Bourbon and Vanilla Creme Anglaise and Construction

Now that the new year has started and things have settled down...somewhat, I have taken on a new challenge called "Sur La Table Saturdays".  I will explain more on that subject later this month.

My husband, in the meantime (before golf season begins) has taken on Phase 1 of our downstairs build out.  Our ultimate vision for the finished product is - two guest bedrooms, one full bathroom, family room/media area, game area for our ping pong table and dart board, storage rooms, kitchenette, and dining/wine room cave.

So as to not go into any more debt, we are trying to do this on a cash basis.  As we save an amount of money, then we proceed with the next steps given the immediate budget.

Phase 1 is the large storage room with double doors and another room that will close off our mechanical equipment and serve as some overflow storage for our patio chairs and umbrella.  The door to this area will be disguised as an actual shelving unit and wine rack storage.

This particular framing weekend was rough on my husband.  He was at it morning until night measuring, cutting, hammering, and stapling.  While he was framing everything, I worked on our meal planning and shopped for groceries.  I wanted to try to make the Port and Vanilla Creme Anglaise inspired from Sur La Table, but change out the port with bourbon.

I stopped at the local liquor store to pick up the mini airplane size of Jack Daniels for dessert....I didn't need the gallon size, nor did I want to spend $39 for 1 Tablespoon of bourbon. (since $39 could buy a lot of plywood!)

As I was putting groceries away, I took an armload of items to our master bathroom.  I was getting everything in their place and hear from the kitchen, "Oh my gosh you really do love me!", says my husband.  Perplexed, I come around the corner and say, "What are you talking about?"

There he is holding a beer and my "empty" bottle of Jack Daniels in his hands.  I said, "What are you doing, that was for our dessert!"  He was crushed.  He thought I bought it for him, since he had been working so hard that weekend, to unwind with.  Needless to say, I couldn't hurt his feelings, so our Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise was booze free that night.

Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise
Adapted from Emeril's Delmonico Steakhouse

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 whole vanilla beans, halved and seeds scraped
6 egg yolks

Optional:  1 Tablespoon Port or Bourbon

Prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl and set aside.

Combine the heavy cream, half of the sugar, and the vanilla beans (and scraped seeds) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Whisk the egg yolks together with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a small heatproof bowl and slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot cream mixture.  Reduce the heat to low and little by little, whisk the egg mixture into the hot cream mixture in the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.  (Take care not to overcook or the mixture will curdle.)  Strain the sauce immediately into a clean bowl set over the ice bath and stir until the sauce is cooled to room temperature.  Chill before serving.

*Optional * Right before serving, add a splash of Port or Bourbon and mix well.

Serve over warm lava chocolate cake with fresh berries.

One Year Ago: Slow Cooker Pork Loin
Two Years Ago: No Post
Three Years Ago: No Post 
Four Years Ago: Pasta Salad with Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes
Five Years Ago: Birthday Party - Chapter 1

Beef Bourguignon and Post Holiday Blues

If you are like me and get a little sad after holidays are over, then I know what your week has been like.  When I come home, there are no more twinkling white lights to greet me as I pull into the driveway.  There is no more scent of pine or shimmering red and green decorations in the living room...and that makes me sad sometimes.

I still have my apple pie and cinnamon scented candles out and light them all when I come home from work.  It looks like a Cathedral most nights, and I take in every minute of it.  The warmth and scent makes me happy.

On New Year's Day it was very cold and I wanted something warm, as I still wasn't feeling 100%.  I had the entire day ahead of me and thought it would be a good day to take on Julia Childs' Boeuf Bourguignon...and my instinct was spot on!

Everyone once in their lifetime needs to try and make Julia's famous Boeuf Bourguignon.  It will give you a great sense of accomplishment (not to mention an incredibly satisfying meal).  It does take some time, so don't plan on whipping this up when you get home from work on a Tuesday evening...you will be eating at midnight!

