Caprese, Caprese, Caprese....

Recently, I was curled up on my sofa, flipping through the pages of my new FoodNetwork magazine, when something gave me pause. I sat there, staring at the picture on the page, in a trance.

The recipe immediately went to the top of the “things to make the next time Ginny visits” list.

Can’t imagine something so dramatic that it would completely monopolize my thoughts? I know, its hard to imagine…..because, you know, that NEVER happens. (you recognize snark when you see it, I hope)

This recipe though, combines two of my favorite things.

Eating….and drinking.

One of the early dishes that I can remember Ginny and I falling in love with as we picked our way down our culinary yellow brick road together, is Caprese Salad. Back then it was a rare sight on restaurant menus and few people I ran into even knew what it was. Gradually it has made its way into the foodie mainstream and has endured countless variations.  While I am still partial to the original, I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you that I couldn’t resist trying this one.

Caprese Martini.

You heard me. MARTINI.

Since I have basil growing on my counter and fresh mozzarella is so much easier to get these days, the bottle of vodka came down from the rack and we indulged.

I will grant you that we made a couple of tiny changes and our picture isn’t anywhere near as gorgeous as the one featured in FoodNetwork, but it certainly was tasty.

Caprese Martini

Ingredients

• 1 pound tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1/2 cups vodka (half of a 750-ml bottle)
• Kosher salt
• 16 grape tomatoes
• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 bunch basil
• 8 small mozzarella balls (bocconcini) – we used the little baby “pearls” and wrapped them in basil leaves
• We also added a dash of lemon juice

Directions

Put the tomato slices in a large glass container or pitcher. Add the vodka (make sure it covers the tomatoes) and a pinch of salt; let infuse 6 to 12 hours at room temperature. Strain the vodka, then chill until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, prick the grape tomatoes with a skewer; toss with the balsamic vinegar in a bowl and marinate 4 hours at room temperature.

Drain the grape tomatoes, reserving the vinegar. Bring the vinegar to a boil in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until syrupy, about 20 minutes; let cool.

For each drink, drizzle some of the balsamic syrup into the bottom of a chilled martini glass. Muddle 2 to 3 basil leaves with a splash of tomato-infused vodka in a cocktail shaker. Add another 1 1/2 ounces tomato-infused vodka and 1 cup ice; shake and strain into the glass. Skewer 2 marinated grape tomatoes, 2 basil leaves and a mozzarella ball on a cocktail pick and set in the martini.

***NOTES: while we did alter the recipe somewhat, it turned out fabulously. Instead of steeping the tomatoes in the vodka, we just muddled some tomatoes and basil in it at the last minute (because really, I don’t plan my martinis 6-12 hours in advance). Also, we didn’t reduce 2 cups of balsamic vinegar to make a syrup. I keep very good balsamic vinegar on hand so we just used some of that instead of  using so much pricey vinegar for a couple of martinis.  So, its not the most photogenic drink in the world, what with the tomato seeds floating at the bottom, and the vodka being a bit murky (who doesn’t love a dirty martini?), but a delicious little taste treat on a hot Sunday afternoon, nonetheless.

Ahhhh..... SAKE!

Ok, so by Sunday, I was starting to get a little punchy. It was, after all, a very busy weekend. You wouldn't know that to look at the pathetically small number of items that have been crossed off my "to-do" list, but I guarantee you, I was moving the whole time

It was actually a long weekend for me, thanks (no-thanks) to a doctor appointment in not-so-nearby Springfield. On the plus side, these appointments always give me some much needed "me" time in one of my favorite shopping stomping grounds. While I didn't get everything done that was on my list while in Springfield, I was more productive the rest of the weekend.

Who knew one person could do so much laundry, wash so many dishes, etc....

The last several weekends have all been busy, but of the other, more demanding variety, involving a number of houseguests, parties, and other activities. And so, I declared this weekend, "MY" weekend. To get things done at home, sure, but also to relax a bit. And that, my friends, almost always involves cocktails.

I've been on a mission lately to wrap up some old projects and long-lost "must try" recipes.

This cocktail hails from 2008. Yes, that's right. Its been on my radar for nearly three years. And the ingredients have also been in my pantry. Not long after seeing this recipe on Deb's blog over at Kahakai Kitchen, I promptly bought the first nice bottle of sake that I laid eyes on during a trip to Whole Foods.

Well, I decided that this weekend was the time to let it shine. And SHINE, it did! This little teaser sent me hurtling back through the years to a drink that I learned how to make with my MEF (most excellent friend), Sylvia, many, many moons ago....that was dubbed....Yuck-a-muck.... or Yok-amock.... who knows how it was supposed to be spelled. All I know is that it was GOOD.

