So this is a cocktail recipe based on one called the "verdant lady" but with the mint removed.
I don't like chartreuse by itself. But I figured I'd see what it was like mixed with other things. A lot of things that aren't too good by themselves lend a hand in creating a great flavor profile. A great example is fish sauce. Pungent and repulsive on its own, it adds a great amount of umami to otherwise flat sauces and dishes.
This cocktail is pretty strong. Feel free to cut back on the gin if you want to have a few and still be standing, especially if you aren't eating anything.
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These are a little sweet without being too sweet. I make them almost every weekend now and have them for breakfast for a few days. They also work for a sweet bit of dessert without overloading on sugar. They're quick, easy, and tasty. I always add the raisins, but you can leave them out if you want.
Continue Reading Raisin Scones
I remember my grandmother baking when I was a kid. She'd make wonderful cinnamon rolls, coffee cakes, and this simple, quick cobbler. I always loved watching the butter melt in the oven. And the quick sizzle when she'd pour the batter into the hot butter afterwards.
Now, this isn't the type of cobbler that uses biscuit dough or looks like a cobbled together pie. It's closer to what some might consider a buckle: a cake-like dessert with fruit that buckles on top. It also appears as a southern variation on cobbler, which is appropriate given that my grandmother lived in Texas.
Continue Reading Rosina's Quick Cobbler
I've always enjoyed a mojito. The refreshing combination of rum, mint, and lime juice isn't too sweet or too sour. But I don't look forward to the muddling. I prefer mixing a few things together, perhaps shaking a bit, and then enjoying the results.
One day, I had a handful of fresh mint on hand so I decided to make simple syrup and infuse it with the mint. No muddling would be required. This was simple enough: make the simple syrup and add the mint as the sugar dissolves, let it steep until the syrup has captured much of the mint essence (about 15 minutes), and finally, strain out the mint.
I didn't have any soda, so I combined everything in a mojito and left it out. The result was a nice sipping cocktail.
Continue Reading Stiff Mojito
A bread maker is great if you want to explore a lot of different breads without having to invest a lot of time into learning a lot of techniques or following wildly different recipes. But once you've figured out a staple bread that you want to make week after week, a bread maker might not be the best answer. I have one, and I found that I was constantly making bread. I also found myself forgetting to get the paddle out of the bread once it cooled. After slicing into the paddle one time too many, I figured there had to be a better, more fool-proof way to make bread.
This whole wheat bread is simple even though it has three rises. Once you've made it a few times, it'll be second nature. I weigh everything, even the milk, so everything is in grams. I find putting a bowl or pan on a scale and adding everything is a lot easier than getting out an array of measuring cups and spoons. There's a lot less mess to clean up, too.
Continue Reading Whole Wheat Bread