Recipe: Woman Crush Wednesday

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While today’s Woman Crush Wednesday chef needs no introduction in the U.K or Ireland as she is one of the most beloved women in the culinary world here, for those of you elsewhere let me tell you about the Queen of Baking.  Mary Berry is a remarkably 81 years young. Married with grown children she is an accomplished Le Cordon Bleu graduate and has written over seventy cookery books. With numerous televisions shows under her belt, the one for which she is adored by millions is the popular Great British Bake Off.  Just back on television again after a summer hiatus, this is the reality television competition (which debuted in 2010) that all others try to emulate. Like Mary herself, it is pure class.

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I had the pleasure of seeing her live at the BBC Good Food Show here in London.  It was on tour last November and my Hubby bought me a ticket for my birthday. It also happened to coincide with one of my Foodie Fieldtrip Friday outings.  She and her partner on GGBO (Paul Hollywood) demonstrated a lovely meal.  And I was able to eat it after the demo at the restaurant there. I thought about making that gorgeous chicken with shallots and asparagus she shared at the Olympia Theater that day, but then again, one of her all time fav recipes is a famous dessert that I just know you’re gonna love.  I have never made her version ( though I have made a similar one before) so I am very eager to taste the Mary Berry Banoffi Pie from her book Baking Bible.

Banoffi Pie

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Ingredients

FOR THE BASE

65g (2 ½ oz) butter
175g (6 oz) ginger biscuits, crushed (about 17)
FOR THE FILLING

100g (4 oz) butter
100g (4 oz) light muscovado sugar
2 x 397g (14 oz) cans condensed milk
FOR THE TOPPING

300ml (1/2 pint) double cream
1 large banana
a little lemon juice
a little grated milk or plain chocolate

Instructions

FOR THE BASE:  melt the butter in a small pan then remove from the heat and stir in the crushed biscuits. Mix well, then spread the mixture over the base and sides of a 23cm (9 inch) loose-bottomed fluted flan tin, pressing the mixture with a metal spoon to make it firm.

FOR THE FILLING: measure the butter and light muscovado sugar into a roomy non-stick pan. Heat gently until the sugar had dissolved, add the condensed milk and stir with a flat ended wooden spatula, stirring continuously and evenly for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is a golden toffee colour and thick – watch like a hawk as it burns easily. Turn into the prepared crumb crust case and leave to cool and set.

FOR THE TOPPING: whip the double cream until it just holds its shape and spread evenly over the cold toffee mixture. Slice the banana and coat in a little lemon juice to prevent the bananas discolouring. Pile the bananas on to the middle of the cream and dust the whole pie with grated chocolate. Lift on to a flat plate and remove the ring. Serve very chilled.

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While this is a very simple recipe, it doesn’t deter from the wow factor.  It seems to be a dessert almost anyone would love (apart from people who are dairy free, though they could make substitutions). And the good news is no oven is required!  So with the warm London weather this pie is going to go down a treat in the house.  I suspect it might be eaten up in one night!   Which is best because of the delicate nature of the bananas browning.  However, with the squeeze of lemon over the bananas it will hopefully keep until tomorrow, that is if we have self control!

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Who wouldn’t want her job, taste testing all those treats on Great British Bake Off? Finger lickin’ YUM!

Mary has received so many well deserved honors such as the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), degrees and freedoms from many universities and cities.  And she’s even featured on top of the list of best dressed for over 50s!  She does look smart and gorgeous always!  But I have a couple of key reasons why she is so special to me.  First of all she is a Kitchen Aid Mixer devotee as am I.  As well she is very involved in charities especially the  Child Bereavement U.K.  One of her sons died at age 19 from a car accident. Mary has shown great strength through so many challenges in life including a debilitating illness as a young girl.  But her warmth and positivity has gotten her far in her career and into the hearts of her fans.   I wish her many more years to come.  Since her mother lived to be 105 we shall look forward to at least 70 more cookery books!

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Thank you Mary Berry for your inspiring life, in and out of the kitchen!

Sweet LOVE,

YDP

Recipe: Master CookReel TV Competition Cook Off!

