Beverages

How To Make Kefir

written by Ali

I’ve been a little obsessed lately with fermenting kefir, so I’m happy to share how to make kefir with my readers. Kefir is that probiotic milk drink that you can find in most health stores. It’s slightly tangy, a little fizzy, and really wonderful. And it’s super easy to make your own at home.

First off, kefir is the drink that’s made from kefir grains. Kefir grains are made up of yeasts and bacteria and look like, well, grains. I purchased my kefir grains from Etsy. It’s simple enough to search for kefir and find many, many different sources. I received a little under a tablespoon of grains, which have multiplied over the last few months. I’ve experimented with culturing both milk and cream. Fermented cream makes an exceptional substitute for sour cream. I’ve also learned through trial and error, that culturing kefir for a few days and then straining it makes a great cream cheese substitute.

Kefir grains

My formula for successful kefir is one tablespoon or so of kefir grains covered by whole or 2% milk in a pint jar. I leave this on the counter top for roughly 24 hours and then strain. I’ve been drinking the kefir itself with a tablespoon of Barlean’s Essential Woman Chocolate Mint Swirl. First thing in the morning, it’s quite a pick me up. Kefir makes a great probiotic and I’ll say that it’s been great for my digestive system.

A couple of things I’ve learned that are worth noting. Don’t use metal utensils when you are handling your kefir grains. I’ve read varying reasons why, but the general consensus is that the kefir grains can react to metal. That said, it’s fine to use a regular canning jar lid and ring when you are culturing your kefir.

I’ve also learned that kefir is very forgiving. I recently got very busy and ended up with my kefir grains hanging out in milk in the fridge for about two weeks. While it’s probably not the best thing to do, the grains seem to be just fine. I strained them out, put them in fresh milk, and set them out at room temperature to culture.

Kefir grains in jar

I’m sure I’ll be posting more tips about how to make use of your kefir soon, so keep checking back for more!

Kefir Grains in Jar

March 19, 2018 0 comment

Beverages Musings

Brandy, Benedictine, and Books

written by Ali

First off, I have to say that if there is ever a book town I want to live in, it’s Three Pines in Quebec. Mostly because I want to curl up in the cafe with a B&B - a brandy and benedictine and just watch all the interesting characters go by.

What’s the book world I’m infatuated with? It’s the world of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache - the creation of Louise Penny. Penny’s books are set between the fictional town of Three Pines and the metropolis of Montreal. The cast of characters are delightful - without a doubt, my favorite (after Gamache) is Ruth - the elderly poet with her duck, Rosa. And I’m not going to tell you what FINE stands for - you’ll have to read the series to figure it out. Safe to say, though, it’s how I feel many a day.

Of course, one of the other reasons I really love this series is the food and drink. Gamache eats (and drinks) really well. There are many descriptions of great dinner parties, not to mention all the croissants consumed at the B&B and cafe. I serial read three books over my break, which is probably why I didn’t spend nearly as much time cooking as I normally would.

One of the drinks referenced many times as an after dinner aperitif is a B&B or Benedictine and Brandy. I’ve had Benedictine lurking at the back of the liquor cabinet for awhile now. I’m not even sure why I bought it in the first place. And I always have a cheap brandy on hand for sangria. Note to self - it’s time to up my game on the brandy, as I think this would taste much better with a higher quality one.

Benedictine liqueur, by the way, is a secret blend of twenty seven distilled herbs and spices (three of which are Angelica, hyssop, and lemon balm). Benedictine has been around since 1510. A B&B is an easy combination of 1 to 1 Benedictine and Brandy, served over ice or served neat. I’m a lightweight these days, so I found that a B&B served neat was a bit overpowering. I opted to toss in some ice.

So the cocktail recipe this week is 1 ounce Brandy, 1 ounce Benedictine and some ice. I highly recommend sipping this with a little jazz on the stereo and a Louise Penny book in hand. Enjoy!

January 19, 2018 0 comment

Beverages Holiday Recipes

Meyer Lemon Curd Martini

written by Ali

Confession time - my meyer lemon curd martini may just be my latest cocktail crush. I could drink one of these just about any day of the week, but I’m working on being healthy this year, so I’ll save it for the weekend.

