QUINOA IS AWESOME!

Quinoa Black Bean Salad Recipe

Vegan Quinoa Black Bean Salad with a Mexican Flavor

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 2 cups (1 can) cooked black beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse well
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, OR 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 carrot, peeled, halfed lengthwise, sliced thin diagonally
• 1 cup chopped fresh yellow or green beans
• 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup green pepper, diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 medium ripe tomato
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/4 cup sliced olives
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or basil
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• Dressing:
• 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refrigerated
2. Rinse quinoa and drain through a large fine mesh strainer
3. Place in a 2 qt pot with 1 1/2 c. water and 1/2 tsp salt
4. Bring to a full boil, cover tightly, turn down to low, and cook for 15 minutes
5. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes covered
6. Fluff quinoa gently with a fork and set aside to cool
7. If using canned beans, drain, rinse and set aside to drain
8. Sauté jalapeno, fresh garlic, in 1 tsp olive oil until garlic is slightly browned
9. Add the celery, carrot, green beans, green & red peppers and sauté 5 minutes
10. Add the cumin and coriander, cook and stir 2 minutes
11. Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk or shake in a jar
12. Add quinoa, black beans, sautéed veggies, tomatoes, cucumber, fresh minced cilantro or basil, scallions, to a large bowl
13. Pour on dressing and stir gently to combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste
14. Serve quinoa salad warm, or cover and chill

Helpful Quinoa Tips:

• Quinoa has high oil content, so it should be stored in the fridge or freezer to avoid becoming rancid
• A tight fitting lid is essential for even cooking
• Most quinoa sold in this country has been well cleaned, but quinoa is normally coated with saponin, which will give it a bitter taste unless you rinse it - those tiny flaky bits in the rinse water are the saponin
• Because of it's high protein and oil content, quinoa is a satisfying meal with a few nuts or beans and veggies added (see recipes below)

Easy Healthy Vegetarian Recipe: Vegan Quinoa Chili

Crockpot or Stovetop Quinoa Chili Recipe with Kidney & Black Beans

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3 cups water or bean cooking liquid
• 1 1/2 cup cooked kidney beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
• 1 1/2 cup cooked black beans (1 can, drained and rinsed)
• 1 cup unsalted tomato sauce OR: 1/4 cup unsalted tomato paste + 3/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 4 - 6 cloves minced garlic
• 1 minced jalapeño pepper
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp gr coriander
• 4 tsp of cayenne pepper (add more to your taste)
• 1 tsp dried basil leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaf
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp light molasses
• 1 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos, or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

So I did not have the molasses, dried basil leaf, thyme leaf or marjoram leaf, so i added some dried oregano and it worked well!

Stovetop Directions:

1. Soak the quinoa 5 minutes
2. Rinse, then drain into a colander
3. If using canned beans, drain into a colander and rinse well
4. Peel & mince the garlic and jalapeño pepper
5. Dice the onion
6. Wash and trim the celery, slice lengthwise, then crosswise to dice
7. Seed and dice the red and green pepper
8. Heat the oil on medium-high in a dutch oven or large sauce pan
9. Fry the garlic, jalapeno, onion and celery until soft (about 5 minutes)
10. Add the peppers and fry 5 minutes
11. Add the spices and herbs, stir 2 minutes
12. Add the beans, water or bean liquid, molasses, tomato sauce, and quinoa
13. Bring to boil until almost all water is gone, cover, and simmer 20 minutes or until quinoa is cooked
14. Stir in Braggs or soy sauce, and pepper. Adjust seasonings (taste it so see if you need more salt, cayenne, ect)
15. Serve garnished with cilantro

Cooking Tips:

You can use any combination of beans you like in quinoa chili, although we thought it was perfect with a mixture of kidney beans and black beans. One or the other would be good too.

We used canned tomato sauce, but tomato paste and-or fresh tomatoes would also work. We like the Amore brand that comes in a tube - we got tired of throwing out almost-full cans of tomato paste.
This chili recipe only takes about 1/2 hour to cook on the stove, or 5 - 6 hours in a crockpot or slow cooker. If you need to be away longer, a digital timer is handy & inexpensive. Then your chili can be ready to eat when you are.
Serve with fresh cilantro as garnish. Add a dollop of dairy or non-dairy sour cream if you like.

