1/2 tablespoon of Riesling and serve.

 

Bee's Knees

Makes 1 drink

1 tablespoon honey
2 ounces gin
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 lemon twist, for garnish

Combine the honey, gin, and citrus juices in a cocktail shaker. Before adding the ice, stir well to incorporate the thick honey with the other liquids. Add ice and shake for 30 seconds.

Strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lemon twist, and think about how stupid everyone is.

Ginger Salty Dog

Makes 2 drinks

1 grapefruit, freshly squeezed, rind reserved
Coarse salt, to rim the glass
3 ounces vodka
1 1/2 ounces ginger simple syrup

Run the grapefruit rind along the rim of the glasses, then dip the rim of each glass into a saucer filled with salt.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, grapefruit juice, ginger simple syrup, and ice. Shake until cold, then strain into two ice-filled glasses.

Winter: It snows a lot, and also people watch football

You might be surprised to hear this, but I'm not much up on all of the various sportballs that are in season throughout the year.  I used to get invited to people's shabby apartments to watch the Superbowl when I was in grad school, but eventually people gave up on me.  I do know that drinking and eating fatty snacks are a part of that tradition, and for that reason, I almost regret never joining the festivities.  But really, you can drink and eat garbage without having to watch people ruin their lives with massive concussions any ol' time, right?

Which brings me to the other thing I am tired of hearing about on Facebook: snow.  It has snowed here in the Rockies, it snowed somewhat in the Southeast last week, it snows a terrible amount every week in the Great Lakes.  It is winter.  You don't need to complain about it, though you can post beautiful photos of your magically transformed backyard (sans whining) and/or fun outdoor adventures all you want, and I will "like" every single one of them.  I don't spend all summer whining about having to sweat, because for some reason no one can relate to this complaint. You should not spend all winter whining about getting to snowshoe and wear awesome sweaters, because I think that is stupid.

That was all a slightly offensive prelude to winter things I want to celebrate this weekend, and hopefully with the help of these links to clever peoples' sites, this list will enrich your weekend, too. New year's resolution: be more sassy. Check.

Drinking: Thank you, Bustle, for encouraging day drinking with the delicious-sounding spiked hot chocolate recipes. #4 (picture above) is definitely my favorite.

If you're feeling sad that tequila is getting left out here, try adding it to your mulled hot cider in place of rum (better try both): dump a gallon of apple cider into a Dutch oven or similarly large vessel, and add 1 large orange studded generously with cloves (great project for someone stationary who's not helping enough), 2 cinnamon sticks, and 1 dried star anise (optional). Simmer over medium-low heat until it's good and hot, and let it cook for as long as you like--the flavors get stronger with time. Add the rum or tequila directly to your cup to avoid cooking off the precious alcohol.




Eating Garbage: Or not.  Oh My Veggies has some great ideas for indulgent snacks that seem pretty junky, but aren't that bad for you. These Oven baked pickle chips are THE BEST:






Going Outside: I've posted pretty recently on showshoeing and ice skating in the Rockies, and if you're not coming out here anytime soon, you can easily search for opportunities to do the same in your neck of the woods.  Add to your list of stuff to look up: sledding.  Don't you miss it?  And if you don't miss it because you never did it as a kid, then you really owe it to yourself to get out and sled now.  Because there are few activities that make it OK for a grown adult to roll around on the ground and scream bloody murder while narrowly missing head-on collisions with large trees.  It's a real rush, I tell ya.

The Beauty of Mushroom Strudel

Mushroom Strudels are delicious, but they look intimidating.  Beautifully golden, perfectly sealed golden loaves of puff pastry with mushrooms and cheese inside are as beautiful as they are comforting (and yet appropriate for entertaining, especially if there are Eastern Europeans in the room).  But this recipe is easy, and thanks to these beautifully photographed, well-written directions from the brilliant CookinCannuck, you can make this centerpiece-worthy treat while drinking wine and being clever with your guests, too.  As you can see, I changed the recipe, but whatever, do what you want.

