MANHATTANS.

2 1/2 ounces of Bourbon or Rye Whiskey

1/2 ounce Sweet Vermouth

A few drops of Angostura Bitters

Maraschino Cherries for garnish

Shake in a shaker with ice

Pour into a martini glass

Drop a cherry in

And Boom!  Enjoy.

BRANDY-CHAMPAGNE PUNCH.

....even though I made three batches of this Brandy Champagne Punch for our holiday party it was all gone within the first hour.  So. Good.  It's Christmas-y without being too heavy.....and the sugar and brandy are wonderfully balanced out by the tarty-vanilla citrus and the champagne bubbles. 

PUMPKIN PROTEIN SMOOTHIE

'Tis the season for all things pumpkin and pumpkin for all things!

Here's my Post-Workout Pumpkin Protein Smoothie recipe:

1 1/2 cups of Vanilla Almond Milk

1 Banana

1/2 cup of Canned Pumpkin

1/3 cup Raw Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1 scoop of Whey Powder

1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice

BLEND!

VENISON STEW

The husb making one of our favorite recipes: Vension Stew.  The venison has to marinate for 24 hours (in wine!) and then needs to slow cook for another couple of hours.  The tenderness of the meat after all this time is worth every wine-soaked second.  It's a very heavy stew, so after making it a few times we decided to serve it over egg noodles and add a dallop sour cream creating a stroganoff-y style meal. 

NOODLELSS LASAGNA

My husb making No Noodle Zuccini Lasagna...it tasted great, but was really watery.  He's working on trying to make it more dense...stay tuned.

BLOODY MARY'S

My favorite Bloody Mary recipe....don't forget a wheat beer sidecar!

MINT JULEPS FOR A CROWD

I made these mint-steeped Mint Juleps for a grillin' party this weekend and they were worth the wait.

KUMQUAT SALSA

What the hell is a kumquat exactly?  

Well, they're kinda like baby oranges, about the size of an olive, and you eat them whole...yes, orange rind and all.  They're adorable and delicious and great in this salsa recipe.  

THE BEST MARGARITA

The best margarita is a simple recipe from Rick Bayless.  There's no additional sugar added, so these will be tart instead of sweet and you won't get that simple-syrup-stomach ache that comes with traditional resturant style 'ritas.  Also, because there is no sugar to mask cheap liquor taste, the best silver tequila and orange liquor you can afford will make all the difference.  

Rick Bayless Margarita:

• Rub lime slice around the edge of 2 martini glasses and dip in dish of coarse salt

• In shaker combine 1/4 cup of silver 100% agave tequila, 1/4 cup of orange liqour, 1/4 cup of lime juice, and 1/2 cup of ice

• Shake for 10 -15 seconds, pour through strainer and then be careful because BOOM! These cocktails are no joke!

BREAD

There are few things better then taking the afternoon off to make some fresh baked bread.

PLENTY

New on my bookshelf: Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi

FAUX PHO

A simple, but still delicious, faux pho recipe.

SALMON EN COCOTTE

Scenes from Salmon en Cocotte night.

WARM CABBAGE TOFU SALAD

This is one of my favorite new recipes that I’ll be busting out a lot this summer: Warm Cabbage Salad with Crispy Tofu.  If you hate tofu or have never tried it before, this is a great place to start…it’s corn-starched and fried into these amazing, crispy pillows that beautifully absorb all the dressing.