Holiday Spirit

Hello again! This is a short one, but I wanted to share now while I was think of it. Mike and I occasionally like to try a new cocktail or beverage. 
 
When were out to dinner with my parents last week for their anniversary dinner (Happy 44 Years, Mom and Dad!), I noticed a Spiced Pear Martini on the menu at Olive Garden. I didn't get one for dinner, but the idea of stuck in my head. I Googled "Spiced Pear Martini" later, and I found a recipe that seemed tasty and easy to whip up.
 
 I would say it tastes more like Christmas cookies than pear, but it's still delicious and very holiday-inspiring. The original recipe places one maraschino cherry at the bottom of the martini glass, but we omitted that as maraschinos are not something we keep on hand, nor would we finish a jar bought for this purpose.
 
We would make this again, though I think I might look for pear vodka (which I feel certain I've seen before) to see if the outcome would be more like pear and less like cookie.
 
And for those of you looking for pear nectar, check at Kroger or Publix (not Walmart). It's typically in the juice section with the juice box type products. We always see it in small cans as a 6-pack. As a side note, pear nectar is DELICIOUS straight up. We had an impromptu picnic  in front of an abandoned church while traveling through Europe and dined on local cheeses, cured meats, and pear nectar juice boxes. It made me a fan for life.
 
 
 
 
Spiced Pear Martini
 
Combine equal parts pear nectar and vanilla vodka over ice in a cocktail shaker. Add a sprinkle each of cinnamon and nutmeg and shake to mix well. Pour into martini glasses and enjoy!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Looks like I've got some catching up to do

Image
So, to anyone who was reading this with any regularity, it seemed as though I fell off the face of the earth. Or quit cooking. Or quit eating. I can assure you none of these scenarios is true. Mike and I still cook together all the time, and now it's even better because we moved last summer, and our new kitchen is far and way better than our old one. We've also still been traveling quite a bit — most frequently to Asheville — where the most frequent question that comes up is, "Where are we eating tonight/in the morning/next?" Along those same lines, for our last several birthdays and anniversaries, we've opted to celebrate by dining out at a restaurant (preferably one we haven't tried yet) instead of exchanging gifts. So I figured to help me get back in the swing of things, I'd share our most recent celebration dinner: my birthday dinner earlier this month. If you're not from Nashville, you may not know, but the food scene here has EXPLODED
Read more

Finally Fall

Image
On tonight's menu...Monday Night Football and Moroccan Carrot Soup!  That peeler is one of the cheapest and best kitchen gadgets I own! Nothing says Fall has arrived like football and soup, and since the temps around here finally dropped below the 80s, it was time to break out the soup pot. I first tried this carrot soup at my aunt's house several months ago, and I couldn't wait to make it again so Mike could try it, too. It's really easy to make, and I believe relatively healthful. I'm not sure where the original recipe came from, so consider this one, "From the Kitchen of Aunt Sheryl." I used Greek yogurt, and doubled the recipe so we could have leftovers for lunches. The recipe as listed says it will serve 4. Drizzling in the honey... Moroccan Carrot Soup 2 Tbl butter 1 cup chopped white onion 1 lb large carrots, peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces 2½ cups low-salt chicken broth 1 Tbl honey 1 tsp fresh lemon juice ⅛ tsp ground allspice
Read more

Squash and Carrots, Oh My!

Image
When Mike and I were still just dating, Mike's mom was having us over for dinner and introduced me to a brand new dish: Squash Casserole. It was so very tasty that I asked for the recipe at the end of the meal and have been making it ever since. Granted, it's not the healthiest way to eat your vegetables, but sometimes you've got to go for tasty and leave the healthy to someone else. Most recipes I've found call for a full cup of sour cream and an entire stick of butter. I've decreased both these and found it was still delicious. If you're really going for decadence, though, feel free to go all in. Also, most recipes I've seen either mix half the cornbread stuffing mix into the casserole or spread half on the bottom and the remaining on top. I really enjoy the crispy on top, so that's where I put all of mine. All the ingredient amounts are pretty flexible. I've used preshredded carrots, and I've shredded my own. Preshredded will offer a bit o
Read more