Sour Patch Kid Infused Vodka

Oh boy! Where do I begin! It's tailgate season and I've been making some fun drinks to get the tailgates started. My Swedish Fish infused vodka is always a hit. A good friend of mine suggested I try Sour Patch Kids...and so here is my first attempt. I'll let you know what everyone thinks.

Step 1: Grab a bag of Swedish Fish and vodka of your choice.

Step 2: Pour entire bag of Sour Patch Kids into a glass jar/pitcher/bottle and fill with vodka until candy is covered.

Step 3: Let the vodka infuse for about a week. Strain to remove candy and add more vodka to dilute if necessary.

Enjoy!

Baked Rotini with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I picked this recipe because I had sun-dried tomatoes that I wanted to cook with and who doesn't like baked pasta?!?! I used two baking dishes since this recipe can be frozen for a ready made dinner later on. Thank goodness for that because with the leftovers I have from one, I'll still be eating this for a week!

Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter
coarse salt and pepper
1 lb Rotini
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 garlic gloves, minced
6 cups whole milk (I used fat free)
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)
1 cup finely grates Parmesan (4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter shallow baking dish. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente, drain pasta and return to pot.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high, season chicken with salt and pepper. Once cooked through, halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.

In a 5 quart heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and garlic, cook, whisking for 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add mushrooms and tomatoes, cooking for 1 minute. Remove from heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan.

Bake uncovered until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe turned out ok. I think I should have cooked the pasta 5 minutes less than al dente because it ended up being a little over cooked. It also could have used more sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese in the sauce.

Sweet Pickled Beets

This recipe is delicious even if you don't like beets! I recommend getting a mandolin or something fo quick slicing. It would have made this canning experience a lot quicker. I know that if I try this recipe again I will definitely invest in some kind of slicing device!
Ingredients

5 lbs of 1-2 inch beets
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
2 (2-inch) cinnamon sticks

Wash beets, trim tops. Place whole beets in an 8 to 10 quart saucepan and cover beets with water. Cook over medium-high heat until skins slip off easily, approximately 15 minutes.

Drain and discard liquid. slip off skins and slice beets. Tie spices in spice bag or cheesecloth. In a 4 to 6 quart saucepan, combine all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove spices. Immediate fill hot jars with beets, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Pour hot vinegar mixture over beets, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Carefully run a nonmetallic utensil down inside of jars to remove trapped air bubbles.

 

Wipe jar tops and threads clean. Place hot lids on jars and screw bands on firmly. Process in boiling water canner for 30 minutes.

Dilly Beans

I always like to try new things, last summer it was pickling. I have no desire to do it this year, but my recipes turned out so good last year that I've had people volunteer to help...so we'll see. 

Ingredients

4-5 lbs fresh green or yellow beans

8-16 heads fresh dill

8 cloves of garlic

4 cups of white vinegar (5% acidity)

4 cups water

1/2 cup Kerr(TM) Pickling Salt

Wash and trim end from beans. Cut into 4-inch lengths (I just left them as is after trimming ends).

in 3 to 4 quart sauce pan combine vinegar, water and pickling salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, in each hot pint jar, place 1-2 heads of dill and 1 clove of garlic. Firmly pack beans upright in jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Pour hot vinegar mixture in jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Carefully run a nonmetallic utensil down inside of jars to remove trapped air bubbles. Wipe jar tops and threads clean. Place hot lids on jars and screw bands on firmly. Process in boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

They taste just like a dill pickle!

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

These looked so delicious and were fabulous with a glass of apple cider. Definitely a great fall treat. I recommend eating these within 24 hours of baking, after that they get gooey or stale.

Ingredients

Batter:

1 1/4 sticks of butter, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

Sugar Coating:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and allspice. In a second bowl combine buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, beat in eggs one at a time. Then add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of the pumpkin mixture.

Spoon 1/3 cup of batter into each muffin cup, bake until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. While muffins are baking combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Let muffins cool for 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. One at a time brush butter all over muffin then toss to coat in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack.

Strawberry Pistachio Tart

I made this for my families Easter gathering. I like to try recipes that bring out the feel of that holiday or season. This recipe made me think of spring with the bright colors of the pistachios and strawberries.

Ingredients

1 thawed sheet puff pastry

1/2 cup unsalted shelled pistachios

2 tablespoons sugar

5 (about 1 1/2 lbs) cups thinly sliced strawberries

1/4 cup warmed apricot jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured work surface. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 10 minutes.With a fork, prick pastry all over, top with another sheet of parchment paper and stack another baking sheet on top to prevent rising. Bake 20-25 minutes.

