I Sing In The Kitchen

ISITK Turns 1 Today. Let’s Celebrate With Lemon Curd Cream Topped Gingerbread Cake.

Posted on January 6, 2012 by I Sing In The Kitchen

Can it really be one year since I started writing I Sing In The Kitchen?

Evidently, yes.

My how time flies. Thanks for hanging out with me over the past year. It has been so much fun cooking and singing with you all.

My first post, which you can read here, was for Gingerbread Cupcakes (man, were they ever delicious). January 6th is the twelfth day of Christmas and I always make some sort of Gingerbread recipe.

Today I baked a Gingerbread Cake topped with whipped cream swirled with lemon curd. Fabulous. The cake batter has ground as well as grated ginger, which makes it twice as nice. The lemon is a really nice complement. As is the lightly sweetened cream. Mmmmm.

Gingerbread Cake

Ingredients for the cake:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg, beaten to blend
2 teaspoons grated ginger

Ingredients for topping:

1 cup chilled heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup store-bought lemon curd
Finely grated lemon zest

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.

2. Coat 8×8 inch pan with nonstick spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; spray paper.

3. Whisk flour and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.

4. Place butter in a large bowl. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over; whisk until melted. Whisk in sugar and next 3 ingredients. Add dry ingredients; whisk to blend. Transfer to prepared pan.

5. Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack; let cool. Remove parchment.

6. To make topping beat cream and sugar in a medium bowl until firm peaks form. Fold in curd, leaving swirls. Spread over cake. Garnish with zest.

Serves 8

Recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

One of the best parts about writing ISITK has been all of the new friends I have made.

Especially the musicians.

Nothing makes my day more than hearing from a band or making them a requested recipe. So surreal and so much fun.

One of my biggest supporters this year has been Lia Siouti, the lead singer for the band The Finger. She’s a foodie like me, but with a much better voice.

The Finger, based out of Thessaloniki Greece, have their full length album coming out this year. I cannot wait.

Some details of the upcoming album in the words of the band:

“It will be titled “I Don’t Believe My Eyes” ( cause we really don’t believe some of the things that are happening right now in Greece). It consists of 11 tracks. What you’ll be hearing in the album are trumpets, choirs and other fun stuff, that we would like to keep as surprise. Lyrically, is a bit pessimistic and melancholic album, but hey, we do live in strange times. Don’t we? We also have have a couple of love tracks for all the broken hearted out there.”

I just shared The Finger’s new song on the I Sing In The Kitchen Facebook Page yesterday, but in case you missed it (and you don’t want to) here it is.

Fantastic!

Check out The Finger on their Website, Facebook and Soundcloud.

Cheers!

Posted in Cake | 6 Comments

Chocolate Chip Cookie Icebox Cake. Or Just Swoon Over The Cookies.

Posted on January 4, 2012 by I Sing In The Kitchen

“Doctor! Doctor! Help me, I’m shrinking.” “Just wait a minute and be a little patient.”

Haha! I love that just a tiny bit.

But, WOW!!! I really LOVE this Chocolate Chip Cookie Icebox Cake A LOT.

As desserts go, this is one over the top, totally outrageous sweet treat.

The cookies alone are to die for (but the doctor above would never let that happen). This chocolate chip cookie recipe has to be one of the best I have ever tried. It produces cookies that are uniform in thickness with a lovely crisp tender texture. The chocolate chunks elevate them to star status.

All by themselves the cookies are fabulous, but layered with mascarpone whipped cream lashed with whisky (I used Scottish) they are the basis of one really incredible dessert. The Icebox Cake looks amazing and tastes as good as it looks.

I’d like to live inside this cake.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Icebox Cake

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Cookie Base:

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
8 oz unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks (2 cups)

Directions:

1. Sift flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl.

2. Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture in 3 additions. Beat in vanilla. Mix in chocolate chips.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place dough onto parchment lined baking sheets using a 1 Tbs scoop ( to make a 2 1/4 inch cookie). Bake about 12-14 minutes for a crisp cookie.

