Dining Like The Drapers

Doug and I both like Mad Men.  In preparation for the season premiere tomorrow, I made a Mad Men inspired menu.  If you haven't seen the show, it takes place in the '60s.  Therefore, I made food that was popular during that time period—something the Draper's (the main family in the show) might have eaten.  I must say, we really enjoyed this meal!  It's worth it to occasionally go back in time and eat some old classics!

Drink...

Manhattan

"You don't know how to drink. Your whole generation, you drink for the wrong reasons. My generation, we drink because it's good, because it feels better than unbuttoning your collar, because we deserve it. We drink because it's what men do."
—Roger Sterling


Whoa, this is one strong drink!  Yet, the characters on Mad Men are drinking things like this non-stop throughout the show.  I'm not quite sure how they are still standing!
I am not a whiskey fan (or at least I didn't think I was), but I find myself liking Manhattans (especially after I've had a few sips and the alcohol starts to kick in :).  In the show, Don Draper frequently drinks Canadian Club Whiskey on the rocks.  I didn't think we would enjoy that, so I went with the Manhattan, which Draper has also been seen drinking on the show.  This is a great article about Manhattans if you'd like to know more: The Manhattan Project.
Ingredients:
(makes 1 drink)

• 1¾ oz bourbon
• ¾ oz of sweet vermouth
• 1-3 dashes of aromatic bitters
• 1 Maraschino cherry

Directions:

1. Chill glass with ice.
2. Meanwhile, pour bourbon, vermouth, and bitters over ice in mixing glass. 
3. Stir for 20 seconds, and strain into a martini glass. 
4. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry. 

Dinner...

Beef Stroganoff

*recipe from Maureen K.
According to Betty Draper's son Bobby, "Mommy doesn't like to eat."  If we were making a meal for Betty, it would probably just be cigarettes and cocktails.  Luckily, I love to eat, so I made a retro recipe that was very popular in the 1960's and is still delicious today.  It's really easy to make too!  I felt just like Betty Draper serving this up for dinner—all I was missing was a cocktail dress and a cigarette!
Ingredients:
(serves 3)

• 1 large onion cut thin
• 1 can mushrooms
• 1 sirloin steak, sliced thin
• 1/3 cup of dry white wine
• 1 1/2 tbs of Heinz 57 sauce
• 1 beef bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup of water
•  1 1/2 tbs. Sour cream
• flour

Directions:

1. Sauté the onions and mushrooms in a small amount of oil until the onions are limp.  Remove from skillet.
2. Drench steak strips in a flour, salt, and pepper mixture.  Brown the steak in batches in the skillet. 
3. Return onion/mushroom mixture and browned steak to the skillet.
4. Add wine, bouillon/water mixture, and Heinz 57 Sauce.
5. Cover skillet and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally for about 1 hour.
6. Remove skillet from heat and stir in sour cream.
7. Serve over egg noodles or cooked rice.

Dessert...

Baked Alaska

*recipe from Essential Pepin

Baked Alaska is the perfect dessert to serve to your husband after a long day of work, or to impress your dinner guests at your next cocktail party! (or so someone might say during the Mad Men era)  
In reality though, I have never had this dessert and was a little weary of how it would taste, but it impressed me!  It was easy to make and simple but delicious, despite one problem that arose.  The problem we had (Yes, in very non-Mad Men fashion, Doug helped me with this one!) was that after we added the sugar to the whipped egg whites, they were not as firm and therefore impossible to pipe into a fancy design like Jacques Pepin's.  So, ours might have looked like a baked blob, but it still tasted delicious and I was amazed that the ice cream really didn't melt after baking it in the oven!
Ingredients:
(serves 8)

• 1 pound cake (about 12 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons espresso or brewed coffee
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
• 6 large egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling (oops - I forgot this!)

Directions:

Moistened cake around the ice cream...It doesn't look pretty, but it's good.

After adding the meringue...still not pretty.