Vegetarian Recipe: Quinoa, Corn, Black Bean Salad

Main dish gluten free quinoa salsa salad recipe & zesty lime dressing

Salad Ingredients:

• For The Dressing:
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp chopped scallions
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or basil
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh jalapeño pepper
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic heated until soft in 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• For The Salad:
• 2 - 3 cups cooked quinoa
• One 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained OR: 1 cup cooked black beans
• 2 ears fresh corn, cooked, and kernels stripped off OR: 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped (about 3/4 cup
• 3/4 cup chopped bell pepper (red, green, orange, yellow or a m

• Directions

  1. 1 hr ahead: Soak dried mango in hot water if you're using it instead of fresh mango
  2. 1 hr ahead: Cook quinoa if you haven't got any on hand
  3. Dressing: Chop scallions, cilantro and jalapeño pepper
  4. Combine with cumin, salt, pepper, olive oil & lime juice
  5. Salad: Rinse and drain the black beans
  6. Cook corn and slice off the kernels, OR: thaw 1 cup frozen corn
  7. Chop tomatoes and peppers
  8. Mix together cooked quinoa (press out any lumps), black beans, and veggies
  9. Add the salad dressing and stir
  10. Adjust seasonings to taste
  11. Serve garnished with lime wedges
  12. Cover and chill if you don't plan to eat the salad immediately
• 1/2 cup chopped mango - fresh or dried (soaked)
• Lime wedges for garnish

Stir Fry Quinoa

Ingredients:

1/2 pound firm tofu, drained and sliced about 1/2 inch thick

2 broccoli crowns, broken into florets

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon soy sauce (regular or low-sodium)

1 tablespoon fish sauce (may substitute soy sauce)

2 teaspoons dark Asian sesame oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil

1 medium red bell pepper, cut in thin strips

3/4 pound (2 medium) baby bok choy, trimmed, washed and dried, cut in 1-inch lengths

1 bunch scallions, sliced very thin

5 cups cooked quinoa (1 1/3 cups uncooked)

1. Place the tofu slices on paper towels. Place another paper towel on top, and prepare the remaining ingredients. Cut the tofu slices into 1/2-inch dice. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and add the broccoli. Boil one minute, and transfer at once to a bowl of ice water. Drain and dry on paper towels.

2.  In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil. Combine the garlic and ginger in another small bowl. Have all the ingredients within easy reach of your pan.

3. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in a tablespoon of the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting the pan. Add the tofu. Reduce the heat to medium, and stir-fry one to two minutes until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the pepper and bok choy, and stir-fry for one minute. Add the broccoli, and stir-fry for one minute.

4. Swirl in the remaining oil, and add the scallions, quinoa and the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry, scooping the ingredients up from the bottom of the wok, for about one minute until heated through and fragrant. Serve at once.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: Cooked quinoa will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

Spicy Quinoa, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Published: July 13, 2010

This refreshing summer salad can sit in the refrigerator for a few hours without deteriorating, so it makes a great choice for bringing to work or to a summer picnic.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

3 cups waterSalt to taste2 cups diced cucumber1 small red onion, finely minced (optional)2 cups finely diced tomatoes
1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers (to taste), seeded if desired  
finely chopped1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus several springs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
avocado, sliced, for garnish

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes. Drain through a strainer, and rinse until the water runs clear. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel, replace the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. If making for the freezer, uncover and allow to cool, then place in plastic bags. Flatten the bags and seal.

2. Meanwhile, place the finely diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels. If using the onion, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and drain on paper towels.

3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with sliced avocado and cilantro sprigs.

Yield: Serves six.

Advance preparation: The quinoa freezes well, and the assembled salad will keep for a day in the refrigerator. The leftovers will be good for a couple of days.

Nutritional information per serving: 236 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 25 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 6 grams protein

Quinoa, Corn and Edamame Salad

For the salad:

1 cup quinoa, cooked

2 ears sweet corn

1 small red onion, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, cut in small dice

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery, from the tender inner stalks

4 or 5 radishes, sliced

1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen edamame

2 ounces feta, cut in small dice (about 1/2 cup, optional)

1 jalapeño or serrano chile, minced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 garlic clove (more to taste), finely minced or pureed

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

1. Cut the corn kernels away from the cobs. Discard the cobs (or use for stock), and place the kernels in a steamer above 1 inch of boiling water. Cover and steam for four minutes. Remove from the heat, rinse with cold water and drain.