So, girlfriend, this one's for YOU!

Sake Drop

2 parts lemonade

1 part sake

a small pour of Grenadine to garnish (about 1/2 ounce)

Mix lemonade and sake together with ice in a cocktail shaker. Pour into a glass and pour about 1/2 oz of grenadine into drink before serving.

Sweet Tart Martini

About a year ago, I ran across a recipe for a pretty little cocktail called a Sweet Tart Martini. I quickly tucked the recipe away, with plans to shake it up at a later date. The sticking point on this one was that it called for a specialty liqueur that I had a hard time finding, and when I did, I couldn't justify paying the price for a bottle of it when I didn't even know what it tasted like.

Well, fear not, my bloggy friends!

For my recent birthday, I received a gift card to my favorite liquor store in the nearest real city, and it just so happened that it was in the perfect amount to buy this bottle. Normally, I wouldn't have paid the money out of my own pocket for something like this, but hey, when its money you didn't have to begin with? Why not!

Happy Birthday to me, right?

You betcha.

So, while Ginny was visiting last weekend, we made a batch (ok, three batches) of these luscious little cocktails. You know... until we ran out of triple sec.... or we probably would have made more. I am not normally a martini drinker, but these weren't what I would call a typical martini. Sweet.... and tart! We did add a little more lime juice to amp up the "tart" factor. This little drinky-drink went down smooth and left me wanting another. And another. And now I have a whole bottle of the stuff, so I guess I better go buy some more triple sec!

Sweet Tart Martini
1.5 oz. X-Rated fusion

1.5 oz. Triple Sec
1.5 oz. cranberry juice
splash of pineapple juice
squeeze of lime

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour.

Sangria by the Glass

Some days, you just can’t wait to find that one specific ingredient that eludes you. Some days....you just have to improvise. SOME days... you really just need a drink. Now.

Such was the case at my house last night.

Ty and I returned from our adventures in Baltimore on Tuesday night, and since then have been doing nothing but trying to catch up (at work and at home), CLEAN up (you know, since I cleaned the house like a raving lunatic before I left, so the house would be CLEAN when I got back, just to have my husband leave crap EVERYWHERE while I was gone, in a clear effort to drive me to the brink of insanity), and SIGN up (for school, that is. I officially registered Ty for kindergarten yesterday).

And yes, folks, after all that....momma needed a drink.

Not that this should come as a shock to any of you....

You all know how fond I am of my cocktails.

Meanwhile...for a week or so now, I have been hunting one elusive ingredient for the primo cocktail. I read on another blog recently that you can make a “cheater” sangria by mixing one bottle of cheap, dry red wine with a bottle of sparkling lemonade. You know, those nice tall bottles of Italian lemonade that call your name at World Market. Or Whole Foods. Or really, any of the fun places to shop that we....don’t....have....HERE.

I was out of luck and had no plans to go to the city in the near future. I seriously considered bringing a bottle back with me on the plane, but considering that TSA felt the need to manually inspect my luggage not once, but TWICE during my trip, I’m glad I didn’t push my luck. Not that there is anything wrong with packing a bottle of lemonade (or the bottle of Muscat, or the bottle of white balsamic vinegar I already had stashed in my bag, in tightly sealed Ziploc bags), but since the TSA people apparently don’t have opposable thumbs and aren’t able to RE-seal a Ziploc bag once they’ve opened it for inspection....well, let’s just say it was probably for the best that I didn’t have anything else in there that was liable to break and spew sticky, stinky, or otherwise volatile liquids all over my other belongings.

In the famous words of my MEF (WOMAN Marine. That’s right.)

Adapt.

Improvise.

And OVERCOME.

Which I did.

With flair.

See, at any given time, you will find in my freezer, various containers holding lemonade concentrate, orange juice concentrate, and apple juice concentrate. And sometimes others. I buy a can, open it, use what I need, and put the rest in a container for later. I then use these, a spoonful at a time, in marinades, sauces, and pretty much anything else that I feel needs a little blast of flavor.

So, the next time you’ve had a rather exhausting week....and you just need a drink....now....try this.

In a glass, put a heaping spoonful of any combination of the aforementioned frozen drink concentrates.
Then, pour over that a generous helping of cheap, dry red wine.

Mix.....and enjoy.

Repeat as necessary.

Now. I am by no means implying that this is a substitute for the real thing. Having lived in Spain, I have had the real thing, and I’m kind of a stickler for authenticity on this point. I scoff at Sangrias that are sub-par, made with questionable ingredients. So, no, I’m not saying this is REALLY sangria. But, in a pinch, it does hit the spot.

