80's Alternative Music Themed Anniversary Gift

Mr. Devilish Dish and I have been together for a long time. We met in junior high, and really only started dating around our senior year of high school.  Without giving away my age, you could say 80's music was popular back then.  For our first few wedding anniversaries we tried to follow the traditional gift protocol like First Year: Paper (He gave me a Martha Stewart Cookbook and I gave him an Oklahoma Football book.) Seven Years was wool and I gave him seven pairs of wool socks.  Once you hit ten years, the suggested gifts seem to skip to 15 years, and then every five years after that.  Plus they get more expensive as the years go on.  Sterling silver, pearl, coral, ruby etc...That's not really our style.  On our 25th anniversary I got the bright idea to gift him a big silver bucket with the song theme "Tennessee Whiskey" which included Tennessee whiskey, strawberry wine, and brandy.  I've done some sillier song themes with gifts like, "Beer Bait & Ammo" and last year my theme was "Abracadabra" by Steve Miller Band.  I used some post Halloween sale items for a witchy/magic theme and gifted him tickets to see Steve Miller Band.  This year I was stumped for a fun song and stumped for a theme.  His favorite music genre is 80's Alternative.  He mentioned a while back he needed a new pair of Converse Chuck Taylor Sneakers and an idea was born!  I could not settle on an 80's alternative love song to theme my gift around so I just picked the entire genre.  I ordered a pair of new sneakers for him and once I searched "80's alternative music gifts" the rest of his gift came together really easily.  The book, "Mad World" kept popping up in my searches, and as it turns out, the author Lori Majewski is on Sirius Channel 33 First Wave which is his favorite music station.  Plus Duran Duran is on the cover which makes me happy too.  A trip to Etsy led me to a pint beer glass that looks like it's covered with cassette tapes.  I found one with a lot of his favorites.  The holiday calendar kiosk at our local mall had a Gen X calendar to round out the gift.  All I needed was some sort of basket or bag to gift it in.  I had a vision for a gift box that would look like a vintage boom box, but in my searches the only things I could find were homemade Valentine boxes.  And then I thought why not make a homemade box.  Who cares if it is silly and made with construction paper?  That's exactly the type of stuff I used to make him in the 80's.  Before Amazon and custom printing we used Elmer's glue and construction paper for our love notes and gifts.  I went full 1980's fan girl on my box.  I spray painted a liquor store box silver and cut out all the shapes and glued them on for a vintage boom box look.  It turned out so cheesy and corny and perfect.  The homemade box was actually my favorite part of the gift.  When we got ready to exchange gifts, he was listening to Yacht Rock music and I said, "Alexa play Sirius XM Channel 33 First Wave" which completely shocked him.  Then I whipped out his gift and said, "The music needed to match my theme."  He was really pleased with the gift and totally amused with the gift box.  I think the best part has been the beer glass.  He even made a new playlist called "The Pint Glass Play List" based on the artists on the glass.  Who needs coral and rubies when you can have Duran Duran and Depeche Mode!

Here's my 80's Alternative Music Themed
Anniversary Gift.  I'm so happy with
how fun it turned out.

Converse Chuck Taylor Sneakers,
a book for any music lover,
a new trivia calendar and best of all
the cassette-themed beer glass. 

My corny, homemade gift box.
We might be a long way from the 80's
but I'm still a silly high school girl at heart.

This turned out to be so much fun.
This would make a great gift theme for 
any music lover, and a great retro 
birthday gift idea too!

I hope this inspires you to get crafty and creative with your gift ideas.  They don't have to be expensive to be thoughtful.  A free box from the liquor store and some paint and paper I had around the house turned into a super fun gift idea.

Happy Crafting,

3 Cocktails You HAVE to Try!

Since the surgery on my hand last year, Mr. Devilish Dish and I have stepped up our bartending game.  It helps that we love to travel and love good food.  We're always down to try a regional beverage when we're on vacation, and even when I know I'll probably wind up ordering a Diet Coke, I never miss the opportunity to peruse a new restaurant's cocktail menu.  These three cocktails happen to be things that peaked my interest on social media.  Once I tried them and deemed them worth sharing a quick search of the internet proved these aren't new cocktails.  Just new to me cocktails.  And more than likely given new names by a new generation.  Which makes them even more fun.  We definitely claim the CLUB SPECIAL, here in Oklahoma and I knew west Texas lays deed to the RANCH WATER.  I'm willing to bet a lot of folks claim these cocktails as their own.  While I'm not sure of all of their origins, I am sure they are tasty, refreshing and worth sharing!