This version makes a substantial batch that even my husband and I couldn't finish it, including taking to work for lunch leftovers.  I ended up freezing half the batch.  We are scheduled for another storm this weekend, so I think it's the perfect time to bring out the remaining batch, warm it up and serve with a nice bottle of red wine and crusty french bread.

Stay with me on this because it is so worth the time, care and attention to every step and ingredient.

Enjoy!


Beef Bourguignon
Courtesy of Epicurious.com


YIELD: 8 servings ACTIVE TIME: 1 1/4 hr TOTAL TIME: 4 1/4 hr

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 pound thick-sliced bacon
3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup brandy
1 (4-inch) piece of celery
4 fresh parsley stems (no leaves)
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves 
2 cloves
2 onions, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (preferably Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône)
1 pound small (1 1/2-inch) boiling onions or pearl onions
1 pound mushrooms, quartered if large

Accompaniment: peeled boiled potatoes tossed with butter and parsley

Special Equipment:  kitchen string (and cheese cloth, optional)

PREPARATION:
Cook bacon in boiling salted water 3 minutes, then drain.

Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Divide flour and beef between 2 (1-quart) sealable
plastic bags, seal, then shake to coat meat.

Heat 1‚ tablespoons oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef well on all sides in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, adding remaining ‚ tablespoon oil as needed. Transfer to a bowl.

Pour off any excess oil from pot, then add brandy to pot. Deglaze by boiling over high heat 1 minute,
stirring and scraping up brown bits, then pour over beef.

Tie celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves together with kitchen string to make a bouquet
garni (tuck cloves into celery so they don’t fall out). You can also tie all these in a cheese cloth pouch, for ease.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in cleaned pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté
bacon, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chopped onions, garlic, and carrots, then sauté, stirring, until onions
are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, meat
with juices, and bouquet garni and simmer gently, partially covered, until meat is tender, 3 1/2 to 4
hours.

While meat simmers, blanch boiling onions in boiling salted water 1 minute and drain in a colander.
Rinse under cold running water, then peel.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides,
then saut boiling onions, stirring occasionally, until browned in patches. Season with salt and
pepper. Add 2 cups water (1 1/2 cups if using pearl onions), then simmer, partially covered, until
onions are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a
glaze, 5 to 10 minutes.

Heat remaining tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam
subsides, then saute mushrooms, stirring, until golden brown and any liquid mushrooms give off is
evaporated, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir onions and mushrooms into stew and cook 10 minutes.Remove bouquet garni and skim any fat
from surface of stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Cooks' Note:
Boeuf bourguignon may be made 1 day ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered (it tastes even
better made ahead because it gives the flavors time to develop). If making ahead, it's easier to remove
fat from surface after chilling.

One Year Ago: Potato, Bacon, Mushroom, and Gorgonzola Pizzette
Two Years Ago: No Post
Three Years Ago: No Post
Four Years Ago: Orange Olive Oil Cake
Five Years Ago: Black and White Parfaits and Martinis

The Wedding Dress and Tuxedo Cupcakes

Second to Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve is the most popular engagement day.  It's a new year and a new wave of brides to be.  So much planning, calendaring and decisions to make.  Number one...The Dress!

I have owned my wedding dress for 22 years.  I purchased it way before "Say Yes To The Dress" was even thought of.  Back then, I had never heard of Pnina Tornai, Mark Zunino or even Vera Wang for that matter.  Not that I could have even afforded any of their beautiful pieces.  My parents were so kind to pay for our wedding, so the least I could do was buy my own wedding gown.

For years, I had a vision of what I wanted to look like on my wedding day...as any little girl does.  In the end, I was in a small wedding boutique in Indio, California.  It was not a fancy store, but this dress caught my eye and the price was perfectly in my budget.  The store owner recommended that I try a small hoop skirt underneath the dress to accentuate the layers of chiffon.  I took her advice and once I turned around and looked in the mirror...I said "Yes To The Dress"!  When I got the dress home, I added added pearls and sequin to the collar and bodice to make it a little more fancy.

