Mild poblano peppers stuffed with chicken, peppers, corn, and onion for a quick and easy low-carb taco fix! Sprinkle a little queso fresco on top before you bake them up, and weeknight dinner is served. Continue reading “Chicken Fajita Stuffed Poblano Peppers” » LEGGI TUTTO
If You Were a Cocktail Ingredient, What Would You Be?
Bitters. They’re the most versatile ingredient, and they come in so many flavors. To me, bitters are like the perfect wardrobe: if you have the right assortment, you can transform any cocktail.
Cocktail with Anyone, Past or Present
Trevor Noah – I adore him. I love, his background, his book (Born a Crime), how he talks about current events but adds some humor and some nuance to it. I’d love to sit outdoors with him, a bucket of beer, and a bottle of reposado Tequila and just shoot the shit for hours.
Cocktail Ingredient You’ve Never Tasted
I think I’ve tasted them all…? But I really hate guava and Fernet.
Unusual or Controversial Believe You Hold in the Spirits/Cocktail Space
I do believe that bars should have a menu of canned cocktails and hard seltzers. One or two White Claws, some Tequila Sodas, and a couple canned cocktails. No muss, no fuss, the consumer wants them, but a lot of bars are like, “no, that’s not our style.” If you’re curious, I have an Instagram account called @readytodrinklife, where I review RTD cocktails. LEGGI TUTTO
This easy Apple Strudel recipe is filled with cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins and more! It’s a crispy, flaky pastry that’s easy to make and downright delicious.
Make sure to try my Apple Pie Recipe too! It’s the best!
Easy Puff Pastry Apple Strudel
There’s no need to fuss with homemade pastry dough when making this easy homemade strudel. Refrigerated puff pastry will give you a flaky dough that turns perfectly golden brown in the oven!
Continue reading Apple Strudel at Cookies and Cups. LEGGI TUTTO
Gabriela Cámara is an international restaurateur and author of My Mexico City Kitchen: Recipes and Convictions. We interviewed her to discuss the popularity of the modern Mexican table, her position on sustainable food, and her commitment to creating equitable work environments. Continue reading “Q & A with Gabriela Cámara” » LEGGI TUTTO
If you’re not already making pizza every week, what are you waiting for? This is a fantastic tradition to start for your family. And thanks to our method for pizza on the grill, it’s also a great way to enjoy pizza at home in your backyard this summer!
Like so many of you, my family has been hunkered down for the past several months due to the coronavirus. While so many things in our lives have been turned upside down and backwards through distance learning, sports and activities being cancelled, and just living in the world of COVID-19, one thing that has remained an absolute constant and the anchor for grounding us each week is our Family Pizza Night!
A Weekly Ritual: Family Pizza Night
We started the tradition of making pizza every week a few years ago right after my twins were born, and now it’s just part of our weekly routine. Like clockwork, I start my two batches of pizza dough every Friday at 3 pm, and have done it so many times, it has become a sort of meditation routine for me.
We recently started doing personal pizzas, and it was such a hit! I heard my girls say, “This is the best pizza ever!” and “It’s so much more fun to make your own pizza!” and “I want to make mine look like a Nintendo Switch!” As you can see, it has been thrilling for me to watch them create their own dinner and feel empowered to try new things.
Since this has brought so much joy to me, I thought I’d share a few tips that help our Family Pizza Night go smoothly and leave us all with full bellies and smiling faces.
1. Setting Up Your Pizza Night
Portion your pizza dough into eight balls.
Put the toppings in the middle of the table so they’re easily accessible.
Place pieces of parchment paper at each chair with a ball of dough on top so everyone has their own work station, then let the kids shape the pizza however they want! My husband and I like a thinner crust while our kids like thicker crusts, so this do-it-your-own-way method makes everyone happy.
I like this setup, because then you’re all sitting down and talking while making the pizzas. The interaction is half the fun!
HOT TIP: Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment paper. This way the dough flattens easily without making a giant mess on the table!
2. PIZZA ON THE GRILL!
Grilling is by far the quickest and easiest way to cook individual pizzas.