No matter what you call these, they are tasty!

The Beermosa, also known as 
the Man-mosa, or an Arizona Mimosa.
This is refreshing, and a tasty twist
on a traditional champagne mimosa.

The Diet Cokagne.  One of my favorites
as I LOVE champagne and I love Diet Coke.
If you're one of those people that enjoys a
Diet Coke with lime, then that slight 
sweet/tart flavor of the champagne is similar
when added to the Diet Coke.
Super refreshing.

Also known as a Diesel, Colabier,
or Colorado Kool-Aid, this version
uses Diet Coke where traditionally the 
beer is blended with regular cola.
The Coors Original Banquet Beer, brewed
in Golden, Colorado is a must for a 
Colorado version!

ARIZONA MIMOSA

6-8oz light beer
2-4oz no-pulp orange juice

Pour the chilled beer into a pint glass or beer mug, then top with cold orange juice.
Garnish with an orange wheel if desired.

DIET COKAGNE

4-6 oz Diet Coke
2oz dry champagne or sparkling wine
ice

Fill a highball glass or champagne flute with ice.  Fill the glass about 2/3 full with cold Diet Coke.  Top off the remainder of the glass with champagne.  Garnish with a lime slice, lemon twist or maraschino cherry.

COLORADO DIET COKE

6-8oz light beer
6-8oz Diet Coke (or regular Coke if desired)

Pour the cola into a tall beer glass or pint glass.  Slowly pour in the beer.  Mix if desired.  Serve with ice if desired.

Drink Responsibly,

Simple Roasted Garlic & Tomato Soup

I'm a sucker for tomato soup.  Whether it's Fire-Roasted, features the flavors of Morocco,  or comes out of a red and white can, if it features tomato, then I'm in!  Dreary winter weather is here, but that doesn't mean you have to eat boring.  This simple soup features the vibrant color of roasted fresh tomatoes and the delicious flavor of roasted garlic.  The best part about this recipe is how easy it is to prepare.  The tomatoes and garlic roast in the oven (Check out my method on how to roast garlic here) while you sauté onions and roasted red bell peppers together on the stove top.  Simply blend the ingredients together and simmer.  Serve with a slice of crusty bread, such as my No Knead Dutch Oven Bread for a satisfying winter meal.  In this case we opted for a grilled cheese sandwich on the side.  Who can resist the classic combination of tomato soup and grilled cheese?

Nothing beats Tomato Soup and Grilled
Cheese.  Even better when it's homemade
soup with the addition of roasted garlic!

     

Prep the garlic and tomatoes for roasting.

Roast until the tomatoes just begin 
to blacken on the edges.
Let cool slightly.

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out
of the peels and foil into a bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile sauté diced onion and
red bell pepper in a soup pot.

  

Add the tomatoes and roasted garlic,
Blend with an immersion blender.

Stir in Parmesan cheese, stock, seasonings
and a splash of heavy cream.

Serve with crusty bread or
a grilled cheese sandwich.

SIMPLE ROASTED GARLIC & TOMATO SOUP

8 large tomatoes, quartered
3 heads of garlic, prepped for roasting (see below or read HOW TO HERE)
salt & pepper
olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cups fresh basil
1 cup vegetable (or chicken stock)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
pinch dried oregano
pinch dried sage
1/8-1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  On a large baking tray lined with foil, place the quartered tomatoes.  Prep the garlic by slicing off the top (leave the paper on) and drizzle the cut whole garlic with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and bundle each head of garlic in a piece of foil.  Place them on the baking sheet with the tomatoes.  Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for approximately 45 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to blacken around the edges.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile in a soup pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat, sauté the onion and red pepper in a bit of olive oil until they begin to soften and caramelize.  Unwrap the garlic heads and squeeze the softened garlic cloves into a bowl.  Make sure there are no garlic peels in there, and then add the roasted garlic cloves and roasted tomatoes to the onion mixture.  Blend with an immersion blender, adding the fresh basil.  Add the vegetable or chicken stock a little at a time until the soup is your desired thickness.  You may not use all of it.  Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and season with the dried oregano and sage.  Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.  Add a splash of heavy cream (no more than 1/4 cup is necessary) Return the pot to the stovetop and heat until the soup begins to simmer.