(Pretty easy) Mushroom Strudel

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large shallot, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 1/2 pounds assorted fresh mushrooms, sliced

Sea salt and black pepper

2 teaspoons each finely chopped thyme, tarragon, flat-leaf parsley and chives

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

1/2 package (1 sheet) puff pastry, thawed

In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil. Add shallots and garlic and soften. Add sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook over low heat until tender. If juices exude, raise heat and cook until they evaporate. Stir in the herbs and remove from heat. Pour mushrooms into a colander to dry and cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll defrosted sheet of puff pastry to a 9- by 12-inch rectangle. Spoon the mushroom mixture evenly, down the middle third of the puff pastry, leaving one third of puff pastry free on each side.  Top evenly with goat cheese. Fold one-third of puff pastry over the mushrooms to cover it. Using a small, sharp knife, cut the remaining third of into 1/2-inch strips. Fold one strip on either end to seal the strudel. Lay the remaining strips in decorative X pattern along the top of the strudel. See photos of step-by-step directions here.

Transfer the strudel to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until the puff pastry is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch slices. Serve.

Spiked Traditions: Egg Nog

I can't help it--every year, as soon as they roll out all of the egg nog-flavored dairy and dairy substitute products, I crack.  I don't know why; I don't even recall drinking much egg nog as a kid.  I am able to bravely stave off urges for Pumpkin Spiced things all fall, but I am a whore for Silk Soy "Egg Nog" from the dairy case at Safeway.  And then it sits in my fridge until it gets clumpy, because let's face it, it's only fun to pour that stuff in your coffee about three times.  And drink it on its own?  With that creepily manufactured mouthfeel?  No thanks.


The only thing that cuts the sweetness and thickness of this stuff is booze.  Yep, that's right: it's cocktail time, egg nog style!


Spiked Egg Nog: 1oz. of spiced rum, brandy, or bourbon to 4 oz. egg nog, with cinnamon sprinkled on top


Egg Crusher: 1 oz. rum, 1 oz. Kahlua, 5 oz. egg nog


Brandy Alexander 2.0: 1.5 oz. brandy, 1 oz. creme de cacao, 2 oz. egg nog with nutmeg sprinkled on top


Ginger Snap: 1 oz. spiced rum, 1/2 oz. ginger brandy, 4 oz. egg nog


Imperial Egg Nog: 1 oz. brandy, 1.2 oz. apricot brandy, 4 oz. egg nog


Nashville Egg Nog: 1/2 oz. rum, 1/2 oz. brandy, 2 oz. bourbon, 5 oz. egg nog


Russian Nog: 1 oz. vodka, 1 oz. Kahlua, 1 oz. egg nog

LET THE HOLIDAYS BEGIN!

...and Thanksgiving leftovers!

If you made mass quantities of your Thanksgiving feast (or had a small group over), you may have leftovers.  Honestly, you don't need to do anything creative with the recipes I gave you--no meat, no gamy, grayish crap to deal with.  But, if you want to work a few little magic tricks on some of those containers cluttering your refrigerator, you can certainly get out of making dinner for a couple of days...

Mashed Potato Biscuits: These work well as English muffin-type breakfast food, slathered with cranberry sauce. If you really want a window into my dark soul, I like to split one apart, melt thin slices of sharp white cheddar on each half in the toaster oven, and then slather with cranberry sauce.  Delicious.

Mixed Roasted Potatoes: You know how I love breakfast, right?  Warm these back up in the oven or toaster oven (never the microwave--they are sad and soggy beyond words when you do that) and serve underneath eggs cooked to your liking with cooked greens and a little curry ketchup on the side.

Braised Radishes with Orange: You're not going to have any leftovers of this.  Have you tried them?  They're insane.  But if you do, sprinkle with red chili flakes and toss with pasta and steamed broccoli.  Throw some pine nuts on top if you want to get all fancy about it.

Wasabi Green Beans: These work in any kind of stir fry or Thai curry; just throw them in to any Asian-inspired recipe that calls for green beans. In fact, throw in the leftovers from the stuffed squash and you've got the meal in minutes!

Vegetable Shepherd's Pie: Make a soup!  Stir whatever's left into your favorite vegetable or mushroom broth (I've also used vegetarian pho broth with good results) and heat gently.  The potato will melt into the broth and give it a thicker, creamier texture, so what you basically have is a vegetable soup with what seems like a cream-based broth.

Thanksgiving treats...

Everyone's posting Thanksgiving-appropriate recipes on their blogs right now, and I just cannot imagine you need any more advice on what to do with your turkey.  Or chicken, or Cornish game hen, if you're going alterna-poultry.  I don't even like those things.  I never liked turkey, even as a kid, so I'm not really a good authority on how to make it delicious.  That, in my opinion, would be chasing a phantom you can never catch, like Tinkerbell or a government run by rational adults.

