Liberty Whiskey Cocktail

Here is the ultimate summer cocktail.  It is unbelievably refreshing and compliments all the flavors of summer, from pasta to barbeque!

This recipe serves 5

Ingredients


2 tea bags (for black tea)
1/3 cup honey
2 cups water
2 cups lemonade (Newman's Own is nice)
10 basil leaves
5 slices of lemon
1 cup of bourbon or whiskey

1. Boil hot water.  When boiling add 1 cup of water to the 2 tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes in a coffee mug.
2. Remove tea bags and mix in 1/3 cup honey
3. Transfer to a pitcher and add additional cup of cold water and 2 cups of lemonade and let chill in the fridge for 15 minutes
4. When ready to serve, muddle 2 basil leaves with ice cubes (2 leaves per glass) and top with sliced lemon
5. Remove mixture from the fridge and add whiskey...shake well and then pour over the ice, basil and lemon.

Enjoy!

Linguine with Zucchini and Ricotta

This is the perfect summer pasta dish.  Fresh zucchini and mint give our favorite ricotta recipe all the attention it deserves.  Your friends will love the fresh play of flavors while you sip on a nice glass of white wine and pat yourself on the back.

Ingredients


1 lb pasta (fettucini or linguine)
2 zucchini thinly sliced
1 cup ricotta cheese (Smitten Kitchen style)
1 cup of mint leaves finely chopped
lemon zest from 1 lemon
salt/pepper

1. Cook pasta according to directions
2. When there is 1 minute left on the timer for the pasta add the zucchini to the boiling water
3. Drain zucchini and pasta and transfer to serving dish
4. Drizzle olive oil over the pasta/zucchini mixture
5. Stir ricotta cheese into the pasta
6. Top with mint leaves and lemon zest
7. Salt and pepper to taste

Pork Spare Ribs with Theo Chocolate Rub

The Farmer's Market had a sale on pork spare ribs ($5 per pound!) and we had to indulge ourselves!  Inspired by Theo Chocolate's Spicy Chile bar, I prepared the ribs with a quick and easy rub and then cooked them "low and slow".  I have to plug Theo Chocolate here...they are seriously the best chocolate maker in the US.  Fair trade and Organic with a variety of different chocolate bars that are delicious for all occasions!

Ingredients


Meat
2 lbs spare ribs

Chocolate Rub
1 oz Theo Chocolate Spicy Chile bar finely chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Chocolate Sauce
1/2 oz Theo Chocolate Spicy Chile bar finely chopped
Leftover juice from rib packets (see recipe details)
2 tablespoons finely chopped jalopenos (optional)

1. Combine rub ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Preheat oven to 200 degrees
2. Place each rib on a piece of large foil (for two pounds this is two pieces of meat)
3. Spread the rub evenly on both sides of the ribs and then close the foil to form a pouch around the meat and foil.
4. Place in the oven on a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet (to circulate the the air) and cook for 4 hours.  After four hours turn heat to 175 and cook another 2 hours.
5. Remove ribs from oven and carefully open pouch and drain rib juices into a sauce pan.
6. Add 1/2 oz chocolate and jalopenos to the juice and boil on high heat stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.
7. Plate ribs and serve sauce on the side.

Blog updates

I just rearranged the labels so if you are looking for the categories, see above :)

Mint Tzatziki (aka Mint Yogurt sauce)

Week two of the farm share and I'm starting to appreciate just how many useful ways mint can be used in cooking!  Here is a delicious and refreshing summer sauce that can be spooned on chicken, lamb or falafel.  You can also use this as a salad dressing for a cucumber/tomato salad!  I'm obviously excited about this since we are finally posting recipes about Summer!

Ingredients

15 mint leaves very finely chopped
3/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
2 cloves green garlic (garlic with their LOOOONG stems) finely chopped
sprinkle of salt

1. Combine all ingredients and stir to evenly combine.
2. Serve it up!

If you don't have green garlic, you can use one bulb of regular garlic here but the flavor will be a bit stronger.

Red Potato Bliss!

I love potatoes and butter and salt.  Simply put those there are carb bliss.  Here is a recipe you will use as a side dish (or even a main) for the rest of your life!  It is too easy and delicious so please do me this one favor and make this dish!  Mint and potatoes are actually a great combo, but if you want to substitute another herb, you can do almost anything!

Makes 1 potato (double, triple recipe as needed)


Ingredients


Medium red potato (about the size of a baseball)
1/2 tablespoon real butter (Farmer's Market if possible!)
1 heaping spoonful sour cream or creme fraiche
5 mint leaves chopped or torn
salt/pepper

1. Pierce potato several times with a fork.
2. Put in the microwave and cook about 6 minutes for one potato (add 2 more minutes per each extra potato.)
3. Potato is done when you squeeze it and it feels perfectly soft
4. Remove from the microwave and cut open
5. Put butter, sour cream, mint, salt and pepper on the potato and serve!

Butter

Butter is the essential ingredient in many recipes, but did you ever stop to think how butter is made and if it had a recipe of it's own?  I have the best news...IT DOES!  Homemade butter is 10 minutes away and you will never look back (David and I are so happy with these results).

Ingredients


2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a food processor combine whipping cream and salt (you can also do this with an egg beater or a Kitchen Aid stand mixer on high speed)
2. Process on high speed until the butter starts to separate from the butter milk (about 5-6 minutes).
3. Remove processor container and carefully drain excess liquid over the sink.
4. Use a spatula to press the remaining butter milk out of the butter solid.
5. Finally, using your hands, gently massage remaining liquid out of the butter and put in an airtight container in the fridge.
6. Use as you would butter for any other recipe.