Tag

spices

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

Foodie Lists Foodie Parties

Food Advent Calendar “Spice It Up!”

written by Ali

I’m so excited to announce that I’ll be participating in the Food Advent Calendar “Spice It Up!” in December. An advent calendar counts the days of advent leading up to Christmas. The Food Advent Calendar features a new blog each day between Dec. 1 and Dec. 24, with each blogger posting a recipe featuring a spice. I’ll be posting a cocktail featuring bay leaves on December 14. I’m so looking forward to seeing what each blogger creates!

December 1: Jenny, initiator and from Jenny Is Baking will feature tonka bean in a sweet bread

December 2: Rachel from Dishing Up Dinner will feature nutmeg in a cookie

December 3: Jyoti from The Hungry Belly will feature saffron in a dessert

December 4: Natalie from Natalie Journeys will feature nutmeg in a drink

December 5: Renea from Inspire A Creation will feature peppermint in a dessert

December 6: Samira from Samira’s Recipe Diary will feature cardamom in a dessert

December 7: Markus from Earth Food and Fire will feature cloves in a side dish

December 8: Candi from Make Ahead Meal Mom will feature nutmeg in a dessert

December 9: Rachael from Coloured Plates will feature star anise in a condiment

December 10: Kori from I Rok the Kitchen will feature ginger in a cookie

December 11: Megan from Life on Paradise Drive will feature pumpkin pie spice in a dessert

December 12: Leslie from Deliciously Plated will feature cardamom in a beverage

December 13: Tanya from Food Forage will feature ginger in a dessert

December 14: Ali from Fix Me a Little Lunch will feature bay leaves in a cocktail

December 15: Daniela from Dani’s Cookings will feature cinnamon in a cake

December 16: Neha from Witty Mushroom will feature cardamom in a dessert

December 17: Lizet from Chipa by the Dozen will feature aniseed in a cookie

December 18: Jillian from Simple Sassy Scrumptious will feature cinnamon and cloves in a cookie

December 19: Jennifer from Jennifer Bakes will feature cayenne pepper in a snack

December 20: Angela from Bake It with Love will feature nutmeg in a dessert

December 21: Kaveri from Pretty Little Things will feature ginger in a dessert

December 22: Nataliya from The Friendly Gourmand will feature clove in a side dish

December 23: Myriam from Milly’s Melting Pot will feature vanilla in a cookie

December 24: Jenny, initiator and from Jenny Is Baking will make a roundup

November 30, 2017 1 comment

Farmer's Market Freezer Meals Lunch Recipes Vegetarian

Kale Spinach Saag Paneer

written by Ali

I had a lovely and very foodie indulgent vacation, so it’s definitely time to go back to healthy little lunches, including Kale Spinach Saag Paneer. Saag Paneer is one of my favorite dishes. I love using a blend of both spinach and kale. I found a beautiful bunch of Redbor kale, which is a spectacular shade of purple and threw that in with a large handful of spinach. The result is a spicy, fragrant mixture of greens. I’m also feeling ahead of the game on the 2017 food trend for purple vegetables, since I cooked this on New Year’s Day.

Kale Spinach Saag Paneer is a fairly quick dish to put together. The kale and spinach can be cooked while the rice is cooking.

Making Paneer

You can definitely substitute store bought paneer for the home made paneer in this recipe. Fresh paneer takes just two ingredients, but is best made the day before and refrigerated overnight, so takes a little bit of planning. That said, how impressive is it to be able to tell your workmates that you made your own cheese?

I love how the paneer takes on the waffled texture of the cheesecloth. I also am a big fan of the transformation of milk into whey and curds when an acid is added. In this case, I use white vinegar to make my paneer. I’ve tried lemon juice, but haven’t had the same success. I also don’t salt it when I’m making this recipe, as the kale and spinach saag paneer is well salted from the kale and spinach. I do, however, take the extra time to lightly brown the paneer.

The lightly browned paneer goes right into the kale and spinach. This recipe freezes really well, so it’s a great candidate for lunch. Kale spinach saag paneer is also a light meal and pairs well with a salad or some naan bread.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do! Hope everyone is having a great start to 2017!

Yum

Kale Spinach Saag Paneer

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
2 cups spinach
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup half and half
Paneer cheese, chopped into squares
2 cups cooked rice

For the Paneer

1/2 gallon milk - whole milk works best, but you can also make this with 1% or 2%
3 tablespoons white vinegar

Instructions

If you are making paneer, start with this first. Bring the milk to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir constantly so that the milk doesn't burn. When the milk reaches a full boil, take it off the heat and pour in the vinegar. Let the milk sit for 10 minutes so that the whey and curds have time to separate.
When the curds and whey have separated, strain out the curds into a cheesecloth lined strainer. You can keep the whey and use it in place of water for other recipes. Let the curds drain for at least an hour, pressing them by putting a bowl over them with a heavy can in the bowl. Refrigerate the paneer overnight.

Making the Kale Spinach Saag Paneer

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a non-stick saute pan or a cast iron skillet. Add the onions, and cook until they are soft and fragrant. Add in the kale and cook for 7 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for another 7 - 10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are wilted. Add the spices from the turmeric to the salt and stir well. Add the half and half and simmer for 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in another non-stick skillet. Add the paneer and cook for a few minute on each side until it is browned.
Serve the kale spinach saag paneer over the rice, with the paneer evenly divided between each serving.
Serves 3 - 4
Enjoy!

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This post has been linked to Tinned Tomatoes: Meat Free Mondays. Check out each week’s list of great recipes!

January 2, 2017 20 comments

Beverages Holiday Recipes

Mulling Spices Blend

written by Ali

Mulling Spices make a great homemade holiday gift and this Mulling Spices Blend is particularly festive. Mulling spices can be used for both mulling wine as well as apple cider. I’m a fan of mulled wine using a bold wine, like a zinfandel or a grenache. You can also mull white wine.

My special blend has a very fruit-forward flavor, achieved by including dried hibiscus flowers and dried orange rind. I also added in juniper berries, leftover from the last time I made my own pickling spices. Cardamom seeds, cloves, cinnamon and star anise round out the mix.

Mulling Spices Blend
3 tablespoons juniper berries
2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds
2 tablespoons dried hibiscus flowers
2 tablespoons dried orange peel
2 tablespoons whole cloves
2 whole cinnamon sticks, broken into small pieces
5 whole star anise pods, broken into smaller pieces

Combine all the ingredients and keep in an airtight jar. Use 1 tablespoon per glass of mulled wine or cider.

To mull wine or cider, place the mulling spice blend in a tea infuser. Place the tea infuser in a small saucepan with wine or cider. Bring just to a simmer and then remove from the heat. Remove the tea infuser. Serve in mugs with cinnamon sticks for garnish. Enjoy!

November 17, 2016 0 comment