Wine & Cheese Please

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you may know two of my favorite things are appetizers & cocktails. Put them together, along with friends & family, & I am just a very happy girl.

When my BF Tam came over to kick off the 4th I concocted this cocktail because it would be nice to sip by the pool. Straight wine in the sun just doesn't do it for me & I wanted something a little snazzier than beer.

I started cutting my wine with club soda a long time ago to cut down on calories & it became a habit but it's nice to use something other than club now & again. The addition of a green tea gives me antioxidants I don't get from white wine, only red.

White Wine Green Tea Spritzer

White wine
Diet Green Tea
Fruit
Diet Ginger Ale, diet 7up or club soda for a little extra bubbly

The ratio on the wine, tea & soda is about 3 to 1 to 1. Combine & serve cold.

{Food for Thought}

I used Canada Dry's new Sparkling Ginger Ale with Green Tea "loaded with antioxidants" but what they don't tell you is how much sugar is in it. So, until they come out with a diet version I am sticking with other diet green teas. Another idea is to buy some peach green tea bags, steep, let cool, then add to the wine.

Lastly, this appetizer was quick to make & a lighter alternative for when you're spending an afternoon by the pool. A little blue cheese goes a long way so not much is needed, therefore, not a lot of fat. The catch is I don't remember the exact measurements. Just play with it & have fun. We all agreed when I made this for my parents that you can only eat a few & they're not something you want to keep munching on.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Pears Wrapped in Prosciutto

Pears, cored & sliced
Small container crumbled Blue cheese (won't use all)
Non-fat yogurt (8oz but won't use all)
Prosciutto, sliced thin, cut into strips

Combine blue cheese & yogurt. Should be thick enough to smear onto the pear slices. Wrap with a slice of prosciutto. Serve immediately.

Click Here for Recipes

{Happy Weekend Everyone!}

Mexican Mojito

I discovered this drink last June at a restaurant on the way home from vacationing in Destin, FL. A day I'll never forget......it's THAT good.

5-6 mint leaves, torn up

Half of one key lime (cut into 2 wedges) or 2 regular lime wedges

3/4 oz 1800 Silver Tequila

3/4 oz Cointreau

1 oz Sweet & Sour Mix (we use Mr. & Mrs. T)

1/2 oz Agave Nectar Syrup (I find this in my organic section at Publix)

2 oz club soda

In the glass you will be sipping from, place your torn mint leaves. Squeeze the juice from your limes into the glass & then drop limes in. Take a muddler or back of spoon & gently smash the mint & limes together. This will release the oils from the mint as well as the lime rind. Fill glass halfway with crushed ice.

In a cocktail shaker with ice (just to make the alcohol cold) add your tequila, cointreau, sour mix & agave. Be precise with your measurements. Shake well, strain ice & pour into glass. Top off with the club soda. Makes one approximate 8 oz drink. 

Quadrupling the recipe can give you (2) 16oz drinks. Your glass will look like this before topping off with club soda.

{My Thoughts}

Precision is important with a drink like this so you want to make sure you have the 3/4 oz & 1/2 0z measurements. We bought a jigger for this purpose. Make one drink first & then adjust to your tastes. As for the agave syrup, it can be pricey but it's worth it. It's popping up everywhere as an alternative to sugar. It's great when used in smoothies so it won't go to waste!

If you're making more than one drink at a time, just do it the same way but double up accordingly in the cocktail shaker & then pour into each glass. I just highly recommend muddling the lime & mint into the glass you will be sipping from. I also recommend topping that glass off with the club soda rather than mixing it with the other ingredients in the shaker.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

Girl Time & Pomegranate Mimosas - Wordful Wednesday

Girl time - we all need it!!!!! Last week, both my best friend Tammy & I were a bit stressed & needed to get together. Honestly, I have been in a major funk for the past 2 weeks & am just starting to slowly get myself out, or at least I hope. 

What helps is a lovely evening with a best friend! I am so fortunate Tammy lives just a couple of miles away. So, she came over in her PJ's which fit right in with my attire, something probably from the day before, with the way life has been lately, & we shared a few appetizers, including the flatbread & shrimp veggie wontons, as well as a new cocktail.

The wonderful people over at POM Wonderful sent me a complementary case of their all natural pomegranate juice. It came a few hours before Tammy was coming & since I forgot to buy the white wine for the sangria I planned to make, the pomegranate juice came in handy.

