A Cocktail Break

No art . . . no workshops . . . no vintage flea market news this time.  I'll be back later with all of that tomorrow.


This blog post is for adults only and adults that enjoy a cocktail now and then.  
If that's not you . . . please move off that bar seat, retire to the living room or outside on the deck and make room for the next guest.  Thank you

Ok.  So I was in BevMo recently picking up a bottle of wine and there was a young lady in the store making Caipirinhas (minus the Leblon Cachaca). What is that you ask?  Well, if you are at least 18 and live in Brazil and enjoy an occasional cocktail from time to time, then you are probably already very familiar with this liquor made from fermented sugar cane. 


Caipirinha - pronounced Kai-pur-een-ya is made from cachaca (pronounced Ka-sha-sa), sugar, and a whole lotta limes!  This is a definite "adult" beverage that is best served in the Spring (that's now) through the Summer months.  Here's the original recipe:


Lime - Add 1/2 of a fresh lime cut into 4 wedges
Sweeten - Add 2 tsp. superfine sugar or 1 oz. of simple syrup
Muddle - Mash well into a juicy slurry

Ice - Fill a rocks glass with ice
Leblon - Pour 2 oz. of Leblon Cachaca over the ice

Shake - Shake well for 5 to 10 seconds

Serve 


other variations . . .

CHEERS!

Sunday at the Irvine Flea Market

What a beautiful day we are having here in Southern California!  I woke up early (4:30am as usual) but I was feeling a little achy so I got up and put a load of laundry in the washer and went back to bed.  I fell asleep and finally got up around 8.  Too late to get to the early service at Church, but not too late to get to the Irvine Flea Market.  God knows I love Him, right? :)

I don't know if it was because it was such a beautiful day or that I didn't get there until later than usual, but whoa, it was crowded!  I had to drive around a few times to get a parking space . . .

Finally made it in . . .

Oooooooooh, I saw LOTS of things I wanted, but because I was by myself, I didn't have anyone to talk me into getting it all *smiles*.


I bought some books to do more of the "coverless" book binding thing (see previous blog post), but when I got this 1942 Mixer's Manual home and started looking through it, I just couldn't tear the covers off.  And look what I found inside the book.  A handwritten notebook page with some cocktail punch recipes and a wine label . . .

And look at the names of some of the drinks inside the book . . .

And I guess this drink - Morning Cocktail is ok to have in the morning?  THAT would sure get you going (or not!) . . . 

The book was given to Mary Jane's husband (or boyfriend or ?) in 1948.   It reads "Happy Pouring, Honey" . . .

Here are the other books that DID get their covers torn off.  The books with the potted roses on top.  And yes, that's a little cocktail I whipped up when I returned home this evening *hee hee* . . .

Here are the other items I picked up . . .

Some old wheels, a whisk, 2 bobbins and a towel stand.  I bought the whisk because I thought it would be cool to dip in paint and make designs on canvas.
Here's a close up of the wheels.  I know that one day I'm going to find the "perfect" table I can put these on! . . .

And here's a closer look at my cocktail glass.  I picked 2 of these up at a garage sale last weekend.  They look kinda 1950's to me.  What do you think?  Anyway, turns out the lady I bought them from is a vendor at the Jamestown Flea Market in Old Town Tustin, so I saw her the next day as well.  Small world!  

I'm back home now finishing the laundry, thinking about working on another shadowbox sample, thinking about ironing clothes for work this week and thinking I'll get off this computer and just go back outside and take in some more of this beautiful California sunshine! *big smiles*

One Needs Energy to Create . . . Right?

I did this blog post back in August of 2009.  Someone e-mailed me today to tell me she had made this for her family but couldn't find the post on my blog today to get the recipe again.  This is such an easy recipe and is soooo good that I have decided to "re"post it.  So here you go . . .


A girl (or guy) needs energy to create. Right? So here's my energy snack for Saturday evening. It's somewhat of a "healthy" snack, as there are apples involved *smiles*

What you will need to make this 2-person snack (if you decide to share!):

4 to 7 green apples generously sliced
1 16-oz box of powdered sugar
1 8-oz bag of Heath Bits 'O Brickle Toffee Bits
2 8-oz bricks of cream cheese, softened
1 16-oz tub of Caramel Dip
Mix powdered sugar and cream cheese together Spread in bottom of selected container Spread entire tub of Caramel Dip on top of cream cheese mixture
Sprinkle about 5 oz. of the Toffee Bits on top of the Caramel Dip layer Refrigerate while you're slicing the apples.

To avoid "double-dipping", eat the whole thing yourself. LOL! However, if you MUST share, provide individual bowls for your guests and serve with sliced apples on the side.

Each bite tastes just like a candied apple. Uuuuummmmmmmm good *smiles* ENJOY!

What to do with all that Leftover Turkey

Turkey Devan, Turkey a la King, scalloped turkey, turkey sandwiches, turkey and rice casserole, turkey pie, turkey curry, turkey soup, turkey tacos, turkey salad.  Oooooh the list goes on and on and on . . .

