Mint Julep

Photo: Unsplash

Don your best Derby hat or seersucker suit and mix up a batch for the big race on Saturday, May 7.

PS: For more on the Derby and fun facts to impress your friends with, check out our “Why The Kentucky Derby Is Our Favorite Event Of The Year.”

Ingredients

• 8 mint leaves

• 1/4 ounce simple syrup

• 2 ounces bourbon

• Garnish: mint sprig

• Garnish: Angostura bitters (optional)

Instructions

1. In a Julep cup or rocks glass, lightly muddle the mint leaves in the simple syrup.

2. Add the bourbon then pack the glass tightly with crushed ice.

3. Stir until the cup is frosted on the outside.

4. Top with more crushed ice to form an ice dome, and garnish with a mint sprig and a few drops of bitters (optional).

This recipe is courtesy of the fine folks over at liquor.com.

Did you know? The mint julep has been the official cocktail of the Derby since 1938. The drink is made with Woodford Reserve bourbon (the official sponsor of this year's event). Over 120,000 juleps are sold every year at the Derby on a typical year. This year, Woodford Reserve is selling special mint julep cups. Of the 148 cups, 18 are gold and retail for $2,500, and 130 are silver and retail for $1,000, with sales benefitting a non-profit for retired thoroughbred horses.

Crispy Cauliflower Tacos

Photo: A Couple of Cooks

Make Mother Earth, and your stomach, happy.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Crispy Breaded Cauliflower

• 15-ounce can of vegetarian refried beans

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• 2 cups red cabbage, shredded

• 2 limes (1 for the cabbage & 1 to serve)

• 3 tablespoons Yum Yum Sauce (use vegan mayo or substitute Spicy Chipotle Sauce)

• 8 corn tortillas

• Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the Crispy Breaded Cauliflower (about 40 minutes total; use the remaining time to complete the steps below.)

2. If using purchased refried beans, taste and if needed, mix with ½ teaspoon cumin and/or a pinch or two kosher salt.

3. Thinly slice the cabbage, enough for 2 cups. Mix it with 2 tablespoons lime juice and a pinch or two of salt. Allow it to stand at room temperature until serving.

4. Make the Yum Yum Sauce.

5. Warm the tortillas, or char them by placing them on grates above an open gas flame on medium heat for a few seconds per side, flipping with tongs, until they are slightly blackened and warm.

6. Chop the cilantro for a garnish.

7. To serve, place refried beans in a tortilla, top with cabbage, breaded cauliflower, Yum Yum sauce and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges to spritz prior to serving. (If you have leftover cauliflower, you can reheat them in a 350F oven for 10 minutes, flipping once.)

This delicious dish is from none other than A Couple of Cooks. They're one of our go-to’s for all things food.

Baileys Irish Cream Pancakes

Top o' the Morning to you.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 large egg

• 2/3 cup milk

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Irish cream liquor (such as Baileys)

• 1 3/4 cup (7 ounces) cake flour

• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 4 tablespoons butter for cooking pancakes and to garnish

• Maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

1. Whisk butter, sugar, salt, and egg in a medium bowl.

2. Whisk in milk and Irish cream liquor until combined.

3. Add flour and baking powder to the bowl, then stir until just about smooth (see note).

4. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet until melted over medium-low heat. Scoop as many 1/4 cup portions of batter into pan as will fit without crowding, then gently spread out into a disc shape.

5. When bubbles appear on the surface, flip the pancakes over and continue to cook until done, about 1-2 minutes more.

6. Repeat with remaining batter (see note).

7. Serve warm with butter and syrup.

Note: Cake flour can get easily packed if you measure with a cup. For best results, scale-out the flour or gently spoon the flour into the cup. If the first pancake is too thick, gently stir in a tablespoon or two of milk (or Baileys). Avoid over-mixing the dough or else the batter will become too tough—your final batter will contain some lumps. When cooking the subsequent batches of pancakes, you may only need a slight bit, if any, extra butter for the pan.

Thank you to Serious Eats for this recipe. Make sure you check out the original recipe for cooking tips and leads on other amazing recipes.

