Blackberry Mojito

Mojitos are the perfect drink.  I always seem to default to them, sometimes even in  mid winter.  But this is the season when they really shine, when you can get hot and sweaty and parched enough to truly appreciate their cool, tingly, icy charm.  I like mojitos because they are relatively light drinks; you can actually drink one at lunch and not fall face first into your salad.  They take well to all kinds of fruits, too, which means they can be a blank canvas for some pretty creative mixology.  Tastespotting has a stunning 9 pages of mojitos ranging from the classic, to recipes using pomegranate, persimmon, rhubarb, pretty much any fruit you can think of.

This is basically a classic mojito, with the addition of some fresh blackberry puree.  You could theoretically muddle, or crush, the berries right in the cocktail shaker, but I made a quick berry puree so I could strain the seeds out.  Depending on your berries and how much puree you use, you’ll get anything from a cranberry red, to lavender, or even deep purple color to your drink.  

Most mojito recipes include simple syrup or sugar, but I think the blackberries add enough sweetness to the drink, and I prefer my mojitos on the dry side anyway.  If you want some extra sweetness, add a little simple syrup or fine sugar.

For us in California, it’s Cinco de Mayo even more than Memorial Day that kicks off the summer season.   It was a hot 94 degrees yesterday, my fresh mint started to wilt before I could finish shooting! 

Blackberry Mojito
2 oz white rum
several fresh mint leaves
3 to 4 Tbsp blackberry puree
juice of 1/2 lime
4 oz club soda

  • Muddle, or crush, the mint leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.  Add ice, the rum, blackberry puree, and lime juice.  Shake and pour over fresh ice.  Top with club soda.  Use a sprig of mint and lime for garnish.  Drop in a couple of fresh blackberries if you like.

to make blackberry puree:
take a handful of berries per drink, and puree them in a blender or small food processor.  Add a little water to thin the puree and then strain out the seeds.

Have a happy and safe weekend!

One year ago today—

Marinated Goat Cheese

Overnight Bacon, Egg & Cheese Casserole

WELCOME TO ANOTHER MONTH OF 2 SWEETIE PIES!!  I LOVE THIS DAY!  MY BLOGGING BUDDY LIZZY (FROM THAT SKINNY CHICK CAN BAKE) AND I EACH BAKE FROM THE OTHER’S BLOG AND SURPRISE EACH OTHER…AND YOU-WITH WHAT WE MADE!!! TRUTH BE TOLD, I LOVE THAT EVERY RECIPE I CHOOSE IS ALWAYS A WINNER! Especially this bacon, egg & cheese casserole.  And I love that it can be prepped the night before and baked off in the morning!

So this month, I wanted to try a savory breakfast casserole.  Liz’s bacon and egg casserole was screaming my name.  My hubby adores eggs and I knew I could make a few changes to transform this into a gluten free breakfast paradise.  So, that’s just what I did.  I used Udi’s gluten free bread-one loaf with the crusts left on!  I first cooked them up into croutons as the original recipe calls for croutons.  They were buttery and delicious! You could follow the same process with regular bread to make your own croutons.  Thanks for another winner, Liz!!! xo

Bacon and Egg Casserole…adapted from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Croutons:

4 cups cubed bread (I used Udi’s, crust on)

3 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

 Casserole:

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

8 eggs, beaten

4 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon pepper

6 slices crumbled, cooked bacon

Make croutons:

  1. Heat butter and oil in a skillet.
  2. Once melted, add cubed bread and cook on medium low tossing often until well browned.
  3. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Let cool.

Make Casserole:

  1. Lay croutons and cheese in a well greased 9 x 13 pan. 
  2. Combine remaining ingredients except bacon. 
  3. Pour liquid over croutons and cheese.  Top with bacon.

Bake at 325º for about 45 minutes to an hour or till egg is set.

****To make the night before, complete all steps except for topping with bacon.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  The next morning, remove from refrigerator and top with crumbled bacon.  Bake at 325º for 1 1/2 hours or till center is set.  Important note:  I used a 325 convection oven setting and mine was perfectly baked and done in 45 minutes so check on yours to see.  Serve warm.

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Zucchini Fritters

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Yesterday was a gorgeous day in the city. We went to the beach and afterwards tried a new Indian restaurant called Viva Goa in the marina district, which was incredible! They have an appetizer called “Chicken Lollipops” which is a must-try. The beach was pretty crowded due to the nice weather, but all of the lively people made for an entertaining afternoon.

This zucchini fritter recipe is one of my favorite healthy snack recipes. They take a good amount of time to make, but you can make a large batch and then freeze some for later! If you have a food processor, it is much easier to make them, but you can also shred the zucchini by hand (I have done both before). Zucchini is made of mostly water, so it is really important to squeeze out as much water as possible – I usually get about 1/4 cup of water from one zucchini. I love these little zucchini pancakes warm with a dollop of cold, light sour cream.

Zucchini Fritters
 
Save Print
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total
35 mins
 
Type: Side
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • 3 medium zucchini
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • Canola oil
Instructions
  1. Shred the zucchini by hand or in a food processor, then transfer to a mixing bowl and add the salt.
  2. Using your hands, squeeze out as much water as possible into the sink or a bowl (I usually get ¼ cup per zucchini).
  3. Mix in the pepper and paprika, then the onion, egg, flour and baking powder well.
  4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium heat.
  5. Once the oil is hot, drop 1 tablespoon of batter onto the skillet and press down with the back of the spoon to flatten. Flatter is better so they cook through!
  6. Repeat until the skillet is filled, then cook each side for about 3 minutes (should be golden brown before flipping).
  7. Serve with sour cream.
Makes ~10 fritters
    3.2.2265

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Easy Artichoke Dip
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Southwest Quinoa Salad

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