this is a page for

Monthly Archives: December 2016

Bourbon Satin

Tonight’s cocktail is an interesting one, but one I think you will like it once you try it. Of course, I have tweaked the standard recipe, but you should expect that by now! Simple and elegant, I find this a beautifully relaxing drink.  Without further ado, let’s get to it… Save Print Bourbon Satin Prep time:  5 mins Total time:  5 mins Serves: 1   Ingredients 3 parts bourbon 1 part coffee liqueur (I used Kahlua) 1 part white creme de cacao 2 parts heavy cream (or half and half) Instructions Chill a martini glass. Add cracked ice cubes to your shaker. Add all ingredients and shake well to cool and incorporate. Strain into chilled martini glass and enjoy! 3…

Spice Cookies

Today’s experiment was with cookies.  No, not the annoying web cookies stored in your browser, but that holiday treat everyone enjoys – at least everyone I know.  I based this recipe on a Lebkuchen recipe, making some slight adjustments. The cookie it produces is a flavor bomb – honey, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, almonds, ginger, vanilla and rum. That’s right, I wrote ‘rum’. I made a simple rum glaze for these warm spiced treats and these cookies could be called chewable Hot Buttered Rum! So preheat that oven, we have family and friends needing these delights! Save Print Spice Cookies Prep time:  10 mins Cook time:  15 mins Total time:  25 mins Serves: 60   Ingredients 1½ cups…

Veal Picatta

Tonight I decided to enjoy a little splurge and make veal picatta. Wonderfully rich and flavorful, this dish is really simple to make as well. And don’t worry if you don’t like veal – this dish is fabulous with thinly sliced chicken breast.  When paired with farfalle pasta and Roasted Parmesan Broccoli, it is an elegant meal that requires a little effort and timing.  Let’s get to it, shall we? Save Print Veal Picatta Prep time:  15 mins Cook time:  10 mins Total time:  25 mins Serves: 1   Ingredients 6 oz veal, thinly sliced or pounded to ¼ inch thick 2 tbsp all purpose flour 2 tbsp butter, divided 1 tbsp olive oil ½ shallot, diced (approximately…

Roasted Parmesan Broccoli

Here’s a quick, delicious way to prepare broccoli, that pairs perfectly with Veal or Chicken Picatta (and I’m sure other dishes as well!). The simplicity of this dish is in roasting the broccoli at a high heat, producing tasty caramelization. Adding the parmesan after roasting keeps the cheese from potentially burning, yet still melts nicely from the residual heat. I think it is time to roast some broccoli, don’t you? Save Print Roasted Parmesan Broccoli Prep time:  5 mins Cook time:  20 mins Total time:  25 mins Serves: 1   Ingredients 6 – 8 oz broccoli flowerets and sectioned stems (bite size). 2 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional) salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp…

Beef Stir Fry with Oyster Sauce

Here is a picture post of my recent Beef Stir Fry with Oyster Sauce made using slight changes to the Spicy Beef Noodles with Asparagus recipe.  I simply switched out the Tom Yum paste for a combination of 2 tablespoons of Oyster Sauce, 2 teaspoons of Fish Sauce, and 2 teaspoons of Seasoning Sauce while using 4 oz of plain Chuka Soba noodles instead of the Fortune Hot and Spicy Noodles. I started with these ingredients… and ended with this meal! Yum!     Save Save…

Würstchen und Bratkartofflen

Ok… I know you read the title and went ‘Huh?’, right? Well today for lunch I gave homage to a tasty childhood meal – wieners and fried potatoes. I think the wieners available locally that taste closest to what I enjoyed (and remember) as a child are Bavarian Meats wieners. Preparation of the wieners is simple – just heat in hot water for 10 minutes (not boiling, you don’t want the casing to break!) and serve with mustard, horseradish, sauerkraut or on a bun. The fried potatoes are simple too. I like mine with skins, so I clean the potatoes well, slice using my mandolin for uniform thickness, and just pan fry over medium heat in a tablespoon each of vegetable oil and…

Lobster and Pancetta Macaroni and Cheese

Remember when I teased a few weeks back about experimenting with a macaroni and cheese recipe?  Well, today I am going to share the results of the latest effort. I shared the results with a group of friends and it received overwhelming positive comments (i.e. everyone raved about it!). This recipe takes a little bit of effort, but then sometimes you have to make the effort to get the optimal results. I thinks this recipe could be augmented with additional lobster in larger chunks if desired where I opted for smaller pieces more likely to be in every bite. Either way you decide to make it, I suggest just making it!  Let’s fire up a burner or two and get the oven hot, it&#8217…

Rob Roy

Happy first Friday of December!  We have all woken up from our Thanksgiving food comas and are ready to celebrate the holidays with verve. I am sure most of you are busy with holiday parties and gatherings throughout this month, but let’s not forget sometimes we need to treat ourselves. This cocktail is one I consider a simple treat I particularly enjoy when I want to relax at home with some jazz and a cigar.  Once again, I have twisted the general recipe… and I hope you all enjoy it any way you find pleasurable! Save Print Rob Roy Prep time:  5 mins Total time:  5 mins Serves: 1   Ingredients 1 part blended scotch 1 part single malt scotch 1 part…

Banana Walnut Muffins

Instead of slices of Banana Bread or deeply flavored Chocolate Banana Walnut Muffins, do you just want the convenience of a tasty Banana Walnut Muffin? Well, you are in luck as here is my go to Banana Walnut Muffin recipe based on Elise’ recipe at Simply Recipes. This recipe is simple and can be made without a mixer – hand or stand! It creates a moist, slightly sweet, banana forward muffin that in my opinion is a winner. So let’s get baking… we have muffins to enjoy! Save Print Banana Walnut Muffins Prep time:  15 mins Cook time:  25 mins Total time:  40 mins Serves: 12   Ingredients 3 very ripe bananas, mashed ⅓ cup butter, melted ⅔ – ¾ cup…