Category: Misc.

Retro Cocktail …The Pink Squirrel Martini

Whats old is new. Isn’t that always the case? Maybe the world is so crazy that we find comfort in past. Whilst pursing a new age pursuit , Twitter, I found out about a liqueur called Creme de Noyaux. I had heard some pastry types go on about Noyaux and how its extracted from apricot kernals. Noyaux has always been that elusive almond flavor I could never identify, and now I know! So when a kind gentleman who shall be referred to as Oxford Falls offered some Pink Squirrel Cocktails on Twitter for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, my curiosity was piqued that there was an liqueur made of this stuff.
Don’t let the Pepto Bismal pink color throw you off. This stuff is yummy.The liqueur is a clear red color, but added to cream changes color. This would be awesome in baking. The original Pink Squirrel was created in Milwaukee at Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge. It consisted of Creme de Noyaux, Ice Cream, and Creme de Cacao. That was a little rich for my blood. Many variations have come and gone. I like this one I saw on the AMC site for the Series Mad Men. The addition of vodka cuts that sweetness a bit. Don’t let the light froth color deceive you. It will sneak up on you. There are a few other cocktail to made with this liqueur. I’m fascinated but the Old Etonian cocktail. What does that say about the school? Really?

Pink Squirrel Martini
3/4 oz Creme de Noyaux
3/4 oz Creme de cacao
1/2 oz Vodka
1 oz fresh cream

Pour all ingredients over ice in a shaker. Serve strained in a chilled martini glass

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Apple Puffs

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This past week I was on a baking roll. Two days in a row I brought in treats for the office using what I had on hand. The previous weeks puff pastry from the Daring Bakers challenge was in my freezer waiting to be baked. Apples arrived Monday in my organic delivery box . Naturally I knew what to do for a colleague who complained she didn’t get any of my cookie treats the previous day, and I promised that I would whip up something special for her. These apple puffs are very easy and go a long way. They were a hit in the office. I made full size in cupcake liners and smaller bites in a Flexi pan mold I had. The puff doesn’t have to be perfect and feel free to use scrapes to shape a base. I love the portability of these puffs. The bite size ones would go over well on any dessert tray for the upcoming holidays, open houses, or brunches.You could use smaller candy,muffin liners as well,if you don’t have that size. While I had homemade puff pastry , you could use store purchased as well.


Apple Puffs
1 sheet puff pastry
4 apples peeled and chopped
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp pie filling enhancer or cornstarch ( I use King Arthur’s)
2 tbsp water
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup Apple Cider
1 tsp vanilla

In a sauce pan add apples , sugar, apple cider, Cinnamon stick. Cook on med heat until apples are soft, but still firm. In a glass mix your pie filling enhancer or cornstarch with the water. Add to the hot apple mixture in pan and cook until thickened. Set aside. Remove Cinnamon stick before filling shells.

Preheat oven to 350F.
Roll out pastry dough on lightly floured surface. Cut into squares to fit your muffin pans. If not enough you can piece scraps as well. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Drape and fit into muffin cups. Fill each with apple filling.
Bake for 15-20 min until golden and filling is bubbly. Remove and let cool on rack. Serve at room temperature.


Printed recipe here.

This is What I Have Been Up To

It is hard to believe summer is over and the fall season will begin. I will not apologise for not truly blogging, but August was a dozy.Starting with the Boston trip, work, the Foodbuzz Smirnoff Lunch, Foodbuzz Visa Signature dinner at Tru with local bloggers , which I haven’t written about, but here is a quick visual tour or a memorable evening.

I also had another night course at the French Pastry School this past week focusing on classic French Cakes, Wedding and Event Cakes with Chefs Laura Ragano and Bob Hartwig. Laura is a protege of the famous Nicholas Lodge.I am just plain fatigued. I haven’t even posted the rest of the recipes from the Smirnoff lunch! Certain Someone has been away for most of the summer, and year for that matter. So not much regular cooking going on here. But I haven’t been a slacker.

I have chosen a winner for the Best Summer Drinks. Lets hear it for Jen of Aeatwrite! It was so fun to read all of your summer memories.

The Best Ever Crock Pot Boston Baked Beans

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If you have followed me on Twitter you know I have been away in Boston the past week. What an amazing city! Coming from Maryland, I thought we had the edge on seafood. But Bostons seafood was amazing, On a limited budget I ate very well and worked off all the good food walking and touring this most important of American cities . One thing I saw were these cute little bean crocks to make authentic Boston Baked Beans. I love a good baked bean. I have been to many a picnic where cooks try to perpetrate by doctoring up canned beans. One of my favorite cooking memories were my mother and I attempting to make out our own baked beans from scratch. I remembered it took hours to cook. Craving baked beans, but not wanting to run the oven in this summer heat , I opted for my crock pot/slow cooker.Many of my foodie friends associate slow baking beans with winter and fall. But isn’t a good baked bean dish quintessential to summer time and BB Q’s? While I cooked this via crock pot, I finished them of in the authentic crock for 45 min or so sprinkled with brown sugar in the oven. Let me say the house smelled fantastic turning the key and entering to find the beans cooked perfectly.Enjoy.

Crock Pot Boston Baked Beans

1 lb dry Navy Beans or Great Northern Beans

12 oz-1 lb salt pork with rind

3/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 onion chopped

1 onion studded with cloves( about 1 tsp worth)

4 cups water

ground black pepper

Soak your beans over night covered in cold water. The next day drain water. In a small pot of boiling water, boil the cubed or cut up salt pork for a few minutes to remove excess salt. Remove salt pork from water and place on the bottom of crock pot. Place the clove studded onion in crock pot. Cover with soaked dried beans. Add mustard,ground black pepper, chopped onion,brown sugar,molasses. Pour 4 – 5 cups of cold water over the beans and spices. Beans should be covered but not excessively so. The slow cooking adds moisture.Turn on your crock pot/slow cooker to the setting of 10 hours.

After 10 hours you can finish of individual servings on mini crocks sprinkled with brown sugar in a an oven at 350 F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

I think this perfect for this months My Legume Love Affair #14 hosted by the founder Susan of the Well Seasoned Cook.