Margaritas

This is one of my favorite Margaritas because it doesn't have added Sugar or Simple Syrup.
There's a twist in this Margarita because it includes Rum.

2 oz. Patron Silver Tequila
1 oz. Triple Sec or Cointreau
1 oz. fresh Lime Juice
1 oz. fresh Orange Juice
1 oz. Dark Rum

Salt, Ice, Lime Juice

Blend the first 5 ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
Dip the rim of a  glass in Lime Juice and Salt.
Fill the glass with ice and add the Margarita.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Here are additional recipes!


Margaritas for a Crowd

This is the Traditional Margarita recipe:

1 750 mll. Bottle of Silver Tequila
2 C Triple Sec or Cointreau
1 C Fresh Lime Juice
Ice

In a 1/2 gallon pitcher, combine all ingredients and serve on the rocks.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Curacao Margarita:
1 part Lime Juice ( 1 shot )
1 part Curacao ( 1 shot )
2 parts Tequila ( 2 shots )
Shake over ice in a cocktail shaker, strain into a glass
Serve straight up topped with a splash of additional Curacao.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Mango Margarita:

2 shots of Tequila
2 TBS fresh Lime Juice
1 can of Mango Juice

Shake over ice in a cocktail shaker, strain into a glass and serve straight up.

Enjoy! Peace in the Kitchen!


Peach Blueberry Margarita:

10 Blueberries in a pint glass , muddled and filled with ice.
1.5 oz. of Silver Tequila
.5 oz. of Agave Nectar
1.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
3 oz. Fresh Pureed Peaches (place fresh pieces of peeled Peaches in a blender , with a tiny amount of water, depending on the juiciness of the Peaches and puree )

Combine:
Tequila
Agave
Lime Juice
Peach Puree
Pour into the glass with the Blueberries and Ice.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Pineapple Margarita:

Serve over Ice
Garnish with lime slices
Makes 4, 6oz. drinks

Lime Wedges
Salt
1 C Tequila
1 C Fresh Pineapple Juice
1/3 C Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 C Triple Sec or Cointreau


Moisten the rims of the glasses with the Lime Wedges.
Dip into the Salt and place the glasses in the freezer

In a PItcher:
Combine Tequila, Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice and Triple Sec
Serve over ice in the glasses and garnish with a Lime slices.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Agave Nectar Margarita:

6 parts Agave Tequila
4 parts Fresh Lime Juice
1 part Agave Nectar

Shake over Ice, no garnish, no Salt.


Lime Sherbet Margarita:

1 Pint of Lime Sherbet
Juice of 2 Limes
1/3 C  Confectioner's Sugar
1 C Tequila
1/2 C Triple Sec or Cointreau
2 C Ice Cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend well.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

There you are..... we love Margaritas in Texas!

Chocolate Jalapeno Cookies

This was my original recipe that was a finalist in the 2011 Dallas Morning News Holiday Cookie Contest.


Chocolate Jalapeno Cookies:

2 - 2.7 oz. packages of Taza Chocolate Mexicano, Cinnamon flavored
Chop into small pieces for melting

3/4 C Flour
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt

3/4 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Butter, softened

1 Large Egg
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 TBS Espresso Coffee ( I use Medaglio D'Oro Instant Coffee)
1/4 C finely diced, seeded Jalapeños

Caramel Drizzle:
1/2 C packed Brown Sugar
1/4 C Heavy Cream
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar

Sea Salt for Garnish

Preparation:
Place Chocolate in a small microwavable bowl and microwave 1 minute, stirring often until melted and smooth, set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine Flour, Cinnamon, Baking Powder, Cayenne Pepper and Salt
In a large mixing bowl, cream Sugar and Butter until creamy smooth.
Add Egg, Vanilla , Espresso Coffee and Jalapenos. Beat until incorporated.
Add cooled Chocolate and beat just until blended.
Add Flour mixture and beat until well incorporated.
Chill dough for 2 hours.

Drop 2 TBS of Cookie Dough, per Cookie ( I use a Cookie Scoop), onto a Parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until almost set.
Remove and cool for 2 minutes or until set.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

Caramel Drizzle:
Bring Brown Sugar and Cream to a boil, remove from heat.
Whisk in Confectioner's Sugar.
Set aside to cool at room temperature.
Drizzle sauce over cooled cookies and lightly sprinkle with Sea Salt.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Apricot Fried Pies

I have many Quilting Friends and we all love to cook and share recipes.
Two of my friends make Apricot Fried Pies.

Debbie shared this recipe for the Pastry Dough with my friend Carol who created the recipe for the Apricot filling, posted it on her Face Book page, and the recipe for Apricot Fried Pies was created.

I asked Carol if  she and Debbie would agree to have me post the recipe on my blog and everyone was in agreement that sharing recipes is what Quilter's do!