But you know what I do like?  Vegetables.  And there are so many that are in season this time of year.  You could easily fill your plate up with those traditionally considered "side dishes" and still have room for pie (that is one Thanksgiving tradition I will never fight).  Here are some of my favorites; most of these are repeats from earlier blogs, so please allow me to quote myself:

CARBY SIDE ITEM

Mashed Potato Biscuits (use sweet potato if you want)

VEGGIES

Mixed Roasted Potatoes (I like to use Russet, red, sweet, and some purple if I can find them.  They'll all roast at the same time).--Sprinkle salt and cumin on them before roasting.

Braised Radishes with Orange

Wasabi Green Beans

Serves 4 as a side

1 pound green beans
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared wasabi paste (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Drizzle toasted sesame oil

Toast almonds in a dry, hot  pan until golden, about 1 minute.

Clean and trim green beans. Place in well-salted water and bring to a boil; cook until bright green and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, wasabi paste, ginger, and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and whisk to incorporate.  Pour over hot green beans, stir in almonds, and serve.

NEED A GRANDIOSE "MAIN DISH?"

Vegetable Shepherd's Pie
or, make it a Pot Pie by pouring the filling into a pie plate and cover with a roll-out refrigerated crust and bake until golden.

There are many recipes for this, but I think Vegetarian Times hits the nail on the head, and the photo is beautiful: Ultimate Stuffed Squash

MY FAVORITE PUMPKIN PIE

OK, here's my one new recipe for the year:

Coconut-Chai Pumpkin Pie

1 oz. can pumpkin puree
1 cup coconut milk
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 black tea bag, torn open and the leaves pulverized into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle
1 pre-made pie crust

Pre-bake the pie crust at 425°F ( no need to preheat the oven) until it starts to firm up, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients thoroughly in a mixing bowl.  When pie crust is ready, remove from oven, pour in filling, and replace to bake for another 15 minutes.  Reduce to 350°F and bake 5 minutes or until set in the middle.

I don't know about you, but this is when I like to eat my cranberry sauce, as a relish with the pie.

Summer drinkin', part 1: cocktails

For anyone whose lives are touched by a school year, the summer is quickly fading, and with it, those carefree evenings of drinks with friends on the porch (and patio, and living room, and eventually while sitting on the front sidewalk crying) and piles of grilled veggies and meats to accompany them.  I'm mourning the loss with a retrospective of my favorites from the summer, and I insist on continuing to drink all of these things until it's too cold to sit outside with a martini glass. So, here's to the next four months!

Arkansas Punch

Serves 6

1 1/2 cups bourbon
3 cups pomegranate juice
2 cups orange juice
sparkling wine or club soda
fresh mint leaves and lemon slices (optional)

Pour bourbon and fruit juices into a punch bowl and stir to mix. Top with sparkling wineor club soda to taste, garnish with mint leaves and lemon slices, and serve.


Bicicletta
Campari was so ubiquitous when I was in Italy last summer that I'll always associate it with sumer drinking!

Serves 1

2 oz. Campari liqueur
2 oz. dry white wine (Pinot Grigio would be perfect)
Club soda

Pour the spirits into a tall glass with ice cubes and top with club soda. Garnish with a slice of lemon.


Cowboy Roy

Serves 1

2 oz. rum
2 oz. vodka
6 oz. orange juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake vigorously. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy.


Gin Spritzer

Makes 1 drink

2 oz. gin
2 teaspoons lime juice
4 slices cucumber
tonic water

Combine cucumber slices, lime juice, and gin in a cocktail shaker and mix thoroughly. Strain into a short glass over ice and top with about 4 oz. tonic water. Garnish with lime and cucmber slices if desired.

Last Days of Summer

Serves 4

1 cup orange juice
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup amaretto
1 orange, cut into thin slices

Pour all ingredients into a pitcher and stir. Fill four glasses with orange slices and 3-4 cubes of ice and pour equal amount of punch on top.

Leap Year Cocktail
Alright, Leap Year is in February, but the lemon is so summery.

Serves 1

1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 oz. gin
3/4 oz. Grand Marnier
3/4 oz. sweet vermouth

Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Blend and strain into a martini glass; garnish with a twist of lemon if desired.


Martinez
This is a great appertif before dinner with friends on the patio.

Makes 1 drink

2 oz. gin
3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
1/4 oz. maraschino cherry juice
dash Angostura bitters
lemon twist and maraschino cherry for garnish

Combine gin, vermouth, cherry juice, and bitters in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass; garnish with a twist of lemon peel and a maraschino cherry.


