Irish Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Irish Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Feb 17, 2019 · 37 Comments

This Irish Bread Pudding with Caramel Whiskey Sauce makes the perfect dessert for grown-ups! The Whiskey Sauce Recipe is amazing! Sweet, creamy and with a kick of whiskey! A double dose of whiskey with whiskey soaked raisins in the bread pudding and whiskey in the sauce!

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The Best Bread Pudding Recipe

I don't do a lot of cooking specifically for St. Patrick's Day. Other than Corned Beef and Cabbage, I don't associate the holiday with food. I associate it with beer. Lots of beer. Most likely green. I did add a Midori Gin and Tonic to my list of green cocktails recently!

I never gave any thought really to a dessert to serve on St. Patrick's Day. Something green? A smoothie? Green cupcakes?

Then I found the Best Bread Pudding Recipe - seriously, this is the best. Or maybe I should say the Best Whiskey Sauce Recipe because that is what makes this even more amazing. I've brought this to parties and I've seen people licking their plates afterwards to get every last bit of the sauce!

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Delicious Slow Cooker Chicken and Stout Stew

Feb 16, 2019 · 22 Comments

This Slow Cooker Chicken and Stout Stew is so rich and delicious with earthy mushrooms, sweet carrots, bacon and tasty stout beer. Peas added right before serving stay fresh and green. Serve this over rice, polenta or pasta to soak up all the flavorful broth.

Click here to pin this Slow Cooker Chicken and Stout Stew now!

Cooking with Beer

Have you discovered how wonderful it is to cook with beer? Beer adds an earthy richness to recipes. Any beer will add flavor and depth, but I really love using a stout in winter stews and soups.

A stout beer is a dark beer with coffee chocolatey flavor. It pairs beautifully with beef and chicken and it's even used in some desserts. For this recipe I used a Guinness Stout.

You may be wondering if alcohol cooks out in a slow cooker. The consensus seems to be that it does. The longer cooking time is enough to cook off the alcohol. If you are concerned, you can leave the lid off during the last half hour.

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Patchouli Kitty Outside

Feb 15, 2019 · 23 Comments

Patchouli Kitty Outside

It's been awhile since I've posted some photos of Patchouli kitty. Actually these are from the fall. Patchouli usually only goes outside when either I'm outside or Mr. Sidewalk Shoes is outside. She doesn't like to go out alone because the other cats bully her.

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Midori Gin and Tonic

Feb 14, 2019 · 8 Comments

Take your gin and tonic to a fun new level with this pretty green Midori Gin and Tonic! Perfect for St. Patrick's Day or any day you want a fruity gin and tonic!

Click here to pin this Midori Gin and Tonic now!

St. Patrick's Day Cocktails

One of the joys of being a food, travel and cocktail blogger is that...well... you have to eat, visit places and drink. Now, it's not all fun and games. There is some responsibility involved. Like when I realized that I had no St. Patrick's Day cocktails on my blog! None.

Which is why on a Saturday afternoon in the middle of February, I was looking for Midori Cocktails. If you have never had Midori, it's a fruity melon liqueur, and it's a bright vibrant green.

I know the above photo looks more yellow than green, but really it is green! I think you can see it's true colors better in some of the other photos. And, now I'm singing True Colors from Cyndi Lauper.

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One World Brewing

Feb 12, 2019 · Leave a Comment

One World Brewing is a great brewery in downtown Asheville. It has a good selection of tasty craft beer and a fun, casual atmosphere.

Downtown Asheville Breweries

It's no secret that we went to Asheville to primarily visit the breweries. It was going to be cold and rainy, so we wouldn't be doing any hiking. Luckily there were plenty of breweries within walking distance of our hotel: we walked to Wicked Weed Brewing, Burial Beer and Green Man Brewing.

We saw that One World Brewing and Lexington Avenue Brewing were also within walking distance, though a little bit further and in the opposite direction of the others. So, we set out to explore them both along with East Fork Pottery. Unfortunately, since then Lexington Avenue Brewery closed down after being bought by another company.

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Fig, Brie, Prosciutto and Walnut Pizza

Feb 11, 2019 · 30 Comments

So delicious with it's salty and sweet flavor combination, this pizza is crazy easy! It's perfect for an appetizer or a light lunch or dinner, would be great for a brunch too! Naan bread, fig preserves, brie, walnuts and prosciutto are all you need to make this tasty pizza!

Click here to pin this Fig, Brie and Walnut Pizza now!

Easy Pizza Recipe

This has got to be the easiest pizza recipe ever! Using naan bread is one of my favorite ways to get a quick and easy pizza on the table - like with this Barbecue Chicken Pizza.

