Indianapolis Amy

Recipe: Margarita Time

  

I saw this agave margarita recipe in Bon Appétit and I had to make it.  I'm crazy for a homemade margarita.  Let's celebrate!   Shall we?  Hmmn, wait, what are we celebrating?  Fantastic weather? A short work week?  Countdown to the Indy 500?  How about all of them! 

This margarita is fantastic-- a nice balance of tart & sweet and so easy to throw together.  P.S.- this recipe makes 1 drink, so double, triple, as needed. 

Agave Margarita (barely adapted, one change I made: I added one tablespoon, lemon juice)

Grab your cocktail shaker and add these:

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons agave nectar, also called "agave syrup" 

¼ cup good quality tequila (I used Patrón Silver)

 

Add ice to the shaker, pop the top on and shake for about a minute or two.

 

Pour margarita mixture into *salt-rimmed glass filled with ice.  Add a lime slice to the glass.  Drink!

*I didn't use a lot of salt on the glass and the sea salt is pink, so it kind of blended into the photo.

Apple Crisp

Hey you. Hi there. Only a few days 'til Thanksgiving.  Are you all ready-- shopping done?  Me neither.  Seriously.  My aunt E. & uncle K. are hosting Thanksgiving this year.  I do have a list of a few things to make. And, nope I don't wanna go to the grocery store yet.  I'm putting it off...maybe I'll go tonight.  Maybe tomorrow.  I'm just not a fan of big crowds at the grocery...

I'd rather stay home, eat some apple crisp and watch some trash TV-- like "Real Housewives." Wait, maybe I'll watch something more highbrow, like a documentary... Hmmnn.  Trash TV it is!

Enough TV talk- Let's dish about apple crisp.  You know those apple or cinnamon candles you light to make the house smell like a homemade dessert?  They do not compare to the smell of an apple crisp baking in the oven.   So let's make it. 

You need apples!

 

               you'll need more than 4 apples-- but I thought 4 looked good in a picture

                 here's the ingredients.... I just love little dishes! 

  

Now, you're gonna put the dry ingredients in a bowl + butter and mix 'em up.  I love a pastry blender for this-- but you can use a fork or your hands. 

So the apples that you peeled and thinly sliced (nope I didn't take that picture- but let's pretend I did)? 

Here they are:

Arrange sliced apples at the bottom of a greased (butter or cooking spray or both) 8 x 8 dish.  I do like to get all obsessive and arrange the apples... pour a bit of lemon juice over the apples (about 2 tablespoons)

now-- pour the dry ingredients on top of the apples and smooth it out, like so

 

I just love this mini cast iron skillet

Do ya like a little butter? (I'm channeling my inner Paula Deen.  I used to live in Georgia when I was a kid... I did).  Add a few tabs on top...

 

like this...  butter will help the top brown a little bit

Now- turn on a timer for about 30 minutes and go and watch some TV or chill out... It might need an extra 5 or 10 minutes....and ya got this:

Oh yeah.  Apple crisp straight outta the oven...Can't beat it!  Let's serve this up. 

 

Apple Crisp

4 cups of peeled and sliced apples (I sliced them rather thinly into half moon sizes)

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup oats (I used oatmeal)

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup softened butter

2 tablespoons lemon juice (for drizzling over the sliced apples)

*heavy cream, ice cream or whipped cream (for serving)

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Yep, you need a hot oven.  Grease with butter or cooking spray (or both) a 8 x 8 dish. 

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, add butter and blend with a pastry blender or fork.  You want to make sure it's thoroughly blended.  Set bowl aside.

Peel apples and thinly slice them.  Cover apple slices into bottom of greased baking dish.  Drizzle lemon juice on top of apples.  Put crisp mixture (from bowl you set aside) on top of apples.  Smooth out.  Add a few tabs of butter on top.

Place baking dish in the pre-heated oven (on the second rack from the bottom).  Cook for 30-40 minutes. Check around 25-30 minutes and insert a knife into the dish to make sure the apples are thoroughly baked and the top of the crisp is all-- well, crispy:)

Remove dish from oven and allow to set for about 5-10 minutes before serving.  Serve drizzled with cream, or with whipped cream or ice cream.  Enjoy.

*Notes:  Oven temps vary-- so you may want to check your oven temp.  425 degrees worked perfectly, but you may need to vary the temp a bit.  Also- I sliced the apples thin to decrease the cooking time.  If you use large slices of apples, you will need to increase the cooking time.

*other ingredients you could add-- nuts, dried cherries.

