Category Archives: Food Cult

Delicious Leftovers a la Pastitsio

Posted on by

You may have noticed that I’ve been mostly AWOL from my blogs in the past few weeks. I took on the challenge of producing the musical Godspell at my church and it has turned into a massive time-sucker. I agreed to do this mostly because without participating, I would have ended up being a Godspell widow.  Translation? Music Man is the band leader and musical arranger for the show and I would be left at home by myself if I didn’t do something for the show. Perhaps taking on the role of producer was a larger step than was necessary, but as my friend Charlotte says, “Shut up and stop complaining; you’re doing it for God!”

Anyway, we didn’t have rehearsal tonight, but we did have a lot of leftovers in the refrigerator. A takeout container full of yummy curry from our favorite Thai restaurant. Mushrooms that needed the Julia Child sautee method. Right now. A plastic container full of frozen beef stew — mostly broth, onions, and carrots. Some beans and ground beef remaining from last week’s taco salad night.

What’s a girl to do with this disparate collection of bits and pieces?

Make a casserole! My favorite food in the whole world. We can’t go wrong by adding some noodles and cheese. Yum.

I used Ina Garten’s recipe for Pastitsio, and created something out of essentially nothing. I don’t think I’ve ever made a flat-out bechamel sauce, and it was so good that it was all I could do to keep from just inhaling it straight out of the pan.

Turns out my leftovers were delicious and husband-approved on a busy night. I will make this again, and I might even follow the original recipe. Or probably not, since we don’t often have leftover lambie in the house…

Fruit Salad with Candied Ginger and Mint

Posted on by

I’m always looking for varied ways to serve fruit, and while reading my new tablescape book I fell in love with this recipe. I’ve made it twice, using different variations of fruit. Each time, the salad earned high marks, both from Music Man and from the ladies at my church’s luncheon.

The key to this salad is the mix of the fruit with the dressing; the candied ginger gives it a little extra zing and the vanilla creates a smooth sweetness. It’s worth the extra trip to find the candied ginger — or make your own.

Print
Fruit Salad with Candied Ginger and Mint

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: 8 Servings

Serving Size: 1 cup

Fruit Salad with Candied Ginger and Mint

The original source of this recipe is the tablescaping book Great Settings, by Peri Wolfman and Charles Gold. Although Wolfman and Gold used peaches and blueberries, I've made it with several different kinds of fruit and it's always delicious.

Ingredients

  • 2 peaches, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 1 bag Trader Joe's frozen mangos, thawed and drained
  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 1 pint raspberries
  • 1 pint strawberries, cleaned and quartered
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 cup minced candied ginger
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or rum

Instructions

Wash and prepare the fruit. Combine all the ingredients in a glass or porcelain bowl, cover, and let stand for about one hour to let the flavors blend.

https://gotmyreservations.com/2013/05/20/fruit-salad-with-candied-ginger-and-mint/

I’m linking up at StoneGable today for On the Menu Monday. Watch my sidebar for my book review of Great Settings on my other blog, The Seasoned Dish.

Today I have no reservations in recommending this fabulous summer treat!

Retro Bistro — French Food in a Strip Mall

Posted on by

I know you’re asking — why would you go to a French restaurant in a strip mall?

The answer is that Retro Bistro is one of the best French restaurants in our area, and its unfortunate location in Mount Prospect probably keeps it from being too busy and too pricey for our budget. I can live with the strip mall location.

Retro Bistro’s ambiance is warm, friendly and relaxed. You can take your well-behaved children and you don’t need to dress up. It’s not a fussy place. The bar is fully stocked and the wine cellar is extensive. I have never been disappointed in either the food or the service at Retro Bistro.

We popped in on for Sunday dinner after a concert at our church which is just down Golf Road. The restaurant is open for brunch from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm on Sundays (call to check first – I’ve seen them closed on Sunday mornings), dinner on Sundays from 4:30 to 8:30,  lunch 11:30 to 2:30 and dinner 5:30 to 10:00 Tuesdays through Saturdays. They are closed on Mondays.

