Italian Mango Mimosa

Yesterday we achieved a personal goal which I can't discuss, that's why it's PERSONAL!  But, I will say it was reason to celebrate.  We chose to celebrate with a newly concocted drink, called an Italian Mango Mimosa.  In my mind anything having to do with Italy or somewhere tropical like Hawaii, is the place to be.  And, if you can't be there, at least you can bring those flavors into your kitchen.

I made some homemade lemon liqueur a while back and I figured it would go perfect in this.  It did!  If you need to celebrate or just whisk your brain into tropical vacation mode, try this.  It's an adult smoothie with a twist!

Italian Mango Mimosa

1 cup orange juice

1/2 large or 1 small mango, peeled and cut from pit

Place in a blender and puree.  Add about 1 cup of ice and chop/blend.  Add 3/4 - 1 cup of limoncello.  Blend and serve.  Simple, simple, simple!  Garnish with fresh mint sprig or umbrella and be prepared to dream!

Italy?

Who's that gorgeous pool boy?

Or Hawaii?

A Kiss in Provence

This special Valentine Cocktail was like a kiss in Provence.  Not that I would know, but it's what I can fantasize about.  I picture myself, and hubby , of course,  in the South of France, perhaps in  June or July when the lavender  is blooming and the sunflowers are beginning to reach towards the sun.  Our ancient stone villa we have rented has a distant sweeping view of the sea.  We've spent the day at the beach and are relaxing on the vine covered terrace before our meal.  At the market we purchased fresh from the sea mussels, a bunch of fennel, garlic, a selection of cheese, and chocolates.  I'll prepare a light supper later.   I could get lost in my dreams!

To bring a little love, lemon and lavender into reality, I concocted this special libation.  Several lavender bushes grow in my yard.  Right now they have a white crust of snow covering them.  Last early Fall I took the time to harvest and dry my lavender.  Glad I did...this is the result!

I made a lavender simple syrup, first.  All you do is start with 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, add about 2 Tablespoons of dried culinary lavender.  Bring it to a boil, stirring, reduce the heat to simmer for 2 minutes or so.  Remove from the heat and cool.  Strain into a jar or container and you have nectar from the South of France.  Good stuff.  You can use this so many ways.  I chose to put into a "Valentine" cocktail.

In a pitcher pour:

4 shots of vanilla vodka (It's what I had in the pantry)

4 shots of lavender simple syrup

2 shots of limoncello (It's Italian, but humor me on this one)

Add a few ice cubes, shake well, and strain into chilled glasses!  Amazingly good, any time of the year.  It is truly,  a kiss of Provence!

Peach Pie Smoothie

Yes, I admit it.  I am a foodie.  I have files of recipes that I have tried and others "waiting in the wings".   As part of the kitchen remodel, I decided to purge most of the ones I knew I'd never try and really made a dent in them.  But,  my "to do" cooking file is getting bigger by the minute as I wait and wait to be able to bake or cook.  It's kind of a bucket list in the cooking arena, if you will.  I don't have a bunch of cookbooks, surprisingly enough.  I create most of my own recipes.  On the short list is ginger ice cream, cocoa seared scallops,  homemade limoncello, sweet polenta pizza and pumpkin anything!

Until I can have these goodies, I made hubby and I a peach pie smoothie.  With one sip of it, last night,  the cravings were gone.  It's tasted every bit as decadent as a real live peach pie.  Well, maybe that's going a bit far, but it was delicious!

Peach Pie Smoothie

In a blender crush 7-8 ice cubes.  Peel and core 2 ripe peaches (makes 2,  1-cup servings)).  Put them in the blender with the following:

A couple drops of liquid stevia sweetener

a dash of cinnamon

a drizzle of fat free half & half

a drizzle of vanilla

Puree it all for about 10 seconds and voila - peach pie, or something like it.  Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.  Very nice...

Thick & creamy peach pie smoothie

Dreamsicle Cocktail

After my creme brulee cocktail post  last year I have plenty of Vanilla flavored vodka on the shelf.  Any suggestions on what to bake with it? 

My husband's favorite ice cream bar as he was growing up was what he called a 50-50 bar.  That's the vanilla ice cream on the inside with an orange Popsicle coating.    We called it a dreamsicle.  When the Good Humor man sounded his tunes as his truck rounded the corner I knew I'd either get the "rocket" which was a tall mixture of raspberry and orange sherbet with a cylinder shape  or a thick dark chocolate coated chocolate ice cream bar.  But, then there was the peanut and chocolate coated drumstick cone!  Decisions, decisions!