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As I have shared on here several times, I’ve been fortunate enough to be collaborating with CookReel TV on their Snapchat account (username:  cookreel).  Basically I do what I do on my own Snapchat  account (username: blissbakery) so I feel very comfortable and at home when I do my “takeovers”.   I do my cooking tutorial with some wackiness.  The usual carry on of bad singing and dancing but a great recipe.  I’ve also taken the viewers on some gastronomic expeditions around London.  But last week they asked me to participate in a different sort of adventure…a cook off against three other chefs.

Sure, sounds like fun!  NOT!!!  Well NOT for me!!!  I don’t like those pressure cooker competitive situations at all.  If fact so many of my friends and family have encouraged me over the years to join shows like Master Chef, Next Food Network Star, Great British Bake Off, you name it.  And I always say the same thing, NOT!!!   I know I’d be the one in the corner in tears, which of course is great fodder for reality television.  But that wouldn’t work for my sensitivities.  I’m one of those that believes everyone should win a medal.  Plus I cry at the drop of a hat. I cry at the national anthem (any country’s national anthem) and in fact I even cry at the Happy Birthday song!

Yet, I found myself in a situation where I was scared out of my wits but couldn’t say no.  I really love what CookReel TV is doing by giving undiscovered chefs a chance to show their talents.  So I agreed to participate.  I was a wreck.  It wasn’t stage fright, I don’t get that, maybe because I started acting at age six.  But at the best of times I fall over myself sitting down because I am such a klutz.  I love cooking and have so much fun, but it’s at my own pace.  To do it in a preset competitive time frame, with a secret ingredient chosen by CookReel TV and that would be JUDGED by the viewers?  OMG heart palpitations, insomnia you name it!  But sometimes we have to do something that scares us,  not only our own growth, but as a favor for someone else.

Fridays are busy enough days.   I have my usual Foodie Fieldtrip Friday with my Snapchat (and post the stories on here).  Given the time zone difference (CookReel is located in California) and my schedule it was easy to make an excuse.  But I went through with it and I am so grateful I did.  On the day, according to the competition rules, I couldn’t do any of the kitchen prep ahead of time for the ingredients.  So I decided to prep my soul!  I went to church for daily mass.  I took a walk with my doggie Stella.  And I reached out to the Snapchat community.  I shared my fears and asked for support.  I didn’t ask for votes, just that they would try to watch if they could. Then I would feel like it was any other cooking tutorial.  No joke, they were there 100 percent!  I even asked for their help on which song to use for my opening snap.

When the 5pm start time arrived I felt like I was jumping off a cliff into a deep blue ocean of uncertainty.  But in 60 minutes I managed to make my dish, get it plated up and share my recipe and social media information (which all the chefs do on their takeovers).  I felt like I had won when I signed off their account and I was literally doing air fist bumps to myself running around the house!  I wasn’t even thinking about actually “winning” as I felt like I had won because I did it, I ran through the fire of my fears without setting my house on fire with my crazed cooking!

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Guess what? When the votes were counted, I actually WON!  I won the competition!  I am still in shock actually.  I went on my Snapchat and thanked everyone who voted.  I cried that ugly happy cry that you’d expect.  But that is me.  I wear my heart on my sleeve.  I am so grateful to CookReel TV for believing I could do it, for the Snapchat community for supporting me, and my Hubby for basically telling me to remove the NOT from my vocabulary and just do it!

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Well, I AM pretty stubborn. While I did do it, I managed to make a recipe that retained the NOT.  Because the secret ingredient was Nutella, and the first time I ever tasted it was in Santa Monica on top of pancakes I recreated that moment. Only mine were a healthy version. I used my Easy Peasy Pancake recipe which is gluten, dairy and sugar free. I figured having regular Nutella with all the sugar and dairy would kind of cancel out the goodness of the pancakes. While I love Nutella I decided to make a healthy version and keep the NOT.   I made NOTella  which was gluten, dairy and sugar free.

