Saturday afternoon the kids went to Nana’s to swim for a bit so Mike and I got busy in the kitchen.

We started with shots of vodka (mini Bloody Marys basically) and Oyster shooters.

Take fresh oysters; you can either shuck them yourself and serve on the half shell (yummy! really!) or go the lazy way (far easier) and buy them fresh in the jar from the seafood department of your local store. Give them a rinse, Plop them into a glass douse liberally with lemon juice and add Tabasco or any hot sauce you prefer to taste. Katie (yes, Kate eats them too) and I prefer Tapatio` but Tabasco is really good too! Then eat! Typically you just sort of take it whole and give it a chew (doesn’t take much) and swallow. Some people can’t handle it. But, they are really good.

Next up, Amy’s Drunken Mussels.

2lbs of fresh mussels. Get them fresh and make your seafood dude pick through to ensure that none have opened. Opened = dead and that isn’t good.

Take them home and immediately give them a good rinse and put them in a bowl with ice covering the bottom, unless you plan to cook immediately. As gruesome as it sounds - you don’t want them suffocating.

In a sauce pan pour 1 beer (you can substitute white wine) I was using Wingwalker Amber Ale, but choose your favorite. I’d avoid any domestics. I just don’t think they’d do the seafood justice.

1 beer and 1 stick of butter and the juice of 1/2 lemon, cover your pan and put the flame up to med-high. Get it boiling.

You can rough chop, but I prefer a Cuisinart food processor for the following:

7-8 large cloves of garlic
5 - 6 fresh Serrano peppers. (you could substitute with a chili or a jalapeno, we grow Serrano peppers)

Give them a super chop and dump them into your butter/beer mixture; which should have been boiling at this point.

Reduce heat to medium and dump your mussels in replace lid.

Give the pan a good solid shake every once in a while and when all your mussels are open they are done! Dump them into a large bowl with all their liquid. Top with the other 1/2 of the lemon and fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot with good crusty bread or a nice sourdough.

They make for a great appetizer or served with a salad are a meal all to themselves!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Ooo, ooo, ooo!

Ok, Laura from Snerkology sent me a link which led me to another link and after the first two links I totally lost track! Hee hee.

Anyway, I have some nifty links to share with you…

1. ABC’s SO not what you think and I swear, I’m going to give this a try once the weather cools off and I am not afraid of developing heat stroke from using my oven!!! This is such a wickedly cool thing!!!

2. Roasted Ricotta Roma Tomatoes - OMG!!!! These look awesome!!! (Plus, am I the only one who loves her template? It’s so… I don’t know… but it’s something. I likey!!!)

Then, in a totally different vein, I was emailing back and forth with Becky (aka Hellohahanarf @ Midnight Cliff) and I hope she doesn’t mind my referencing her as Becky. Some bloggers can be strange about that, ya know. My apologies if that’s the case here! :) Anyway, we were chatting about beer and I feel so much better to find more beer lovers out there. Of course, when I say beer I don’t mean Coors, Budweiser, etc. Thank God!

The other day Mike actually suggested starting some sort of club where people could exchange beer so they can taste things they can’t necessarily get locally.

It seems that we all have our favorites and not all of us can get a hold of other recommended faves. On the surface a beer exchange sounds pretty cool… I don’t know how hard it would be to pull off and before I dug into that I’d like to get some feedback on it.

And, before we go that far, people have mentioned legalities etc. So I should probably explain that I was thinking something in the realm of very low-key, informal, like when you send someone a bottle of wine as a gift, kind of thing. Nothing serious or high-tech at all, we aren’t talking CASES or something outrageous. Just more like “hey, tried this - its’ awesome.”

In other words, like a sampler sort of idea because, let’s face it, we have the internet and if I REALLY want a 6-pack of Arrogant Bastard then I can track it down and order it myself. But, my thought would be… what if I spent $12 on a 6-pack of really crappy beer? It might be kind of cool to have someone send you a bottle or two so you could sample it and vice versa for them.

Sooooo, Geek? Kapgar? Laura? Any other beer lovers out there? Thoughts?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

We were grilling and chilling again recently. Thought I’d share a few things with you…

This is a spinach leaf and melon salad. Basically, chunks of watermelon, honeydew, and cantaloupe with lots of fresh spinach. I tossed them up in a fresh lime juice, honey, and fresh ginger dressing. I’d offer up a recipe, but when it comes to making things like this I just sort of improvise as I go most of the time.

