Our impending annual beach trip with our best friends Laura and Tim got me thinking about the best martini ever. We will be leaving for our beach trip on my 30th Birthday. Yeah, you read it right….30!!!! Laura had a suggestion that we get all dolled up and have a nice dinner at the beach for my birthday. So in my search of restaurants for my nice birthday dinner, I began to think about a very good steakhouse in Destin called Destin Chops. So yummy! They have the best corn and crab bisque as well as many, many other great dishes. But, the highlight of the menu would have to be the Chops Flir Tini. This drink could be the only thing I consume at the restaurant and I would be completely fine with that!
Below are the ingredients for the martini.
Raspberry Vodka
Splash of Triple Sec, Pineapple and Cranberry
Topped with a splash of Champagne
Follow standard steps in making a martini.
Cheers!!!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Pizza Cake
This isn't exactly a recipe but this was my (with the help of my hubby) attempt to make a "pizza" cake for my dad's birthday. I think it turned out great considering this was my first attempt at making a decorative cake. On the other hand, I would say it didn't taste that great unless you like lots and lots of sugar.
We used an entire bottle of red food coloring in the icing to make the sauce. The pepperoni was made out of strawberry fruit roll-ups. The cheese was shredded melting candies. And the black olives were made out of black cake icing. We did try to draw out green bell peppers but that was very unsuccessful.
Bit of history - My dad has spent two long years building a gazebo that contains a massive grill and a built in brick pizza oven. The pizza oven is his baby and makes the best pizza EVER. Over the course of the night we consumed 18 pizzas between 15 people. I will try and post some pictures of the gazebo at some point.
We used an entire bottle of red food coloring in the icing to make the sauce. The pepperoni was made out of strawberry fruit roll-ups. The cheese was shredded melting candies. And the black olives were made out of black cake icing. We did try to draw out green bell peppers but that was very unsuccessful.
Bit of history - My dad has spent two long years building a gazebo that contains a massive grill and a built in brick pizza oven. The pizza oven is his baby and makes the best pizza EVER. Over the course of the night we consumed 18 pizzas between 15 people. I will try and post some pictures of the gazebo at some point.
Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo
Recipe courtsey of Food Network
Got a wild hair and decided to go Cajun today. This is very good. However, according to the directions it asks you to cook the roux for 20-25 minutes. I don't think it took me that long and mine was borderline overcooked.
Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo with White Rice
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces
4 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed
1 tablespoon Essence or Creole seasoning, recipe follows
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 bay leaves
9 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon file powder
White Rice, recipe follows
Hot sauce
In a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Season the chicken with the Essence and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, let cool, and then refrigerate until ready to use.
Combine the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the flour in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.
Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Stirring, slowly add the chicken stock, and cook, stirring, until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Add the reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.
Remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken thighs from the gumbo and place on a cutting board to cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and shred, discarding the bones and skin. Return the meat to the gumbo and stir in the green onions, parsley, and file powder.
Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top. Serve, passing hot sauce on the side.
Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup
White Rice:
2 cups long-grain white rice
4 cups water, chicken stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the rice, water, butter, salt, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit, covered and undisturbed, for 5 minutes.
Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Discard the bay leaf and serve.
Yield: 7 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 5 minutes
Got a wild hair and decided to go Cajun today. This is very good. However, according to the directions it asks you to cook the roux for 20-25 minutes. I don't think it took me that long and mine was borderline overcooked.
Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo with White Rice
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces
4 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed
1 tablespoon Essence or Creole seasoning, recipe follows
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 bay leaves
9 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon file powder
White Rice, recipe follows
Hot sauce
In a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Season the chicken with the Essence and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, let cool, and then refrigerate until ready to use.
Combine the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the flour in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.
Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Stirring, slowly add the chicken stock, and cook, stirring, until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Add the reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.
Remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken thighs from the gumbo and place on a cutting board to cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and shred, discarding the bones and skin. Return the meat to the gumbo and stir in the green onions, parsley, and file powder.
Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top. Serve, passing hot sauce on the side.
Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup
White Rice:
2 cups long-grain white rice
4 cups water, chicken stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the rice, water, butter, salt, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit, covered and undisturbed, for 5 minutes.
Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Discard the bay leaf and serve.
Yield: 7 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 5 minutes
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