Today, I have twin daughters who just turned twenty.  They both have very different and distinct taste and styles.  Some day they will also be planning and looking for a wedding gown.  I decided a long time ago that I would not try to put them in my wedding gown.  It is their wedding, their day and it should be their gown, unique to their personality (and hopefully my budget).

When were were packing up hour house last April and May getting ready for our move, I came across my wedding dress.  I have been lugging this thing around for the past 21 years and I really didn't know why.  I didn't want to pack it up again and try to find the perfect storage spot in the new house...for what.  I knew I couldn't sell it, being a non-designer dress.  I didn't want to leave it hanging around.  In the event something were to happen to me, I didn't want my husband trying to sell it either, just to purchase a new 9 Iron golf club (just kidding...inside joke between him and me).

So I did what some people think...is the unthinkable.  I decided to have my wedding gown cut down the middle into two halves.

I recruited my neighbor from our previous house, before we moved.  I would have done it myself, but I just cannot sew (or have a machine).  My mom and grandmother are incredible seamstresses, but instead of learning how to sew, I took the culinary/cooking road.  Had I decided to follow their footsteps, my muffin top, hips and thighs would undoubtedly be in better shape today!

I explained what I wanted done to my neighbor...she was shocked.  She said she couldn't (or wouldn't) do it.  Once I explained in better detail, she understood my vision.  When I picked up my dress(es) from her, she said she cried the entire time she was cutting.

My thought is this, I have divided everything up from my wedding day for each daughter to have and do with, what she wishes.  Each girl will have half of my wedding dress, one shoe, one earring and one glove.  

There are so many incredible ideas that they can use these items for their wedding day.  I have read hundreds and hundreds from having the dress skirt made into their veil, or their children's baptism gown.  They could have an earring set into their bouquet or have the glove wrapped around the handle of their bouquet.  They could cut the beading out of my shoe and use it as an embellishment accent on their gown or veil.  They could cut the upper lace off the gown and have it made into their ring bearer's pillow.  Truly the possibilities are endless!  

My biggest challenge will be to not interfere and let them decide on their own how they want to use everything.  Until then, they have their own white bridal box with everything in it when they are ready for their big day!

My grandmother made this bridal purse for me by hand...shown with my wedding necklace.

These pearls were hand sewn by my mom for by bridal gloves.

Here are the other pieces that were divided for my girls.

I was even bargain shopping for my wedding shoes....$45 from Sears, of all places!

They we're not Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin, but really, did anyone care?

So, that's my wedding dress story and its plan for the next generation.  Good thing I didn't have triplets, or I'd really be in a quandary!

Tuxedo Cupcakes

Take your favorite white cake mix recipe and add half a bag of mini chocolate chips.  Bake cupcakes, as directed.  Frost with whipped white frosting and add black and white sprinkles and sparkling candies.  

These won't win the "Wedding Cupcake Wars", but their fun, festive, and very tasty!  

One Year Ago: Potato, Bacon, Mushroom and Gorgonzola Pizzette

Two Years Ago: No Post

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago: Crepes

Five Years Ago: S'Mores Dip

Happy New Year, Puzzles and Jack Frosties

A blessed and Happy New Year to you all.  Wishing everyone a healthy and happy 2019!

Between me coming home from work feeling under the weather, and it was going to be 9 degrees in the evening with a snowstorm, going out was not looking promising.  That being said, we opted to stay in for New Year's Eve.

One of our daughters came and stayed over.  My husband made his famous Classic Roast Prime Rib with Peas Bonne Femme.  We enjoyed a Jack Frosty, attempted a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle and watched Sleepless in Seattle...a perfect New Year's Eve in my opinion.

Jack Frosty

Lemonade 

Blue Curacao

Prosecco

In a champagne flute, add a splash of Blue Curacao, a splash of lemonade and fill the rest up with chilled Prosecco.   Cheers!

