Hurricane Sandy Supper

Since the hurricane has been all everyone is talking about lately, and we have been stuck inside our apartment for the last couple days, I decided to do a hurricane blog post.  We couldn't go out to the grocery store for ingredients, so we created a drink, dinner, and dessert using only the random ingredients we had in our apartment.  For a last minute, "Chopped"-style dinner, it turned our quite nicely!
Drink...

Lemon Meringue Pie Martini
*recipe from Pinnacle Vodka
I think Hurricane Sandy may have introduced me to a new favorite drink! We still have cake vodka from my birthday in April (vodka doesn't expire, right?) and I never quite know what to do with it.  I found a bunch of recipes on the Pinnacle website for and happened to have all the ingredients for this one.  It is delicious - it's like drinking dessert!
Ingredients:

• 2 oz of cake flavored vodka
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• splash of cream

Directions:

1. Pour all the ingredients into a shaker with ice.  
2. Shake and strain into a martini glass.

Dinner...

Sausagey Storm Supper
Doug created this dinner out of random things we had leftover in our fridge and it was excellent.  I would definitely have it again.  He used Trader Joe's sweet apple chicken sausage (left over from my stuffed squash blog post), but he says you can use any kind of chicken or pork sausage.  
Ingredients:
(serves 2)

a good way to use up random leftovers 

• A few strips of bacon
• 3 chicken sausages (we used Trader Joe’s apple-maple syrup chicken sausage)
• Butter
• 1 tsp flour
• 1/3 lb. haricot verts (green beans)
• ½ white onion, diced
• 3–4 oz. white wine
• Dash of maple syrup (the real stuff)
• Salt 

Directions: 

1. Cook the haricot verts, put aside.
2. Heat a pan on medium heat, add bacon, remove when crispy. Reserve bacon; when you have a free minute, chop the bacon.
3. Cut the sausages in half lengthwise, place in same pan, cook over medium heat until heated through (or cooked if using raw sausage).
4. Remove sausage from pan. Make a roux by adding a couple pads of butter (approx. 2–3 tablespoons) to the hot pan, and whisking in 1 tsp. of flour. 
5. Let the sauce bubble, and when you’re happy with the consistency, add the wine to the pan, scraping up any bits of bacon fat or sausage from the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce simmer for a couple minutes.
6. Add maple syrup, stir.
7. Add the onion, let cook for 3–4 minutes, being careful that sauce does not reduce too much. Add salt to taste.
8. Having chopped up the cooked sausage into bite-size pieces, add it back to the pan, along with the haricot verts.
9. Stir to thoroughly combine all the ingredients in the pan. Simmer for 3–5 minutes to meld the flavors. Add salt if needed.
10. Place mixture in bowl or on a plate, and sprinkle with chopped bacon. Bon appétit! 

Dessert...

Maple Creme Brulee
I have made creme brulee many, many times before and have never had any trouble with it.  Sadly though, this recipe was a failure.  My creme brulee never set properly and therefore was liquid in the center.  We were very disappointed we couldn't eat it.  I'm not quite sure what went wrong.  Since I have never had this problem before, I'm going to blame it on hurricane Sandy and say it was because of the change in atmospheric pressure or something (although, I have never made it with maple syrup, so it could be that too).  So, if you're making creme brulee, don't do it during a hurricane!  
Ingredients:

• 6 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 tsp maple syrup
• 6 tsp granulated sugar (for the caramelized tops)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar it dissolved and the yolk mixture is thick and light in color.
3. Add cream and syrup and whisk until blended.
4. Fill a creme brulee pan halfway with water.  Put the filled ramekins into the water bath.
5. Bake until the edges are set and the center is still slightly loose, 50-55 minutes.    
6. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
7. Put ramekins in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
8. Sprinkle sugar on top and use a torch (or a broiler) to caramelize the sugar.
9. Enjoy! Hopefully you won't find a liquid center in yours like we did!

A Laborless Labor Day!

There are many reasons to love Labor Day, the main one being that there is no work!  But, there is also barbequing and celebrating outside with friends and family.  I love barbeque food, but this time I decided to do something different (especially since I don't have a grill!)  This dinner would be perfect to bring to a picnic and celebrate the end of summer.  Plus it's all really easy - there's no laboring away in the kitchen on Labor Day!

