Bacardi Parti Cocktail

It's another War Kitten DOUBLE POST!  Here is a cocktail I made for rum lovers like myself.  This drink is for adults only!

Ingredients:
3 ounces orange juice
1 ounce pineapple juice
1 ounce Bacardi Oakheart
1 ounce Bacardi Pineapple
1/2 ounce Bacardi Select

Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a glass with ice.
2. Stir until well combined.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Bird Nests (aka Easter Haystacks)

I've always loved the crunchy, chewy, chocolate taste of haystacks.  Here is my own version I adapted for the Easter holiday.  Makes 25-30 haystacks.

Ingredients:
16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 cups dry chow mein noodles
3/4 cup peanuts
1/2 cup marshmallows
1 bag peanut M&Ms (I got the pastel version for Easter)

Directions:
1.  Microwave the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl for 30 seconds at a time until melted- mine took about 90 seconds.
2.  Stir in the noodles, peanuts and marshmallows until everything is evenly coated in chocolate.
3.  Use a tablespoon to drop mounds of the mixture onto cookie sheets lined with wax paper.
4.  Take a couple of M&M candies and press them into each mound so they resemble bird nests.
5.  Refrigerate for an hour, or until ready to serve.

Strawberry Moscato Cupcakes

It's another boozy dessert recipe! You can use any sweet/dessert wine, but I think Moscato or White Zinfandel would work best. Makes about 20 cupcakes.

Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker Strawberry Cake Mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup Moscato wine (I used Barefoot Pink Moscato)
1 package cream cheese frosting
Conversation hearts (optional)

Directions:
1. Add cake mix, eggs, oil and wine to a large bowl, then mix until smooth.
2. Line some cupcake pans with liners and pour in the cupcake batter. The cups should be about two thirds of the way full.
3. Bake the cupcakes according to the cake mix box instructions. I did mine at 325 degrees for 17 minutes. Let them cool completely before frosting.
4. Decorate with conversation hearts if desired. (You could also use fresh strawberries.)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chicken Caprese Bowls

Here is a dinner version of caprese that's healthy and filling! Recipe serves two.

Ingredients:
Two boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Jar of pesto sauce
6 oz fresh small tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
4 oz fresh mozzarella cheese (I used half of a mozzarella ball from the store)
Handfull of fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Coat the chicken breasts with a little olive oil, then spread a layer of pesto sauce on both sides of the chicken breasts.  Grill for about six minutes on each side, or until no longer pink.
2. While the chicken is cooking, chop up the tomatoes, cheese and basil into bite-sized pieces. Grab two bowls and put half of this mixture into each.
3. Once the chicken is cooked, chop them into bite-sized pieces and divide between the two bowls.
4. Add olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, then stir each bowl to combine. You may want to add a little more pesto sauce for extra flavor. Enjoy!

Spiced Apple Beer Cupcakes

I've been seeing lots of recipes for Blue Moon beer cupcakes on Pinterest lately.  Blue Moon isn't my favorite beer, so I went with Shock Top's new Honeycrisp Apple Wheat instead.  Add some apple pie filling to kick up the delicious apple cinnamon flavor!  Makes about 20 cupcakes.

Ingredients:
1 box Betty Crocker Spice Cake mix
1 cup Shock Top Honeycrisp Apple Wheat beer (room temperature)
1/2 cup apple pie filling
3 eggs
1 tub cream cheese flavored cake frosting

Directions:
1. Place cake mix in a large mixing bowl.
2. Chop up the apples from the pie filling into bite-sized pieces so they will distribute evenly. 
3.  Add beer, apple pie filling and eggs to the cake mix.  Stir until well combined. You don't need the other ingredients listed on the cake mix box(water, oil, etc.).
4.  Place cupcake liners in your cupcake pans and pour in cake batter.  Cups should be about two thirds full.
5.  Bake according to cake mix directions, or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

Note:  You can try other flavor combinations as well!  Orange or raspberry wheat beers would do well in yellow or lemon cakes.  Dark beers like Guinness would do well in chocolate cakes. 

Independence Day Sunrise

Celebrate the Fourth of July with this red, white and blue cocktail.  This drink is for adults only.

Ingredients:
Ice
1/2 shot blue curacao
1 1/2 shots coconut rum
Sprite
1/2 shot grenadine

Directions:
1.  Add a handful of ice to a clear glass.  Pour in blue curacao.
2.  Fill the rest of the glass with Sprite.
3.  Carefully pour in the grenadine- it will settle in the middle.
4.  Enjoy the pretty layers, then stir and enjoy!

Paleo Tuscan Soup

This was inspired by a copycat recipe from Olive Garden called "Zuppa Toscana."  It took a few tweaks to get it to work with our low-carb diet.  It's still a tasty, creamy soup that's great for cold evenings at home.

Ingredients:
1 pound Italian sausage (or Italian seasoned ground turkey)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 steamer bags of cauliflower florets
1/2 onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
3 cans chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 or 3 stalks kale, chopped

Directions:
1.  Cook the sausage and red pepper flakes in a pan until the meat is no longer pink.  Set aside in a colander to drain off the grease.  While the meat is cooking, steam the cauliflower in the microwave according to the package directions and set aside to cool
2.  Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook a few minutes, until tender.  If you used ground turkey, there won't be much grease leftover, and you might have to add a bit of oil to cook the vegetables effectively. 
3.  Add the onions, garlic, bacon, chicken broth and cauliflower to a large pot and heat to boiling.  Boil for twenty minutes, using a spoon or spatula to stir and break down the cauliflower.
4.  Reduce the heat and add the milk and sausage, heat for a few minutes.  Stir in the kale just before serving.