Wow - Look At That Crazy Cocktail

I'm going to give you all a snippet from a conversation between Nick and me last night that really entertained me.

Nick: I threw that dress of yours away
Me: Uh... I have a number of dresses. which one?
Nick: the one you wore to your Mom's rehearsal dinner.
Me: Why would you do that?
Nick: I thought you never re-wore clothes you wear to a wedding.
Me: Are you going to re-wear what you wore to the rehearsal dinner?
Nick: Yes, but that's different
Me: Well, why do you think I was keeping it?
Nick: I don't know. For sentimental reasons?
Me: Nope. I was going to wear it again.
Nick: Oh. Really?

I've taken this conversation as a sign that Nick had a secret lobotomy. Seeing as how my life partner now has the IQ of a two year old, I really needed a drink. So I made this one. It's pretty good. And when I showed it to Nick, he just exclaimed "wow, look at that crazy cocktail."

(I also rescued the dress!)

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
2 shot limoncello
4 shots gin
small handful of mint
10-15 blueberries
1/4 c limeade
1/2 c blood orange soda
ice (for shaker and cups)

Combine limoncello, mint and blueberries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker
muddle thoroughly
add gin and limeade
shake thoroughly
strain into glasses filled with ice
top with blood orange soda
garnish with mint and blueberries

sorry for the crappy pic. i'm still getting mine up and running, so this is just from my cell.

Were the Heck Have I Been? (and a 7 layer Oikos Yogurt Dip!)

Wow. It seems like I've just totally fallen off the face of the earth over the last month. I've just been so busy - whether it be enjoying the lovely sunshine, cramming for a million trials, or just trying to grab a quick minute to relax. I've gotten some of my more stressful trials down, although I still have tough ones on the 30th of this month, and the 10th and the 20th of July. I've been living on milk duds and red wine as I work on these cases, which hasn't made for a lot of exciting food posts.

But, I did make something exciting today. I wanted to bring a little treat for my extremely hard working and funny co-workers, as well as our summer interns. I also wanted something healthy, and something with minimal baking, since the oven makes my house hot. I also needed to make something with the delicious Oikos Greek Yogurt that I've been sampling. The good people over at Oikos sent me some coupons to sample their yogurt weeks ago, and I've totally slacked off. Well, I've slacked off on the writing part - not the eating part. This stuff is delicious! It has that great tangy taste that comes with greek yogurt, but it's organic, which I love. It comes in blueberry, vanilla, honey and plain. The honey is my favorite. I like adding granola, mini chocolate chips, extra honey and maybe even some fruit.


Today, however, I made a play on a seven layer dip, with yogurt, granola, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and peaches. I then sprayed some tortilla shells with butter flavored non-stick spray, and sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar. After 8 minutes in the oven, I had some super tasty, sweet tortilla chips. This snack was a great fruit version of a seven layer dip! It was healthy, tasty and fresh. And best of all, it gave me another chance to have some Oikos yogurt!

Ingredients:
2 c each blueberries, raspberries, peaches and strawberries, cut into small cubes
2 1/2 c Oikos Honey Flavored Greek Yogurt
1 1/2 c granola (I like Quaker Oats)
1 8x8 cake pan
2 tsp cinnamon sugar

Directions

dip

lay down a layer of blueberries
layer raspberries on top
next add 1/2 of yogurt
add granola
add remaining yogurt
add peaches
sprinkle with cinnamon sugar
chill over night

chips
5 tortilla shells
cinnamon sugar to taste

preheat oven to 375
with a pizza cutter, cut 5 soft tortilla shells until you have 8 equal sized triangles from each
spray triangles with butter flavored non-stick spray
sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar
bake 8-10 minutes, until crispy
cool
serve with dip

i think this dip would also be great with mint or basil mixed in with one of the fruits. i didn't think about it until i had already made the dip, but i'm trying it next time!

sorry about the no pictures - my camera is still "in the shop"

GIVE AWAY

To make up on my delinquency for not posting something about this yogurt sooner, I paid for my own yogurt, and am gonna give my coupons to one lucky reader. I have coupons for 4 5.3 ounce containers of Oikos. Just leave me a comment on this post in order to be entered in the give away. Make sure to comment by midnight Eastern time on Thursday. If you can't buy Oikos in your area (or are lactose intolerant, etc.) just note that in your comment and I won't include you in the drawing :)

Pomegranate-Rose Water Mojito (Quick Post, No Pics)

I'm not sure how many of you, my fair readers, are trial attorneys. But I'm thinking those of you who are might relate to this. You know when you walk into court with a slam dunk case? I mean SLAM. DUNK. You know you're going to win. Your client testifies, the minimize a little bit, but it goes well. It's in the bag. And then the other side whips out the smoking gun. You know - that evidence you asked about, wondered if it existed, grilled the client about but they SWORE up and down it didn't? Then, at trial you find out it sure does exist, and it's probably gonna screw up your case.

So, that was me today. And after that trial, I was ready to have a drink. I had that pesky little issue of finishing my work day... but after that, I came home to relax and watch some movies (particularly Gideon's Trumpet). I made a pomegranate-rose water cocktail, which I didn't photograph because my camera is still out of batteries from my vacation. It was really good, though - I definitely recommend trying it!

Ingredients: (serves 2)

4 large basil leaves
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp simple syrup
2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp rose water
1/4 c white rum
1/2 c sparkling pomegranate juice (or 1/2 c pomegranate juice and 1/2 c club soda)
6 ice cubes
2 highball glasses, filled with ice

Directions:

combine basil leaves, lime juice and sugar in a martini shaker and muddle thoroughly
add ice, simply syrup, rose water and rum
shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds
fill 2 glasses 1/2 way
top with pomegranate juice
serve

(I would definitely have added about 1/2 a lime during the muddling if I had it on me)

One More Week...

