Friday Happy Hour: Aperol Spritz

So I've been trying to organize all my pictures on my computer (there are a LOT), and have been coming across some pictures I meant to blog about but for whatever reason never got around to... so there might be a few throwback pictures and posts that are a LONG time coming... this is one of them :)

Ever since I visited Lutz a few Thanksgivings ago (way back in 2010 JEEZ!) and he introduced me to Aperol Spritzes, I've LOVED them!! Flossie and I met for drinks while I was still in Orlando and I had one at Brio and it was as good as I remembered. :) Aperol is definitely an acquired taste, it's a little bitter, but it's so refreshing when you mix it with champagne. I usually pour almost a full glass of champagne and just add in a topper of Aperol. A little goes a long way!!

Try something new for 2014!!

Lutz & I at a German Christmas Market (Nov 2010--told ya, throwback!)

xoxo,

janie from scratch

Aunty Lyn's Queso

Oh man, y'all, I LOVE queso. Of all sorts, but especially my Aunty Lyn's. I haven't had it in forever because it makes a LOT, but since we had family in town over the holidays, I made some to share. It's super easy, so quick, and SO yummy.

Aunty Lyn's Queso

• 1 box velveeta regular
• 1 box velveeta Mexican
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 lb breakfast sausage, browned & drained (I use the spicy kind!)
• pickled jalapenos & juice to taste

Melt everything together either on the stove or in a slow cooker. Over the stove, be careful that the cheese doesn't get burnt to the bottom of the pan -- this happened to me and it was UNPLEASANT to clean up. 

Get LOTS of scoops chips because this makes a lot of delicious queso. 

xoxo,
janie from scratch

Pickled Corn

Lately I am SO obsessed with anything pickled! Except actual pickles, I hate pickles. Over the summer I found a recipe for Pickled Corn in Bon Appetit and it is JUST the best. It's super easy, and it only has to sit for a few hours before you can eat it.

Pickled Corn

• 2 cups fresh corn (I used 3-4 ears)
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1/4 thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• pepper

Combine all of the above in a heat-proof dish.

• 1/2 cup white or apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons salt (I use kosher)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (I always put a little extra sugar)

Bring the above to a boil, and pour over corn mixture. Stir, and if needed, cover with additional water. Chill & let sit for a few hours or more. This just gets better with time! I can literally eat this with a spoon, no tacos needed, but it is also DELISH on tacos.

Also on this taco is some homemade queso fresco! I had no idea how easy it was to make cheese from scratch!!! Maybe I'll write a blog about it one day :)

xoxo,
janie from scratch

Brunch at Home -- Polenta with Salmon & Fried Egg

HAPPY 2014 my darlings!! 2013 was a very tumultuous year, I am glad it's over. I am proud to say I have a new job. I love going to work every day, which is a nice change of pace. I'm living back at home with Jane B, and it's so nice to be home and centered and stable. I've dedicated 2014 to focusing on myself, being happy, being loving, being grateful, being peaceful, being healthy and moving forward with my life. That being said, I hope y'all find happiness in 2014 too!

I live for Sunday Brunch. Like LOVE LOVE LOVE it. But this year, I'm trying to be more healthful, less boozing (a staple at brunch, let's be real), less eating out, saving some money. I don't know if you've heard, but I have a big race to prep for in September... THE BERLIN MARATHON!!! I am so psyched I can hardly contain myself. Unfortunately, my left knee has been bothering me for a few months and now that I finally have insurance again (it's great to have a full-time job! whoop!), I finally went to the ortho. He said I have patellar tendinitis, so I am unable to run, jump, squat, lunge, basically anything I do on a regular basis, for a few weeks. It bums me out, especially since I love running just to clear my mind. 

So this weekend, I wanted to recreate one of my favorite brunch meals from Dexter's in Orlando -- Mahi-Mahi with grits & a fried egg. My mom defrosted a piece of salmon for dinner Friday that I didn't eat, so I used that instead of mahi-mahi. We didn't have any grits (WTF Jane B??), but we did have corn meal, so I made polenta. And then a fried egg is a fried egg! My polenta turned out lumpy, I was so disappointed, especially since I whisked and whisked and whisked. I'll have to try it again. But the flavor was really yummy. The recipe on the back added in Italian seasoning, so I put that on the salmon as well. It turned out delicious!! 

Happy new year yall :)
xoxo,
janie from scratch

Holiday Place Cards

POST OVERLOAD!! Two in one week! LOL -- my mom asked me to make some place cards for our big Christmas dinner... I've been wanting to make these pie-cards but haven't had the chance, so I started making them, then I read the instructions and they need to dry for 3-5 days... so that wouldn't work for Christmas! I had to come up with a plan B, and fast! And there weren't a lot of options since I didn't want to run out at 3pm on Christmas eve. Then I came across these little cuties - number 17! I found some adorable ribbon and some craft paper I had lying around, and whipped them up!

