Bacon Bourbon Brussels Sprouts Skewers

How were your Thanksgivings??  Have you been eating leftovers for days, like me?  Have you been having food-induced night terrors, like me?  (I should also credit watching Breaking Bad before bed to those lovely dreams... too much stuffing + Walter White is a terrifying combo apparently.)  Well, I hope you enjoyed eating your faces off with your loved ones.  I thought I'd share with you one dish that I made, these Brussels Sprouts skewers.  Other than the fact that I added too much cayenne, they were delicious and appropriate for any wintertime meal.  Try them!    

Recipe here.

SD on TODAY

Thanks for the nice comments on my SECOND (what?!) Today Show appearance.  It's such a fun, surreal experience to be a tiny part of a show I've watched since I was a kid.  For your informations, I wasn't trying to scold Mr. Roker for touching the bacon.  Would I ever scold anyone for touching bacon???  No, I was yelling at Carson who was touching the hot pan with his fingers, and they just happened to zoom in on Al at the same moment.  Oh, the silly magic of television.  

In case you missed the segment, you can view it here (and my first appearance here).

We are back from NY, we are back from DC, and I will try to cook something ASAP.  

Piedra Azul Tequila + Blood Orange Margarita

One major perk of writing a food blog is being contacted by lovely people who represent lovely products, like tequila.  Piedra Azul Blanco Tequila, to be specific.  It's named after turquoise (la Piedra Azul), which I love, and made from 100% Blue Agave Weber...        

I had planned to cook up a few things with this tequila, but time got away from me (my baby has officially, stopped, sleeping) so instead I started drinking straight from the bottle.  In the name of research!!  I love tequila and typically drink it  straight up and ice cold (with some fresh limes).  What's important to me is a smooth finish - which this had for a reasonably priced alcohol.  But, I figured not everyone enjoys tequila straight, so I also made a delicious Blood Orange Margarita using Madhava Agave Nectar for sweetness, another product I love.  

Hey everyone, I love products hint hint!!

I hope you enjoy your weekends and if you celebrate Cinco de Mayo, pick up a bottle of Piedra Azul and don't forget to party responsibly.  I am a commercial. 

Blood Orange Margarita
(Serves 2)
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup blood orange soda or freshly squeezed blood orange juice
1/2 cup Piedra Azul Blanco tequila
2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
2 T Madhava agave nectar
Limes or blood oranges for garnish

In a pitcher, stir together blood orange soda or juice, tequila, lime juice and agave nectar.  Serve over ice in salt-rimmed glasses (optional).  Garnish with lime or orange.

Madhava Margarita + Giveaway

It's been awhile since I've done a giveaway, so let's do a giveaway!

Madhava Natural Sweeteners would like to give away a couple bottles of their Agave Nectar (raw and light) and a little cocktail shaker so you can make the following HEALTHY Cinco de Mayo beverage:

Madhava Margarita

1/4 cup Madhava Organic Agave

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup tequila

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.

Fill shaker with ice.  Cover and shake until well chilled.

Divide cocktail among salt-rimmed glasses and enjoy!

  

I am not a fan of overly sweet margaritas, so this sounds delicious.  Thanks Madhava!

Comment below to win...

Giveaway Rules:

1. You must be an official follower of this blog to win (click follow icon on the right).

2. Follow me on Twitter for an extra entry (comment below twice if you do).

3. Only open to residents of U.S. and Canada.

4. Winner will be chosen at random on Friday, April 26th, at 8am PST. 

Margarita Cupcakes

Cinco de Mayo is still a month away, but I say any day works as an occasion for Margarita Cupcakes.  You know those moments when you're like, man, I wish I could have tequila at 1pm?  Well, go for it.  In the form of a cupcake.  No one will judge!  They might judge a little.  But who needs those people!! I like to surround myself with those who will gladly eat a cupcake baked with tequila, soaked with tequila and topped with tequila frosting.  Ole!  These were wonderful - not overly sweet, fresh lime juice and zest, moist and delicious.  I used a regular old freezer bag with a 1/2-inch piping tip for the frosting and sprinkled lime zest and a pinch of salt on top.  Recipe here.  Ole!    

Oscar-Themed Cocktails

Are you having an Oscar Party?  Not I, said the fly.  Before kids, I made a point out of seeing every nominated film.  Now, I would go see a movie like "Safe Haven" if it meant I could eat popcorn in a dark theater.  But, if I were having an Oscar party, wouldn't it be fun to have themed cocktails for the Best Picture films?  The nice people at Deustch Family Wine & Spirits have just that for you... see below for some tasty sounding adult beverages.  For all alcoholic products listed in this post, go to the Deustch Family Wine & Spirits website.  

