Recipe: Mango & Habanero Margarita

pic via here

Ingredients

• 2 parts silver tequila
• 2 parts fresh mango juice
• 1 part orange liqueur 
• 1 part lime juice
• 1 tbsp. habanero-infused simple syrup
• 1/4 lime wedge, for garnish

Directions

Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and then pour into a chilled glass.  Garnish with lime wedge.  Serve & enjoy.

Recipe: Espresso Cocktail

pic via here

Ingredients

• double shot espresso
• 1/8 oz. absinthe
• 1.5 oz. gin
• coffee beans, for garnish

Directions

Add all ingredient to a cocktail shaker & shake galore.  Pour in a chilled glass over ice, garnishing with coffee beans.  Enjoy.  

Recipe: Mint & Raspberry Cocktail

pic via here

Ingredients

• 8 raspberries
• 1 tsp. honey
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 2 mint leaves
• 1 oz. Tito's silver tequila
• cold sparkling water

Directions

In a chilled glass, place raspberries, honey, mint and lime juice.  Using a muddler, mash the ingredients to release their flavors and then strain into a cocktail shaker.  Add sparkling water, ice and tequila.  Shake, shake, shake.  Pour over a cold glass with fresh ice.  Garnish with a mint leaf and raspberries.  Enjoy.  

Recipe: Manhattan

pic via here

Ingredients

• 3 dashes Orange Bitters
• 1/3 Italian Vermouth
• 2/3 Rye or Bourbon (try Hudson's)
• lemon rind
• cherry, for garnish

Directions

Pour over bitters, vermouth & rye over ice cubes in a tall glass. Stir clockwise, chuck in a lemon rind, stir some more, and then pour into a chilled glass with or without a maraschino cherry for garnish.  Enjoy.  

Variation
For a Dry Manhattan, use 2 parts Rye or Bourbon with 1 part French Vermouth.  No cherry.

Recipe: Grapefruit Juice Cocktail

This past weekend I had this amazing drink called a Paloma at our favorite burger joint - fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and Tito's tequila with a dash of agave nectar for added sweetness.  It was absolutely divine and I enjoyed every second of that drink.  Here's the recipe in case you're suffering from a case of the Monday blues.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce gin or 2 oz of silver tequila
• 4 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar
• 2 candied grapefruit peels
• grapefruit wedge and sugar for rimming (optional*)

Directions

In a cocktail shaker, add ice, grapefruit juice, agave and gin. Shake several times. Pour over a 4oz glass filled with ice. Garnish with candied grapefruit peels and kick back & enjoy.

{pic via Pinterest}

Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Chicken & Roasted Tomatoes

On Sunday I decided to make my boyfriend dinner, which is rare considering he's Italian and loves to do most of the cooking.  Since my work schedule has been more lax, however I've been trying to cook for him more.  Chicken is by far one of his absolute favorite things to eat and I've been trying to eat more tomatoes (they are extremely good for women since they are rich in lycopene, reducing breast cancer risk, lowering blood pressure & bad cholesterol levels AND they produce more lycopene when cooked which is great for me since I strongly dislike raw tomatoes), so I thought this would be an excellent recipe to try.

The recipe is from What to Cook & How to Cook It by Jane Hornby, which I received for Christmas two years ago.  I've tweaked it a little here only because I love rosemary & garlic but it's a fairly easy dish to make and I hope you enjoy it as much as he did!

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken & Roasted Tomatoes Recipe

Ingredients:
3 - sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped finely
4 - chicken breasts, skinless & boneless
4 oz - soft goat cheese (I used Ile de France Chevre)
8 - strips of bacon
2 tbsp - vegetable oil
8 - medium ripe tomatoes, sliced in half
2 - cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp - extra-virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

the chicken & tomatoes prior to baking

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit along the thickest part of each chicken breast.  Spoon 1/4 of your goat cheese into each pocket created by the cut slit, using your fingers to smush the cheese inside and seal the pocket of chicken shut.
3. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and some of your rosemary.  Next, wrap 2 strips of bacon tightly around each piece of chicken, tucking in loose ends.
4. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and add your vegetable oil.  After 30 seconds, add the chicken to the skillet and cook each side for 2-5 minutes or until each side of your bacon is mostly crispy.
5. Using tongs, place the 4 chicken breasts into a shallow casserole dish along with your slices of tomatoes.  Season your tomatoes with salt, pepper, sliced garlic, the remaining rosemary and then drizzle the EVOO on each.
6. Place the casserole dish in the oven, uncovered, for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.
7. When done baking, let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving.
8. Enjoy!