Eggplant Lasagna

Maybe your best dinner yet by mixing two comfort food favorites, eggplant parmesan and lasagna, for this delicious dish.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants, about 6" to 8" long

• Kosher salt

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 yellow onion

• 2 tsp. dried oregano

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1- 25 oz. jar marinara

• 16 oz. whole milk ricotta

• 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan

• 1 large egg

• 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

• 4 c. shredded mozzarella

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Cut ends of eggplants and slice thinly, about 1/4” thick. Lay slices on a cooling rack and season with salt. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Pat salted sides with a paper towel. Flip, season again, and let sit for another 20 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel.

3. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Sauté garlic for 1 minute, then add onions and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and cook until onions are translucent. Add marinara and cook until warmed through.

4. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

5. In a 9"-x-13" casserole dish, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce, a single layer of eggplant “noodles, "a layer of ricotta mixture, then a layer of mozzarella; repeat layers. Top last layer of eggplant with marinara sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan.

6. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. If desired, remove foil and broil until golden on top, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve.

Thank you to Delish for this recipe. Make sure you check out the original recipe for other amazing recipes.

The Ultimate Cheese Plate

The best of the best all in one place.

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 kinds of cheese (at least one soft)

• Dark chocolate

• Olives

• Marcona almonds or nuts

• Some type of fruit- even just a touch of berries- blueberries or raspberries across the plate looks beautiful 

• Marinated peppers (usually by the olives at the grocery store)

• Mini pickles 

• Some type of salami meat or prosciutto (check out Instagram for inspiration on making salami flowers)

• Your favorite carb: crackers (grab gluten free to make this gluten free), baguette, toast points

1. Start with a really cool base - cutting board, plate or a baking sheet in whatever shape you’d like.

2. Position your cheese first, then your meats.

3. Use your crackers/baguette to fill in the holes

4. Sprinkle in the nuts, fruit and chocolate to finish it off

Other considerations to include:

• Mini pumpkins for fall

• For kids: use fruit, veggies, popcorn, goldfish or granola. Or give them each a theme with a veggie, fruit, meat and cheese and let them create their own.

• Dessert board: think brownies, cookies, fruit, candy

We gathered suggestions near and far on what to include in your cheese plate. Might we suggest following Cheese by the Numbers, That Cheese Plate or Kate’s Cheese Shop on Instagram for continued inspiration?

Apple Highball

Finally, a cocktail that dry January participants and those who choose to close their day with a drink can agree on.

Ingredients

• 1.5 ounces Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative or your favorite whiskey (for Keto/Paleo, use the whiskey alternative)

• 1 bar-spoon (about a teaspoon) orange marmalade

• Ginger beer (enough to fill the glass)

• Dried apple and orange chips, for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine whiskey/whiskey alternative, marmalade and ginger beer.

2. Give it a good shake, but you don’t have to go too hard for this one. Just mix it up and go.

3. Garnish and serve. And save those apple and orange chips for a late-night snack.

The original recipe is from the Greatist/Alex Pendergrass.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Is there any better combination than chocolate, peanut butter and sugar? Nope.

Ingredients

Sift together:

• 1 3/4 cups of flour (see below for a gluten free option)

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

Cream together:

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/3 cups peanut butter

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Add:

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla, beat well

1. Blend in dry ingredients gradually. Mix thoroughly.

2. Shape dough into balls using a rounded teaspoon for each.

3. Roll balls into white sugar and place them on greased cooking sheets.

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 mins.

5. Top each cookie with a Hershey Kiss, pressing down firmly.

6. Return to oven for 2-5 mins.

Thanks to our mom for this recipe. If you can believe, it’s almost 50 years old as she received it from a friend back in 1972. It’s a mainstay in our household for the holidays and may your family enjoy it as much as we have.

PS: We have made these with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour and they’re fantastic.

Holiday Martini

Photo: Kourtney Brooke/TINGE

‘Tis the season to be merry.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) vodka

• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) 100% cranberry juice (not sweetened*)

• ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) Cointreau

• ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons simple syrup or maple syrup*

• For the garnish: cranberries, rosemary sprig

*See link below for modifications if you’re using sweetened cranberry juice…it changes your simple syrup measurements.

1. Place the vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, lemon juice, and syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 15 seconds until cold.

2. Strain the drink into a cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with cranberries and rosemary and serve.

Thanks to last week’s Water Me Wednesday guest Kourtney Brooke from TINGE for this sharing this A Couple of Cooks recipe! Visit the original recipe on their website for modifications and how to make a larger batch of these babies for a party.