Leap Year Cocktail

The Leap Year is a somewhat popular cocktail, at least it's been around for many years (1930's at least) and if not on the tips of tongues, in the back of minds and a well-rounded Martini alternative.


Ingredients:
-2 oz gin
-1/2 oz sweet vermouth
-1/2 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur
-1/4 oz lemon juice -lemon twist for garnish

Preparation:
-Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
-Stir well.
-Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
-Garnish with a lemon twist.

Birthday Cake #2

So last night I baked the birthday boy his second cake... His favorite, Kahlua cake!

Here is the recipe.

Kahlua Cake 
Cake Ingredients: 
1 yellow cake mix, preferably Duncan Hines
1 (6 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding 
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup oil
4 large eggs
1/4 cup Kahlua
1/4 cup vodka
3/4 cup water

Glaze:  
1/4 cup Kahlua
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus additional for serving
Directions: 

• Preheat oven to  350°F and oil & flour a bundt pan, I just Pam for baking. 
• In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients, about 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top, then bake until wooden pick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes.
• While cake is baking, make glaze. In small bowl, whisk together Kahlua and powdered sugar. 
• Pour over warm cake, after it is removed from the pan, and sprinkle with additional powdered sugar before serving. 
• I added a little powdered sugar on top for effect :) 

Birthday Cake #1

Well that time of year is here again... Birthday time for a special guy in my life. Last year I was trying to win him over with my culinary abilities, so I decided to make his 2 favorite cakes, Angel & Kahlua. When I asked him this year what kind of cake he wanted, he replied with both as his answer. He said... I made them both last year and it was my fault to have started the trend. I think I have created a birthday monster, but then again I love to bake and love to try and make birthdays special. 

I dropped the Angel Food cake off to his work. I made your standard Angel Food cake & drizzled an orange glaze over it. So simple, zest 1 orange and juice it. Mix in powdered sugar until it is the consistency you desire and slowly drizzle it on top. You could also add some dark chocolate shavings to the top. 

I made this Goulash last night and it was a HIT! I think I may try with venison... if my hunter man get's his deer. 

Spicy Goulash

Ingredients 

• 4 pounds chuck, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 4-6 cups finely diced onions 
• 2 cups peeled and diced carrots 
• 1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and finely diced 
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded (I left the seeds in) and minced 
• 1/4 cup tomato paste 
• 2 tablespoons whole caraway seeds, toasted and ground 
• 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika 
• 2 tablespoons hot Hungarian paprika 
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced marjoram leaves 
• 2 teaspoons freshly minced thyme leaves 
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 
• 4 cups chicken stock, low-sodium 
• 2 bay leaves 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Directions 

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 
• Season the chuck with the salt and pepper, to taste. 
• In a large oven safe Dutch oven (prefer porcelain coated cast iron) over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat until just smoking. 
• Add the beef in batches, being careful not to crowd and be sure to brown the meat on all sides. 
• Remove the meat from the pan to a baking sheet, or something that can catch the juices. 
• Add the onions and carrots to the Dutch oven and pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, the moisture from the onions will loosen the fond, so stir often. 
• Add the peppers and the shallots and cook until caramelized and all of the liquid is evaporated. 
• Stir in the tomato paste and allow to cook out the raw acidic flavor, about 1 minute. 
• Add in the caraway, sweet and hot paprika, the red chili flakes, the marjoram, and thyme. 
• Deglaze with the balsamic and let reduce for 2 minutes. 
• Slowly add the stock, then add the beef and any juices collected from the meat. 
• Add the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir gently to combine. 
• Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 
• Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste
• Serve with rice or pasta

Healthy reminder :)

O.A.R. on the Today Show

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

One week from today

This is where I will be 1 week from today... What a beautiful sight...

Last week the Wildcats hosted an open practice session at the stadium. They installed new turf this summer and it looks AMAZING!!! The purple will be sure to impress on TV.

The man himself... Coach Bill Snyder :)
The Brown Brothers

Girls weekend!

I have been a BAD blogger lately. Hunting season is coming up, so I am betting I will have a bit more spare time to devote to it. About a month ago my friend & spinning instructor, Stephanie, hosted a girls weekend at her lake house at Council Grove lake. We had a blast! I even went tubing... First time in decades?

Halfway Cookies

This seems like a long recipe but it is a super easy and VERY detailed recipe.

Halfway Cookie

Chewy Cookie on the bottom, marshmallow-like meringue on top, and with a layer of chocolate sandwiched in the middle... YUM!

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar, separated
2 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Equipment

9x13 baking dish
aluminum foil
parchment or wax paper

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°. Cut two pieces of aluminum foil and fold them to match the width of the pan. Press one piece into the pan lengthwise and the other into the pan crosswise with the ends hanging over the sides of the pan. This makes it easy to lift the bars out of the pan once they're cooled. Spray the foil with nonstick coating.

2. Make the Cookie Dough: Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. Using a standing mixer, a hand mixer, or by hand, cream together the butter, the granulated sugar and just 1/2 cup of the brown sugar until this looks like smooth frosting.

Separate the eggs, reserving the whites. Mix the yolks into the butter-sugar mixture one at a time until they are completely absorbed, then mix in the water and vanilla. With the mixer at a low speed, add the flour mixture and beat gently until all the flour has been absorbed and the dough looks crumbly.

3. Add the Cookie Layer: Press the cookie dough gently into the pan with your hands, making sure the surface is even.

4. Add the Chocolate Layer: Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the cookie dough and use your palms to press them slightly into the dough. This will help keep them from moving when you add the meringue.