1. Cut the cake into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange some of the slices in the bottom of a stainless steel platter or other ovenproof platter.
2. Mix the espresso or coffee and maple and pour half of it over the cake to moisten it.
3. Spread the ice cream over the cake, wrapping the sides and top with the remaining cake slices so the ice cream is covered uniformly. Moisten with the remaining coffee mixture. Place in the freezer until you are ready to finish the recipe. (It can be frozen for at least 1 week.)
4. When the cake is frozen, whip the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff. Add the sugar in a steady stream until all is added, and beat at high speed for 30 seconds.
5. Cover the frozen cake with half of the meringue, smoothing the meringue with a spatula and making sure the ice cream is completely covered. Spoon the remaining meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and decorate the top, and sides. Place back in the freezer until you are ready to bake.
6. When you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the meringue is tinged with gold.



After baking...looks weird, but tastes great!

8. Sprinkle the baked Alaska with confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately, spooning or cutting the dessert into bowls.

A Hangover Fiesta!

Maybe you had a few too many green beers, Guinnesses, or Irish Car Bombs on St. Patrick's Day and are in need of a meal to help you feel better.  (This post is a little late for that, but we both know that there will be more days when you have a bit of a hangover, so keep this post in mind for future reference.) 
I know when I am hungover, I like to eat greasy, unhealthy, fast-food.  Taco Bell is hard to come by in NYC, but it makes great hangover food.  Since there isn't one nearby, I decided to make my own Taco Bell meal (with a special hydrating drink). This meal turned out so good, I would even recommend it for days when you are not hungover!

Drink...

Coconut Heaven

*recipe from Food.com 
I have heard a lot of hype about coconut water and its magical hangover healing powers.  I have never tried it, but because of it's high potassium and mineral content, coconut water is supposed to be as good or better than sports drinks like Gatorade.  If you like coconut water, I think you would really like this drink.  I, however, realized that I do not like coconut water.  Oh well . . . for those that do like a hydrating coconut water after an evening of drinking, enjoy!
Ingredients:
(makes 1 drink)

• 16 ounces fresh coconut water
• ¼ cup half and half
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a glass.
2. Stir.
3. Drink :) 

Dinner...

Crunchwrap Supreme

*recipe from Full Bellies Make Kids Happy
 When I go to Taco Bell, I always get a Crunchwrap Supreme—It's my absolute favorite.  So, when I found this recipe, I was super excited to be able to make them at home!  Taco Bell must have gigantic tortillas, because mine turned out about half the size of theirs.  They tasted just as good though (of course you can't really replicate that taco bell beef, but these were close :)
Ingredients: 
(makes 4 small Crunchwraps)

• 4 Large Flour Tortillas (burrito style)
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 packet taco seasoning
• sour cream
• nacho cheese
• tortilla chips (you could use use a corn tortilla)
• tomatoes
• lettuce 

Directions:
(I changed the order of the directions on the website to match the ones given by a reader who left a comment saying she worked at Taco Bell and gave the proper Crunchwrap building order.)

1. Brown ground beef in a skillet, add the packet of taco seasoning and stir until mixed well. Cook for another minute or so.
2. Microwave the tortillas for a few seconds just to warm them up, it will make the wrapping easier.
3. Take a tortilla, spread some nacho cheese in the center.
4. Top with ground beef (1/2 lb ground beef made 4 crunchwraps, but they were small tortillas. If you had bigger ones, it would probably make 2).
5. Next, add a layer of tortilla chips or at this point you would add a small corn tortilla like a tostada size.
6. Top with sour cream.
7. Add lettuce and tomato and then starting on the bottom, fold up the tortilla toward the center, continue all the way around until it is all folded over, it WON’T cover it completely.
8. Carefully lift it up and set it fold side down on a non stick pan. Press with a spatula and cook until nice and brown, flip it over and cook the other side. It won’t take long at all.

Dessert...