I did some research on Fried Pies and I was not surprised to discover that they are an American Classic Dessert believed to have been created in the 1800's.

Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, loved Fried Pies.
He ate New Hampshire Apple Fried Pies.

I have a recipe on the blog for "Escalloped" Apples that would be a perfect filling for Debbie's Fried Pie Pastry recipe.

On the blog, search the word Escalloped with an upper case E !


Thank you Debbie and Carol for allowing me to share this recipe:

Debbie and Carol's  Homemade Apricot Fried Pies:

Filling: ( shared by Carol)
1 C Water
1 C Dried Apricot halves
1/4 C Sugar
Simmer 1 C of Dried Apricot halves in 1 C Water until the Apricots are very soft.
Add a little more water if necessary.
They should break up a little when stirred with a spoon.
Add the Sugar and stir well
Cool completely in the refrigerator ( this step is important, you don't want to add a hot or warm filling to the dough)

Dough: ( shared by Debbie )
2 C Flour
4 TBS cold Butter, cut into pieces
4 TBS warm/hot Milk
2 Eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp salt
Use a Pastry Blender to cut the butter into the Flour.
Add Salt
Mix the Milk and Eggs
Add the mixture to the Flour and continue to mix well
Roll Golf Ball sized Balls on a floured surface and create a circle. ( I would have a tendency to cut the circles with a biscuit cutter, but I believe that creating them with your fingers will keep them Rustic as they were originally created)
Place a spoonful of Apricot in the center, fold the dough in half ,seal the edges well by pressing with your finger tips.

Fry the Pies in a Skillet of hot Vegetable Oil.
Turn once
Watch carefully, they brown quickly
Sprinkle with Sugar while they're still hot.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Thank you all !

Thanks you to all of the many followers around the world.
I appreciate each and every one of you!

All American Picnic Food

Summer in Michigan meant picnics at my Grandparent's house, at Aunt Faye's , in the back yard and during our summer vacations with relatives at Higgins Lake.

I want to do a segment here on traditional American Picnic recipes.

Summer is coming and so are the picnics.

We have a portable picnic table that we keep in the trunk of our car in the summer so we can enjoy picnics on the side of the road as we travel. We took this idea from our friends in the South of France.

The most popular Picnic dish would have to be Potato Salad.

I believe that my Grandmother made the best!

She never had a recipe for it, nor do I.

We knew it had to have Potatoes, Hard Boiled Eggs, Onion, Celery, Pickle Relish, Mustard Mayonnaise, Paprika, Salt and Pepper.

She would boil peeled potatoes, cool them completely, hold one in her hand and begin randomly cutting them with a paring knife over a large crock bowl.

One rule was that for as many boiled potatoes she made, she made an equal number of hard boiled eggs She always mixed the "dressing" separately and added it at the end. The amount of ingredients depended on how many people there were for lunch and that determined how many potatoes and eggs.

I also know that she would refrigerate the large bowl of prepared salad before she served it because it would soak up the dressing in the refrigerator and then she would have to add additional mayonnaise.

Here's my attempt to create my Best of the Best recipe for Potato Salad.

8 Potatoes that are peeled, boiled and then randomly cut with a paring knife over the bowl.

8 Hard Boiled Eggs cut with a paring knife, into the Potatoes.

The Sauce or Dressing consists of ( these amounts are approximate)

In a separate bowl, combine:

1 C of diced Celery

1 C of diced Onion

1/2 C of Pickle Relish

2 or more TBS of Yellow Mustard ( we always refer to this as Kid Mustard) , nothing fancy like Dijon

2 C of real Mayonnaise, additional as need at the end

Salt

Pepper

Fold the Sauce into the bowl with the Potatoes and Eggs

Refrigerate 

Add Additional Mayonnaise as desired

Sprinkle with Paprika just before serving.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Green Bean and Tomato Salad:

2 pounds of fresh Green Beans, trimmed and cut in half

2 pints of Cherry Tomatoes, halved

Dressing recipe to follow.

Blanch the beans in a saucepan of salted boiling water

Cook only long enough to become tender and bright green, less than 5 minutes

Drain and plunge immediately into iced water

Combine the Beans and Tomatoes in a large Crock Bowl

Dressing:

1 good sized Onion, large dice

1/4 C Vegetable Oil plus 2 TBS for the Onions

1 TBS Red Wine Vinegar

2 TBS Sugar

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

Saute the onions in 2 TBS of heated oil for about 1 minute

Reduce heat and simmer an additional 5 minutes

Set these aside 

Whisk together in a bowl:

1/4 C Oil

Vinegar

Sugar

Salt

Pepper

Add the Onions and cool to room temperature.

Set aside until serving.

Just prior to serving, add the dressing to the Beans/Tomatoes and toss .

