Apple Ale Rita

I am so impressionable. Yesterday I saw Clinton Kelley make an Apple Margarita on the Chew and the seed was planted. Then I had a late lunch meeting at Ruby Tuesdays. I noticed they had a Beer Rita on the menu. Another seed planted. By the time I left there I just had to go get tequila and apple juice. It wasn't until I got to the store that I saw the apple ale. I bought that too. I just knew I had seen a recipe that called for it too. There are tons of apple cocktail recipes on Pinterest now. Apple Sangria anyone? I have pinned them all.

Well let me jump on that band wagon. Here is one more apple cocktail. An Apple Ale Rita! It came to me as I tried to decide which recipe to try first. I have had a Beer Rita before. I liked the effervescence the beer added to the margarita. I bet apple ale would do the same for an apple margarita. Boy does it! It is so great. I don’t like sweet drinks. This drink is perfect not too sweet, it’s fresh or crisp and just a hint of warm fall spice. I like the lemon too. It is what makes the margarita part of the drink evident. I tried it without the lemon and cinnamon.  It was fine but taste just like an apple drink. Let me warn you this is definitely not just an apple drink, the inverted ale in the drink raises the technical drink-ability of this cocktail. Do not be tempted to pull the ale bottle out of the drink until you are sure what is in the bottle will fit in the glass. You have been sufficiently warned. I hope you will try it or at least pin it with all your other apple cocktails.

Apple Ale Rita

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 lemon wedge

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1 oz triple sec or orange liquor

2 oz silver tequila

2 oz 100% pure pressed apple juice

12 oz apple ale

1 cinnamon stick

Directions

Place lemon wedge and ground cinnamon in a pint glass. Muddle together and fill glass 3/4 full with ice. Add triple sec, tequila, apple juice and stir to combine. Carefully place your finger over the top of the ale bottle and invert into glass. Garnish with cinnamon stick and a straw. Place on a small plate with a napkin to catch any spills. Enjoy!

Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: It's Fall Y'all
My Mixing Spoon: Random Recipe Roundup Linkie Party
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Ms. enPlace: See Ya the Gumbo
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Horrific Knits: Fall Into the Holidays
Cassidy's Cooking Collection: Linky & Drinky
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia-Delaware and Link Party
Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Buns in My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
The Tumbleweed Contessa: Cinnamon Saturday Dishes
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Cocktails and Mocktails

Breakfast Nachos

This deliciously different breakfast was inspired by my favorite person in the world. I was talking to him one night and he said he had just made Breakfast Nachos. Immediately I could vision the dish, even before he told me his recipe. Well his recipe was a bit different from the picture I had already created in my head. His nachos were just sausage and cheese. Yesterday I brought my recipe to life. I love the soft cooked eggs with the crisp tortilla chips. The eggs are almost creamy and of course cheesy. I enjoyed all the garnishes, but I think my favorite was a little sour cream, salsa and cilantro.It was really very easy and I could see more variations in the future. Maybe some sausage to replace the bacon. Or maybe some re-fried beans even. Definitely a great new breakfast option.

Breakfast Nachos
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 slices of bacon
2 eggs, beaten
Dash of Sazon
1-1/2 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
1-1/2 Tbsp onion, chopped
1-1/2 Tbsp bell pepper, chopped
4 grape tomatoes, quartered
salt, black pepper, red pepper flake, to taste
7 round corn chips
2% shredded Mexican cheese blend

Optional toppings:
light sour cream
salsa
cilantro
pickled jalapeno slices
lime, cut in wedges

Directions

Cook the bacon. When cool enough to handle chop into 2" pieces and set aside. Beat eggs in a small dish, season with a dash of Sazon and set aside. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. When butter is melted add onion, peppers and tomatoes. Season with salt, black and red pepper. Saute until onions are translucent. Lower the heat to med-low and add the beaten eggs. Cook stirring the eggs until soft cooked. Remove from heat. Place corn chips on a microwave safe plate. Top each chip with a portion of egg mixture and a good pinch of shredded cheese. Microwave for 30 - 45 seconds until cheese is melted. Remove from microwave and top each nacho with a piece of bacon and the optional toppings of your choice. Serve!