Give it a try...I will ....tonight. Next time maybe I'll actually take a picture to show you....

Easy "Breezy"

It was a long weekend. Short, but yet, looooong....

As in, I didn’t get nearly enough accomplished, but we had our fair share of stress and frustration. My son is tentative by nature and its hard to get him to try new things. So, whenever something comes up that is on his list of “things Ty likes to do” we try and make sure we do them.

For example, we heard that at the county fair last week, there was going to be a fireworks display after the country concert Friday night. Well, Ty loves fireworks, so we left the house late and got there in time to walk around a bit and have a little fun before the fireworks started.

We took him to the creepy guy making balloon animals (badly, I might add), we let him take a couple of runs at the RC race track game on the midway, and then we spotted the pony rides. Ty does enjoy a pony ride, so I considered it well worth the $5 to watch him clinging to the saddle horn on that itty bitty pony for dear life. (Seriously, those were some of the tiniest ponies I have ever seen. The one Ty was on looked like he was WEARING him. But, I digress....)

The little equestrians were about a minute or so into their ride, when suddenly, and completely without warning, the fireworks started.

At which point, the ponies positively WIGGED OUT.

Which proceeded to make the kids FREAK OUT.

And we very nearly had a bad accident. I’m amazed none of the kids got thrown. The guy running the ride did his best to calm the ponies down, I’m assuming his theory was “keep them walking and they’ll be fine”, but he was wrong.

The parents were out there in a heartbeat, walking next to their kiddos, but when Ty started trying to climb me like a baby ‘coon, I told the guy, “Hey, I’ve got to get him off this NOW” he yanked the ponies to a stop and looked visibly relieved when the rest of the parents followed suit and removed their panicked children as well. He said to me, “Wow, they really didn’t give us much warning, did they?” He was clearly less than thrilled with the situation, himself, and considering that we were practically beneath the fireworks, I don’t blame him. There could have been a very serious accident.

So, skittish little boy clinging to his momma, we walked over and tried to turn the fireworks into the fun display they were meant to be.

Instead, we now have two LESS activities that we can do with Ty, since he has now decided he no longer likes ponies OR fireworks. *sigh* I need a drink.

I remembered seeing this in Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything when I was reading his Tequila Sunrise recipe a few weeks ago. I’ve never tried a Seabreeze, but have wanted to since the first time (of many, many times) that I watched the movie French Kiss. "Seabreeze? Does that translate?"

This seemed like a pretty good time to give it a shot. The recipe makes enough for several drinks, but I cut it back to one. Okay, so I did it twice, so, technically, two. But hey, I deserved it. Switch the “cup” measurements to ounces instead and you should be a-okay.Seabreeze (a la Mark Bittman)
¾ cup vodka
1 ½ cups grapefruit juice
1 ½ cups cranberry juice
Lime wedges for garnish

I poured mine over ice and then squeezed the garnish into my drink for some extra punch. Two of these and I was feeling MUCH better about the ponies. And the fireworks. Now I just have to deal with my boy going off to Kindergarten in a few weeks. *sigh* Its always something. Good thing I still have some vodka....

A Girls Night In with Mark Bittman for I Heart Cooking Clubs

When I think of a Girls Night Out, I think of ditching the men, getting Barbie’d out and dancing our butts off in some too-loud bar that I am too old to be seen in.

On the other hand, a Girls Night In is just as fun, without all the sweat, stress, and body contouring foundation garments.

So, when I saw the I Heart Cooking Clubs theme for this week, I knew just the ticket. Cocktails and finger food. And since Ginny was about to come for a visit (yes, I did this recipe weeks ago, knowing about the theme, and just waited to post about it), it was the perfect setting for a Girls Night at the house. I even managed to get the hubs to locate himself elsewhere for the evening, so as not to disrupt our girliness.

So what was on the menu? Well, God bless Mark Bittman, cuz he knows his shrimp. We fired up the grill and skewered some of his Spicy Grilled Shrimp, which we served with grilled tequila pineapple skewers and Mofongo. Mofongo is not a Bittman recipe, but a carryover from Ginny’s recent trip to Puerto Rico that she was itching to try back here in the landlocked Midwest. It is a dish that takes roasted, mashed plantains to a new level.