Easy Peasy NOTella Pancakes

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Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup (50 g) porridge oats

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

couple of drops vanilla extract

handful of chopped toasted hazelnuts

Nutella (or *NOTella if being healthy, recipe below)

Maple syrup

 

Whizz first six ingredients up in a blender until smooth. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken up a bit. On the stove top, heat a griddle or frying pan with some melted coconut oil or butter.  If you prefer you can use a non stick pan.  Drop the batter into small rounds using a turkey baster or a spoon.  Cook for a couple minutes then careful turn with a spatula. Continue to cook on the other side until golden brown.  Remove to a plate.  Between each pancake spread with Nutella or “NOTella” and stack them. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. Pour some warmed maple syrup (that you’ve warmed with a dollop of Nutella or NOTella in it)  and serve.

*To make NOTella mix a jar of Hazelnut butter with 2 Tbps Cacao powder, 2 Tbsp honey (or 2 Tbsp maple syrup) 1 tsp vanilla extract in a bowl.  Because I was in a time crunch I couldn’t make a longer version of a healthy nutella recipe. It was a short cut to use the jar of hazelnut butter. But my friend Jen makes hers by toasting the hazelnuts in the oven to start.  If you’d like to try that recipe here is the link to it on her blog called Jen’s Gym Life.

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I’m NOT gonna lie, I am so excited and thankful. What did I win? Just the joy of knowing I could do it!  Of course with some big time help from all of you and some from above!

LOVE does NOT cost a thing!

YDP

P.S. I just wanted to mention that the other three chefs are beyond awesome.  Here is a snap that CookReel TV posted of all our Snapchat codes.  If you are on Snaps defo go watch them. They inspire me everyday! Or follow them on Instagram (links follow in their names).  Thanks Hayley, Brandon, and Ridhima!  Keep rocking the recipes!

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Recipe: Biscuits Fit for a Queen

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It was another fun CookReel TV Snapchat takeover. I had planned to do a gastronomic expedition and then return home to make a culinary creation. But things were a bit topsy turvy because of the exciting competition vote count for the first Master CookReel Competition!  So I baked up a batch of these amazing cookies and then ventured over to Buckingham Palace.  I mean, it is the number one tourist attraction in London for a reason!

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While I wasn’t able to give these biscuits (what they call cookies over in this part of the world) to Queen Elizabeth II myself, I figured since berries and chocolate are her two fav foods, maybe I’ll be asked back to bake them fresh.  Can you imagine the gorgeous smell of these baking in the Royal oven?  There was a recent media posting that they were looking for a new chef, so I thought the best way to the employer’s heart is through their stomach! Until then, hope you give these a try yourself.  They are super easy to make and absolutely mouthwatering!  You could also substitute blueberries or blackberries for the raspberries and even add some lemon zest if you wanted.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Cookies

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Ingredients:

170 g tube of Condensed Milk

175 g (1 punnet) fresh raspberries

225 g (8 oz) unsalted butter

225 g (8 oz)  caster sugar

350 g (123 oz) self-raising flour, sifted

150 g (5 1/2 oz) White Chocolate bar cut into chunks or use chips

 

  1. Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F/gas 4.
  1. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the condensed milk and continue to beat a bit more, the batter will be pale.
  1. Then, fold in the flour. Finally add the white chocolate carefully.
  1. Put parchment paper on a baking tray. Take a small bit of dough into your fingers and flatten. Place 2-3 raspberries in the middle of the dough and work the dough around it to create a ball. Place on the baking tray leaving plenty of space between the cookie balls to allow for spreading when they bake. Repeat procedure with the rest of the dough.

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  1. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown at the edges but still soft. Put the baking tray on a cooling rack. Leave to cool and set before transferring to a plate.
  1. The dough can remain the refrigerator (plain) for a week. Or you can prep the dough with the raspberries and freeze the balls in a freezer proof container for a month.

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For this recipe I used the white chocolate chips, but I usually use the Green & Black White chocolate bar chopped up. You could even use a combo of both. I’m normally a milk or dark chocolate girl.  But for these cookies, the white chocolate is the perfect accompaniment to the berries.  And the cookies turn out a bit crunchy on the edges and nice and gooey in the center.  They are my Hubby’s favs and I think he pretty much ate the entire batch before they had fully cooled!  That is always a good sign.