2. Soak the onion in cold water to cover for five minutes. Drain, rinse and drain on paper towels.

3. Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad. Serve.

Yield: Serves four to six.
Advance preparation: The quinoa freezes well and the assembled salad will keep for a day in the refrigerator.
Nutritional information per serving (four servings): 359 calories; 18 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 43 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 25 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 10 grams protein
Nutritional information per serving (six servings): 239 calories; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 29 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 17 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 7 grams protein


Quinoa and Green Burger Tasty Burgers, without the meat 

Quinoa and Greens Burger
By Martha Rose ShulmanPublished: March 26, 2012

Harvard School of Public Health study linking red meat consumption and early death was released. Then there was the news about pink slime in ground beef used in school lunches. The timing couldn’t have been better.

Ingredients:

1 bunch beet greens, stemmed and washed (1/2 to 3/4 pound)
2 cups cooked quinoa, preferably rainbow quinoa
2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, as needed
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2/3 cup finely chopped carrot
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and crushed in a mortar and pestle or spice mill
2 garlic cloves
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
1 egg (optional)
Freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Either steam the beet greens for 2 minutes above 1 inch boiling water, or blanch in salted boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain, squeeze out excess water, and chop medium-fine. Place in a large bowl with the cooked quinoa.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet and add the onion and carrot. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are just about tender, about 3 minutes, and add the ginger and a pinch of salt. Cook for another 3 minutes or so, until the vegetables are tender and fragrant, and add the cumin and the garlic. Cook, stirring, for another minute, and remove from the heat. Stir into the quinoa mixture.
3. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, or in a bowl using a fork or a potato masher, purée the chickpeas with the lemon juice and, if using, the egg. Add to the quinoa mixture and stir everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Begin heating a heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Seasoned cast iron is good, and so is a heavy nonstick pan that can go into the oven. Moisten your hands lightly and shape 4 large or 6 smaller patties. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and, working in batches if necessary, cook the patties for 1 to 2 minutes on one side, until nicely browned. Carefully turn the patties over and place the pan in the oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the patties are lightly browned; if they fall apart you can patch them together with some pressure from the spatula. Remove from the heat and serve, with or without buns, ketchup and the works.

Yield: 4 to 6 burgers.
Advance preparation: These can be put together and shaped up to 3 days before browning. They can also be cooked ahead and reheated in a low oven or in a pan on the stove. Keep them well wrapped in the refrigerator.
Nutritional information per serving (4 servings): 273 calories; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 2 gramspolyunsaturated fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 38 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 548 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 10 grams protein

All about Samoas!

Love, Love, Love Samoas!
Samoas Scones

The scones are fairly plain on their own, slightly sweet and with a nice buttery flavor. They are topped with a combination of caramel and coconut, then dipped in and drizzled with semisweet chocolate. It is recommend to either use homemade caramel sauce or an ice cream topping-type of caramel because you want the scones to still be easy to bite into without the caramel on top getting too hard (better too gooey with these than too firm!). Prepare them about an hour or two before you want to serve them to give the chocolate time to set up, or pop them into the fridge for a couple of minutes before serving if you are cutting it close, timing-wise.

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into pieces
3/4 – 1 cup milk
6-oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup prepared caramel sauce (store bought or use recipe below)
3/4 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add in chilled butter and cut it into the flour mixture until no pieces larger than a pea remain visible (this can be done in a food processor).
Add in 3/4 cup milk and stir to combine. Gradually add in remaining 1/4 cup milk until dough comes together into a ball.
Divide dough in half. Working with one piece at a time, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten into a disc about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into quarters and place on baking sheet. Repeat with second piece of dough.
Bake for 16-20 minutes, until scones are a light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Melt the chocolate in a small bowl. Use a small knife or spatula to spread a thin layer onto the bottom of each scone. Place coated scones on a cool baking sheet lined with a piece of wax or parchment paper to set up.
Combine caramel and shredded coconut in a small bowl. Spread about 3 tbsp of the caramel and coconut mixture onto each scone and drizzle with remaining melted chocolate. Allow chocolate drizzle to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 scones.

Homemade Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp salt
7 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until syrup turns dark gold. Working carefully, stir in cream and vanilla. Caramel will start to steam and harden when you add the cream – continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until caramel is smooth. Transfer caramel to a refrigerator-safe container and cool. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Note: You may have extra caramel sauce if you use it for the scones, so feel free to use it as a topping for ice cream, etc.

