Virgin Mary

I drink a V8 just about everyday. I love them. I feel good drinking it. The thick tomato juice goes into my body and I feel like little vegetable soldiers are giving my soul a pep talk. "Wake up!", they say. The best is a yummy virgin mary after a good morning workout. I love my kale smoothies too but this also hits the spot.

Ingredients:
5 oz low sodium V8 juice cocktail
1.5 oz favorite vodka
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 lime wedge
1/8 lemon wedge
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Enough ice to fill a pint glass

Directions:
Fill a pint glass with ice. Grind fresh black pepper over ice. Squeeze lemon and lime wedges and pour remaining ingredients. *This is important!: pour the bloody Mary recipe V8 back and forth between shaker and/or pint glass. Voila! Turn a grind of black pepper over the top and garnish with a fresh celery sprig and a pickle. 

Healthy tip of the day...DRINK YOUR VEGGIES!

If you're not eating enough veggies, start drinking them! Like the recipe above, you can get 2 of your daily serving of vegetables in one glass. You can buy smoothies that have more fruit and mask the veggie taste or you can press juices to get it too.

Peach Sangria

 We hung out at home and made some amazing Sangria while we watched movies on Saturday night. (One of my favorite things to do btw). This sangria was super delicious. Now you go make it:

Ingredients:
2 bottles of red wine (Spanish reds are good)
1 liter peach flavored vodka
1/2 pint strawberries, quartered
1/2 orange, sliced
2 granny smith apples, diced
1 c tonic water

Make it:
Add everything together and let the fruit sit for a few hours. Serve over crushed ice.

Sangria Jello Shooters

Thanks to Crystal for making these and sarahcupcake.com for the original recipe. Say goodbye to Jello shots! These jammy's were on point! Super sangria flavor in a jelly that can sit out all day and not melt.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
4 envelopes (about 8 tsp) Knox gelatin
2 cups (about 2/3 bottle) red wine
1 lemon, sliced and seeded
1/2 orange, sliced
1/2 apple, sliced
1/3 cup brandy
2 tbl triple sec
1/2 cup vodka
1/2 cup club soda

In a small saucepan mix together the orange and pomegranate juice. Sprinkle the gelatin over top and let soak for 2 minutes. Set over low heat and let dissolve for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile add the red wine to a large glass with the sliced lemon, orange, and apple. Using a muddle stick or the end of a wooden spoon, muddle the fruit and wine. Strain into the gelatin mixture. Stir in the brandy, triple sec, vodka, and club soda. (At this point if the mixture tastes too strong you can add a little more fruit juice, or likewise if it's too weak for you add a little more vodka.) Pour into shot cups and put in the refrigerator to set for at least 3 hours.

*Makes about 30 jelly shots.

Nurse Betty

Ah, Nurse Betty's. Home of the pickle back shot, bottomless Prosecco and guaranteed laughs. I love the memories I've shared in this bar: birthday parties to farewell send-offs, chill conversation to full on dance party. I love how hanging with 2 of my friends here becomes 10 of my friends by the time I leave. 

 

And since Facebook thinks I violate copyright laws and won't let me upload videos anymore, this is going here. Happy birthday again, Zoe!

Diet Cream Cake

I know this stuff has been out for awhile now, but I finally got around to purchasing some. It's cake flavored vodka. That's right. CAKE! I mix mine with diet ginger-ale and a splash of soda water. It tastes like a creamy slice of birthday cake. HEAVEN! This brand is from Three Olives. Smirnoff sells two similar versions: whipped cream and fluffed marshmallow. But buy the cake if you can find it; it's not that sweet either. Oh, do you like my Elvis glasses? (Thanks mom!)

Oscar Movie Menu

I found this link when I was searching the internet for some clue of what to make for the Oscars. Genius.

There is a lot of French influence in some of the nominees for Best Picture. For a menu inspired by The Artist and Midnight in Paris, I'm doing a champagne cocktail. Here's two recipes:

Classic Champagne Cocktail
Soak a sugar cube in bitters, drop it into a flute, fill the flute with Champagne and garnish with a twist of lemon. This classic drink dates back to at least the mid-19th century.