Say hello to my little friend, the POM Mimosa. All you need is: 

1/2 oz. freshly squeezed pomegranate juice or POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
1 glass of dry champagne
1/2 oz. Cointreau

Pour champagne into a champagne flute. Add pomegranate juice & float the Cointreau on top. If you don't have Cointreau then orange juice may be a nice addition. Go visit POM Wonderful for other great recipes!

Do I need to mention we polished off the entire bottle of champagne???

Tammy also got a little play time in with Nash & has since got a little doggie herself!

Here's to friends. Happy Valentine's Day to all of you. The time I spend with you each day is Girl Time too & I need it!

Brought to you by Angie & Wordful Wednesdays from:

JOY & Hot Apple Cider with Rum

It's official. I am feeling a charge of positive energy during my favorite time of year. The adrenalive IV with a nice caffeinated Christmas Blend is dripping away & I am looking forward to celebrating HIS birthday with the people I love most. It's a celebration & I have not forgotten the true meaning of why we do all of this.

And just as in the other times of year when I am preparing to eat & drink merrily with those around me, I get excited about the little things that make celebrating all the more JOYful!

In the midst of mopping, deep cleaning, grocery list modifying & creating a timeline for my dinner preparation, I stopped for a few minutes last night to do just that, STOP, & then let the creative juices flow.

I originally bought these jars for chocolate sauce but I ruined the lids, which contained a plastic ring, when I put them in boiling water to sterilize. Oops. So, I just glued on a sticker of Joy, tied on a little ribbon, added water & a tea light. These will be perfect for a fun dessert table Christmas evening.

Because I feel like I have been slacking in the actual food department here, I wanted to make up for it. And since sharing a recipe for pork in a crockpot hardly feels festive, here is a recipe for Hot Apple Cider with Rum that I have made in Christmas past. It's delicious and the rum is optional! For me, not so much....

HOT APPLE CIDER WITH RUM

1 apple
2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 orange, thinly sliced
2 quarts apple cider
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon allspice
Pinch grated nutmeg
1 cup dark rum
Cinnamon sticks, garnish

Stud the apple with the cloves. In a medium pot, combine the studded apple and remaining ingredients except the rum. Slowly bring to a simmer over low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the rum. Discard the apple. Ladle into mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick. Serve immediately.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

For More Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays please visit Lisa at Blessed with Grace

A Little Sweetness

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMMY!!!!!

Go give her some birthday wishes!

That's what this weekend was, sweet! It was balanced & it was lovely, not to mention the weather is just so invigorating here in FL right now. The Christmas show at the church was nothing short of spectacular. A real heartfelt reminder of the reason for this season. And while Tristan played with an old friend on his playdate, I made a new one! We have known Angel & his mom Tanya for awhile but this was the first time we got together, just the 4 of us, & it was a wonderful thing!!

So, to celebrate all the sweetness here is some banana bread I made Saturday morning. I found this recipe from Emeril where he had 188 reviews & a 5 star rating so I was intrigued. It had a great banana taste without it being too sweet! Perfect for breakfast or snack. Everyone loved it.

BANANA BREAD

10 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter. Puree the bananas, sour cream, eggs & vanilla in a bowl using a mixer. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder & salt into another bowl. Add the remaining 10 tablespoons butter & mix on medium-low speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture in 3 batches, scraping the sides of the bowl & mixing on medium speed between each addition. Fold in the nuts.

Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until lightly browned & bread bounces back to the touch, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove from the oven & cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool completely.

My Thoughts:

I made this in a bundt pan for looks & it only took 35-38 minutes. I question the time above, even for a loaf pan, so keep checking after 40 minutes if you're using one. I also sprinkled mine with a little confectioners sugar for presentation.

Click Here to Print Recipe

I also made this sangria for our playdate because I know Tanya loves red wine. We noshed on a couple of appetizers, watched the boys play in the bounce house, & sipped our sangria as we constantly digressed from one thing to another. A sign of a great conversation. Like the banana bread, this had the perfect amount of sweetness without going overboard!

RED WINE SANGRIA

1 orange, sliced
1 orange, juiced
1 lemon, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec
750 ml Red Wine

In a pitcher, combine the sliced orange, sliced lemon & sugar. Mash gently until sugar is slightly dissolved. Add orange juice, Cointreau & red wine. Mix well & let sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, pour over ice & garnish with a lemon or orange slice. Or top off with some club soda for a little spritzer.

My Thoughts:





I used Carlo Rossi Burgundy for this recipe. For a cheap wine, we enjoy it very much so it goes to show that expensive wine isn't always better. You can add any fruit you like to this sangria. All you need is a friend to sip it with & enjoy!

Click Here to Print Recipe

An Apple a Day, Right?