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So whether you are meeting the Queen, or miss her because you are late, give this recipe whirl. You won’t be disappointed.  I’m sure Hubby would be happy to help you polish them off!

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Come again Spoon!  LOVE,

YDP

P.S. You can find me on Snapchat (username blissbakery) everyday, and on Saturdays at 12 noon GMT on the Snapchat take over of CookReel TV (username cookreel). This recipe is from Carnation.

Recipe: Woman Crush Wednesday

With this being the first Woman Crush Wednesday of the second year in the life of Yankee Doodle Paddy, I knew we had to honor someone special.  A chef that has made a difference in the lives of others and has charted new food territory.  For us foodies who are in awe at the legacy she has created, we just can’t get enough of the beautiful way she puts together top quality ingredients to create a perfect symphony of flavors.

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Ruth Rodgers opened The River Cafe back in 1987 with her late business partner Rose Grey. They ventured into new territory for female bosses in a male dominated profession. But they let their food do the talking.  Italian inspired and beyond delicious, their London restaurant eventually won a Michelin Star.  And so many chefs have gone through the kitchens, that Ruth can proudly say she has created something beyond the River Cafe.  Names such as Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingsdale and April Bloomfield are just a few who were lucky enough to cook the incredibly creative yet unfussy dishes.

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With six award winning books, it was hard to choose a recipe to make.  I always do a recipe on WCW I’ve never done before but the inventory of dishes in Ruth’s arsenal is thick!  But since one of her specialties is the clever yet simple ways she makes pasta come alive, I decided to try the Tagliatelli. When Hubby and I went to The River Cafe for our anniversary back in 2012, I could have eaten every pasta dish on the menu.  But for today, we’ll give this one a go.  And I”ll be doing the tutorial live on my Snapchat account (username:  blissbkakery).

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Tagliarini al Bosco (Tagliarini with Asparagus and Herbs)

Ingredients:

675 g (1 1/2 lb) thin asparagus stalks, tough ends trimmed

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

250 ml (8 fl oz) double cream (called heavy cream in U.S.)

4 garlic cloves (peeled 3 whole, 1 chopped)

2 Tbsp olive oil

50 g (2 oz) butter

4 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mixed herbs (basil, mint parsley, oregano)

250 g (9 oz) tagliarini or tagliatelle (I used penne pasta)

120 g (4 1/2 oz) Parmesan, freshly grated

Method:

Cut the asparagus stalks into 2 cm (3/4 in) slices at an angle.  Blanch the stalks in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Blanc the tips for seconds only.  Drain well.

Bring the cream to the boil in a large saucepan with the whole garlic cloves and simmer until the cloves are soft. Remove from heat, and discard the garlic.

Heat the oil and butter in a separate saucepan and fry the remaining garlic until light and brown.  Add the herbs and stalks, and cook briefly just to coat them in the butter and oil, then pour in the flavored cream.  Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the cream behind to thicken, about 6 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta in a generous amount of boiling salted water, then drain thoroughly.  Add to the sauce along with about half of the Parmesan and the asparagus tips.  Serve with the remaining Parmesan.

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This pasta was a big hit tonight.  Hubby loved it and even though it is cream based, it actually tasted quite light. The ratio of asparagus to pasta was just right too.  And it was an easy to follow recipe that could be put together even after a long days work.  Since there’s only two of us in the house we will look forward to left overs for lunch tomorrow.  The recipe says it serves 6 people, but we sure made a good dent in it because of the fresh and flavorful taste.  I used a combination of herbs but if one only had basil that would suffice.

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While I have been calling Ruth by her given name, she is actually now know as Lady Rogers. She received the MBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 2010. Pretty amazing considering she was born in New York and lived in America through her college days.  After a move to London where she met her husband, she spent time in France and Italy were she honed her culinary palate for the unctuous Italian food. That was the cuisine on which she and partner Rose Grey chose to base their restaurant when it opened. With an amazing wood fired pizza oven, minimalist interior design, and open kitchen plan, The River Cafe was a step ahead of any other dining establishment at the time.

