Reliving my vacation...

It seems like forever ago, but my sister and I went on our "Sisters' Cruise" and had an amazing time.  I am officially addicted to cruising!  Since I can't go on another one yet, the next best thing was to try and re-create some of my favorites from our trip.  Enjoy!

Drink...

The Perfect Storm
My favorite bar on the ship was called Alchemy Bar.  I loved it because it had a cute theme (it was like an old apothecary) and had such delicious drinks!  These drinks were not just poured from a mix like the other bars on the ship, but were carefully crafted with a fiery show and all!  This drink was what I got one night when I asked the bartender to surprise me and it's now one of my favorite drinks.  I tried my best to remember what was in it and re-create it.  I didn't get it exactly right, but pretty close!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Me enjoying my drink!

Ingredients:

• 1 shot light rum
  
• 1/2 shot of dark rum (I only had light rum, so I just used that)
• 1 shot strawberry simple syrup
• 1/2 shot lime juice
• sprig of rosemary
• cinnamon

Directions:
for the strawberry syrup:

1. Make a simple syrup by heating and dissolving 1/2 cup sugar in 1/2 cup water.
2. Slice  1 cup fresh strawberries and add to the syrup.  
3. Simmer the strawberries in the syrup for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally and smashing the strawberries to get the flavor out. 
4. Strain the strawberries from the syrup and let cool.

for the drink:

1. Fill a shaker with ice and add the rum, strawberry syrup, and lime juice.
2. Shake and strain into a martini glass.
3. Light a sprig of rosemary on fire until toasted.  Place the toasted rosemary into the drink.
4. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top (if you want to be extra fancy like on the cruise, you can sprinkle the cinnamon over a flame so it sparks before falling into the glass).

Dinner...

Mushroom Cappuccino
I know...you're thinking: mushroom cappuccino?!?  Gross!  But, wait...this is not gross.  Actually, it's quite amazing.  We went to a cooking demo on the ship where one of the chefs made this.  It really has nothing to do with cappuccino, except that he served it in cute little cappuccino glasses that we could sip the mushroom soup out of.  I didn't have any cappuccino glasses, so I just served mine in a bowl.  Also, on the ship they served it with a garlic crouton which was amazing.  I forgot to make that for mine...oops!
Ingredients:
(serves 4)

• 1 lb. chopped assorted mushrooms
• 5 tbs onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 oz butter
• 2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 pint cream
• few drops truffle oil (I didn't have this so I used truffle salt)
• 1 tsp chopped parsley
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 sprigs thyme

Directions:

1. Saute the onions and garlic in butter.  Add the assorted mushrooms.
2. Add stock and simmer.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. When mushrooms are cooked, blend in a blender and sieve through a Chinois.
4. Return the puree to the pan and add cream and a few drops of truffle oil.
5. Adjust the seasoning and consistency.  Serve hot with garlic croutons.

Enchiladas Verde
At our first port, Cozumel Mexico, Kate and I had a delicious Mexican lunch included in our beach package.  I had enchiladas verde, which were amazing.  I must admit, mine weren't quite as good as in Mexico, but they still were great and definitely worth making!
Ingredients:
(serves 4)

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• olive oil
• verde sauce
• manchego or pepper jack cheese
• 2-3 tbs sour cream
• tortilla shells

Directions:

1. Cook the chicken breasts and shred the meat.
2. In a pan saute the onion and garlic with olive oil.
3. Add the cooked chicken, 1/4 cup of verde sauce, and the sour cream.
4. Place the chicken mixture in the tortilla shells and place in a baking dish. 
5. Sprinkle with shredded or crumbled cheese.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Dessert...

Strawberry and Chocolate Frozen Yogurt 
*recipe from: Chocolate and Zucchini
One of our favorite things to do on the cruise was eat (which is probably part of the reason why I love cruises).  And one of the things we ate most was ice cream cones.  They had self-serve, soft-serve ice cream machines located throughout the ship and the ice cream was always there for us!  Our favorite flavor was the strawberry-chocolate swirl frozen yogurt.  My chocolate yogurt turned out pretty amazing with a great texture and good taste.  However, my strawberry frozen yogurt turned out a bit icy, but tasting great.  All I was missing was a cone!
Ingredients:
for the strawberry frozen yogurt:

• 2 cups strawberries
• 1 cup yogurt (full fat greek or plain)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
•  1/4 cup sugar

 for the chocolate yogurt:

• 3 1/2 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
• a good pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon natural vanilla extract 
• 10 1/2 ounces full fat plain Greek yogurt  or plain yogurt

Directions:
for the strawberry:

1. Blend the strawberries in a food processor until pureed.
2. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and stir.
3. Place in the freezer and stir every half our until it reaches the desired consistency (about 3 hours).

 for the chocolate:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring frequently to ensure even melting.  
2. In the meantime, place the cream in a medium mixing-bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until no lump remains.
3. When the chocolate is melted, whisk it into the cream. Whisk the sugar mixture into the chocolate cream. Add the vanilla and yogurt, and whisk until well blended. 
4. Place in the freezer and stir every half hour until it reaches the desired consistency (about 3 hours).