French 75
There are a number of French 75 recipes floating around; the only thing people agree on is that it's a serious drink with serious ramifications. Here's the classic: a splash of simple syrup, a bigger splash of lemon juice, an even bigger splash (about an ounce) of gin, topped off with a glassful of Champagne.

For a menu inspired by The Descendants, I made a terrific creation from Hotel Hana-Maui in Maui, Hawaii: Crab Cakes with a creamy chili sauce.

Ingredients

Sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Crab Cakes
1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
8 ounces fresh crabmeat, picked over
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil


For Sauce:
Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add chili garlic sauce and stir 1 minute. Add cream, sake and lime juice. Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 7 minutes.

For Crab Cakes:
Mix first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk egg and 2 tablespoons water in small bowl. Stir 2 tablespoons egg mixture into crab mixture (mixture will be dry). Discard remaining egg mixture. Form crab mixture into four 2 1/2- to 3-inch round patties, using about 1/2 cupful for each.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crab cakes and sauté until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.

I didn't see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, so I skipped it.

For The Help, I did a good Southern favorite: deviled eggs.

12 large eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons brown or yellow mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet pickles (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
Garnish: paprika

Cover eggs with cold water by 1 1/2 inches in a 4- to 5-quart pot and bring to a rolling boil, partially covered with lid. Reduce heat to low and cook eggs, covered completely, 30 seconds. Remove pot from heat and let eggs stand in hot water, covered with lid, 15 minutes. Rinse eggs under cold water 5 minutes to stop cooking.

Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Carefully remove yolks and mash in a bowl with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, celery, and salt and pepper to taste to yolks and stir with fork until combined well, then spoon into egg whites.

I didn't see Hugo either. Skipped.

So, I'm making a lot it seems and for Moneyball, I would have made this if I wasn't already doing crab cakes. Maybe next time.

Oh boy, The Tree of Life - that's a family dinner inspired by the 50s. As much as I'm sure there are good meatloaf recipes out there, I bailed on making one. I also didn't see War Horse. Skip.

Enjoy your Oscar night!

30 second Sangria

Sangria is the cure for hangovers, hot summer days and left over cheap wine. I made this in a snap and it sure hit the spot - afternoon delight, indeed!

You'll need:
1 jigger of lemon vodka
1 jigger of orange vodka
splash of orange juice
8 oz of red wine
slice of orange
2 tbsp diced apple

Mix and enjoy. Oh, and if you are fortunate enough to own an ice crushing machine, use it.

It's a French thing...

My friend, Kurt, introduced me to a new drink last night called Kir. Traditionally it is white wine mixed with a splash of creme de cassis; however, in North America the trend of using Chambord instead of creme de cassis is on the rise. I also learned that a Kir Royale is with Champagne and Chambord. Sounds awesome, right? Well, they are! Better get on that with a quickness!

Caipirinha

1 lime

2 ounces of cachaça

Sugar to taste

Ice cubes

Wash the lime and roll it on the board to loosen the juices. Cut the lime into pieces and place them in a glass. Sprinkle with the sugar and crush the pieces (pulp side up) with a pestle. Just enough to release the juice, otherwise it'll get bitter. Add the cachaça and stir to mix. Add the ice and stir again. It is delicious and potent!

Cucumber Cosmos!

Sorry for the stock photo. I let a friend of mine borrow my camera for a few weeks and I'm starting to realize how much I miss it. (And how often I take pictures of food and drinks). Anyways, I googled some photos and also found some recipes online, but nothing was like mine, so here's my recipe:

1/4 cucumber (sliced into chunks and muddled)
1 shot of Orange vodka (or Cointreau if your splurging)
1 shot of Lemon vodka
a heavy splash of white-cranberry juice (I kind of eyeball it - just enough to make it sweet, but not too sweet)
Put into a shaker with ice and sha- sha- sha- shake it!
Strain out into chilled martini glasses.

It's refreshing and delicious and a great spin on a classic cosmopolitan!

Strawberry Caipirinha

Muddled strawberry caipirinha. Courtesy of Curtis, inspired by Rue B.

The Next Food Network Star...

Homemade Caiparinias. The Best!

Shaved fennel with sliced pear and slivered almond salad. Champagne Vinaigrette dressing.