State of Wonder Margarita

If you have deduced anything about me, one of things is the propensity to take things too far, deep cut through the layers (usually, hopefully in the best way).

I started messing around with these flavors partially inspired by Ann Patchett’s book, “State of Wonder”, and my friend and amazing business coach Tiffany Napper asking me to be a part of her first JOY Session. Something a little wild, full of flavor, steeped in wonder….

So, while I can get all existential and in my feels and ruminate on literally everything in the Universe, I will keep those thoughts to myself and give you this amazing drink for the hot weekend we’re about to have. And pro tip? Use the Rose Aleppo Salt from Sip’n Bite for your glasses because it is * chef’s kiss * a game changer.

Cheers!

Snow Day Sno Cone - But Make it Adult

I really cannot take credit for this, because until our group text received a message from my friend Kate that stated, “I put a container outside to catch the sleet for sno cones, you can thank me later,” I really had no idea.

So, thank you, Kate.

So that afternoon, post sleeting, now with a bucket about a quarter of the way full of the most tiny, perfect spheres of ice, I braved the cold and it was time to play. Kitty’s Cigar + Cocktail Lounge was open for business, even if just for myself since my roommate and boyfriend refused to come outside. I decided to go three different ways with this, to touch on a few different flavor profiles, I would just recommend to make sure all liquids are as cold as you can get them before pouring over so that the ice doesn’t melt as much.

We’ve got Chocolate + Bourbon, Pineapple Honey + Tequila, and a touch of the warmer weather with Banana Cream Rum.

So, bundle up yourself (and the kids, if you must) and head outside to enjoy. Pro tip, wear gloves. Recipes are at the bottom.

Don’t slip.

Get Toasty....

I really dislike reading long, over explanatory paragraphs when the recipe I want and desire is hidden in-between or at the bottom. So, you won’t find that here.

But it’s the end of summer and tomato season so we’re gonna say a goodbye to our summer love with this simple dinner.

A take on Bruschetta, with a twist of course. I’m a sucker for veggies roasted and slightly charred and the mix of asparagus with the freshly picked tomatoes is swoon-worthy, also be prepared with a drop cloth because the delicious butter and savory oil will be dripping down your hands and face in a split second. Worth it though.

Live well. Love wild.

Holiday Spirit

Holidays are obviously full of gift giving, food devouring, drink swilling and lots of family time, with some those ensuing more-so around family than usual.

If you’re friends with me then it’s fair to say at some point I’ll either make you a gift or food object at some point. I’ll be honest, sometimes it is me trying to save money but other times it’s because I tried something awesome and I want to share it with everyone. Literally.  

So, infusing gin. I love gin as a base for cocktails because you can do a lot with it and it’s easy to play around with. I got the idea to do an infusion when I wanted to add some flavor to fin but couldn’t find the right type of liqueur or bitters to do it and thought there had to be a way to infuse it into the gin. Turns out there is.

For my gin infusions I tried to think of my friends and what their personalities evoked when I thought of them/what flavors they like and what ones would work well with gin. My synopsis? Lemon, grapefruit, chamomile and ginger.

And it’s SUPER easy. Almost way too easy.

Pick your poison. Then pick your infusion.

Chamomile:

1 mason jar of gin

2 tea bags

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Let steep for 1 day and take out tea bags. Keep in jar or transfer to resalable , airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place.

Lemon/Grapefruit/Ginger

1 mason jar of gin

Peel rind of one lemon

Juice lemon and pour into jar

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Let sit for 1-2 days, then take out rind, strain gin with a fine mesh strainer (I used a fine cotton cloth) and transfer gin back to jar or reseal-able airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place.

 CHEERS.

Enjoy Responsibly.

Healing Winter Broth Recipe

Last January, during a bout of sickness where, for a few days, I did believe that I was not going to survive the winter, I made up this recipe. I was housesitting and didn’t have access to my arsenal of voodoo stuff at home so I was making do with what they had in their pantry for whatever I could think of that could help me. So, this was born.

As always, you can adjust this for your own taste. I prefer bold flavors with a good deal of heat and spice but I also know if I gave that to my roommate she might throw up. So feel free to make this a version of your own! If you are feeling a cold coming on I would add two cloves of garlic and healthy amounts of freshly grated ginger (or dry spices if you have to) to really nip things in the bud.

Enjoy.

Healing Winter Broth 

1 cup (8 oz) of broth (vegetable, bone or chicken, preferable low sodium)

½ tsp Himalayan rock salt

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 clove fresh garlic

Pinch of green onion tops

1 tsp of freshly grated ginger

*Pour broth into small saucepan and turn heat to medium/low. You just want to heat the broth, it doesn’t need to boil.

When broth is beginning to simmer, add the rest of ingredients.

Enjoy.

Breaking (Bread)

When people think of baking bread they think of hot kitchens, hours of watching, waiting, kneading and all for the potential chance to screw things up.

Luckily for everyone, my amazing mom is coming to the rescue once again.

Beer Bread (otherwise known as Bachelor Bread), is a simple, easy, fool proof recipe that I make so often I can usually just take some out of the fridge and heat up if a friend decides to pop over unexpectedly.  

I love telling people that I’m just taking bread out of the oven because they expect you to have been slaving away for hours when in reality it took me 10 minutes. While this bread does include beer (helps with that one can that always happens to be in the fridge) you really can’t taste the beer because it gets baked out of it. That being said, I do prefer using a stout or porter, something about the thickness and richness of the brew affects the bread in the best way.

