Mojitos

As Mike and I were recently packing up our tiny Manhattan apartment for the new life awaiting us in Durham, North Carolina we stumbled across a small, rouge bottle of white rum in our bar. Usually people to opt for gin or bourbon based cocktails, I was a bit unsure what we could create with this new found option. But Mike was soon rummaging around in our refrigerator, successfully locating some mint and simple syrup kept on hand for Mint Juleps. He grabbed two limes leftover from a recent taco night and asked me to bring him the muddler.

He soon handed me a concoction that tasted so refreshing on that hot city day, I forgot momentarily we still had days of packing in front of us. In five years of living together, Mike had never whipped up such a drink and when I asked where he acquired such a skill, he shrugged and said, "I read it on a blog somewhere." With just a bit of tweaking - a little lighter on the syrup, a little heavier on the rum - Mike had created a new favorite drink.

This drink has been the staple of Summer 2013 so far. Not just for me, but when we stayed with my parents for a few days between leaving New York and moving to North Carolina, he whipped up a batch for my family. Then this Instagram photo was seen by the neighborhood and Mike soon found himself giving lessons on creating the perfect Mojito.

Today I am happy to not only give you Mike's recipe for Mojitos, but I am also thrilled to share a new feature - recipe cards! Just download the PDF below, follow the simple instructions, and you will have a beautiful 4x6 recipe card to add to your collection. I hope you enjoy them as much as I am enjoying designing them! Cheers!


MOJITO
Makes 1 Drink

Small handful fresh mint
1 ounce simple syrup (recipe here)
1 lime, cut in half
2 ounces white rum
Crushed ice
Seltzer water

In a highball glass, combine mint, simple syrup, and the juice from half a lime (about 1 ounce). Muddle vigorously. Add rum and squeezed lime half to the glass.

Cut remaining lime half into thirds. To taste, add 1-3 thirds of lime. Add a bit of crushed ice. Top with a splash of seltzer water. Circulate drink without disturbing the bubbles. Serve with a straw.


Get the recipe card here or download recipe below.

Mint Juleps

You didn’t think I would leave you hanging before Derby Day, did you?! While I do have to say I am shocked I have never shared my recipe for Mint Juleps, I do promise you it was worth the wait. This is my favorite warm-weather drink, perfect for cheering on horses or just enjoying the summer sunshine.

This is one of those drinks that can easily be ruined when the proportions are off, even just slightly. It has taken a little bit of tweaking, but I knew I had a winner when our friends in Kentucky - who previously claimed to not like Mint Juleps for being too sweet - happily indulged in this recipe. So get your winning bets and big hats ready and be sure to whip up a few of these drinks to celebrate the day!

MINT JULEP
MAKES 1 DRINK

Fresh mint, stems removed
1 ounce simple syrup (recipe here)
2 ounces bourbon
Crushed ice
Seltzer water

In the bottom of a mint julep cup, muddle a small handful of mint with the simple syrup. Add the bourbon and stir to combine. Add crushed ice over the mixture, then top with a splash of seltzer. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

*Mint Julep cups are from Danforth Pewter (previously Shirley Pewter) in Williamsburg, Virginia

Welsh Rarebit

I'm starting to notice a theme emerging in the food I have been shooting and sharing with you recently: breakfast, better yet weekend breakfast recipes. Perhaps that should come as no surprise – I know very few people in the world who do not enjoy a leisurely breakfast on a weekend morning. But even more than usual, I have found myself yearning for these dishes on the weekend. All week I crave the simplicity, the slower pace, even if just for one meal.

Welsh Rarebit is a fairly new recipe in my repertoire, but with crusty bread, cheese, eggs, and beer, I am sure it is one that is here to stay. This is a hearty meal that will keep your hunger at bay for most of the remainder of your day and I bet, like me, you will find yourself daydreaming of the dish – and the weekend – soon after the next workday begins.

WELSH RAREBIT
Serves 2 to 4
Adapted from Talking With My Mouth Full by Gail Simmons

This is a hearty breakfast, perfect for a lazy weekend morning. Use a hearty bread that will stand up to, but not overpower the dish: rye, pumpernickel, or country are all good options. I also make this dish when I have leftover Homemade Everything Bagels, which adds a delicious crunch.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup Guinness (I like to use the Foreign Stout)
1 tablespoon Worcetershire sauce
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
4 pieces toasted bread, sliced about 1/2-inch thick
4 large eggs
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pickles, for serving

Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat broiler.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then stir in flour with a rubber spatula. Cook, stirring often to ensure no lumps form, until mixture is golden brown and very fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in mustard powder and cayenne, followed by beer and Worcestershire sauce.