Today we chose the prix fixe (fixed price) menu for $33.00 per person. We had wine, an extra appetizer, coffee and three courses and the bill before the tip was just over $100.00 — Retro Bistro provides excellent value for the price.

Of course I can’t go to a restaurant without taking pictures of the food, so enjoy our meal vicariously.

Blah

I was not compensated for this review and I didn’t tell them that I was a blogger. I just wanted to share that I have no reservations about recommending Retro Bistro.

Retro Bistro / 1746 W Golf Rd / Mount Prospect 60056-4071  / 847-439-2424

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Posted on by

The first time I saw this recipe, I was intrigued. It didn’t seem possible to make lasagna in a slow-cooker. It couldn’t be that easy. Well, it is. But I needed to Jennie-ize the recipe to get it to work for the Empty Nest. And then we had friends over to help us eat it so there wouldn’t be much left over. A win-win on all counts. 

Print
Slow Cooker Lasagna

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours, 30 minutes

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Slow Cooker Lasagna

I originally found this recipe at The Charm of Home and revised it by adding eggs and more veggies.

Ingredients

  • 1-28 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
  • 9 whole wheat lasagna noodles -- uncooked.
  • 1 pound of cooked and crumbled lean ground beef -- optional (for a veggie version, try soy crumbles)
  • 1-15 ounce low-fat cottage cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp Italian herbs of your choosing -- basil, oregano, bay leaf -- or be creative
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach and baby kale leaves
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sauteed and drained (optional)
  • 3 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)

Instructions

In cooking and assembling the ingredients, you are making five layers -- sauce, noodles, meat (optional), soft cheese mixture, veggies, and mozzarella.

On the bottom of the slow cooker, put a thin layer of sauce to start building the lasagna. I buy jarred organic spaghetti sauce with onions, garlic, and peppers already in it. Create your own if you want to make your own sauce.

Layer three uncooked lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. My rectangular slow cooker fits three almost exactly, and you have to break them in half in my round cooker.

Add a layer of meat if you are using it.

Add a layer of the cottage cheese/egg/herbs mixture. Mix the eggs and herbs in with the cottage cheese to help hold together the custard.

Add a layer of leafy veggies and a layer of mushrooms.

Add a layer of mozzarella cheese.

Continue layering -- how many layers you have depends on the size of your slow cooker. Mine only takes two layers. Sauce, noodles, meat, cottage cheese, veggies, mozzarella cheese. I finish with one more layer of mozzarella on top of the final noodle layer.

Cover and cook on high setting for one hour; reduce heat and cook on low setting for five hours. I put the cover sideways for the last couple of hours to reduce condensation. Turn off the heat and take the container out of the slow cooker to let it sit for about half an hour before serving.

Serves 6-8

https://gotmyreservations.com/2013/05/02/slow-cooker-lasagna/

You may have noticed that there’s a little cross-pollination going on among my blogs. At The Seasoned Dish, I focus on tablescapes and how I set my table for meals. I much prefer the Zip-List format for recipes, so I’m doing some of my cooking posts here — at least for a while. Here’s the rest of the meal I served for friends last week, and here’s the link to the tablescape post at The Seasoned Dish if you’d like to see the dishes.

We started with champagne.

I made a simple salad with baby kale and baby spinach, and dressed it with a ginger balsamic vinaigrette.

 

There’s that yummy lasagna again!

Fruit and sweets for dessert — a light balance to the heavy lasagna.

The best friends are those that come bearing chocolate.

Feel free to repost — but be sure to give me appropriate credit as well as the original poster of this recipe. It’s all about being polite and ethical, friends.

Tablescape Thursday: Spring into France

Posted on by

One thing I’ve learned since I’ve started stalking following tablescaping blogs is that when I see a wonderful piece at a good price, I should grab it.