AMOUR - Catatonic

1 oz. Adult Chocolate Milk

1 oz. creme de menthe

6 oz. hot chocolate

1 oz. whipped cream

Pour the Adult Chocolate Milk and creme de menthe into a coffee mug, and stir.  Add hot chocolate, and top with whipped cream.  Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and a cherry, if desired, and serve.

ARGO - Canadian Embassy

2 oz. The Original Moonshine

1/2 oz. maple syrup

Slice of orange

Dash of bitters

Measure maple syrup into a glass.  Add ice and pour in The Original Moonshine slowly, stirring to ensure that you properly combine it with the syrup.  Add a splash of bitters.  Rub an orange slice around the inside of a rocks glass, add fresh ice, and strain The Original Moonshine mixture into the rocks glass.  Garnish with orange and serve.

 LIFE OF PI - Eye of the Tiger

2 oz. LICOR 43 Liqueur 

1/2 oz. Galliano

2 oz. fresh orange juice 

2 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice

1 oz. passion fruit nectar

3/4 oz. fresh lime juice

1 oz. simple syrup

Dash of rum-based bitters

Ice cubes

Garnish: pineapple wedge, orange slice, or any other fresh fruit

Combine all ingredients with ice and shake.  Strain into an ice-filled glass and garnish.

LES MISERABLES - Gavroche

2 oz. LICOR 43 Liqueur

1/2 oz. vodka

2 oz. fresh orange juice

2 oz. cranberry juice cocktail

Ice cubes

Clementines, peeled, separated into segments

Mix cranberry juice, vodka, LICOR 43 Liqueur, and orange juice in cocktail shaker full of ice.  Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish each with a clementine segment.

LINCOLN - Prairie Lawyer

2 oz. of The Original Moonshine

2 tablespoons Mint Syrup

Crushed ice

1 tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Mint leaves

Fresh mint sprig

Combine mint leaves, syrup and The Original Moonshine in a glass.  Using a bar spoon, crush the mint to release its essence into the liquid.  Fill the glass with ice.  Gently press the spoon into the ice, shaking it to incorporate The Original Moonshine syrup mixture.  Garnish.

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK - Home-aid

2 oz. LICOR 43 Liqueur

1/2 oz. vodka

4 oz. tropical fruit punch

1 tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Combine all ingredients with ice and shake.  Strain into an ice-filled glass and garnish with an umbrella.

DJANGO UNCHANGED - The D is Silent

1.5 oz. LICOR 43 Liqueur

1/2 oz. pomegranate juice

3/4 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice

2 oz. ginger beer

Add all ingredients but the ginger beer into a cocktail shaker full of ice; shake and strain into a cocktail glass, then add the ginger beer.  You can also serve this drink in a highball glass over ice by instead adding pomegranate juice, LICOR 43 Liqueur, and lime juice to an ice-filled glass; stirring for 30 seconds.  Add the ginger beer and stir once more.  The over-ice version stays cooler longer, but as the ice melts the smoky flavor will be less distinct.  

ZERO DARK THIRTY - Seal Team Six

2 oz. LICOR 43 Liqueur

1 oz. of dark rum

1 splash 151 Proof Rum

Dark Cola

5 cubes ice

Fill glass with ice.  Add dark rum and LICOR 43 Liqueur.  Fill with Cola.  Add splash of High Proof Rum to taste.  

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD - The Bathtub

1 oz. The Original Moonshine

1/2 oz. of triple sec

7 dashes of rum-based bitters

7 dashes orgeat syrup-based bitters

Champagne

Ice cubes

Lemon twist

Stir ingredients briefly over ice, strain into a chilled flute, top with Champagne and garnish.

*Please drink responsibly.  There, I said it.  Thanks Deustch Family Wine & Spirits for the great ideas!  (Top image)

Meyer Lemonade

Well folks, I did it, I made it one full week of posting something everyday.  I get a cookie, right?  As my reward??  Or maybe this little brownie I found in my pantry for breakfast?  Ok good.  My daughter is now 4 months old and this is the first time since her birth that I managed to post everyday!  I am proud, and I am in real life eating a brownie as I type this.  A reader - a fellow mother of two - asked me yesterday how I find time and/or energy to cook or bake and the answer is I don't, most of the time.  But lately, I tend to wake up when Carson leaves the house for his radio show, at 5:30am, and while the house is quiet (if you have kids - I HIGHLY recommend waking up before them if possible - at least once a week), I can do crazy things like make muffins or drink coffee and watch THE NEWS or peruse J Crew online.  Or, make a batch of fresh lemonade with those lemons growing out of my eyeballs.  I saw this lemonade on A Cup of Jo over the summer and have been meaning to try it out since - the addition of honey to the simple syrup sounded so appealing (and it is).  So what that it's winter - vodka and lemonade is not a seasonal drink, if you ask me.    

Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

As I've mentioned, I'm all about edible gifts, and I just found the PERFECT one.  Something you can make in two seconds, in a VERY large quantity, that people will love.  Hot Chocolate Mix!  Who doesn't like to snuggle up with some Hot Cocoa, watch the movie Elf and celebrate the season like you're something out of an Eddie Bauer ad!?!  I plan on buying cute little treat baggies for one hitters and giving them to everyone I meet.  Thank you for bagging my groceries, Mister, here is a treat.  Oh, don't worry about stealing my parking spot, Lady, I will put a present on your window anyway (talking about this actually).  For my REAL friends, I plan on making some homemade marshmallows next week to pair with the Hot Chocolate.    

I used this Martha recipe because, especially these days, I'm a fan of minimal ingredients.  This has THREE!  Good cocoa powder (I used unsweetened), sugar and a touch of salt.  Enjoy!  

Tea Time

How were your weekends?  Ours was full of restaurants.  I'm at the "almost one month away" point, and I'm finding it difficult to accomplish simple tasks like MAKING DINNER.  Speaking of being "close to popping" (never tell a pregnant woman she looks like that, never, ever ever), yesterday some girlfriends threw me a little "sprinkle" (that's what we decided to call a casual shower for Baby #2).  We had tea at The Peninsula in Beverly Hills.  What a joyful experience!  I've never felt so civilized, and so aware that my boobs were sweating in a lovely, classy environment.  I am the luckiest to have sisters and girlfriends like the ones I have - the aunties this baby will be blessed with. 

(The following photos taken by Katy at Chasing You Photo)   

the decor...

to begin, freshly sliced strawberries with whipped cream...

scones, tortes and cakes and profiteroles, tea sandwiches...

my personal favorite, curried chicken with cashews on raisin bread...

"bwah ha ha ha tee hee hee..."

baby's own cookware set...

*When I got home, Jack began instantly playing with the pots and pans.  Whipped us up a graham cracker, American cheese and carrot soup.  Mmmm um no.

You're a peach.

I'm cheating a little...

Tomato and Peach Salad with Corn and Feta

Peach Collins

Peach Cobbler Scones

Bourbon Peach Cobblers

...because I didn't have time to create a peach recipe for you today.  But if I DID have time, I would have made one of the above because they all look/sound fabulous.  Instead, I am busy making my S'more Cookies for Fancy Camping 2012.  Come back tomorrow for one final icy cold peachy treat, created by yours truly.  Goodbye!  

Memorial Day Fruit Ice Cubes

I have been wanting to make fruit ice cubes for awhile after seeing them all over the world wide web.  This weekend, we're heading to the desert where it's sure to be at least 90 degrees everyday.  If it's hot where you are, well then it's the perfect weather to dress up your favorite beverage or even WATER.  And if you use red and blue berries, you've got a Memorial Day themed frozen treat.  Ta Da!  

For more frozen treats, check out Yum Sugar today and their slideshow of 11 Iconic Homemade Frozen Treats featuring yours truly's Chipwich!  Thanks Yum Sugar! 

AND for more patriotic food, remember this Flag Cake?

Vodka with Jalapeno, Basil, Cilantro and Lime

Over the weekend, I went to this fabulous restaurant with even more fabulous friends.  (Off the subject but related to the word "fabulous" - did anyone see Kristin Wiig do Kim Cattrall on SNL last week? Amazing.)  Most of us ordered their signature cocktail, the Tavern on the Green, which was rum, basil, cilantro, jalapenos and lime.  Because I am a mom, I didn't drink 15.  And because I am a mom, I decided we should recreate it the next night at home.  Project!  (If I wasn't a mom I'd pour Kettle in my coffee.)

So I minced up some jalapeno into teeny, tiny pieces (*see note below) and added them to a bottle of vodka.  We only had the patience to let it sit for about 30 minutes, but the longer you do I imagine, the better.     

In the meantime, I finely chopped some basil and cilantro, let that sit in a bowl of lime juice and whisked it all together with a couple teaspoons of brown sugar.

Lots of ice, lots of jalapeno vodka, a couple spoonfuls of the lime/herb mixture and Fresca for fizz (club soda would work too).  Lime for garnish.  Holiday straw for adorableness.  

*NOTE: Never, ever, under any circumstances in the world use your fingers to get the seeds and ribs out of a jalapeno.  You're like, no shit Sherlock, are you slow??  Yes.  Yes I am slow.  I don't know what I was thinking, but the knife seemed like too much work and I am part cave-woman.  It didn't hurt at first. But an hour or so later, the burning.  The throbbing.  THE BURNING.  Every single fingertip, I was ready to cut off.  I tried everything: soaking them in milk and sugar, washing them with lemon juice, dish soap, coating them with toothpaste.  Only temporary relief.  Meditating through the pain was the only thing that helped, and I'm serious, I tried that.  And then I drank some more vodka.

For some creative DIY alcoholic gift ideas: Holiday Spirit(s)