My inspiration for this beauty of a cocktail started with Meyer lemon mini-tarts that I made for New Year’s Eve dessert. Every year, I aim for a fancy dessert at New Year’s. It just seems like the right way to end, and start, the year. 2015 ended with Kahlua cheesecake; 2016 ended with tiramisu; and 2017 was all about the Meyer lemon. I bought mini tart pans just days before the end of the year (yay for Amazon Prime!). I made my own pastry crust. And then I made the lemon curd. It was tart and sweet and perfectly creamy and I had way more than I had expected to make.

First week back at work after New Year required curd in my yogurt. Yes - required. There was still leftover Meyer lemon curd. So I obviously started thinking about cocktails.

All this meyer lemon curd martini takes is some curd (here’s a great recipe for making your own)., some gin, and meyer lemon juice. If you like your cocktails on the sweeter side, feel free to add a spoon or two of simple syrup. Otherwise, be prepared to pucker up and enjoy.

Yum

Meyer Lemon Curd Martini

Ingredients

2 ounces gin
Juice from 1/2 Meyer Lemon
2 tablespoons meyer lemon curd

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain and serve in a martini glass. Enjoy!

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January 12, 2018 1 comment

Appetizers Beverages Farmer's Market Lunch Recipes Musings Vegetarian

Top Five From 2017 and Five Goals for 2018

written by Ali

I’m happy to share my top five from 2017 and five goals for 2018 today. However, am I the only one who is having a hard time believing that 2017 is already at an end? It’s been an incredible year. The highlight for me was our big move to the Southern Oregon coast. The coast is the really important part of that statement – I’m so happy being back near the ocean. I’ve also really enjoyed having easier access to local foods. We joined a CSA this year, went to the farmer’s market regularly, and enjoyed the overall bounty around us, including some incredible seafood.

I’ve managed to keep on blogging, though I haven’t been able to focus on it quite as much as I could when we were in Portland. My job takes a bit more of my time. Still, I have a list of top 5 recipes from 2017 that I’m really proud of. But before I get to them, I thought I’d take a quick moment to review my goals for Fix Me a Little Lunch from 2017. First was to improve my food photography. I’ve done a slightly better job with this. I’ve tried to be a little more attentive to lighting, though when we moved, my blog set up had to change. Second was to create and stick to an editorial calendar, which I managed through the first half of 2017 until we moved.

Third was to continue to participate in food challenges. I’ve been able to do this more or less consistently. I’m still doing the occasional contribution to Food ‘n Flix (and am hosting in March – yay!), as well as reading the books for Cook the Books, even if I haven’t always managed to make a recipe right away. I continue to enjoy the blogging community – I’ve had great fun this year participating in the Food Advent Calendar, in #Choctoberfest, in #Cookoutweek, and in #RecipeMakeover.

Fourth up was to try my hand at sponsored posts, which I did with some pretty good success. Last was to build my follower list – ok, so I did say I wanted to get to 1,000 subscribers and I’m actually at 35, but I count that as a success since I haven’t had nearly the time I’d like to focus on growing my list. I’m really grateful for my 35 subscribers!

So, without further ado, here are my top 5 from this year:

I really loved making these easy sweet and savory pinwheels. It was so much fun showcasing some great Oregon products: cheddar cheese, cranberries, and hazelnuts. It’s no surprise to me that this recipe did the best this year (and is, in fact, my overall most viewed recipe in the two years I’ve been blogging).

My almond brownie martini recipe has been very popular. I can totally appreciate why - this cocktail is super decadent and super yummy!

I have to say I’ve been a little surprised that my limoncello lemon drop recipe has been so popular. But I’m so glad I shared it, as it’s always been one of my favorite easy happy hour cocktails.

And speaking of lemons…my penne with burratta, peas, and preserved lemons has been very popular. My one and only regret with leaving Portland is that I can’t find a single source for burratta here. I can, however, find minimally processed milk, so maybe it’s time for me to make my own burratta.

Last, but not least, is my cherry vanilla vodka cola cocktail. I had a great time creating this cocktail as it reminded me of when I lived in the Marshall Islands.