Drink...

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Cocktail

*recipe from Pinnacle Vodka
I'm not gonna lie...I mainly chose this drink because I had all the ingredients in my apartment.  However, I will say that pineapple juice does remind me of summer and it was an easy, delicious drink that would be perfect for a labor day party!
Ingredients:

• 2 oz Cake Vodka
• 4 oz club soda
• splash of pineapple juice
• Maraschino cherry

Directions:

1. Mix the first three ingredients in a glass full of ice.
2. Garnish with a cherry.

Dinner...

BLT Pasta Salad and Fried Pickles

What's better than a pasta salad and some fried food for a Labor Day party? Maybe a hamburger would be better (if you know me, you know I am obsessed with hamburgers), but I can't always make a burger, so this is a great second best :) Plus, Doug was out of town this weekend, so I was trying to take advantage of that and make things that I know he doesn't like and wouldn't eat if he were there.

BLT Pasta Salad

*recipe from: A Bird and a Bean

Pasta salad is a classic side dish for any picnic or barbeque.  This time, the pasta salad can be the main dish.  If you like a BLT, you will like this pasta.  I would add a little more bacon, because more bacon is always a good thing!
Ingredients:

• 12 ounce corkscrew shaped pasta
• 1/2 cup milk
• 12 ounces lean bacon
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup mayo (you could use 1/4 cup mayo and 1/4 cup greek yogurt)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons chopped chives
• 5 heads Bibb lettuce, quartered, or 5 cups chopped romaine hearts

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside. 
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from the pan. 
3. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper.  
4. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish. Toss the remaining bacon and the tomato mixture with the pasta. 
5. Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 tablespoons chives with the pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. 
6. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. 
7. Garnish with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve at room temperature.  

Fried Pickles with Chipotle Mayo Dip

*recipe from Paula Deen & Modern Mrs. Cleaver

I am somewhat new to fried pickles since I have only had them a few times.  But, the times I have had them, I LOVED them!  These pickles were good, but I think I'll stick to getting them at restaurants rather than making them at home.  If you do make them (and don't get me wrong - they were good, I ate all of them!), I might leave out the cornmeal and I would definitely make the chipotle mayo again.  But watch out, because the chipotles can be really spicy!

Ingredients: 

for the pickles:

• 1 24-ounce Jar Kosher dill pickle spears or slices
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup Louisiana hot sauce (I like Texas Pete)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 gal peanut oil
• Uncle Bubba's Fry Mix
• 6 cups self-rising flour (If you can’t find self-rising flour, use 6 cups all-purpose flour plus 3 tablespoons baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt)
• 1 cup self-rising white cornmeal (If you can’t find self-rising cornmeal, use 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons white cornmeal, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper 

 for the dip: 

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 chipotle pepper (from the can with adobo) 
• adobo sauce (from the can of peppers) 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/3 cup honey
• 5 drops Worcestershire sauce

Directions: 

for the dip:

1. Combine all the dip ingredients in a food processor or blender. For the adobo sauce, I used all the sauce in the can, but maybe start with a little and work your way up. Blend it all together until it’s thoroughly combined, then place in a bowl and chill until serving.

for the pickles: 

mmm...fried food

1. Make the fry mix by combining all the ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Drain the juice from the pickle jar and refill the jar with the garlic powder, hot sauce, and buttermilk. Marinate the pickles for at least 30 minutes. 
3. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Drain the pickles. 
4. Put the fry mix in a large mixing bowl, and toss the pickles to coat thoroughly. Shake off the excess mix by tossing lightly in a strainer and deep fry the pickles in batches for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the spears.
5. When golden brown, remove the pickles from the oil with a clean strainer or slotted metal spoon and place on paper towels to drain off any excess oil. Serve immediately. 

Dessert... 