Serve and enjoy,

Hash Brown Potato Casserole AKA Funeral Potatoes

I've mentioned before my brother-in-law is a chef.  He has worked in some award winning restaurants in both the Denver and New Orleans area.  He is very talented and never ceases to amaze us with his cooking knowledge and abilities.  When he came home for Thanksgiving dinner, Mr. Devilish Dish was all excited to have a professional in the kitchen to help out, because he wanted to make Robuchon Potatoes.  A signature dish of the highly acclaimed French chef Joel Robuchon.  This decadent recipe is sometimes called 50/50 potatoes as in all potato and butter.  It requires some technique and Mr. Devilish Dish was  fired up to make it when my brother-in-law declared, "I just want Mom's Hash Brown Potato Casserole." Which tells you that it's darned good when the chef chooses it over a Michelin star recipe.  It's so good and this recipe has been around so long I can't believe I'm just now sharing it with you.  It features frozen hash browns and cheesy goodness baked into a delicious, comforting casserole.  Of all of the incredible food we had for our Thanksgiving meal, these potatoes were the most memorable.  There were no leftovers.  In fact I had to make them again just to take pictures for you.  The best part is some recipes, especially family recipes still taste the best of all, no matter how acclaimed you are in the kitchen.

A family favorite, of regular cooks 
and chefs alike!

Just a handful of ingredients
for this comforting casserole dish.

To crush the cornflake cereal:
Place the cereal in a plastic bag
and crush with a meat mallet or 
rolling pin.

Place your hash brown ingredients
in a greased, oven-safe baking dish.

Combine the crushed cornflake cereal
with melted butter.

Top the hash brown mixture
 with the cornflake mixture and bake.

It will come out golden brown, cheesy 
and bubbly delicious.

Such a tasty side dish.  Perfect with any meal.
Not only at the holidays, but we love it in
the summer with barbecue too.

Fun Fact: This casserole is sometimes
known as Funeral Potatoes because
it is a hearty, crowd-pleasing dish
historically seen at post-funeral
gatherings and church pot lucks.

HASH BROWN POTATO CASSEROLE 

32 ounces frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 ounces sour cream
8 ounces American or Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 medium onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste

TOPPING:

2 cups corn flake cereal, crushed
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together the hash browns, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, shredded cheese, melted butter, and diced onion.  Season with salt and pepper.  Spread mixture into prepared dish.  

In a small bowl combine the crushed cornflake cereal with melted butter.  Sprinkle this evenly over the hash brown mixture and bake for 45 minutes until golden brown.

The Hemingway Daiquiri

There was no dry January around here.  Mainly because we are foodies and empty nesters and I'm in the era where I love to hang out with Mr. Devilish Dish.  He's really into cooking lately, and I'm still recovering from the busy holidays so I'm happy he is enjoying the meal preparation.  I do wash the dishes, but most of the time while he cooks, I sit on a bar stool at our counter and keep him company.  He does this thing where he throws a dish towel over his shoulder and says, "What can I get you to drink Ma'am?"  He's just too cute and funny to resist.  In addition to honing his cooking skills, he has really honed his bartending skills too.  My two favorite cocktails he makes for me are the Hillstone Crisp Martini and this daiquiri.  I love anything fruity or floral so it makes sense that I love this flavor profile.  This daiquiri isn't your typical poolside frozen drink.  This classy cocktail is a tempting combination of rum, maraschino liqueur, lime juice and grapefruit juice.  Shaken and served in a coupe glass, it's a sophisticated cocktail, originally created in the 1930s for Ernest Hemingway, who desired a more spirit-forward version of the classic daiquiri.  This is crisp, slightly tart, and a beautiful pink hue.  It's an ideal drink for spring and summer, or a special occasion.  Or in my case, to forget the dreary cold days of winter, and looking forward to sipping this on the patio during warmer weather.  The gorgeous pink hue makes it ideal for a Valentine's or Galentine's party too, so enjoy now, and bookmark this recipe so you can make again when warmer weather arrives.

My new favorite cocktail:
The Hemingway Daiquiri

The ingredients:  Simple and fresh.

A beautiful presentation in 
a coupe glass.  This would be so 
cute to serve at Valentine's Day,
not to mention how much this will be served 
during the summer!

A cute "pretend" bartender helps lol.

THE HEMINGWAY DAIQUIRI

2 ounces white rum
1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur
3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish: lime wheel

Add the rum, maraschino liqueur, lime juice and grapefruit juice into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.  Strain into a couple glass.  Garnish with a lime wheel.

