Frozen Santoni Spritz in the Ninja Slushi Professional Drink Maker

I told you a while back that the Frozen Aperol Spritz has been my drink of summer.  Total Wine loves to see me coming for Aperol and Prosecco.  I had read an article a while back that said if you enjoy Aperol, to try Santoni. Santoni Aperitivo is a bittersweet Italian liqueur featuring botanicals, rhubarb and olive leaf.  Aperol is sweetest and lightest of these styles of bitter aperitifs.  Campari has the deeper more intense bitter flavor.  Santoni sits in the middle of those two.  A traditional Santoni Spritz is 2 parts Santoni, over ice with 4 parts Prosecco.  Garnished with an olive.  AN OLIVE.  In a spritzer.   Since I enjoyed the Frozen Aperol Spritz so much, I went straight for a Frozen Santoni Spritz without even trying the liqueur first.  The first drink I had was slightly more bitter than the Aperol I was used to.  I thought I had made a mistake.  Upon a few more sips, I realized the flavor is very good.  But it seemed like it was missing something.  I always garnish my Aperol Spritzes with an orange slice, so I thought I would stick to tradition and throw in a couple of Castelvetrano olives.  IN A SLUSH.  So here I am drinking what looks like a cherry Icee from 7-11 with the bitterly botanical flavor with olives floating around.  And you know what?  There's a reason Italian food is some of the best in the world.  Italians simply know what they are doing with flavor.  The addition of those olives with a touch of their brine completely changed the flavor of the drink.  If you don't like Aperol, then you probably will not enjoy a Santoni Spritz, but if you do like the flavor of Aperol or Campari, then most definitely give this a try.  If you don't have a slushi maker, then just make a traditional spritz that isn't frozen.  The sophisticated flavors and beautiful red color make this drink unusually refreshing. 

This is actually really good.
*IF* you like Aperol or Campari.
If you hate Aperol, you probably 
won't enjoy this as much as we did.

The traditional garnish is an olive.
The flavors compliment this liqueur
so much.  It's really a tasty drink.

I'll say it again...The Italians REALLY
know how to put delicious flavors together.

Despite looking like a cherry ICEE,
this grown-up drink is full of 
botanical flavor.  Truly a sophisticated sip.

FROZEN SANTONI SPRITZ IN THE NINJA SLUSHI DRINK MAKER

(1) 750 ml bottle Prosecco
1 cup Santoni Aperitivo Liqueur
2 cups Club Soda
1-2 tablespoons olive brine
Castrelvetrano olives for garnish

Combine the Prosecco, Santoni, club soda and olive brine in the drink machine.  Choose the spiked slush setting and one frozen, garnish with a couple of Castrelvetrano olives and enjoy.

For a TRADITIONAL SANTONI SPRITZ:

Pour 2 parts Santoni Aperitivo over ice.  Top with 4 parts Prosecco or sparkling wine.  Garnish with olives.

 

Creamy Broccoli Salad

I found my new favorite side dish for the rest of the summer.  Most of my weekends (and some week nights too) revolve around Mr. DD smoking some kind of meat.  Not my thing (except for the smoked tri-tip) but it does give me the opportunity to try a lot of new side dishes and desserts.  Bonus if they can be made ahead and then I just sit in the blow up pool and sample whatever new frozen cocktail I've been trying to master with the Ninja Slushi machine.  We've had some hits and misses, but this salad was definitely a hit.  His input was to add bacon, my thought was to add some chopped pecans or slivered almonds next time, but the be honest this salad is ideal exactly as it is.  Perfect for any barbecue or potluck meal as well.  A nice change from potato salad or coleslaw too.  And with the addition of the dried cranberries, I think this salad is not just for summer, but would be delicious alongside any fall or holiday meal.    

A delicious alternative to potato salad
or coleslaw.  This crunchy salad is 
full of flavor.

The ingredients...
So simple to make.

Combine the chopped broccoli,
red onion and dried cranberries together.
Make the dressing and toss to combine.

This salad tastes even better when you make it
a few hours ahead or the day before!

CREAMY BROCCOLI SALAD

2 broccoli crowns
1 small red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

Chop the broccoli into small pieces and place in a large salad bowl.  Add the diced onion and dried cranberries.  In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and lemon juice.  Pour over broccoli mixture and toss to coat evenly.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate at least one hour to let the flavors meld together.  Toss again just before serving.  (This can easily be made the day before.)