Even nearly 30 years later there is still a wait to book a table as the legacy has continued to flourish. And Lady Rogers has carried on without her beloved pal and partner Rose.  But likely her spirit is forever there with the whole of The River Cafe team. Truly a remarkable food experience infused with the love of two gorgeous gourmet gals!  And lucky for us they paved the way for other ladies to carve their way into the culinary world.

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Thank you sweet Lady Rogers (and indeed posthumously Lady Grey) for your contributions to the gastronomic world. We are forever in your debt!

River of LOVE,

YDP

Happy One Year Birthday!

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I’ve already mentioned in a few recent posts that this day was approaching. The one year birthday, or as some call it “blogiversary”, of my Yankee Doodle Paddy home.  I am so excited and also overwhelmed with emotion.  But later today there will be a free give away competition to celebrate over on my Snapchat account (username: blissbakery).

I just wanted to share with you a few of the top posts of the year.  Because in these 365 days this is the 222nd  post!  So for many that might have just started on the journey it would be hard to catch up.  And for those who have been here from the start, it might be good to look back at a few posts that have resonated with you in some way or another.

Obviously, this is categorized as a “foodie” blog because I am a chef and post recipes.  But I also share stories of my years working in Hollywood as an actress, as well as stories from my childhood and divorce that were very traumatic.  Not to moan on about them, but to let others know I can relate to their struggles and to open up some conversation about very real and human issues. Sharing stories is a beautiful way for our souls to connect.  It allows us to support and encourage each other in this earthy existence.

  1. Soul Dog– Most people seem to have had a dog at some point in their lives.  If not they have had a cat or some other pet that has touched their hearts.  Jack was one of many pets in my life.  But he stole my heart.  And when he passed it left a hole.  It is still there and that’s okay.  Because it is a reminder of just how much another (even an animal) can enter into our lives and make it better!  If you haven’t read this one, make sure to have some tissues at hand.  Not because of my particular story with Jack.  But because you will have a beautiful cathartic experience thinking about your own special creature that has stolen your heart.  It is good sometimes to have a cry.  It’s a beautiful reminder we are indeed alive!

2. Peanut Butter in the Pocket– My obsession with peanut butter is well documented. But not only will you have a chuckle at my love letter to peanut butter, but also be surprised to know I was once a thief! But there is the most amazing recipe for chocolate peanut butter bars. You have my permission to skip the story and go straight to drooling over these delish treats!

3. The Dog Ate the Pot Brownies– Another dog story true, but a different dog. Only this one is a unique because it features one of the episodes that relates to my mom being a drug dealer. But there is actually a delicious recipe for sweet potato brownies. Totally sugar and gluten free and no worries about a drug bust if you make them!

4.Spaghetti Sticks and Mayonnaise– People have said for years I should write a book. There are many unbelievable but true stories in my 51 years of life, but as a chef a cookery book is more up my alley. If that ever happens I wouldn’t mind this blog post’s name being the title. True, it is an unusual name for a cookery book. But when you read this short post (which was early days of the blog) you’ll see why cooking has been so important to me. I might not have been old enough to read the package instructions to cook the spaghetti at the time. But I’ll never forget the taste of spaghetti sticks dipped in mayonnaise.

5. Head Banging Tiramisu–  Since tonight I’ll be doing the give away as I mentioned above, I thought I would share the first give away I ever did for Snapchat. But it is really the story around it that is so, well, so me. I am the world’s biggest klutz. And this story is from my early days of snapping, when I nearly killed myself.  I thought it might give you a chuckle to read this cracking story!

6. Jagged Little Pills– So many people I meet are surprised to know I dealt with depression. I am such a happy person so how could that be? Well if you read this post you will understand. And I think you might find that it isn’t so hard to talk about a natural human response to grief or a chemical malfunction in our brain. It actually takes more work and energy to hide it.

7. Mancrush Monday in the Morning– If you are as much of a Marty in the Morning fan as I am, then you’ll love this post. If you like delicious cookies, then you’ll love it too. There’s a great cookie recipe and an even better love story for the nicest man I have never met! But please God some day I will. Yep it is on my bucket list!