Mexican Martini
My attempt at the Tradicional martini at the restaurant Rio Grande in Northern Colorado...

Serves 1

2 oz. tequila
3/4 oz. Grand Marnier
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
1 tablespoon lime juice

Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker and mix with plenty of ice. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lime wedge if desired.


The Southside

Makes 1 drink

2 ounces gin
¾ ounce lime juice
¾ ounce simple syrup
Two sprigs of mint
A few drops of Angostura bitters

Fill a shaker a quarter full of ice and add the gin, lime juice and syrup, one of the sprigs of mint and the bitters. Shake for about a minute, then pour the mixture into a cocktail glass.


Summer Shandy

Serves 4

12 oz can of limeade or lemonade concentrate
vodka
4 light beers

Empty the limeade concentrate into a pitcher. Fill the empty concentrate can with vodka and add that to the pitcher as well. Depending on your taste and circumstances, another half can of vodka is acceptable. Add the beers and stir with a long spoon until the concentrate has broken up.

Donor request: it's a wine and cheese party!

This one is going out to Eric Kent and Tiffini Electra X, who recently made a generous donation to DFT and requested a post on wine and cheese pairings.  You, too, can request a blog post if you donate here.  Thanks a million, Eric and Tiffini!

Cheese + sauce + bread = happiness
     + booze = perfection
____________________________________________________

Sharp cheeses (white cheddar, Irish cheddar) + spicy/sweet chutney (call me tacky, but I love cheap old Crosse and Blackwell's Major Grey's Chutney which is distributed by Smucker's in the States) + water crackers
     Best with: lagers, crisp white wines, gin cocktails

Nutty cheeses (sharp cheddar, Parmesan, Asiago) + tangy mustard (preferrably whole grain with some heat) + pumpernickel or rye toasts
     Best with: German beer!  Maybe some cut up flavorful sausage and little dill pickles, too!

Salty, milky cheeses (queso fresco thinly sliced) + tamarind paste (also thinly sliced) + [cracker optional]
     Best with: semi-sweet white wines, good rum or tequila on the rocks (This also works for dessert)

Stinky cheese (bleu, gorgonzola) + pear conserve  or marinated grapes + rye or fennel crackers
     Best with: Chardonnay, champagne

Creamy cheeses (brie, manchego, chevre) + balsamic fig spread + fluffy baguette slices
     Best with: a chilled glass of rose or a smoky Scotch on the rocks

Fresh mozarella + tomato slices + basil leaves + crusty bread (= deconstructed Caprese)
     Best with: Lambrusco or a fruity Merlot

I like to offer one of each--a sweet and a more pungent offering--and also put out a neutral nut like Tamari roasted almonds to act as a palate cleanser.  You can try to get away with offering one drink that works with both plates, but why be stingy?

'Tis the season: feeding a crowd of sleazy people who have suddenly amassed at your doorstep for the holidays (aka, your family)

I love my family, and I love having them over for a big meal, but sweet Jesus do I hate spinning in circles in my kitchen for hours, dirtying every non-dishwasher-safe pot and pan that I own. Can't I love them without becoming thoroughly exhausted by noon?  Yes, I think I can.

The night before, you can whip up a simple, preservative-free Cranberry Sauce.  Boil 1 bag fresh cranberries (pick out the squashed duds) with 1 cinnamon stick, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, and 1 cup of either orange juice of apple cider.  Cover and lower heat to medium, stirring occasionally until berries have all burst and the sauce starts to thicken, then remove from heat.  When it's cool, refrigerate; you can either serve it at room temperature (put it out when you start cooking the next day) or hot for the feast.

You can also make your pies the night before.  Then, on the big day...

Grill some pork (or ham).  Let the men do it--they like sitting outside near open fire for some reason.  And if you brine it the night before, it really doesn't take that much time to cook.  This frees up the oven to...

Roast potatoes.  Throw in whatever other veggies people will eat, too.  Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cubed squash, and carrots are all fair game, and the roasting often sweetens things up, making unpopular bitter vegetables like the above more palatable to cabbage-family haters.  Then, on the stove top you can quickly make...

