This Girl Cooks

Merging My Two Cooking Blogs for Now

2007-11-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

I have two cooking blogs - I am not going to delete this one in case I change my mind, but I am going to start posting all of my cooking information at Katherine Cooks from now on. So, just head on over to there to get more information and recipes about one of my biggest passions - cooking!

Italian Dressing Recipe - What to do with old wine

2007-07-06T07:39:00.001-07:00

Sometimes wine gets to a certain point - maybe I left it on the counter for too long or lost the cap or something... whatever the reason, it is not quite drinkable but not quite bad either. So what do I do now? Dump it out? Not quite... I found a place for it in the kitchen...

Surprisingly, this kind of wine tastes GREAT in meat marinades, Italian dressing, and even to deglaze the pan. In fact, it is one of my secret weapons in my dressing. I seldom measure, but this recipe is pretty close to something I'd do.

Italian Dressing Recipe

1/2 cup cold pressed olive oil
1/4 cup old wine
1/4 cup vinegar of choice
2 tablespoons worth of Italian spices such as basil and oregano or 4 tablespoons fresh
1 chopped garlic clove
salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Adjust the flavoring as you need to after you taste it. You may have a different palate than me.

Rum Swizzle Recipe - A New Favorite Cocktail

2007-05-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

My parents went to Bermuda and my dad brought back with him a love of Rum Swizzles. It is the only "fruity" cocktail that he'll drink.

Today, the recipe went AWOL, but we managed to put together the drink anyway. With cocktails, you don't always need to follow the exact recipe and measurements. (Have you ever seen a bartender use a measuring cup?)

Now that the weather is getting hot and humid, this tropical cocktail is a refreshing treat.

Rum Swizzle Recipe

Serves 2

Fill a shaker with ice. Pour into the shaker one small can of pineapple juice, about a cup of orange juice, 4 ounces of dark rum, a dash of grenadine, and eight drops of angostura bitters. Shake and pour into two seperate glasses that are filled with ice.

Note: The original recipe called for a dash of lime juice but we omit that because lime is not a common ingredient in my parent's fridge.

I Have Two Cooking Blogs

2007-05-04T06:09:00.000-07:00

I have two cooking blogs. This one is devoted to having some fun with cooking. This is where I share thoughts and foods that are fun and different. My other blog, Katherine Cooks, is reserved for more every day cooking.

So if you want to find information on my cooking experiments, party foods, and things I discover in my travels, this blog is for you.

Spring Vegetables

2007-02-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Much to my delight, asparagus is nearly in season. Here in the U.S., asparagus can be found year round. But asparagus in the fall and winter just doesn't compare to what you can find in the stores in the spring.

My favorite activity is to start visiting the farmer's markets in the spring. Asparagus and strawberries are best eaten when they are fresh out of the ground.

So what is a girl to do with all of this spring goodness? Asparagus cream soup, fresh asparagus salad, and fresh strawberries for dessert... Oh Joy!

Cooking With Cognac

2007-01-18T08:15:00.000-08:00

I recently discovered the joys of cooking with Cognac! I tried a variation of something Alton Brown did to make a pan sauce for steak. The thing I did different was I used beef broth instead of chicken broth and I didn't have cream.

If you don't know the technique on making a pan sauce, there is information for it here:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_27523,00.html?rsrc=search

I didn't even come close to following the recipe exact. Once you know the technique, you can play with the amounts and ingredients. But this is a good place to start. I began by following recipes for making sauces like this, and then branched out once the technique became ingrained.

Cooking with Alcohol - Moving Past Convention

2007-01-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

I've realized something. Alcohol makes food taste better. But, I usually just reach for the wine. I now know that this is very limiting.

I was watching an episode of Good Eats last night and Alton Brown made a pepper sauce with cognac. I hadn't thought of that.

I also have a recipe for a vodka sauce for pasta. I can't wait to try it. It may also be fun to experiment with vodka infusions in things like desserts and even in savory dishes. I can picture something like mandorin vodka going well with soy based sauces for poultry.

My newest culinary challenge is to move beyond wine and spice up my foods with a little something extra. How about an ouzo butter sauce to compliment a fennel/leek vegetable toss? You can get really creative if you think a little unconventionally.

Chic Comfort Food

2007-01-06T16:19:00.000-08:00

How can you make comfort food chic? Here are a few ways that won't break your budget.