This is the infamous Orange, Cucumber, and Tomato salad that no one can make as good as Adrian can. I’d punch him if he weren’t a couple of states away back at school now. Bastard. It’s just all chopped up into bite size chunks and then you juice several (I mean SEVERAL, like 6-10) limes, use lots of good chili powder (LOTS) and then salt to taste. I never get enough salt and Adrian always has to add more. It’s awesome. Seriously awesome.

Mike also grilled up some awesome shrimp kebabs. This time we used green and red bell peppers, mushrooms, and red onion. He basically puts them on skewers gives them a light brushing of olive oil and grills them until the shrimp are pink and the veggies are just beginning to soften.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Saturday night we decided to go healthy. Mike made shrimp kebabs with shrimp, green bell peppers, red onion, peaches (yes, peaches - awesome!), and tomatoes. The bell pepper and peaches gave a sort of sweet and sour chicken feel to it without the gloopy, sugar-laden sauce.

Shrimp on the barbie!

What I really love about kebabs is that they provide instant weapons. If someone pisses you off at dinner you just impale them with a kebab. It’s just so damn easy! Kate likes to collect everyone’s kebab sticks and place them menacingly next to her plate. That’s right, even dinner is an act of survival around here.

On the side I made Wild Rice Salad one of Crys’ amazing recipes! I think next time I’ll substitute in some bulger wheat for extra fiber, but seriously - that recipe is soooo good and it is sooo pretty. Guaranteed to impress!

Also made Gazpacho. Gazpacho is a cold soup made of pureed vegetables. On the surface it doesn’t sound appealing. It’s actually pretty good. According to this article it’s excellent for your health. I used this recipe but if anyone has a better recipe for it - please pass it along to me!

Gazpacho!

I even got all gourmet and made Crystal’s Easy Breezy Everyday Pesto which is indeed easy and mind-blowing delicious! It’s excellent on shrimp too!

I don’t know that I’ll go all vegetarian (clearly not what with grilled shrimp and all) but I definitely am adding in healthier things and more veggies into my diet. I feel better… but then Mike made chili, actually, he made a fairly healthy version with tons of fresh veggies and lean ground sirloin, lots of yummy spices but not too spicy. It was awesome. But, after all the fiber and nutritious goodness that I had partaken in - well, uh-hem, it’s just not ladylike to go any further, so I won’t.

Let’s just say I am thrilled that my family is not one of those families (no offense to those who do! - geezus the PC qualifier extent to which one must go these days) who likes bathroom humor. We don’t go in for lots of gas jokes, passing gas and blaming it on the dog, things like that. It’s not our thing. Although, I understand that occasionally, when the girls aren’t around, that men who are clearly to old to get a giggle out of that sort of thing will boys will be boys.

So, I have to weigh the consequences of eating healthier and possibly subjecting my family to either my lower extremities exploding completely or mini explosions as I run up the stairs (why do stairs have to have that affect?) while attempting to cough at the same time (hello! One uterus, 3 births… does not compute) to cover the noise.

I’m going with healthier for now and I’m going to console myself with desperate belief that my family will not make “gas” jokes at my funeral, which will hopefully be something like 50 years or so from now. Which reminds me, Mike is so good at getting deals that we’ve decided our version of funeral planning will be that when one goes, the other will off him/herself so that the kids can get a two for one on the funeral costs. At that point, I’m going to suggest that they just bury us both in the same coffin to save all the hassle on afterlife conjugal visits.

Well, this sure turned into a happy post.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

This was supposed to be posted last Friday but I couldn’t get anything to work right. Now, here it is. Enjoy!

Amy Making Margaritas from Amy Doran on Vimeo.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Ok, I readily admit, I’m a foodie. I love food. Good food. Old school, gourmet, barbecue, Asian, Mexican… from biscuits and gravy to quiche or sushi.

But, the other day I was chatting with Crys (OMG, have you visited that site? Did you get a reading? WHY NOT!?!?! Do it NOW!) and we were talking about drinks. It was that moment that I had an epiphany, I’m a drinkie too! And, if that isn’t a thing, then it’s an Amy-ism and I can TOTALLY use it.