Enjoy Safely,

Turtle Cookie Balls - Valentine: I Turtle-y Love You + Printable Gift Tag

I am a sucker for a corny Valentine.  Especially if a food pun is involved.  Even though Little Devil is grown up and we are far removed from the days of school Valentines, I think I will always celebrate the day by making something fun and silly for friends and family.  In the past I've done Coca-Cola Cupcakes (Valentine I SODA Like You) Copycat Beaver Nuggets (I'm EAGER to be your Valentine) and Banana Crumb Muffins (Valentine I'm BANANAS for you).  In fact if you search "Valentine" on my blog, you'll see a lot of Valentine inspiration.  Valentine's Day is right up there with my favorite holiday: Halloween.  It's January 6th as I'm typing this and I already put out my Valentine's Day decorations.  January is dreary and boring and I'm ready for fun!   Last year, I made Turtle Cookie Balls with the theme of "I TURTLE-y Love You" and they were a huge hit.  This made a large batch for sharing and the little no-bake cookie balls were surprisingly easy to make.  They had all of the flavor of  delicious turtle candy with chocolate, caramel and pecans in a fun and giftable cookie form.   I found the cutest little containers for gifting and designed a little gift tag to go along with the theme.  Valentine's Day is right around the corner and I'm already brainstorming ideas for this years punny, funny Valentine idea so stay tuned.  In the meantime, enjoy a batch of Turtle Cookie Balls! 

These cookie balls, reminiscent of a
delicious chocolate-caramel-pecan
turtle candy are great any time, and make
an adorable gift or dessert. 

Perfect for Valentine's Day with the
theme, "I TURTLE-Y Love You"

All bagged up in the cutest Valentine 
cartons with matching gift bags.

Boxed up and ready to go.
All they need is a cute gift tag!

Feel free to use my Turtle
Valentine Gift Tag.  
Just click on the picture to enlarge
it, right click to save the image and
resize to your liking and print onto
cardstock.

Happy Valentine's Day!  
I would TURTLE-Y Love it if you made these
Turtle Cookie Balls.

TURTLE COOKIE BALLS

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
approximately 70 vanilla wafer cookies, crushed (2 and 1/3 cups)
3 tablespoons caramel ice cream topping
16 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate (or chocolate almond bark) melted for dipping
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, crushed vanilla wafers and caramel topping until well blended.  Shape into approximately 42 (1-inch) balls.  Place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 10 minutes.  (NOTE: I used my smallest cookie scoop to help me form the balls in the same size.) Remove the balls from the freezer and using a fork or dipping tool, dip into melted chocolate.  Shake off the excess and place onto a waxed-paper lined tray.  Sprinkle with the chopped pecans before the chocolate sets up.  Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the balls to firm up before serving.

"VALENTINE: Every Hour is Happy With You" Cocktail Gift

Last Valentine's Day was pretty lame because I was on week 6 of a 16 week recovery of hand surgery.  I've mentioned in posts past that Mr. Devilish Dish and I passed the recuperation time by watching reruns of "Bar Rescue" and creating cocktails.  Aside from the excruciating pain, and frustration of only having one hand to blow dry my hair, I have to say those few weeks were time well spent with my husband.  He took great care of me and went to great effort to keep me comfortable, sane and entertained.  In addition, we learned a lot about the art of cocktail making and when Valentine's Day rolled around I knew I wanted to get him the handful of tools I realized we were missing in our bar set-up.  We needed a cocktail mixing glass, a cocktail strainer and he asked for sugar cubes.  I also found a company that sells the most unique cocktail mixers, bitters and more.  El Guapo is located in New Orleans, which is dear to our hearts because my brother-in-law is a chef there.  I had already ordered gifts for him from this company in years past, and I knew their LOVE POTION BITTERS would be the perfect addition to a cocktail themed Valentine basket.  I also added a bottle of their Cajun Grenadine which features the famous Ponchatoula strawberries.  And of course no Valentine is complete without some chocolates so I added some of his favorites in there too.  Considering I put the entire thing together with one hand, I was pretty impressed with this little gift.  Even if I wasn't able to tie a bow on it.  And the best part, is I do love a Valentine Pun, so I was able to add a little homemade card that said, "Valentine: Every Hour is Happy With You." Which turned out to be very true, because My Valentine is the one that helped me get through that mess of a surgery recovery. 

Valentine: Every Hour is Happy with You!

These bitters are so unique,
and fit with my theme perfectly.

I filled the cocktail mixing glass
with a variety of his favorite candy.
(And mine too.  I ate that Reese's.)

Did you know that traditional grenadine
is made from pomegranate? THIS certified
Cajun version features Louisiana strawberries. 

Here's the whole basket.  Good thing
it didn't need a bow, because I couldn't 
tie one with one hand.

Hope this gives you some Valentine inspo!