2018 Goals

Some of my goals for 2018 are fairly similar to 2017’s.

I’d like to keep on working on my photography. I’d like to get back to better backdrops and better lighting. I love taking photos of my food!
I’d like to grow my subscriber list. I’ll keep doing my monthly email and have added the feature of a freebie recipe each month exclusive to my email list. I’ll also be working on a e-book for my subscribers this year.
I’d like to get back to my editorial calendar. It helps me stay on track and especially when the CSA season gears up, I think it will help me stay on top of the mountain of veggies that come my way.
I’ll keep on enjoying the food blogging community. I’m looking forward to hosting Food ‘n Flix in March.
One thing I haven’t done is reach out to a favorite product and offer up my blogging services to promote the product. I’d really like to do this in 2018 and I have a couple of products in mind. I did a terrible job with being an Amazon affiliate, so want to make some effort again to be an affiliate with a company.

So there it is – we are heading on into 2018. I’m looking forward to sharing many great lunch recipes and cocktails with all of you in this new year!

December 27, 2017 0 comment

Beverages Holiday Recipes

Classic Dry Martini

written by Ali

Sometimes, it doesn’t take more than a classic dry martini to celebrate the end of a week. This particular martini also welcomes a much needed break. The house is all decked out for Christmas. I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping. And I have two weeks off . Two glorious weeks of sitting around the house, listening to Diana Krall, and wandering the beach. Definitely in need of a classic dry martini to celebrate all that!

Sometime over the course of this past year, I read a delightful book called Dinner with Edward for the Cook the Books . I made mini strawberry chocolate galettes for the Cook the Books Club, but also started using the martini making technique described in the book. It’s easy as can be - mix the gin and vermouth together in a small glass. Freeze until thoroughly chilled. Chill the martini glass. Perfect classic dry martini.

I’ll admit to a little bit of creative license here. I did add a strip of lemon peel and twisted it to get just a bit of lemon oil into my martini. For those of you who are long-term Fix Me a Little Lunchers, you’ll note that one of my all time favorite podcasts is Martinis and Murder. I love that Bartender Matt is always adding a twist of lemon to the martinis he makes for the hosts. Given how terribly far behind I am on listening to that podcast, it looks like I’ve got something else to add to my holiday to-do list.

Yum

Classic Dry Martini

Ingredients

2 ounces gin
1 ounce dry vermouth
1 slice lemon peel

Instructions

Combine the gin and dry vermouth in a glass. Freeze until chilled. Freeze the martini glass at the same time. Pour the gin and dry vermouth into the chilled martini glass. Twist a lemon peel over the top and use to garnish. Enjoy!

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December 15, 2017 0 comment

Beverages Foodie Parties Holiday Recipes

Bay Leaf Infused Cosmopolitan

written by Ali

Bay leaf infused gin, which is the basis for this bay leaf infused cosmopolitan, might just be my newest favorite infusion. This recipe is part of the Food Advent Calendar “Spice it Up!“. When Jenny from Jenny is Baking was looking for contributions based on holiday spices, the first thing that came to my mind was bay leaves. Bay leaves are such a ubiquitous and underappreciated spice. I toss dry bay leaves into all manner of savory dishes. But for the holidays, I wanted to try something different to showcase bay leaves.

I really wanted to try this out with fresh bay leaves, but couldn’t find them in any of our local groceries. If I’d had more time, I would have tracked down a plant, because honestly, I suspect that a bay tree would probably grow pretty well on the Southern Oregon coast. That’s an experiment for another day. If you happen to have access to fresh bay leaves, I’m sure this would be as good with fresh as with dry.

I used gin for this infusion because I really like gin. I also spiced it up a little more by adding dried juniper berries, mandarin orange peel, and cranberries. The subtle spice of the bay leaves, especially coupled with the citrus and juniper berries is heavenly. I could easily use this infusion for a regular gin and tonic. But I wanted to do something just a bit more festive. So I opted to make a bay leaf infused cosmopolitan. Beyond the infused gin, this takes just a couple of ingredients: freshly squeezed mandarin orange juice and cranberry juice. Garnish with a bay leaf and call it a weekend. I especially love the dark red of this cocktail - this one is going on my list for holiday imbibing.