Homemade Samoas Recipe:

First, you'll need the basic shortbread recipe:

• 228g (1 cup)  butter, room temperature
• 115g (1/2 cup) sugar
• 250g (2 cups) all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons (1oz) milk

Cream together your butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Slowly add this to the butter mixture.  

Finally, at low speed, add in the milk and vanilla. 

Separate the dough into halves and wrap in plastic or store in tupperware.  Refrigerate until the dough is as firm as a stick of butter. 

Now is the time to preheat your oven to 350F (180C)  and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners.  Remember that you can re-use parchment sheets between batches!

Once your dough is firm enough to roll out without making a big mess (oh you'll figure that out pretty quickly), roll dough on lightly floured surface.
 

Lots of places will tell you to roll it out between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap.  Please, dear readers, save yourself the heartache, and do it the way Grandma did.  This dough is made to be soft enough to withstand the incorporation of more flour during this phase.
 

Once your dough is rolled to about 1/8" - 1/4" thickness, use a cookie cutter to cut out whatever shapes your heart desires.  Re-roll the scraps and repeat.

As you move the cut cookies onto your cookie tray, you will again be grateful you used a floured surface instead of waxed paper.  This stuff gets sticky fast!

Bake your batches of cookies one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet 180 degrees, halfway through baking.  This ensures that all the cookies turn the same color instead of getting browner in the hotter parts of your oven.

Cool your cookies on the sheet for about 5 minutes, and transfer to a wire rack.  Don't have a wire rack?  That's ok.  But think about getting one - they make all your baking look cooler.  

Let cookie sheets cool before putting new cookies to be baked on the

For the topping, you'll need:

• 225g (3 cups) shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
• 15-oz soft caramels 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp milk
• 8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate

While the dough is refrigerating, preheat your oven to 350F (180C).

Toast the shredded coconut on a baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.   Let cool while shaping and baking cookies.

Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface.

Cut out the shapes with a biscuit cutter, or two differently-size round cutters, or a small round cutter and a straw.  You get the idea!

Bake your batches of cookies one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet 180 degrees, halfway through baking. This ensures that all the cookies turn the same color instead of getting browner in the hotter parts of your oven.

Let cookie sheets cool before putting new cookies to be baked on them

Place your caramels, milk and salt in a microwaveable bowl and nuke for 1 minute at a time, stopping to stir, until nice and melty (3-4minutes)

If you're using homemade caramels, you can reduce the amount of milk and microwave time.

If you are using hard caramels, increase the milk.

Stir the toasted coconut into the caramel mixture.

Using a knife, an offset spatula, or whatever device floats your boat, spread the caramel mixture on top of your cookies.  Be generous.

Some of your cookies may not be structurally sound enough to support the force of having caramel and coconut applied to them.  My guess is not enough baking time.  Do not abandon these cookies, dear friends!  Remember, they started out life as delicious shortbread.  They can remain in your life as the cookies you secretly eat when no one's watching!  Or as  your "test" cookies to try out different ratios of toppings!  These broken cookies are a blessing.

The only thing missing from these bad boys is a good dose of chocolate!

Lay out a sheet of waxed paper for your cookies to rest on once they're all chocolate-botttomed.

Chop up your chocolate and microwave it in 30 second bursts, stirring between each, until nice and melty.

Dip the bottoms of your cookies into the chocolate and place on waxed paper.  

Use the remaining melted chocolate to drizzle over top of the cookies once they're all dipped.  A spoon works for this, but a piping bag or the corner snipped off a plastic baggie makes 'em prettier.

That's it!  Store in an air tight container for best results.

Jello Shots for a Party!

Who doesn't like to have a good party???


COSMOPOLITAN JELLO SHOT: 

• 1 1/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail
• 2 1/2 envelopes plain gelatin
• 1/4 cup Roses lime juice (or fresh lime juice with a healthy dash of simple syrup)
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier, or Cointreau (use Cointreau or Triple Sec for a milder tasting jelly shot)
• 3/4 cup orange flavored vodka
• 1/4 cup lime zest for garnish, if desired
• 
  

  Directions

  1. 1Pour cranberry and lime juices into a small saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin. Allow to soak for a few minutes. Heat on low, stirring constantly, until gelatin is fully dissolved (about 5 minutes).
  2. 2Stir in the liquors, making sure to fully incorporate.
  3. 3Pour into pan or molds, and chill until set, several hours or overnight.
  4. 4To serve, cut into desired shapes and garnish with lime zest, if desired.