Churros with Nutella Dip

*churro recipe from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey cookbook by: Jill O'Connor 
What dessert goes with a Crunchwrap?  Churros of course!  These were ridiculously easy to make and tasted like real churros.  The only problem I encountered was that my churros were curling up in the oil instead of being straight sticks.  But, they still tasted the same despite the crazy shapes!  
The recipe I had for these had a hot chocolate dipping sauce recipe along with it.  However, this winter Doug and I went to Bryant Park and had a delicious churro with melted Nutella drizzled over it.  It was so good and easy, so I decided to do a Nutella dipping sauce and it worked wonderfully! 
Ingredients:
(serves 2)

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/8 cup light olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 + 1/8 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• peanut or canola oil for deep frying
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tbs cinnamon
• Nutella

Directions:

1. Combine the water, oil, and salt in a saucepan.  Bring to a full, rolling boil.
2. Remove from heat and add the flour all at once.  Stir briskly with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and gathers in a clump around the spoon.  
3. Place the pan with dough over medium heat and stir the batter for 30–60 seconds more.  This will dry any excess moisture and eliminate any raw flour taste from the dough.
4. Place the dough on a sheet of aluminum foil and let cool for about 5 minutes.
5. Return the dough to the pan and add the eggs, one at a time, beating briskly after each addition until the egg is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, slightly sticky, and malleable.  (This was quite a workout because the dough is thick and it takes a while to get the lumps out)
6. Pour oil 3 inches deep into a skillet or deep-fryer.  Heat the oil to 365 degrees.
7. Meanwhile, stir the cinnamon and sugar together in a large, shallow dish.
8. Fit a large pastry bag with a large star tip.  Fill the bag with the dough.
9. Pipe strips of dough into the oil, and cook approximately 2 minutes per side.  
10. After cooking, pull the churros out of the oil using tongs and place on a plate lined with paper towels to cool.
11. After they have cooled slightly, roll the churros in the cinnamon sugar.  
12. Melt the Nutella in the microwave and enjoy dipping the delicious churros in this tasty hazelnut chocolate dip! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

I am half-Irish, so St. Patrick's day has always been celebrated in my house.  When I was little my dad would bring green carnations home for us and my mom would make corned beef and cabbage with mashed potatoes.  When I was older, I still got the carnations and ate the cabbage, but added in a little green beer and maybe watched the Chicago River get dyed green.  Hopefully these recipes can bring you a little St. Patty's Day cheer!

Drink...

Irish Coffee

Despite the horrible photo, this drink was quite good.  I tried to get the heavy cream to "float" on the top of the coffee like the recipe said, but mine mixed in.  Oh well, it still tasted great!  Even though we have been having unusually warm weather, it's usually still pretty chilly out on St. Patrick's Day.  This drink will warm you up for sure!
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Irish whiskey
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 6 oz hot coffee
• heavy cream

Directions:

1. Combine whiskey, sugar and coffee in a mug and stir to dissolve. 
2. Float cold cream gently on top. Do not mix.

Dinner...

Guinness Corned Beef and Cabbage

*recipe from Steamy Kitchen
I have to be honest . . . this recipe was just ok to me.  I think I prefer an original recipe of corned beef and cabbage to this.  I'm sure you really want to try it now after that raving review!  But, I guess if you're up for something different, you could give it a shot.  The website has great step-by-step photos.  I would recommend checking it out!
Ingredients:

• 2 bottles Guinness beer (or other dark beer)
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 3 1/2 pound uncooked brisket for corned beef, rinsed well and patted dry  ( I cheated and bought a pre-cooked one which drastically reduced the cooking time)
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 1/2 onion
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 1 head cabbage
• 1 big spoonful of lard or bacon drippings (you can substitute simply with just cooking oil)
• a few carrots, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1 pound of red potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced fresh parsley

Directions: 

