Happy Cinco de Mayo! | Key Lime Beergaritas

May 4, 2013 By 28 Comments

Beergaritas | Once Upon a Recipe

Happy (almost) Cinco de Mayo, friends! I am in the midst of a busy weekend with friends, but wanted to pop in real quick to share a holiday worthy cocktail with you. I first spotted these beergaritas on Iowa Girl Eats last summer. They reminded me a little bit of one of my favorite drinks to order at a local Mexican restaurant, called a Bulldog. A Bulldog is basically a blended margarita with a bottle of beer turned upside down into it – as you drink the margarita, the beer slowly continues to empty, providing the perfect balance of margarita and beer.

It’s highly scientific. ;)

Anyways, a beergarita is more beer-heavy and is mixed with the flavors of a margarita – tequila, triple sec, and lime. A beergarita is totally slurp-worthy and perfect for summer, or a Cinco de Mayo celebration! Just beware, these go down pretty darn easy and pack more of a punch than you might expect.

Happy weekend friends!

Key Lime Beergaritas | Once Upon a Recipe

Key Lime Beergaritas | Once Upon a Recipe

Beergaritas | Once Upon a Recipe

Key Lime Beergaritas (slightly adapted from Iowa Girl Eats)

1 lime beer (ie. Miller Chill or Bud Light)

1 ounce tequila

1/2 ounce triple sec

1/2 ounce lime cordial

Juice from 1-2 key limes

Ice

Combine all ingredients together in a large glass and mix together. Garnish with lime, if desired. Enjoy!

Key Lime Beergaritas | Once Upon a Recipe

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Summatime! | Red Wine Sangria

June 24, 2012 By 23 Comments

‘Tis officially summer, friends! And I am feelin’ it. All I want to do lately is sit on a patio with friends, soak up the sun, and drink delicious cold beverages. Oh, and play frisbee. And wear summer dresses. And eat corn on the cob and barbequed chicken. And have bonfires. And have sing-a-longs around the bonfire! Oh, and go to the beach. Too bad there are no beaches around here. Not a one. I feel so deprived.

Thankfully, I don’t require a beach to have a good time. However, I do require alcohol…

Just kidding.

Although I’m pretty sure that any party/get-together/summer day/summer evening/work day would be made better by a glass of this sangria. You all know I love red wine. But add in brandy, triple sec, and fruit? That’s a whole other love affair. This is good stuff people. But I urge you, drink responsibly. A batch of this delicious nectar can go down a wee bit too easy, if you catch my drift. Now make yourself some and enjoy! Happy Summer!

Red Wine Sangria (adapted from Bobby Flay, The Food Network)

Serves 8 (can easily be halved, but why would you want to?)

2 bottles Spanish red wine

1 cup brandy

1/2 cup triple sec

1 cup orange juice

1 cup pomegranate juice

2 oranges, sliced (plus more, for garnish)

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup blackberries

Mix all ingredients together in a large pitcher. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, if possible – however, I enjoyed this 6 hours later and it tasted darn good to me! Obviously, the longer that the flavors can marinate together, the better. Garnish with sliced oranges.

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Greens for Breakfast | Kale, Oat, and Blueberry Smoothie

January 8, 2012 By 28 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So…I did something crazy last night in the wee hours of the morning. It was one of those second-wind moments. I was all ready to tuck myself into bed, but then I got a second wind and stayed up for another hour. No one is safe during my second-wind moments. They typically involve crazy ideas and weird creations in the kitchen.

Last night, I did something crazy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

….I signed up for a half-marathon clinic through my local Running Room. Dudes and dudettes, I’m going to be training to run a half-marathon at the beginning of May 2012. Help.

I’m half excited, half terrified. I’ve always loved running. And by “loved,” I mean that I enjoyed the occasional runner’s high and the subsequent physical and health benefits. But the longest distance I’ve run consecutively is 10km. A half-marathon is 21km. Seriously, help me.

I start my training in two days. For the next 16 weeks, I will be aiming to run 3-5 days per week at varying distances, building on my endurance with each run. Did I mention that it’s also the heart of winter here? And that despite our current lack of snow and mild temperatures, all of that could change in a hot minute and I could be running in snowy, minus 30-degree (celsius) temperatures? Yes, I do wonder about my sanity on a daily basis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve decided that given recent events, I need to become a smoothie person. A smoothie, when made right, can pack a serious punch! Smoothies can be nutrient-dense, healthy, and can hide away good-for-you ingredients like spinach and kale. I promise you won’t even taste the kale or the oats. Satisfying, healthy, and delicious. Perfect for a quick breakfast that will get you through the morning. Or a half-marathon. No big.

Kale, Oat, and Blueberry Smoothie

Serves 1.

The health benefits of kale are endless. Kale is low in calories, high in fiber, high in anti-oxidants, and high in vitamins K, A, and C. Kale also helps to regulate the body’s anti-inflammatory process, and aids in detoxification. (source) Get on it kids!