Add fresh chopped herbs and a sprinkle of romano cheese to store bought mac and cheese after it is cooked.
Is your comfort food pasta? Try different recipes with new ingredients.
Chicken soup doesn't have to be boring. Why not spice things up by adding new ingredients? How about an Asian inspired chicken soup with shiitake mushrooms and miso in addition to the chicken broth?

Do you have any ideas? Share them in the comments! I'd love to hear them.

Party Tip - Frozen Punch

2006-11-11T14:58:00.000-08:00

I know this sounds extreme, but when the holidays come about, every second can be precious. When you have an extra minute, why not mix up some fruity alcoholic punch and freeze it? You can either freeze it in freezer bags or store them in ice cube trays. Or you can do a combination and use the frozen ice cube cocktails instead of regular ice cubes. Add the ginerale just before serving otherwise the bubbles won't last.

Fruity Mandorin Punch

32 ounces fruit punch (can make from a mix)
16 ounces cranberry juice
Mandorin Vodka to taste
Ginger ale, 1 liter bottle (add later)

Mix fruit punch, cranberry juice, and vodka together. Put in ice cube trays or freezer bags. Take them out when company arrives and add the ginger ale. The ginger ale will help thaw the punch out. Garnish with whole cranberries or edible flowers.

Wine Improved My Sauce

2006-11-05T17:32:00.000-08:00

Made a disasterous, tasteless spaghetti bolognese sauce today with four ingredients. I usually make it more complicated, but I didn't have time. So in an effort to save my sauce, I added some wine and rendered Italian ham, as well as several tablespoons of basil and a little salt.

The result?

Much, much better!

Vodka Infusions

2006-06-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that Vodka is HOT or should I say cold, as is the case with a new Absolut bar in London and a Vodka bar in Canada that is completely cold. Vodka infusions are showing up in martinis across the country. But for me, I am wondering what's next.

What about cooking with Vodka infusions? Depending on the flavors they can go in pastries, sauces, soups and stews and other dishes. Next chance I get, I am headed to the kitchen to experiment.

Wine Tastings

2006-05-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

I just discovered this cool website listing all kinds of wine events. I've got my eye on some taking place at McCormick & Schmick's in Boston.

Check it out. They list wine dinners, wine events, etc. Patrol the site often because listings change. Some events are very popular so you'll want to make a reservation as soon as the event is advertised if you're interested.

http://www.localwineevents.com/

Homemade Chocolate

2006-03-23T11:49:00.000-08:00

Doesn't it figure. I am dieting, yet I have an urge to make some chocolates. I am trying very hard to resist the urge.

What do you think? Should I do it? I don't have to eat any. I can just make them and give them as gifts. Should I? Should I?

If I give in, I'll post the recipes.

Skinny Me

2006-03-22T20:50:00.000-08:00

I've gained some weight since moving back to the United States from Germany. So, This Girl Cooks is going to chronicle my low fat cooking exploits until I drop all the weight I've gained. I've developed quite the cooking habit and I am sure that hasn't helped keep the weight off. Stay tuned for some lowfat hints are recipes. My goal is to weigh 115. I weigh 130 now. So, fifteen pounds from now, I may or may not cook lowfat all the time. Stay tuned!

This Girl hasn't been cooking

2006-03-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

I haven't been cooking because we've been on vacation. I cooked today because the place where we are staying had a kitchenette. I always feel strange navigating in a strange kitchen and shopping in stores whose goods I'm not used to.

I made spaghetti with meatballs today and there was an odd acidic taste to the sauce. I really wish I had all my supplies. I missed my counter space, my large cuttingn board, my sharpened nice. I missed smashing the garlic with the side of the knife and letting the aroma permate through the olive oil and onto the meat. Somehow it wasn't the same here.

But it did feel nice because I am starting to get sick of eating out all the time.

Welcome to This Girl Cooks

2006-03-11T16:42:00.000-08:00

I had another food blog, Katherine Cooks. But, I've decided not to post there anymore. It wasn't really me. There was something about the name I didn't like.

I love the idea of this blog a lot better. This Girl Cooks is all about being a savvy female cooking my heart out. I follow the trends. I follow tradition. I create my own cocktails.

This blog will showcase the best of... my favorite cocktails, restaurants, recipes, and travels. Watch out world, I'm cookin!