5. Make the Meringue: Using a stand or hand mixer with a clean bowl and a clean whisk attachment, start whisking the egg whites. Gradually increase your speed to medium-high. When the egg whites are very frothy and look like loose foam, start adding the remaining cup of brown sugar a little at a time. Continue increasing your speed to the highest setting. When all the sugar has been added, continue whipping the meringue until it holds a soft peak. It should look like glossy, soft-serve ice cream.

6. Spread the Meringue on Top: Scoop the meringue down the middle of the pan. It will be very sticky! Use a spatula to gently spread the meringue from the middle to the edges. We found it helpful to skim meringue from the top and gradually push it outward.

7. Bake the Bars: Lightly press a piece of parchment or wax paper on the top of the meringue (this makes an even layer and protects the meringue from scorching). Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment. Continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the edges look toasted and are pulling away from the sides of the pan.

8. Allow to Cool: Wait until the pan is completely cook before lifting out the bars and cutting them into pieces.

Additional Notes:

• To make a crunchier meringue layer, use granulated white sugar instead of brown sugar and beat the meringue until it forms firm peaks.

• You can also reduce the amount of sugar in the meringue down to 1/2 cup (minimum) if desired.

• Other ingredients can be used in place of or in addition to the chocolate chip layer! Consider things like peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, nuts, toffee bits, dried fruit, and fruit preserves.

Saturday fun

This past Saturday Aaron and I rented a tandem kayak, packed a picnic lunch and floated on Tuttle Puddle. I was elated that we never tipped.... And I only screamed when a fish jumped out of the water once. It was a perfect afternoon.

Millons of Peaches..

I love summer time fruit. Here is the newest recipe I made this week...

Peach Cake

Ingredients

· 2 (15 ounce) can sliced peaches, undrained

· 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

· 1/3 cup vegetable oil

· 3 eggs

· 1 (8 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

· 1 (6 ounce) container peach yogurt

Directions

1. Drain peaches, reserving juice. Add enough water to juice to measure 1-1/4 cups. Cut peaches into 1-in. pieces; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix, peach juice mixture, half of the cut up peaches, oil and eggs on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into 9x13 inch greased baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

3. In a bowl, combine the whipped topping and yogurt; fold in the remaining reserved peaches. Spread topping between layers and over top of cake.

Just when you think you have seen it all...

I shop at Target...

Food for Thought...

I check out Yahoo! Health on a weekly basis. Click HERE to see this weeks article about the Top 10 Dirtiest Foods...

I am not a big ground beef eater.. Not sure why but it isn't what I cook with, but I will eat it, don't get me wrong. This was the caption under the beef picture. Got to give props to K-State :)

"Add fresh oregano to your burgers and meat loaf. When researchers at Kansas State University mixed a variety of common household spices into ground beef to test their antibacterial properties, oregano tested as one of the best at wiping out E. coli. Use at least 1 tablespoon per pound of meat. Just as important, flatten your patties—thick burgers will char on the outside before the interior reaches the required 160°F."

I Can't WAIT!!!

Exciting news for Manhattan, KS... Click HERE!

My gift to you... Happy Easter :)

Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients

- 16 oz Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, cut into small cubes

- 16 oz Mild Cheddar Cheese, cut into small cubes

- 16 oz Mozzarella Cheese, cut into small cubes

- Milk

- 1 stick of butter

- 3 large eggs

- Salt & pepper

- 16 oz of elbow macaroni

Directions

- Bring water to a boil for macaroni noodles, once water is boiling add noodles, 2 T of butter, and salt. Cook until the noodles are almost al dente, and drain.

- Add the ingredients in this order to the noodles. You will need to have a continuous motion of stirring while mixing everything together. Try and be quick so the noodles are still warm when you place in baking dish.

- 3 eggs, mix well

- 6 T butter

- Gradually add the cheese. While adding the cheese the mac will beco

me hard to stir, add milk in small amounts to help with stirring. Do this until all the cheese cubes is incorporated.

- Place into a baking dish, no need to butter the dish... there is plenty in it already :)

- Bake 45-60 min at 350 degrees until bubbly & the top starts to brown.

ENJOY!!

Cookies 'N Creme cupcakes

A few weeks ago I hosted a dinner party for my brother and his Collegiate golf team. I knew the boys needed a dessert but what... I came up with this creation by putting about a half bag of oreos in my food processor & mixing that up with vanilla buttercream. They were an absolute hit b/c there were none left... 24 cupcakes and 5 boys.

I LOVE Manhattan!

Don't look at him in the eye :)

Photo booth!

Shrimp & Rice

Today is Ash Wednesday, so I have been abstaining from meat and fasting all day. Well if you know me at ALL I think partly with my brain, partly with my heart but mostly with my stomach... So I have been thinking about what I was going to have for dinner ALL DAY. I saw this recipe on the Food Network not once but twice. Is it odd that I watch reruns of cooking shows I have already seen? It is Giada De Laurentiis' grandmother's shrimp & rice recipe. If you make it, you will not be disappointed. However, for some reason I feel super guilty about having such an amazing meal on a day of fasting... Guess it is my Catholic guilt coming out in me ;)

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, at room temperature
• 2 cups parboiled long-grain rice, such as Uncle Ben's
• 4 cups chicken stock, not broth
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (1- 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium nonstick saucepan, heat 1/2 of the butter and 1 minced clove of garlic over medium-low heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken stock and salt. Bring the

mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. Remove the pan from the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the shrimp, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. Stir in the cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Using a fork, fluff the rice and arrange on a platter. Spoon the shrimp cream sauce over the rice and serve.