This recipe is even easier than that one! With only 5 ingredients and your only prep work is slicing the brie and preheating the oven!

You've probably had an appetizer of baked brie with figs. This takes that idea and turns it into an easy pizza.

It makes a great light lunch or dinner and would be perfect as an appetizer or for a brunch - I think it would be lovely for Mother's Day or Valentine's Day!

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Instant Pot Pasta alla Vodka

Feb 10, 2019 · 18 Comments

Rich and creamy, this Pasta all Vodka recipe is amazing!! This easy Instant Pot pasta recipe is going to become a favorite, it's so easy and so delicious! Butter, garlic, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, vodka, rigatoni pasta, red chile flakes, heavy cream, Pecorino Romano cheese, and fresh basil.

Click here to pin this Instant Pot Pasta all Vodka now!

Pasta in the Instant Pot

One of my favorite things about the Instant Pot is that you can cook the pasta right in the sauce! No need to heat up a big pot of boiling water! Not only does it save dishes, I think the pasta absorbs so much more of the flavor of the sauce.

One of my most popular posts on this blog is this Instant Pot Ground Pork and Pasta - and once you make it, you'll know why! It's so good and so easy.

Well, I have a feeling that this Instant Pot Pasta alla Vodka is going to also become a favorite. It's so good. Like seriously good. You'll want to make this for special occasions, except that it's so easy, you'll be able to treat yourself any day of the week.

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The Best Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Feb 9, 2019 · 11 Comments

Nothing beats homemade chicken noodle soup. With an Instant Pot you can have this soup on the table in about an hour and it tastes like it simmered all day. This Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is sure to become a family favorite.

Brown bowl filled with homemade chicken noodle soup.

You can make this easy pressure cooker chicken noodle soup any time of the year, but it really is wonderful during the cold and flu season.

When I crave pure comfort food like this soup, I have to make it myself. So, I love that it is so easy to make in the Instant Pot!

Filled with chicken, noodles, veggies and extra good for you things like ginger and turmeric!

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Random Luxie Kitty Photos

Feb 8, 2019 · 20 Comments

Random Calico Cat Photos

Once again, I am going through my huge backlog of cat photos. Deleting the rubbish ones and editing and posting the ones that I like. These are from a couple of years ago when Luxie was a teenager. She was going through a long and lanky phase. Now, she is in her husky big-boned phase! (We've been working on some playtime exercising.)

Here she is in her favorite spot on the blue table in front of the dining room window. She can see out into the neighborhood. She's such a good kitty, she doesn't bother the orchids at all!

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Tom Collins

Feb 7, 2019 · 11 Comments

The Tom Collins is a classic cocktail that is refreshing and delicious! Gin, lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water are all you need to make this!

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Why is it Called a Tom Collins?

Raise your hand if you thought there was a man named Tom Collins who invented a refreshing gin cocktail and called it after himself? Yeah, me too.

Turns out that it's not so easy to come to a consensus of how the Tom Collins got it's name. There are several theories floating around.

According to The Spirit of Gin by Matt Teacher, one story was the cocktail originated from a bartender named John Collins. Later the gin in the original cocktail was replaced with Old Tom gin and was then called a Tom Collins.

Others believe that the drink originated from "The Great Tom Collins Hoax of 1847." This was a prank where you would tell someone that "Tom Collins" had been spreading nasty rumors about him. The pranked person would then go searching for this "Tom Collins." A bartender developed a drink called the Tom Collins and when the pranked person walked into the bar looking for a Tom Collins, he was basically ordering a drink.

How ever it got it's name, it's a classic cocktail that is worth knowing how to make!

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Ninkasi Brewery

Feb 5, 2019 · 3 Comments

One of our favorite craft breweries in Eugene, Oregon! Ninkasi Brewing Company has great beer and a fun atmosphere!

Ninkasi Brewery

On a recent trip to Oregon, we had designated days as either wine days or beer days. Don't worry, in between drinking wine and beer, we did plenty of hiking and sight seeing. One of our days in Eugene, Oregon was designated as a beer day. Top on our list was Ninkasi Brewing Company.

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Mexican Quinoa Salad

Feb 3, 2019 · 7 Comments

This tasty Mexican Quinoa salad is bursting with flavor and so easy to make! Quinoa, black beans, corn, red onion, bell pepper, pickled jalapeño peppers, avocado, romaine lettuce, tortilla chips and limes combine to make this healthy and delicious quinoa salad! It's vegan, gluten free and perfect for a meatless lunch or dinner!

Click here to pin this Mexican Quinoa Salad now!

