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Dirty Dalmatian
Have you ever laid your lips on a cocktail, and your first thought is, “Uh-oh”? As in, “Uh-oh, this concoction has some kick to it!” or “Uh-oh, I may end up drinking quite a few of these!” or “Uh-oh, these Dirty Dalmatians won’t last very long around here!” Meet your new best friend—the Dirty Dalmatian. This Dirty Dalmatian is a complementary amalgamation of Black Peppercorn Not-So-Simple Syrup and fresh Ruby Red grapefruit juice. When you sip it, you feel a rush of warmth in your throat swilled away by cold + refreshing + tangy acid. I call it a Dirty Dalmatian because the peppers have commingled with the syrup for…
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Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Bites + Ginger-Soy Butter
I wanted to call this recipe Seared Tuna and the Puddle of Love, but The Man nixed that straight outta the gate. Too weird, he said. You’re weird, I said. I love you, he said. Same, I said, and then sulked my way back to the kitchen, my cooking metaphor not having passed muster. You have several options for serving this Sesame Crusted Ahi: as a first course or a party app; sliced on top of a salad; or as entree steaks. Whichever you choose, be sure to use the freshest tuna steaks and pat lots sesame seeds into them (your rule of thumb is about 4 tablespoons of sesame…
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Ultimate Chicken + Avocado Caprese Salad
It’s that time of year when we are inundated with images of summer-readiness attire + activities + dietary regimen. It can be so stressful getting back on track after the holidays in preparation for the nearly naked time of year. (Seriously, have you seen how tiny bikinis are nowadays?) But there is no stress at all with preparing or eating this delightfully light yet satisfying Ultimate Chicken + Avocado Caprese Salad! I’d go so far as to say this salad is crazy easy to prepare. Simply do a sweep through the produce aisle of the market, grab a rotisserie chicken, and throw together some dressing fixins and you’re set! This…
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Bourbon + Pecan Sweets
Serving these at your Kentucky Derby party? Don’t blink! They will be gone as quickly as the horses make their way around the track. Rich + buttery + sugary + crunchy + addictive. Next thing you know, half of these have mysteriously disappeared. These sweets require very few ingredients, very little time, very little skill yet are indubitably delicious.They combine the best of both worlds: candy + bourbon. But fear not the spirits: when cooking bourbon, the alcohol evaporates, leaving you with the deliciously distinct bourbon flavor without the alcohol. If alcohol is not your thing but you like the flavor of bourbon, you can use bourbon flavored vanilla. If…
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Three-Cheese + Bruschetta Baked Chicken
Just let me start by saying, THIS IS NOT JUST ANY OL’ CHICKEN RECIPE. This is some really good stuff right here! Imagine deliciously ripe tomatoes wading in an unctuous balsamic glaze, adorned with a garland of garden fresh basil ribbons. The perfect topping for bruschetta, right? Now imagine this embellishment atop a medley of three savory cheeses, atop a tender baked chicken breast. Okay, maybe four cheeses. I use grated Parm in the cheese mixture with which I coat the breast; then I sometimes add a layer of shaved Parm as an additional topping once the chicken comes out of the oven. Yum. If you aren’t about to eat…
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Sticky Sweet + Spicy Asian (v) Meatballs
I am a cheater. There. I said it. I’m not gonna lie—I don’t really feel too bad about it. In fact, I think you’ll want to be a cheater, too. Here’s how it happened. We found out last minute that another couple was coming to our Super Bowl Puppy Bowl Party, and I wanted to make ABSOLUTELY sure I had enough food for everyone. One of my big hang-ups is running out of food. We are a very food-oriented family, so I have nightmares about such things. I made an impromptu decision to throw some things together, and am actually proud of how good of a cheater I am! By…
eat. drink. bemerry. repeat.