8. Tripidation:  Serve– Finally, I had to add one of the posts from our trip to Africa. I did a whole week long series of reflections in fact and received so many amazing comments I could have listed any of the posts on here.  But for me, this one sums it up. Because in reality, we all need to be of some sort of service in our lives. Whether at home, work or the community. Humans need to have a life of purpose in order to be fulfilled. And while I was once a guest contributor to a blog, I haven’t officially had one on here.  However, in this particular post , the majority of the text and all of the photos were actually done by my Hubby.  Since my blogging and snapping and all of this wouldn’t be possible without his unfailing support, I hope you read this one if you read any of these listed. He is my rock and I am so grateful to be his wife.

So there you have it!  Eight posts from a year in the life of Yankee Doodle Paddy.  Please God there will be many more fun times, fab adventures, and yummy recipes to come.  Most of all I hope we can continue this experience together.  I don’t like to use the term “my followers” as I have mentioned previously. That would imply I am the leader, walking in front with my back to you.  I am possibly a tour guide at times.  But I prefer to think of us as family.  We are in it together, holding hands, side by side!

Thanks for the LOVE and support!

YDP

 

Recipe: That’s a Wrap

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While trying to maintain the balance of naughty and nice, I have a recipe for you today that would definitely fit into the nice category. It is gluten free and filled with veggies and yummy smoked salmon. It is easy to make and very refreshing on a hot summer’s day as we’ve had here in London lately. And if you don’t mind the gluten, why you could always put all the bits and pieces into a flour tortilla and make it into a wrap. But I like to do things a bit differently ,as you know, and have used the cucumber itself as the wrap! You just need to have good knife skills or else a mandoline slicer.

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Wraps

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Ingredients:

1 cucumber, sliced lengthwise into thin sheets

1 pkg 100 g smoked salmon

4 Tbsp Philly Cream Cheese

Handful of Rocket (arugula)

2 Tomatoes sliced into strips, removing seeds

1 Avocado, peeled, de-stoned and mashed

Small squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Fresh chopped or dried dill

Salt and Pepper to taste

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To assemble:

Place cucumber sheets in between (kitchen) paper towels to soak up a bit of moisture while you prep other ingredients. Then on a clean cutting board place one cucumber sheet and spread it with cream cheese. Spread avocado on top of cream cheese. Place the smoked salmon on top of that. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Place the tomatoes and rocket leaves on top. Carefully roll from one end of the sheet to the other and secure with toothpick. You should have enough to make 8 rolls. Put on platter and sprinkle with dill.

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This Smoked Salmon Cucumber isn’t the only wrap. Our time with Quincy Jones here in London is over.  And in showbiz when a event is finished they say, “That’s a wrap.”  He was here for the weekend for his Royal Albert Hall concert and we were so blessed to be with him. I mentioned our visit with him on Saturday evening.  But to be at The Royal Albert Hall (our first time there) and see him perform was phenomenal.  At 83 this dear friend just keeps on inspiring.  Not just with his talents of course, but his LOVING spirit.  Not sure if we will see him next back at his place in L.A. or other parts unknown.  We were with him at the Montreux Jazz Festival a couple of years ago and have also met up at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in Czech Republic.  But no matter where or when, we just want to wrap our hearts around each other in gratitude!

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LOVE Wrap,

YDP

 

 

Recipe: G&T at GMT

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Even though I am a foodie, I am a drinkie too.  If that is even a word.  I was late to the game of drinking alcohol of any description. Of course for obvious reasons because I spent my early years pregnant or nursing babies.  Which was fine, I never felt like I missed out on the partying I saw going on around me.  I was a happy designated driver.  That continued on even after the kids weren’t so little anymore as I never really had a taste for alcohol.  Then my dear friend Quincy Jones changed that. When I was going through my divorce there were some very dark days indeed which I’ve shared on here. Quincy was a great support and on one occasion in particular surprised me.