(You can pour the jelly shots into any pan or set of molds that can hold 2 1/2 cups of liquid.)


BLUEBERRY MARTINI JELLO SHOT:

Total time: 25 minutes, plus overnight chilling
Servings: About 20 Shots (more if you use 1/2 ounce molds instead of an ice tray)

10 1/2 ounces Stoli Blueberry vodka
2 ounces simple syrup* (add more if blueberries are sour)
3 1/2 (1/4 ounce) packets of gelatin powder

About 60 fresh blueberries (more if the blueberries are small)

1. Off heat, combine the vodka and simple syrup in a small saucepan. Add gelatin powder to the vodka mixture.

2. Heat the saucepan over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin is dissolved and incorporated into the vodka mixture, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

3. Place a few blueberries in the bottom of each individual ice cube mold, and carefully pour the vodka mixture into each. Refrigerate the ice cube tray until set, preferably overnight. These cocktails will keep, refrigerated, for as long as 2 days.

*To make simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan, and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.

(I opted to use gelatin powder instead since it can be found in regular supermarkets (I used Knox Gelatine). As for setting the jello, the recipe has you use half-ounce silicone molds — since these shots are meant to be picked up with your fingers and eaten — but I didn’t want to go out and buy molds, so I ended up using an ice tray. It worked nicely except for the fact that each cube was bigger than a half-ounce, so I ended up with about twenty shots instead of thirty-five.)

Bramble Jelly Shot:

Recipe by Toby Cecchini 

For the float:

6 ounces crème de mûre (blackberry liqueur)
7 grams (1 packet) Knox unflavored gelatin
1 package (3 ounces) grape-flavored Jell-O gelatin
1 cup hot water

In a small mixing bowl, sprinkle the Knox and the Jell-O into the hot water and stir until completely dissolved, 5 to 7 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir in the crème de mûre. In a small, nonreactive baking dish or loaf pan, pour a few drops of cooking oil (grapeseed works well) and wipe out with a paper towel, coating the entire vessel with the barest layer. Pour blackberry float mixture in and set to chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight, making certain it is level.

For the gin sour:

1 cup gin (lemon infused) (Note: vodka may be substituted!)
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
28 grams (4 packets) Knox unflavored gelatin
1 cup hot water.

Juice enough lemons to give you 2/3 cup juice, keeping the hulls as you squeeze. Roughly chop the squeezed hulls and put them in a coverable container along with the gin and the lemon juice. Leave at room temperature for at least 2 hours. It’s a good idea to do this before starting the float, so that by the time that has firmed up, your infusion is ready to go. When the float layer is firm, bloom the gelatin in the hot water by sprinkling it slowly while stirring, and continuing stirring until fully dissolved. Add the sugar and stir until that is also fully dissolved. Strain the gin mixture off from the lemon hulls through a fine sieve or chinoise and add it into the gelatin mixture, stirring well. Over a spoon, so as not to gouge a divot in the float layer, pour the lemon sour mix onto the float layer and return to refrigerator, again checking for levelness. Chill overnight. When ready to serve, cut into squares, or use a cookie cutter for shapes, and pull up carefully, using a cake spatula to get under the float layer. Garnish with a blackberry and/or a thin wedge of candied lemon. Or simply slurp.

PALOMA JELLO SHOT:

Recommended Pan:  1-pound loaf pan (approximately 8” x 4”/20 x 10 cm) or flexible silicon molds

1 1/3 cup grapefruit soda (we used Izzy's sparkling juice)

2 tablespoons frozen limeade concentrate (thawed)

2 envelopes Knox gelatin

2/3 cup agave tequila

Fresh grapefruit segments for garnish, if desired

Pour soda and limeade concentrate into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat until gelatin is dissolved, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Mixture may be foamy initially, but this will disapate. Remove from heat.  Stir in the tequila. Pour mixture into loaf pan or molds. Place in refrigerator to set (several hours or overnight). 

To serve, cut into desired shapes (or unmold).  Garnish each jelly shot with a small grapefruit segment, if desired.

Makes 18 to 24 jelly shots.   