Me?  I like to make a dish that my cousin Pam used to always bring to the family potlucks - Turkey (or chicken) Tetrazzini.  I don't have her "exact" recipe, but here's how I make it:

8 ounces of thin spaghetti
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
3 cups of diced cooked turkey (from that big a - - bird you prepared on Thanksgiving Day!)
1 tablespoon of butter
4 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup of chopped onion
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of chicken broth
1/4 cup of dry Sherry (no, not a 1/4 cup of ME . . . the Sherry in the bottle *hee hee*)
salt and pepper

Combine the spaghetti with 1 cup of the cheddar cheese and half of the parmesan cheese
Add turkey
In a skillet melt the butter and sauté the mushrooms and onions just until tender
add to the turkey mixture along with remaining ingredients
Gently stir to combine ingredients
Place in a greased casserole and sprinkle with remaining cheeses
Cover with lid or foil and bake at 350° for about 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly
Serves 6 to 8

ENJOY!!

And the Winner IS . . .

The Bodhi Chicklet - Congratulations !!! The fruit below is a Cherimoya. E-mail me your snail mail address and I will pack and mail your prize next week when I'm on vacation.

Thanks for playing everybody! Sam, you were sooooooo close.When Lezlei (sil/bff) of Breath of Art was here visiting earlier this month, she stopped by a Farmer’s Market with her daughter-in-law and grand daughter out in the Chino Hills area.

When she arrived at my home that evening, she was bearing gifts of chocolate covered strawberries, raw almonds, raw cashews, and this pine-cone looking fruit I had never seen before.

The fruit was very hard and did not ripen until Lezlei had left to head back to Texas. She took one of them with her, so we were able to cut into our fruit and then compare notes over the telephone.

Here’s some info . . .

Cherimoya is native to Ecuador and Peru where it is known as “The Jewel of the Incas”

The flesh is lusciously soft. It is sweet but tangy.

Some describe it as a mixture of mango, papaya, bananas and even coconut.

It’s got the sweet tart acidity of a really good apple with a super creamy texture, sort of like custard.

Mark Twain called the cherimoya "the most delicious fruit known to men." He called it “deliciousness itself.”

It looks like a big green pinecone

When you buy one look for skin that is uniformly green without blemishes, cracks, or brown spots.

Cherimoyas should not be soft at purchase because they bruise easily.

It’s better to let them ripen a few days, undisturbed, at room temperature.

They will yield to gentle thumb pressure when ripe. Very much like an avocado.

The cherimoya has a big disclaimer. You cannot eat the skin. It can cause paralysis! Mild paralysis, but it can last up to five hours.

The easiest way to eat the fruit is to cut it in half and scoop the flesh out with a spoon.

Cherimoyas won't bear fruit without some help. In their native habitat of Peru and Ecuador, there is an insect that pollinates the cherimoya flowers, but the insect does't reside in the U.S., so the growers in this country have to pollinate each flower by hand .

Its a labor intensive process in which pollen is brushed from the flower into a film canister, or other small container, and then brushed onto another flower when the flower's stigma is receptive. This pollination process last for several months as the tree comes into bloom. Sometimes the flowers will self pollinate but self pollinated fruit can be misshapen. Nor is hand pollination 100% effective. Growers expect that some fruit will not form even though the flower was pollinated.

Like avocados, cherimoyas cannot be chilled before they ripen.

Once ripe, they can be refrigerated for up to five days, but be careful not to bruise them. Rough handling of even unripe fruit leads to off flavored bruised fruit.

Common varieties of Cherimoya are White, Booth, Bay and Spain.

Cherimoyas make delicious sorbets or milkshakes, but their complex flavor and aroma is enjoyed when served halved or quartered and eaten with a spoon. Cherimoyas are rich in fiber, vitamin C and niacin.

The skin will turn brown as the cherimoya becomes soft and ripe.

Don't cut into it when you first notice ripeness. Give it a day or two more. But if you let it sit out too long without eating it, the sugar in the flesh will become fermented tasting

Cut down the center from the top to bottom. Cut in quarters and eat with a spoon or hold on your hand and eat like a watermelon. Scrape the rind with your teeth to get every bit of sweet flesh, then discard the rind.

Need a recipe? How about a Cherimoya Daiquiri

4 ounces light rum, 2 teaspoons sugar
1 ounce Curacao, 3/4 cup chopped cherimoya
1 ounce lime juice, 2 cups crushed ice
Put all ingredients into blender container. Blend until thick, frosty and smooth. Makes 2 servings.

Corn Muffins Made With Sweet Potatoes

Remember that unforgettable taste and aroma of mom's down-home Southern cooking? Well, Glory Foods honors that tradition with a selection of quick and easy Southern-style favorites prepared and seasoned just like you remember.

For the past week or so, I have been a little "out of it". Too much going on in my little world, and not getting the proper rest needed. Plus, I think the upcoming medical tests I am having done next week (March 11, 12 and 13) have been on my mind. And as much as I've been telling myself that everything is going to be just fine, there's that part of my mind that "has concerns". I took it easy this weekend, but thought it was about time I prepared a home-cooked meal. It had been awhile.