1.  Preheat oven to 300F. 
2. In a large pot, whisk together the beer and the brown sugar. Snuggle in the brisket, it should almost be completely covered by the beer. Add the pickling spice, onion and garlic. Bring to a simmer on the stove, uncovered is best so you can keep an eye on it. Boiled-over beer is no fun to clean.
3. Once it begins simmering, cover the pot and place in oven to roast for 4-6 hours (or be like me and buy a fully cooked brisket and you only have to cook it for 30-60 minutes!), flipping meat once during halfway point. Remove from oven. Spoon out 2 cups of the corned beef braising liquid to cook the cabbage.
4. To make the vegetables, cut the cabbage into 8 wedges. In a separate large, wide pot, heat up the lard/bacon drippings/oil on medium-high heat. When hot, swirl the pan around to get the fat to evenly coat the pan. 
5. Add the cabbage wedges, carrots and potatoes and cook until browned, about a 3-4 minutes. Turn to brown the other side. Pour in the reserved corned beef cooking liquid, bring to a simmer and cover the pot. 
6. Turn the heat to low and let cook for 10-15 minutes. Use tongs or a large spoon to carefully remove the cabbage and reserve. Continue cooking the carrots and potato another 5 minutes or cooked through (pierce with fork to check doneness). Sprinkle with parsley and plate with the cabbage.
7. Slice the corned beef and serve with the cabbage and vegetables. Pour some of the sauce over the corned beef just before serving.  

 Dessert...

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

*recipe from  Brown Eyed Baker

An unfortunate name, a great flavor!  You can't really taste the Guinness, but I think it adds a little different of a flavor.  I could slightly taste the Jameson, and could really taste the Bailey's.  This is the first time I have filled cupcakes and now I think I am hooked!  It's so easy to do and makes the cupcake even more delicious!  
Ingredients:
(makes 24 cupcakes)
For the Cupcakes:

• 1 cup Guinness stout
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoons salt
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sour cream

For the Whiskey Ganache Filling:

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

For the Baileys Frosting:

• 2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream (TIP—We used Carolan's Irish Cream which is cheaper and tastes exactly like Bailey's!)
  

Directions:
To Make the Cupcakes: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. 
3. Bring the Guinness and butter to a simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat. 
4. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
5. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl to combine. 
6. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream on medium speed until combined. 
7. Add the Guinness-chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and beat just to combine. 
8. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat briefly. 
9. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until completely combined. 
10. Divide the batter among the cupcake liners. Bake until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a rack.

To Make the Whiskey Ganache Filling: 

1. Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. 
2. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. 
3. Let it sit for one minute and then, using a rubber spatula, stir it from the center outward until smooth. 
4. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. 
5. Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

To Fill the Cupcakes: 

1. Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip), cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way down. 
2. Transfer the ganache to a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

To Make the Bailey's Frosting: 

1. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. 
2. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually add the powdered sugar until all of it is incorporated. 
3. Add the Baileys, increase the speed to medium-high and whip for another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is light and fluffy.
4. Using your favorite decorating tip, or an offset spatula, frost the cupcakes and decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container.

Let's Stay in For the Movies!

I love going to the movies and one of my favorite things about going is the food.  Just give me a bag of movie theater popcorn or some pretzel bites and cheese sauce and I am happy—I don't really even need the movie! :)  After recently watching the Oscars and deciding to re-watch all of the movies we own, I thought a movie night dinner would be terrific.

Drink...

Adult Soda (Campari and Soda)
Thinking of a drink to go with my movie night dinner was a little difficult because all I ever drink at the theater is soda.  Then, I thought, "Hey, what about an Icee?"  But, we don't have a blender.  Then, I considered just making Kiddie Cocktails because they are basically soda made even better.  However, I decided to go with Doug's idea of making an "adult soda."  This was a great idea and Doug has been wanting to try Campari for a while now—perfect!  But not really perfect because I found that I am not the biggest fan of Campari.   It was a little bitter, but the next day I tried it in an Americano (one part Campari, one part sweet vermouth, splash of club soda, and a twist of lemon) and I liked it much better.   
Ingredients:

• Campari Liqueur
• Club Soda
• Orange (for garnish)

 Directions: 

1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Fill 1/3 the glass with Campari.
3. Fill the other 2/3 with club soda.
4. Stir and garnish with an orange slice

Dinner...