I like beer, but I’m more on the high-end of that one. Microbrews. You won’t catch me with a Bud Light or Coors Light in my hand. Blech. I love the flavor, I love how it goes with certain foods. I love drinking them and figuring out what different things I’m tasting in them.

I love tequila. I wouldn’t have said that a couple of years ago after a bad, bad night on Cuervo. But, I’m a convert now. I love Patron and Cazadores. Cuervo is ok if I’m making Margaritas. Hornitos isn’t bad either… but it falls below Cazadores.

Vodka is awesome. It’s so versatile! I love a good Bloody Mary with an extra shot of Tabasco and Worcestershire. Although, I had one really, really bad evening doing lemon drop shots. This would be when one takes lemon wedges, rolls them in sugar, shoots Vodka and then sucks on the sugar covered lemon wedge. Delicious. As long as you don’t have too many.

In the winter I like Colorado Bulldogs. This is 3/4 shot Vodka, 3/4 shot Kahlua, 1/2 & 1/2 (cream) and then top with Coke. OMG. Soooo good. Butterball shots go well with this… 1/2 Irish Creme Liquor and 1/2 Butterscotch schnapps. I think, were Starbuck’s to make a shot, the Butterball would probably be it. I also like whiskey in the winter. But, only Maker’s Mark, over ice. It’s niiiiiiiice.

I also love gin martinis, very dry, shaken. It’s a totally clean, sugar-less buzz that almost never causes a hangover. But, they aren’t very good for hot weather. In the summer I like Grass Skirts occasionally. 1 1/2 oz. gin, 1 oz Cointreau or Triple Sec, 1 ounce pineapple juice, 1/2 tsp grenadine. AWESOME.

When I’m feeling very tropical and whatnot, I love a Bahama Mama. Rum, Malibu Rum, 99 Bananas and pineapple juice. OMG. HEAVEN in a glass… with or without the little umbrella.

See? I think this makes me a drinkie. The first person to say, “No, that makes you an alcoholic, will guarantee themselves a full castration with a rusty spoon.”

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

The 4th of July, a friend and I made a huge batch of wickedly yummy punch. Since it turned out so well, I’m going to give you the recipe here - do with it what you will.

Tentatively titled, “Naughty Juice”

2 - cans frozen limeade
2 - cans frozen pineapple juice
3 - bags frozen strawberries
2 - 2 liters of Squirt
1 - bottle tequila (we used Cazadores)
1 - bottle Malibu Rum
1 - bottle Triple Sec

Puree one bag of strawberries in a blender with some of the triple sec. (I keep writing sex instead of sec… bad, Amy, bad Amy!!!)

Dump everything into a large container and stir. No ice - the frozen strawberries keep it cool that way the ice doesn’t melt and dilute your punch.

Pics from 4th of July showing what might be seen as the result of drinking this stuff to follow - soon hopefully.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Damn the Andrews Sisters.

Ok, so I was listening to all this great music I selected on Pandora. Among the Tommy Dorsey, Rosemary Clooney, and Frank Sinatra the Andrews Sisters popped up. I’m bopping around to “Rum and Coca-Cola” when it occurs to me… we have no Bacardi in this house. None.

Naturally when Mike went to the store I requested a bottle of Bacardi and Diet Coke.

I grabbed a glass and began whipping up some wicked mixology (translation: rum, diet coke, ice and straw). I ventured out on to the deck to look at the clouds blowing in and the intermittent bursts of lightening.

I took my first sip… When did Bacardi start tasting so damn nasty?!?!?!?

I realized that I don’t normally drink bacardi unless it is mixed with lots of other things and tinged red or at least pink… and a slice of pineapple never hurts. I can take or leave the umbrella, unless there are little maraschino cherries impaled on it.

Not one to waste a good buzz, I quickly downed the glass, using a straw (SOOOO not smart) and nearly yakked off the side of the deck. Only it wasn’t a normal yak it was like that scene in Backdraft where the fire whisps under the door and then blows the door off? Or something very close to that.

What I thought was a very unladylike burp turned into some form of vapor lock that made me feel like someone shoved a balloon down my throat and worse yet, was about to make me look like a first-timer on spring break, minus the boob flashing and the Girls Gone Wild “auditions.”

Fortunately, I am the kind of gal who would prefer giving birth with no meds than puke my brains out. I took a deep breath, collected my thoughts and decided I had had enough rum for one night.

I think we will have that bottle of bacardi around for quite some time.