That was the case with this beautiful 60″ x 120″ Indian cotton tablecloth from April Cornell that I got at Home Goods for $24.99. The blue and green paisley with yellow accents was just the shot of spring I needed in my dining room — it’s unclear here in Chicagoland whether it’s winter or spring, so I voted for spring! The tablecloth has mitered corners with a sewn-in border and is stunning. Although it’s actually a traditional Indian paisley, to me it says country French and that was where I went with it.

I got to work gathering up pieces from around the house that would complement the colors of the bold tablecloth but not necessarily compete with it. I started with these very bold placemats. Nope. Too much.

I went back to my trusty pewter chargers from last week (sending a quick thank you to my mother-in-law’s memory) and layered my mom’s sweet china (Claridge from Four Crown China) with the World Market Indian cotton napkin. I like how the clear salad plate shows off the beautiful blue and grey stripes of the napkin.

Since every party at my house always starts with appetizers as people gather, I envisioned the dinner beginning with Basil – Lemon Sorbet as a palate cleanser. It would look beautiful in my inherited sorbet glasses. My mother-in-law loved these swirl dishes; does anyone know what the pattern is?

I grabbed the antique etched glass goblets and simple water glasses for beverages. The combination of complex and simple helps to balance the table.

For my centerpiece, I started with a crystal cake plate and put a large hurricane on it with the bright blue candle. Again, too much and too tall. Then I turned the cake plate upside down and put another of my glass plates as a candle bobeche. Perfect proportions.

As the pieces started to come together, I knew I didn’t even have to get fresh flowers for this table. The silk flowers and vines that I already had were perfect for the setting. The “white” flower ring from Partylite turned out to actually have a complementary yellow cast, and the ivy sets off the beauty of the Chinese and Delft teapots.

Finally, I knew that I had to have some pops of yellow to complement the yellow in the tablecloth, so I pulled out a few pieces of French Quimper pottery from my (mother-in-law’s) collection. They are not usable for eating as they are old and likely have lead in their glazes, but putting four small plates on stands completed the centerpiece.

After I arranged the fake ivy, I realized there was room for another set of candlesticks at each end, so on the table went more Quimper with votives set on top. (You’ve probably figured out by now that I hate getting wax on my tablecloths and almost always use bobeches and votives.)

If my table could talk, it would say, “Passez une bonne journée!”


I’m linked up today to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Be sure to stop by and see some other inspirational tablescapes!

 

On the Menu Monday: A Visit to Vienna

Posted on by

I was watching Rachael Ray the other day and she did a show about food in Vienna. I’ve been dreaming about going back to Vienna, as evidenced here and here. If I can’t travel to Vienna right now, at least I can recreate this for our empty nest at home, thought I.

Image Credit

When Music Man and I visited Vienna, I kind of fell in love with schnitzel, but it’s a lot of food and not so good for my diet. People usually make it by pounding the meat flat, coating it in breading and then frying it.

Refusing to let schnitzel be the boss of me, I started with the problem of most online recipes. They are designed for a family or a party, not just for the two of us in our empty nest. Voila! I decided to go with just two perfect palm-sized pork chops.

Rather than pounding them flat I kept the thicker size so that I wouldn’t have so much breading and less oil actually hitting the surface of the chop. I coated them with flour, egg, and panko bread crumbs just as Rachael did.

I ended up serving a meal that was not only relatively healthy, it was also delicious and satisfied that pesky schnitzel craving. Be sure to try this — it’s VERY easy!

Print
Pork Schnitzel

Rating: 41

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Serving Size: 1 pork chop

Pork Schnitzel

This recipe can be made with chicken, veal, or pork.

Ingredients

  • 2 pieces lean pork chops
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
  • A handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped
  • 1 tbsp. lemon zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place a baking sheet in oven to keep cooked cutlets crisp.

