Green Gin Cocktail

recipe courtesy Sunset Magazine

Green Gin Cocktail

1/4 cup parsley leaves

1/4 cup mint leaves

1/3 cup gin

2 tablespoons Celery Simple Syrup

1 cup cold club soda

Small celery stalks and mint sprigs

Using a wooden spoon or muddler, vigorously bruise parsley and mint leaves with gin in a cocktail shaker (or use a mortar and pestle, then scrape into shaker). Add simple syrup and strain into 2 small ice-filled glasses. Pour 1/2 cup club soda into each and stir. Garnish glasses with celery stalks and mint sprigs.  Serves 2.

Cucumber Cape Codder

recipe courtesy Martha Stewart Living

 Cucumber Cape Codder

1 cup sugar

2 cups grated English cucumber (about 1 cucumber), plus cucumber wedges, for garnish

9 ounces vodka, chilled

12 ounces cranberry juice (no sugar added)

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)

Ice, for serving

Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a small pot. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in grated cucumber, and let cool. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl or large glass measuring cup, and discard solids (you should have 2 cups syrup). Cucumber syrup can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Combine cucumber syrup, vodka, and cranberry and lime juices in a 2-quart pitcher. Cocktail can be refrigerated up to 8 hours. Serve over ice, and garnish with cucumber wedges. Serves 6.

Lemon-Thyme Pimm's Cooler

recipe courtesy Sunset Magazine

Lemon-Thyme Pimm's Cooler

1/4 cup Pimm's No. 1

1/3 cup Lemon-Thyme Simple Syrup*

5 to 6 tbsp. lemon juice

Lemon twists

Thyme sprigs

Combine Pimm's, syrup, lemon juice to taste, and 2/3 cup water in a small pitcher. Divide between 2 ice-filled tumblers. Wrap lemon twists around thyme sprigs and garnish glasses.

*Lemon-Thyme Simple Syrup

3/4 cup sugar
4 (4-in.) thyme sprigs
4 slices lemon

Stir together sugar, 3/4 cup water, the thyme, and lemon in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. When the first bubbles appear, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently 5 minutes. Let cool, then strain. Keeps up to 1 week, chilled.

Bourbon Candied Cherries

Use these in a Maker's Mark Manhattan??  Mmmm

recipe courtesy Cooking Light Magazine

Bourbon Candied Cherries

1 1/2 pounds fresh Bing cherries with stems

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh lime juice 

1/4 cup water

1 cup bourbon or rye whiskey

Place the cherries in a medium glass bowl or large jar. Combine sugar, juice, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook for 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add 1 cup bourbon; bring just to a boil. Pour the hot bourbon mixture over cherries. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 days before serving.  Serves 12 (about 5 cherries and 2 tbsp liquid each).

*Note:  Serve the cherries as a fun party nibble, or use in cocktails. Don't toss the soaking liquid--stir it into cocktails, or drizzle over ice cream or pound cake. The cherries taste best after soaking at least three days and they will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Watermelon Daiquiri

recipe courtesy Sunset Magazine

Watermelon Daiquiri:

2 c. chopped watermelon

6 tbsp light rum

2 tsp sugar

1/4 c. lime juice

pinch of lime zest

Puree watermelon and strain.  Mix watermelon juice with remaining ingredients in a large cocktail shaker filled with ice.  Cover, shake, and strain into 2 small tumblers.  Garnish with watermelon slices.  Serves 2.

Tangerine Iced Tea

recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Tangerine Iced Tea:

2 qts. prepared iced tea (Lipton's Cold Brew)

1 1/2 c. simple syrup

4 c. fresh tangerine juice

ice cubes

tangerine slices and mint sprigs (for garnish)

Prepare simple syrup; let cool, set aside.

Prepare cold brew iced tea according to directions in a pitcher and set aside.

Juice tangerines and add juice to iced tea pitcher.  Add cooled simple syrup and stir.  Refrigerate until chilled.

Serve over ice; add tangerine slices and mint sprigs.  Makes 1 pitcher.

Tip:  Turn it into a cocktail by adding 1 part vodka, 1/2 triple sec, 1/2 amaretto, 3 parts tangerine tea.  

Sara's Tangerine Icedtini

Maker's Mark Manhattan

Maker's Mark Manhattan Ingredients:

2 parts Maker's Mark

1 part sweet Vermouth

1-2 dashes Angostura bitters

maraschino cherries

ice

In a cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, vermouth and bitters.  Add ice and shake about 10 times.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with cherries.

