TACOS AL PASTOR and AQUA PEARL

I was cooking Tacos Al Pastor at the same time we were receiving a tutorial on a water system that produces alkaline water along with a myriad of health benefits.
Once our lovely and compelling presenters had left, I indulged in a cocktail. Using the pineapple juice I had drained from the tidbits that are featured in the tacos.

TACOS AL PASTOR

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
6 tortillas, warmed
Toppings: sliced radishes, fresh cilantro leaves, crumbled queso fresco, sliced jalapeño

Combine pork, pineapple, onion, cilantro, chili powder, ground cumin, oregano, pepper, garlic and salt in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Seal and chill 4 to 24 hours.
Cook pork mixture in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until pork is done. Serve mixture with warm tortillas and desired toppings.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, June 2009
www.southernliving.com/food

AQUA PEARL

3 ounces pineapple juice
6 tablespoons gin
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons simple syrup or agave syrup
2 teaspoons blue curaçao liqueur
4 dashes of angostura bitters
ice cubes

Mix pineapple juicce, gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, blue curaçao, and angostura bitters in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. Cover and shake well. Strain into 2 martini glasses.
Enjoy!

DRY MANHATTAN and PORT WINE COCKTAIL

While at a friends house for cocktails one evening, the ladies were served bourbon over huge round ice balls. I was intrigued by this different and unique way to present a beverage, and immediately ordered a pair of spherical ice molds for my husband for Christmas.

DRY MANHATTAN

2 ounces bourbon
1 ounce dry vermouth
5 drops angostura bitters
ice

Pour bourbon, vermouth and bitters over ice.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine, November 2011
www.rachaelray.com/‎

PORT WINE COCKTAIL

In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 ounces of ruby port and 1 ounce of triple sec (the original recipe also called for 1 ounce of espresso, but we didn't have any brewed, so I left it out) and 1 cup of ice. Shake firmly to chill, strain into a glass.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachel Ray Magazine, November 2011
www.rachaelray.com/‎

BOULEVARDIER and RUM SWIZZLE and ADONIS and THE DOGWOOD and GRAPEFRUIT VESPER

I was deeply disappointed to miss cocktails at a friends house, due to a combination of my car not being drivable in the ice and snow, and having a sick child.
In an attempt to stop feeling sorry for myself, I mixed up my own cocktail, a poor substitute for the delicious sounding lavender cocktails she had prepared, but still delicious. I searched a long time to find a cocktail recipe, and almost gave up hope, until I unearthed The Boulevardier. It was interesting to note, while looking through magazines and my pile of recipes, that the older the magazine, the fewer, if any, cocktails were featured.

BOULEVARDIER

Combine 2 ounces of bourbon, 1 ounce of Campari and 1 ounce of sweet vermouth in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir until shaker is very cold, about 1 minute. Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon slice.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2013
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

RUM SWIZZLE

ice cubes
2 ounces rum
juice of half a lime
juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon agave nectar
generous dash of angostura bitters

In a rocks glass filled with ice cubes, combine ingredients. Use a swizzle stick to blend.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray
www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/‎

ADONIS

In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 1/2 ounces sherry, 1 ounce sweet vermouth and 2 dashes of orange bitters. Add ice and stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, October 2010
www.foodandwine.com/recipes‎

THE DOGWOOD

Combine 1/4 cup white grapefruit juice, 3 tablespoons vodka and 1 tablespoon elderflower liqueur in a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes.
Cover with lid and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled, about 30 seconds.
Strain into a glass filled with ice cubes.
Garnish with a fresh rosemary sprig.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, March 2013
www.southernliving.com/food/‎

GRAPEFRUIT VESPER


GRAPEFRUIT VESPER

In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 ounce each of vodka, gin, grapefruit juice and sauvignon blanc. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of honey and 1 cup of ice. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine, November 2011

www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/‎

CREOLE OLD FASHIONED

I recently sorted through and cleaned out my recipe box. I had accumulated so many, that it was taking me a ridiculous amount of time to search through them all when I was looking for something to cook.
Like clothing, food is seasonal, and there are certain items for special occasions - so I separated my collection into winter and summer and then further divided the recipes into categories such as St Valentines day, Halloween and Easter.
Since I was looking at so many fabulous sounding food and beverage combinations, I thought I would mix up a little something fun, and of course, seasonally appropriate.

CREOLE OLD FASHIONED

Fill a glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, stir together 1 ounce cognac, 1 ounce dark rum, 1 to 2 teaspoons of agave nectar, and a dash each of Angostura bitters and orange bitters.
Pour the mixture into the prepared glass and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, July 2012
www.foodandwine.com/‎