2013: The Year in Recipes

Just the other day, I was thinking about how my view of the 21st century differed from what it actually became. I was convinced that we would all be wearing space suits and eating food similar to what astronauts consume on their space ships. Logical, right? The best part is that I was sure of these things in 1995, giving the world only 5 short years to get its act together and make these things happen.

I'm happy to report that I was completely wrong.

A lot happened this year. I turned 30; that was pretty big. I started Set the Table; that was awesome. A lot of other good things happened. Some sad things happened. All of them made me a very different person from what I was at the start of 2013 and I am grateful for that.

Another thing I am endlessly grateful for is the support and love you all have shown me through reading my posts, trying my recipes, and generally appreciating the work that goes into this blog. It's been absolutely wonderful in so many ways. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

To celebrate this past year, I wanted to share the top recipes from Set the Table. You people sure do love your cocktails! But thankfully there is also some food in there. You know, to even things out.

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash with Chorizo

Bourbon Apple Cider

Perfect Roast Chicken

Butternut Squash + Coconut Soup

Riley's Kale + Pineapple Smoothie

Pineapple + Honey Margarita

No Rise Cinnamon Rolls

Basil Gin Fizz

Spring Fling

Cheers to you all, friends! And Happy  New Year!

Cocktail Friday: The Nog (+ a Gift Idea)

I started writing cocktail Friday posts almost 6 years ago over on Tokyo Terrace. It tapered off for a while when I was pregnant with my son, but when I started Set the Table I knew I had to bring it back. One aspect of cocktail crafting I've fallen in love with is using seasonal ingredients to make a flavorful and beautiful drink. From fresh herbs like piney rosemary and citrusy thyme, to fresh fruits like tart cranberries and sweet grapes, the combinations are endless.

To learn more about cocktails and how to build the perfect drink, it's important to read and try different recipes. I have a few great cocktail books that have taught me a lot, but the newest addition to my collection is called Shake. Filled with beautiful photos, easy and unique recipes, and with a seasonal focus, this book is a great gift idea for your cocktail-inclined family and friends.

I chose to feature their recipe for a drink called The Nog. Rather than making your own eggnog, the recipe calls for vanilla ice cream flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. And of course, the drink is spiked with some bourbon and rum. Shake it up and you've got a delicious holiday cocktail that is sure to impress.

Because I had some eggnog on hand I altered the recipe slightly and added a bit to the cocktail. I felt the texture of the ice cream was important in the end, so I did half ice cream and half nog. I also only used bourbon since I didn't have any rum around. That's another great thing about cocktails- you can always change them up based on what you have. As long as the ratios remain consistent so that the flavors are balanced, you are good to go!

So, if you're looking for a last minute gift idea, Shake is a great one. You could also pair it with the mason jar shaker, which the authors of the book created. Perfect stocking stuffer!

The Nog

Ingredients

• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
• 1/3 cup eggnog (or, if you don't have eggnog, another scoop of ice cream)
• 2 ounces bourbon (or 1 ounce bourbon and 1 ounce spiced rum)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg plus extra for garnish

Instructions

1. Put the bourbon (and rum, if using), ice cream and spices in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. Strain the cocktail into chilled glasses and garnish with additional ground nutmeg.

Notes

This recipe is slightly adapted from the book Shake by Eric Prum & Josh Williams

Cocktail Friday: Meyer Lemon + Vanilla Gimlet

About 10 years ago, I used to think that a Lemon Drop Martini was the height of sophistication when it came to cocktails. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the cocktail itself. When done well, it can be quite tasty. However, they tend to be heavy laden with sugar and artificial lemon flavor/color. Yuck. This cocktail, made with Meyer lemons, vanilla, and a flavorful simple syrup is a classier, more complex cocktail that I would be proud to serve to the rest of my grown-up friends. I went the gimlet route, using equal parts gin and a combination of Meyer lemon juice and simple syrup. (A traditional gimlet uses gin or vodka and Rose's lime juice, which is crazy sweet.) Then, on a whim, I added just a touch of vanilla extract. That last addition took this cocktail from good to great and made it perfect to serve as a holiday party aperitif.

Citrus cocktails are actually very appropriate for winter. Lemons are in season in these chilly months, so featuring them in recipes this time of year is a must!

TGIF everyone. I hope you have a weekend full of fun and love and laughter. And perhaps a Meyer Lemon and Vanilla Gimlet on the side.

Meyer Lemon & Vanilla Gimlet

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin (My favorite is Prairie Gin for this cocktail, but whatever you have will be fine. You could also use vodka)
• 1 1/2 oz Meyer lemon juice
• 1/2 oz Meyer lemon simple syrup
• 2 or 3 drops of vanilla extract
• zest of 1 Meyer lemon
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

1. Combine the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and vanilla extract in a shaker filled with ice.
2. Shake for about 30 seconds until thoroughly chilled and pour into a cocktail glass.
3. Garnish with a slice of lemon if desired.
4. Combine the zest, water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
5. Let the syrup come to room temperature before using or storing in the refrigerator.

