Drinks

Michelle’s Martini

January 4, 2016

bluecheeseolivesI’m calling this “Michelle’s Martini”, not because I created the recipe, but because my husband has mastered making a martini the way I like them.

I have always been a wine or beer fan, not much of a “hard liquor” fan.  A couple of years ago, Bill started getting into vintage cocktails, at the time, I was thinking it was just a Mad Men inspired phase, he would snap out of it and we would happily go back to drink wine. He hasn’t snapped out of it and I can’t hardly open up a bottle of wine for myself on a Tuesday night when I just want a glass (well I could…but…).

I have never liked drinks mixed with soda, so those were out.  I occasionally like a Cosmopolitan, but can be too sweet.  I needed something that wasn’t sweet and didn’t really taste like alcohol….oh and was easy to make.

After tasting several alcohols over the last 6 months (bourbons to gins), I settled on vodka and I narrowed that down to Tito’s Handmade Vodka.  Made from corn in the USA, it is an affordable and readily available at most dining establishments…and to me frankly the smooth finish compliments the flavors of what you are mixing or infusing with.  I discovered I like a martini dirty, with a little extra salty olive brine (my favorite is from Santa Barbara Olive Oil Co).

I love to have blue cheese stuffed olives with my martini’s, my favorite is when I go to a restaurant and they have fresh stuffed…the ones from a jar just won’t do.  I stuff my own olives at home…easy and awesome.  I bought a jar of queen sized pimento stuffed olives, used a chopstick to push out the pimento and stuffed with crumbled blue cheese…that’s it!

Now off to enjoy my cocktail by the fireplace!

marini

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Michelle's Martini
Author: 
Recipe type: Cocktail
Cuisine: Drink
Serves: 1
 
Ingredients
  • 2 oz Tito's Handmade Vodka
  • ½ oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
  • ½ oz Santa Barbara Olive Co. Dirty Martini Mix
  • 3 blue cheese stuffed olives
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a shaker of ice
  2. strain into chilled martini glass
  3. garnish with 3 blue cheese stuffed olives

 

Main Dishes

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

January 3, 2016

Braised Short Ribs

Whenever I see a short rib on a menu, I order it, braised, (that is of course it is not covered in mushrooms).  I have tried several times to make them at home, they never quite fall off the bone like I want them to.

I decide for New Year’s Day, I will attempt again.  I’m reading all the tips, I’m asking around, I think I’ve got this.  It may all be in the cook time….I never let them sit long enough.

Ribs-Ingredients

I start with the searing process.  I lightly salt (not too much, Bill is on a low salt “diet”).  I heat a tablespoon or two of Canola oil in my awesome Le Creuset dutch oven (how did I ever survive without this?). I place the ribs meat side down and let them get a nice brown crust on them.  Continue to turn to get all four sides.  Takes about 15 minutes.

Sear

I remove ribs from pan and set aside.  I throw a couple of chopped up cloves of garlic into the same pan and stir them until slightly brown.  Then add in my onions and carrots and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown.  I carefully add a bottle of red wine ( I used Double T Red Wine..I should have held a glass back for myself…what was I thinking) and a cup of beef broth.

wine

I throw in a couple pinches of dried thyme and oregano (both from my garden) and some fresh parsley I had in the fridge.  I let the wine reduce to about 1/2 (15 mins or so).  Placed the ribs into the wine reduction , meaty side down, making sure they were well covered.

Placed a cover on the dutch oven and cooked in pre-heated oven 325 degrees for about 3 hours.  Turning them once halfway through.

They fell off the bone (almost too well, hard to get a picture with no bone!).  Rich and delicious!

Happy family….now, I need to work on mashed potatoes…too gluey again…back to the drawing board.

Hope you enjoy!

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Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Author: 
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Meat
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Easy recipe for a quiet water night or a great way to impress
Ingredients
  • 4 beef spare ribs
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 3 carrots chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed and chopped big chunks
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 bottle red wine
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
  1. Heat canola oil in Dutch oven on stove top. Place ribs meaty side down let sit for 3-4 minutes each side. Done right should take about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside. In same pan, cook garlic until lightly brown. Add onions and carrots, cook until onions are soft and start to brown.
  2. Slowly pour in wine and beef broth, Add thyme, oregano, and parsley, simmer until wine is reduced by about half (15 minutes). Add ribs back to the dutch oven (meat side down). Make sure fully covered. Cover dutch oven and cook in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 3 hours.
  3. Meat should easily fall off the bone.
  4. Serve over mashed potatoes.

 

Main Dishes

Baja Chicken Tacos

January 1, 2016

Chicken-Tacos_4

On my quest for healthy, I came across a recipe for Skinny Baja Chicken Tacos.  Looked amazing, so I thought I’d do another “recipe taster” and recreate this as posted.  Bill loves tacos, and like pizza, could eat them everyday.  I love them because they are an easy after work dinner and, like pizza, you can mix up the ingredients to make different every time.

Blogging with a full-time job requires a lot of preplanning.  Sunday mornings, I usually lay out my meals for the week, make my list (hopefully not forgetting it) and head to the store.  During the week, even if I’m tired, late or just plain don’t feel like cooking, I stick to the schedule.

I am on vacation this week, and ambitiously trying to get as many meals in as possible.  Yesterday, should have been Baja Chicken Taco night, but I got distracted by the cleaners at the house (and maybe a cocktail or two, it is vacation) and well…didn’t happen.

So, after my workout today (yes, day #5, which is probably 5 more than I have had all year), I made Baja Chicken tacos for lunch.

I am posting a link to the recipe as I followed almost exactly.  I did make a couple changes: Spicy Chipotle Sauce, I used ancho chili sauce and mixed it with the greek yogurt (no need to blend in a food processor), just stir and done.  I added a couple of tablespoons of the leftover sauce to the chicken to give it more of a kick.  The last change, I used preshredded cabbage with carrots and I couldn’t find my honey (how could I possibly be out?) so I had to add a little sugar to the slaw, I tried without, but it was too bitter. Didn’t love the slaw on it’s own, however, with the spicy chipotle sauce was awesome.

Thank you www.thelivefitgirls.com for this great recipe…I doubled it so I could have it for lunch again tomorrow.

Find Recipe Here: Skinny Baja Chicken Tacos

 

 

Wine

A Trio of Christmas Pinot Noir

December 31, 2015

Pinot Trio

Christmas Eve appetizers were served at our house this year, and we needed versatile wine that would go with everything from BBQ Sriracha Meatballs to Blue Cheese Salad Wedges. Since we are more of red wine drinkers vs white (as are most of our guests), we decided on a Pinot pairing.  Instead of going one variety from one vineyard, we chose 3 Pinot Noir’s from complimenting appellations.  All three provide a well-balance of fruit, spice and dirt (which is probably why I love these so much).

Spring-Pinot

Spring Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir – $75.  This estate bottled pinot comes from one of my favorite properties in the Napa Valley.  Strolling through the tranquil garden, sipping on one of their amazing wines is simply spectacular.

Bella-Glos

Bella Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir – $55.  This amazing wine, grown in the Santa Lucia Highlands, is dark, flavorful and rich.  A love a full-bodied pinot and this one does not disappoint.

EnRoute

En Route Les Pommiers Pinot Noir – $65.  Grown in the Russian River Valley and stored 11 months in French Oak barrels, this wine is an awesome balance of cherry and light oak.  A must try!