Asparagus and Scallion Frittata

Just made this and loved it. Might add some pimento's or chopped roasted red peppers for some color. No need to peel the bottoms if you are using pencil thin asparagus,


1 lb asparagus bottoms cut, lower portion peeled, tops cut, the stalk cut into 1 to 3/4-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions white parts trimmed away and cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces
3 tbsp butter
2 pinches crushed red pepper
6 eggs
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
fresh herb leaves for garnish: chives, parsley, (tarragon?)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F
In a medium (10") skillet, get some water boiling, add some salt. Prep asparagus while this is coming to a boil.
Add the asparagus and cook for about 2 minutes or until just getting tender. Drain and maybe rinse in cool water.
Clean skillet and melt butter over medium-low heat. Add scallions once melted and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes. Whisk eggs with a tbsp of water and a pinch of salt.
Add the asparagus in a single later and pinches of crushed red pepper.
Pour whisked eggs over asparagus and scallions. Give the skillet the ol' tapa-tapa to ensure eggs are distributed.
Grate the cheese onto the top of the egg mixture in the skillet and cook over heat for about 5 minutes or until edges are set.
Move skillet to the oven and bake for about 7 to 10 minutes until top is set.
Remove skillet from the oven, loosen fritatta from pan and slide onto a cutting board. If you like you can take another cutting board, lay it on top, and invert the fritatta. Looks nicer.
Garnish away.

Basic Cocktails: Sours

Sour cocktails are drinks with a sour (typically citrus) component, a sweet (simple syrup, triple sec, etc.), some type of liquor, and possibly other additions. But the first three will give you a sour. These drinks are excellent for learning how a small variation in ratios yields a very different result. Even a 1/4 ounce more or less will effect the final product. Here are three sours you can play with to make YOUR favorite version. The amounts I provide are starting points.


Margarita
2 oz silver/plata/white tequila.
1 oz triple sec
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
kosher salt in a small dish for garnish (optional)
lime wedge on rim so recipient can taste, and add the extra bit of lime juice or drink it as is.

• Squeeze lime juice, add to shaker, and use expelled lime to rim the outside of the glass(es) with juice.
• Rotate the limed glass into the salt or lightly touch it to the salt about 1/2 way around. 
• Add the remaining ingredients to the shaker with ice. 
• Shake vigorously and strain into the glass. Add ice to the glass if you want it on the rocks (I do). 
• Play "Tequila" while shaking 

Notes: you can sub out Cointreau for the triple sec. It will be sweeter unless  you reduce its volume. Reposado tequila will work but give you a very different taste.


Lemon Drop (thanks for reminding me how good these are, Sandy!)
2 oz citrus vodka such as Absolute Citron
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup (or 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar)
1 lemon wedge/wheel for garnish

• Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. If using sugar, mix it with liquid ingredients before adding ice to help it dissolve. 
• Some like to rim the glass with confectioners sugar. I do not. Garnish with lemon wheel or wedge. 

Cosmopolitan
1 1/2 oz citrus vodka
1 oz triple sec
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/4 oz cranberry juice cocktail for color
lime wedge or wheel for garnish

• Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add garnish. 
• Play Sex and the City theme while shaking to complete the scene. 

Apple and Onion Soup

Simple and delicious twist on French Onion Soup. Using an apple peeler/corer/slicer makes the apple slices a snap.  I toast some sourdough with Parmesan shavings on top and serve this with the soup. any cheese will do. You can add some chopped fresh sage at the end if you have some.

Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
3 medium onions, sliced thin
3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 3/4 cups low sodium beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf

Heat the butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and apples and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Stir into the butter and cook until the onions and apples are caramelized (deep brown). -- about 30 minutes. Bottom of pot may get some crust which is fine.
Stir in the broths, wine and bay leave. Bring to boil and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes.  Discard the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Top with anything that suits your fancy. Crumbled bacon, cheese (cheddar or Gruyere), and broil if you feel like going to the trouble. You can just serve it without the cheesy top if you want to simplify it. Still tasty.

Watermelon Margarita

3 oz watermelon juice*
2 oz blanco tequila
1/2 oz lime juice or more to taste
1/4 jalapeno or fresno pepper infused vodka* (optional)
watermelon chunk for garnish

Mix in glass and add ice or us a shaker and strain into cocktail glass.
Glasses may be rimmed with salt.

Watermelon Juice
You can cut the red part out of the water melon in large chunks, blend and strain.
You can cut out the red part of the watermelon and juice that if you have a juicer.
You can slice the watermelon into pieces and juice the rind with the red part.

Hot Vodka
Slice the one pepper (only need a few rings) into mason jar.  Add about 8 oz of vodka and let sit for a few hours. Strain into a small stoppered bottle. Keeps for about a month or longer, but loses some kick over time.

You could probably add some fresh mint to this and have good results.

Cinnamon Bread

Pan Coating
½ cup (3 ½ ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Bread
3 ¾ cups (18 ¾ ounces) all-purpose flour
3 cups (21 ounces) sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups milk
1 ⅓ cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pan Prep
Brush two  8 1/2" by 4 1/2" metal loaf pans with some vegetable oil or spray with "Pam". Add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar cinnamon coating to pans, and tilt-tap around till coated. I turn this upside down to have excess drop out. The oil kind of beaded up on my non-stick pans, so might have better luck with non-non-stick pans. Also, don't sweat the sides getting perfectly coated. There is plenty of sweetness in these.

Making the Bread

1. Preheat oven to 325 with rack in middle position. Whisk flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. 
2. In a second bowl, beat the eggs, then whisk in the milk, oil, and vanilla (not balsamic vinegar as I did once). 
3. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined. It will be a bit lumpy. 
4. Divide the batter between the two pans (about two pounds of batter per pan). Sprinkle remaining sugar-cinnamon coating over the top. Do this carefully. You may not need all the remaining sugar-cinnamon.
5. Bake for about 65-70  minutes until a toothpick comes out cleanly. Let pans cool for 1 hour in their pans on a wire rack. If baking in 4-inch mini loaf pans, about an hour seemed to work. 
6. Run a knife around the edge of pans and tile out loaves. 

Thoughts: This was very well received at work. I plan to try using mini-loaf pans for individual gifts. Pictures coming with next batch. I got this from Cooks Country. Planning a few changes after making once more. 

Alexander Cocktail

Though more frequently made with brandy, one can make an Alexander with gin. Concocted sometime before 1917, this drink has some history. Of the two, gin or brandy, I personally prefer gin. I also substitute half-and-half for the cream mostly. It is a perfect holiday drink pretty much everyone will enjoy.  However you make your Alexander I'm sure it will be great.
Music for making: The Christmas Song by Mel Torme and Judy Garland

Ingredients
2 oz London dry gin
1 oz white creme de cacao
1 oz half-and-half (or cream if you prefer)
Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish

Shake all wet ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with nutmeg.

The Vesperado Cocktail

Continuing with the Fresno infused gin idea, I thought modifying the Versper with a little heat was worth a try. I'm pleased with the results. I just Googled "Verspado" today and there were no cocktail entries with that name, so you heard it here first. I began writing a description of how this tastes, but I started sounding like Guy Fieri. Killed that idea. Suffice it to say, "That's not half-bad."
Music for making this one: Desperado performed by Linda Ronstadt.

Ingredients
1/2 to 3/4 oz Fresno infused gin
2 3/4 oz Beefeater gin
1 oz vodka
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano Aperitivo
Lemon peel, for garnish

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir, stir, and stir some more.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Express lemon peel into the drink, and garnish with it.
This is probably enough for two people. Sharing is caring!