A Derby Cocktail – Raspberry and Thyme Gin and Tonics

Tags

beverage, cocktail, gin, Hopportunity, Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Proud, raspberry, thyme, tonic

My favorite summer cocktail is the Blackberry and Basil Gin and Tonic. Right now my basil plants are tiny but my thyme is really growing like gangbusters. It inspired me to make these new gin and tonics. I really enjoyed them! Either of these cocktails are delicious and would be great served at your Derby party. Have you picked a horse yet? You can check them out here. My pick is Hoppertunity. How did I pick him? I looked for the prettiest horse but all are brown/black. Then I read the names. Hoppertunity is the mosty food/drink oriented horse of the group. Who doesn’t love hops? What horse will you be betting on?

Raspberry and Thyme Gin and Tonics

• 12 raspberries
• 4 large sprigs of thyme, bruised to release flavor
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup simple syrup
• 12 ounces gin
• Tonic water
• Ice

Set out four high ball glasses. Place 3 raspberries, a thyme sprig, juice of ½ lemon, and 1 tablespoon simple syrup in each glass; muddle together. Fill each glass with ice, followed by 3 ounces of gin. Top off each drink with tonic water, stir and serve. Makes 4 drinks.

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Bacon Avocado Macaroni Salad

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avocado, bacon, lemon, macaroni, salad, thyme

I love this salad because it is light and flavorful without being overwhelming. The lemon thyme dressing and avocado add a nice creaminess that is complimented by the bacon’s saltiness. I really like the simplicity of this salad; so much so, I have made it twice this week already.

Bacon Avocado Macaroni Salad (from Damn Delicious)

• 12 ounces elbows pasta
• 5 slices bacon, diced
• 2 avocados, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

For the Lemon Thyme Dressing:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup olive oil

To make the dressing, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and thyme in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, bacon, avocado, lemon-thyme dressing, salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with thyme. Serves 4.

Limoncello-Gin Cocktail with Thyme

Tags

citrus, cocktail, gin, Italian, lemon, limoncello, thyme

Here is the first recipe I made using my Homemade Limoncello. It turned out pretty tasty. I plan on a part 2 post; I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. So much has been going on this summer. It’s hard enough to get a blog post up some day. Good thing I like the blog world and all it’s lovely people so well!

Limoncello-Gin Cocktail with Thyme (a variation of this recipe)

• 2 large sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 fl. oz.  fresh lime juice
• 1-1/2 fl. oz. gin
• 1/2 fl. oz. limoncello

In a mixing glass or cocktail shaker, gently muddle the thyme with the lime juice. Add the gin and limoncello and fill the shaker with ice. Stir well. Strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with fresh ice, garnish with thyme, and serve. Makes 1 cocktail

Vidalia Onion Shortcake

Tags

bread, food, Georgia, onion, shortcake, side dish, Southern, thyme, Vidalia

One of my favorite seasonal vegetables is Vidalia onions. The official vegetable of Georgia, these sweet onions are trademarked and production is limited to a legally specified area. Who knew?! I guess when you’ve got something good, you have to protect it.

This delicious dish is worth protecting too…. from people who don’t recognize it’s deliciousness! I served it with a version of Fish Chowder, using new potatoes, shrimp, and fish.

Vidalia Onion Shortcake (from the Runaway Spoon)

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 large Vidalia onion
• 1 bunch fresh thyme leaves
• Salt
• 2 cups all- purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• Black pepper
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 egg

Thinly slice the onions into half-moons. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sliced onions, the leaves from 3 thyme sprigs, and salt.  Stir to coat the onions.  Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft and caramel brown, being careful not to scorch the onions. Allow to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9 – inch pan (I used a springform pan).

Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the leaves from 2 – 3 thyme sprigs in the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse a few times to combine.  Drop in the butter cubes and pulse several times until the mixture is grainy.  Pinch a bit of the flour between your fingers and it should stick together.  Dump in the buttermilk, then process until everything is combined.  It will be a wet dough that won’t come together in a ball. Scrape the batter into the prepared dish and press it out to fill the dish. Wet your fingers to help keep the dough from sticking to them.

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and egg.  Add the leaves from a few more sprigs of thyme and a few good grindings of pepper.  Stir on the onions, making sure the mixture is evenly combined. Pour the mixture over the dough and spread evenly.

Bake the shortcake for 25 – 30 minutes, until the edges are browned and pull slightly away from the edges of the pan.  The sour cream filling should be set and browned.  Serve the shortcake warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.

Potato and Onion Tart

Tags

cheese, food, onion, potato, side dish, tart, thyme, vegetarian

The best part about this tart is the browned, crunchy crust of cheese and onion. It is so flavorful! I love this new dish and can’t wait to make it again. I think that you could use a ton of different cheese combinations to increase your flavor power. Or make it a complete dish by adding leftover roast and blue cheese. MMMM!!