Is Quinoa a Grain?

What do you turn to when you need a quick and healthy dinner? For me it's some sort of vegetable bowl or salad. It's such an easy way to get in your vegetables, fruit and whole grains.

Speaking of whole grains, did you you know that quinoa is not a grain. It's actually a seed from a plant that is part of the spinach and beet family! Crazy, right?

Even so, we prepare it like a grain and tend to treat it like a grain. I love to use it any where that I might use brown rice, wheat berries or any other grains. I even like it for a healthy breakfast.

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Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Brownie Tarts

Feb 3, 2019 · 8 Comments

These rich, dense fudgy brownie tarts are topped with tart sweet raspberries and baked into cute little tarts.

They are bursting with decadent chocolate flavor.

This is the best chocolate dessert you will ever make! It's so easy that even someone that doesn't bake a lot can make these! Dark chocolate, butter, sugar, cream, eggs, flour and raspberries.

Two dessert plates with dark chocolate tarts topped with raspberries.

Do you have a favorite dessert? Mine would be anything with chocolate. For special days, like Valentine's Day, Mother's Day or our anniversary my husband always picks us up a huge slice of a decadent chocolate cake from a local bakery.

I waned to make something similar at home. Something that had that dense chocolate flavor. Fudgy and intense. Since I rarely bake, it had to be easy too. I had already mastered The Easiest Flourless Chocolate Cake, but I wanted to try something new.

Even better it uses dark chocolate, which is so good for you!

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Mahi Mahi with Coconut-Ginger Rice and Mango Salsa

Feb 2, 2019 · 9 Comments

Tender mahi mahi rests on flavorful coconut ginger rice and is topped with a fresh mango salsa! Dinner on the table in about 30 minutes! Mahi Mahi, coconut milk, rice, ginger, mango, mint, jalapeño pepper, scallion, chicken broth and coconut. This is a meal you'll turn to time and time again, everyone loves it!

Click here to pin this Mahi Mahi with Coconut Ginger Rice and Mango Salsa.

What is Mahi Mahi?

Mahi Mahi is one of those fish that I buy frozen in big bags from Costco whenever they have it available. It is not high in mercury and can be eaten once a week.

It is also sustainably fished with no current threat of over fishing. It is sometimes called dolphin fish, but it is not a dolphin. It had an early classification under the genus dolfyn, which is probably where the name came from.

Even better is that we love it! It is a lean fish with a mild sweet flavor.

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Luxie Kitty on the Couch

Feb 1, 2019 · 18 Comments

A Cat's Favorite Furniture

Many, many, many years ago we bought an Ikea loveseat and two armchairs. We bought them to be temporary while we looked for something "nicer." Fast forward all these years later and we are still using them. The problem?

Luxie loves the back of the loveseat. She has the cushions smooched down just so. It's her favorite spot to perch. She can see into the kitchen and she can watch tv. It's perfect.

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Coconut Chia Bars

Jan 31, 2019 · 8 Comments

Don't buy snack bars, it's so easy to make your own healthy snack bars! These delicious crunchy bars are sweetened with honey and full of good for you chia seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, coconut and cinnamon.

Healthy Snack Bars

Have you gone down the snack bar grocery aisle lately? It is loaded with "healthy" snack bars. We are a society on the go and we need to have easy snacks that we can just grab and go.

Store bought snack bars range in price from okay to outrageous. Many of them contain additives and added sugar. All things we don't need.

Wait till you see how easy it is to make your own healthy snack bars! You'll never buy store bought again.

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Sloe Gin Fizz (or Collins)

Jan 31, 2019 · 7 Comments

This pretty pink Sloe gin cocktail features sloe gin, lime juice and sparkling water. It's sweet, pretty and a tasty low alcohol cocktail.

Bright red cocktail on a blue tray in front of a vase of tulips.

I read last week that low alcohol cocktails are trending right now. The beauty of low alcohol drinks is that they are perfect for day drinking - think brunch or lunch or lounging by the pool or cuddled up by the fireplace.

Using an American sloe gin, besides making it pretty, brought down the alcohol content. Sloe gin is 20% alcohol, 40 proof - compared to gin which is 47% alcohol, 94 proof.

Click here to pin this now!

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Roasted Beets and Blood Orange Salad

Jan 29, 2019 · 6 Comments

This bright and beautiful salad is gorgeous to look at and so good for you! Sweet roasted beets, tart blood oranges, herby fennel and crunchy walnuts make a delicious healthy salad perfect for anytime of the year.

Winter Salads

Who said you have to stop eating salads in the winter. Luckily there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that are still around in the colder months. Blood oranges are in season from December to May, beets are harvested through fall, but keep so well. Fennel has it's peak growing season in fall and winter.