Trim the pork chops of any visible fat.

Arrange a station for breading: flour, beaten eggs, bread crumbs mixed with paprika, parsley and the zest of a lemon.

Heat just enough oil to coat the bottom of a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat.

Bread each chop in flour, then egg, then bread crumb mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, and transfer to oven. Keep the cooked chops hot in the warm oven until ready to serve.

Serve with lemon wedges.

https://gotmyreservations.com/2013/01/28/on-the-menu-monday-a-visit-to-vienna-2/

For Rachael Ray’s original recipe, click here.

Of course, I couldn’t just serve the schnitzel, so then I went looking for a side dish, and boy, was I lucky to find this one.

Print
Krautfleckerl -- cabbage-pasta bake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 1 cup

Krautfleckerl -- cabbage-pasta bake

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. egg noodles
  • 1 white cabbage head
  • 2 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
  • 2 onions (chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • Salt, caraway seeds, ground pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Wash the cabbage and remove the stalk. Cut into quarters, then cut the quarters into smaller pieces. Add salt to taste. Cut the pieces roughly into squares, bruise by hand and let stand for about 15 minutes.

Caramelize the sugar in the oil, and add the cabbage, onions and the caraway seeds. Cover, and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring regularly, until light brown in color. Season with pepper.

Boil some water and cook the noodles until soft, drain and combine with the cabbage. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss.Let stand for a few minutes. Before serving, season to taste with pepper and salt.

Notes

This recipe calls for fleckerl, a small square, flat noodle. I was not able to buy this at my grocery, so I used the thickest egg noodles I could find.

My husband hates caraway, so I made a spice mixture of cumin, dill, and fennel and ground them in my mortar. I don't think I would ever go back to the original caraway, as the sweet spice mixture was divine and went beautifully with the balsamic vinegar.

This recipe makes about six servings, and we have been enjoying the leftovers. It warms up beautifully in the microwave -- if you have any left over!

https://gotmyreservations.com/2013/01/28/on-the-menu-monday-a-visit-to-vienna-2/

For the original cabbage and pasta recipe, click here.

Combined with some edamame salad straight from the deli counter, we had a healthy and satisfying meal that reminded us of our wonderful trip to Vienna, Austria.

StoneGable
 I’m linking up with On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable. Be sure to stop by for some inspiration for your table this week!

On the Menu Monday: Ham and Potato Chowder

Posted on by

German food may be the original comfort food.

When you think of what warms you up on a cold winter night, do you think of tacos? Or chow mein? Probably not. Do you think of a thick, savory soup filled with chunks of meat, potatoes, and veggies? I do.

When the Germans immigrated to the fledgling United States, one food item that came with them was potatoes, which were introduced in Germany in the 18th century and have become an important staple of German cuisine.

“In general, Germans emigrated to find adventure and greater prosperity. However, Germany, particularly, Bavaria, was hit by the potato famine in the mid 1800s. Some German immigrants sought political and religious freedom. In 1848 there were Germans fleeing political problems in Germany.

Although the Potato Famine in Ireland is much better known in America there was a similar problem in the Lowland countries and in Germany. In the mid 1840s a great parallel stream of immigrants from Ireland and Germany arrived on America’s shores. Bavaria, which had become very dependent on the potato, was at particularly hard hit with the failure of the potato crop. Whole villages from Bavaria, most of them traveled by carts to La Havre, Amsterdam, Hamburg, or Bremen, set sail for America. Most left from Le Havre” (maggieblanck.com).

Today’s recipe is an Americanized and lightened-up version of Kartoffelsuppe, German potato soup. Made with fat-free ingredients and lean ham, this hearty soup will fit the bill on a chilly winter evening whether you’re of German heritage or not. I’d like to think that my German ancestors, who left Germany in 1849 to build a new life in Cincinnati, would have approved of my version of German comfort food.