I was about to get into a bubble bath with the candles lit and my favorite Tony Bennett CD playing.  Quincy called on the phone to check on me.  When I set the scene of my night he said, “Sounds like something is missing”.  The next thing I knew, the doorbell rang.  It was Quincy’s driver who handed me a bottle of red wine.  But not any red wine.  This was a super fancy bottle of Chateau Mouton Rothschild.  Even though I didn’t drink at the time I said, well if Quincy went through the trouble of having this hand delivered, I guess I’ll pop it open.  Ever since then I tease him that he is a corrupter.  I don’t drink red wine everyday but I have learned to appreciate it.  And I have even ventured onto trying other spirits.

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I haven’t done many drinks recipes on here, but today I am sharing a lovely recipe for a Slushy G&T that I made for this week’s Snapchat Takeover of CookReel’s account.  I actually made a few things for a culinary creation “picnic”.  First off I baked some healthy flapjacks, a version of the Megawatt Breakfast Bars with a few tweaks.  Then I put together a tasty and simple, Salad on a Stick.  But it was the Liquid Libations that made the theme of the day so fun.

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Since I mentioned on my last post that CookReel have asked me to do a weekly spot in their line up, my unique Yankee Doodle Paddy offering each episode will be a culinary creation and a gastronomic expedition. I put together a little healthy sweet and savory picnic and Hubby and our doggie Stella and I headed over to the Royal Greenwich Observatory.  At the top of the hill in Greenwich Park this historic treasure was commissioned by King Charles II in 1675.  British astronomers worked tirelessly to move time keeping beyond sun dials to what we now use as modern time keeping.  Hence, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is where most of our clocks are set. What does GMT have to do with food?  Well, as a chef, ingredients are most important.  But timing is also key.  And how lucky are we that we live so close to the very spot where time starts!  Only a boat ride away along the River Thames. So we had our G&T at GMT!

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Slushy G&T

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Ingredients:

1 cup gin (chilled)
2 cups ice
3 cups tonic water (chilled)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Place everything in a blender. When it’s nice and slushy pour into a glass and garnish with a lime or lemon.

Salad on a Stick

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Ingredients:

12 oz Cooked Italian Style Poultry Sausages, cut into 1 in pieces (or you can substitute mini mozz cheese balls for vegetarians)

½ cup lightly packed basil leaves

1 jar of sundried tomatoes, cut into 1 in pieces

1 jar of roasted peppers, drained and cut into 1 in pieces

1 jar artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

24 skewers or cocktail toothpicks

1 cup Balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp brown sugar

  1. Heat a nonstick skillet and cook the sausages until done.
  1. Thread 1 small or a ½ of a large basil leaf onto a wooden skewer. Add a piece of roasted pepper, sundried tomato, artichoke, and ending with the sausage. The skewer will stand up on the sausage end. Continue to finish all the skewers using remaining ingredients. Serve with the balsamic reduction sauce.
  1. To make the balsamic reduction: Combine 1 cup of balsamic vinegar and 2 Tbsps brown sugar in a small pan over medium high heat and bring up to a bubbling boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the liquid has reduced by half and is thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes.

The Salad on a stick is very adaptable and one could substitute mini mozzarella cheese balls for the sausages if wanting to stay all veggie. As well, a lovely pesto sauce would be nice drizzled on them as an alternative to the balsamic reduction.  And the flapjacks are so easy to tweak depending on what ingredients are available. Since we were going to be spending dinner with Quincy Jones who happens to be in London, I wanted to bring him a sugar free treat. So the flapjacks were perfect!  The last time I saw him in Los Angeles a few months back I brought him my famous poppy seed cake, his fav, along with a bottle of red wine.  Little did I know he had given up sweets and alcohol!  So he called me a corrupter when I walked in the door!  He got me back!  We’re even. So tonight no corruption just LOVE!

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Whether you are a corrupter or not, there is something in this simple picnic menu for you to enjoy.  You can go whole hog and have it all, or if you are a vegan non alcohol drinking health nut, you can just enjoy the flapjacks!  And you can do it in whatever time zone you happen to live.

Uncorruptable LOVE,

YDP