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Naked Epicurean

eat. drink. bemerry. repeat.

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    • entertaining
    • joie de vivre
    • the raven’s nest
  • about
  • eat
  • drink
  • be merry
    • exploring
    • entertaining
    • joie de vivre
    • the raven’s nest
  • about
  • alcoholic,  crowd pleasers,  dessert,  entertaining

    Bourbon + Pecan Bon Bons

    2019-11-27 /

    I am so excited to share this recipe with you. I am sure you’ll agree that when you put these earthly pleasures in your mouth, you’ll be tempted to sell your soul like Faust.  Each bite explodes with bourbon-spiked pecan pie filling slathered with chocolate. Sweet, sweet magic in your mouth.   And because they are so diminutive, they are practically guilt-free one-bite treats. Many of you know my mother’s family is Greek. What you may not know is my papou made chocolate confections. At any given time, there were vats upon vats of chocolate melting on the stove in his basement-turned chocolate factory workshop. Let that sink in.  Imagine an…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 0 Comments

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    Blueberries + Creme + Lavender Frosé-Merlotsé

    2019-05-12

    Spicy Pineapple + Jalapeño Margarita

    2019-06-12

    Sugar-Rimmed Raspberry Gin Smash

    2019-06-30
  • dessert,  summer,  vegetarian

    Frozen Key Lime Pops

    2019-08-11 /

    Frozen Key Lime Pops—because summer isn’t over yet! I was 7 years old the first time I had Key Lime Pie. It was actually in the Keys—Marathon, to be exact—when my family + 2 other Augusta families (6 adults + 7 kids) squeezed into ONE deluxe-ish Winnebago for a vacation to Florida, fishing boat in tow. (Meanwhile the boat trailer lost a wheel somewhere around woodsy Millen, Georgia, never to be recovered). Thirteen people + Winnebago + 1,400 miles round trip. Sounds crazy, right?  Yes, but it was one of the BEST vacations ever. Amidst the crowdedness and having to share one bathroom while on the road (god forbid we…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 0 Comments

    You May Also Like

    Kentucky Derby Pie Brickle

    2019-04-28

    Bourbon + Pecan Bon Bons

    2019-11-27

    Chocolate Eclair Trifle

    2019-01-06
  • Asian fare,  salads,  vegetables + sides,  vegetarian

    Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

    2019-08-06 /

    Have you been outside lately? I am sitting indoors at the computer with the AC blowing full blast. Just looking out the window makes me glisten. How do I remedy this thermal warfare? Cucumbers. Cucumbers are magical. They have the power to cool you in the deepest of heat. But in this salad, paradoxically, they are also the source of deep heat as they are drenched in piquant oils and chiles. The vinegar + red pepper flakes provide a surprisingly potent punch of fire + tang to the cucumber ribbons, making this Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad one of our favorites. About cucumbers: The recipe calls for either 1 large cucumber…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 0 Comments

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    Garlicky + Peppery Baby Bok Choy

    2019-04-27

    Vietnamese Shredded Chicken + Noodle Salad

    2019-06-17

    Seared Pepper Ahi Tuna + Wasabi Vinaigrette

    2019-05-12
  • alcoholic,  dessert,  frozen,  fruity,  summer

    Tipsy Watermelon Ice Lollies

    2019-08-03 /

    Did anyone else’s mother require that popsicles be eaten outside? It was one of those “because I said so” things we heard when we were growing up. We were so excited to have freezer pops that we didn’t even question the why. We just did what we were told. This week I had a flashback to those childhood moments of popsicle bliss, of how damn happy popsicles can make us.  I was also reminded why Mom’s rules were such a good idea when on an intolerably hot day my Tipsy Watermelon Ice Lollies started dripping down my arm. I do not love July’s heat, but I do love summer, because…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 0 Comments

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    Summer Watermelon Mojito

    2019-07-08

    Dirty Dalmatian

    2019-05-28

    Blueberries + Creme + Lavender Frosé-Merlotsé

    2019-05-12
  • Greek + Mediterranean,  main course,  salads,  vegetarian

    Panzanella Salad

    2019-07-19 /

    It was bloody hot today. Too hot to hold hands with The Man. Too hot to walk barefoot in the grass (even the grass was hot). And def too hot to cook. AmIright? So here’s what we’re gonna do.  Stay inside, strip down to our skivvies, pour some wine, turn on our favorite music (Justin Timberlake, Outkast, Beck, Nina Simone…whatever gets the hips swaying) and make Panzanella Salad.   It’s a beautiful word, isn’t it? Panzanella. Pane (bread) + zanella (soup bowl) = panzanella.  Saying it feels like a silky + floral Chianti is trickling down your throat. Pan-za-NEL-la! Calling it by its name— Panzanella Salad, a Tuscan bread salad—is much more…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 0 Comments

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    Chunky Mediterranean Hummus

