Beverages

Maple-Bourbon Sour

I gotta tell you, after spending this week enduring Hurricane Sandy-turned Nor’Easter-turned nightmare and the ensuing loss of power for days, I was just ready to go home, sleep in my own bed and make some food. But I was tired. And by tired, I mean tuckered-out tired. My good friend Jodi put up with my sorry self since Sunday while I waited for the power to be restored in my freezing cold house. Finally, the power came back last night and it really is such a relief to flip on a lightswitch and get light. Plus, there really is nothing better than sleeping in your own cozy bed. Because I anticipated losing power this week, I figured it was a great opportunity to bring you something that doesn’t require the use of electricity and helps that lonely time go by faster: Maple-Bourbon Sour.

Bourbon is mixed with nothing but maple syrup and lemon juice. Sounds kind of crazy but the sweetness of the syrup and sourness of the lemon balance each other out while the smoky maple complements bourbon perfectly. When I got home last night, I really didn’t have the patience to make one of these but instead poured myself a red wine and tucked myself into bed while I watched tv. In the dark. Yes, after complaining about losing power, I barely turned a light on when I got it back. All I really wanted was my tv. I’m a loser. After seeing what happened to the New Jersey coast this week, I’m grateful that my biggest problem was a loss of power. I have to say that this week has been an emotional and heartbreaking time for those of us in New Jersey. I didn’t grow up here but I’ve been here long enough to know just how special and important the Jersey shore is to the people who live here (and yes, it’s really called the “shore” here, not the “beach”). It’s not just a stupid tv show (which I refuse to watch), it’s a way of life and a piece of the people here. It’s their heart and soul. And it will recover.

The ingredients:

Combine bourbon, maple syrup, and fresh lemon juice, stirring well.

Pour mixture into a cocktail shaker filled with 1/2 cup ice. Cover and shake.

Strain mixture; divide evenly between two glasses. Serve over ice, if desired.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

Chocolate Margarita

One Saturday morning a couple weekends ago I was in my kitchen whipping up some food enjoying the background noise of the Food Network when I heard Marcela Valladolid say these two words on her show Mexican Made Easy: Chocolate Margarita. I spun around, ignored everything that I was cooking, and stopped to watch as she made this bizarre yet intriguing cocktail. My first thought was that I had to make it and the second thought was that I probably already had the ingredients to make it. After a quick scan of my fridge, it was confirmed: I could make this anytime I wanted.

Tequila, chocolate liqueur, and orange liqueur are mixed with chocolate syrup, cream, almond extract and a pinch of cinnamon to make a rich, creamy, chocolatey and strong dessert cocktail. I used fat-free half-and-half in place of the cream and rimmed the glass with nonpareils instead of bittersweet chocolate (just because it was prettier). This cocktail has tons of flavor so it’s hard to have more than one. But it’s a margarita, right? You really don’t need more than one.

The ingredients:

Rim glasses with chocolate syrup and shaved chocolate or nonpareils. Combine all of the ingredients, except ice, in a pitcher.

Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a shaker full of ice.

Shake and pour into the prepared glasses. Serve cold.

Additions: None

Omissions:

Bittersweet chocolate

Substitutions:

Fat-free half-and-half

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Mexican Made Easy, Food Network

Strawberry-Mango Smoothie

I had dinner with a friend last night and as I was driving home, under an almost-blue moon (which is tonight, by the way), with the windows down and the sunroof open, I felt a change in the air. It was the change that comes in the summer when evenings get slightly cooler and temperatures dip into the 60s for the first time. And even though it’s supposed to get a little warmer here for the weekend than it’s been the last couple of beautiful days, I’m eagerly waiting for those nights when I can turn off the air conditioning and sleep with the windows open. Which should be any day now. I hope. As I wait, I’ll just savor these remaining warm summer days and keep sipping on something cold and refreshing like this Strawberry-Mango Smoothie.

Fresh strawberries, frozen mangoes, yogurt and mango nectar are blended until creamy, smooth, sweet and tangy. I prefer to use frozen fruit in my smoothies as opposed to ice because I like the texture of the frozen fruit but obviously you can use fresh fruit and ice instead. Also, if you can’t find mango nectar (which I find in the international foods section of my grocery store), simply substitute orange juice or apple juice. Really, just throw in whatever you want. Smoothies are a sweet ending or a good accompaniment to a weekend brunch, as a way to get a couple servings of fruit in you, or just to cool off on a hot day. Whatever your day brings you, I hope you have fun today or tonight and do something you wouldn’t normally do, something off the cuff and unexpected. That way when you tell your kids/friends your story, you can officially say, “I did it once in a blue moon.”

Have a great weekend everyone!

Strawberry-Mango Smoothies (makes 2 smoothies)