When mixture is well combined, turn heat to low and whisk in cheese until very smooth. Spread a thick layer of the mixture on toasted bread slices. Place on a sheet tray under the broiler, until cheese is bubbly and edges of toast are crisp and golden, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. When butter begins to foam, reduce heat to medium-low, crack eggs into butter, and fry until whites are set and yolks are still runny.

Place one egg on top of each slice of bread and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with pickles. Leftover cheese mixture may be refrigerated up to 1 day.

Graham Cracker Ice Cream Cake with Chocolate Frosting

A few days ago I celebrated my birthday, ringing in the beginning of year 27. It promises to be a year full of exciting, big changes.

Each year when the 10th of March rolls around, I always debate what to do about my birthday dessert. Should I enjoy it in a fancy restaurant or bakery? Should I make myself a whole cake? Do I even want something sweet? But each year I wind up craving the exact same flavors of a cake my mom always made on my special day: graham crackers, vanilla pudding, chocolate frosting. I have her recipe for the cake, but it makes far too much for just two people and the cake pan would take up a fourth of our refrigerator space. So instead, each year I daydream of a new way to make the flavors into a new dessert.



This year I settled on creating ice cream cakes, each the perfect size to share with a special someone. These are quick to create, especially, if you like me are short on time, and substitute a really great quality vanilla ice cream for homemade.



GRAHAM CRACKER ICE CREAM CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Makes 2 cakes

Because my freezer space is so limited, I decided to make these ice cream cakes in individual springform pans. The size is perfect for sharing with your special someone, just be sure to have your fork ready, as this dessert has a way of disappearing right before your eyes!

10 graham crackers, ground into crumbs in a food processor, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 pint vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons shortening
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Reserve 1/4 cup of the graham cracker crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the remaining graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until all the evenly coated. Divide the mixture evenly between two 4 1/2-inch individual springform pans. Using your fingers, press the mixture into a crust over the bottom and about halfway up the sides of each pan. Freeze the crusts for about 10 minutes.

When crusts are set, place two scoops of vanilla ice cream in each pan and smooth with a small offset spatula. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the reserved graham cracker crumbs over the top of each. Freeze for about 15 minutes. Place two additional scoops of vanilla ice cream in each pan, smoothing again with a small offset spatula. Divide the remaining graham cracker crumbs evenly over the top of each. Wrap each pan in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.

To make the chocolate frosting, sift together the confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Using a hand mixer, combine the ingredients until the frosting is light and fluffy.

To serve, remove the ice cream cakes from the freezer and unmold. Frost as desired and serve immediately.

Chocolate Stout Floats

I will admit that when it comes to St. Patrick's Day, I am quite lazy in preparing a dessert for the holiday. Perhaps it is because I am not Irish or maybe because Mike and I have arrived at the age where we plan to stay in the apartment to actively avoid the bar hoppers. If it is a particularly warm day and the windows happen to be open, we collectively roll our eyes as the cheering and partying starts to turn into yelling and sobbing.

I told you we were old! This year, I decided to at least make an effort and prepare a super easy dessert that still celebrates the main star of the day - stout! With just two ingredients required - plus a cute striped straw - it ensures we will be back to reading our books and shaking our heads at the rowdy youth in no time.


CHOCOLATE STOUT ICE CREAM FLOATS
Makes 2 floats

For this easy recipe, you just need two ingredients on hand: your favorite chocolate stout and a delicious vanilla bean ice cream. If you have homemade ice cream on hand, it will be perfect in these floats, but not to worry - a good quality store-bought pint will serve as a great substitute.

12 ounces chocolate stout (I love Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout)
4 scoops vanilla bean ice cream, recipe below (or substitute a good-quality store brand)

Divide the beer evenly between two sundae glasses. Carefully scoop two scoops of ice cream into each glass. Serve immediately.


VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM
Makes about 1 quart
Qdapted from The Perfect Scoop

1 cup whole milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream, divided
Pinch of table salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 large egg yolks
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, and table salt in a medium saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the warm milk and also add the bean pod. When liquid is barely warm to the touch, cover, remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium-low heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until nappe: when the mixture the thickens, coats the spatula, and holds its shape when a you draw a line with your finger across the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Put the vanilla bean into the custard, stir in the vanilla extract, and cool over an ice bath, stirring occasionally.

When mixture cools, place in the refrigerator to ripen overnight. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving it for another use, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.