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Deviled Eggs are a definite Picnic item and I've already posted a recipe on the blog.

Vegetables with a Peppercorn Dressing:

Vegetables trimmed, left whole and placed in a bowl of iced water until ready to serve:

1 Bunch of Green Onions

1 Bunch of Radishes

1 small bag of Baby Carrots

1 small Cauliflower, cut into florets

Celery, cut into sticks

1 Cucumber, peeled and cut into sticks

Peppercorn Dressing:

1 C Mayonnaise

1 C Sour Cream

1 TBS Yellow Mustard

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Pepper

1 TBS of Crushed Black Pepper Corns

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 C Fresh Buttermilk

Combine Mayonnaise and Sour Cream in a bowl

Whisk in :

Mustard

Salt

Pepper

Pepper Corns

Worcestershire Sauce

Fold in the Buttermilk

Transfer to a Canning Jar, cover and refrigerate.

When ready to serve, place the Vegetables on a serving platter or in individual containers.

Shake the Dressing and pour into a container for dipping. 

Remember, this is a picnic so Tupperware containers that are sealable are perfect for transporting.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Sandwiches:

I remember the picnic sandwich at my Grandmother's was Chicken Salad. I posted a vegetarian version earlier on the blog.
Others might include Tuna Fish, a Deli Sandwich including Cold Cuts and various Cheeses.
I don't think I need to include recipes for the sandwiches.

If you have access to a Barbecue Grill while on a picnic, the All American Hamburger would be served accompanied by, sliced Onion, Dill Pickles, Lettuce, Ketchup , Mustard and Mayonnaise.  It would be placed on a basic Hamburger Bun that's been toasted on the Grill.
Hot Dogs on the Grill are almost always served at a picnic with the same condiments as the Hamburgers.
How could I forget to mention a thick slice of Sharp Cheddar Cheese melted on the Hamburger.
For the Vegetarians there a a number of choices for a Veggie Burger.
I prefer 1/4 lb. Grillers from Morning Star

Tropical Fruit Salad:

2 Ripe Bananas, sliced, 1C
4 Kiwis, sliced, 1 C
1 Papaya, diced, 1C
Pineapple Chunks, 4C
Mango, diced, 2C
Coconut, fresh grated, 1C
Seedless Grapes, halved
2 peeled sectional Oranges

Mix the fruit together in a container and top with the following dressing:
1/4 C Coconut Milk (it comes in a can and it has the consistency of Sweetened Condensed Milk)
1 TBS Fresh Lime Juice
1TBS Fresh Lemon Juice

Here's another of my favorite Dressings for Fruit.
I've made this one for over 8 years.

1 C Water
1 TBS Cornstarch
1 C Sugar
1 tsp Grated/Zest  Lemon Peel, Lime Peel or Orange Peel.
1/4 C Fresh Lemon Juice, Lime Juice or Orange Juice ( don't use the same fruit for the Peel and the Juice ( mix the combination)

Whisk together Water and Cornstarch in a small saucepan. Whisk in Sugar, Zest and Fruit Juice.
Bring to a boil over low heat, whisking constantly and boil for 1 minute.
Chill at least 2 hours and pour over the Fruit Medley when ready to serve.


Corn on the Cob, boiled ahead of time and the placed on the Grill.
I usually create some type of Herbed or Spiced Butter to spread on the Grilled Ears of Corn.

In Texas, we love Black Eyed Peas.
It's common to serve a form of Texas Caviar at a picnic.
The recipe, if we use one, is simple.

2 TBS Vegetable Oil
Onion, 1 C, diced
Celery, 1 C , diced
Red Bell Pepper, 1-2 , diced
8 C cooked Black Eyed Peas ( canned and drained  are perfectly acceptable)
1/3 C Sugar
1/3 C Apple Cider Vinegar

Heat the Oil in a large Saute Pan, Saucepan or Dutch Oven
Saute Onion until translucent, 3- 4 minutes
Add Celery and Red Pepper, saute for an additional 3 - 4 minutes
Add Black Eyed Peas , Sugar and Vinegar ( Mix well)
Simmer until the Peas are heated, about 10 minutes
Refrigerate and chill completely until ready to serve.


Cole Slaw is another favorite American Side Dish for a Picnic.
I've posted my favorite recipe previously on the blog.


Macaroni Salad is another American Classic:
I love Potato Salad, but I could say that I love Macaroni Salad equally as well.

Here's a basic recipe for Macaroni Salad:
My original recipe was doubled, I cut it in half for this post.

2 pounds of Elbow Macaroni, cooked according to package directions and drained
3 C diced Celery
2 C diced Onion
2 C Grated Cheddar Cheese
4 TBS Vinegar
4 TBS Sugar
3 - 4 C Mayonnaise
Salt
Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a large serving bowl or a covered plastic container for transporting to the picnic.


