His + Hers Cocktails

Mr. E is not a fan of the cocktail.  Unless the cocktail looks like this:

Maker's Mark, ice and a glass.

Maker's Mark is his favorite, so we always have it in the house.  Untouched by me.  If I were to drink whisky on the rocks, I believe you'd find me hours later, lying on the bathroom floor to feel the cool, cool tiles on my face. <*insert college flashback here*>

So, when we were at PF Chang's recently inhaling massive amounts of potstickers nibbling upon appetizers, I was happy to see a cocktail on their menu that maybe I could recreate at home...and share in a little of Mr. E's Maker's Mark.  It's romantic to share. ♥

I call it....a Honey of a Whisky Sour.

It's made with honey simple syrup, which sounds really fancy, but it just honey heated up with water.

You'll also need this stuff:

Maraschino cherries are a MUST in my cocktail book.  And, you'll want need some OJ and a lemon.

Honey of a Whisky Sour
{inspired by PF Chang's Twisted Whisky Sour, makes 1}

for the honey simple syrup:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup water

for the cocktail:
1/8 cup Maker's Mark Whisky
1 TBSP Cointreau
3 TBSP honey simple syrup
3 TBSP orange juice
1 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 dashes bitters
maraschino cherries

For the simple syrup, combine the honey and water in a small saucepan.  Bring to just a simmer, then remove from heat and let cool.  Store in the fridge.

For the cocktail, whisk all of the ingredients, except the cherries, in a bowl (or use a cocktail shaker filled with ice).  Pour over ice.  Add cherries, they're mandatory.

Perfect for New Year's Eve, Birthday Eve, or Saturday Eve! 

From Mr. E & me to you....CHEERS!  May 2013 be your best year yet.

Salame al Cioccolato (that's chocolate salami to you & me)

DO NOT PANIC.  THERE IS NO MEAT IN THIS SALAMI. 

{Whew.  OK...I didn't want you to freak out there.}

Do you ever buy a cookbook and it's so beautiful and so full of gorgeous sounding recipes that you read it again and again, but wait a year before you make anything from it?  Just me?  Well, that's what happened when I received Dolci: Italy's Sweets by Francine Segan last year.  I fell in love with it, but never actually tried a recipe.  Until yesterday.

Chocolate Salami...seriously, how cute is that?!?  How fun would this be at a party?

Let me tell you what's in chocolate salami: cookies, chocolate, butter, nuts, espresso.  Done.

I mean, chopped up cookies mixed with chocolate and butter?!?!?!?  
We've been waiting for this recipe our entire lives, right?

Oh!  Big disclaimer here: please disregard the crunchy crostini in my picture.  I thought I would be all fancy and toast up a baguette.  Wrong.  You want to spread this on soft bread.  It can be a baguette....just don't toast it.

I used these Scottie shortbread cookies.  Yes, I felt terrible chopping them up.

Chocolate Salami
{adapted from Dolci}

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 TBSP unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces butter cookies, chopped (I used Walker's Butter Shortbread)
4 heaping TBSP coarsely chopped pistachios (I used roasted & salted)
1 TBSP brewed espresso
Powdered sugar

In a microwave, melt the chocolate at 50% power in 30-second intervals (or in a bowl over simmering water), stirring after each, until melted.  Set aside to cool.

Beat the butter until smooth and creamy.

Stir in the chocolate, cookies, nuts and espresso until well combined.  Spoon the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a salami shape...about 6 inches long and 2 inches wide.  Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.

Remove from the plastic wrap and roll in powdered sugar.  Re-wrap in parchment and tie with twine for presentation.  Cut into thin slices with a serrated knife and use a butter knife or spreader to smoosh into untoasted baguette slices, or other soft bread.

Chocolate Salami...it's a thing, y'all.

A little dusting of magic...

Maybe it leaves a tell-tale sign on your favorite black pants, or leaves your fingers sticky and in need of licking, or falls all over your freshly-mopped floor, but there IS something magical about a dusting of powdered sugar.

Or, could be I think it's magical because it's the closest I'll get to actual snow this winter.

You might think you're cookie'd out from Christmas.  Trust me, you're not.  You'll need these New Year's Eve...or New Year's Day...or well, any old day.

Toasted pecans, cardamom, cinnamon, and yes, that dusting of powdered sugar makes these babies irresistible. 

Pecan Cardamom Crescents
{adapted from Bon Appetit, makes about 30-36}

for the cookies:
1 cup chopped pecans
2 & 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 TBSP vanilla

for the coating:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Pour the pecans onto one cookie sheet and bake for about 4-5 minutes until fragrant.  Remove from the sheet and let cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, spices, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar and the toasted pecans in a food processor until a coarse meal forms.

Beat the butter and vanilla until creamy.  Beat in the pecan mixture.  Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, scraping the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until it becomes cohesive.

Measure a heaping tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball with your hands, then roll into a log shape, about 2 inches long.  Bend in the ends, pinching gently.  Place on the prepared sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the bottoms turn golden.

Meanwhile, sift together the coating ingredients into a pie plate or shallow bowl.

Immediately after the cookies come out of the oven, roll in the sifted coating.

Place on a wire rack to cool completely.

 {Some of the sugar will soak into the warm cookies.  Don't worry; they're going for another roll.}

Once the cookies are completely cooled, re-roll in the coating sugar.

Powdered sugar dusted cookies?  Magical.