dad's chili

I've been going through a few of my old notebooks and other notes, and stumbled upon this old recipe.

oil pot
add 1 clove garlic
add 1 medium onion
add approx. 1 lb ground beef (since i don't eat much ground beef anymore, ground turkey also works here)
add much chili powder once meat browns
add can of kidney beans
add medium can of tomato paste
add large can of whole tomatoes
add 1 green pepper
add jalepeño

let simmer for moby time.

pomegranate cosmopolitan

this little treat has a slightly heavier taste than the normal cranberry-based cosmo. we've been on a pomegranate kick, so this seemed right for a sunday afternoon.

1 oz. tito's handmade vodka
1 oz. paula's orange
1/4 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 oz. (or more) pomegranate juice

best with a nice slice of orange and 5-6 ice cubes.

kristin's potatoes and veg

slightly browned potatoes
add a layer of black beans
add a layer of wilted spinach
drop on some fresh tomatoes
top with a light mexian cheese or some flecks of parmesan
(not the powdery stuff)

enjoy!

very tasty. great for those days where it looked like 8pm at 3pm. can't you tell we're sick of the rain?

taste: 4/5
price: under $8 for two plus leftovers.

orange mojito

there's probably another name for this, but it came out rather good, so here 'tis:

crush up fresh mint sprigs
1 shot of creole (or even light) rum
1/2 shot of paula's orange liqueur
fill the rest of the glass sprite (to taste)
squeeze a wedge of fresh orange or tangerine juice

pour over ice cubes into a parfait glass and drop in a cross-section of an orange. sip and enjoy!

kristin and steve's chocolate cherry seduction

this little concoction is a nice creamy treat for summer evenings. pour into 2 glasses and enjoy! best when shared.

7 frozen cherries
1 shot creme de cacao
1 shot kaluha
1 weight watchers cookies and creme bar
1/4 cup milk
8 ice cubes

blend / crush ice
chocolate sauce around the rim of the glass

tiroler schüttelbrot

this bread can easily be characterized with the following terms: flat, hard, and long-lasting...

however, it's also rather tasty, going great with speck, sausage, gerkins, various cheeses, and lots o' wine, served on a lazy susan in the center of a table. according to our friends, you're supposed to drop it in the cup of your hand and punch it to break it into managable pieces.

and of course, it's best with friends, when catching up after 12 or more years...

gruyere

mama said knock you out, no this cheese will knock you out!

this mostly hard cheese breaks off in your mouth, leaving you a little thirsty, especially when your teeth bite into the little surprises embedded within. luckily there's extant such a thing as good wine. there are little crunchy bits in this cheese that almost count as their own crackers. they're so tasty, they add another flavor and texture to the mix. i love cheeses that come at you from all angles.

consider my taste buds cordoned off...

i especially like the cave aged variety, which adds another layer of deep taste to this mostly hard cheese. don't melt it! but do put it on spinach salads with a few pine nuts. it'll make ya go nuts.

rating: 5/5 the kind of cheese your mama warned you about.
price: ?? (affordable)

right now i'm having some with an italian red, and it's marvelous. i can taste the farm when the two merge under he direction of my careful mandibles!