Girlfriends, Girls' Night IN And One Sweet, Hot B*tch (Surprise...That's a Cocktail!)

Girls' Night with great friends is exactly what the doctor orders sometimes. Last Saturday night the physician writing orders wasn't quite the regular General Practitioner sort of doctor you might normally visit, but more of the kind who heals your spirit and soul.

While perusing the bottles of liquor on the shelves for our evening's indulgences, we began with impromptu tastings of Zaya rum followed by Patron XO Cafe in tiny stemmed glasses. Tres chic (not)! Judy and Stacey (mom and daughter, too, like Kimber and me) and my dear friend Marti (all three of them in from Maryland), lounged in our estrogen-charged living room swapping stories, catching up on all the latest happy, sad and mundane goings on in our lives and sharing both sweet and bittersweet memories we'd been blessed to have with Mark.

Chicken, beef and pork soft tacos (yay Verde Mexican Kitchen & Cantina (their catering menu is muy bueno)!!!!) and gluten-free Chipotle Brownies (yay Marti!!!!) provided sustenance as Kimber kept us happy with delicious and creative cocktails. Bourbon on the rocks for Marti, a cucumber and jalapeno gin & tonic for me and rum and Cokes for Judy and Stacey. Hmmmm...there maybe have been some experimental picklebacks mixed in there somewhere, as well.

For herself, Kimber came out of the kitchen carrying a martini glass with 2 pickle slices perched prettily on its rim. That little riff on a pickle-tini turned out to be everyone's favorite! (You know we were all sampling each cocktail that magically seemed to appear...quality control and all that.)

Zesty Bread and Butter pickle juice (with just a little muddled cucumber and jalapeno for zip) created a perfect combo of sweet and salty, hot and sour to cap off a "Girls' Night IN" to remember. (No drinking and driving here!) Somehow the name transformed from "pickle-tini" to "One Sweet Hot B*tch." (I can't imagine what could have influenced such irreverence. *wink*) And the cocktail shall forever remain named just that.

Here's the recipe so you can create a night of your own to treasure with your very BEST girlfriends, no matter how old you are. Remember, great girlfriends can get you through just about anything while holding your hand, simultaneously making you laugh...and sometimes shedding tears of their own right along with yours. Cheers, my friends!

One Sweet, Hot B*tch

• 2 cucumber wheels - save 1 for garnish
• 2 fresh jalapeno wheels - save 1 for garnish
• 3 oz. Bluecoat Gin (made right here in Pennsylvania!)
• 2 oz. Zesty Bread & Butter pickle juice (Vlasic!)
• splash of tonic (I use Fever Tree)
• ice
• 1 pickle slice for garnish, too

In a cocktail tin, muddle the cucumber wheel and jalapeno wheel. Add gin and pickle juice, then fill the tin 3/4 of the way with ice. Shake vigorously until the tin frosts and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with the cucumber, pickle and jalapeno wheels. Enjoy!

 

Cucumber Blood Orange Gin & Tonic

It's Monday. There's still grass to mow and yard work leftover from the weekend that needs to be done. You've worked all day, you've taken care of the stuff that didn't get done on Saturday or Sunday. You deserve a refreshing break. I know I do!

Here's one quick cocktail to refresh your thirst AND your spirit. Cool cucumber, tart blood orange, a floral tonic syrup, a little gin and a splash of soda. Sit back and relax...before you do it all over again tomorrow. 

Cucumber Blood Orange Gin & Tonic

Makes 1

• 1/4 cup English cucumber, cut into 1/2" pieces - skin on
• 1/2 orange, blood orange, juiced
• 2 ounces gin, Blue Coat or other less juniper-y gin
• 3/4 ounce Jack Rudy Small Batch Tonic syrup (if you can't find it or want your cocktail NOW - who can blame you - just use a little more than a splash of tonic water instead of the Jack Rudy and soda water...no problem!)
• soda water

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cucumber pieces and the juice well. Add gin & tonic syrup, add ice 3/4 of the way up the tin, cap tightly and shake briefly. Strain into an ice filled glass of your choice.
 
Remove a strip of orange peel from a blood orange with a wide swivel blade veggie peeler. Remove a strip of cucumber with a knife. Rub the flesh side of the cucumber around the rim of the glass and insert decoratively into the edge of the glass. 

Twist the orange strip skin side toward the cocktail over the liquid, letting the orange oil fall into the glass. Rub the skin side of the orange peel around the rim of the glass and insert it into the glass alongside the cucumber strip. Add a splash of soda water to the top, stir gently and enjoy.


NOTE: I first had Jack Rudy tonic syrup at Bad Decisions in Baltimore...where else?! I bought mine through Fab.com, but you can get it through Amazon, too. You can definitely buy it at Jack Rudy Cocktail Company! Probably through other places as well. No blood oranges? Pfffttt! Use regular oranges or even tangerines. Hmmmm...that sounds great!

Greek Layered Spinach, Feta & Artichoke Salad

It’s that time of year when we're going to, and cooking for, lots of parties, picnics and showers.  We're celebrating holidays, birthdays, beautiful weather and being outside, new babies and new love that has blossomed into the commitment of a wedding.  Our celebrations run the gamut...we just LOVE parties, don't we?  Well, I do.

