Summertime Cocktails

I love an ice cold beer or glass of chilled white wine in the summertime, but sometimes you wanna have a great cocktail. I found these great recipes for cocktails that I think would be really great for any summer get together:

First, a French Margarita:

The addition of the chambord is a nice touch. I love margaritas on the rocks too. Love the berry garnish.


Here is more of a dessert cocktail...a Key Lime Freeze. The graham cracker rim is a nice touch:



Here is a Red Wine Sangria. I love sangria!!


This Limon Crush sounds yummy:


This Coconut Caipirinha sounds so refreshing:


Hmm...what should I have tonight? :)

Show Me Your Mussels

I am convinced that Friday nights are the best nights to entertain...they force you to be casual, impromptu, no preplanning, just "hey let's get together and make a feast" kind of nights. You can have a few drinks, and still have Saturday and Sunday to recover, which in my mind is a VERY good thing! :)

My friend Kristy came over and we started to cook. But first a cocktail break...

This is the Peach Basil Martini:





This is a great cocktail that we all enjoyed...a great summer drink that you should try! :)









But I digress...this post is all about the Mussels!

On our way home from work, we stopped at the market to pick up something to make for dinner. We wanted some shrimp, then I noticed the mussels...they were on sale...so I asked Kristy if she had ever cooked them...she said no, so I said...what the heck! We bought a pound each of shrimp and mussels thinking we would just figure it out when we got home.



Fish, shellfish, anykind of fish...I have always been afraid to cook...it isn't cheap, and it is very delicate easily ruined...and that I just couldn't face! :) I love it though! So, I had to start somewhere.

What I didn't realize is fish makes a quick meal...and elegant one, and one that doesn't require lots of planning! I love this.

We found a recipe in the Barefoot in Paris book by Ina Garten...and I just happened to have everything on hand...and off we went to create this FANTASTIC dinner.

Note: This recipe uses all mussels, but we bought 1 lb of shrimp and 1 lb of mussels to make this recipe.

Mussels in White Wine
Barefoot In Paris by Ina Garten
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
3 pounds cultivated mussels
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup chopped shallots (5 to 7 shallots)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
1/2 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes, drained (4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon good saffron threads
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup good white wine
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand.





Drain the mussels, then remove the "beard" from each with your fingers. If they're dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren't tightly shut.

In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, saffron, parsley, thyme, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.



Add the mussels,



stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don't burn on the bottom.



NOTE: at 8 minutes, we added the peeled, deveined shrimp to the pot to cook for the last 3 minutes.

Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.



Isn't this gorgeous? We served it with fresh lemon slices and toasted garlic ciabatta bread to sop up the delicious broth...so good!




This is an impressive dinner. The flavors are out of this world...tastes like a million bucks. This will be a go to recipe for me from now on. It was so simple and easy, and the results to DIE FOR! :) I know I say that a lot, but it is so true...this is a delicious recipe. If you are a virgin shellfish cooker, give this one a try, you won't be sorry!

Spring Fling

I know I live in Florida, and the weather is always warm...but there is something about the spring time...the colors, the flowers, the fresh fruit!



My friends Kristy and Sara came over for Easter so I put together some good eats...first, my simple spring table setting:


Then, Kristy came up with a great cocktail for us. We were in St. Augustine the week before, and had a Cava (Spanish Champagne) Sangria at the Columbia restaurant that was fantastic. Kristy created these tasty drinks for us...

Champagne, fresh fruit, white wine, peach puree, triple sec...Gorgeous and delicious!!

Next food:
Simple spring salad with fresh fruit, arugula, goat cheese, toasted walnuts and balsamic vinagrette:

The main course was a baked ham and a roasted pork tenderloin:

I made a reduction of the pork juices, orange juice, plum cherry jam and balsamic that was fantastic!

This is my new favorite pasta salad for the summer. Roasted garlic oil, orzo, fresh spinach, toasted walnuts, roasted garlic, goat cheese and salt and pepper. I had a salad similar to this at Whole Foods, this time, I added dried cherries for some chewy texture...so simple and delicious!!


Roasted asparagus with parmesan...love roasted veggies...thanks Ina Garten!


For dessert, I made these Espresso Caramel Bars, a recipe by Giada DeLarentis...really good...more like eating a chewy candy bar. I sprinkled the top with flake salt...SO GOOD and decadent. Served them with espressos and lattes.


Hope you are all enjoying your springtime!

Pomtinis

One of my favorite cocktails is a martini (thanks to my dear friend Joan, who showed me how to drink right!) I love a good Pomegranate Martini and when Martha showed this recipe and I had to try it.

The recipe calls for orange peel as garnish, but I used Pomegranate seeds instead. Martha has showed how to remove the seeds from a pomegranate and it works like a charm...this is how you do it:

Score the pomegranate into quarters from end to end, without cutting all the way thru, then stick the knife into one end and pry the fruit open.



Then take one of the pieces and hold it over a bowl like this:



Use a wooden spoon, and whack the back of the fruit, and the seeds will just fall into the bowl:



and there you go, a bowl full of pomegranate seeds, no mess, simple:



Now make the cocktail:

Makes 1 cocktail
1 ounce freshly squeezed pomegranate juice
1 1/2 ounces vodka
1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
Ice cubes
Orange peel, for garnish
Directions

In a cocktail shaker, combine pomegranate juice, vodka, grapefruit juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Twist orange peel over cocktail and add to glass; serve.

I used the seeds and a slice of lime to garnish my drinks:



Aren't they lovely!? Perfect cocktail for your holiday parties! The color is so beautiful!



You can watch a video of the recipe on the Martha site.

Glowing Cocktails

Did you know that Tonic Water glows under black light? According to a few online sources I discovered today, the bitter flavoring of tonic water is due to the presence of quinine, which glows blue-white when placed under a black light.



I think my signature drink for my Halloween party will certainly have a touch of Tonic! And, for those that do not, I plan to make some ice cubes out of Tonic, because, those are supposed to glow too!

I am going to give this a test try and let you know!

Halloween Cocktails

I was on the Midori site today and they had some great ideas for some green cocktails...


This drink will be great in the Magaritaville Machine...which I will have for my party! Yum!


I love champagne...and champagne cocktails even better!


I really love Martinis, and I bet this is a great one!

I think I will print out these pics and use them as recipe cards on my bar...They are so well designed...right from the Midori site!

Chic Jello Shots

Can you believe that these are jello shots? How beautiful are these...I am scouring the web for great ideas for Halloween...I am thinking I can make these with a purple color so they are almost black, or an orange...love the presentation here!



As seen on BRIDES.COM.

Mai Tai Jello Shots

Looking for recipes for my upcoming 4th of July bash, I found this yummy recipe for Jello Shots...but Mai Tai jello shots...sound pretty good. usually, Jello shots are harsh made with Vodka and green jello, yuck...these sound kinda tasty! I might have to give them a try.



Mai Tai Jello Shots
6 oz. Tropical Jello (large box)
16 oz. Boiling Water
2 oz. Light Rum
4 oz. Dark Rum
2 oz. Pineapple Juice

Mix Jello with boiling water until dissolved. Add the rest of the water and the alcohol. Pour the mixture into either shot glasses or paper cups, chill and serve.