Makes 8 dozen.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Icebox Cake

Ingredients:

4 cups heavy cream
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon whisky (Definitely add. I was on the fence about how it tasted while assembling, but it adds just the right touch after setting up.)
8 dozen 2 1/4 inch chocolate cookies (recipe above)

Directions:

1. Whisk 3 cups cream and the mascarpone in chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar and whisky. Whisk until medium-stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use (up to 3 hours).

2. Arrange 9 cookies in a circle (with cookies touching) on a cake stand or plate. Place two cookies in the center. Carefully spread 1 cup cream mixture evenly over cookies, leaving a slight border. Repeat to form 7 more layers, ending with cookies (you’ll have cookies leftover). Refrigerate, lightly draped with plastic wrap, overnight.

3. Whisk remaining cup cream until soft peaks form. Spread over the top of cake just before serving. Garnish with chocolate shavings.

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living Magazine

I listen to so much new music, especially this time of year when I am checking out everyone’s End Of The Year Favorite Lists.

To celebrate such a ridiculously good cake I am going to rock out to an older song that is one of my all time favorites (you might notice that I have quite a lot of those).

I cannot believe that it has been 8 years since L.A. Band Frausdots released the album ‘Couture, Couture, Couture’ with this cracking tune on it.

Dead Wrong.

It starts out like a power version of A Horse With No Name. I love the way the guitars and the drums chase each other throughout the song. And anyone who knows me knows that I am wild about songs with build ups and slow downs. Just like in this one.

“Now everybody’s doing everybody wrong
And everybody’s singing everybody elses song”

And can we talk about that part at the 3 minute mark? Listen really loud and those deep drums will fill your brain. And catch how the guitars again chase down those drums.

As though there wasn’t enough goodness in this tune, it ends with the irresistible “Ba ba ba da da da badada da
Ba ha ba la la”
Frausdots-Dead Wrong

Check out Frausdots on Myspace and buy their music here.

Cheers!

Posted in Cake, Cookies | 3 Comments

Braised Short Ribs With Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta. The Quiet Americans Rock The Summer House.

Posted on January 3, 2012 by I Sing In The Kitchen

I’m sorry to have to do this to you.

This video.

It’s so bad, but worth it for the biology class bit.

Still with me? Still talking to me?

You’ll forgive me after you make these stellar Short Ribs. Tender, full of flavor and served over some very saxy polenta. :)

Braised Short Ribs With Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta

Ingredients:

4-8 beef short ribs (about 4 lbs0
1/4 cup flour
4 strips bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cups red or white wine
2-4 cups beef broth (enough to almost cover ribs)
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary

Directions:

1. Season ribs with pepper and kosher salt, then dredge in flour. Set aside.

2. In a large dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside. Do not discard grease.

3. Add olive oil to pan with the bacon grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides. Remove ribs and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.

4. Add onions, carrots, and shallots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release the flavorful bits. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes. Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid.

5. Cover and place into the oven. Cook at 350℉ for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325℉ and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. The meat should be fork-tender and falling off the bone.

6. Remove pan from oven and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes, lid on. Skim fat off the top of the liquid before serving.

Serve ribs over Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta (recipe below), with some juice spooned over the top.

Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta

Ingredients:

3/4 cup fine cornmeal or polenta
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 ounces goat cheese

Directions:

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add cornmeal to the water in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for a few minutes, adding salt and extra tablespoons of water or cornmeal, as needed.

2. When polenta is thickened, stir in butter and goat cheese. Check seasonings, and add salt to taste.

Serves 4

Recipes from Food For Scot

To make up for the Saxy video, how about some sexy music from The Quiet Americans?

How cool is this tune?

Quiet? Not one bit. It’s loud. Rocking. Bordering on distorted.

It succeeds on every level. One of my favorite songs from 2011.
The Quiet Americans-Summer House

Check out The Quiet Americans on Facebook, and Bandcamp where you can buy ‘Medicine’, the band’s 2011 release .

Cheers!

Posted in Beef, Main Courses, Side Dish | Tagged The Quiet Americans | 2 Comments

Festive Starters: Salted Pecans. Hot Feta Artichoke Dip. Contrast Podcast Festive Fifty Time!