Print
On the Menu Monday: Ham and Potato Chowder

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 8 bowls of soup

Serving Size: About 1 cup

On the Menu Monday: Ham and Potato Chowder

I used this blogger's recipe as a base for my chowder, lightening it up even further. I also added ingredients from the basic German potato soup found here.

Ingredients

  • Extra-virgin olive oil ( I use garlic-infused olive oil for just about everything I cook)
  • 8 oz. ham, cubed (can also use bacon)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 5 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 medium Carrots (yellow carrots if available), diced
  • 1 stalk of celery, diced
  • 1 leek, chopped
  • 1 pound cubed peeled baking potatoes
  • 1 pound cubed Yukon gold potatoes
  • 5 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cauliflower, cut into florets
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups skim milk
  • 3/4 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
  • 2 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Brown cubes of ham; set aside.

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat.

Add onion, thyme, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Add carrots, celery, leek, potatoes, stock, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf; bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.

While potatoes simmer, combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, cauliflower, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper; toss to coat.

Roast at 400° for 30 minutes or until browned, turning once.

Place cauliflower mixture and milk in a blender.

Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening (to avoid splatters) and blend until smooth.

Pour cauliflower mixture into a large bowl.

Add half of potato mixture to blender; pulse 5 to 6 times or until coarsely chopped.

Pour into bowl with cauliflower mixture.

Repeat with remaining potato mixture.

Place cauliflower-potato mixture in Dutch oven over medium heat.

Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, diced ham, 1/2 cup green onions, and sour cream; stir until sour cream melts.

Ladle soup into 8 bowls.

Top evenly with remaining green onions and grated cheese.

https://gotmyreservations.com/2013/01/21/on-the-menu-monday-ham-and-potato-chowder/

Why not take your German heritage one step further and return to your homeland?

Visit the ruins of Heidelberg Castle or take a romantic cruise on the Rhine.

Great German food is only a plane ride away — or maybe as close as your city’s German rathskeller!

Linking up this week at Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm

 

25 Days of Holiday Recipes: Pecan Bourbon Chocolate Pie

Posted on by

This series is turning into an ode to my favorite cooks.

When we first started, I told you that I’d been collecting favorite recipes for years. Writing this has not only been a walk through different stages in my life, it’s also been pure heaven to revisit the cooks who made these wonderful recipes.

Today’s recipe is no different. Catherine is a good friend by marriage — her marriage to one of my best friends from college. In her beautifully renovated Victorian kitchen, Catherine produces sublime food, especially desserts for her guests. And who can resist the combination of pecans, booze, and chocolate? Your guests and family will love this one!

Print
Pecan Bourbon Chocolate Pie

Yield: 1 Pie

Pecan Bourbon Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

    Crust: Aunt Nancy’s Foolproof Piecrust
  • 4c flour
  • 1 3/4 c shortening or butter, softened
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 c water
    • Filling:
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 c packed dark brown sugar
  • 2/3 c light corn syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp bourbon
  • 2 c pecans
  • 1 c chocolate chips

Instructions

For the crust:

With fork, mix first 4 ingredients. In separate dish, beat remaining ingredients. Combine the two mixtures, stirring with fork until all ingredients are moistened. With hands, mold dough into ball. Chill at least 15 minutes before rolling into desired shape.

Dough can be left in refrigerator up to 3 days or can be frozen until ready to use.

Yield: Two 9" double crust pies and one 9" shell. This recipe requires a very deep pie pan and one half of the crust recipe.

For the filling:

In a large bowl, mix eggs, brown sugar, syrup, vanilla, salt, melted butter. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Pour filling into pie shell and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. The filling will puff up slightly and the center will still wiggle a bit.

https://gotmyreservations.com/2012/12/09/25-days-of-holiday-recipes-pecan-bourbon-chocolate-pie/

25 Days of Holiday Recipes: Calico Baked Beans

Posted on by

Shopping. Work. Cleaning the house. Going to the church potluck. Everyone needs a go-to recipe that fits into your holiday lifestyle, and Calico Baked Beans is that recipe.

