A Perfect Valentines day Drink

I love Valentines!!! Who cares if everyone thinks of it as a "Hallmark" holiday created only to encourage us to spend money? I like to think of it as a day for us all to remember all the warm fuzzies that, that special person makes us feel and express it to them. Well this year I will be toasting my love for my husband with one of my all time favorite drinks called Naughty at Neimans. It is the perfect shade of pink and is made as follows. Guys consider surprising your special girl with a soft pretty pink sweet cocktail and I guarantee she will love you even more!!! The recipe is as follows: 1 part of X-Rated Fusion Liqueur ( delicious flavors of blood orange, mango, passion fruit) 1 part Vodka ( any kind) 1 Part pink lemonade ( I like Newman's organic) shake with ice and strain into martini glass. garnish with a lime wedge. If you want to make it extra sweet and pretty I like to buy pink sugar and dip the lime wedge end in it before garnishing the martini. Enjoy and Have a sweet Valentines day.

El grito was last night as a celebration of Mexican independence and this margarita is the pergect drink to toast such a special occasion.
In a Shaker with ice
1.25- oz Tequila -jose cuervo or Patron
.5- oz Cointreau
3/4- of OJ
1/4- Cranberry juice


shake to chill then pour into pint glass, add ice, OJ, Cranberry as needed. once glass is almost full add a float of Grand Marnier. Garnish with an Orange twist and lime and Salted rim is optional

Refreshing Agua de horchata

It seems something has been very absent from my blog. I have yet to post any recipes that represent my Mexican background. Well with summer coming to an end it is my last opportunity to sit poolside with a refreshing drink. And lately I've been craving a little known mexican drink called Agua De Horchata. This agua fresca, or fresh water is made from rice, cinnamon, vanilla, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and water. It is extremely popular in Mexico but very rarely served at Mexican restaurants here in the states.

Ingredients:
1-can Carnation evaporated milk
1/2-can Sweetened condensed milk
1/2- cup long grain rice
1- tsp high quality vanilla (Mexican varieties offer best results)
1- stick Cinnamon
water
ice

Equipment:
blender
fine sieve

Directions:
place 1/2 cup of rice and 1 cinnamon stick in a bowl and cover with water let sit overnight.
If you don't want to wait all night you can also cover the rice with WARM water and let sit for 2 hours. If you choose the second option it is really important that the water be WARM not HOT.

Remove rice and cinnamon from bowl and place in your blender, in the blender add the whole can of evaporated, half can of sweetened condensed milk, and 1 tsp vanilla. Blend until smooth.
Pour the mixture over a sieve into a large (really large) pitcher making sure that no large bits get through, this is why it will be important to use the finest sieve you can find.
pour water into pitcher starting with 1/2 gallon. taste. mixture should not be too thick or milky, nor too watered down. If the mixture is not sweet enough feel free to add sugar to suite your taste. serve over ice.

Mojitos Are:

Cool, refreshing, minty, sweet, perfection, They are also my latest obsession. I just can't get enough of them. So I simply had to post my favorite recipe for them.







1.5-oz Light/ Dark Bacardi Rum
.5-oz triple sec
.5- oz mint simply syrup (recipe Follows)
2- slices of lime
Fresh Mint 4-6 leaves (more if you like it stronger)
splash- fresh lime juice
1 -can Canada Dry ginger ale
1-bottle Reed's Ginger Brew
ICE

In a shaker muddle lime, mint, mint syrup with just a couple of ice cubes
--- add Rum, triple sec, and fresh lime juice.
--- Transfer to pint glass and fill with ice, then add the ginger ale and just an inch of ginger brew, give one last stir, then garnish with lime and mint

Mushroom Suate Appetizer with Goat cheese and Crostini

I Work at a wonderful waterfront restaurant were we have an incredible appetizer called the Mushroom Saute, it has been on the menu for the last 10 years or so. It has been one of the staples of the restaurant and something people always remember, and come back for. Here is the recipe which was published in the 2000 issue of Bon Appetit. I assure you there is nothing else like it.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
1 cup boiling water

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced
12 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
8 artichoke hearts from 14-ounce can, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 crusty French-bread baguette, cut diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup (about) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

8 ounces herbed, or plain goat cheese

Directions:

Place sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl. Pour boiling water over tomatoes; let soak until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain tomatoes; slice thinly. Set aside. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, dried red pepper and thyme; saute 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shiitake and button mushrooms and sauti until brown, about 10 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice and simmer 2 minutes. Mix in sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.) Mix in basil and 2 tablespoons butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Preheat oven to 375F. Arrange baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven; maintain oven temperature. Brush each baguette slice with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven; bake until cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes.

Serve warm crostini with goat cheese and mushroom mixture.

Makes 12 appetizer servings.

Lucky

With the summer season in full swing here on San Juan Island and tourists being shipped by the boatloads I had not taken the time to really enjoy the beauty of our Island in summer. until this weekend. I felt so free and light as I lay in the sand of South Beach. And the stress lightly lifted and carried away by the warm summer breeze of the West side left me feeling a rare tranquility. I am truly lucky.

Drink Your Dessert

You just finished a filling and delicious dinner and despite the fact that one more bite could be mortal, the craving for somethings sweet manages to creep its way into your brain. My answer to this little problem? A white chocolate Martini, sweet, frothy, decadent, and fully satisfying... The perfect end to any meal.
Here is the recipe:
3/4 shot Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
3/4 shot of Stolichnaya Vanilla Vodka
3/4 shot of Creme De Cacao

First prepare you martini glass by either chilling it in the refrigerator before use, or filling it with ice while you mix your drink.

Then fill a shaker 3/4 full with ice add the alcohol and shake until there is a nice chill to the shaker, strain into you glass and top with chocolate shavings.