Posted on January 2, 2012 by I Sing In The Kitchen

The Contrast Podcast Festive Fifty is here!

Listeners of The Contrast Podcast voted on their top songs of 2011. The results were compiled and the top 50 songs were chosen.

Out this week is the first installment which counts down from song 50 to 35. You can listen here.

If you have spent any time at all in my kitchen, you probably have a very good idea who my favorite songs of 2011 are by.

Okkervil River?

DEFINITELY.

I’ve only written about them a few times like here and here and here and here and here.

Just a little bit of Okkervil River adoration around these parts.

Both me and my son introduce Okkervil River songs in this episode of the Festive Fifty. I have no idea HOW ON EARTH these amazing songs ended up so high in the countdown bleachers, but I love them to death.

So, make yourself these easy snacks, put on your headphones and see what songs people thought were hot in 2011.

Salted Pecans

Ingredients:

1 Tbs butter
1 tsp Tabasco
1/3 Cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
2 cups pecan halves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300℉.

2. Melt the butter in a skillet over low heat. Remove from heat and add the Tabasco, Worcestershire and salt.

3. Stir in the pecans and mix well. Each piece should be well coated.

4. Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast for about 15 minutes. Stir once or twice during cooking.

5. Drain on paper towels.

Makes 2 cups

Recipe from Being Dead is No Excuse

Hot Feta Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can artichokes, drained, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove , minced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.

2. Mix all ingredients together.

3. Place mixture in a small baking pan.

4. Bake 20- 25 minutes or until slightly browned.

Serve with pita bread, baguette slices or crackers.

Makes 2 cups

Recipe from Being Dead is No Excuse

You might have noticed that both of these recipes came from the book Being Dead Is No Excuse (The Southern Ladies Guide To Hosting The Perfect Funeral) by Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays. I highly recommend it for the recipes and the humor. And you can learn tidbits such as these:

“Nobody eats better than a bereaved Southerner.

When someone you love dies you need two things, friends and alcohol.

Fat, sugar, and salt are the three major food groups.”

Sounds about right to me.

Okay, back to Okkervil River. Here are videos for the songs in the Festive Fifty countdown. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

I had different favorite songs from the album over the course of the last few months, but Your Past Life As A Blast ended up my number 1 song of 2011.

Man, I love this song, too. So does my boy.

If you do not have ‘I Am Very Far’ you really should pick up a copy. All of Okkervil River’s older music is excellent, too. Buy your copies on the band’s Website.

Cheers!

Posted in Starters, Vegetable | 2 Comments

Flourless Chocolate Cake With Blueberries. A Sweet Start For The New Year.

Posted on January 1, 2012 by I Sing In The Kitchen

Anyone have some champagne left? How about a sword laying around?

Excellent. Let’s get that bottle opened.

Serve that sworded champers with a slice of this rich chocolate cake. I love the way the blueberries look (and taste) with the chocolate. Unexpected combination that is just divine.

Flourless Chocolate Cake With Blueberries

Ingredients:

200g good-quality (75%-cocoa) dark chocolate, chopped
90g butter
2 tablespoons strongly brewed black coffee
55g (1/4 cup caster) (granulated) sugar
2 eggs
150g (1 cup) ground almonds
handful of blueberries
1 oz chocolate, melted
cocoa powder for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350℉. Grease and line base and sides of an 18cm (7 inch) springform cake pan. (I only have a 23cm (9 inch) springform pan. It worked fine, but gave me a thinner cake, of course)

2. Combine butter and chocolate in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until almost smooth.

3. Use an electric mixer to beat the sugar and eggs until pale and fluffy.

4. Gently fold the melted chocolate and ground almonds into the egg mixture. Pour into prepared pan.

5. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Scatter blueberries over cake.

7. Melt 1 oz chocolate and drizzle over blueberries. Dust with cocoa and serve.

Serves 8

Recipe from Olive Magazine

Auld Lang Syne.

It’s more than a confusing song sung around the New Year.

Auld Lang Syne is a band out of western New York State that plays some of the most haunting and fragile songs you might hear.