Rice Pudding

It's a bit colder outside and so I'm all about comfort.  What's comforting to me?  Lots of things:  down comforters/throws, thick knee socks, a large pile of magazines to read, listening to jazz, watching old movies and eating a bowl of rice pudding. 

My Mom's made rice pudding as long as I can remember and I've always loved it.  I mean- what's not to love about baked custard + rice + raisins and cinnamon.  In need of some comfort-- make some rice pudding.  You can also make rice pudding with other dried fruit, like cherries (my uncle Johnny makes this version- and it's just as delicious).

This is an excellent dessert to take to a party because- you can eat rice pudding cold or heat it up-- for those who prefer to eat rice pudding warm (like me).

 

 

                                              ingredients you'll need

 

                                      oops, forgot about eggs!

         custard mixture-- it's almost rice pudding, just needs some rice, raisins and cinnamon

 

                                   rice pudding-- sitting in a water bath & all ready to go in the oven!

                  Yes!  Rice pudding-- and it's ready to eat.

 

Rice Pudding

Serves about 6

 

Ingredients & supplies you'll need:

1/2 cup cooked rice 

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups whole milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup golden raisins

cinnamon (about a tablespoon)

casserole dish & pan to put casserole dish in (for water bath)

hot water (from a tea kettle)-- for water bath

To do:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees

 

Cook rice (I used a boil-in-bag, which cooked in about 10 minutes).  Set aside.  Pour heavy cream and milk into saucepan.  Turn heat on medium high and allow to scald-- which will take a few minutes.  Stir occasionally.  You do not want the milk and cream to boil.  (you want it just before boiling... )

In a bowl,  mix eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Set aside.

Remove milk and cream mixture from heat (once it's been scalded).  Gradually add milk and cream mixture to egg mixture (noted above), stirring constantly.  Add cooked rice and raisins.  Stir. 

Pour custard mixture into a casserole dish.  I used about a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Sprinkle cinnamon over top.  Place the dish into a larger pan and pour hot water (from a tea kettle) into the pan (about 2 inches high).  Place the pan in the oven (on second rack from the bottom) for approximately 40 minutes.

To see if the rice pudding is finished-- insert a knife into the center of the rice pudding.  If the knife comes out clean- then the rice pudding is done:)  

Remove pan from oven.  Remove casserole dish from pan (water bath) and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

 

Virtual Fall Feast: Cauliflower Gratin

I'm participating in a Virtual Fall Feast-- hosted by the fabulous Hilary of Baking Bad.  I made a Cauliflower Gratin and you can go here to check out all of the awesome dishes! Check it out-- please! -A

Also participating are:  Andrea from Spice Girl, Claire from The Daily Claire, Gwen from Apron Appeal, Laurel from Lolly Sweet Treats, Enam, Nettie from Moore or Less Cooking, Elle of Elle Sees, Megan from Delicious Dishings, Stephanie of Macaroni and Cheesecake, Sara of Sasa’s Sweet Treats & Hilary from Baking Bad.

 

Looking for a Thanksgiving side dish to make?  Look no further!  I am crazy for this cauliflower recipe.  It's a decadent side dish-- one that you might be served in an upscale steakhouse.  It's cheesy and rich-- but even better, it's so easy to throw together.  You put raw cauliflower, cheese and a bit of cream in a baking dish and in less than an hour you've got a fantastic side dish.   I've served this cauliflower gratin with steak and it also is fantastic with roast chicken-- and turkey.  I've posted a picture of this dish before on the blog-- but thought I'd include some step-by-step photos to show how easy it is to make.

 

I don't normally buy all organic ingredients-- but happened to be at Whole Foods when I picked up the ingredients for the Cauliflower Gratin.

 

 

This recipe can easily be halved if you are making for 2-3 people. (reduce the cooking time to about 30-35 minutes)

 

Recipe:  Cauliflower Gratin, with a few changes from this Bobby Flay recipe
(serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 1/2 cups, shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 package of goat cheese, crumbled (I used a 4 oz package)
1/2 cup, heavy whipping cream
salt
pepper
parsley flakes (optional garnish)

To do:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

 

Place cauliflower florets into baking dish (I used a 13 x 8 x 2 dish).  Sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack cheese and crumbled goat cheese on top of cauliflower.  Drizzle whipping cream over top of cauliflower and cheese mixture.  Lightly sprinkle salt and pepper on top of cauliflower and cheese mixture.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45-55 minutes.  Remove dish from oven and allow to set for about 5-10 minutes before serving.  Add parsley flakes for garnish (optional)