 

Lemon Brownies

*recipe from: Rita's Recipes
These are soooooo good.  I almost ate the whole pan at once.  Mine turned out really thin, so they were more like soft lemon cookies.  But still, soooo good.  And, if you want them thicker and more like a brownie, just use a smaller pan the correct size pan (oops - see my note below).  They are also really refreshing which is perfect for a hot Labor Day party.  Mmmm....if you like lemon, make these - you will be so happy!  I think I'm going to go eat one right now :)
Ingredients:
for the brownies:

• 3/4 C flour
• 3/4 C sugar
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 stick butter, soft
• 2 eggs
• juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1T) *I added WAY more because I like it very lemony.  Taste the batter and add more lemon to taste*
• zest from 1/2 lemon (about 1t)*I added more of this too - zest of 1 whole lemon*

for the glaze:

• 1/2C powdered sugar
• 1 T lemon juice *I used way more!*
• additional lemon zest

Directions:
for the brownies:

1. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
2.  Mix in the softened butter.
3. In another bowl whisk the eggs with the lemon juice and zest.  Add to the larger bowl and mix well.
4.  Pour into prepared 8X8 brownie pan. (ohhh...whoops - I used the 9x13 pan which I now see is for the doubled recipe)
5.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
6. You can double the recipe and bake in a 9X13 pan for 30 minutes.
7. Remove and let cool, then glaze.

for the glaze:

1. Stir all ingredients together. 

Happy Birthday, Round 3

The last family birthday of the month is my mom's.  Typically I am not actually able to be with my mom on her birthday (since I live in NY and she's in IL), but this year I was home!  So, what else could I do besides make her a birthday dinner?!  I let my mom pick everything she wanted for this dinner.  It was quite good!  And, my mother is a vegetarian, so all those veggie eaters out there can enjoy this one too! (actually, I think everything but the desert is vegan) Happy bithday mom!
Drink...

Peach Bellini Iced Tea
This is originally a drink my mom had at the Olive Garden.  I have never had it, so I just tried to imagine what it would taste like and make a replica.  My mom said it was not exactly the same as theirs, but she said it was very good!  It is a great, refreshing summer drink.  This is a non-alcoholic drink, but I wonder how it would be if you actually made it into a real bellini and added champagne?  I don't know, champagne and tea could be strange...or it could be good :)
Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of peach iced tea (or you can use regular unsweetened tea if you want it less sweet)
• 1 can of sliced peaches in heavy syrup
• Club soda

Directions:

1. Put some sliced peaches into the bottom of a glass, add ice if your ingredients aren't already cold.
2. Pour the iced tea into the glass with the peaches.
3. Add about 2 tbs of the syrup from the canned peaches.
4. Add about 3-4 tbs of club soda and stir.

Dinner...

Pineapple Quinoa Stir Fry & Cucumber and Watermelon Salad with Hoisin-Lime Dressing
My mom sure knows how to pick a birthday dinner!  This was a delicious summer dinner, and a lot of it can be made ahead of time if you want to spread out the amount of work.
Cucumber and Watermelon Salad with Hoisin-Lime Dressing
*recipe from Bon Appetite (July 2002)

When I first saw the recipe for this salad I thought it looked kinda gross and weird.  But, the ingredients actually go really well together.  It is super refreshing and healthy.  I would definitly make it again for a summer salad.  Bon Appetite says it is "a Vietnamese style salad that makes a refreshing accomaniment to any kind of barbequed meat."  I would agree with that statement, but it also goes really well with the quinoa I made.  The quinoa is a little spicy and the salad helps cool off your mouth.
Ingredients:
(serves 6)

• 1 1/2 large cucumbers (about 3 cups)
• 3 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 1/2 tbs fresh lime juice
• 3 tbs hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbs chopped fresh mint
• 1/3 cup coarsly chopped lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts (I left these out of our salad)

Directions:

1. Combine cucumbers and watermelon in a medium bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.
2. Drain and discard the liquid.
3. Whisk lime juice and hoisin sauce in a small bowl to blend.
4. Pur dressing over cucumber-watermelon mixture and toss gently.
5. Sprinkle salad with cilantro, mint, and then peanuts (again, I didn't use nuts).  Serve immediately. 

Pineapple Quinoa Stir Fry
*recipe from Maureen K.