Rosemary Lemontini

recipe courtesy of makinglifedelicious.com

Rosemary Lemontini Ingredients:

2 parts vodka
1 part lemon juice, freshly squeezed and strained
1 part simple syrup (sugar and water combination)
rosemary sprig
lemon peel and rosemary sprig, for garnish
crushed ice

Add first 4 ingredients together in a cocktail shaker.  Fill the shaker with ice and shake about 20-30 times to help release rosemary oils.   Strain the drink into a martini glass garnished with a lemon peel and rosemary sprig.

Rosemary Lemonade with Blueberries

recipe courtesy of whiteonricecouple.com and dashofeast.com

Rosemary Lemonade with Blueberries Ingredients:

1/2 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 c. simple syrup (sugar and water combination)

4 c. water

fresh blueberries and rosemary sprigs for garnish

To make simple syrup, bring equal parts sugar and water to a boil.  Remove from heat and cool completely.

Combine, lemon juice, simple syrup and water in a pitcher.  Pour lemonade over ice and serve with a sprig of rosemary and a handful of blueberries.

Memorial Day Grilling

With such beautiful weather this past weekend, my goal was to make a meal that allowed us to spend some time outside.  Starting with a pineapple-black bean guacamole and sparkling basil lemonade we kicked off our afternoon just right.  Then, we ended our evening with a mesquite skirt steak with corn and potato salad;  just the right amount of smoke and the perfect amount of flavor. Yum!

All recipes courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

Pineapple-Black Bean Guacamole

2 medium avocados, halved, seeded, and peeled

1/4 cup bottled green salsa (salsa verde)

1 tablespoon sour cream

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple or canned crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and minced*

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

Fresh cilantro (optional)

Tortilla chips (optional)

In a large bowl mash avocados. Stir in salsa and sour cream until combined. Stir in pineapple, beans, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt, and cumin. Cover and chill for 2 hours or until ready to serve. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. If desired, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.

Sparkling Basil Lemonade

 Sparkling Basil Lemonade Ingredients:

2 c. water

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. fresh basil leaves

1 liter club soda, chilled

1 cup fresh lemon juice

1 fresh jalapeno, sliced

fresh basil leaves (for garnish)

Yields: 8 (8oz.) servings

For basil syrup, in large saucepan combine water, sugar and basil leaves. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Strain and discard leaves. Cover and chill syrup for 2-24 hours.

For lemonade, in a pitcher, combine chilled syrup, club soda and lemon juice. Serve over ice and garnish with jalapeno slices and fresh basil leaves.

For an added twist:  try adding 1.5 oz. (one shot glass) of your favorite gin to each serving. Delicious!

Corn and Potato Salad

Corn and Potato Salad Ingredients:

1 lb. small red potatoes, scrubbed

2 ears fresh corn, husked

1 ripe Hass avocado, diced

4 medium radishes, thinly sliced

1/4 c. cilantro leaves, diced

2 scallions (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, cover whole potatoes with lightly salted water.  Bring to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and cook potatoes until tender (about 20 minutes).  Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.  Cut each potato into quarters and transfer to a medium bowl.  Refrigerate to cool.

Grill corn on charcoal grill until kernels are brown all over, about 8-10 minutes, turning often.  Remove from grill and let cool.  Cut kernels from cobs and add to bowl with potatoes, along with avocado, radishes, scallions and cilantro.

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, minced chipotle pepper and garlic.  Gradually whisk in the oil. Pour over the potato mixture and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mesquite Skirt Steak

 Mesquite Skirt Steak Ingredients:


2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
1 3/4 lbs skirt or flank steak
1-1 1/2 c. mesquite wood chips, soaked in water at least 30 minutes
whole what tortillas (optional)
Yields:  4 servings

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for steak.  Spread paste on both sides of steak.  Set aside at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before cooking.

Drain and add wood chips to charcoal grill.  Cook steaks over direct high heat, until desired doneness (about 4-6 minutes for medium rare), turning once or twice.  Remove from grill and let rest for 3-5 minutes.  


Cut the steaks across the grain to 1/2 in. thick slices.  Serve immediately with the salad and warm tortillas.

Mesquite Skirt Steak with Corn and Potato Salad