On a happy note, here is one I TOTALLY recommend:

1 shot - 99 Bananas
1 shot - Malibu Rum (I do LOVE this stuff)

Pineapple juice
Splash of grenadine (optional)

Pour shots over ice and top with pineapple juice give a quick stir or two.

I believe this is called a Bahama Mama… but I could be wrong. Doesn’t matter, it’s still awesome for spring/summer.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Damn the Andrews Sisters.

Ok, so I was listening to all this great music I selected on Pandora. Among the Tommy Dorsey, Rosemary Clooney, and Frank Sinatra the Andrews Sisters popped up. I’m bopping around to “Rum and Coca-Cola” when it occurs to me… we have no Bacardi in this house. None.

Naturally when Mike went to the store I requested a bottle of Bacardi and Diet Coke.

I grabbed a glass and began whipping up some wicked mixology (translation: rum, diet coke, ice and straw). I ventured out on to the deck to look at the clouds blowing in and the intermittent bursts of lightening.

I took my first sip… When did Bacardi start tasting so damn nasty?!?!?!?

I realized that I don’t normally drink bacardi unless it is mixed with lots of other things and tinged red or at least pink… and a slice of pineapple never hurts. I can take or leave the umbrella, unless there are little maraschino cherries impaled on it.

Not one to waste a good buzz, I quickly downed the glass, using a straw (SOOOO not smart) and nearly yakked off the side of the deck. Only it wasn’t a normal yak it was like that scene in Backdraft where the fire whisps under the door and then blows the door off? Or something very close to that.

What I thought was a very unladylike burp turned into some form of vapor lock that made me feel like someone shoved a balloon down my throat and worse yet, was about to make me look like a first-timer on spring break, minus the boob flashing and the Girls Gone Wild “auditions.”

Fortunately, I am the kind of gal who would prefer giving birth with no meds than puke my brains out. I took a deep breath, collected my thoughts and decided I had had enough rum for one night.

I think we will have that bottle of bacardi around for quite some time.

On a happy note, here is one I TOTALLY recommend:

1 shot - 99 Bananas
1 shot - Malibu Rum (I do LOVE this stuff)

Pineapple juice
Splash of grenadine (optional)

Pour shots over ice and top with pineapple juice give a quick stir or two.

I believe this is called a Bahama Mama… but I could be wrong. Doesn’t matter, it’s still awesome for spring/summer.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Damn the Andrews Sisters.

Ok, so I was listening to all this great music I selected on Pandora. Among the Tommy Dorsey, Rosemary Clooney, and Frank Sinatra the Andrews Sisters popped up. I’m bopping around to “Rum and Coca-Cola” when it occurs to me… we have no Bacardi in this house. None.

Naturally when Mike went to the store I requested a bottle of Bacardi and Diet Coke.

I grabbed a glass and began whipping up some wicked mixology (translation: rum, diet coke, ice and straw). I ventured out on to the deck to look at the clouds blowing in and the intermittent bursts of lightening.

I took my first sip… When did Bacardi start tasting so damn nasty?!?!?!?

I realized that I don’t normally drink bacardi unless it is mixed with lots of other things and tinged red or at least pink… and a slice of pineapple never hurts. I can take or leave the umbrella, unless there are little maraschino cherries impaled on it.

Not one to waste a good buzz, I quickly downed the glass, using a straw (SOOOO not smart) and nearly yakked off the side of the deck. Only it wasn’t a normal yak it was like that scene in Backdraft where the fire whisps under the door and then blows the door off? Or something very close to that.

What I thought was a very unladylike burp turned into some form of vapor lock that made me feel like someone shoved a balloon down my throat and worse yet, was about to make me look like a first-timer on spring break, minus the boob flashing and the Girls Gone Wild “auditions.”

Fortunately, I am the kind of gal who would prefer giving birth with no meds than puke my brains out. I took a deep breath, collected my thoughts and decided I had had enough rum for one night.

I think we will have that bottle of bacardi around for quite some time.

On a happy note, here is one I TOTALLY recommend:

1 shot - 99 Bananas
1 shot - Malibu Rum (I do LOVE this stuff)

Pineapple juice
Splash of grenadine (optional)

Pour shots over ice and top with pineapple juice give a quick stir or two.

I believe this is called a Bahama Mama… but I could be wrong. Doesn’t matter, it’s still awesome for spring/summer.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!