Margarita Popsicles

via Confections of a Foodie Bride

Yields: 12 popsicles

Estimated time: 5 hours 30 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (8-12 small limes, usually)
• 1/4 cup silver tequila
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur
• 12 3 oz disposable paper cups
• 12 wooden popsicle sticks or spoons

Instructions

1. Heat water and sugar in a small sauce pan until completely dissolved and the water is clear. Let cool.
2. Pour into a pitcher with lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur.
3. Pour 2 1/2 ounces (5 Tbsp) of margarita into each cup.
4. Place cups into a baking dish and put the dish in the freezer.
5. After about 2 hours, start checking the popsicles. Once they’re frozen enough to support the wooden stick, insert a stick into each popsicle, pushing 3/4 of the way into the popsicle.
6. Let freeze several more hours or until completely frozen (I let them freeze overnight)
7. To serve, peel the paper cup away from the popsicle, starting at the seam of the cup, and carefully remove the bottom.
8. Consume immediately.

Fried Nutella Banana Pies

via Heather Christo Cooks

Uhm hot and gooey Nutella? Yes please!

Ingredients

• 1 chilled pie crust 
• 8 tablespoons Nutella
• 2 Sliced Banana’s
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 quart vegetable oil
• Powdered sugar

Directions

• Roll out the (store bought or get your Martha Stewart on and make it from scratch) pie crust to 1/8th inch thick.
• Use a 4” round cookie cutter to make circles of pie dough.
• Top with 1 tablespoon of nutella and a few pieces of sliced banana.
• Brush the beaten egg around the edge of the pie crust and then fold it over and very gently use a fork to pinch the edges together without breaking through the pie crust. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to fry.
• Bring the vegetable oil up to 375 degrees in a large heavy pot. Gently add the pies, a few at a time, to the hot oil and gently fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
• Gently remove from the oil with a slotted spoon or strainer. Quickly drain on a paper towel.
• Generously sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot (these stay hot for a long time!).

 

Cola-Marinated Flank Steak with Frito Chilaquiles

via Food and Wine

Total Time: 45 Min

Servings: 4 to 6

Steak

• 4 cups cola, preferably made with cane sugar
• 2 teaspoons jarred Thai green curry paste
• 2 Fresno chiles or jalapeños, thinly sliced crosswise
• One 1 1/2-pound flank steak, cut lengthwise and crosswise to make 4 steaks
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for brushing
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• One 16-ounce jar salsa verde
• 8 ounces Fritos
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 Hass avocados, diced
• 3 tablespoons freshly grated Cotija cheese
• Lime wedges, for serving

1. In a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish, whisk the cola with the green curry paste and sliced Fresno chiles. Add the flank steaks and turn to coat thoroughly. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, turning occasionally.
2. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan and oil the grate. Remove the flank steaks from the marinade and pat them dry. Brush the steaks with canola oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until the steaks are medium-rare, about 8 minutes total. Transfer the steaks to a work surface and let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Add the salsa verde and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until slightly reduced and thickened, about 4 minutes. Add the Fritos to the salsa and cook, stirring, until the chips are soft with some crunchy bits but not falling apart, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the cilantro and transfer the chilaquiles to a platter.
4. Thinly slice the steaks across the grain. Top the chilaquiles with the sliced steak and any accumulated meat juices. Scatter the avocados, Cotija cheese and remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro on top and serve immediately with lime wedges.

 

 

No Bag Tea

Why haven’t I thought of this before?!  

Fresh Mint, No Bag Tea

via Goop

All you need for a cup of tea that is as beautiful to look at as it is refreshing and soothing to drink, 2-3 stalks of fresh mint and hot water.

Arrange mint leaves in a cup, pour hot water over the leaves, let steep for a few minutes et voila! 

 

LCHF Hot Chocolate

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 a cup of chocolate Almond milk, unsweetened 
• 1/2 a cup of whipping cream
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• a dash of vanilla extract
• 4 squares of Lindt Excellence 85% Cocoa, chopped

METHOD

1. Heat the milk, cream, cinnamon and vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches boiling point, but do not let it boil.
2. Add the chopped chocolate and whisk until smooth (about five minutes).
3. Remove from heat and enjoy!