One Year Ago: Potato, Bacon, Mushroom and Gorgonzola Pizzette

Two Years Ago: No Post

Three Years Ago: No Post

Four Years Ago: Crepes

Five Years Ago: Roasted Shrimp

Tortilla Soup and New Recipes for New Year

This weekend we are headed into some very chilly weather.  We still don't have any snow, but it is quite cold in the mornings and evenings.  I plan on staying indoors as much as possible, getting some painting done inside our home with more fun accent color walls, taking down all our Christmas decor, and eating comforting meals, all while diving into my new Christmas presents' cookbooks.

This soup is so light, incredibly fast and easy, but packed with flavor.  My sister-in-law Cathy got our family hooked on this soup and we make it at least once a month.  So, if you over did it in the calorie department this holiday season, you won't have to feel guilty about devouring this at all!

My boss gave me Whiskey In A Teacup (she knows me so well!) and my husband gave me Cast-Iron Cooking complete with a new cast iron skillet and the cutest little silicone egg rings, so I can make my own "mcmuffins" to go!  I am looking forward to some down time in front of my fireplace, with morning coffee (maybe even "Irish Coffee" with a wee taste of  whiskey and whipped cream added) and cookbook time this weekend.

Tortilla Soup

Courtesy of (and adapted from) FoodNetwork.com

2 Tbl vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced

1 Tbl chili powder

2 tsp salt

6 cups chicken broth, low-sodium

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed (I use Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn)

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1 ripe tomato, chopped

1 cup shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup cilantro leaves (optional)

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)

about a dozen corn tortilla chips

Optional Toppings:

mini Santa Fe style tortilla strips

lime wedges

sour cream

Mexican shredded cheddar cheese

fresh avocado, slices

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, chipotle, chili powder, and salt and cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.  Add the corn, black beans, tomato, and chicken and cook for 5 minutes more.

Pull the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice.  Divide the tortilla chips among 4 warmed bowls, ladle the soup on top, and serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Two Years Ago: Winter White Cosmopolitan

Three Years Ago: Stuffed Mushrooms

Four Years Ago: Greek Chicken Salad

Five Years Ago: Surf and Turf

Sending You Love and Best Dishes

This year's family Christmas card comes to you a little old school...we went with a very June Cleaver (esque) setting.

Sending you love and best dishes from our home to yours.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and New Year to you!

Two Years Ago: Winter White Cosmopolitan
Three Years Ago: Stuffed Mushrooms
Four Years Ago: Blueberry-Banana Muffins
Five Years Ago: Classic Prime Rib

Bang Bang Shrimp and David Benoit

This week we had the pleasure of seeing one of my favorite performers.  My husband had never seen David Benoit in concert.  I saw him about twenty years ago in Los Angeles and still treasure his music.  We even played his famous "Linus and Lucy" for our wedding recessional song.  My husband's birthday was approaching and I thought I would just search out concerts for his present.  I couldn't believe it...David Benoit's Charlie Brown Christmas Concert was in town only 40 minutes from our house!  Front row, center tickets!!!  What a wonderful evening we had with our friends!

For our pre-concert festivities, we all met at our home first for cocktails and appetizers.  One of my latest addictions is Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang Shrimp.  I found many "copycat" recipes out there and did a couple alterations.  I could eat these all day...every day!!!

David Benoit's stage complete with Linus' mini piano and Charlie Brown's tree!

Timely enough, I also received my mom's beautiful, creative and colorful floral arrangement that was the perfect centerpiece for our party!  Thank you mom!!!

Copycat Bang Bang Shrimp

Adapted from dinnerthendessert.com

1 pound shrimp shelled and deveined, tails removed

1/2 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup cornstarch

canola or peanut oil for frying

Place shrimp and buttermilk in a medium bowl and coat the shrimp well.  Drain the buttermilk, and shake off the excess.

Coat the shrimp pieces in cornstarch and set aside.

Heat oil in a deep skillet to 375 degrees.  Once the oil is hot, fry the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side until they are a light golden brown.  Remove the cooked shrimp and put on a plate lined with paper towels and pat any extra oil.