1/2 cup kale leaves, torn and packed

1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

2 heaping TBSP. greek yogurt

3 TBSP. raw oats

1/2 banana, sliced

1/4 cup milk of your choice

1 tsp. honey (or more, to taste)

3-4 ice cubes

Optional add-ins: ground flax seed, vanilla extract, cinnamon

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes, making sure that the kale and oats are pureed. Enjoy! (and be prepared to have copious amounts of blueberry stuck in your teeth afterwards). Get your toothbrush ready.

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It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere | Rosemary Gin Fizz

December 20, 2011 By 14 Comments

Alert. I am elbows deep in butter and sugar. I went to the grocery store yesterday with a rather large streak of flour on my forehead. I didn’t notice the flour until I got home. Damn it.

As a consequence of the above, I am waist-deep in dirty dishes. Help?

My kitchen is a mess. Every square inch of my dining table is covered with baking, homemade gifts, and cards. I haven’t eaten a meal at the table in days. My floor is covered with wrapping paper and items that still need to be wrapped up all nice and pretty.

It’s quite likely that I’m keeping the local grocery store in business. I have stopped there at least once a day for the past week. How?!

And then there’s the sleep issue. I can’t remember the last time that I slept more than six hours in one night. Don’t get me wrong, I like sleep. I love sleep. But I don’t have time to sleep right now. I’d totally be all good if there were like, 36 hours in a day instead of a measly 24. Clearly, whoever invented 24-hour days didn’t have a very busy schedule!

But I digress. And I’ve learned that when life throws stress and busy-ness and craziness your way, it doesn’t hurt to sit back, take a few deep breaths, and enjoy a tasty beverage. Preferably one that has a decent alcohol-to-mix ratio. You’ve earned it, after all.

It’s quite likely that you’ve been (and will continue) enjoying a beverage or two over the holiday season. ‘Tis the season for eating and drinking, no? Rum and egg nog (yes), spiked cider (yes!), mulled wine (YES!)…so many choices. Well, I’m here to offer you another choice, something a little less sweet, a little bit lighter (on taste, not alcohol…who do you think you’re talking to here?).

I stumbled upon this concoction on…Stumble Upon a few weeks ago and bookmarked it to try. I made it, I drank it, and I loved it. The rosemary flavor is lovely, but not overpowering. I’m ready to serve a few of these fizzies up over the holidays.

Rosemary Gin Fizz (adapted from Sassy Radish)

2 ounces gin (I used Tanqueray)
2 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP. Rosemary Syrup (recipe below)
Ice cubes
Cold club soda
1 rosemary sprig, for garnish (optional)

Grab yourself a beverage vessel. I am obsessed with serving things in mason jars, so I grabbed one of those. Use whatever tickles your fancy. Combine the gin, lemon juice, and Rosemary syrup, and give it a good stir. Add ice cubes to fill the glass halfway, and top with club soda. This is not a sweet drink, so if you want more sweetness, you could always add more syrup, or use tonic water instead of club soda…and then you’d have a mighty delicious beefed up G & T! Delicious, either way. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary, if using.

To make the Rosemary Syrup:

2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
4 rosemary sprigs, rinsed

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to steep for 10 minutes. Strain the syrup and chill. Store in an airtight container (ie. a mason jar!) in the fridge for up to one week.

Just a note: The first three photos in this post were taken via Instagram, a free app on my iPhone. I adore Instagram, and tend to snap a lot of photos with it on a daily basis, many food-related, but some not. Several of them have made an appearance on the blog before. If you’re interested in following me on Instagram, you can find me under the username “@onceuponarecipe”. Bottoms up!

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Year One | Ginger Apple Bourbon

October 28, 2011 By 18 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two days ago, October 26th, was a special day. It came and it went, as Wednesdays do, and I gave it little thought. I had a ridiculously long day at work, and all I cared about was coming home, taking Miss Bella for a walk, eating something moderately nourishing, and going to bed. I have not been getting enough sleep lately. But for good reason – I’m living life, meeting new people, trying new things. And while I might feel exhausted during the day, I seem to always get a second wind, right around the time I should be turning out the lights.

It wasn’t until yesterday that I realized that just as October 26th had come and gone, so had my first blogiversary! October 26th marked the one year anniversary of this little blog of mine. Happy Blogiversary, Once Upon A Recipe! You have been such a wonderful and creative outlet for me, and you have lead me to new friends and all sorts of new fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again, but it really is amazing how much can change in a year. People come and go, discoveries are made, good things and bad things happen (and everything in between). But I know that I’ve grown in the past year, in countless ways, and that I will continue growing…and continue having lots of fun…and continue discovering delicious things, like these and these and this.