This morning, my angel Tristan shouts out "Mommy, everybody wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to go now." I laugh & smile because I hear Kenny's video playing that song. That's right, baby, that's right.

So, until then, here's some heaven right here on earth. 2 apple-y recipes today! I made these Apple & Thyme Martinis, from Giada, for my parents when they came over on Sunday. My Dad was good at one but Mom & I had a couple. They are very unique & I loved the earthiness to it from the thyme. I should call these Apple & Thyme Will Tell because we couldn't stop gabbing.

APPLE & THYME MARTINIS

Ice
10 ounces vodka
6 ounces apple juice
1/4 cup thyme syrup, recipe follows
1 large apple, peeled
4 fresh thyme sprigs

Fill a shaker with ice. Combine the vodka, apple juice & thyme syrup. Pour over ice & shake for about 10 seconds. Divide between the 4 chilled martini glasses. Use the melon baller to scoop out small balls of apple. Place 3 balls of apple & 1 sprig of thyme in each glass for garnish. Serve immediately.

Thyme Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
5 large sprigs fresh thyme

In a saucepan combine sugar, water, and thyme over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and cool the syrup. Any extra cooled syrup can be saved in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Click Here for Printable Recipe

GRILLED APPLES WITH BACON & CHEDDAR

My best friend Tammy, who I am so blessed to have living a couple miles away, told me about these cute little things from Rachel Ray. I told her to make them first & let me know. She brought me some & I LOVED them. The sweetness of the apple with the saltiness of the bacon coupled with the savory cheese is a beautiful wake up call to the tastebuds. You must try these. The kids might love 'em too!

3 large, firm apples, such as gala, cored & sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
Juice of 1 lemon
1 pound bacon
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 bunch scallions, green parts only, chopped

Preheat a grill or grill pan. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the apples & lemon juice.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then coarsely chop.Grill the apple slices until grill marks form on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip & top each slice with bacon, cheese & scallions. Cover & grill until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

To reheat leftovers, I suggest microwaving for a few seconds just to get the chill out from fridge, then placing under broiler until browned & sizzling.

Next time I may thinly slice cheddar from the cheese blocks sold in the supermarket, just for easier handling.

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Martini Wishes for Tammy

I had my girlfriend & fellow foodie Tammy come over last night. She's going through a difficult time right now so it was an emotional visit but we managed to get some good bites in, a little bit of laughter & a whole lotta Grey Goose.

We started out with the normal Vodka & Tonics as we snacked on some sushi I picked up on the way home, as well as some pita chips & hummus. But as the night was drawing to a close we had a new dessert cocktail I threw together, to go with the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies I made.















Tammy enjoying what I am calling the Choco-Coco Martini. Recipe below.

Now, I am taking a BIG RISK & may get disqualified from the Martini Party competition over at Molly's, who once told me to "slowly step away from the Stirrings" martini mixes but I was in the mood for something different & picked up something on the fly.
















I find most chocolate martinis to be too sweet so I picked up some coconut water (in the mixed drinks aisle) & used it with the chocolate martini mix. The result: very enjoyable, one is perfect & not overly sweet. Use of coconut or another flavoring you like was ideal!!!

CHOCO-COCO MARTINI

1 part Grey Goose Vodka
1 part Stirrings Chocolate Martini Mix
1 part Coconut Water (comes in a can)

Mix all in a cocktail shaker over ice. Strain and fill your martini glass. Enjoy, while talking about how things will get better, how I'll be right here for you, how you will be strong & get through, & how much I love you !!! Oh sorry............this one's for you Tammy!!!!

THE Mexican Mojito

THE STORY: Below the recipe
THE MORAL OF THE STORY IN CASE YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THE STORY: Must Try
THE RECIPE: Right Here Baby

The following makes a single drink:

5-6 mint leaves, torn up (Use 6 if you like mint)
2 lime wedges or half of one key lime (cut into 2 wedges)
3/4 oz 1800 Silver Tequila
3/4 oz Cointreau
1 oz Sweet & Sour Mix (we use Mr. & Mrs. T)
1/2 oz Agave Nectar Syrup (I find this in my organic section at Publix)
2 oz club soda

In the glass you will be sipping from, place your torn mint leaves. Squeeze the juice from your limes into the glass and then drop limes in. Take a muddler or back of spoon and gently smash the mint and limes together. This will release the oils from the mint as well as the lime rind. Fill glass halfway with crushed ice.

In a cocktail shaker with ice (just to make the alcohol cold) add your tequila, cointreau, sour mix and agave. Shake well, strain ice and pour into glass. Top off with the club soda. Stir and enjoy.

