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

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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?