I'm a big fan of Glory Foods for when I'm not in the mood for "cooking from scratch". So when I saw these boxes of Golden Sweet Corn Muffin Mix on the shelf at the store today, I thought I would give it a try.

On the side of the box was an alternate recipe for the corn muffins using Glory's canned Sweet Potatoes.

So I grabbed a can and two boxes of the corn muffin mix. The muffins were so good, I thought I would share the recipe with you!

2 boxes of Glory Corn Muffin Mix
1 can of Glory Sweet Potatoes (drained and mashed)
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. nutmeg
3 tbsp. sugar
3/4 c. milk

here's everything mixed together except the milk


after adding the milk


greased muffin tins


filled muffin tins


Preheat and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, let set for 5 minutes, and enjoy!

I baked some boneless, skinless, chicken breasts and cut them up into bite size pieces
Diced some cheddar cheese
Drained a small can of Mandarin oranges
Sliced some red onions and
mixed a nice variety of lettuce and greens togetherto have a nice salad with the corn muffins. Yum Yum!

Have a great week everybody

Hot Apple Pies for Adults Only!

This is a recipe I would like to share with you now that the weather has turned a little chilly here in Southern California. I probably should have shared this earlier, since a lot of you live in areas where it has been down right COLD!

This recipe is one of my favorites . . .

Grab yourself a nice size glass mug
add about 6 oz. of apple cider and 1 1/2 oz. of Tuaca liqueur to the mug
heat in the microwave about 2 1/2 minutes
remove from microwave and stir
top with whipped cream
insert a fresh cinnamon stick
Sip until mug is empty
Repeat the above steps for continued enjoyment throughout the evening


Additional hot apple pie drink variations . . .

Hot Apple Pie shot

1/2 shot of Bailey's Irish Cream
1/2 shot of Goldschlager Cinnamon Schnapps
a dash of cinnamon

Fill a shot glass half full with the Bailey's Irish Cream and the rest of the way with the Goldschlager. Mix with a toothpick. Sprinkle a tiny bit of cinnamon on the top and light it with a match. Let it burn for a few seconds and then gently blow out the flame, being careful not to splash the drink out of the glass.

Here's a "head shaker" . . .

1 shot of apple juice
1 shot of Absolut Vanilla Vodka
1 dash of cinnamon

Pour apple juice and vodka into a shot glass. Sprinkle cinnamon on your tongue and pour contents of shot glass into your mouth. Shake your head until the cinnamon is dissolved, and consume.

Do YOU have any cold winter chill chasers to share?

Remember to drink responsibly!

Ramos House Bloody Mary Recipe

I was perusing November's Romantic Homes magazine that arrived in my mailbox yesterday, and stopped when I reached page 67 to write this blog post to you.

If you are a fan of the Bloody Mary, I can tell you from experience, you will want/need to try THIS recipe. The Ramos House is a little restaurant located in the heart of the Los Rios Historical District in San Juan Capistrano, CA. Los Rios is the oldest remaining residential street in California, dating back to 1794 when about 40 adobe structures were constructed to house soldiers and workers overseeing construction of the Mission.

Today, there are only three of the original adobes remaining: the Rios, which has been continuously occupied by the same family since 1794; the Montenez, which held religious services while the mission was being constructed; and the Silvas.

Ok, so enough with the history lesson. Let's get serious here and get to the recipe . . .

I don't remember olives and diced peppers in any of the Bloody Mary's I've had there (and I've had a few), but I DO know they load each Bloody Mary up with the pickled beans and a crab claw. THAT'S what makes it a MEAL for me!

And YES, I know the name of my blog is GOT ART? and if you're visiting here for the first time you're probably thinking . . . what the heck does THIS have to do with art?! Well, just take a moment and look at that Bloody Mary photo again . . . I think that's definitely artistic - don't YOU?

CHEERS!

Strawberry Surprise

Lezlei (you remember, the ex-sister-in-law-best-friend that moved to Texas) has been telling me about this dessert that she makes called Strawberry Surprise. Everytime I go to the market I forget to pick up the ingredients, so I hadn't made it yet. Well, yesterday was finally the day.

This is so easy and so GOOD! Thought I would share the recipe and some photos with you.

You will need the following: fresh strawberries, one 8 oz. brick of cream cheese, one cup of powdered sugar, one small tub of Cool Whip, one Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract, and one Angel Food Cake.

Next, get a large mixing bowl and mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Once that is mixed thoroughly, add the Cool Whip

Tear about half of the angel food cake into small pieces and fold into the mixture.
Spread this into a shallow pan.

Empty the strawberry glaze into another bowl, clean and slice the fresh strawberries, mix until strawberries are nicely coated

Spread this mixture over the top of the cake mixture and place in the refrigerator

Lezlei said to let it stay in the fridge for about an hour, but she also said that she never does -*smiles*. And of course, you can double the recipe if you will be sharing. Enjoy!