Cocktail Friday: Spiced Rum & Cranberry Old Fashioned

It snowed here yesterday. It wasn't the big wet flakes I expected; instead, we experienced a pretty, delicate snowfall thanks to chilly temperatures that made me feel like I was home in Minnesota. My heart was happy watching the flakes float slowly through the air, turning the ground a soft white. Finally, after feeling like I would never get into the spirit of the season, the snow brought what my soul needed. Riley

Also, it made me realize that some people just shouldn't drive when it's snowing because they forget how. That's all I'll say on that subject except for BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

With the white snow and cloudy skies, it seems like the perfect excuse to make a brilliantly colored and flavorful cocktail. This Spiced Rum & Cranberry Old Fashioned uses a little bit of the syrup from my homemade cranberry sauce. The spicy ginger, warm cloves, bright citrus and tangy cranberries are the perfect mate for spiced rum. You may be wondering what on EARTH rum is doing in an Old Fashioned. You're right- it isn't traditional. But the formula for an Old Fashioned is this: spirit + bitters + sugar + water. That's it. Makes you want to play around a little, doesn't it?

When I make an Old Fashioned, I let the ice act as the water. It melts a little as you stir it with the spirit, bitters and sugar, which is really all you need. If you want more water, go ahead and add it.

This is a great cocktail for Thanksgiving because it incorporates a lot of the flavors from other dishes; using aromatics like rosemary, cloves or cinnamon with your turkey? Serving my homemade cranberry sauce? Putting a cinnamon and brown sugar topping over your sweet potatoes? This cocktail is the perfect precursor to all of that and more. It's equally as delicious on any old day when you are feeling thankful for a quiet evening at home with family and friends.

This cocktail recipe concludes my week of cranberries! Stay tuned next week for a fantastically easy apple dessert and a delicious leftover turkey recipe!

Spiced Rum & Cranberry Old Fashioned

Ingredients

• 1 ounce cranberry syrup from [this recipe: http://rachaelwhite.me/homemade-cranberry-sauce/]
• 1 1/2 ounces spiced rum
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 5 dashes bitters
• 1 strip of orange zest for garnish
• 1 rosemary sprig for garnish
• 2 or 3 fresh (or frozen) cranberries for garnish.

Instructions

1. Combine the cranberry syrup, spiced rum, brown sugar and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add ice and stir for about 30 seconds. Pour the cocktail through a strainer into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Serve garnished with the orange zest, cranberries and rosemary sprig.

Cocktail Friday: Whiskey Flip

This week has been crazy. I've only been in Minnesota since Saturday but so much has happened that I feel like it's been a month. Without going into too much detail, I'll just say that I'm getting involved in some REALLY amazing projects that are connecting me with talented food bloggers and other foodie friends. It's a dream come true, really. It also means that I am really ready for a cocktail.

My parents have a cocktail recipe book called the Mr. Boston Deluxe Official Bartender's Guide: New World Edition. It has a plethora of cocktails garnished with bright red maraschino cherries and other slightly dated decorations. Overall, it is quite informative and contains some gems that are worth trying. This Whiskey Flip, for example, is a little bit like eggnog but less sweet and more boozy.

I adapted the recipe slightly because I wanted the drink to be a little sweeter (I know- pretty unusual for me) and a little less astringent, so I added more powdered sugar and less whiskey. This would be a fun addition to your Thanksgiving menu and is perfectly seasonal with a sprinkling of nutmeg over the top.

The best part about this post is that my sister and I worked together to take the photos. She chose the props from my mom's fabulous selection of antiques and I mostly just took the pictures. One thing I've realized on this trip is that working with people instead of on your own is a bazillion times easier and a trazillion times more fun. Yep. Trazillion.

Whiskey Flip

Ingredients

• 1 ounce whiskey
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons heavy cream
• 1 whole egg
• freshly grated nutmeg for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients except the nutmeg in a shaker with ice.
2. Shake vigorously until the cocktail is creamy and frothy on the top.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the nutmeg.

Cocktail Friday: Classic Bourbon Sour with Orange Bitters

When I first started blogging in 2009, I didn't know much about how it all worked. I hadn't been an avid follower of any blogs in the past and I wasn't even sure where to find new ones to read. Fortunately for me, I stumbled upon White on Rice Couple. I was in awe of their photos, recipes, and their fun personalities that came through in every post. I've been following them for nearly 5 years now and it has been so fun watching their passion for food, photography, and life turn into such a great success.

bountiful

Their combined talents are showcased beautifully in their cookbook, Bountiful. If you don't have a copy already, you need to order it asap. If for no other reason than to make this cocktail so you can sip it while gazing at the lovely images and recipes on each page. The amount of love that went into this book is glaringly obvious from the moment you open it.

Bourbon Sour Cocktail | Set the Table

As soon as I saw this Bourbon Sour recipe I knew I needed to make it. I'm on a bourbon kick lately- can you tell? I believe this is the third straight week with a bourbon cocktail and I'M NOT SORRY.

If you follow White on Rice Couple, you know they have amazing green thumbs. In fact, I'd say all of their fingers are green. Their citrus fruit bounty is what makes me swoon every time. This recipe features lemons, which add a beautiful tartness to the warm bourbon. A hint of sweetness from simple syrup and a little complexity from a splash of orange bitters makes this cocktail perfectly balanced.

Bourbon & Lemon Cocktail | Set the Table

There are so many recipes to try from Bountiful, but this is a great place to start. Congratulations, Todd and Diane, on a marvelous work of art! And thank you for being such a huge influence in my own blogging career. You are inspirational!

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