Rockin' The New Year

Time To Dance On The Table

       (Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)   


Pop a bottle of bubbly and ring in the new year with small, mingle-friendly, walk around bites.  It's time to party like a Rockstar. This is no fancy sit down dinner.  You want to have fun-food you can carry with you while you bust a move.
The cocktail, now that probably needs to be a little fancy. So, we went with Ginger instead of Mary Ann.
And the music... well crank it up man.  There's a little bit of everything here.  So...  eat up, drink up and dance like nobody's watching.  Just remember to kiss the right person at midnight.  Party on!

The Pots are on...

The Plate... 

Brie & Merlot Mushroom Bites 

and Baileys Irish Cream/Pistachio Fudge

Brie & Merlot Mushroom Bites

What you need...

1 package mini Phyllo shells

2 tbls butter

1 shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

8 oz mixed mushrooms, sliced

Salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup Merlot wine

2 tsp chopped thyme 

1/4 lb Brie

4 chives, sliced

What you do...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake the shells according to package directions.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add butter.  When the butter is melted, add shallots and garlic.

Cook until soft (about 5 min.)

Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. 

When the mushrooms have released their liquid, add the wine and thyme.

Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated (about 5 min.)

Cut Brie into small pieces. Dived the mushroom mixture among the shells. 

Top each with a piece of Brie.

Return to the oven just long enough to melt the cheese (5 min.)

Garnish with chives.

Baileys Irish Cream / Pistachio Fudge

What you need...

36 oz White Chocolate Chips

1 14 oz can sweetened condense milk

1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream liquor

1/2 cup raw pistachios, chopped

What you do...

Line an 8x8 square baking pan with foil paper and lightly grease it. 

In a sauce pan, pour all ingredients except pistachios and heat on low.

Stir constantly until chocolate has almost melted.

Turn off heat and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. 

Now add pistachios and pour evenly onto the prepared pan.

Let cool until set. 

Remove fudge from pan and peal off the foil.

Cut fudge into small squares.

The Playlist...

Rockin' The New Year

Time to party down and ring in the New Year! So what's your favorite party song?  I love the new song by New Orlean's own Galatic called "Hey Na Na".  Of course it's all about partying for Mardi Gras, but hey... a party is a party. Also loving the new one from Ed Roland.  Well, as usual there are some oldies and some new stuff.  Then we have good ole BB King helping us ring in the new year.

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar.... 

Champagne Ginger Cocktail

What you need...

Fresh ginger
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vodka
1 lemon sliced
1 bottle Champagne


What you do...

Simmer water, ginger and sugar in a sauce pan for 10 minutes.
Let it cool then add vodka and refrigerate.
Once cool strain into a bowl to remove the ginger slices.
Rub the top of your champagne glass with lemon and dip into a plate of sugar to rim the glass.
Pour about 1 oz of the ginger/vodka into a glass and top off with Champagne.

Happy New Year...

You Party Animal!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly
&
Keep On Cookin'!

I Can't Wait For Christmas

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Really... already?  NO, NO, NO well not just yet... but you do need to get ready!  

For Pete sake... are you already watching Christmas specials?  

People, we need to ease into this thing.  It's not the twelve days of Christmas... you've got a whole month ahead of you.  Besides, I'm still trying to get over Black Friday... or was it Thursday?  Man, these people are crazy. 

  

Alright alright... let me take a look in the fridge and see what we can throw together.  Ok, found some stuff... come on in.

The Pots are on...

The Plate... 

Turkey and Cranberry Quesadillas Leftovers

Feliz Navi-dude! Nothing like a few leftovers to start off the Christmas season.  Hey, I looked in the Fridge and this is what we had.  I told you to save some of those Chipotle Cranberries.  Anyway, we needed to do something easy today so you can get after those decorations.  

What you need...

2 large flour tortillas 

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup of your chipotle Cranberries

1/2 cup of dressing

1 cup of turkey

What you do...

Preheat a large skillet and add one tortilla in the pan.  Add cheese and let it melt just a little. Then add Turkey, dressing and cranberries. Place the other tortilla on top and let sit for a couple minutes.  
Then flip the quesadilla and let it crisp up for another 2 minutes.  (great tip for flipping- cover skillet with plate and flip the whole thing over onto plate. Then slide the quesadilla back in the skillet.)

Place the quesadilla on a cutting board and cut with a pizza cutter.  

See, wasn't that easy... Now go get some more Cider and watch the ball game. You can always decorate the tree later!

The Playlist... 

I Can't Wait For Christmas

Ok... this will ease you into the Christmas spirit and get you in the mood.  Just grab a cup of Cider and crank it up before you even think about trying to find that first box of ornaments, or those damn lights (oops sorry, we were thinking happy thoughts).  

Well here's a little collection of "not so traditional" seasonal tunes.  I love Los Lonely Boys version of Feliz Navidad!  And, check out Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Brian Setzer... thank you for some rockin' holiday music guys.  Also threw in a little New Orleans Christmas from Kermit (preview of things to come).  

So enjoy and "Rock around that Christmas Tree!"

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar... 

Spiced Cider 

(Cider with a Buzz)

What you need...

4 cups apple cider

peel of 1/2 medium orange

pell of 1 lemon

1 stick cinnamon

4 whole cloves 

3 allspice berries

2 cups Bourbon or Dark Rum

Lemon twist, cinnamon stick and freshly grated nutmeg for garnish

What you do...

Combine the cider, orange and lemon peels, cinnamon, cloves 

and allspice berries in a large saucepan.

Bring to a boil... doesn't that smell great?

Turn heat down to low and simmer for 3 min.

Remove from heat and let it steep for about 7-10 min.

Strain the liquid into a coffeepot and add the liquor. 

Serve warm in coffee mugs with a twist of lemon, cinnamon stick and grated nutmeg.

Happy HO HO HO To You! 

Please... Day Drink Responsibly

 & 

Keep On Cookin'!