   

   Me eating frozen yogurt (and popcorn)

A Pretty in Pink Dinner

In honor of Valentine's Day, all the foods I made for this meal are pink.  In addition, they are all delicious.  :)
Doug and I prefer to stay in on Valentine's Day since the restaurants are usually really crowded and have a different menu for the holiday.  So, why not try it?  Stay in and cook your Valentine a pink meal!
Drink...

Strawberry Sweethearts Cocoa
*recipe adapted from: babble.com
This is perfect for a chilly valentine's evening!  It's very, very sweet, so I would serve it after dinner with dessert.  
I changed several things in the recipe because of the ingredients I had/could find in the grocery store.  Even with the changes it turned out delicious!  
It reminded me of a chocolate covered strawberry and was warm and creamy.  A great alternative to regular hot chocolate!
Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 pint strawberry ice cream *[I didn't want to buy a huge carton of ice cream because then I'd eat it all :) So, I used strawberry milk instead.  It worked well!]
• 4 cups water (I didn't add any water since I used milk instead of ice cream)
• Whipped cream
• 1 cup Mini chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon chocolate sprinkles *[I used heart sprinkles instead]

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, melt the chocolate chips and dip the top of four mugs into the chocolate. Set aside, allowing chocolate to harden. 
2. In a medium pot, whisk together the butter, sugar, and ice cream *(or milk) over medium high heat until melted.  
3. Whisk in the water *(I omitted water since I used milk), one cup at a time until your favorite texture/flavor is achieved.  Heat just until steaming.  
4. Pour into chocolate-rimmed mugs.  Garnish with a dollop of whipping cream and a sprinkling of chocolate (or heart) sprinkles.  Serve with the yummy cookies below!

Dinner...

Salmon With An Herb Caper Sauce
*recipe from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook
Pretty much the only pink thing I could think of for an entree was salmon.  I am not the biggest salmon fan, but as far as salmon goes, this was a great recipe.  The sauce is delicious!  I wanted to serve beets as a side dish for the color, but I never got around to buying them.  Oh well, maybe you'll get some for your salmon :)
Ingredients:

• 2 lemons
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 2 tbs parsley, minced
• 2 tbs tarragon, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 (1 1/2 to 2 pound) skinless salmon fillet
• 2 tbs capers
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs honey
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cut one lemon into 8-10 slices.  Cut the other lemon into wedges and set aside.
2. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer on the bottom of a 12 inch skillet.
3. Scatter 2 tbs of the shallots over the lemons.  Add the wine and water.
4. Cut the salmon filet into four equal pieces.  Place the filet in the pan skinned side down on top of the lemon slices.  
5. Set the pan over high heat and bring the liquid to a simmer.
6. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the sides of the filets are opaque but the center is still translucent (11-16 minutes).
7. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the salmon and lemon slices to a paper towel lined plate.  Tent loosely with foil.
8. Return the pan to high heat and simmer until the cooking liquid is slightly thickened and reduced to 2 tbs (4-5 min).
9. Meanwhile, combine the remaining shallots, herbs, capers, olive oil, and honey in a medium bowl.  
10. Strain the remaining cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer into the bowl with the herb-caper mixture.  Whisk to combine and season with salt and pepper.
11. Season the salmon with salt and pepper.  Lift the salmon off the lemon slices and place on a plate or platter.  
12. Spoon the vinaigrette over the top and serve with lemon wedges.

Dessert...

Almond Cookies Topped with Raspberries and Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
*recipe from Dwell on Joy
Ingredients:
(makes 3-4 dozen cookies) 
for the almond cookies:

• 1 package of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp flour, plus extra for rolling out dough
• 1/2 cup crushed slivered almonds
• 1/2 tsp pure almond extract

for the brown sugar cream cheese frosting:

• 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 - 8oz packages 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (8tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• red food coloring if you'd like to tint it blush like me   
• 1 container of raspberries, rinsed and patted dry

 Directions: 

1. In a stand mixer, make the sugar cookies according to package directions. Add the crushed almonds and almond extract to the dough and stir until combined. Using flour first to dust your surface, roll the dough out to about 3/4 inch thick.
2. Using a small circle cookie cutter (about 2 inches) dipped in flour, cut out circles. Roll out remaining dough and cut out circles until the dough is used up. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes or until just starting to brown. Cool on pan 2 minutes and then, using a spatula, place on a baking rack to cool completely.
3. While you are baking the cookies, it's time to make the frosting. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl until fluffy. Add the brown sugar, cornstarch, powdered sugar, and vanilla and beat until the frosting is smooth and light. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the frosting at the end if you'd like to make yours blush like mine :) Chill the bowl in the fridge to thicken the frosting, or until the cookies are cooled completely.
4. When the cookies are cool and the frosting is chilled, it's time to assemble your treats! Rinse and pat dry your raspberries and have them handy. Place your frosting into a Ziploc bag and seal it. Clip the corner off of one side of the bottom, and pipe the frosting onto the cookies. Gently smoosh the raspberry into the frosting for the finishing touch!

