Homemade Cucumber Infused Vodka

When life gives you Cucumbers,  you make Cucumber infused Vodka.

As the name suggests, cucumber vodka requires only two ingredients.

 You do not have to use expensive Vodka for this recipe.  While you don't want to be drinking cucumber-flavored rubbing alcohol, it's also not necessary to use a top shelf vodka.

Chop up the cucumber and add it to 750ml (1 bottle) vodka, or about 3 cups.

Keep in a cool, dry place and let steep for at least 2 days, and up to 2 weeks. You can do a taste test every day or so until the cucumber flavor is to your liking.

Once it's ready, strain out the cucumber pieces and store in a clean bottle or jar in a cool, dry place or in the fridge until ready to use. It's not necessary to keep it refrigerated because the alcohol will prevent mold growth, but it tastes best chilled. I like to blend some of the cucumber in my food processor and add it to the steeping vodka then strain it so it gets that pretty light green color. Oh and top it off with my vodka marinated tomato for garnish

Enjoy

Allison 

Amazing Instant Ramen Soup

Feel too tired to make a proper meal? Fish out that instant ramen I’m always telling you to stock in the pantry, and then scour the refrigerator for stuff to make it.

Got a cold? You need this. Cold outside? You need this. Hungover? Drunk? Think your life can't possibly get any better? You need this.

The impression I had was that of enjoying a rich cheese-omelet-flavored dish. We will absolutely make this again. And you can add anything you want, leftover veggies ✅

Leftover chicken ✅ Leftover shrimp ✅.

Ok you get the idea 💡 

Make some instant ramen. Slide an egg into the hot broth, then some butter. Crown the steaming noodles with slices of American cheese. Scatter a bunch of toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions across the top, if you want to. Hardly a recipe!

Here you go!

• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon butter
• 2 slices American cheese
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• ½ scallion, green part only, thinly sliced on the bias, optional.
• Splash of soy sauce 
• A dash of Chinese five spice powder 

1. Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flavor packet, stir, and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the egg. Do not stir; pull the noodles over the egg and let sit for one minute to poach. Or just add a hard boiled egg cut in half.
3. Carefully transfer everything to a serving bowl, that has the butter, and cheese already in it.  Add sesame seeds and mix. Garnish with the scallions if desired.
4. You can also ad a drop or rwo of low sodium soy sauce.  Enjoy! Allison 
   
5. This picture is with a hard boiled egg, and some shrimp  🍤 😋 

Ina Gartens Mango Chutney Grilled Cheese

Good Morning,  A winter storm advisory up for us today,  ☃️ so I'm thinking comfort food and a melty, cheesy 🧀sandwich sounds like just the ticket for such a gloomy day.

I've been on a grilled cheese kick lately and today I'm trying Ina Gartens Mango chutney grilled cheese. Stay warm and safe out there today❄

Enjoy!

Allison

P.S.

Yes we had this for breakfast lol🤷‍♀️

Ingredients

• • 12 (1/4-inch thick) slices good bakery white bread
  • 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 (8.5-ounce) jar mango chutney, such as Stonewall Kitchen
  • 3 cups grated extra-sharp white cheddar (8 ounces)

Preparation

1. Lay six slices of the bread on a cutting board and brush each slice generously with the butter.

2. Turn the slices over and spread each one with 1½ tablespoons of the chutney.

3. Place 1/2 cup of the cheddar evenly on each slice and place the remaining six slices of bread on top of each sandwich. Brush the tops generously with melted butter.

4. Heat a panini press and grill the sandwiches according to the directions for the machine, until the bread is nicely browned on both sides and the cheddar is starting to melt. Place the sandwiches on a cutting board and cut each one in half diagonally. Serve hot.

**No panini press? No problem just put a heavy skillet on top of sandwich while it's cooking.

**You can easily scale this recipe down for just one or two sandwiches 😋 

Zuppa Di Mussels

Good morning. We’re hurtling toward the end of the year now, a year that’s been like no other any of us has experienced, and I made Brent Zuppa di Mussels and shrimp, Stuffed Clams, and garlic bread for his Birthday Dinner.   And we got to thinking about how much better we hope 2021 will be for all of us and particularly for those who read my blog in search of a measure of hope and deliciousness against the torrent of dark news and difficult days.

Happy New Year to all.

2 tbsp. butter

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 cup dry white wine

2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2. A package of frozen Mussels (when I can't find fresh i use walmarts Mussels they have 2 vacuum packs inside.  1 package is enough for 2 people.) Cook and drain.

12 peeled and deveined shrimp raw

Grilled bread, for serving

In a pot over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook until fragrant and soft, 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.Add diced tomatoes, wine, and parsley and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper.Add shrimp cook till just pink  add cooked add drained mussels and simmer for a couple minutes. Your just warming the Mussels.  (Discard any shells that aren’t open.)Garnish with more parsley and serve with grilled bread.