While I help get everyone’s dough rolled out, my husband fires up the grill. I follow Simply Recipes’ How To Grill Pizza guide:
Grill the dough briefly on one side first.
Then flip it so the grilled side is on top, and add the toppings.
Finish grilling.
3. THE PIZZA TOPPINGS
Pizza is a great way to clear out the fridge and to also get kids to try new pizza toppings. I like to set out all the toppings in little ramekins on a tray to keep them anchored to a certain spot on the table. This not only keeps the toppings separated, but it makes it easier for the kids to reach and pass around. I put the cheese and sauce in regular bowls since we tend to use more of those ingredients.
Here are some toppings we commonly use:
The more available toppings, the better! Let your kids mix and match, because you never know what they’ll end up trying and loving.
My 13-year-old daughter discovered she loves feta on pizza, and my seven-year-old decided to mix BBQ sauce with marinara. It seemed weird, but she was so proud and loved it.
Somehow, food just tastes a thousand percent better when on a pizza.
4. HAVE FUN!
This isn’t a competition of who has the prettiest pizza (although my 13-year-old would beg to differ). In the words of my husband, “It may not look the prettiest, but it sure is going to taste amazing.” So true!
We love our Family Pizza Nights and hope you will, too!
Check out my other fun Summer at Home idea: Throw a Backyard S’mores Party!
Need Some Pizza Inspiration?
Or peruse all our pizza recipes right here! LEGGI TUTTO
No ice cream maker? No problem! Get ready to enjoy summer peaches at their best with this No-Churn Peach Cobbler Ice Cream. It’s easy and only takes 20 minutes to make. The hard part is waiting for it to freeze!
I feel like I’ve managed the chaos known as 2020 with grace and dignity. That is, until I tried to make ice cream last week.
As if this year wasn’t hectic enough we thought, “Why not try to build a house.” After searching the apartment we’re living in high and low, I was crestfallen when I realized my ice cream maker was packed away with the bulk of my household goods in storage. I’m not going to lie, that set me off on a crying fit.
Twenty-twenty had finally broken me.
My defeat wouldn’t last long, though. Ice cream is life! With no ice cream maker to be found, I set about mixing a no-churn peach cobbler ice cream. The result is a brightly flavored, easy-to-make ice cream that doesn’t require a machine.
So, who’s laughing now 2020?
HOW TO MAKE ICE CREAM WITHOUT AN ICE CREAM MAKER
Ice cream is not something you’re excluded from making if you don’t have an ice cream maker. Sure, the machine helps create a smoother frozen dessert, but don’t feel like you must have one in order to create your favorite ice cream.
The process is simple to follow: a flavor base is made with condensed milk, which is later folded into a mound of whipped cream. The condensed milk stands in for the cooked custard of a conventional ice cream, and the whipped cream lightens the mixture and adds that creaminess we should all expect from ice cream.
After combining both elements, the mixture is frozen and, after a few excruciating hours of waiting, you can dip joyfully into the ice cream.
TIPS FOR MAKING SUCCESSFUL NO-CHURN ICE CREAM
When it comes to this fruit-based, no-churn ice cream, ripe peaches are key! It’s the only way to ensure that sweet, peachy flavor shines through the creamy milk mixture. Using fruit that is soft to the touch is crucial. It’s how you know it’s ripe enough to taste in this recipe.
Full-fat heavy whipping cream must be used in this recipe to mimic the slow-churned mouthfeel of conventional ice cream.
Even with the full fat cream, no-churn ice cream will still contain more ice crystals than its churned cousin. To reduce ice crystal formation, I add vanilla extract and vodka. It’s not enough to make you tipsy, and the small amount of alcohol keeps the fruit from freezing rock hard. It’s an important part of this recipe.
CAN YOU USE FROZEN PEACHES IN NO-CHURN ICE CREAM?
Yes, you can use a frozen peaches! Just taste them prior to pureeing them; you want to get a gauge on how sweet they are because we are using the uncooked fruit puree to boost the peach flavor.
If using frozen peaches, thaw the peaches and drain off any water (don’t worry—you won’t lose any peach flavor). Avoid adding any excess liquid to the peach puree because it will water down the condensed milk base, which will manifest itself as ice crystals in your batch of ice cream.
