Glendora is Back!

Our favorite cousin is back with recipes to help you cope with winter's deep freeze! It's time to tap that box of wine!

Make Your Own Cocktail Syrups!

Have you ever looked at a cocktail recipe and thought "I can't make that! I don't have (fill in the blank) syrup!" Yes, you can! Cocktail syrups are easy to make, which means that not only do you not need to source specialty syrups or order online, you can save lots of money!

The syrup called for the most in cocktail recipes is simple syrup, which is nothing more than sugar and water. Combine one part sugar to one part water. I like to melt mine on the stovetop (don't boil - it's ready as soon as the sugar is melted), but you can also shake vigorously until they're completely combined. If you prefer a richer syrup you can use two parts sugar. You can also use a brown sugar, such as turbinado or demerara, if you're looking for variety.

For easy passionfruit, tamarind and other exotic syrups, simply combine one part simple syrup to one part frozen fruit pulp. If you have a 14 oz packet of passionfruit pulp, melt 7 oz of sugar in 7 oz of water, add your pulp and melt. That's it! We also use this technique for grenadine: one part pure pomegranate juice to one part simple syrup.

There are many fancy syrups out there, such as chili lime syrups, ginger,  cinnamon, etc. Those are practically as easy to accomplish as the syrups above! Steep herbs or spices in water until you have a flavor you like (letting them sit overnight really brings out the flavor), then proceed as you would for simple syrup, using your flavored water in place of plain water. Try it with  herbal teas, fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks and more!

If you're concerned that you might not use your syrup quickly and would like a preservative, a shot of light rum or vodka will help to prolong its life. Be sure to store your syrups in the refrigerator!

There is a world of easy cocktail syrups at your fingertips! Play around with your favorite flavors and, when you have a syrup you really love, send us the recipe! We'd love to feature it!

Rum Cake Pop Garnishes

I've heard it said, and can attest firsthand that it's true, that cake pops are addictive. They're so good and so little that it seems harmless to have just one more... then suddenly you realize you've had the equivalent of a large slice of candy coated cake! I recently checked a book out of the library on making cake pops and was glad I hadn't actually bought it, since it's the easiest process ever. There doesn't have to be any baking involved and you can wing it and be pretty much guaranteed of success. All you do is crumble up some cake (store bought is fine) and add some moisture (in the book they used frosting - I used rum, since I'm inclined that way) until it forms into balls nicely. Don't add too much - you want it to hold together, but not be wet. Then you add picks or skewers if you want them, then dunk in chocolate chips melted according to package directions or the candy melt pellets you can purchase at the craft stores. Then you let them firm up. That's it, unless you want to decorate them! I, of course, sprinkled them with edible glitter, since I sprinkle everything with edible glitter. They make great garnishes for your tropical libations!

Power Outage? Fondue Party!

Hopefully you’re not about to be impacted by the blizzard the east coast has been promised this weekend but, if you are, fondue is a good way to have a hot meal if the power goes out!  At its most basic, fondue is simply melted cheese, chocolate or hot oil into which you dip bites of food for cooking. Keep garlic cloves, white wine (or broth, for a non-alcoholic version) and shredded cheese on hand, along with bread for dipping (slightly stale bread works best) and you will eat like a king!  For the most basic of cheese fondues, all you do is rub the bottom of your fondue pot with a clove or two of garlic, add wine (or broth) and bring to a simmer, then add your cheese a handful at a time and stir until it’s melted! Adding about a tablespoon of cornstarch that has been combined with an equal amount of water or liquor will help to smooth it out and of course you can add any spices, liqueurs (kirsch is popular) and cheese loving foods you like! One of my favorite recipes involves adding lump crabmeat. Cooked shrimp would also be great.  Use your imagination, keep the appropriate fuel for your fondue pot on hand and stay safe if you find yourself surrounded by the fluffy white stuff!

Here are a couple of fun fondue recipes from 1969's The Fondue Cookbook, compiled and edited by Beth Merriman, along with a little info about heaters for fondue pots. Bon appetit!

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

We don't eat much meat around here, partly because it can be really expensive for anything that's decent quality. A couple of times recently I've roasted a whole chicken, since, pound for pound, it's a good deal and we can use it in meals for days. Today I'm trying it in the crock pot. There are hundreds of crock pot chicken recipes online, but I don't think you even really need one. All you do is wash and pat dry the chicken (be sure to remove the giblets!), place herbs, onions, a lemon or anything else you like inside the chicken, season inside and out however you like (definitely salt and pepper, along with anything else that sounds good to you),  add a little liquid to the pot (I used chicken broth, since we have a ton from the last chicken), then finally the chicken. Mine is five pounds, so I'm cooking for five hours on the high setting. I'm also trying a tip I saw on several sites, which involved making a "rack" for the chicken out of balls of foil - just wad up pieces of foil into balls, place in the bottom of the pot and set the chicken on them. It's supposed to keep it from burning on the bottom.

I also made a "gravy" I'm very happy with, since it tastes great and I absolutely cheated while making it. Most gravy recipes involve about 37 steps and they don't result in a better gravy than mine. I've named it Cheating Gravy and I plan to make it often!

Cheating Gravy

The giblets from one chicken

About 2 TBSP bourbon

About 1/2 cup chicken broth

Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and red pepper flakes to taste

About 2 TBSP flour

Combine all ingredients except the flour and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the giblets and chop, then add back the liver and heart if you like (it's fine if you leave them out). Return to a simmer. Combine flour with enough cold water to make a paste, add to the pot and stir until it thickens (this happens quickly). Voila - cheating gravy!

Crackerquariums!

The next time you're looking for an effortless appetizer that is nevertheless impressive looking, make Crackerquariums! All you do is combine cream cheese with your favorite spices (or use any premade white spread), add blue food color, spread on crackers, top with a goldfish cracker and coral and seagrass made from pimentos, yellow banana peppers and spinach leaves. They couldn't be easier to prepare and they're a real conversation starter!

Crackerquariums!

Corn And Black Beans: Is There Anything You Can't Do?

In much the same way that roasting a chicken and using it in dishes all week is a great way to save time and money, this easy combination of corn and black beans can serve as a base for dishes to last for days! All you do is combine one can of rinsed black beans and an equal amount of corn (I used frozen). Toss in some minced onion and salt, along with the juice of half a lime, and in about 30 seconds you're done!

This combination made its first appearance this week in an easy appetizer that is always popular at parties. Add a little spoonful each to Tostitos Scoops chips, top with hot sauce or salsa if you like. That's it! So simple and they disappear quickly!

Other uses for this magical mixture: combine with chicken or veggie broth (and a little beer or tequila if you're feeling frisky) and add a few tortilla chips for a delicious soup, add to your favorite chili recipe, tacos or melt with cheese in quesadillas, mix with eggs and milk for a fabulous frittata, toss with some olive oil and garlic and serve with pasta, blend with cream cheese or mashed avocado and spices for a yummy sandwich spread - the options are endless! Best of all, you'd be hard pressed to find a less expensive meal option. Pick up some corn and black beans the next time you're at the supermarket and don't worry about meals for a few days - you've got it covered!