And since I did say “cocktails” I looked to our buddy Mark again. We sampled a variety of libations, including his Tequila Sunrise (from How to Cook Everything), an old standby from my bartending days.We also had Cherry Margaritas and Lemon Basil Mojitos (a recipe Ginny brought with her that is a lovely blend of Bacardi Limon, our fresh sour mix, club soda, fresh mint, basil and lime).TEQUILA SUNRISE
From Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything

1 cup tequila
Orange juice as needed
Grenadine

Divide the tequila evenly between 4 glasses.
Add orange juice and a few drops of grenadine, as desired.
Mark Bittman's Spicy Grilled Shrimp
From Fish, The Complete Guide to Buying and Cooking, by Mark Bittman
Makes 4 servingsTime: 20 minutes

2 pounds large shrimp
1 large clove garlic
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon wedges
Peel the shrimp (you can butterfly them if you like; just cut along the line of the vein, a little deeper than usual). Mince the garlic with the salt; mix it with the cayenne and paprika, then make it into a paste with the olive oil and lemon juice. Smear the paste all over the shrimp. Start a charcoal or gas grill or preheat the broiler; the fire can be as hot as you like. Grill or broil the shrimp, 2 to 3 minutes per side.Serve immediately or at room temperature, with lemon wedges.Now, clearly, as a former bartender, I didn’t need a recipe for the tequila sunrise, but since there was a rendition of it in Bittman’s HTCE, I thought I’d go ahead and include it here for your reference. What we REALLY did was pour a shot (or so) of good tequila in each glass, then topped that with a orange-pineapple juice blend (since we had a “pineapple” theme going already). Just as a rule of thumb, the proportions should be about 2 to 1. Two parts juice to one part alcohol. Then, very carefully, drizzle a little bit of grenadine around the edges of the drink. As the syrup falls into the glass, it makes the famous “sunrise” effect, as you can see in the picture.

For the shrimp, we actually followed Bittman’s recipe. Although I usually find that I have to supplement the seasonings in his dishes, I was pleasantly surprised to find that these little babies had plenty of oomph just as they were. I couldn’t keep myself from nibbling on the last of these at the end of the evening, even though I was much too full to be eating any more. This would be a fabulous appetizer for any cocktail party!

I have to say, the traditional mojito is not my favorite drink. Apparently, even though I like mint, I don’t care for it in my beverages. However, the Lemon Basil Mojito was a revelation that I look forward to having again and again! Tart and sweet at the same time, it had just the right amount of bite with an herby undertone.

All in all, we had a fabulous Girls Night In! A few cocktails, some tasty treats and a movie or two rounded out the evening perfectly.

Fresh Cherry Margaritas

Occasionally, I find myself with a variety of ingredients or other food items that I need to find a use for. Generally, this happens in the middle or late summer, when I’ve had about all I can stand of tomatoes or other garden produce. But right now, I have an odd combination of ingredients on hand that beg to be utilized.

The first being fresh cherries. When they first come in season, I can’t get enough of them and I gorge myself stupid. That was last week. I still had about a pound of cherries on my kitchen counter threatening to go bad.

The second being agave nectar, left over from the tequila lime bars I made for a co-worker’s birthday yesterday.

Lastly, a bottle of tequila, also leftover from the birthday food, but as I stated in that post, me and Jose went our separate ways in college and haven’t spoken to each other since. So, I was eagerly looking for food-related recipes to help me use this bottle up.

Then, I went through my blog reader yesterday afternoon. And Evil Chef Mom gave me inspiration. And, admittedly, a little bit of drool. See, I had promised the hubs a very labor intensive meal (a la Tyler Florence) that he had discovered on the Food Network last week and it was on the calendar for Monday night. I was going to need a drink....extra bonus? I get to use up some of my forlorn ingredients.

People, I give you....the Fresh Cherry Margarita.Yessir....she’s beautiful. I even happen to have a cocktail shaker I bought years ago and have NEVER. ONCE. USED.

Well, that’s all changed now. I sipped this tasty little concoction last night while cooking a ginormous ribeye for the hubs and it made me so much more mellow about the procedure.
Oh, yeah, and I don’t have to worry about finding any more recipes to use up the tequila....as long as I have cherries, that’s not going to be a problem. AT. ALL.

Fresh Cherry Margaritas

adapted from fine cooking june/july 2010
serves 1

12 fresh sweet cherries, pitted
1 1/2 fl. ounce silver (blanco) tequila
1 fl. ounce fresh lime juice
1/4 fl. ounce Chambord (I didn’t have the Chambord, and I wasn’t about to buy an expensive bottle just for this. I think it would really have take it over the edge, but we’ll save that for next time, now that I know how good they are.)
3/4 fl. ounce agave nectar
1 fresh cherry with stem for garnish
1 wedge of lime, for garnish

Put the cherries in a cocktail shaker and mash them with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon until well crushed, about 1 minute.
Add the tequila, lime juice, agave nectar, Chambord, and eight large ice cubes. Cover the shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
Immediately strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with the cherry and lime wedge.

This cocktail will definitely be seeing a repeat performance in my kitchen - SOON!