HOW LONG DOES NO-CHURN ICE CREAM LAST
Most commercial ice cream has stabilizers or anti-crystallization compounds to keep it fresh and prevent ice crystals from forming. Homemade ice cream doesn’t have that, so how you store it matters.
When stored in an ice cream container, no-churn ice cream will keep for one to two weeks. My ice cream never survives my family that long, though.
THE BEST HOMEMADE ICE CREAM CONTAINERS
While I prefer to freeze the ice cream in a metal loaf pan because it sets up better, once it’s frozen I transfer the ice cream to a plastic ice cream container with a tight-fitting lid. The container helps prevent freezer burn and preserve freshness.
No, you don’t have to go out and buy cute ice cream containers to make ice cream. You can use whatever you have around the house. Any container with a tight-fitting lid (even a paper quart container) is suitable for longer storage.
If you want to keep the ice cream in the metal loaf pan because you know you’re going to use it up within a day or so that’s fine too. Just press wax paper or parchment against the surface of the ice cream to prevent freezer burn.
NO-CHURN ICE CREAM SWAPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Make this no-churn peach cobbler ice cream even more exciting:
Swap the vanilla wafers for graham crackers or gingersnaps
Add a tablespoon of fresh, chopped mint leaves to the peach puree
Use equal amounts of a different fruit (like nectarines or berries) for a different fruit-flavored ice cream.
If you want a really wild peach flavor, toss your peaches in sugar and roast them in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes. The caramelized peaches will taste more pronounced in the recipe. Just allow the peaches to cool before pureeing.
NEED MORE ICE CREAM IN YOUR LIFE?
Products We Love
Tovolo Sweet Treat, 6 oz. Mini Tubs Set of 4
$14.99 on Amazon
Buy
Gotham Steel Pro Nonstick Loaf Pan
$34.99 on Amazon
Buy
This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy. LEGGI TUTTO
These classic pickled jalapeños, or jalapeños escabeche, are made with fresh jalapeño chili peppers, white onions, garlic, carrots, cider vinegar and herbs. Serve them alongside Mexican dishes, or slice them up for burgers, tacos, or salsas.
Photography Credit: Elise Bauer
This year I decided to grow jalapeño and serrano chiles—those wonderfully hot and flavorful Mexican chiles that are used to make salsa, guacamole, and so many Mexican dishes. But I certainly wasn’t expecting each plant to yield over a pound of chiles. What to do with so many?
Make jalapeños escabeche, or pickled jalapeños!
What is Escabeche?
Pickled jalapeños, or escabeche, are served as a condiment with many meals in Mexico. Chiles, onions, carrots, cauliflower are pickled with the jalapeños. My mother used to buy jars of escabeche when I was a child. The chiles can be cut up and used for many dishes.
From the editors of Simply Recipes
How to Make Pickled Jalapeños
Unlike a lot of other pickle recipes, this one starts by frying the jalapeños and other vegetables in oil before pickling. This gives them a more complex, concentrated flavor.
After frying, simmer the vegetables in a simple pickling liquid of cider vinegar, salt, bay leaves, dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, and sugar until completely cooked. Pack the hot vegetables and pickling liquid into canning jars and seal.
Process the jars following the hot water bath canning method (Elise likes the method used here). If you prefer not to process your pickles, you can store them in the fridge and use within a month or so.
Ways To Use Escabeche
Crunchy pickled escabeche can be eaten as a snack or appetizer, or served on the plate alongside Mexican recipes. You can also slice or mince the pickled vegetables to make a quick relish for burgers, tacos, or burritos.
More Easy Pickle Recipes
Updated August 9, 2020 : We spiffed up this post to make it sparkle. No changes to the original recipe.
Escabeche (Pickled Jalapeños) Recipe
Recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s The Essential Cuisines of Mexico.
Ingredients
1 pound jalapeño (and/or serrano if you wish) chile peppers
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 medium white or yellow onions, thickly sliced
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
Florets from half a small cauliflower (optional)
1 head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
4 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Kosher salt or sea salt
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 sprigs fresh marjoram (can sub fresh oregano) or 1/4 teaspoon dried
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon sugar
Method
1 Prep the chiles: Wash the chiles, leaving the stems intact. Cut a cross in the tip end of each chile so that the vinegar will be able to penetrate the chiles.