**  I served them at this point with a side of remoulade sauce.

*** If you want to make the true "Bang Bang" version, here is the sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Sriracha hot sauce

2 Tbl Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

1 Tbl honey

Mix sauce ingredients and set aside while you are frying the shrimp.  Once the shrimp is cooked and oil drained off, toss the shrimp in the sauce and serve immediately.

Two Years Ago: Winter White Cosmopolitan

Three Years Ago: Stuffed Mushrooms

Four Years Ago: Blueberry-Banana Muffins

Five Years Ago: Rouladen

Chicken in Tarragon Cream Sauce and Bad Children

We are less than one week for Christmas...are you ready?!?!  We are a little late to the party and just got our tree this week.  Not much of a selection, but it's done, decorated, and gifts placed under, thanks to my two girls.  Now if I can just keep Princess Brinkley to stop taking ornaments off tree and shredding them!)

Last week (again late to the party), we did our family photo for this year's Christmas card.  I went with a "Leave It To Beaver", June Cleaver(esque) theme this year, which will be posted next week.

We finished our photo, went out for a quick dinner with the girls, and sent them on their way back home.  After they left, I went into our home office to upload the family photos so I could select which one came out as best as possible...given it was late, and we were all getting very "hangry"!

The last photo that loaded was this "little gem" from my practical joker daughters! While I was changing clothes, they sneaked in their own portrait together to surprise me.  I'm thinking definitely more coal in their stockings this year!

While I was cleaning my kitchen for the family photo, I was also reorganizing and straightening my cookbooks.  I came across this chicken dish from March 2006!! I had completely forgotten about this one and it is so very good!!!  You know it's good because there is sauce all over the recipe page...right?!  It comes together so fast (if you're also busy cleaning up shredded ornaments), and has incredible depth in richness and flavor.  

Chicken in Tarragon Cream Sauce, White and Wild Rice with Walnuts

Courtesy of Rachel Ray

1 package, 5 to 7 ounces, white and wild rice, cooked to package directions - either chicken or herb flavors are fine.

2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil, 2 turns of pan

Salt and pepper

4 pieces, 8 ounces each, bonelss, skinless chicken breast

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 Tbl tomato paste

1 Tbl chopped fresh tarragon leaves, plus extra for garnish

1/2 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or sour cream

1/4 cup package chopped walnuts, toasted (I'm allergic to walnuts, so substituted with slivered almonds)

2 Tbl chopped fresh parsley leaves

Cook rice according to package directions.

Preheat extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Brown and cook chicken, 5 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken to a plate and cover.  Reduce heat a bit.  Add vinegar and water, scrape up pan drippings.  Stir in tomato paste, cream, half-and-half or sour cream and tarragon.  Remove from heat.

Toss nuts and parsley with cooked rice.  Slice chicken on an angle and arrange on a bed of rice.  Top with sauce, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Two Years Ago:  Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Three Years Ago: Holly Jolly Bark

Four Years Ago: A Taste of Alaska Bacon Jam

Five Years Ago: Steak Marsala

Eggnog Tea Cookies

Last night was our firm's holiday party.  One of the partners hosted it at her home, complete with full bar, appetizers and a lovely dinner for everyone.  Knowing how much I love to bake, she asked if I would bring a plate of cookies for dessert....true to my personality (and how could anyone really decide on just one flavor of cookie)...I made 7 different dessert platters!

I knew she was going to be serving eggnog, 2 versions with and without alcohol.  I have never tasted eggnog, due to my intermittent lactose issues.  However, I stumbled on these eggnog cookies in my 2010 Cuisine At Home Holiday Baking issue.  I knew there was a reason I hang on to these back issues!

Since we are not rum drinkers, I had to sprint to our local liquor store for the cutest little bottle of rum.  Captain Jack Sparrow would be so proud of me!