Vegetarian Baked Beans:

I had to come back to this post and create a recipe for my Vegetarian Baked Beans
I've been making these Beans for years and never had a recipe, I just made them.
I soon discovered that the family was asking for these Beans at most Picnics and for Holiday meals, especially Easter.
I finally made them and created a written recipe of ingredients and quantities.

3 cans of Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans ( 28oz. cans) , drained completely in a colander.
I don't like wet and soggy Baked Beans.
1/2 C Ketchup
1/2 C Kansas City Original Barbecue Sauce, or your favorite.
1 Large White Onion, diced
1 C packed Light Brown Sugar
no salt, no pepper, nothing else!

I start by letting the Beans drain completely in a colander.
In a 4 C Pyrex measuring cup, I mix together the Ketchup, Barbecue Sauce, Brown Sugar  and diced Onion.
I let this sit for awhile so the Onion absorbs the flavor of the mixture
In a large bowl, combine the Beans and the Sauce and mix well.
I have a vintage Bean Pot that hold the exact amount of this recipe.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for......at least 1 hour, or more. You'll begin to smell them!
Remove the lid and continue baking for 15 - 25 minutes more.

I prefer to serve them cold as we traditionally would for a Picnic when they have to be transported.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Beverages include :

Iced Tea, ( always served at my family picnics) We prefer the basic, un sweetened tea that we all refer to as "Church Tea".
In the South, a Sweet Tea is the choice for a picnic.
Lemonade
Beer


Desserts:
The most common dessert would be Strawberry Shortcake. My Grandmother made it for every picnic.
Fruit Pies, second most popular picnic dessert. ( served with Vanilla Ice Cream)
Chocolate Chip Cookies are a favorite.
Brownies would be another great choice.

I make a Brownie that includes Popcorn, Peanuts and Chocolate Chips.
Make your favorite Brownie recipe batter.
Before baking, top the batter with Popped Popcorn, Whole Peanuts and Chocolate Chips. ( as much or as little of each ingredient as you like)
Bake according to package directions and enjoy the crunchy additions to the Brownie Mix.

I think I've been nostalgic enough to remember the great family picnics that I had as a child growing up in Michigan.
The weather was usually hot, there may have been a lake close by or most of the time they were in my Grandmother's yard that included a brick barbecue grill and a Croquet game set up on the lawn !

I hope everyone takes the time to get outdoors and enjoy  family picnics this summer.

Enjoy!
Peace on a Picnic!

These are the only pictures I have available at this time. This is part of the preparation for the Vegetarian Baked Beans.
As I get into the Summer Season and making these recipes for a picnic, I'll post additional photographs!

Pretzel Peach Pie

• Pretzel Peach Jell-O Pie
  
  Makes: 8 to 10 servings
  
  Ingredients:
  
  2 cups crushed pretzels
  3/4 cup butter, melted
  3 tablespoons brown sugar
  2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
  1/2 cup cold water
  1 cup boiling water
  2/3 cup white sugar
  4 oz (half a brick) cream cheese, softened
  1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  1 tablespoon honey
  1/2 cup peach nectar (Kerns or Goya makes it or puree your own!)
  9 or 10 peeled peach slices
  
  Directions:
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine pretzels, butter, and brown sugar well until pasty. Press the mixture into a pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until you are ready to add the filling.
  
  In a large bowl, sprinkle 1 tablespoon (1 envelope) of unflavored gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the boiling water until gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir in 1/3 cup of the sugar.
  
  Beat in cream cheese until mixture is smooth. Refrigerate until thickened to the consistency of a gel.
  
  Gently spoon the cream cheese mixture onto the pretzel crust in the pie plate. Use the back of a spoon to spread the mixture evenly over all the pretzel crust. Refrigerate until you are ready to spoon in the next layer.
  
  In a large bowl, sprinkle 1 tablespoon (1 envelope) of unflavored gelatin over 1/4 cup of the cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the boiling water until gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir in 1/3 cup of the sugar, the cinnamon, and the honey. Stir in the peach nectar. Refrigerate the mixture until it thickens to the consistency of a gel.
  
  Arrange the sliced peaches in a formation over the cream cheese layer in the pie plate.
  
  Gently spoon the thickened peach gelatin into the pie plate over the peaches and cream cheese. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
  
  Source: Cooking Channel
  
  Enjoy!
  Peace in the Kitchen!

  
  
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My 60's Quilt ! Groovy, Psychedelic, Far Out !

In keeping with the Hippy in the Kitchen theme, I wanted to share my original 60's Quilt.

I'm also a Quilter. I created this piece after researching and locating vintage 60's fabric and created photo transfers of photographs of 60's musicians. It's one of my favorite pieces that I've made.

Enjoy!

Peace!