WATERMELON BASIL MARTINI JELLO SHOT:

Inspired by Kahakai Kitchen's yummy Honeydew-Mint Agua Fresca recipe and decided to create an "agua fresca style" jelly shot, using watermelon and a different aromatic, basil!  

Recipe testing for this jelly shot was conducted with both vodka and gin - it works great with either.

For serving, I can't resist a floral motif for this jelly shot - love the melon-y pink and the nod to the rosewater!  Skewers are shown above, with the jelly shots cut into 3/4 inch squares and interspersed with watermelon flowers (cut with a tiny cookie cutter) and slices of fresh basil.  Another option is to set the jelly shots in a flexible silicon mold, and place on a slice of watermelon (as shown below).  In either case, the watermelon slices and basil add a nice burst of flavor.  If you don't have time to mess around with molds and skewers, set the jelly shots in a pan as directed, cut into cubes, and top with a little finely chopped watermelon and basil on top, salsa style. 

The floral treatment . . .

Recipe follows.  If you plan on using molds or skewers, do add an extra 1/2 package of Knox gelatin (1/2 package = about 1 tsp).  If you are using sheet gelatin, please visit the recipe tab on the blog for the conversion.  

Cheers,

Michelle

Watermelon Basil Rose Martini

Recommended Pan:  1-pound loaf pan (approximately 8” x 4”/20 x 10 cm)

1/2 cup water

5 tablespoons frozen limeaid concentrate (thawed)

2 envelopes Knox gelatin

2/3 cup vodka or Hendricks Gin

2/3 cup watermelon basil juice (recipe follows)

1 drop rosewater (if desired)

1/4 inch thick seedless watermelon slices, for garnish (if desired)

Pour water and limeaid concentrate into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the 2 envelopes of gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat until gelatin is dissolved, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vodka or gin and watermelon juice. Add rosewater if desired. Pour mixture into loaf pan or molds. Place in refrigerator to cool, several hours or overnight. 

To serve, cut into desired shapes (or unmold).  Cut shapes out of the watermelon slices with a cookie cutter or a sharp knife.  Place one shot on each watermelon shape. Makes 18 to 24 jelly shots. 

Watermelon Basil Juice

1/2 pound seedless watermelon chunks (about 2 cups)

10 large fresh basil leaves (about 1/4 cup)

Food processor and strainer

Place watermelon and basil in the bowl of the food processor and process until very smooth.  Strain through fine mesh strainer to remove any solids.  

Party Ideas

Watermelons: Nature's Keg


Still pumping your watermelons full of rum? What is this, summer camp? It’s time to grow up and start converting your watermelons into kegs. The instructions for the Watermelon Keg come from none other than the National Watermelon Promotion Board—which surprisingly is an actual thing. Essentially you slice off a thin layer from the bottom end, slice open the top, scoop out the meat (or liquefy with booze), and jam a spigot in the front. 

Materials

• 1 medium-large oval or oblong watermelon (seeded or seedless)
• Kitchen knife
• Cutting board
• Green dry erase marker or ¾”-1” thick painter’s trim tape
• Channel knife (can use top of a vegetable peeler as alternative)
• Large bowl & spoon or scoop
• Apple corer
• Spigot (from beer making supply company)
• Twine & straight pins
• Watermelon juice or punch recipve

Instructions

• Wash the watermelon under cool running water and pat dry.
• On a cutting board, place the watermelon on its side and cut off 1/4”-1/2” from both ends, being careful not to cut too deep into the white part of the rind. One side will provide a sturdy base.
• Use dry erase marker or painters tape to make a thick band on the upper 1/3 and lower third of the watermelon that will represent the metal bands around a barrel or keg and use the channel knife to trim away a thin line to represent those metal bands.
• Hollow out the watermelon with a spoon or scoop, reserving the watermelon pieces to make your favorite punch or juice. Be sure to leave about 2” of watermelon flesh towards the bottom of the watermelon so the spigot can be placed.
• Use an apple corer to cut a circle for your spigot to fit through the watermelon rind, placing it about 2-3 inches above the bottom of the watermelon. Screw your spigot into place.
• For added detail, carefully pin twine in your lines you’ve made to represent the metal bands around the barrel/keg. Be careful that the pins do not poke through into the barrel/keg.
• Place the barrel/keg on a saucer or plate and fill with your favorite chilled punch or juice recipe.

Mason Jar Lanterns

Love Mason jar ideas!