Linking to:
My Mixing Spoon: Random Recipe Roundup Linkie Party
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Ms. enPlace: See Ya the Gumbo
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Cassidy's Cooking Collection: Linky & Drinky
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia-Delaware and Link Party
Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Buns in My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Veggie Eggs Benedict

I LOVE Eggs Benedict! I am the person that still orders it at IHOP even though it is no loner on their menu. We have a restaurant in town called Another Broken Egg Cafe. They serve at least six different Eggs Benedicts. When I went there I ordered the Veggie Benedict. It was so good! I immediately tried to recreate it at home. I have been making it for a few years now with HG’s Mock Hollandaise. Well recently I learned how to make real deal Hollandaise in the microwave. I just had to try my Veggie Eggs Benedict with this new sauce. It is amazing and so easy! Not as healthy as Mock Hollandaise but it is so worth the occasional calories. I love the hollandaise with the runny egg yolk. So rich! Don’t worry the veggies make it healthy right? It sounds and looks like too many veggies in the beginning, but they cook down to just the right amount for each muffin. Now I am telling you I am not the expert on poaching eggs, so poach them as you like of even fry them if you want. Any way you like them is going to be amazing with the veggies and the decadent hollandaise sauce. Trust me.

Veggie Eggs Benedict

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

1 Tbsp butter

8 mushrooms, sliced

1 broccoli crown, cut into florets

16 grape tomatoes, halved

4 cups baby spinach

Spiced Salt, to taste

2 Light English muffins, fork split and toasted

4 large eggs, poached

For Hollandaise:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 egg yolks

2 Tbsp hot water

2 dashes Tabasco

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Directions

In a large skillet sauté the mushrooms, broccoli and tomatoes in butter. When the veggies have begun to soften add the spinach. Sauté until spinach is wilted and broccoli is tender. Keep warm. Toast the English muffins. Poach or fry the eggs as you like them (I like the white set and yolk runny).

Melt the butter in the microwave on high for about 30 – 45 seconds. In another microwave bowl whisk egg yolks incorporating 2 Tbsp of warm water, lemon juice, Tabasco, salt and pepper. When combined, whisk in the melted butter and place in the microwave. Microwave on high for 15 seconds, whisk well and microwave for another 15 seconds and whisk again. Sauce is ready when thick and pale yellow. Top each muffin with a portion of the veggies, an egg, and hollandaise sauce. Enjoy!

Basic Poached Egg Directions:

Crack egg gently into a small cup or dish. Fill a medium-sized pot with 2 inches of water, and bring water to a boil. Once boiling, lower temperature until a steady and consistent, but VERY low, boil is reached. Gently pour in the egg and allow to cook for 3 - 5 minutes (3 for a runnier egg, 5 for very firm), or until egg white is mostly opaque. Carefully remove egg by sliding a spatula underneath it and placing it on a plate. Use a paper towel to soak up any excess water.

Linking to:
My Mixing Spoon: Random Recipe Roundup Linkie Party
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
Ms. enPlace: See Ya the Gumbo
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
The Tumbleweed Contessa: What'd You Do This Weekend?
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
Memories by the Mile: Tuesday Trivia-Delaware and Link Party
Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Buns in My Oven: What's Cookin' Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
My Turn for Us: Freedom Fridays

Sausage, Beans and Kale Soup

This has to be one of my absolute favorite soups. I don't know what it is about the combination of Italian sausage, chicken stock and kale. It is so amazing! I have had soup with Italian sausage. I have had soup with chicken stock. But this is the only soup I have made with kale. So maybe it is the kale that is so amazing? I swear this soup could make any day better. It definitely makes me happy. To think this soup was a totally accident. The recipe I was following in the beginning called for broccoli rabe. When I couldn't find it I substituted kale. I am so happy I did. I usually make this soup with a bunch of fresh kale, cannellini beans and only 4 cups of broth. I had to make some substitutions this time because I could not find what I needed at the store. It was just as delicious and made a lot more soup. Nothing wrong with that. You have to try this soup. You are really missing out if you don't. The kale is amazing! I think I am going to try it in the next vegetable soup I make. I have too!

Sausage, Beans and Kale Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Olive oil

20 oz Turkey Italian sausage, casing removed

1 med. Onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 Idaho potato, chopped into small dice

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 can (15 oz) great northern beans, drained

Salt, freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes, to taste

16 oz frozen chopped Kale 

6 cups chicken broth

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

Heat a 3-1/2 quart pot over medium–high heat. Add olive oil and sausage, brown crumbling with a spatula as it cooks. Add onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, bay leaf and beans. Season with salt and peppers. Cook to begin to soften the vegetables, 5 minutes. Add kale and chicken broth, raise heat and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf, check seasonings, and serve soup with grated cheese.

Linking to:
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin Wednesday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
My Mixing Spoon: Random Recipe Roundup Linkie Party
Cassidy's Cooking Collection: Linky & Drinky

1st Blog Anniversary

Today I have been blogging and sharing my recipes for one whole year. It is hard believe I have written 173 posts. I joined blogger in October 2010. It took me two years to write my first post. Thinking back on it, that is just crazy! I don't know why I was waiting. The past year has been so much fun. I love sharing recipes with everyone. I love finding new blogs and meeting new people. The blogging community is full of the nicest, most creative people around. I appreciate all those who read my little blog, who pin my recipes, share with their friends on Facebook and Google+. It is all just so amazing that you want to hear about what I am cooking. Well not really because I know how much I enjoy reading about what you are cooking and creating.