Recipe serves 4
Takes about 20 minutes to prepare and total cooking time is approximately 40 minutes.

the finished product with the amazing juices we drizzled right back over the chicken

Recipe: Birthday Cake

I love birthday cake.  Heck, I love cake in general.  So I was thrilled when I tasted this recipe in pastry school.  Some people correlate yellow cake mix with birthday cakes, but I have always used a basic white cake mix for birthday cakes.  Also, if you don't have time to make a birthday cake from scratch, don't feel bad about buying a box of white cake mix.  I can name a hand-full of high-end hotels and bakeries that purchase large sacks of Pillsbury or Duncan Hines white cake mix because those companies really took the time to perfect their recipe.  

No matter what though, do not skimp on the icing.  Everyone should be able to tell the difference from store-bought versus freshly-made icing and if you can't, know this - in order to keep a long shelf life, all those cans of icing are loaded with shortening instead of butter to prevent molding.  Don't get me wrong shortening has its pros, but if the cake isn't going to be sitting in 120 degree heat it's much better to use butter instead because of the mouth-feel and flavor.  

Also if you can buy a small scale for the kitchen, do it.  Baking is a very exact science and so 99.9% of bakers will use weight (ounces or grams) versus volume (cups, teaspoons) to measure their ingredients.  If you don't have one, here's a link to the one I have and love.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Egg Whites - 10.5 ounces

Milk - 18.7 ounces

Vanilla Extract - 2 tablespoons

Almond Extract - 2 teaspoons

Sugar - 23.1 ounces

Cake Flour - 23.1 ounces

Baking Powder - 3 tablespoons

Salt - 1 1/2 teaspoons

Butter (cold, cut into 1" cubes) - 13.2 ounces

Instructions:

1. Combine all dry ingredients together in a mixer bowl with a paddle attachment and mix.

2. Toss in 1" cubes of butter with the mixer on low speed until you reach a coarse meal consistency (chickpea-sized clumps)

3. Slowly pour half of milk into the mixer while mixing on low speed.  Then mix at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes.  When done, scrape down the sides of your bowl.

4. In a second bowl, combine all wet ingredients including egg whites, second half of milk, vanilla extract & almond extract.

5. Slowly pour 1/3 of your wet ingredient into the mixer while on low speed, then mix for 30 seconds on medium speed.  Scrape down bowl and repeat process until all of your wet ingredients are combined with your dry ingredients.

6. Pour mixture into 2 - 9" cake pans that have been lightly sprayed with baking spray.  DO NOT over-spray your pans because this will keep the cake from rising as much as it should.

7. Bake at 350 degrees.

8. Once cool, stack & ice your cake (frosting recipes coming soon!)

Tips on baking:

* I hated when they didn't give us baking times in pastry school because I was so used to them, but this is because ovens vary wildly and not all 350 degrees are created equally as a result.  It's important to learn when a cake is done by smell and touch. The smell of cake should start filling your home when it's almost done and when you touch the middle, it should spring back.  If it leaves a dent or is wobbling in any way, then it is not ready.  If all else fails, stick a toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean, it's ready!

Recipe: Apricot & Pear Tart

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett)—peeled, quartered, and cored
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, halved
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9-inch removable-bottom fluted tart pan.
2. In a food processor, process the almonds and ½ cup of the sugar until finely ground. Add the butter, egg, and almond extract and process until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and pulse a few times just to combine (the dough will be soft).
3. Spread the dough in the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. In a small bowl, toss the pears and apricots with the lemon juice and the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Arrange the pears in the dough. Scatter the apricots over the dough, pressing them in gently.
5. Bake until the pears are tender and the center is firm, 50 to 55 minutes (cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly).
6. In a small bowl, combine the preserves and 1 tablespoon water. Brush over the warm tart. Let cool in the pan before unmolding.

Serves 8



{photo & recipe courtesy of Real Simple}

Recipe: Caramelized Onion & Herb Stuffing

Caramelized Onion and Herb Stuffing

 ****

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish and foil
• 1 large loaf Italian bread (about 1 pound), cut into 3⁄4-inch pieces (about 16 cups)
• 6 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Divide the bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets and bake until dry and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Add the bread, broth, eggs, chives, thyme, and ½ teaspoon salt to the onions and toss to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. 

Serves 8





{Recipe courtesy of Real Simple}

Recipe: Baked Spinach & Gruyere

Absolutely love a cheese & spinach dish!  This particular recipe is listed as a side dish on Real Simple, but if you're like my boyfriend's family, make this first and serve it as an appetizer with bagel chips.  We usually make a version of this every Sunday the family gets together and always end up fighting over it.  Super delicious.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the dish
• 6 shallots, thinly sliced
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 4 10-ounce boxes frozen leaf spinach, thawed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups grated Gruyere
• 1 cup dry white wine

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Coat a shallow 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with oil; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper.
4. Squeeze the spinach to remove excess liquid. Stir the spinach, shallots, Gruyère, and Parmesan into the egg mixture. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake until bubbling and the top is golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes.

Serves 8

{Recipe by Kate Merker via Real Simple}