My mother is a really great cook and this is a recipe she invented.  It's very healthy and delicious.  It takes a bit of time to chop all of the ingredients, but you can do that ahead of time if you would like.  Once you actually get to the cooking part, it goes very fast.  I made mine a bit too spicy for some members of my family.  If you don't like it really spicy, you may not want to use the whole jalapeno, just as much as you'd like. 
Ingredients:
(serves 4-5)

• 1 cup quinoa (rinsed and well-drained)
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/4 tsp soy sauce + 3 tbs soy sauce
• 3 tbs peanut oil
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2" piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas (I left these out because I don't really like peas)
• 1 cup fresh basil, sliced thin
• 2 tbs fresch chopped mint
• 1 whole fresh pineapple, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 tbs vegetable stock
• 1 tbs mirin
• lime wedges for garnish

Directions:

1. *The night before: Combine quinoa, pinaple juice, water, and 1/4 tsp soy sauce in a medium sized pot.  Cover, place over high heat and bring to a boil.  Stir a few times, lower heat to medium/low, cover, and cook for 12-14 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa appears plumped and slightly translucent.  Uncover, fluff, and let cool.  For best results, place quinoa in an airtight container and refridgerate overnight.
2. Have all ingredients chopped and within reach.  Heat a large non-stick skillet.  Add peanut oil, green onions, and garlic.
3. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the sliced jalapeno and ginger. 
4. Stir fry for about 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and peas.
5. Stir fry for another 3-4 minutes until the bell peppers are softened and peas are bright green.  Add the basil and mint.
6. Stir fry for another minute and then add the pineapple chuncks and quinoa.
7. In a medium cup combine 3 tbs. soy sauce, vegetable stock, and mirin.  Pour over quinoa mixture. (Add another 1/2 cup to a cup of pineapple juice to the quinoa mixture if it is dry)
8. Stir to incorporate completely.  Continue to stir fry 10 - 14 minutes until quinoa is very hot.
9. Serve with lime wedges and additional soy sauce.

Dessert...

Blueberry Tartlets with Lemon or Lime Curd
*recipe from Maureen K.
These are the perfect summer dessert!  The comniation of the lemon/lime with the blueberries is incredible.  And, they look so cute, but are not very difficult to make!  I made 1/2 lemon tarts and 1/2 lime tarts.  There was not a huge difference in flavor, but in the end we liked the lemon better.  It was a slightly stronger flavor.  These would be great for a summer barbeque.  I should have put a candle in mine for my mom's birthday! 
Ingredients:
(makes 4 small tarts)

for the curd:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 4 large egg yolks
• 5 tbs unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel

For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3 tbs sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 tbs chilled whipping cream
• 1 large egg yolk

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 pints of bluberries
• 1 tbs sugar

Directions:
For the curd (can be made up to 4 days ahead and refrigerated):

1. Whisk sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan to blend. 
2. Whisk in yolks and then butter.
3. Cook over medium low heat until thick, smooth, and just beginning to bubble, stirring constantly, about 8 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.  Mix in lemon peel.
5. Transfer to a small bowl.  Press plastic wrap onto surface of the curd.  Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.

For the crust (can be made up to 1 day ahead of time):

1. Blend flour, sugar and salt in a foor processor for 5 seconds.
2. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns, until mixture resembles course meal.
3. Add 2 tbs of cream and egg yolk.  Using on/off turns, blend until mois clumps form, adding more cream by teaspoons if dough is too dry.
4. Shape dough into a log.  Cut crosswise into 4 equal rounds.  Press each round over bottom and sides of 3 3/4" x 3/4" tartlet pans with removable bottom (there may be extra dough). 
5. Pierce crust with a fork.  Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake the crusts until lightly golden brown, pressing any bubbles back with a fork, about 15 minutes.
7. Cool crusts completely on a rack.

For the topping:

1. Place 1/2 cup of blueberries and sugar in a heavy small saucepan.  Using a fork, mash the berries coursly.  Cook mixture over medium heat until it begins to simmer, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
2. Using a rubber spatula, push as much of mixture as possible through a mesh strainer set over a medium bowl.  Mix remaining blueberries into the strained berries.  Set topping aside.
3. Spread curd into crusts.
4. Spoon blueberry topping over the curd.
5. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to one day before serving.