Definitely check out all the great recipes from the advent calendar. You’ll be inspired to spice up your holidays!

Yum

Bay Leaf Infused Cosmopolitan

Ingredients

Bay Leaf Infused Gin

4 dry bay leaves
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1/4 cup cranberries
Peel from one mandarin orange
Gin

Bay Leaf Infused Cosmopolitan

2 ounces bay leaf infused gin
Juice from one mandarin orange
2 ounces cranberry juice

Instructions

Bay Leaf Infused Gin

Combine all the spices and fruit in a jar. Cover with gin. Let infuse overnight. Strain into a clean jar through a coffee filter or cheese cloth.

Bay Leaf Infused Cosmopolitan

Combine all the ingredients with a few cubes of ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake. Strain into a martini glass. Enjoy!

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December 14, 2017 2 comments

Beverages

Winter Solstice Sunset Martini

written by Ali

I know we are still a month away from the winter solstice but the time just seems right to share my Winter Solstice Sunset Martini. The days are definitely getting shorter. I’ve been leaving work in the dark and looking forward to getting home where it’s warm and cozy.

We’re also coming up quickly on Thanksgiving, which is the perfect holiday to celebrate by mixing up a Winter Solstice Sunset Martini. One of the great things about this cocktail is that it uses homemade grenadine syrup, which is so easy to make! Pomegranates are in abundance at the grocery store this time of year. I usually buy two or three and then freeze the seeds to use in cocktails and other recipes throughout the winter. Ok - mostly I just use the seeds in cocktails. I recently discovered how incredibly easy it is to get pomegranate juice out of the seeds. Simply put the seeds of one pomegranate into a quart sized freezer bag, seal, and use a rolling pin to squeeze out all the juice. Strain -and there you go - pomegranate juice! From there, it’s easy enough to add a tablespoon of sugar and heat the pomegranate juice and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. Cool and use in your favorite cocktail (like this Winter Solstice Sunset Martini).

If you don’t use that much grenadine syrup in a weekend or week, you can freeze it in an ice cube tray and thaw out the cubes on an as needed basis. I find this an easier approach than leaving a little jar of grenadine syrup in the fridge for weeks at a time (mostly because I tend to forget that it’s there).

This cocktail also takes advantage of the great citrus seasonal abundance. You can use orange juice or mandarin orange juice for this - or any variation of citrus you can imagine. This would be great with Meyer lemons or blood oranges. Add some vodka, garnish with some pomegranate seeds and enjoy!

Yum

Winter Solstice Sunset Martini

Ingredients

2 ounces vodka
1 ounce grenadine syrup
Juice from one Mandarin orange

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into a martini glass and serve. Enjoy!

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November 17, 2017 0 comment

Beverages Holiday Recipes

Fall Cocktails for November

written by Ali

Now that the the winter weather is back, it’s time to celebrate fall cocktails for November. In fairness, this is a great list of six cocktails that would be pretty tasty in December, too. And you might find one or two that will get you through the bleak part of January, as well.

First up is a Blood Orange Cosmopolitan. Toss in some cranberries for garnish on this one and you will be good to go for all of your fall and winter entertaining needs.

Next up are two of my favorite apple sangrias. The first is a roasted spiced apple sangria. This combines the spicy scents of apples caramelized with brown sugar with a fruity sweet wine. The second is apple cider sangria. Both are sure to please on a cold autumn or winter night.

While you are enjoying all the fruits of the season, why not relax with a kumquat Meyer lemon martini?

November starts the season for decadent treats. Why not enjoy a super chocolaty cocktail with this Almond Brownie Martini?

Last, but not least, is my favorite cocktail for November: a mandarin orange mule.

Hoping you enjoy your fall cocktails for November! I’d love to hear what your favorite cocktail is for the season in the comments below!

November 10, 2017 0 comment

Beverages

Dark and Stormy Grave Digger

written by Ali

A Dark and Stormy Grave Digger is a great adult drink for Halloween. I can’t believe Halloween is just a few days away. I’m a little sad, as I’ll be traveling for work on Halloween, so didn’t bother decorating this year. I’ve been binge watching past seasons of The Simpsons though, and enjoying each season’s Treehouse of Horror. I have to say that my all-time favorite is still one of the very early ones when James Earl Jones narrates Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven. When the Bart-raven bonks Homer on the head with a censer, I still laugh aloud. Yep – I’m that much a nerd.