Do you wrack your brains for what to make to take?  It's not always an easy decision, is it...especially when you want to fancy it up a little bit for a shower. I made this colorful and delicious salad for Janelle's bridal shower at work tomorrow.  

A layered salad makes such a beautiful presentation.  They’re SO pretty in a clear glass bowl!  We all know that you eat with your eyes first.  That makes this gorgeous salad a feast for the eyes and for the tastebuds!

Greek Layered Spinach, Feta & Artichoke Salad

• 2 large chicken breast halves, shredded (Buy them at the deli counter - if you're lucky, you can just buy the breasts.  Otherwise, buy a whole rotisserie chicken, use the breasts and use the rest for something else.)
• 3/4 English cucumber, diced small
• 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 teaspoon Jane's Crazy Salt

• 2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 large lemons, juiced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Jane's Crazy Salt

• 5 ounces fresh spinach, preferably baby spinach, torn - 1 bag
• 1 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
• 12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, reserve juice
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives, seeded and quartered
• 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

A day or two ahead, mix the garbanzo beans (chickpeas) with the lemon juice and minced garlic, olive oil & Jane's crazy salt in a tall, narrow container.  Using a fork, stab the beans, stir, stab the beans, stir; cover & store in fridge.  Shake the container occasionally to marinate well.  Don't make the beans mooshy, just get some nice holes in them.  It lets the marinade permeate & gives the beans a hummus-y flavor!
 
The night before you're going to serve this, sprinkle Crazy Salt on diced cucumbers and let drain in a strainer over a bowl while you layer the salad.
 
In a glass bowl, put the spinach in the bottom, scatter the garbanzo beans and all the marinade next.  Next do a layer of the roasted red peppers, then chicken and sprinkle with basil and a little Crtazy Salt. 
 
Next do an even layer of the artichokes, cutting to bite-size, if necessary.  Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.  Scatter with the kalamata olives - be SURE you get all the pits out!  Next crumble the feta over all.
 
Now drain the cucumbers well, pressing them against the sides of the strainer.  Mix the cukes and the tomatoes, sprinkle with a little Crazy Salt, pour the reserved artichoke liquid over all, mix and scatter the mixture over the salad.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.
 
The juices and marinades form the dressing.  Serve with tongs, digging down deep through the layers to get a little of everything in every serving.  Nice with some pita!

Tzatziki

Tzatziki

• 1 seedless English cucumber, grated (if you use regular cucumbers, be sure to peel the cucumber and scrape the seeds out before grating - regular cucumbers are waxed)
• 2 cups plain low-fat yogurt (I use Fage 0% fat Greek yogurt)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 3/4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Jane's Crazy Salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh mint leaves
• 1 small clove garlic, minced

Put the grated cucumber into a sieve and sprinkle with a little salt.  Let the cucumber drain for 1/2 an hour over a bowl.  Press the cucumber against the sieve to get all the rest of the liquid out.  Then proceed with the recipe.

Blend all ingredients together and chill for an hour.
 

To serve:  On large platter, surround bowl of Tzatziki with cherry tomatoes, cubes of feta cheese, Calamata olives, pickled hot peppers and wedges of pita bread.  You can dip the pita itself or tuck cheese, tomatoes, etc. into the bread before dipping!  

NOTE:  Soergel's in Wexford carries Heaven Mills gluten-free pita that is out of this world!  If you can't get to Soergel's, be sure to look for it wherever you buy your GF products.  Eden's in Mt. Lebanon carries it, too. 

Happy National Margarita Day!

Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita with Cilantro Simple Syrup

Happy Margarita Day!  I saw it on the internet so it has to be true, right?  What the hell, even if it isn't an official holiday, are you going to turn down a cold, frosty, tart and tangy margarita with a nice spicy kick?  I didn't think so.  I couldn't turn one down either...especially this one...especially today.  It's simple to make since it's a classic shaken version...you don't even have to drag out the blender and make a mess!  Yay!!!!

My little twist is cilantro simple syrup (I make it myself...recipe below), fresh lime, Cointreau, silver tequila, slices of English cucumber and fresh jalapeno combine to make a drink worth of the holiday.   Mix one up, raise a glass and toast the holiday!!!!!

Cucumber Jalapeno Cilantro Margarita 

• 3 slices English cucumber (seedless)
• 2 slices jalapeno (can't take the heat?  Leave this out.)
• 3/4 ounce cilantro simple syrup (see recipe below)
• 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila
• 3/4 ounce Cointreau
• ice

Muddle cucumber, jalapeno and simple syrup in the bottom of a cocktail tin.  Add tequila and Cointreau.  Add ice 3/4 of the way up the tin.  Top the tin with the mixing glass and shake until the tin is frosty. 

Strain into a salt-rimmed glass or without salt if you prefer. Garnish with a cucumber slice and a slice of jalapeno and enjoy.

Cilantro simple syrup:  Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small pot.  Bring to a boil and simmer until it's clear - just a minute or two.  Remove from heat, add a handful of fresh cilantro and let the syrup cool.  Bottle and use.