Cool As a Cucumber Cocktail

Cool As a Cucumber Cocktail

Serves 8

My original Calcutta Cooler recipe is very, very good...but it's also labor intensive.  This drink's flavor profile mimics that one and can be thrown together at a moment's notice.  It provides the perfect accompaniment for any spicy dish, including this must-have-again Yellow Curry.

Stir gently together in a pitcher: 

8-10 shots Pearl Cucumber Vodka

4 shots Key Lime Juice

1/2 shot Creme-de-Menthe

4 (6.8 oz) bottles of Fever Tree Ginger Beer

This is even better when the first 3 ingredients are mixed ahead and stashed in the freezer for last-minute assembly with thoroughly chilled ginger beer

Serve over 3 cubes of ice in chilled highballs.

Yellow Curry

Yellow Curry

Serves 8

Saute til tender in a large soup pot:
5 T. coconut oil
1/2 c. finely chopped yellow onion
8-10 mini red bell peppers

Stir in until aromatic:
1 1/2 c. Yellow Curry Paste
1-2 T. fish sauce

Add:
4 (13.66 oz.) cans coconut milk
2 c. bone broth
1/3 c. brown sugar

Simmer for a few minutes then add:
3-4 c. shredded rotisserie chicken
3 sweet potatoes, diced and roasted in coconut oil

Serve with warm naan and a Calcutta Cooler or the faster version with a similar flavor profile: Cool As A Cucumber Cocktail!

Pumpkin Silk Muffins

Pumpkin Silk Muffins 

Gently stir together dry ingredients:

1 3/4 c. flour

1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

2 t. cinnamon

2 dashes ground clove

2 dashes ground nutmeg

1 t. salt

1 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

Add wet ingredients and stir until just blended:

2 eggs

1/3 c. oil

15 oz. pumpkin puree

I used the batter in three ways:

Bite-size muffies (24)- bake for ~9 minutes; roll in butter, then cinnamon-sugar Stupenda!

Glazed (12) - regular size muffins (no paper), brushed with a butter, powdered sugar glaze; bake for ~12 minutes

Upper Crust (8) (pictured) - add ~1/2 c. each fresh chopped cranberries and pecans to remaining batter; halfway through cooking, top with a struesel of butter, oats, brown sugar and pecans; bake for ~14 minutes

This batter made moist, silky soft muffins in each of the experiments above.  This will be a new go-to for family holiday breakfasts!