Monthly Archives: July 2017

Aperol Spritz

Posted on by under drinks

The Aperol Spritz is synonymous with summer, and if you haven’t tried one yet, get on it! This cocktail is low-alcohol making it the perfect daytime summer sipper. Do as the Italians do and sip this three-ingredient aperitif (pre-dinner cocktail) al fresco with a bowl of potato chips. Salut!

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Aperol Spritz

  • 4 ounces Prosecco
  • 2 ounces Aperol
  • 3/4 ounce club soda
  • orange slice for garnish

Fill a wine glass with ice. Pour prosecco in, then Aperol and top with club soda. Garnish with orange slice.

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First drink on board my Alaskan cruise: a spritz of course!

Summer Cobb Salad

Posted on by under mains, salads

While the dog days of summer officially begin in a couple of days (thanks, Google!), there’s a full-on heat wave happening here in New York. With the temperature climbing and lethargy sinking in, the only dinners I feel like making are easy and oven-less. Bright, fresh, summery salads are the perfect antidote to sweltering heat and faulty AC units. This cobb salad is bursting with summer produce – fresh corn, tomatoes, avocado and chives. Plus, it has enough protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied. The only heavy lifting you’ll need to do is grill the chicken and boil eggs.

If you’re looking for more no-cook dinner inspiration, check out my recent article!

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Summer Cobb Salad

Dressing:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons tarragon, chopped
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad:
1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 package of spring mix salad greens or arugula
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into cubes
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin, grilled brushed with some BBQ sauce at the end and cut into strips
1 avocado, cut into cubes
2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chives, minced

Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. On a large platter, arrange lettuce and top with rows of the tomatoes, egg, avocado, chicken and corn. Sprinkle chives over everything and season salad with salt and pepper. Pour dressing on top of salad and serve.

S’more Cupcakes

Posted on by under desserts

I made these cupcakes in a kitchen that was roughly 97°F  –  before I turned the oven on. Perhaps the heat caused my brain to swell and I decided it would be a good idea to bake. Were they worth the sweat? Yes. Were they everything I dreamed of and more? Also yes.

The graham cracker cupcake is filled with a blob of delicious, rich chocolate and the whole thing is topped with marshmallow fluff which gets toasted under the broiler. These cupcakes deliver on that s’more flavor we all know and love. Plus, the presentation is A+. Happy sweaty summer!

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S’more Cupcakes

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

 

Cupcakes:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 7 graham crackers (rectangles)
  • 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup almond milk

 

Filling:

  • 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1/3 cup almond milk
  • Pinch of salt

Frosting:

  • Marshmallow fluff in a jar

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, graham crumbs, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients and mix until combined, followed by 1/2 of almond milk, mixing again. Repeat until everything is combined.

Fill the lined  muffin tin 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack.

Use a small knife to remove a small amount of cake from the cupcake center.

Place the chocolate and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the almond milk and stir until everything is melted and combined.  Cool the chocolate mixture in the freezer for 10 minutes – stirring every couple of minutes.

Transfer chocolate into a plastic bag and snip off the corner.  Squeeze a small amount of chocolate into each cupcake.

Frost the cupcakes generously with the marshmallow fluff. Toast under broiler for about 2-3 minutes – monitoring closely so they don’t burn!