Rhubarb Margarita
April 29, 2009 by Andrea 
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I can’t imagine celebrating Cinco de Mayo weekend or enjoying a good Mexican meal without margaritas. My favorite margarita is the classic tequila/Triple Sec/lime juice concoction on the rocks with a bit of salt on the rim, but I’m always up for trying new varieties. This rhubarb margarita from 101 Margaritas by Kim Haasarud intrigued me, especially since we just added three rhubarb plants to our garden and I’m eager to cook with them. Unfortunately they aren’t ready yet, but rhubarb is coming in season and can be found in grocery stores and farmers markets around the country. Read more
Avocado Smoothie with Soy Milk
March 6, 2009 by Andrea Print This Post
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Our weekday schedule is busy like any other family, and some days I feel like I meet myself coming and going with no opportunity to sit down and have a proper breakfast or lunch. So I try to keep easy healthy foods on hand such as fresh fruit and vegetables, things I can grab quickly and nosh on or turn in smoothies. Smoothies are a standing favorite for our family, an easy way to eat healthy and help us feel like we are treating ourselves. The boys’ favorite smoothie is mango, and avocado is one of my favorites, right up there with strawberry and blueberry.
My smoothie is a variation on the south east Asian avocado shake made with sweetened condensed milk, an addictive concoction. For an everyday smoothie I want something less sweet, so I use vanilla soy milk and skip the sugar, though you could add some during the blending if preferred. The texture is thick and rich and filling, and one smoothie will keep me going all morning. Read more
Arancello (Orange Liqueur)
March 4, 2009 by Andrea Print This Post
Filed under Beverages, Italian foods
Last year Michael had a business trip that took him to Naples, Italy for the very first time. Needless to say he was very excited about the trip and sought all sorts of advice on local foods to try, and everyone familiar with the area told him he could not leave Naples without trying the limoncello. He came home from his trip enthused about all the different foods he enjoyed and he was stoked about the limoncello and arancello, but his favorite was the arancello. Listening to him describe the food made me feel a little bit envious, but hopefully someday I’ll have an opportunity to visit the famous city and other parts of Campania.
Arancello/limoncello is a traditional liqueur from Southern Italy, and it’s easy and inexpensive to make, requiring only citrus fruit, vodka or a neutral grain spirit such as Everclear or Gem Clear, sugar, and water. You shave the peel off the oranges and soak them in the alcohol for seven days, strain, then mix with the sugar syrup. The liqueur is usually stored in the freezer but the alcohol content prevents it from freezing solid, so it’s drinkable. The higher alcohol content in neutral grain spirits draws out more of the orange oils than vodka, imparting more flavor to the liqueur; however, neutral grain spirits are not sold in some states and might even be illegal in your state, so check your state’s liquor laws before having a friend run it across the state line for you.
With citrus in season, this is a great time of year to make arancello or limoncello. We keep several bottles on hand in the freezer, and though we enjoy it straight out of a shot glass, our favorite way to sip is with a little half & half poured in, which makes it taste like a very adult Creamsicle. We also tried it with eggnog at Christmas and really enjoyed that combination, and we even made a champagne cocktail with limoncello for New Years Eve. Read more
Limoncello Sparkle
December 31, 2008 by Andrea Print This Post
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Limoncello is an Italian liqueur made with fresh lemon peel and alcohol, usually grain alcohol or vodka. The peels soak in the alcohol for several weeks, adding a notable lemon flavor. After straining, the infused alcohol is mixed with simple syrup and frozen in bottles, to be served ice cold as a digestive. Both imported and domestic versions of limoncello are sold in the United States, so check your local liquor or wine shop if you don’t have a homemade stash on hand.
We made our first batches of limoncello and arancello (orange) this summer and we think they turned out pretty well, but that’s a post for another time. This simple cocktail uses limoncello, Cointreau, and champagne to create a bubbly citrus concoction. Serve with a twist of lemon for garnish. Happy New Year!
More Festive Cocktails
Poinsettia Cocktail
December 30, 2008 by Andrea Print This Post
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This was one of our favorites from the champagne cocktail sampling this weekend. It’s light, fresh, easy to sip and rather festive looking with the bright red cranberry juice, and will make a perfect addition to a New Year’s Eve cocktail list.
Update: Submitted to the CLICK photo competition for January 2009. The theme is red for this month and the competition will be fun. Be sure to visit the CLICK image gallery to see all the delicious red food photos.
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Sparkling Apple Cocktail
December 29, 2008 by Andrea Print This Post
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In preparation for the upcoming New Year’s Eve celebrations, we decided to make and sample champagne cocktails over the weekend. A fun job, to be sure, and this week I will feature three cocktails that we enjoyed to help you prepare for your New Year’s Eve party. All of the cocktails are easy to prepare with just a few commonly available ingredients.
This light cocktail uses apple juice, cognac, simple syrup, champagne, and apple chunks. Since it calls for simple syrup, make sure your apple juice isn’t sweetened (most isn’t anymore, but it can’t hurt to check). If you prefer an alcohol free cocktail, I’ve suggested a variation below.
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