So in celebration, here are some of the most viewed posts from this year:

Oriental Ramen Noodle Salad

Portobello Fajitas



Shrimp and Noodles in Brown Garlic Sauce

Here are a few of my favorite original recipe posts from this year:

Moussaka Soup



Chicken Enchilada Suiza Soup



Italian Style Vegetable Soup

Georgetown Turkey Avocado Sandwich

Here is another Turkey Avocado Sandwich from Texas. When I lived in Georgetown, Texas I worked for a floor covering store. The store was owned by a lovely generous couple. They designed the store with a large kitchen for a display. We would all gathered there for our lunch breaks. This sandwich is a treat that my dear lady boss would make for us. This with a Route 44 Sonic iced tea with lime was all we needed for a healthy lunch. I know I just shared the Gladewater Turkey Sandwich but I had to share this one too. After all I had all the ingredients on hand. It is wonderfully savory and surprisingly not too spicy. The Dijon mustard and jalapenos are so savory and peppery. The nice thing is that the fresh avocado smooths everything out. So so delicious! It brought me right back to my days in Texas.

Georgetown Turkey Avocado Sandwich
Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices multi-grain bread (I used 12 grain)
4 tsp Dijon mustard
8 slices smoked turkey
4 tomato slices
1 avocado, sliced
8 pickled jalapeno slices
2 lettuce leaves
kosher salt, to taste

Directions

Spread each slice of bread with mustard. Layer two pieces of bread with turkey, tomato and avocado. Season tomato and avocado with salt. Add jalapeno slices and remaining slices of bread. Add lettuce leaves and season with salt. Slice sandwiches in half and serve.

For more Georgetown inspired recipes 

check out these previously posted recipes:

Chicken Tortilla Soup

"Wagon Wheel" Pasta Salad

Hot Sauce

Linking to:
Love Bakes Good Cakes: All My Bloggy Friends
Buns In My Oven: What's Cookin Wednesday
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Sandwiches

Gladewater and a Turkey Sandwich

A few weeks ago my friend and I went to Gladewater, Texas for her Birthday. We went to shop and have a nice lunch. It was a great afternoon. Lots of nostalgic items to see and very friendly shop owners. Gladewater boasts that they are the antique capital of east Texas. The city has done an amazing job of making the shopping experience great. The sidewalks are well maintained and wheelchair accessible.  All the shops were in great shape too. I never once worried if a building was safe to enter (you know sometimes that is a concern in an "antique mall"). There was one shop though? I am laughing, it was the best looking building on the block. But inside there were lots of life sized decorative items. Things like a suit of armor, a butler, and a King Tut like sarcophagus. That place made me a little jumpy. I felt watched! Ha Ha! We had a lot of fun. Definitely a nice city to visit.

When we stopped for lunch. We decided on the Roundup Cafe. It is a cute little cafe that has great baked goods. In fact they come to the table with a little plate of mini muffins while you place your order. We both ordered soup and sandwich. The soup was broccoli and cheese. It was nice, thick and very creamy. The sandwich was turkey with avocado, tomato and cream cheese. I had mine on wheat bread and my friend had hers on a croissant. I really enjoyed this combination. They served bread and butter pickle slices to add to the sandwich. When you add the pickles it reminded me of jalapeno cream cheese. I couldn't wait to go home and try to re-create the sandwich with candied jalapenos. We didn't miss out on dessert. One of the regulars recommended we share a piece of Hawaiian Wedding Cake. So we did of course. It was so good. It taste like pineapple fluff on a moist yellow cake. So good! I am going to try to make that at home next.

Here is my version of the Roundup Cafe sandwich:

Gladewater Turkey Sandwich
Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices multi-grain bread (I used 12 grain)
2 oz light cream cheese, softened
6 slices smoked turkey
4 tomato slices
1 avocado, sliced
kosher salt, to taste
8 candied jalapeno slices (or bread and butter pickles)

Directions

Spread each slice of bread with cream cheese, being carefully not to tare the bread. Layer two pieces of bread with turkey, tomato and avocado. Season tomato and avocado with salt. Add jalapeno slices and remaining slices of bread. Slice sandwiches in half and serve.

For more antique shopping and lunch ideas:

Check out this previous post about 

Cornbread Sandwiches and Jefferson, Texas.

Linking to:

Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
This Gal Cooks: Marvelous Mondays
The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen: Show Me Your Plaid Mondays
Anyonita's Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Carole's Chatter: Food on Fridays - Sandwiches