Potato and Onion Tart

• 2 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 large onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 pound red potatoes, skin left on and very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 1 cup grated mozzarella
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter and saute the thyme and onion for 5 minutes. In a bowl, toss the potatoes, cheeses, salt and pepper. Spread evenly over the onions. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through and fork tender.

Roasted Parsnips with Thyme

Tags

food, new things, parsnips, roasted, side dish, thyme, vegetable

I am embarrassed to say I have never tried parsnips before. It seems so hard to believe now that I think about it. I grew up on a farm. I have my own garden. How have I missed these delightful root vegetables? The first thing I noticed was the really awesome smell, like carrots and earth. It made me want to eat them. The hubby wasn’t as impressed but he is weird like that sometimes.

Roasted Parsnips (thanks to Stefan for the inspiration)

• 1 lb parsnips
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh thyme to taste

Start by cutting the ends off the parsnips and peeling them. Reserve the peels and trimmings. Cut the parsnips into 1/6 inch slices. Put the parsnip peels in a pot or saucepan and add just enough water to cover them. (I also added the thyme stalks for additional flavor.) Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 30 to 60 minutes. Discard the peels and reserve the parsnip stock.  Preheat the oven to 350F. Parboil the parsnip slices in the parsnip stock with a bit of salt for about 8 minutes. Drain the parboiled parsnips. Combine the parsnip slices with the olive oil and thyme leaves in an oven proof dish. Toss to mix, making sure they are coated with the fat on all sides. Roast for 45-60 minutes until golden, flipping the slices halfway. Season with salt and pepper.

My First Attempt at Gnocchi

Tags

browned, butter, food, gnocchi, Italian, ricotta, thyme

I have always wanted to make gnocchi. This recipe seemed pretty straight forward and they turned out pretty successfully, though next time I will make them smaller/boil them longer. They were a little raw inside but otherwise were very nice. Also, I didn’t brown the butter. I was distracted and forgot to turn down the heat. It started to scorch before it started to brown. Maybe next time…

Ricotta Gnocchi with Thyme-Browned Butter Sauce (from My Kitchen in the Rockies)

• 1 cup + 1 tbsp ricotta, discard any liquid that is contained in the package
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 oz Parmesan or Pecorino + some to garnish, freshly shaved
• 1/3 cup 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• flour for dusting
• 1/4 cup butter, unsalted
• Thyme leaves

In a bowl, mix together the egg, salt, and Parmesan cheese. Add the ricotta and combine into the egg mixture. Slowly work in the flour until combined, don’t over mix. Place a spoon full of dough onto a well floured board. Flour your hands and work the dough into rolls about the size of your finger. Cut the rolls into small pillows. Flour the cutting edge of the knife after each cut, otherwise it will also stick to the dough. Set each little gnocchi onto parchment paper until you are ready to boil it.

In a large pan, bring water and salt to a rolling boil. Add 8 to 10 gnocchi at a time (depending on the size of your pot). Stir once to prevent them from sticking. When they float, they are done (about 2 to 4 minutes).

In a heavy, light colored pan (read: non-stick), melt the butter. Watch it very closely  as the butter turns very fast from brown to black. Once the butter is brown, add the thyme leaves. Spoon over the gnocchi. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and thyme.

Plum and Thyme Fruit Tea

Tags

beverage, black, drink, plum, tea, thyme

This mild tea has a lightly sweet and herbal flavor. Of course, the longer it sits, the more flavored it becomes. If you don’t have thyme, you could always substitute basil or marjoram, though they might be overpowering if you add too much.

One Year Ago: Apple Crisp

Plum and Thyme Fruit Tea

• 3  tea bags of black tea (more if you like strong tea)
• 3  tbsp honey
• 1  plum, sliced
• Sprigs of fresh thyme, lightly crushed

In a glass 2 cup measuring cup, boil 2 cups of water in the microwave. Remove from microwave and add the teabags. Allow to steep for about 30 minutes. Drain hot tea into a pitcher. Add honey, plum, and thyme sprigs. Add more water if desired. Allow to sit so the flavors blend, about 2 hours. Serve over ice.

Honey-Glazed Grilled Plums with Ricotta and Thyme

Tags

dessert, gluten free, grilled, plums, ricotta, summer, thyme

This is the best dessert I have had in a while. Tasty. Delightful. Simple.

One Year Ago: Grilled Peel ‘N’ Eat Shrimp with Old Bay, Basil, and Lemon

Honey-Glazed Grilled Plums with Ricotta and Thyme

• 2 firm plums, halved and pitted
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup ricotta
• Several sprigs of thyme

Heat a grill to medium. Toss plums with the honey. Liberally brush a grill rack with oil. Grill the plums, flesh side down, on the rack until lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Turn and grill on skin side until plums soften and are warmed through (about 3 more minutes). Serve with the ricotta cheese and sprinkled with thyme leaves. Drizzle any left over honey over the constructed dessert. Serves 2.