Enjoy

Allison

P.S.

When your sautéing your onion, feel free to add some chorizo or Italian sausage for more flavor. 

Pepperoni Bread

I have been baking a lot of Bread since it's so cold here at the farm. So here is a very easy Pepperoni Bread you can make for a Appetizer. I would say this is enough for 6 people.

1 package refrigerated pizza dough i use the one in a can.

 sliced pepperoni

 sliced provolone cheese

3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and prepare a rimmed baking sheet by spraying it with cooking spray.or rub lightly with oil.

2. Remove the pizza dough from the canister and roll it out onto a lightly floured surface or parchment so that it measures into a rectangle.

3. Beginning at one of the longer ends, place the pepperoni in an overlapping layer down the length of the dough.

4. Tear a few of the provolone slices in half and place over the pepperoni.

 5. Pull the dough up from under the pepperoni and roll it over the cheese so that it sticks to the dough beyond the

pepperoni. 

6. Repeat adding the pepperoni and cheese and rolling until you have completely rolled the dough.

7. Place the roll seam side down onto the prepared rimmed baking sheet. You may have to curve it so that it fits.

 8.  melt the butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. 

9. Mix in the garlic powder and Italian seasoning. 

10. Brush half of the mixture completely over the Pepperoni Bread.

11. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until lightly golden. 

12. Remove to a large cutting board  and brush with the remaining butter mixture and let  set for about 3 - 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

Serve with a side of spaghetti sauce for dipping.

Brent and I have enough left over for 2 more cocktail hours  🍸! Lol

😉 Enjoy!

Allison 

Allisonskitchen.blogspot.com 

The Best Thanksgiving Soup

At the end of the week I have been known to empty out the refrigerator and create soup. But this Thanksgiving soup is by far one of my best creations to date.

This is a no recipe "Recipe".

Here were my leftovers:😁

Turkey 

Stuffing

Mashed potatoes 

Macaroni and Cheese

Green Bean Casserole 

Gravy

All the drippings from the Roast Turkey

Cranberry sauce

I started by adding all ingredients to a soup pot EXCEPT STUFFING AND CRANBERRY SAUCE!

I had about 4 cups of turkey stock/drippings. 

Let this simmer for 2 hours with lid cracked.

Meanwhile I took my cornbread stuffing and put it on a sheet pan in the oven at 250° till it was nice and crunchy (poof! Croutons).

The farm smelled heavenly at this point i may say😇

I added a little heavy cream to the soup at the end.

Into bowls, topped with those crunchy Croutons and Cranberry sauce.

Enjoy!

Allison

Https://allisonskitchen.blogspot.com 

Moms Best Beef Stroganoff

It's said that this Russian beef stew was created by chefs working for the noble Stroganov family. The story probably isn't true (though it would be pretty messed up if you invented a dish only for the rich people you're working for to have their name associated with it), as some version of the dish was already in existence at this point. While this dish has a bit of a dated reputation, this will sate your next craving for some cold-weather comfort food. My mother and grandmother were both amazing cooks, some of my fondest memories are of helping in the kitchen when I was little. As most of you know myself and my husband both grew up in family restaurants, Beef Stroganoff is one of many home cooked meals we would make.  I remember my Mom and Bubba (grandmother) making the roux, browning the beef, and there was always fresh dill,

Well sometimes you want the comfort food of your childhood but don't have time for the long process, fast forward to 2020 and here is my version of Moms best beef stroganoff I think Mom and Bubba would be proud of the results 

Enjoy!

Allison 

Allisonskitchen.blogspot.com

Ingredients

11/2 lbs cubed cut into thin strips round steak

Seasoned salt such as Everglades Seasoning. To taste

all purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium sliced onion

1 clove of garlic minced

Fresh dill

8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms or you can leave them whole if small

1 (10 3/4 oz) can beef broth

1(10 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

3 Tablespoons of Sherry. Or more if no one is watching,  lol

1 cup sour cream

cooked egg noodles add butter and a little chopped dill.

Season the steak strips with Seasoned salt Seasoning, then dust with flour. In a large skillet, quickly brown them on both sides in the olive oil and butter. Remove the steak from the pan.

Add the onion slices and mushrooms to the pan drippings. Sauté for a few minutes, until the onion is tender,  add minced garlic cook for another minute,  if you need to add more butter go right ahead.  you don't want to burn the garlic. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour. Then stir.

Put the steak back into the pan with the onion and mushrooms. Add the cream of mushroom soup and beef broth. I like to mix both of these together in a bowl first so you don't have any glumps. (Is that a word?)Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, covered. Add your Sherry,, stir,  Adjust seasoning to taste, adding salt and pepper, as needed.

Stir in the sour cream the last few minutes, right before you serve. Serve over cooked buttered noodles, sprinkle with fresh dill

ENJOY!

ALLISON