Happy Hour: Hot 'n Spicy Ginger Cocktail

Next week, Daylight Savings Time starts back up and I could not be happier about it.  Finally, I get to stop chasing the sun home and sneaking outside during my lunch breaks to soak up some vitamin D.

I can deal with the cold days of winter, just not the cold, dark days of winter.

Maybe it's just because this winter has been so overwhelmingly busy for us, or maybe it's just a really severe case of wanderlust that won't go away, but whatever it is, I am feeling anxious.  Anxious for long nights sitting outside around a fire with a drink in my hand.  Anxious for fresh, local produce and barbecues.  Anxious for everything that summer has to offer.

Tonight, I'm going to see Wild though.  I'm sure that's going to make my wanderlust just disappear ;)

Cheddar Beer Bread

I keep watching things on the news about the East Coast and the Midwest and even the Eastern Rockies getting pounded with snow and here in Utah (where we generally want the snow), we just had the most mild February on record.

I have worn a cardigan more times than I've worn a coat in the past three weeks.  Sometimes even the sweater has been too heavy.

That changed this weekend when we were working on our teardrop trailer out in the garage.  It was only 20˚ and it was miserable to be outside.  (That, and the fact that I caught the flu).

Part of me is ok with having a little more actual winter and part of me was really liking the fact that spring came early.  This is the time of year when I start to really wish that I lived in Arizona or Florida, but then I remember that I absolutely hate being too hot and I know I could never survive a summer in the south.  

So, it looks like I'm just going to have to trade in my sweaters for winter coats for a while longer and I'll also be trading in my light, fruit-filled meals for carb-heavy snacks like beer bread.

Coconut Pecan Ice Cream Topping

This past weekend, we celebrated my dad's birthday, but we didn't get to have my dad's favorite birthday cake (German Chocolate).  Because of allergies and preferences, foods with coconut and nuts seem to be hard to get everyone to agree on.

I still think if it's your birthday, you get to decide no matter what.  But I was assured that we would have German Chocolate Cake another time and I will get an invite.

At least, we did get to have a pretty delicious replacement dessert (not to toot my own horn or anything).

Still, I can't wait until my mom makes my dad's real favorite cake.  I can't quite decide if the cake is my favorite part or if drizzling warm leftover coconut pecan frosting on top of vanilla ice cream the next day is my favorite.  It's probably a tie.  The kind of tie where there's no disappointment.  

Presently

After work walk.

Happy Hour: Lemon Ginger Mule

I think you can trace major life changes back to singular events that take up a very small amount of time.  For me, one of those moments was when I discovered Moscow Mules.

If you haven't tried one, believe me, it's life-changing.

I just never knew that a drink could taste so good and refreshing and perfectly satisfying.

If you want to make the traditional one you need vodka, lime juice and ginger beer.  This one has an extra spice kick from the freshly grated ginger and the lemon juice is a nice twist.

It's just perfect.  I wish you could take a sip from your computer (or phone) screen right now so you'd know I wasn't lying to you.  Lucky for you, they're super simple to make so you can mix yourself one.  It's Friday after all.

Piña Colada Smoothie

Today is Hump Day (thank the lawd!), but already it's been one of those weeks.  One of those weeks where you're just over it.  You're over all of it before it's even started.

It's been one of those weeks when I really wished I was my own boss and I worked from home so I could start my day with a Bloody Mary then I could eat my lunch outside with a freshly blended piña colada and just, you know, continue that pattern all day.

So, I guess it's probably a good thing that I do have to go into the office where there are expectations of me.

Maybe someday, but for now I'm resigned to making the non-alcoholic version in the morning before heading off to my 9-5 (or rather 7-4).  It tastes really good and it serves as a pretty good consolation prize, but ya know, not quite the effect I'm after.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Do you like to go out for ice cream?  Any type really.  Banana splits, hot fudge sundaes, cones, cups, milkshakes, malts...  Of course you do.  Who doesn't?  Even highly lactose-intolerant, Austin, can't resist an Oreo Blizzard.

I used to actually drive out of my way about 20 minutes to get 'the really good soft-serve' from a gas station in the next town over when I was in high school.  And I will always pick the burger joint that serves vanilla shakes over the burger joint that does not.

But a few years ago, a really sad and really disgusting thing happened when I was waiting in line for my ice cream at a popular (unnamed) chain.

I was waiting for my food as I watched the girl working behind the counter being paid minimum wage and wearing an ill-fitting hat, drop a customer's ice cream on the dirty counter.  As I'm sure you've guessed, she did not throw it out, clean up the counter and start new.  She picked up the ice cream and put it back in the cup...with her bare hand!