Pretzel Bites & Pizza Bites

When you go to the movies you can't eat with a knife and fork, so I went with all finger foods for this one!

Pretzel Bites with Jalapeno Cheese Sauce

*recipe from Smells Like Home

These were my best batch of bread yet!!! Finally, a success! The pretzels were not as good as Auntie Ann's or Wetzel's, but they were better than the frozen soft pretzels you can buy in the grocery store.  The cheese sauce, however, was not the greatest.  I think I'll stick to my processed cheese for pretzel bites and either use Velveeta or nacho cheese next time! 
Ingredients for the Pretzels:

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
• 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• Pretzel or Kosher salt

Directions for the Pretzels:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the water, yeast, sugar, and yeast on low speed for 10 seconds.  Switch to the dough hook and add the flour and butter.  Mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and transfer it to a well-oiled bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in a wide 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
4. In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Slice each rope into 1-inch pieces.  Place a damp towel over the pretzel pieces to prevent them from drying out while you roll and cut the other pieces.
5. Using a slotted spoon, lower a handful of the pretzel pieces into the boiling water and boil them for 30 seconds, flipping them around in the water with the spoon a couple of times. Remove the pretzel pieces from the water using the spoon, drain as best you can, and place them on the baking sheets. Brush the top of each pretzel with the melted butter and sprinkle with the pretzel/Kosher salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 10 – 12 minutes. Brush with remaining melted butter before serving. Serve warm.

Ingredients for the Cheese Sauce:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (not packaged pre-shredded cheese—shred your own)
• Kosher salt

Directions for the Cheese Sauce:

1. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds, whisking constantly.
2. Slowly whisk in the milk until no lumps of flour remain.  Stirring constantly, bring the milk to a simmer over medium-low heat until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the stove and stir in the shredded cheese until all of the cheese has melted.  Add a pinch of salt, if needed.  Serve warm.  Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave on medium power at 30 second intervals.

Pizza Bites

*recipe from Pennies on a Platter

These were good and ridiculously easy to make.  I would make them again, but make my dough thinner and somehow close them up tighter because I lost a lot of cheese in the baking process.
Ingredients:

• pizza crust dough (I used Trader Joe's pre-made garlic and herb dough and it was good.  Next time I think I'll try their plain dough though)
• mozzarella cheese, about 20 cubed pieces
• sliced pepperoni
• pizza sauce for dipping
• olive oil
• Parmesan cheese 
• Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.  
2. Lightly grease a 9-inch cookie sheet or cake pan.  
3. Divide the pizza dough into roughly 20 equal-sized pieces.  
4. Take one of the dough pieces and press in a cube of cheese and two slices of pepperoni. (I made some just cheese too—You could add any ingredients you like on pizza!) Pull the edges of the dough down around the filling and seal.  (Make sure your seal is tight!  I had a lot of cheese ooze out!)
5. Place in the pan, seam side down.  Repeat with remaining dough. 
6. Lightly brush the tops of the dough with olive oil. (Or spray the olive oil with your Misto like me!)
7. Sprinkle on Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.  
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temperature, with dipping sauce if desired.

 Dessert...

Caramel Popcorn Balls

*recipe from Gracious Rain
What is a movie night without popcorn, right?  I decided to have my popcorn for dessert this time.  These popcorn balls were tasty but SUPER sugary!  Also, the popcorn got soft from the caramel.  I am not sure if that was how it was supposed to be or if I did something wrong.  I still ate the whole thing anyway.  It tasted good—I just had to brush my teeth afterward :) 
Ingredients:
(makes 7 balls)

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• Large bowl of popcorn (about 3-4 quarts)
• Lollipop Sticks

Directions:

Add caption

1. Heat brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt to a simmer.
2. Boil rapidly for 2 minutes.
3. Pour over popcorn and stir until all the popcorn is covered.
4. Allow to rest until cool enough to handle.
5. Cover hands with sandwich bags and form popcorn mixture into balls.  (I put mine on lollipop sticks so they wouldn't be so messy to eat)
6. Cool completely.