Enjoy,

Frozen S'mores

We had a small 4th of July gathering.  Mr. Devilish Dish made "Brisket on a Stick" which is really giant ribs.  I made my Mom's Corkscrew Pasta Salad  because it is Little Devil's favorite.  We had baked beans and Vodka Slushes too.  I was trying to keep things simple and "make ahead" and I really wanted a make ahead dessert too.  Mr. Devilish Dish suggested Peach Cobbler, which I absolutely love, but I wanted to try something new.  The 4th of July and summer always makes me think of S'mores but right now we are in straight pool and patio mode in our yard, and the firepit is covered up.  Not to mention it is hotter than heck this time of year, and cooking dessert over a flame just didn't sound fun.  I thought about making a S'mores homemade ice cream, but again it is the lazy days of summer.  I thought surely some kind of frozen s'mores bar or ice cream sandwich exists.  And yes!  Here we are.  This was a simple but fun dessert to make and it turned out to be a huge hit.  Light and cool, it was the perfect bite after a big bbq meal.  I'll definitely be making this treat again this summer.  A fun alternative to the traditional s'mores!

A fun and cool alternative to the 
traditional roasted s'mores.

Just a few ingredients.

Mix the pudding mix and whole
milk together, then fold in a 
little bit of the whipped topping.

Line a pan with parchment paper
(See note below)
Top with cracker sections and then
the chocolate mixture.
Freeze.

Meanwhile, mix together the
marshmallow cream and cream cheese.
Fold in remaining whipped topping.

Spread this on top of the set 
chocolate mixture.

Make sure this is smooth.
See how I left parchment overhanging
the edges of the pan? This step is important
to ensure you can cut into neatly 
shaped bars.

Top with graham cracker sections and 
return to freezer several hours or overnight.
Use the parchment paper to lift the 
frozen slab out of the pan and onto a 
cutting board.  Cut into neat squares with a 
sharp knife.

Enjoy.  These made an ideal dessert 
for the hot Fourth of July!

FROZEN S'MORES BARS

1 (5.9 ounce) box instant chocolate pudding mix
2.5 cups cold whole milk
1 box graham crackers (you will have one package leftover)
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang the pan.  (This step is important.) Break the graham cracker rectangles in half, creating squares and line the bottom of the pan.  (I had to carefully cut a couple to fit around the edges)  Set aside.  In a bowl, beat together the pudding mix and cold milk until smooth and creamy.  Stir in quarter of the whipped topping (about a heaping 1/2 cup) and mix well.  Spread the chocolate mixture over the graham crackers and place the pan into the freezer.  Mean while, mix together the marshmallow creme and cream cheese until smooth.  Fold in the remaining whipped topping.  Remove the pan from the freezer and spoon the marshmallow mixture over the chocolate mixture and top with more graham cracker squares.  Cover the pan and freeze for several hours or overnight.  Remove from the freeze, and use the parchment paper to lift the frozen slab from the pan onto a cutting board.  Use a sharp knife to cut evenly into squares using the graham cracker sections as your guide.  Serve immediately or place the sections into an airtight freezer-safe container, placing parchment paper between each layer.  Keep frozen until serving.

Enjoy,

French Dip Sliders

The Oklahoma Sooners Baseball team had themselves quite a season.  They went on a historic run and won the Men's College World Series.  It's been a little over a month since their memorable win, and Mr. Devilish Dish still cannot get enough.  Almost every night he re-watches the highlights from the games.  So far he has ordered an engraved National Championship wine bottle, a new hoodie, and a flag for tailgate.  Safe to say he's quite the fan.  We entertained on our patio nearly the entire season, and one of the recipes that scored a homerun were these French Dip Sliders.  You can never go wrong with slider sandwiches for a crowd.  They can be assembled ahead and easy to serve and eat.  Perfect for a group of guys glued to the game.  Packed with rich, delicious flavor...these are definitely a crowd pleaser! 

A true crowd please for any occasion.

The Ingredients.

Layer cheese, then roast beef,
then more cheese onto the bottom half
of the Hawaiian rolls.

Add on the roll tops...

Melt the butter and add the seasonings.

Brush this mixture evenly onto the
tops and sides of the rolls.

Bake until golden brown.

Serve with the au jus for dipping.

These are so hearty and delicious. 

FRENCH DIP SLIDERS

1 12-count package Hawaiian dinner rolls
1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
12 slices provolone cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 packet au jus gravy mix
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.  Carefully slice the entire slab of Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally, keeping the rolls attached together.  Place the bottom half of the rolls into the prepared pan.  Layer 6 slices of cheese over the bottom of the rolls.  Top with roast beef and then top with the 6 remaining slices of cheese.  Place the top slab of the rolls on and set aside.  In a small pan on the stove top, melt the butter.  Add 1 tablespoon of the dry au jus mix, Worcestershire sauce, sesame seeds, garlic powder and onion powder.  Whisk well and brush this mixture evenly over the tops and sides of the rolls.  Bake the sliders approximately 15-20 minutes until the tops of the rolls are golden and the cheese is gooey.  While the sliders are baking, place the remaining au ju mix into a small sauce pan over medium heat and add the amount of cold water indicated on package.  Bring to a boil and simmer until slightly thickened.  Remove and cut sliders into individual sandwiches and serve with au jus for dipping.

Enjoy,