If you're making more than one drink at a time, just do it the same way but double up accordingly in the cocktail shaker and then pour into each glass. I just highly recommend muddling the lime and mint into the glass you will be sipping from. I also recommend topping that glass off with the club soda rather than mixing it with the other ingredients in the shaker.

I urge you to try this, especially since Terry & I worked so hard to bring it to you. If you try it, write me and let me know how it turns out and I will send you something Mojito-ish.


Muddler for the Gentle Smashing of Lime and Mint


This one pictured would have 3/4 oz on one side and 1 1/2 oz on the other. The one we bought was a multi jigger so just one side had all the ounces

THE STORY: I don't pass on a recipe unless it's tried & true and this one has been TRIED!!! We met the Mexican Mojito on our drive home from vacation. It was June 11, a day I will never forget....ok, ok....so it was at a chain Mexican restaurant, On the Border, in Gainesville. I don't usually do chain Mexican since we are 1-2x a week regulars at a genuine one a couple of miles from the house but this one was outstanding. I ordered a mojito because I was thirsty. Well, it was delicious and even Terry loved it.

So, we ask for the recipe, they gave it up, we tried it. Couldn't duplicate. Tried it again. Failure. A little too sour, a little too sweet. We knew the ingredients were probably just not balanced precisely enough. After all, they called for 3/4 oz of this and 3/4 oz of that and eyeballing was just not good enough. A week later after many attempts, Terry stopped by the restaurant and got the skinny, and a mojito. They confirmed not only the measurements but that we indeed needed to be precise with this drink & the best way to do that was with a jigger, pictured above. It measures liquids on the 1/2 and 1/4 ounces. Even the best of bartenders use jiggers, they said.

We also needed to make sure we were releasing all the mint & lime oil by using a muddler. That I knew. So naturally, we bought a jigger & a muddler. This weekend, waiting for jigger, but with muddler in hand, we had a brilliant idea to quadruple the recipe thereby turning 3/4oz into 3oz. Lo and behold, we were reunited with the Mexican Mojito. Pure perfection. Funny thing - as Terry & I were sipping on this refreshing & minty concoction, the jigger shows up in the mail. It will and has been used but quadrupling seems so much more intoxicatingsensible. We are also pretty convinced that the way in which you do this matters.
all like Yeah and high fiving eachother
fabricated a reason to drive the 1 1/2 hrs all the way back to the restaurant, something about having to visit one of his hospitals and make a sale
in the mood and needed some alcohol to escape my depression because vacation is over

White Wine Sangria

This recipe comes from Bobby Flay. I've been making it for my sister's annual wine tasting party (which is responsible for the good times of over 60 people) for the past few years. First year, everyone kept asking who made this, who made this? Now, everyone knows. I quadruple the amount to make about 3 gallons for the party and it all goes. This year, my sister even mentioned it in her invitation. Whoah baby, it's famous!!! Just don't ask me how I transport 3 gals from Orlando to Liquordale, I mean Lauderdale.

2 bottles of dry white wine **
3/4 cup brandy
1/2 cup triple sec
3/4 cup simple syrup ( equal amounts sugar and water heated until dissolved)
1 cup peach nectar
A bunch of fruit you like - I use a carton of strawberries, sliced thick like little hearts, lemons and oranges both sliced in rounds, and once I tried cantaloupe which was very good. I also use green apples. The colors look very nice.

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours or up to 2 days. You can serve over ice.

** For the first couple of years I was buying $8 bottles of wines but this got expensive with the amount I make so this past year I actually bought the big jugs of wine by Carlo Rossi, the name is Rhine white wine. It was a fraction of the price and everyone enjoyed it as much as before. I didn't have a problem taking a risk here because my hubby who has expensive taste in everything else will ONLY drink the Burgundy red wine by Carlo Rossi in the big jug. He loves it.

We finally found a perfect 3 gal tub to fit the wine but this year I may have to get one of these. I found the picture on a fellow blogger's site and loved it. I found out there is one at Sam's Club. How pretty does this look?

Vodka Espresso Cocktail

This is a wonderful after dinner martini. One is perfect, alright, maybe two! I made this for my parents one night & when they called me the next day to thank me for a great evening my dad just laughed at how he was up all night. I immediately thought of the effect they may have had on my Mom. Whoah TMI Dad, but turns out it was just the caffeine that kept him awake!

1 oz premium vodka
1 oz cold espresso (I buy mine at Starbucks and just refrigerate it)
1/2 oz Tia Maria
1/2 oz Kahlua

Pour ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. This makes one drink.