YIELD

1 serving

 

Crème Caramel

 

 via Mimi Thorisson

For the caramel

• 100 g/ 1/2 cup caster sugar (or superfine sugar)
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon rind
• 4 tbsp water

For the rest of the recipe

• 500 ml/2 cups whole milk
• 50 g/ 1/4 cup regular sugar
• ½ tsp. lemon rind
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 4 eggs

*You’ll also need a ramekin mold, charlotte mold or dariole mold.

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 300F/150° celsius.
• On low heat, melt the caster sugar, lemon juice and water in a saucepan.
• Let the mixture melt. It’s very important not to stir until the color starts to turn golden. At this point, shake the pan, until the color slowly turns to caramel golden brown. Take away from heat, and pour immediately into the mold. Be careful not to burn yourself as caramel temperature is burning hot. Swirl your mold in a circular motion so the edges get covered in the caramel.
• Heat milk in a saucepan. When it starts to boil, lower the heat, and add sugar, lemon rind, vanilla and salt. Stir, leave for one minute and set aside.
• Whisk four eggs in a large bowl, and pour in the warm vanilla milk. Make sure to whisk continuously while you are doing this so the eggs don’t coagulate. Pour the egg mixture into the caramel-lined mold.
• Place your mold in a large roasting tin, pour hot water so it comes up to nearly two-thirds of the mold. This process is called ‘bain-marie.’ Bake for 55 minutes—if your knife comes out clean then it’s ready. It should feel springy and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. Once cool, leave in the fridge for a least an hour so it chills.
• When you are ready to serve, gently loosen the sides with a palette knife. Place a serving dish on top and turn upside down. You can tap the top with a spoon to facilitate the un-molding. Be patient. You should have a lovely crème caramel, with a pool of golden caramel on the sides.

 

Chocolate Pots

 

from Nigella Lawson’s Nigella Bites
Makes 6

• 175g dark chocolate (best-quality – minimum 70 percent cocoa solids)
• 150ml cream
• 100ml whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Crush the chocolate in a food processor with the blade attachment.
2. Heat the cream and milk until just about boiling, then add the vanilla and allspice and pour through the funnel over the chocolate.
3. Let stand for 30 seconds. Process for 30 seconds, then crack the egg down the funnel and process for 45 seconds.
4. Pour into 6 small coffee cups and sit them in the refrigerator for 5 hours or overnight. But remember to take them out of the refrigerator a good 20 minutes before you want them to be eaten; the chill interferes with their silky richness.

 

Sticky Date Cake with Caramel Sauce

Recipe by Dixie Elliott

Photograph by Ben Dearnley

There’s one thing I love more than the Pumpkin craze of Fall… an all year round caramel obsession!

Between Sticky Date Cake and Sticky Toffee Pudding I can’t decide which I like best, the winning factor is really how much caramel sauce I put all over it.

Ingredients

• 250g pitted dates, chopped
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 125g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted

Caramel sauce

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 300ml thickened cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 60g butter, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 7cm deep, 22cm (base) cake pan and line base with baking paper.
2. Place dates and bicarbonate of soda in a heatproof bowl. Pour over boiling water. Allow to stand, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until dates are tender.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a large metal spoon, stir in date mixture and flour. Mix until well combined.
4. Spoon mixture into cake pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.
5. Make caramel sauce: Combine sugar, cream, vanilla and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until boiling. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour warm sauce over warm cake. Cut into wedges. Serve.

Notes

Cake and sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance. Place both in separate foil-lined airtight containers and store the cake at room temperature, and the sauce in the fridge.

Cold Weather Coffee

 

Recipe Greetings

 

A lovely Greet & Eat series from Camille Styles featuring printable and free stationery from Katie Evans.  This lovely series features a thank you card, a congratulations card, and a birthday cardall designed by Katie.  What’s more wonderful than receiving lovely stationery?  Receiving a tasty recipe in it!

click to download card

print at 100% onto a heavy card stock, cut along the marks and fold.