Blueberry Thyme Gin Smash

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Blueberry Thyme Gin Smash

Can you guys believe it’s Memorial Day weekend already? Seems like this year is just flying by. Which, is fine by me – I’m tired of the harsh cold we’ve had all winter long. My poor rosemary bush kicked the bucket, she’s gotta be 10 years old – I transplanted her here from our townhouse on Chincoteague when we moved 7 years ago. One too many hard ground freezes I suppose…

At any rate, I’m looking forward to sunny days at the beach and sandbar sooner rather than later. And this cocktail is perfect for warmer weather. A simple syrup is made with fresh blueberries, fresh thyme, sugar and water. Then the blueberry concoction is mixed with gin, St. Germain, and club soda for a little bubbly flair.

It’s a wonderful combination of sweetness from the blueberries, herb notes from the elderflower liquor and the fresh thyme, and a crispness from the gin and twist of lemon. Very light  and refreshing.Garnished with a few fresh berries and a sprig of thyme – it doesn’t get any prettier!

I used Prairie Gin, it’s lighter in flavors than many other gins I’ve tried – but still great notes of juniper berries which is perfect in this cocktail. They were kind enough to send me a bottle of their gin, as well as one of their vodkas – and I’m looking forward to doing more experimentation at the bar with them!

Be sure to stop by on Monday for another awesome blueberry recipe and a great giveaway to go along with it! I hope that everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!

Blueberry Thyme Gin Smash

Blueberry-Thyme Gin Smash

For the syrup:
2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and dried
6 stems fresh thyme (small handful)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

For the cocktail:
2 Tbsp bluberry-thyme syrup
2 ounce gin
1 ounce elderflower liquer (like St. Germain)
3-4 ounces club soda
fresh blueberries, for garnish
thyme sprigs, for garnish
slice of lemon, for garnish
ice

Combine all of the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until berries burst open and have become very soft. Place a mesh strainer over a small bowl and push the berry mixture through to get out large chunks of skins and stems. Place berry puree in a small bowl or jar. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the cocktails, fill glass with ice. Add blueberry-thyme syrup, gin, elderflower liquor, and top with club soda. Gently stir to combine. Garnish with slice of lemon, fresh berries, and a sprig of thyme or mint.

Disclaimer: I received a bottle from Prairie Organic Spirits for review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

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Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

Can you guys believe it’s already Memorial Day weekend? I am so thankful that summer is here! We spend a majority of our free time on the boat or at the beach in the summer months – a perk of be being sandwiched between the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. We also love to cook and enjoy meals outside when it’s warm, a tradition that the boys have loved. They’re always so excited to hear we’re going to have a “picnic dinner” in the backyard.

One dish that I find myself making again and again over the summer is this classic potato salad. It’s old school, but it’s the perfect balance of textures and flavors. Starchy potatoes, hard boiled egg, celery, and crunchy onions tossed in a dressing made of mayo, Dijon, and celery seed. Then, for my signature twist I like to add a bit of Old Bay on the top. Honestly, that’s actually my mom’s signature twist – this is her potato salad. And, her mom’s potato salad. But, I’ve adopted it as my own. The seafood seasoning mixture kicks plain old paprika to the curb!

Great to enjoy for a cookout, a potluck, a beach lunch, or a random picnic…anywhere, really. I love to enjoy leftovers for lunch as well. Try this one for your Memorial Day get together this year, and you won’t be sorry!

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

2.5 lbs (about 8 medium potatoes) starchy potatoes (like Russet or Yukon Gold), peeled and halved
8 eggs
1 large white onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 cup mayo (I’ve substituted half of this amount with Greek yogurt to great results)
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1/2 tsp celery seed
kosher salt
1 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning

Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water. Add 1 Tbsp of kosher salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat until potatoes are easily pierced with a pairing knife, about 20 minutes. Once tender, drain potatoes and let sit in colander until cool enough to handle and chop into 1/2-inch chunks. Set aside.

Hard boil the eggs by placing them in a pan of cold water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain out the hot water and soak in cold until the eggs are cool enough to peel. Peel, chop, and set aside.