I did the names on the computer, my secret (since I'm on a mac and I don't have Adobe suite) is to use powerpoint, and just resize the slides to 8.5" x 11". It seems to work better than trying to work in Word or even Excel. I decided to do women, men, and children all in different colors (since I'm a little spiteful I had to sit at the children's table WELL into my twenties). I printed the names in big ovals... maybe 4" x 2" and cut them out. Hole-punched the ends, then threaded some cut ribbon through them. I lucked out because my mom had ribbon with wire in the edges, so it made it a LOT easier. I made sure they could stand, then cut the ends of the ribbon to look like candy, and VOILA! Done :)

These were legit SO easy, and could very simply be made for ANY occasion or even a non-occasion dinner party.

HAPPY HAPPY!
xoxo,
janie from scratch

Friday..err Monday Happy Hour: Coquito aka Puerto Rican Eggnog

I've been remiss about keeping up with this blog this year :( and I've made so many delicious things! One of my favorite part of the holidays is hanging out with the bees when they make coquito (the bees are a group of girls in Orlando). I got a recipe from one of the gals at my new job (YES! new job in Tampa!) and decided to make some to share at Christmas this year. It's pretty simple... here goes:

Coquito

• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 12 ounce can evaporated milk
• 14 ounce can cream of coconut (you can usually find this with the mixers in the supermarket)
• 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup white rum (okay, I used a whole cup)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Start by cooking the egg yolks & evaporated milk over a double boiler until it reaches 160 on a candy thermometer or it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

In a blender, combine the rest of the ingredients. 

When the egg mixture is cooked, add it to the blender and blend for 30 seconds. I left the little middle lid off and covered with a towel just in case it tried to explode like that one time at BTW's (cleaning gazpacho off blinds is NOT fun, FYI). 

Then I cleaned out two wine bottles and poured the mixture into both. It made a LOT! Almost two full wine bottles! 

Then, just let cool and sit overnight and you're ready to share with all your alcoholic friends and family! I should've made fancy labels but it's almost Christmas and ain't nobody got time for that! 

Hope you have a great holiday :)
xoxo,
janie from scratch

Hamburger Cupcakes

Happy Summer Yall!! This month has been such a whirl wind. I got home from Europe, and then it was Mother's Day. I made my favorite thing ever for my godmother, mom and friend for dinner that day -- Jerk Chicken with Jalapeno-Mint Glaze & Mango Salsa. THEN came birthday season... Within 1 week, I have the bf's, my friends Juan's & Brett's AND my birthday. And then was Memorial Day Weekend, so I am ready for some R&R this week by the pool! My mom is leaving on Monday for Maine until October, so hopefully we can have some QT this week too :)

I saw these ADORABLE cupcakes a few years ago on Bakerella's website (sidenote: she has the cutest ideas EVER) and made them for a 4th of July Party two years ago and they were a big hit. I got asked to make dessert for a Memorial Day Pool Party...which was SO EPIC, BTW:

Token Janie-face

So I whipped up these cute hamburger cupcakes again. They are adorable and so easy.

First, make a set of yellow boxed cupcake mix. I always use mixes for this recipe. For the cupcakes, I underfill the cupcakes a little - closer to half-full then 2/3 like the box says. Let cool, then take the papers off. I also sprinkle white sesame seeds to the top while they are cooling to make them look more like hamburger buns (if you forget, you can rub the tops with a little water to help them stick).

Then, mix up a brownie mix, and bake in a 13x9-ish sized pan. If you bake them in a smaller pan, they will turn out too fat to look like hamburger patties. While they are still warm, use a cookie cutter or empty can to cut out the patties. I've used an empty Campbell's soup can and also a small mason jar. Then let finish cooling.

Get a can of frosting, and dye half red (for ketchup) and half yellow (for mustard). For the lettuce, I shake sweetened coconut in a ziplock bag with a few drops of green food coloring.

To assemble, cut the cupcakes in half. I cut them close to the top little ledge. Put the cut-out brownie on the "bottom bun" with some "lettuce" and then squeeze some "ketchup & mustard" on the edges and top with the "top bun." This makes about 16 "burgers" so if you need more, make an extra batch!

 I had some leftover frosting and coconut so I put them in ramekins on the side if anyone wanted extra.

How cute are those?!?! And truly so easy and impressive for a summer BBQ or picnic. 

Hope everyone is having a great start to the summer! It's hot as blazes here in Florida, so summer has definitely arrived :)

xoxo,

Janie from Scratch