    2018-10-11

    D@mn Delicious Chicken Souvlaki

    2019-02-26

    Tzatziki Sauce + Dip

    2019-02-28
  • paleo,  pescetarian,  salads,  seafood

    Blackened Shrimp Caesar Salad

    2019-07-18 /

    When I walked outside this morning to fill the bird feeders, I withered like a delicate flower. Seeing as how I am not a flower (nor delicate), this is my poetic way of telling you it was already scorching hot at 8AM. So how does a withered flower combat a hot day that will only get hotter? Blackened Shrimp Caesar Salad, of course! This salad is 200% awesome.  50% because cool + creamy Caesar dressing 50% because piquant + spicy blackened shrimp 50% because crunchy + garlicky croutons 50% because rich + sapid Parmesan cheese Actually, it’s probably more like 300% awesome. (You’ll agree once you dive in.) It’s a…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 0 Comments

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    Tangy + Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad

    2019-06-28
  • comfort food,  Greek + Mediterranean,  main course,  pasta + noodles,  vegetarian

    Pasta Aglio e Olio: CYOA

    2019-07-18 /

    On its own, pasta aglio e olio is deliciously simple: pasta + garlic + olive oil. Life doesn’t get much more pure than that.  But we are going to shake things up a bit, go beyond garlic and olive oil. This recipe takes that classic dish of pasta glistening with oil, loaded with caramelized garlic and swanks it up a bit with a toss of crushed red pepper + fresh parsley + (among other things) zippy lemon zest.  Mediterranean confetti, if you will. We’re taking an age-old recipe for pasta aglio e olio and giving it a plot twist of our choosing.  Hence Pasta Aglio e Olio: CYOA (Choose Your…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 3 Comments

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    Lemon Zest + Spring Pea Parmesan Orzo

    2019-05-09

    Lemony Creme + White Chocolate Trifle

    2019-05-28

    Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Nachos

    2019-05-02
  • appetizers + hors d'oeuvres,  cheese,  dips + spreads,  Greek + Mediterranean

    Warm Goat Cheese + Bruschetta Spread

    2019-07-06 /

    Warm Goat Cheese + Bruschetta Spread is quite possibly the most delectable thing to ever kiss your lips! It’s creamy + piquant + pungent + aaaahhhh! It’s the perfect app for a dinner party, but it’s also perfect for a quiet date night in. And by date I mean me + this cheese dip. I’m okay with that. I am dating food. If you do invite people over, make two of these recipes because you will want one all.to.yourself. Then hide in the closet for your date with this spread to muffle the animalistic noises you’ll make. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of guests.   This Warm Goat…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 0 Comments

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    Ultimate Fully Loaded Vegan Nachos

    2019-01-30

    Tzatziki Sauce + Dip

    2019-02-28

    Creamy Chipotle + Lime Dressing + Dip

    2019-06-14
  • salad dressing

    Viva la Caesar Vinaigrette Dressing

    2019-07-03 /

    My dear friend CC is passionate about her love of good food and sharing it with friends. I recently sat in an organic cooking class where she made the following announcement:   Ladies, go to Victoria’s Secret and buy some nice lingerie, then buy a pack of cigarettes, because you are about to have a love affair with this food. I felt she was speaking directly to me because I love good food—quality food that has been prepared deliberately + creatively.  I LOVE GOOD FOOD.   That being said, I struggle with bottled salad dressings. One case in point is Caesar salad dressing. I am underwhelmed by what I find on…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 0 Comments

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    Buttermilk Bleu Cheese Dressing

    2019-02-18

    Creamy Chipotle + Lime Dressing + Dip

    2019-06-14

    Curly Kale + Tandoori Chickpea Salad (and a lecture on massaging the Queen)

    2019-03-29
  • Asian fare,  main course,  paleo,  poultry,  salads

    Tangy + Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad

    2019-06-28 /

    Do you have 30 minutes? Good! That means you have time to throw together this refreshing Tangy + Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad! It’s a rainbow of colors + textures bolstered by a silky peanut dressing—a flavor explosion, I guarantee. I have compiled a scrumptious conglomeration of typical Southeastern Asian ingredients including sesame oil + cilantro + ginger (for flavor) and chopped peanuts + cabbage + carrots (for crunch). You could always add crispy wontons for extra toothsomeness.  I’ve also included a zinger: green papaya. Most Asian markets carry green, or under ripe, papayas either whole or shredded in a bag. Adding green papaya among this salad’s gorgeous vegetables + flavors…

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    Ann Beth Strelec 0 Comments

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    Creamy Coconut + Curry Chickpeas

    2019-04-27

    Vietnamese Shredded Chicken + Noodle Salad

    2019-06-17

    Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

    2019-08-06
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2018 Ann Beth Strelec Out of professional courtesy, please contact me if you plan to republish one of my recipes. You can get in touch with me at nakedepicurean@gmail.com
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