Where My Fortune Lies is up there as one of my favorite songs of all time.

The first sound of the guitar, then the intense vocals of Timothy Dick…you know this is going to be good. Even after a few thousand listens.

“And if I’ve wasted all these years
Now you’re gone I’m living each day in tears”

So good. Sad. So good in its sadness.
Auld Lang Syne-Where My Fortune Lies

Check out Auld Lang Syne on Myspace, Facebook and buy the band’s music here.

Cheers!

Posted in Cake | Tagged Auld Lang Syne | 5 Comments

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Posted on December 31, 2011 by I Sing In The Kitchen

A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one Year and out the other.

I don’t have any New Year Resolutions this year. Last year it was to start a food and music blog and keep with it for one year. One year is January 6th, so I think I kept that one alright. I have you all to thank for making it so much fun to have company while I Sing In The Kitchen.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole. Sounds pretty grand, huh?

Don’t judge by the photos. It was so hard to capture the cheesy, creamy, slightly spicy deliciousness of this dish.

Really good and so easy to whip up for a crowd.

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

1 medium red onion, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup milk or half and half
1 pound cooked chicken breast, chopped
10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 1/2 cups light sour cream
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon thyme, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
5 10″ tortillas
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly grease a 13×9 baking dish and set aside.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and bell pepper 3-4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté briefly, until golden. Add the cornstarch and let it cook for a minute.

3. Add the chicken broth and milk to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Add next 8 ingredients (through pepper) to skillet and mix well.

4. Tear the tortillas into 1″ pieces and layer bottom of baking dish. Pour half of chicken mixture into dish and top with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat layers with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture and cheese.

5. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Recipe from What’s Cooking In The Orange Kitchen

Hey look (listen)! Clare Grogan is in the house.
Altered Images-Happy New Year

Shocking that I’m going to ring in the New Year with some Scottish music, no? Yes, because it is so freakin’ good.

Welcome To The New Year isn’t the most cheerful of tunes.

“Sometimes I hate myself”

Well, don’t we all at one time or another?

It’s one of my favorite Ballboy songs and the title is just right.
Ballboy-Welcome To The New Year

Check out Ballboy on their Website and buy the band’s music there.

I’d like to raise a toast to you all.

Cheers! Happy New Year!

Posted in Chicken, Main Courses | 2 Comments

Chocolate Iced Brownies With Nonpareils. The Unsettling Music of Anna-Anna.

Posted on December 30, 2011 by I Sing In The Kitchen

Of course it wouldn’t be like me to share a video that has anything to do with the recipe. Or to do with anything, for that matter.

We’re gonna watch this one just because it makes me smile.

Smile accomplished.

Now onto some purrfect brownies. Rich and chocolatety brownies covered in rich and chocolatety icing.

Chocolate Iced Brownies With Nonpareils

Ingredients for the brownies:

8oz (250g) butter
200g bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 3/4 cups (300g) brown sugar
4 eggs
1-1/3 cups (200g) flour
1/3 cup (35g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
colored nonpareils to decorate

Ingredients for the icing:

40g butter, melted
2 Tbs cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 cups (240g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325℉/160℃.

2. Grease a 22cm square cake pan and line with parchment paper.

3. Place butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth.

4. Place sugar and eggs in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until well combined.

5. Add the flour, cocoa and baking powder and whisk until smooth.

6. Pour mixture into prepared pan.

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until just set. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

8. While brownies are cooling make icing. Place butter, cocoa, sugar and water in a bowl and stir until well combined.

9. Spread the icing over the brownie evenly. Sprinkle with colored nonpareils (I used green/red/white since I made them at Christmastime. The picture in the magazine has the whole top covered in rainbow nonpareils which is a really good, fun look.)

10. Cut into fingers (so much cuter here than squares for a change) and serve. The brownies keep in the fridge for one week.

Serves 6-8

Recipe from Donna Hay Kids’ Magazine

I have recently been completely captivated by Brazilian artist Anna-Anna (Manuela Leal). Listening to her music is like being dropped onto the set of a science fiction movie and left to fend for yourself.