Some other produce that you might want to include in winter salads would be pears, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots and cauliflower.

This salad is gluten free, paleo and vegan!

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Green Sage Cafe

Jan 29, 2019 · 2 Comments

Looking for a delicious breakfast in Asheville, North Carolina? The Green Sage Cafe is a certified green restaurant serving local, organic and sustainable food!

Green Sage Cafe in Downtown Asheville

We spent sometime trying to decide where to have breakfast in downtown Asheville. We had already eaten at Early Girl Eatery and were looking for another place to try. I was reading about Green Sage Cafe and everything I read sounded perfect!

They are a certified green restaurant. Their food is nutrient rich, chemical free, 95% organic and thoughtfully sourced. They focus on plant-based food that is GMO free with no unnatural ingredients. They even care about their cookware, using an eco-friendly line of cookware.

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Shrimp, Avocado and Grapefruit Salad

Jan 27, 2019 · 13 Comments

This Shrimp, Avocado and Grapefruit Salad can be enjoyed all year long, but is especially nice in the winter when local produce is not available.

Succulent shrimp, creamy avocado, tart grapefruit, crunchy pecans and crisp lettuce get tossed in a cilantro lime vinaigrette.

White plate with shrimp, avocado and grapefruit salad.

Winter Salads

Last week, I shared an easy winter salad - Chicken Waldorf Salad. Even though cold weather calls for bowls full of comfort, I sometimes crave something a little lighter. A salad. But not a summer salad, not filled with fresh tomatoes and fresh corn, something that feels decidedly more winter.

One of the things we can definitely enjoy about winter is citrus! All that lovely citrus that fills the grocery stores and markets right now. Avocados are available year round and they pair beautifully with citrus. Making a salad that includes citrus and avocados a perfect winter salad.

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Avocado-Mango Salad

Jan 26, 2019 · 9 Comments

This simple salad of sliced mangoes and avocado is ridiculously easy, but absolutely perfect! Sweet mangoes, creamy avocado, tart lime juice and plenty of fresh ground black pepper create a salad that is vegan, gluten free, paleo and absolutely delicious!

Simple Healthy Salads

Are you looking for a simple, healthy side dish salad? Well, you have come to the right place. I am all about simple and healthy.

Don't be fooled by how simple this recipe is, it's so good! People will ask you what you did. How did you make it. You will not believe how just a few simple ingredients, tossed together in just a few minutes can make something so delicious!

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Coco Kitty in the Morning

Jan 25, 2019 · 17 Comments

Coco Kitty in the Early Morning Light

I know you all are used to seeing Luxie helping me in the morning, but on this particular morning, Coco came by to help. Don't you just love the early morning winter light? Such a sharp angle coming in and such a blue cold light.

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The Best! Spicy Moscow Mule

Jan 24, 2019 · 7 Comments

This Spicy Moscow Mule has a delicious kick from the celery black pepper vodka! So easy, you don't even need a cocktail shaker!

Pepper vodka, ginger beer, celery stick and a lemon wedge are all you need for this oh-so sippable cocktail!

Click here to pin this now!

Two copper moscow mule mugs with celery stick and lemon wedge.

A Moscow Mule is a very simple cocktail using vodka, ginger beer and lime juice.

The story goes that in the 1930's John Martin had purchased Smirnoff Vodka and was complaining to Jack Morgan that he couldn't sell his vodka. Jack Morgan was also having trouble selling his ginger beer. A third person, not named in the story, said that she was having trouble selling her copper mugs.

Martin combined his vodka with Morgan's ginger beer, added a little lime juice and served it in the copper mugs. It became a hugely popular drink in the 1950's and 1960's.

With today's growing popularity of cocktails, variations of the Moscow Mule are showing up every where!

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Cookies and Cream Popcorn

Jan 24, 2019 · 8 Comments

Sweet, salty, and oh so wonderful, everyone loves this Oreo Cookie Popcorn. White chocolate, popcorn and Oreo cookies are all you need to make this easy delicious snack.

Glass jar filled with Oreo cookies popcorn

Did you know that Oreo cookies were invented in 1912? Finally something that's been around longer than me! They were invented to copy the Hydrox cookie. I remember Hydrox cookies, I always thought they were imitations of Oreos. Obviously Oreo Cookies won that game.

With their balance of chocolate to cream, Oreos make a fun, easy ingredient in recipes, like this amazing Cookies and Cream Popcorn, a dessert popcorn recipe!

We also love them in Cookies and Cream Blondies!

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