SUMMER'S FINALLY HERE! NOW'S THE TIME FOR POOL PARTIES, PICNICS AT THE BEACH AND GENERAL ALL AROUND FUN IN THE SUN! TRY THESE EASY TREATS FOR YOUR NEXT GET TOGETHER. BON APPETIT! VANESSA

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Dip

For a smoother dip, process in a food processor instead of mixing by hand.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups diced onion (about 1 medium)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 oz. soft goat cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Add oil to a skillet and preheat over medium-low heat until oil starts to shimmer. Add onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onion caramelizes and turns a deep golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile stir together sour cream and goat cheese, mashing the goat cheese with a fork to break it up. Stir in the caramelized onions and garlic along with the chives. Taste and season again with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Makes approximately: 2 cups

 

 

 

Tortellini SaladThis is an original recipe by me, Melissa, The Alchemist
Ingredients
2 - 9 or 10 oz packages of fresh Antica cheese tortellini - Cooked according to package directions, rinsed and cooled slightly.
A bunch of fresh spinach - about a bag of it. I used some from Paradise Organics fresh picked from the farm, so I didn't measure it.
2/3 cup fresh grated Il Villagio Parmesan cheese - or a little more to taste -sorry I didn't weigh this! About a handful.
A dry pint (2 cups) (170 g.) of cherry tomatoes - washed and halved
4 oz. Specs sliced black olives, drained
8 oz. (227 g.) Columbus salami or pepperoni, diced in bite sized chunks
Fresh basil - washed and cut into slivers - to taste, about a small handful of leaves
Italian Salad Dressing to taste
Mezzetta Marinated artichoke hearts

Directions
Wash and dry the spinach and cut it into about 1 or 2 inch slices. Add the cooked tortellini to a large bowl and all the rest of the ingredients except the salad dressing. Start with a smaller amount of spinach if you think you may have a lot. Toss it all together. Add salad dressing to coat lightly. Taste it and add salt and pepper to taste. Add more spinach if you think it needs it. If you are going to put it in the fridge for later, I'd do it now with a light coat of dressing so the flavors can marry. If you are going to eat it now, go ahead and more dressing if you think it needs it.

Whats in Zachs pitcher this Memorial Day ?

    


  WHAT YOU WILL NEED
FRUIT
Strawberries,blueberries,pineapples,lemon
1 Bottle of  VENDI  PINOT GRIGIO wine,  half of 750m Drilllaud peach schnapps, 1/3 cup Luxardo  Il maraschino originale ,sprite or 7-up

Slice the pineapple into rounds, each about 1 inch thick.
Slice the strawberries into quarters, lengthwise
Slice the lemons into rounds.
Cut the pineapple using the star cookie cutters in whatever size you'd like.
If you're having trouble getting the cookie cutter through the pineapple,use a knife to get the shape of
star

 NEXT
Mix the liquids together in pitcher,Put the fruit in the pitcher: first blueberries, which sink to the bottom, then stars, which float and finally strawberries, which will rise to the top.

 The fruit must sit in the liquid for at least an hour or two to soak up all the flavors.


                                                       

Whats Josh Drinking?

                                  
                                                                 MOMO PUNCH
                      

3 oz MOMO  sauvignon blanc wine

.5 oz Aperol

.5 oz Fresh Langers grapefruit juice

.5 oz Fresh lemon juice

.25 oz Ready Rabbit Simple syrup

 White Rock Club soda

Glass: Highball

Whats Curtis Drinking?

               
                                   

                        VANILLA ELDERFLOWER RUM DRINK.

 

                            1. 2 oz Elderflower liquer

                            2. 2 oz El Dorado 3 year Rum

                            3. 4 oz Ready Rabbit sweenened lime juice

                            4. 1 oz vanilla syrup

Memorial Day Recipes, Come In For Your Next Gathering

                                              



                                     SUMMER SPLASH
3OZ of Toro de Lidia (tequila) , 6OZ Langers Pineapple juice, 1OZReady Rabbit Limejuice
Garnish with pineapple slice .
Pour into a glass over ice.
                                                  
                                             Tequila Fruit Punch
8 cups diced fresh fruits,  melon, pineapple, apples, pears, and halved grapes
4 cups chilled  El Amo silver tequila
3 cups chilled dry Champagne
3 cups chilled lychee
1/2 cup Ready Rabbit simple syrup
Juice of one lime
                            

2 parts Ready Rabbit  grenadine

2 parts blueberry martini mixer

2 parts Northern Peak  vodka

Pour Ready Rabbit grenadine first.
Next, add the cold Northern Peak vodka by pouring very slowly off the back of a spoon.
Finally, ,add the blueberry mixer on top of vodka by pouring it off the back of a spoon very slowly.  Decorate the drink with a flag toothpick.

Come And Let Us Plan Your Next Cocktail Party With Lots Of Great Recipes

MOJITO

2 cup(s) white  Tropics Isle Palms  Rum

 3/4 cup Ready Rabbit Simple Syrup

3/4 cup    (8 limes) for lime juice, strained

1 bunch  (large) fresh mint leaves

1/3 cup   (per drink) fruit, peeled and diced      

Crushed ice, as desired

Seltzer water, as desired

Fruit that can be used are raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, pineapple, kiwis, oranges, blood oranges, mangos, pears, watermelon, red grapes, apples, clementines, peaches, cherries (pitted), or cantaloupe.

 

In a pitcher, stir together 3/4 cup Ready Rabbit Simple Syrup  ,Lime juice. Chill at least 30 minutes.

 In a glass, have guests mix together about 1/2 cup drink mix, 8 to 10 mint leaves, and about 1/3 cup fruit. With a muddler or wooden spoon, muddle the ingredients together. Add crushed ice and stir; top with a splash of seltzer water.

WHATS CHARLES DRINKING?

Flavor.  It's the Reason for the Season. It is Where It's At.  It's the first thing we look for and the last thing we let go of when we go out.  Why sell yourself short on beer?  Recommendations are a slippery slope to we beer lovers, for we love them and find little fault in most of them.  But craft beer lovers can be pallet-wreckers--not unlike 18-year olds in a voting booth:  we swing way to the left, never compromising flavor for fill, endorsing deep, russian imperial stouts, or to the radical right, casting our dollar-votes for hop-howling IPAs that take the roof right off your mouth.  And, as time give season, distance lends perspective, experience tempers us and we learn to appreciate the middle ground we have left untrodden.  Karbach Brewing is the latest and greatest thing out of the craft world.  The brewmaster is a graduate of the beer school at Weihenstephan--the world's oldest brewery and, therefore, the place to expect such craftmanship as we see from Karbach.  When we think of middle-ground, we think of lagers, wheat brews, and pale ales.  Might I suggest, as a simple, no-brainer substitute for your usual staple lager, Sympathy for the Lager.  For those of us who can't leave a good porch in the summer, try the refreshing, lighter Weisse-Versa.  And you pale ale lovers--you know who you are, how about a saison?  Not a big buy on one huge bottle shipped from over 2,000 miles away, but a good-ole' sixer brewed right in our own back yard?  It's simple. It's sweet. It's soft and subtle and sure for a smile.  I currently have enough karbach on hand to , so have at it.  Get it, get home, and crack one open.  You'll likely be drinking one with me.