I made "my" famous Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss Bars.  I also made Chocolate Caramel Toffee Bites (post coming soon), Shortbread Lemon Bars, Strawberry Tiramisu Bites (post also coming soon).

As we have a few gluten free staff, I stepped out of my comfort zone box and transformed a couple of my go to holiday dishes to gluten free.  For my Holiday Cake Cookies, I substituted the white/vanilla cake mix with Pillsbury's Gluten Free Yellow cake mix.  I then also substuted the M&M candies with mint chocolate chips...these were awesome!!!

The other dish was my Holiday Bark.  I subsituted the Oreos with gluten free chocolate cream wafers and also went to gluten free pretzel sticks.  Since I was channeling my inner Burl Ives, we had a "silver and gold" theme...which by the way I cannot get that song out of my head now!  Anyway I digress, I did silver and gold M&M candies and sprinkles for the bark.

After two days of baking and taste testing everything, and an unsettled stomach, I'm not going to lie....I can do without desserts for a long time.

Since I don't know what eggnog tastes like, everyone said they loved these cookies!

Eggnog Tea Cookies with Butter Rum Icing

Adapted from Cuisine At Home

For The Cookies

2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. grated or ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. table slat

2 stick unsalted butter, softened (1 cup)

3/4 granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For The Icing

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 Tbl unsalted butter, melted

2 Tbl milk

1/4 tsp rum flavoring or light rum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Stir flour, nutmeg and salt together for the cookies in a bowl; set aside.  

Cream 2 sticks butter and granulated sugar together in another bowl with a mixer until smooth.  Add egg and vanilla; beat until incorporated, then mix in the flour mixture just until blended.  cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Roll dough into 1-1/2 " balls.  Arrange in prepared baking sheets spacing 2 inches apart.  Bake 10 minutes, or until firm to the touch and light brown on the edges.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

Blend powdered sugar, 2 Tbl butter, milk, and rum together for icing, using a hand mixer.  Frost cooled cookies, then sprinkle with gold sugar.

Two Years Ago: Mediterranean Flatbread

Three Years Ago: Holly Jolly Bark

Four Years Ago: A Taste of Alaska Bacon Jam

Five Years Ago: Almond Joy Cookies

Blue Flurry for "Grandma Getting Run Over By A Reindeer"

You all know the song...even though I am officially known as "Nana Suzie", I think this song is fitting given what I recently went through.  Grandma (Nana) actually did get run over by a reindeer...well, it was really more of a T-bone hit!

By now you have all read about my deer saga / incident / terror!  It has been thirty days to the day that Mr. Deer tried to kill me on my way to work.  Last night I picked up my car, all done and back to it's normal state (without the piece of antler stuck in the windshield)...you can still see it in the photo.

I have to give a shout-out to USAA Auto Insurance, Gerber Collision Center and Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Longmont, Colorado!  All three of these companies handled my claim with such professionalism and courtesy.  (Which given my emotional state when the accident happened, was not an easy task).  They all kept their word and stuck to the schedule.  Thank you so much to everyone there who helped me!

Blue Flurry

Compliments of "The Cocktail Project" (not my project, but someone else...although I like the idea!)

1/2 part vodka

1/2 part DeKuyper Blue Curacao Liqueur

3 parts pineapple juice

1/2 part cream of coconut

4 parts ice

light corn syrup

shredded coconut

In a blender, blend ice, pineapple juice, blue curacao, vodka and cream of coconut until desired consistency is reached.  

Rim the glasses;  Pour a thin layer of corn syrup onto a plate and dip the rims into the corn syrup, then dip in coconut flakes.

** Since my daughters stole my blender for their apartment, I had to do all this in our martini shaker and pour the drink over ice.  Not as pretty as it could be, but it did the trick just fine...twice...well, actually three times!

Enjoy responsibly and stay safe out there!

Two Years Ago: Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups

Three Years Ago: Holly Jolly Buckets

Four Years Ago: Pecan Pie Bites

Five Years Ago: World's Best Lasagna