Make the dressing by combining the mayo, as well as the mustards, celery seed, and 1/2 tsp salt in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the cooked potatoes, eggs, onions, and celery. Gently toss to combine mixture evenly. Season to taste with salt.

Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with Old Bay.

Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Source: adapted from my mom’s family recipe

 

Skillet Baked Ziti

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Skillet Baked Ziti

It’s been a pretty crazy past few days around here. Baby #3 (we’ve decided to call him Nathan from here on out!) ended up being a week overdue before he finally arrived late Thursday afternoon. He is a big boy, born at 9 lbs 11 ounces and a whopping 21 inches!

nathan

We didn’t home until Saturday night, and are using this week to really get into our new routines and the general “swing of things” with a new baby around. The boys are adjusting just fine, very interested and inquisitive about every detail of Nathan’s life. I feel so lucky to have all these boys to take care of!

Back to this pasta – a cheesy “baked” pasta that’s ready in just a few minutes and only uses one pan – is pretty much a gift sent from the Gods for the crazy nights we have coming up in our future. It was so darned good too, I found myself picking off pieces of pasta for “one more bite” before we packed the leftovers away!

The pasta sauce is easy to bring together, using pantry staples. It gets a heavy dose of flavor from the addition of pork sausage, and richness from the addition of a bit of heavy cream. And I’d imagine that any pasta shape would be fine – although I happen to be partial to the tubular pastas like ziti and penne for these kinds of applications. The pasta is cooked in the sauce on the stove, then when it’s al-dente it’s topped with a good amount of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese that gets melted and browned with a quick trip to the hot oven.

Served with a quick salad and a crunchy piece of garlic bread, it’s too good to be such a delicious and easy weeknight meal. Make this one soon, guys!

Skillet Baked Ziti

1 lb bulk hot sausage (like Jimmy Dean)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 oz ziti
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
4 oz (about 1 cup) freshly grated mozzarella cheese

Heat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet set over medium-high heat, brown the sausage until no longer pink, about 4 minutes, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the water and ziti and stir to combine. Cover, increase the heat to medium, and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes, until the pasta is just tender.

Remove from heat and stir in the cream, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and 3 Tbsp of the basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan over the top, and transfer to the oven.

Bake until the cheese has melted and browned, and the sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of basil and serve.

Source: ATK’s Pasta Revolution, via Pink Parsley

Mixed Berry Yogurt Cake

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Mixed Berry Yogurt Cake

If you’ve been coming to the site for any amount of time, you guys know that I love using yogurt as an ingredient in baked goods. It adds a ton of moisture, without a ton of of calories. In the past I’d only done Bundt or loaf cakes, so I thought it was high time I made a traditional layer cake using yogurt.

I took a recipe I’d found on Pinterest and modified it to make a larger cake. I added blueberries and raspberries, because I happened to have them both on hand. Then covered it in a delicious lemon-cream cheese frosting. Aren’t the flavors of lemon and berries just divine when paired together? The lemon really sets off the flavor of the berries, I think!

I cut my cake layers in half, to make a super-impressive four layer cake – but just two layers would be just as delicious, and less work. The whole family enjoyed it’s summery flavors, and the fact that it was rich – without being too heavy, if that makes sense…

Not to mention it was beautiful when cut into, with gorgeous bursts of color from the berries baked inside. A perfect cake to bake for a cookout or potluck this summer!

Mixed Berry Yogurt Cake

12 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blueberries

For the Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting:
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
zest & juice of 2 lemons
pinch of salt
5 cups powdered sugar
fresh berries for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. With mixer on low speed, add in the eggs one at a time until combined well. Scape the bowl if necessary. Add the vanilla and mix to combine.

With the mixer running on low, add half of the dry ingredients. Then add the yogurt and buttermilk and mix until combined. Finally add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Using a spatula, gently fold in the berries.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for around 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

To make the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and juice and salt and mix until combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Beat on medium speed for a couple minutes until light and fluffy.

To make a four layer cake, slice each cake layer in half. Spread with frosting and top with another cake layer. Continue until all layers are used. Spread the cake with remaining frosting and garnish with fresh berries.

Source: adapted from Kitchen Trial & Error