My decision to create a cocktail with the taste of a dreamsicle was quite easy.  I would probably change a few ingredients or technique but it was fun experimenting.  In a martini glass,  place crushed ice,  a shot of the vanilla vodka,  fill with orange soda almost to the rim and splash with milk or cream.  There you have it.  You can even impress your Superbowl party friends and mix these up instead of beer!

Note:  Next time I may use a blender and orange juice instead of soda.  You can be the judge! 

Are you Ready for some Football?

Maybe, I've finally gone mad or maybe it's my way of "yielding" to what's on most people's mind this time of year.  Superbowl!   I just don't get it.  Never have, and probably never will.  But, since food plays a huge part of this celebration I will submit only for this reason.

In my high school years I was the one who went to the games for the "social" aspect, only.  I went for my girlfriends, but truthfully, to be "on the prowl" for great guys.  How shallow, right?  Not to mention the parties after the game!

So, this year I decided to make the best of it.  I won't be watching the game but I'll do what I do best, cook for it.  In order to do so, research had to be done.   I know zero  about football teams!  I needed some incentive.  After studying the facts about the cities of Pittsburgh and Green Bay I came to the conclusion I would root for the Packers.  Why?  Because the city in Wisconsin has a French beginning to it.  I learned that a French explorer from Quebec area sailed down the Ottawa River and  through the waterway systems and ended up in the Green Bay area.  At the time the Winnebago (Indian tribe) people welcomed this explorer and subsequently "paved " the way for more French to settle there.  Yes, as some of you know, I am part French.

Another reason I found which  would hopefully catapult my excitement for the game is that Vince Lombardi in the 1960's coached this team to greatness.  He was quite the leader as I've read several books about his inspirational ways.  And besides, he was Italian, and I do love most things Italian.

So, forgive me you Steelers fans, but my team will be the Packers, for all the wrong reasons!


1)  Isn't Wisconsin know for its cheese?  Cheese is a staple during Superbowl!

2)  The French connection (my ancestors)

3)  Vince Lombardi (He's Italian)

So, during this week I'll prepare food you can make for the big game, starting tomorrow with a Dreamsicle Cocktail!

Creme Brulee Cocktail

Okay, so I succumbed to my weakness. I finally made my creme brulee cocktail. It has been on my featured list for way too long. I know it's not on the slim down plan I'm on but I haven't eaten much today because of our latest weekend project. (And like most of our projects, it took all day.)

We purchased an armoire off craigslist which is absolutely gorgeous. Of course, we don't have a truck so we tried to fit it into the back of our car. (no way) We ended up renting a truck and then the "furniture shuffle " began. Each time we moved a piece all the drawers came out and all was cleaned and vacuumed. When it came time to move the armoire we wished we had David Blaine to levitate this thing. After much lifting, pushing, pulling and positioning we miraculously had it where it will sit for the next 30 years! Needless to say we finished around 4:30. Yes, by this time we were more than ready for this concoction. The "creme brulee cocktail" So, in my weakened state I whipped this up.

I wanted to wait until October which is my hubby's birthday month. After all, it's his favorite desert. I saw this in a recipe book a while back and couldn't wait to try it. I do prefer my wine but it was pretty tasty! It almost tasted like an eggnog without the eggs. It will be a great drink to serve around the Holidays!

1/4 cup vanilla vodka

1/4 cup butterscotch schnapps

1/2 cup half & half (or vanilla flavored creamer)

crushed ice in 2 glasses

sprinkle of nutmeg on top

For this I placed all except nutmeg into blender and mixed until frothy. Pour into glass and top with nutmeg. Yum! If you don't want to blend just serve over ice.

Un-classic Mint Julep

Treat your husband like a king and he will treat you like his queen! This works in our case. After a long week "at the salt mines" I met him at the door with this concoction. Originally I got the idea from my grandmother who claimed she never drank. After much coaxing my dad mixed up a mint julep, bourbon and all! If I remember correctly we told her it was kind of like iced tea. A smile came to her plump face as she sipped the mint julep! "Oh my, this has a stick in it!" We couldn't fool grandma but she did finish her "iced tea" and rather enjoyed it.


I'm not too fond of bourbon so I "played around" with the recipe and decided on Amaretto. I only made one to share not knowing what the outcome would be. Definitely should have made a batch! Salute!


2 tsp sugar or agave syrup
juice of 1/2 lemon
5 mint sprigs
1 1/2 c crushed ice
1 shot of amaretto
enough ginger ale to fill glass



Put sugar, juice and mint in a highball glass. Crush with a wooden spoon. Add amaretto, stir and add crushed ice. Fill the rest of the glass with ginger ale. Serves 1 but can easily be multiplied.