2 Fry the vegetables in olive oil: Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the chiles, onions, carrots, cauliflower if using, and garlic. Fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning them over occasionally.
3 Boil with vinegar and seasonings: Add the vinegar, salt, bay leaves, dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Make sure the chiles are entirely cooked through before canning. You will know they are cooked when they are no longer vibrant green, but a dull, olive green.
4 Pack the jars: Pack 4 to 5 pint-sized sterilized jars with the chiles and vegetables. Top with the vinegar cooking liquid and seal.
5 Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Once opened, can keep for one to two months in the refrigerator.
Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!
Products We Love
Pint-sized Canning Jars
$36.99 on Amazon
Buy
This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family’s recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
More from Elise LEGGI TUTTO
The Silver and Golden Fiz cocktails, however, were shaken over ice, poured into a glass, and THEN topped off – and here’s the kicker – ONLY with seltzer water.
This tells us a few things. Obviously, to achieve the rich, desserty texture from the egg, you really need to shake the drink. This much should be clear to anyone who has worked with eggs in cocktails. But to me what’s more interesting is that Jerry Thomas knew that big bubbles – the kind you get from a seltzer gun – were the only thing to use in a rich, dessert- style cocktail if you want to achieve contrast with the other ingredients – in order to make the drink feel effervescent despite its heavy, sweet flavor profile.
If you want to learn more about egg-based drinks or the difference between sparkling water and seltzer water, head over to Episode 029 – Egg Cocktails, or Episode 099 – Bursting Bubbles. Also, if you do decide to head over to the show notes page for this episode to check out that PDF of Jerry Thomas’ Bar Tender’s Guide, the recipes I just mentioned are on pages 46 and 47 – which are pages 50 and 51 of the PDF document. The more you know.
Featured Cocktail: The Ramos Gin Fizz
Now, of course, I’d be remiss if I moved on without mentioning what’s probably the most iconic Fizz cocktail in the book – the Ramos Gin Fizz, invented by Henry C. Ramos of the Imperial Cabinet Bar in New Orleans in 1888 – one year after the final publication of The Professor’s Bar Tender’s Manual. This cocktail extends the fizz format by adding dairy (in the form of heavy cream) and orange blossom water to the recipe. It also modifies the process to generate an uncommonly rich head of foam on the drink by employing a method called the “dry shake,” where some drink components of the cocktail are beat up in the shaker without ice to begin denaturing the egg whites without the unhelpful presence of ice or dilution.
To make it, you’ll need:
2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup (1:1, sugar:water)
3 dashes orange flower water
1 ounce heavy cream
1 egg white
2 ounces soda water
Combine all ingredients except soda water in a cocktail shaker with NO ice, and make sure you really maintain the seal with your hands – otherwise, you’re gonna be wearing most of the drink. Give that a good, solid shake for at least 15-20 seconds (or until you hear and feel the consistency of the drink begin to change in the shaker). At this point, add your ice and shake for a further 15-20 seconds before straining into a highball glass, topping with soda, garnishing optionally with half an orange wheel, and enjoying it through a straw.
To me, the Ramos Gin Fizz is the Apotheosis – the high water mark – of the fizz family. It attains a level of decadence hinted at by Jerry Thomas’ Silver and Golden Fiz cocktails, while still fitting comfortably within a category that started with a little booze, a little sugar, a little citrus, and some bubbles.
A Brief History of the Spritz
So, now that we’re comfortable with the Fizz category, let’s get spritzy. And of course, the first cocktail that comes to mind when we say “Spritz” is the mighty Aperol variant. It’s everywhere. It’s delicious – and so why shouldn’t it be the first thing we think of when the word is uttered?
It’s a weird thing to say, but the Spritz – in my opinion – is both older and younger than the Fizz – or perhaps more accurately stated, the origins of the spritz are older, but it didn’t reach its height of popularity or development until fizzes were old news. LEGGI TUTTO