In a food processor combine sugar and pistachios, process until finely ground. Sprinkle on puff pastry leaving a 3/4 inch border. Bake until puff pastry is deep golden brown, 15-17 minutes. Remove from oven, arrange strawberries on the pistachio mixture, overlapping slices. Brush berries and border with apricot jam and sprinkle remaining pistachios on border.

Everyone loved the tart, thought it was light and sweet. I thought it was a lot of effort and probably wouldn't make it again. This makes 12 servings and is 158 calories per serving.

Swedish Fish Infused Vodka

I got this idea from a co-worker who told me about vodka they tried at a local bar that was infused with swedish fish. I had to try making it myself. Of course, they now sell swedish fish and root beer barrel vodka, but I've been told my homemade version is way better after doing a taste test with friends.

Ingredients:

2 Bags of Swedish Fish
5th of your favorite Vodka (keep bottle for later)

Dump swedish fish from 1 bag into glass jug (I use growlers I get from the local breweries). Add vodka. Shake. Every couple days shake the container to mix up the vodka and swedish fish. After 2 weeks the vodka should be nicely infused. Take a cheese cloth or mesh strainer and pour vodka through it to remove any remaining swedish fish. Then pour infused vodka back into it's original container or any other glass container you may have. After the infusion process, if the vodka is too syrupy you can water it down with more vodka. Serve as a shot with a swedish fish to chase. Enjoy!

Cherry Pie with Crumble Topping

The second pie for Father's Day was cherry pie. I really wanted to make a peach pie, but I didn't buy peaches far enough in advance for them to be ripe enough to bake with. This cherry pie called for a pie top that was made with pie crust bottom, but I decided to use the crumble topping that was used for the peach pie recipe. I will also post the crust recipe separately. It's the only recipe I use for pie crust and is the best in my opinion.

I only made a 1/2 recipe of the pate brisee. Whatever you don't use can be put in the freezer for later use.

Ingredients

Bottom Crust: Pate Brisee (Full recipe, thank Martha Stewart for its greatness)

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) of cold unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups of flour

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water as necessary

Pulse flour, salt, sugar and cut up pieces of butter in food processor for about 10-15 seconds. Add water until mixture just begins to hold together. Make 2 disks of dough and refrigerate at least 1 hour before use.

Topping: (combine below ingredients until crumbly)

1/4 cup Flour

1/4 cup Oatmeal

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

Filling:

2 lbs of bing cherries pitted and halved

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch (could substitute with tapioca as well)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

If you are going to make a cherry pie you should invest in a cherry pitter. Completely affordable and a big time saver in the kitchen.

Combine cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Pour into prepared bottom crust.

Place pie on rimmed baking sheet, bake for 60-70 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil when crust starts to brown.

The pie turned out delicious, but I think I should have added more cornstarch to thicken up the juices.

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie

Every Father's Day I bake two pies for my Dad. Usually I let him pick at least one pie he would like me to make, but this year I really wanted to make sure I made a Key Lime Pie so I didn't give him any options.

I wasn't sure how much juice I would need to get 1/2 cup of key lime juice since the key limes were so tiny, but you only need a 1-lb bag. Key limes are sweeter than the limes you are used to seeing. Lucky for me, they carry key limes at my local grocery store. Key Limes originate from the Florida Key's. I'm planning a trip to the Key's in the fall, I will let you know how my pie compares to the experts!

Ingredients

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup freshly squeezed key-lime juice

1 tablespoon grated Key Lime zest, plus more for garnish

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled

2 tablespoons sugar

Instead of making my own graham cracker crust I used these mini individual graham cracker pie crusts. It made for easy serving!

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Gently whisk together condensed milk, key-lime juice, zest and egg yolks. Pour into pie crust(s). Bake until the center is set, but still jiggles when nudged (15-17) minutes. I did less time since I used the mini pie crusts. Once cooled completely I put them in the frig.

Before serving combine heavy cream and sugar, whisk with electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Spoon over pie, garnish with zest and serve immediately.

I'm not a fan of zest so I didn't grate what was necessary for the recipe or garnish the pies. I've only had key lime pie once in my life and I have to say that I loved my attempt. It was delicious. I stored the left over pies in the frig, they were still just as delicious a couple days later and held up very well.