Every celebration requires a celebratory beverage. This year, I choose to raise a glass of this Ginger Apple Bourbon, and to toast you all, for joining me here in the blogosphere, learning and tasting with me. Because without you reading my rants and humoring me by occasionally leaving me a sweet comment, there really would be no reason for this here blog! So thank you, old readers and new, for sticking with my crazy self. And to show my appreciation, I will be having a lil’ giveaway here in the next week or so. Stay tuned!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, back to the important stuff – the booze! Bourbon is a new adventure for me. I’ve drank bourbon only a handful of times. But then I made these. I needed only one tablespoon of bourbon to make those delicious morsels, but while perusing the aisles in the liquor store, I somehow convinced myself that buying a 26 of bourbon was the most appropriate choice. Obviously. Raise your hand if you’re still with me.

Now, I can’t drink bourbon straight up. I tried it, and my tongue just didn’t like it. So I knew that mixing the bourbon with some things that my tongue does like would be important in consuming this bottle and preventing it from being overcome with cobwebs in my liquor cabinet, like that bottle of Ryan’s Cream (yes, it’s actually called Ryan’s Cream, and no, it is not a proper substitute for Bailey’s Irish Cream)! I came across a recipe for an Apple Ginger Bourbon in my daily blog perusings and decided it would be worth a shot. I made a few changes to suit my tastes, and came up with a bit of a reversal – a Ginger Apple Bourbon. You can change up the ratio of ginger ale to apple cider to bourbon, but the recipe below is the one I enjoyed most. It’s best if you use unsweetened apple cider, and really good ginger ale (I used Real Brew’s Outrageous Ginger Ale, from Planet Organic). I also plan on playing around with this recipe, so be prepared for another version in the near future! Cheers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ginger Apple Bourbon

4 ounces ginger ale

2 ounces unsweetened apple cider

1 ounce bourbon

Ice

Pick a pretty (or masculine) glass. Fill it with ice. Add in the ginger ale, cider, and bourbon, and mix it up. Bottoms up!

Disclaimer: This drink might make you want to shake your tailfeather. Enjoy responsibly. ;)

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Pour Me a Cold One | Red Lotus Martini

August 30, 2011 By 8 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friends, I have some wise words to share.

Listen closely.

Sometimes the only solution is a stiff drink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plain and simple.

So next time you have no idea what the heck to do, pour yourself a stiff one, sit back, and chill out. I’m quite certain that some of the best decisions have been made after contemplation over a good, strong drink. But maybe that’s just me. ;)

Apparently Albert Einstein hated liquor, but we all can’t be brainiacs in the absence of alcohol now can we?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But be warned. These martinis have the power to sneak up on you. One too many of these and you might find those great decisions turning out a little less than optimal. And I wouldn’t want you to do anything you’ll regret.

So…enjoy responsibly friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Lotus Martini (makes 3 martinis)

2 oz. Red Rum*

2 oz. vodka

Pineapple juice

Cranberry juice

In a martini shaker filled 1/3 full with ice, add in the red rum and vodka. Fill the remainder of the martini shaker with equal parts pineapple juice and cranberry juice (about 6 ounces of each). Shake and pour into martini glasses. Garnish with a piece of fresh pineapple (if you wish). Drink up!

*Red Rum can be found in most liquor stores in my area. If you can’t get your hands on it, another tropical rum (ie. coconut) would work just fine.

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When Sickness Strikes | Hot Honey Lemon and Ginger

March 21, 2011 By 1 Comment

You know how I was talking about all that stress in my last post? Well, it hit me. Hit me hard indeed. Whatever my body was fighting on Friday…let’s just say my body lost the battle. I am now in the throes of a cold/flu that is residing in my chest and sinuses. Bleh. When a cold/flu strikes around here, the doctor prescribes a hot honey lemon and ginger. A honey what, you ask? Let me walk you through it…

You start with some lemon, ginger, and honey.

Slice your lemon in half, and then slice each half into two pieces. Throw them into a nice big mug. Take a finger of fresh ginger, and slice it up into several pieces. Add it into the mug.

Still with me? Now fill your mug with boiling hot water.

Add some honey. I usually find that a tablespoon does it for me, but add more or less depending on your desired level of sweetness.

Stir everything up, and take a couple minutes to mash the lemon and ginger with a spoon to encourage them to release their juices and flavors. And there you have a hot honey lemon and ginger. Enjoy one of these when you’re feeling under the weather. Lemon and ginger have all kinds of healing properties, especially when it comes to colds and flus. If you need some extra help, add in a splash of cognac or brandy and you’ll be feeling the positive effects in no time.

This beverage with healing powers was introduced to me by Honey’s (my honey) family. We always keep a stock of lemon and ginger in case the need for a hot honey lemon and ginger strikes. If you have trouble using up fresh ginger before it goes bad, pop it into the freezer, and voila, problem solved.

I’m off to lie on the couch and watch bad daytime TV. And hopefully kick this sickness to the curb.

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