yummy drinkity drink drinks

I am finally starting to enjoy drinking again.  After 10 months of pregnancy followed by 8 months of breast feeding and then 2 months of round the clock craziness at my orthopedic rotation in Baltimore...it is time to party.  Well...maybe not party as in the days of being an undergrad...but more in the "I'm a working mother who needs a pretty drink every now and then to stay sane and refreshed" category of party.

I've been enjoying an alcoholic beverage a few nights per week, recently.  Especially when the  weather was warm and the sun was out...nothing beats a cold and crisp adult beverage.   The last few days have been freezing and cold...leaving me craving warm teas and hot cocoas.  I am anxiously awaiting more warm days and the yummy beverages that go along with them.

 Most of the time, we are the "pop the top off of something we grab in the fridge" kind of people...but these recipes featuring Chamboard look AMAZING.  I have a little bottle of it in my fridge right now - I've been saving it for a special occasion...but I think I might just bust it out soon for a fun drinkity drink drink.

Bellini-Tini

2 shots Finlandia Vodka

¼ shot Peach Schnapps

¼ shot Chambord Liqueur

½ shot fresh white peach puree

Top with Chambord

Method: Shake ingredients with ice and strain into glass.

Garnish: Peach wedge.

 

 Conjure Sweet Tea
4-5 mint sprigs
1.5 oz. Conjure Cognac
.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. iced tea
Fill glass with ingredients, shake, and strain over fresh ice cubes. Garnish with a mint sprig.

San Tropez:

2 oz. Chambord Flavored Vodka

3/4 oz. fresh lime juice

3/4 oz. simple syrup

8 mint leaves

1 thick cucumber slice

Top Ginger Ale

Chambord- Vanilla foam

Muddle cucumber and mint in syrup and lime juice. Add vodka and shake well with ice. Strain into an ice-filled wine glass. Top with ginger ale and Chambord- Vanilla Foam. Garnish with cucumber slice and mint sprig. 

*Chambord-Vanilla Foam: To a whipped cream siphon, add 1 part Chambord Liqueur, 1 part vanilla syrup and 1 part egg white. Shake well and refrigerate

homemade applesauce

Recall the apple picking escapade we enjoyed a couple weeks ago?

We MADE HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE!!!  

We kept talking and talking and talking about.  We looked up recipes...and talked about it some more...and would get excited about doing this "new" thing that neither of us had done before.  Thankfully, my husband is a DO kinda guy...he went and bought all the tools we needed this weekend while i was oncall at the hospital...and when I got home it was a fun filled couple of hours together in the kitchen!

By the way - making applesauce is so easy it's ridiculous.

1.  It started with beautiful fresh apples.  We had 5 different types of apples:  Courtland, Empire, Macoun, Jonogold, and Red Delicious.   We used 20 apples.

2. I suggested we buy an apple corer - (click here to see what I had in mind)...yet the picture above is the "machine" that Tommy brought home...it slices, peels and cores...and suctions itself to the counter-top.  QUITE a phenomenal contraption...bulky yes ...but rad.

3.  After they were cleaned, sliced, peeled, and cored they were soaked in a lemon-water to prevent over browning.  (3 parts water, 1 part lemon juice)

4.  Then they were cooked in boiling water for 20 - 25 minutes. (not a huge pot of water...just enough to keep the apples from sticking to the bottom of the pan)

5.  Then we strained the water.

6.  Then Tommy and his awesome man-power mashed em smooth!!

7.  Then my camera died... before we seasoned them with brown sugar and cinnamon.

8.  After we created the most delicious taste imaginable...they went back on the stove for around 8 minutes.

Ohmygod so good!!!  We ate it warm.  Delish!