Back to the Dark and Stormy Grave Digger. I’d wanted to make an appropriately Halloween-y cocktail for a few weeks now. At the same time, I’m also still obsessed with the pineapple rum from Stillwagon Distillery. I thought it might be fun to make a Dark and Stormy using pineapple rum and ginger beer. The problem is that I haven’t been able to find ginger beer anywhere here in our tiny town. Fortunately, we were up in the Portland area for work last week, so I did a run to my favorite liquor store in Vancouver, WA and stocked up.

My Dark and Stormy wasn’t nearly as dark and stormy as I’d hoped. However, with a hefty sprinkling of black sanding sugar, these cocktails look positively like they are from the grave.

Yum

Dark and Stormy Grave Digger

Ingredients

4 ounces rum
Juice from 1 lime
1 bottle ginger beer

Instructions

Put ice in two cocktail glasses. Divide the lime juice and ginger beer between both glasses.. Add 2 ounces rum to each glass.
Serves 2. Enjoy!

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October 27, 2017 0 comment

Beverages Foodie Parties Holiday Recipes

Hazelnut Liqueur Hot Chocolate

written by Ali

It’s almost the weekend and it’s time for a hazelnut liqueur hot chocolate. Bonus points - I’m including a recipe for the best homemade hot chocolate mix that you can booze up…or not. Hubby reminded me the other day that we are just ten weekends away from Christmas. Which means six or so weekends until it’s time to put up the Christmas tree, make some fruitcake, and start listening to holiday music. I can promise you I’ll be sipping on hazelnut liqueur hot chocolate throughout the season.

I’ll also be enjoying my instant hot chocolate mix. I’ll confess - one of my all time favorite things when I was growing up was the instant hot chocolate that came in packets and had those little mini-marshmallows in them. Nowadays, I’m a little fussier about what I eat and, unfortunately, that packet hot chocolate has some ingredients in it I’m not so likely to want to drink. I discovered a few years ago that I could, with just a few ingredients, easily make my own instant hot chocolate. So around this time of year, I love making up a large batch for both home and work.

#Choctoberfest motivated me to make my instant hot chocolate early this year. And then, because it was almost the weekend, I opted to add in some hazelnut liqueur, along with little bit of a secret ingredient: a half ounce of Godiva chocolate liqueur. It’s not absolutely necessary for this recipe, but if you have some on hand, definitely toss it in. Best yet, make up some fresh whipped cream with just a dash of hazelnut liqueur.

Here’s my advice for enjoying this hazelnut liqueur hot chocolate: get into a comfy sweater. Pull out a good book (here of late, Louise Penny, Janet Evanovich, and JD Robb have been my favorite writers for cozy weekends). Snuggle with the nearest pet. Enjoy!

Yum

Hazelnut Liqueur Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

Homemade Instant Hot Chocolate

1 cup cocoa
2 cups powdered milk
2 cups powdered sugar

Hazelnut Liqueur Hot Chocolate

1/8 cup homemade instant hot chocolate
2 ounces hazelnut liqueur
1/2 ounce Godiva chocolate liqueur
whipped cream

Instructions

Make the homemade instant hot chocolate mix by sifting all the ingredients together. Store in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Makes 6 cups of instant hot chocolate.
Combine 1/8 cup of homemade instant hot chocolate with hazelnut liqueur and Godiva chocolate liqueur. Add 8 ounces of boiling hot water and stir to combine. Serve with whip creamed if desired. Enjoy!

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October 20, 2017 1 comment

Newer Posts

Older Posts

...and a little cocktail, too

Beverages

How To Make Kefir

Brandy, Benedictine, and Books

Meyer Lemon Curd Martini

Top Five From 2017 and Five Goals for 2018

Classic Dry Martini

Bay Leaf Infused Cosmopolitan

Winter Solstice Sunset Martini

Fall Cocktails for November

Dark and Stormy Grave Digger

Hazelnut Liqueur Hot Chocolate

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