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sugar

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Go Red!

February 7, 2014

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Happy National Wear Red Day!  The 1st Friday each February is a special day dedicated to bringing attention to the #1 killer of women – heart disease.  Click here to learn more about the Go Red Movement and National Wear Red Day.

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It only felt natural to create a red colored cocktail, and with oranges being good for heart health…. I felt this was the way to go!

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The “Heart” Stuff (like the Hard Stuff… get it?!)

Serves 3-4

  • 3 blood oranges
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 lime
  • 1 oz simple syrup
  • 4 oz vodka
  1. Juice citrus.
  2. Rim glass with lime juice then sugar (with a dash of salt added), if you desire.
  3. Shake juice, simple syrup, and vodka in an ice filled cocktail shaker.
  4. Strain into glasses and enjoy… you’re helping your heart! (kind of 🙂 )

*Inspired by Nerds & Nomsense 

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Sip

Bourbon and Blood Orange Smash

January 31, 2014

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So I’m not a big beer drinker and I don’t think sipping on a super fruity cocktail is going to fly for the big game this Sunday, so I wanted to whip up something that is football friendly yet tastes yummy enough for the ladies… here we go!

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Bourbon and Orange Smash

Serves 4 – Adapted from Real Simple

  • Zest of 1 orange, peeled into strips
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons bitters
  • 12 oz fresh squeezed orange juice (I threw in a couple blood oranges)
  • 12 oz club soda (1 can)
  • 6 oz bourbon
  1. In a large pitcher, muddle orange zest, sugar and bitters with a wooden spoon.
  2. Add orange juice, club soda and bourbon.
  3. Stir and serve!

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* Feel free to make the drink up to 6 hours in advance – just withhold the club soda, and add right before serving!

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Sip

Tom Collins

December 20, 2013

Gin Tom Collins

With the influx of Meyer lemons at my disposal, they have taken center stage in my cooking (can you tell? Lemon Bars, Petrale Sole in Lemon Sauce, Kale Salad with Meyer Lemon Dressing…) AND bar-tending.

Tom Collins

  • 2 oz gin
  • 1 oz Meyer lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup
  • 1 tsp of Marashino or Luxardo Cherry syrup 
  • 1 Luxardo Cherry
  • 1 orange slice 

Mix gin, juice and syrup in an ice filled cocktail shaker.  Strain into an ice filled glass and stir in some cherry syrup and garnish with a cherry and orange slice!

Cocktail Pour Marashino syrup will result in a more pink colored drink, but the Luxardo syrup is just as a tasty!

Cheers!

Cocktail Shaker

Tasty

Meyer Lemon Bars

December 18, 2013

Meyer Lemon Bar Unedited

The first day we toured our home we noticed there was a Meyer lemon tree in the back yard… I made a mental note that day to make lemon squares, and two years later, I still have yet to do so.  With the recent turn in weather, my poor little tree is having a tough time, so I have been trying to pick as many lemons (that haven’t fallen victim to frost) and whip up some special treats – namely Meyer Lemon Bars!

Meyer Lemon Bars

via Dinnervine

Crust: 

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

Filling: 

  • 7 tablespoons freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
  • 7 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease & flour a 13×9 glass pan.
  2. Make crust by combining dry ingredients, then cut in softened butter with your hands or a pastry cutter until well incorporated.
  3. Press crust mixture into bottom of 13×9 pan (I used a bottom of a glass to make sure it was evenly pressed).
  4. Bake crust for 20 minutes until golden brown.
  5. Make filling by whisking all listed ingredients (the fresher the juice/zest the better!)
  6. When crust is done, remove from oven and pour filling mixture over crust and bake for 25 more minutes or until filling has set.
  7. Remove from oven, let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
  8. Cover and transfer to fridge.   Once chilled cut bars and serve.

Aerial Lemon Dessert

These were quite the hit… and the perfect make ahead dessert!

Meyer Lemon Squares

Tasty

Birthday Cake

September 25, 2013

Birthday CakeI finally checked the second “Summer To Do List” item off my list – bake a layer cake!  I used to bake super involved cakes when I was younger, but found it difficult to find the time as I got older.  I really enjoy the process… it’s therapeutic to me.  So when I found my sister was coming into town to celebrate her birthday, I figured when better than now to break out my apron!?

Vanilla CakeAfter many debate about which direction to go in, I decided to create what I deemed a “princess cake.” Basically something your 6 year old self would get a kick out of – vanilla cake, sprinkles, pale pink butter cream frosting… the works!

I doubled this recipe and started with A LOT of eggs, A LOT of butter and A LOT of sugar.  I got to stirring, whipping and baking and after a few hours had 3 relatively flat layers to work with (remember to use a large serrated knife or cake knife to slice off the top of the cake to get an even/flat surface when stacking layers).  Another tip: use a small amount of frosting to ice your cake initially and let “dry” (as shown in the pictures above).  Doing this keeps any crumbs from getting into your final frosting layer.

SprinklesI only used a couple drops of red food coloring to achieve the pale pink color.  I frosted the top and then finished with colored sprinkles.  Next I frosted the edges with a spatula (my kitchen is not fully equipped yet!) and then piped around the edges (let’s be honest it was to hide any issues with the “seams”/edges).

I added a few colored candles and we were all set for happy birthday!

Taylor BirthdayHappy birthday Ta!!