Blue Hawaii

I first had one of these in Hawaii on my senior trip...... just a month before Hawaii changed it's drinking age.  The original version is GREAT...but I like my version much better.  In 1957, when Harry Yee came up with this fascinating cocktail, infused rums weren't a thing.



The original Blue Hawaii:

3/4 ounce rum
3/4 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce blue curaçao
3 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce sweet & sour mix

My version:

3/4 ounce Cruzan coconut infused rum
3/4 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce blue curaçao
3 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce sweet & sour mix


The coconut rum adds an extra level of flavor. Yum.

CHEERS!

King Ranch Chicken

chicken cooked in one jar of salsa

I don't always measure, so today won't have any "recipe".  This is what I made for dinner tonight. A friend taught me how to make Mexican chicken some time back. She uses a slow cooker, and I just cook it on my stovetop. The results are the same.

Today, I added 5 ginormous boneless, skinless chicken breasts to a large pot. Threw in one 16 ounce jar of salsa. Cooked it for several hours and allowed it to cool down. Once warm, I shred it using my hand held mixer. No need to  drain as the juices blend in with the chicken and create the perfect chicken for tacos, enchiladas or any other Mexican dish you may be creating.

I took half of the chicken mixture, added one can of gluten free cream of mushroom soup (if using condensed cream of mushroom, add the milk) and one can of tomatoes with green chiles.  Stir this together and you are one step closer to King Ranch chicken.

My mom made this dish growing up, but used chicken slices/cubes instead of seasoned, shredded chicken.  I add one layer of the chicken, soup, tomato mix to the bottom of the casserole dish, then add cheese and a layer of tortilla chips. Cover the top layer with cheese and bake in 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes before serving.  Super simple.

first layer

chicken after shredding with mixer

Tom Collins

My husband's favorite cocktail is a Tom Collins so I endeavored to make a fantastic one.

First, I made the sweet and sour from scratch using a mixture of regular limes and key limes. You can buy sweet and sour mix, but it's not hard to make from scratch.

Sweet and Sour Cocktail Mix

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh key lime juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 cup simple syrup

Simple Syrup

2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Bring to a boil over medium heat. Let boil for 1 minute. Cool and store in fridge.

Tom Collins

1 1/4 ounce sweet and sour
1 1/4 ounce gin

Mix in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Pour into glass with ice, add a splash of club soda and stir lightly.

The hubster reports that I make a really good Tom Collins.

Key Lime Pie Martini (Gluten-free, of course)

My youngest two graduated high school ending our 17 years journey of homeschooling. So I'm celebrating by expanding my cocktail recipe repertoire. Tonight I made sweet and sour mix from scratch and made a batch of simple syrup. I made my husband a Tom Collins and I'm now ready to celebrate Independence Day!

I've always loved PF Chang's key lime pie martinis. I finally found a recipe to make them.  Perfection in a glass. It tastes just like a tart key lime pie! YUM! I didn't believe it would turn out until I tasted it. The results are nothing short of amazing. It really tastes like key lime pie!

Simple to make and oh so refreshing for summer. I used Schar gluten-free graham crackers to rim the glass. Of course, if you aren't allergic to wheat or gluten, you can use regular graham crackers.

I bought key limes at the grocery store to make my version, but you can purchase bottled key lime juice, too.  Licor 43, a Spanish liqueur, is the secret ingredient. It's a citrus liqueur made with 43 ingredients, hence the name. It is fairly affordable, which is a bonus. I paid $24 at the ABC store.

Key Lime Pie Martini

1 1/2 ounces Licor 43
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ounce key lime juice
3/4 ounce half-and-half
canned whipped cream

Rim martini glass with crushed graham crackers. I use a slice of lime and roll it around the rim before dipping it in the crushed graham crackers. It adds a bit of tart to each sip.

Fill a shaker with ice, add Licor 43, sugar, key lime juice, and half-and-half. Add 3 -4 swirls of whipped cream to the top. Close shaker, shake and strain into glass.

Rosemary Sugared Strawberries

Need a simple dessert on a hot summer evening? Use the rosemary sugar recipe in my previous blog post on top of fresh strawberries. The result is divine.

I made sure to get my rosemary sugar in this photo. I love the slight green tint the sugar takes on once blended in my Vita Mix.

Rosemary Lemon Drop

I assure you, I have been cooking. I've just been a tad busy running for Congress, getting the last two kids off to college all while my oldest graduated from college and got married. Want to check out my Pattie Curran for Congress website? You can view it here.

I never follow recipes, I mean, I always adapt recipes.

My version of a Rosemary Lemon Drop

Rosemary Sugar for Rimming the Glass

I mixed 2 tablespoons of hopped rosemary with one cup of sugar and stored in an airtight container for 5 days. Before using, I ran it through my Vita Mix. Not long enough to powder the sugar, of course.

Rosemary Lemon Drop

1 1/2 ounces Ciroc Vodka

1/2 ounce Villa Massa Limoncello

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

1 ounce simple syrup  (some recipes call for 1/2 and ounce, but I prefer a sweeter cocktail)

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Optional: one drop of food grade rosemary essential oil (adds a great rosemary flavor! It's my "secret" ingredient)


Rim a large martini glass with rosemary sugar. Place ice, rosemary sprig and ingredients into a shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into sugar rimmed glass. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary, if desired.