Quiet, unsettling, eerie. And always interesting. A modern Laurie Anderson.
Anna-Anna-Mirrors Of America

Check out Anna-Anna on Facebook, where you can get a free download of the 4 track album ‘Last Night I Lit The Moon’, and on the official Website.

Cheers!

Posted in Brownies | Leave a comment

Melt In The Mouth Mini Mincemeat Pies. Malajube rocks Montreal -40C.

Posted on December 29, 2011 by I Sing In The Kitchen

One of my favorite things to eat this time of year is mince pies. Little mouthfuls of boozy mixed fruit in delectable pastry cases. Yum.

Here are two mince pie recipes I really like and an excellent recipe for mincemeat to fill them with.

Make a lot. Mince pies go fast. You can freeze both of these recipes if you want to make them ahead.

Melt In The Mouth Mini Mincemeat Pies

Ingredients:

500g mincemeat (recipe follows)
milk, for brushing pastry
caster (granulated) sugar, to sprinkle

Ingredients for the pastry:

300g (2 1/4 cups) plain flour
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp salt
175g (6oz) unsalted butter, cold
175g (6oz) cream cheese
3 tablespoons single cream or 3 tablespoons double (heavy) cream

Directions for the pastry:

1. Sift the flour into a bowl with the confectioners’ sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

2. Add enough cream to form a soft dough. Gather into a ball and knead briefly to smooth the dough. Divide in half; wrap each in cling film and chill for at least an hour.

Directions to make the mince pies:

1. Lightly grease mini-muffin tins. On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to about 1/4 inch thickness then stamp out equal numbers of 6cm (1 7/8 inch) and 7cm (2 1/4 inch) circles. Roll up the scraps, knead lightly, and then roll out again.

2. Use the larger circles to line the cups of the tins. Place a heaped tsp of mincemeat in each cup, cover with the smaller disc and lightly press together. Make a small hole in the centre of each lid for the steam.

Look! I made a friend.

3. Chill for 30 minutes before baking.

4. Heat oven to 220℃/425℉ and place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up (this added heat helps to more effectively cook the pastry base).

5. Place mince pie tin on the hot baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180℃/350℉ and bake another 10 minutes, until golden brown. Brush tops lightly with milk, dust with caster sugar, and then return to the oven for about 1 minute.

6. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, and then remove.

7. Serve mince pies warm or cold or freeze for up to 3 months then warm through in the oven. Delicious with some brandy butter.

Recipe from BBC Goodfood Magazine

Mini Mincemeat Pies

Ingredients:

225g mincemeat (recipe below)
225g (2 cups) plain flour
100g (4oz) butter , chilled and cubed roughly
3 tbsp light muscovado sugar (light brown sugar)
orange, grated zest and juice

Directions:

1. To make the pastry put flour into a large bowl and rub in the chilled butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and zest.

2. Add approximately 4 Tbs of the orange juice to the pastry mix to make a fairly soft dough, kneading gently until smooth. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.

3. Lightly flour a surface and roll out the pastry to a 3mm thickness. Using a fluted cutter, stamp out 12 circles of pastry to fit into your tart pan. Gently press these into the tartlet tins so that the pastry just protrudes above the tins to allow for shrinkage when cooked. Spoon the mincemeat into the pastry cases being careful not to overfill.

4. Roll out remaining dough and stamp small round circles. Top each mincemeat pie with a circle of dough.

5. When you’re ready to bake the mince pies, heat the oven to 200C/400℉. Bake the mince pies for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack and serve.

Recipe slightly adapted from BBC Goodfood Magazine

Ballymaloe Mincemeat

Ingredients:

2 cooking apples
2 lemons
450g (1lb) beef suet or butter, chilled and grated
110g (4oz) mixed peel
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
225g (8oz) currants
450g (1lb) raisins
225g (8oz) sultanas
900g (2lbs) dark brown sugar
60ml (2 1/2fl ozs) Irish whiskey

Directions:

1. Core and bake the whole apples in a moderate oven, 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4, for 45 minutes approx. Allow to cool. When they are soft, remove the skin and mash the flesh into pulp.