Ever since then, I've been just a little more appreciative of my dessert prepared at home.

So, it's a good thing that you can make your own hot fudge sauce on your own (clean?) stove.  You can scoop it with your own spoons.  Heat it with your own microwave.  And if you so choose, you can touch it with your own bare hands, and that's fine.  Sticky but fine.

Oh, and by the way, it tastes about 4 million times better than anything you're going to find at a drive-up or in a grocery store.

Presently

Using power tools on the weekend is a nice change of pace from my Monday through Friday cubicle.

Bread Machine Beer Bread

I like beer and I like bread, so this recipe makes all the sense in the world.  Also, when you drink beer, you want to eat bread, right (hello, pretzels)?

One other thing that links the two is that people really like to compare the carb content. 'One of these beers is the equivalent of eating an entire loaf of bread.'  We've all heard that before, right?

Personally, I couldn't care less about the carb content or how unhealthy it is or how you 'should' reduce your carb and alcohol intake.  I like bread and I like beer so I'm going to keep on eating and drinking the stuff.

This beer bread is not like this beer bread.

That beer bread is pretty easy, but this one is even easier.  This one just has one step and one tool.  Throw all of the ingredients into your bread machine and walk away.

Kaleberry Smoothie

Some twenty-somethings really enjoy shopping which is something I just can't relate to.  At all.  I hate shopping.  I get tired and sore and whiny wandering around the store, and the mall is basically my worst nightmare.

I could never even imagine a world where shopping would bring me happiness or relaxation.

All I get from shopping is dread and regret.  And hopefully at least one material item, but oftentimes even that doesn't happen since I get too frustrated and have to leave the store before things get out of hand.

Grocery shopping is a different story.

I love to wander the aisles of a grocery store and look at all of the ingredients I've never tried before.  Especially the produce aisle.

When I see a different color of kale, I'll buy it, I'll be happy about my purchase and I'll even take pictures of it.

So yeah, I guess I am the weird one.

Presently

 It's been a warm, Utah winter.

Happy Hour: Pear Vodka Smash

Last time I went to Costco, I was lured in by the pears.  I love pears and since they're really good this time of year, I wanted them.

Of course, the problem is that you can't buy just a few pears at Costco, you have to buy a dozen.  So, naturally, Austin said that I would never be able to finish them all before they went bad.

I'm happy to say that I proved him wrong!

I've been eating at least one every day.  I blended one up in a smoothie.  And my last pear that was starting to get brown, was smashed up then strained into this cocktail.

The result was perhaps my favorite fruity drink ever.

You can barely taste the vodka in this and actually I made it with 1.5 oz of vodka first, but it needed a little extra kick.  So I guess what I'm saying is that these could be dangerous.

Giant Chocolate Chunk and Chip Cookies

I only like chocolate chip cookies when they're fresh out of the oven.  After they've cooled down and hardened, I pretty much don't eat them.  (Of course, sometimes I'll munch on one despite their imperfect state...I'm not a monster!)

This doesn't mean that I don't eat a lot of cookies, this just means I binge when they're still warm and gooey.

So this recipe from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery is pretty much perfect for me.

The first reason being that they are delicious and soft and melty and just generally perfect.  The dark chocolate chunks balance out the (sometimes overly) sweet cookie dough and they melt down and ooze out while the chocolate chips maintain their shape a little better.  Texture heaven.

The second reason is that it only makes 6 cookies.  6 GIANT cookies!  I can definitely eat 6 fresh, chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven.*

*I'm kidding - each of these cookies is about the equivalent of 6 regular cookies.

Marshmallow Filled Banana Cupcakes

Not too long ago, I had a dream of opening up a bakery.  It was back before cupcake shops were on every corner and long before they were a thing of the past.

My bakery was going to only have filled cupcakes.  It was probably the best cupcake shop you've ever been too and it definitely had the tastiest cupcakes you've ever tried.

Also, they were filled.  I mean, they were filled!

So yeah.  That didn't happen.  Part of the problem was that Austin and I were never settled in one place long enough to put down entrepreneurial roots.  The other part of the problem was lack of confidence.  Risk.  Money.  Drive.

All of those things that typically get in the way of pursuing a dream.

Whoa, this blog post got kind of mopey all of the sudden and I did not mean for it to!  So, maybe down the road, I will open a bakery and even though it won't be limited to just cupcakes, it will probably have these on the menu.

I mean my mother-in-law said they were, "the best cupcakes. Ever."  Seems deserving of a spot on the menu to me.