There isn’t a lot of sugar but the little bit of brown sugar that you put and it combines with the heavier beer is just the touch of heaven that you are looking for. Then dipping this in the olive oil dipping oil I’ve included as well is the perfect appetizer or light dinner.  My friends request beer bread all the time!

The best part? This literally takes about 10 minutes to mix up and then only 45 minutes to bake, enough time to finish getting ready for guests and have it come piping hot out of the oven! And no one is going to believe you when you say how easy it was.

This also makes a GREAT present! My mom will wrap this up and give to all of the older bachelors in their church and community and it’s something that is useful, not a thing that’s going to take up more space and it makes you bake!

It’s also great the following days after when you get home late from work and don’t feel like cooking, just break some off and toast it up, grab that dipping oil and pray there’s a bit of cheese left and you’ll be living like a queen.

#carbsforlife

Babes and Beignets on a Thursday

This whole thing is about rolling with the punches and how life isn't perfect like the Instagram and Pinterest pictures (thank goodness). 

One of my favorite ways to love my people is to invite them over for a meal. A meal, coffee, cocktails, just something that I've made. They are in my house, enjoying the atmosphere, music and conversation, and for a few moments there is honest human connection for us to feel known and safety to be vulnerable. 

While not one to discriminate foods or meals, I would have to say that breakfast and supper are my favorites, with dessert being a close third. Obviously I love lunch, but in general you don't get the same amount of love labor preparing it especially if you are working and only have a short amount of time. So when I can, I find an excuse for friends to come over for breakfast as well as the suppers I love so much. 

I've never been to New Orleans, eaten a beignet or created a dish using real lavender buds. So this morning was one of firsts and I loved it. Disclaimer: not everything went to plan, also disclaimer, everything turned out ok. Also disclaimer: I frequently forget to read recipes all the way through or assume I've made something before so I "basically know the process". No comment. 

Found a recipe for Lavender Beignets on Pinterest (credited below) so that was the main part of the meal that I wanted to showcase. Did anyone else know that you can buy lavender on Amazon? Cause I have so much extra if you need to borrow any. 

The counterparts to the breakfast was a sheet of Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes with Crumbled Feta and Smoked Paprika and Scrambled Eggs with Orange Pepper, Jalapenos and Green Onions. Right after preparing the asparagus and putting it into the oven I realized a terrible, heart dropping mistake as I was getting out the ingredients for the beignets. I forgot the yeast. Actually, I most definitely left the yeast in the bottom of my cart at the grocery store. But my friends were coming and I had to adapt to the situation. 

While there is no completely accurate substitute for yeast, there is a passible solution that will do in a pinch. It just makes the the dough a bit more dense, it doesn't as much of an airy, light texture. 

While rolling my eyes and kicking myself for not noticing, I decided that the only decision was to try it using a substitution of lemon juice and baking soda and they would either turn out and be good or we would all laugh about it later. Which is pretty much all I ever do in any of the given life situations. 

Throwing the lavender glaze and filling together was magical, the sweet, earthy and tangy scent of lavender filling the air as I whisked the sugar and milk. The dough came together surprisingly well, it rolled out evenly and was I cut squares and popped them in the oil I was pleasantly surprised to see them puffing up and acting, well, like beignets. Tossed them onto a paper towel, filled them with the lavender filling and then a quick glaze, a slight shake of powered sugar, and voila, beignets for days. 

Then I had my friends each grab something and we traipsed to my hilariously small balcony to eat on an upturned crate that I pulled out of my dad's shed and written on one of the ends is shipping instructions to some of my ancestors in the area of back home (souther Minnesota). Sitting poised on the glorious poufs that I recently brought home, the morning was perfect for catching up and licking our fingers from the icing dripping down like nectar from the gods. 

But this goes to show, even thrown a curveball in the midst of baking, things will turn out even if it might not be the exact item you thought you were making. Stretch your mind, test out the cat like reflexes and roll with the punches. 

Live wild, babes. 

Lavender Beignets (from Gringilicious)

Lavender Vanilla Bean Icing:

• 1 tblsp dried lavender flowers
• scrapings from 1 large vanilla bean
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 cups powered sugar

Lavender Vanilla Bean Cream:

• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tblsp heavy cream
• 1/2 cup prepared lavender icing (from above)

Beignets:

• 1 cup warm milk (not hot)
• 1 tblsp active dry yeast
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• oil for frying

Directions:

1. First make your icing and filling, Whisk together the ingredients for the icing in a medium bowl until smooth. and set aside. Combine cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat together until creamed and fluffy. Add cream and 1/2 cup of icing then mix until combined. Cover and place mixture into the fridge until ready for it.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), dissolve yeast in milk and allow to sit for about 5 minutes until bubbly. Beat in eggs and sugar, then butter and salt until combined. Add flour a cup at a time until your dough comes together and pull away from the sides. Cover bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and place in warm place to rise until doubled in size. (Alternatively, you can refrigerate the dough overnight.)
3. When dough is ready divide it in half. Roll one half out into a square, roughly 10x10, and cut into 16 squares. Place the squares on a tray and allow them to rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Heat about 3 inches of oil in a large high-sided pan to 350 degrees F (180 C) and line a plate with paper towels. Drop dough squares, a few at a time, gently into oil and fry on each side for about 30 seconds or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on prepared plate.
5. Now fill a pastry bag fitted with a long narrow tip with the lavender cream and pipe into the centers then spread about 1 tablespoon of icing on top of each. Serve ASAP. 

Thank you to Tori from Gringi-licious for this amazing recipe that I mostly followed! Everyone go check out her awesome blog http://www.gringilicious.com