2. Grate the rind from the lemons on the finest part of a stainless steel grater and squeeze out the juice. Add the other ingredients one by one, and as they are added, mix everything thoroughly.

3. Put into sterilized jars, cover and leave to mature for 2 weeks before using. This mincemeat will keep for a year in a cool place.

Makes 3.2 kilos (7 lbs)

Recipe from Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cookery Course Cookbook

Note: I made one fourth of the recipe and used it right away. One quarter of the recipe makes enough for 3 dozen mini pies. Here are the quantities:

4 oz butter
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup mixed peel
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 Tbs marmalade
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
15ml whiskey

Ready to get moving? This song is so much fun.

“Papapapapadapada”

Here is a translation of one of the verses that I love:

“Oh Montreal
You’re so very cold
A polar bear in a bus
I’m inspired by the worst
To enrich myself
And I love truly that you make me hallucinate”

“Papapapapadapada”

I love the musical action at 2:15.
Malajube-Montreal -40C

Malajube was nominated in the category Best Reason To Learn French in The Bucky Awards (CBC Radio 3) Long List. Cool, huh? They didn’t win, but I think it says a lot about how good their songs are. My High School French is barely passable, but if the lyrics to Malajube’s songs are as cool (cool…haha!) as Montreal -40C, I may have to brush up.

Check out Malajube on their Website and buy the band’s music there.

Cheers!

Posted in Dessert | Leave a comment

Cranberry Orange Vodka. Pineapple and Vanilla Bean Rum.

Posted on December 28, 2011 by I Sing In The Kitchen

I bake so much throughout the year that at Christmas time I like to ply my friends with some homemade alcohol.

Liqueurs are so easy to make and are a very festive gift to give.

I love that you can make liqueurs well ahead of time. Always a bonus when you are juggling all sorts of holiday stuff at once.

This year I gave the Cranberry Orange Vodka (wonderful and so happy looking). Last year was Pineapple Vanilla Bean Rum (oh rum yum).

Make these and think of me thinking of you.

Cheers! <—– You are not seeing double. There will be the usual Cheers at the end of the post. :)

:) :) <——- You are seeing double because I am sampling the liqueurs as I type this post.

:) :)

Cranberry Orange Vodka

Cranberry Orange Vodka <—-Okay, I will stop. :) :) :)

Really.

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 piece fresh orange peel (2-by-1-inch)
3 cups vodka

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, heat cranberries, sugar, and water until the sugar dissolves, the liquid begins to turn a light-pink color, and the cranberries just begin to pop.

2. Pour the cranberries and the liquid into a large glass jar; stir in peel and vodka. Cover, and let stand at room temperature at least 3 days or up to one month.

3. Strain before serving.

I make a label with the liqueur name on one side. On the back I write “Cheers” and suggest using the cranberry orange vodka in Cosmos or to sip straight up.

Makes 4 cups (Note: I made 18 (250ml) bottles, so increased the ingredients by 5)

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Pineapple and Vanilla Bean Rum

Ingredients:

2 cups pineapple, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
3 cups white rum

Directions:

1. In a large glass jar, combine the pineapple and vanilla bean and seeds. Stir in white rum.

2. Cover and let steep at room temperature at least 3 days or up to one month.

3. Strain before serving.

Make a label with the liqueur name and suggest using it in Piña Coladas or mixed with cola.

Makes 5 cups

Recipe from Martha Stewart Living Holiday Magazine 2009

I have ordered my bottles from Specialty Bottles for years and am always pleased with the quality and selection.

I suppose if you drink all of your liqueur in one sitting you might be singing this song.
The Texas Sapphires- How Did I Get So Sloppy Drunk (When I Was Drinkin' Neat)

I make liqueurs for my friends every December. My friends that get me through every hard day and are there to toast the easy days. XXOO. I LOVE my friends. (I love my imaginary friends, too. It is just harder to get the liqueur to you all.)
LCD Soundsystem-All My Friends

Check out The Texas Sapphires on Myspace and buy their music here.

LCD Soundsystem is here and so is their music store.

Cheers!
Cheers! <—–Twice as nice, right? :) :)

Posted in Beverages | Leave a comment