California Dreamin'

I lived in Los Angeles for a brief time, and sometimes there are things I miss about it.  While there, I noticed that there definitely is a California-style cuisine.  Typically, it's much healthier and fresher than foods you would find in other parts of the country.  This dinner is composed of things that remind me of that style of eating.  Enjoy!

Drink...

California Lemonade
*recipe from: Bar One Drinks
Now, I have to admit, I never drank anything like this while living in California.  Basically, I couldn't think of a drink that represented The Golden State, so I just chose this because it had the name California in it.  I must say though, it was quite good and refreshing.  It would be perfect on one of those hot summer LA days.  But, beware, it packs a punch!
I altered this recipe slightly because I didn't have all the ingredients.  It was great, but I bet it would be even better with the proper ingredients!
Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz. Vodka  
• 1/2 oz. Gin  
• 1/2 oz. Rum (I didn't add this because I didn't have any)
• 1/2 oz. Triple Sec  
• 1/2 oz. Lime Juice  
• 1/2 oz. Grenadine  
• Sour Mix (Lemon Juice, Sugar, Water)

Directions:

1. Make the sour mix by heating 1/4 cup of sugar in 1/4 cup water until it is dissolved.  Then, add 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Stir and let cool.
2. In a shaker add alcohol, lime juice, dash of grenadine and dash of Sour Mix. Shake well and pour into a highball glass with ice. 
3. Fill with Sour Mix and float the remaining grenadine on top (you can add extra grenadine for desired sweetness). 
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry. 

Dinner...

California Grilled Veggie Sandwich
*recipe from: All Recipes.com 
This is an old favorite of mine and in my mind it's a perfect representation of California style cuisine.  All of the ingredients are fresh and come together to make a great sandwich.  I have never actually grilled the vegetables on an outdoor grill (I have grilled them on a Forman Grill, which worked well), but I'm sure if you did grill them outdoors, they would be even better.  It also says to grill the sandwich when it is put together, which I am sure would be extraordinary.  I used to put all my cooked veggies on the sandwich and then grill it with the bread in the George Forman grill.  I really liked doing it this way because it presses the sandwich together and makes it almost like a panini.  I no longer have a Forman Grill, so for this one, I didn't do any cooking of the sandwich after putting it together.  I also used to be able to get a really good foccacia bread from the grocery store with tomatoes and onions on top that went perfectly with the veggies.  Now, I could only find plain foccacia bread.  It still tasted great, but it was definitely a downgrade from the other bread.  If I were you, I'd search around for a fancy foccacia bread!
Ingredients:
(makes 4 servings) 

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1 cup sliced red bell peppers
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 small yellow squash, sliced
• 2 (4-x6-inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese   

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat. (or if you aren't using a grill, prepare a pan of a Forman Grill)
3. Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside.
4. Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. (or press the sandwich in a Forman Grill)  This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don't burn. Remove from grill, and layer with the vegetables.

Dessert...

Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes
*recipe from: Oprah.com
Sprinkles bakery originated in Beverly Hills, California and is considered to be the first cupcake bakery.  I love a good cupcake and have tried them from a wide variety of bakeries.  Sprinkles is one of my favorites for it's simplicity, freshness, and just the right amount of sweetness.  These cupcakes were not difficult to make and I was obsessed with them!  They were sooooo good, especially the strawberry frosting.  They would be perfect in the summer when strawberries are in season.  The recipe calls for some frozen strawberries, but I used all fresh and it was great!
Ingredients:
(makes 12 cupcakes)
Cakes: 

• 2/3 cup fresh or frozen whole strawberries (thawed if frozen)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk , room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter , room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg , room temperature
• 2 large egg whites , room temperature 

 Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting: 

• 1/2 cup frozen whole strawberries
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
• pinch coarse salt
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

Directions: 
For the Cakes: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree. Add a few more strawberries if necessary, or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla and strawberry puree; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing. 

For the Strawberry Frosting: 

1. Place strawberries in the bowl of a food processor and puree.  
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners sugar; beat until well combined.
4. Add vanilla and 3 tbs of strawberry puree; mix until just blended.  Do not over mix or frosting will incorporate too much air.  Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy like ice cream.