Having absolutely no resemblance to the yucky baked beans people usually bring to events, your crockpot will be filled with a sweet and savory meat and bean melange that is more like stew than like beans. A teaching colleague brought this dish to every school potluck and if I was in the last lunch group, I was lucky to get even a taste of this. People seem to just inhale it.

This recipe is also one that is easily modified depending on what your family likes or what is in the fridge that needs to be used up (Using up stuff in the fridge seems to be a common theme in my recipes). We didn’t have any barbecue sauce in the house so I threw in extra ketchup and some mesquite seasoning. It worked just fine. We also added some aging tomato salsa and seriously considered opening our brand new bottle of peach salsa from Trader Joe’s. That would have been a tasty addition to the mix, but seemed unnecessary. You could also use a Rotel tomato product with chilis if you like your food a little spicier. I also used ground turkey and pancetta rather than the ground beef and bacon — I don’t think anyone would know the difference and Music Man liked it better that way.

Try it for your next caroling party — it will be ready when you get home!

Print
25 Days of Holiday Recipes: Calico Baked Beans

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: 8 Servings

Serving Size: 1 cup

25 Days of Holiday Recipes: Calico Baked Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 tbs. butter or margarine
  • 1 pound bacon, cooked, drained, in 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
  • 2 tbs. prepared mustard
  • 2 tbs. molasses
  • 3/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 16 oz. canned kidney beans, drained
  • 16 oz. canned lima beans, drained
  • 28 oz. canned pork and beans

Instructions

In large skillet, brown beef and onion in butter. Drain well. Place in casserole with bacon.

In medium bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, molasses, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add kidney beans, lima beans, and pork and beans to casserole. Pour sugar mixture on top. Blend well.

Cover casserole and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover casserole and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

This casserole can be held, covered, in a low oven for 1 hour. It can also be baked and kept warm in a crockpot.

https://gotmyreservations.com/2012/12/07/25-days-of-holiday-recipes-calico-baked-beans/

25 Days of Holiday Recipes: The Cosmopolitan

Posted on by

I have a wonderful group of friends, and at Christmas we love to party.

When Mama Kat posted this week’s prompts, it seemed the perfect time to share our favorite ladies’ drink, the Cosmopolitan. When the shaker and the triple sec come out, the men run the other way, but there’s nothing quite as pretty as a pink Cosmo shimmering in a beautiful martini glass.

The Cosmo has been used as a signature drink in the media, most famously as the drink of choice of Carrie Bradshaw and her girlfriends in Sex and the City.

And then there’s the Ozmopolitan,  “a cocktail mixed to mark the London launch of the musical ‘Wicked’, being a (green) version of ‘The Cosmopolitan'” according to Urban Dictionary.

2 parts Vodka (apple if available)
1 part Midori
1 part Lime Juice
1 part Lemon juice.

Print
25 Days of Holiday Recipes: The Cosmopolitan

Yield: 1 serving

25 Days of Holiday Recipes: The Cosmopolitan

Ingredients

  • 1 oz vodka
  • 1/2 oz triple sec or cointreau
  • 1/2 oz lime juice
  • 1/2 oz cranberry juice

Instructions

Shake vodka, triple sec, lime and cranberry juice vigorously in a shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass, garnish with a lime wedge on the rim, and serve.

https://gotmyreservations.com/2012/12/06/25-days-of-holiday-recipes-the-cosmopolitan/

According to wikipedia, there is no clear origin for the original recipe for a Cosmopolitan, but it seems to have surfaced in the 1970s as a fruitier version of the martini. I have to admit, I still love my dirty martinis, but sometimes, the Cosmopolitan is the right drink for the event, and will look beautiful at your holiday party. And just in case you want to match your drink, here’s an option from Maggie at Polyvore.

Cheers!

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...