Hi Guys

I'm sorry I'm still not back to my regular blogging schedule. Nick and I got home from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks late tonight. We ate lots of huckleberry stuff and I have lots of pictures to show you!! But, this week is pretty crazy for me. I'm trying to cram a full work week into tomorrow and Wednesday so that I can go home Thursday and help for MY MOM'S WEDDING ON SATURDAY!! I am so excited. I love all the new family I'm inheriting - a sister, step-dad, nieces and a nephew. They're all completely amazing. This weekend is going to be so much fun. I'll be back with pictures of that and my trip next week. Can't wait to tell you all about it, and catch up on what you all have been doing!

In the meantime, check out this little guy, who ran RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY CAR!!

And this guy, just chilling on the side of the road


And oh, there's me in front of Old Faithful!

Heather

Blueberry Yogurt Cake

Ok, I'm not going to lie. This is easily my favorite cake I've made in ages. It is moist, sweet, summery and oh-so-delicious. This is one of those cakes where you just wish your best friend was at your house because it is too good to share with anyone else.

I'm a sucker for rustic cakes. Perfectly placed icing? Amazingly frosted cupcakes? They blow my mind when other people do them, but for me, I would take a homemade, imperfect looking cake any day.

To me, this cake feels like the heart of authentic, homemade baking. I made it in reflection of a lot of personal and professional questions I've been having right now - about my career, my personal life... whatever. It seems like all of a sudden, my mid-life crisis is coming a little early. This cake was a little bit of therapy for me, and it was exactly what I wanted. It's simple, delicious and beautiful in a homemade sort of way. It made me feel better after I looked at it. I definitely recommend trying it. You'll love it.

Ingredients:
**this makes a very large cake in a 9inch springform pan. this halves easily!

2 c flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 c plain yogurt (I recommend Oikos Greek Yogurt, plain)
1 c sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
6 extra-large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 c vegetable oil
10 ounces freshly rinsed blueberries (about 2 clam shells)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger

Directions:

preheat oven to 350
in mixing stand, combine eggs and sugar until thoroughly incorporated
reduce mixer to low speed, and add in vegetable oil
add in vanilla extract and yogurt
sift together all dry ingredients and slowly incorporate into wet ingredients
pour mixture into 9 inch springform pan, and bake approximately 30 minutes
sprinkle blueberries on top of cake, and return to oven, baking another 20-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out cleanly when inserted in the center of the cake
cool and serve

On another note, I recently got a chance to try out some Oikos greek yogurt, which I used in this recipe. When I get back from WY (on 6/9) I'll post some of my other recipes, including a yogurt 7 layer dip and a strawberry cake. I've also got some coupons to give you so that you can try Oikos!! So stay tuned!

Watermelon and Mango Salsa with Feta

I think I mentioned in the last post that Megan, Kate and I went to see The Bangles last Saturday. It was a really fun concert – we left early to go grab some drinks before the “beach shack” themed bar next door closed. But, singing along to “Manic Monday” and their other hits was a fun way to spend a few hours that evening. Plus there was this totally awesome 40ish aged guy in this weird reddish tunic wearing purple shoes that knew EVERY WORD to EVERY SONG. I mean, he was pretty awesome. I think we all walked out of there wondering how on God’s green earth that guy was still single.

But anyway – before we went to the concert, we made dinner at home. We did some corn on the cob, a broccoli and red pepper salad, and some grilled chicken with this delicious watermelon salsa. I love fresh fruit salsas in the summer – they’re the perfect accompaniment to that delicious charbroiled flavor you get from the grill. I think this would be good on anything from salmon to the chicken we made with it.

Ingredients

1 c. seedless watermelon cut into small cubes

½ c champagne mangoes cut into small cubes

1 tsp lime juice

½ tsp lime zest

1 ½ tsp honey

1-2 pinches of kosher sea salt

3 fresh, large basil leaves cut thinly

fresh corn removed from 1 large ear of corn (pre-cooked)

½ c feta cheese crumbles

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl

Let sit for at least 30 minutes

Serve

And I'm Back... Maple Cherry Bars

Well hello. It's been quite awhile since I've been on here. But I'm back, now, at least for awhile. I'm leaving for Jackson Hole, WY next week, so I probably won't be posting much that week, either.

But for now, I am back. I had a really restful, relaxing weekend. I saw The Bangles in concert on Saturday night with Megan and my sister, Kate, and Nick and I went to see "Night at the Museum 2" this morning. It was kind of a dumb movie, but fun. I also cleaned my whole house, gave Roxie a bath and installed some new cellular blinds in our bathroom. They're the ones without the cords, which I am really excited about! I hate the cords on our old ones so much. So we're slowly going to be replacing all the blinds in our house.

Anyway, other than those activities, I just hung out at the pool or at the house with Nick and Rox, and had a good weekend. This afternoon, I made these really delicious cherry cake bars. They're nice and thin, and perfect to go underneath some vanilla ice cream. I definitely recommend making these! I'm so glad I'll have them around this week since I have a big and really, really stressful trial coming up at the end of the week.

Ingredients:

1 stick plus 2 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 c sugar
2/3 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 c plus 2 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk
1 12 ounce bag of frozen dark sweet cherries, halved
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

preheat oven to 350
cream together butter and sugar in stand mixer
add eggs and maple syrup
sift together dry ingredients and slowly add into mixer
mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated
remove bowl from stand mixer and gently fold in cherries with a spatula
pour into an 8x8 pan sprayed with nonstick spray and bake apx 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out cleanly when inserted
serve topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel and whipped cream