Thai Red Curry Mashed Sweet Potatoes.  Peel, cut, and boil 4-6 medium sweet potatoes until soft (you can also throw in some butternut squash if you want).  Drain and add 2 teaspoons red curry paste, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 1 cup coconut milk, and salt and black pepper to taste.  Mash the hell out of 'em.  And if you have a steamer insert, you can steam 2 pounds of fresh

Green Beans right over the boiling potatoes.  In the oven that is lovingly roasting your vegetables, you can bake 6 strips of bacon until crisp and crumble them over your cooked green beans.  First, toss the bright green, al dente beans with 1 clove smashed garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  Then drizzle a little of the bacon grease over it, stir, and top with crumbled bacon and crumbled gorgonzola.

You'll have so much free time, you'll be able to mull some cider and sip happily with a heavy pour of rum (or, the favorite add-in at the Byrnes-Riner house, tequila): dump a gallon of apple cider into a Dutch oven or similarly large vessel, and add 1 large orange studded generously with cloves (great project for someone stationary who's not helping enough), 2 cinnamon sticks, and 1 dried star anise (optional).  Simmer over medium-low heat until it's good and hot, and let it cook for as long as you like--the flavors get stronger with time.  Add the rum or tequila directly to your cup to avoid cooking off the precious alcohol.

Then the fun begins all over again with leftovers...stay tuned for those. Happy holidays!

American food and stuff

I am currently in Italy, doing not much of anything to celebrate this patriotic holiday (though it is also my birthday, which I will celebrate with local red wine and seafood).  I'll tell you all about it when I get back, but if you're at a loss for what to eat or drink at your hot, sweaty family picnic, might I suggest...

All-American Whiskey Cocktails

Independence Day Menu:

Country-style BBQ ribs
Macaroni Salad
Citrus-jalapeno Coleslaw
Rhubarb Pie

Happy feasting!

Monster Brunch

This is not a role model for brunch.

I recently had a lovely day off with friends, and we decided to live it up and pig out in the middle of the day.  After all, what is more decadent than heavy brunch food and booze at noon?  New Orleanians know what I'm talking about (though I can live just fine without the "Drive-Thru Daiquiri" shops).




I decided to serve the following menu:

Mimosas with orange, grapefruit, or cranberry juice
Steamed asparagus with creamy mushroom sauce (recipe below)
Red eye beans and rice
Shakshuka (I'm convinced that if there'd been a Jewish community in early New Orleans history, this would be de rigueur on their brunch menus) (recipe below)
[Eric made a decadent scalloped potato casserole, but you'll have to ask him for that recipe...]

Rhubarb syrup-and-gin cocktails 
Chocolate-oat-rhubarb muffins
Rhubarb cobbler




For the steamed asparagus, I just seasoned it lightly with salt and poured this over it:

Easiest Mushroom Sauce


2 teaspoons olive oil
8 oz. mixed mushrooms, cleaned and diced
2 medium shallots
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
½  teaspoon herbs de provence or dried thyme
¼ c. chardonnay
1-2 teaspoons flour, depending on how thick you want it
4 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil and sauté the shallots until fragrant and soft, about 4 minutes.  Add mushrooms and salt and continue cooking until fragrant and the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes.  Stir in the dried herbs and chardonnay, then sprinkle with flour and combine thoroughly.   Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, season to taste with more salt and freshly ground pepper.  If the sauce gets too thick, just water it down with some milk.

This works well as a crepe filling (use 2 teaspoons flour for a thicker sauce, and stir in shredded cooked chicken if you prefer), on multigrain toast, over steamed asparagus or green beans, over pasta, or as a pizza sauce with spinach and thinly sliced potatoes, etc. etc.

I also used this opportunity to finally make Shakshuka, recipes for which I have been seeing in cooking magazines and Yotam Ottolenghi's beautiful cookbook for months now.  People of Israel, I know now that you are the chosen ones, because you came up with this perfectly simple and delicious way to enjoy eggs.  Bravo.

All the recipes I read were kind of one-note in the sauce department, so I decided to vary the vegetables a bit.  Here's my version:

Fully Loaded Shakshuka

Serves 4 with some leftover sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used dill, cilantro, parsley, and chives)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  When it shimmers, add the onion, zucchini, and carrot and cook until the onion is translucent and the carrot begins to soften, about 8 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin, stir, and lower to low heat.  Cover and allow to cook about 15 minutes, or until tomatoes start to break down a bit.

Make four hollows in the sauce, and one at a time, crack an egg into a small bowl, then pour into the indentation in the sauce.  Sprinkle a little salt over the eggs, cover, and continue to cook 8 minutes or until eggs are done to your liking. Remove from heat, sprinkle the entire dish with the fresh herbs, and serve.

Thanks, Tiffini, for the pic!