Tag Archives: summer

Key lime margarita

drinks 6 Comments

It’s summer! The time when I reach for Lucy Buffett’s cookbook before anything else.

This one is based on Lucy’s Cadillac Margarita, adapted to, naturally, include key lime juice. Because I am obsessed love it.

Key lime margarita

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ounces tequila
  • 3/4 ounce Grand Marnier
  • 1 ounce key lime juice
  • 1 ounce simple syrup
  • juice of 1/2 lime

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with as much ice as will fit
  2. Do the margarita dance (shake it up)
  3. Run a lime wedge around the edge of the glass and dip it in coarse salt
  4. When the drink is fabulously cold and frothy, pour into said glass and enjoy.

Simple syrup

dessert, drinks 11 Comments

Try not to be blown away by the beauty of that picture, okay?

I saw bottled simple syrup for sale the other day for a kind of ridiculous price and I was kind of horrified. Its name is no accident, folks; this stuff is crazy easy to make.

Simple syrup

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  1. I fill my glass Pyrex to the one cup mark, then pour in one cup of sugar, and microwave. I leave a chopstick in it while microwaving because it helps the bubbles escape as it comes close to a boil, and because it’s handy dandy for stirring it every so often
  2. Microwave the syrup for a minute or so at a time, stirring after each minute, till the sugar is completely dissolved, then set on the counter to cool
  3. I store mine in a Wilton squeeze bottle, but any bottle or jar will work just fine.

 

Now you’re all set to make key lime amaretto sours! Iced coffee! Key lime margaritas! The possibilities are endless.

Key lime pie

baking, dessert 8 Comments

This is the most popular AND the easiest dessert I make. Isn’t that a great combination? It’s the Yankee’s favorite and my daddy’s favorite, so this gets made a lot during the summer. And it’s crazy easy. This is the recipe my grandmother taught me:

You need:

  • 24 graham crackers (or 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs)
  • 6 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup key lime juice
  • Key lime zest (optional)

Make the crust first:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or crush with a rolling pin in a zip top bag till finely crushed — you want 1 1/2 cups of crumbs when it’s done
  3. Stir in melted butter and sugar, then press into pie plate
  4. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes

While the crust is baking, whip up the filling:

  1. Beat or whisk egg yolks and condensed milk together till completely combined
  2. Gradually add in key lime juice, stirring constantly; whisk a while if you like the filling light and airy (I do, so I do this in my stand mixer). Add the zest at this point if you’re so inclined
  3. Pour filling into baked crust, and bake for 10 minutes at 350

Two notes for you today:

One: you’re welcome to use the egg whites leftover to make a meringue for the top. I am a complete meringue failure, so I’m not going to even try to tell you how. You’re welcome.

Two: there is no shame in using a storebought graham cracker crust if you’re in a total pinch for time. 🙂

So go try it! It’s the perfect time of year for this. And did I mention it’s easy?

Lissa’s frozen margaritas

drinks 11 Comments

Lissa and I have decided we’re going to be professional guacamole and margarita tasters. Anyone in the market for that? Anyone? Well let us know. We’re available.

Given our fondness for that combination, I thought it was time to share Lissa’s margarita recipe with you. I declare it Lissa week here at One Particular Kitchen! We’ll celebrate! (With margaritas!)

Lissa’s frozen margaritas

Ingredients

  • 4 oz tequila
  • 2 oz Triple Sec
  • Splash of liquid margarita mix
  • Splash of Grand Marnier
  • Splash of orange juice
  • 1/3 large can frozen limeade concentrate

Instructions

  1. Pour all ingredients into a blender with plenty of ice, blend until smooth

(One of these doesn’t hurt for these; I’m just sayin’. Mine even works after a user error fail!)

I am a saltaholic so I go for the lime-and-salt rimmed glasses. The Yankee not so much — no salt for him. The Kiddo? All Cheerios all the time. That’s how we roll.

BBQ chicken pizza

kids, lunch, slow cooker, supper 15 Comments

This is a perfect meal to throw together during the middle of the week. Quick, easy, and so delicious!

You will need:

  • chicken — I used three boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • dough — your refrigerator dough, homemade dough, or even store bought
  • barbecue sauce
  • cheese

And then:

  1. Start with the chicken: three chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, thrown into the slow cooker set to low in the morning — no barbecue sauce yet because you don’t want the sugar in it to cook as long as the chicken
  2. About two hours before supper time you’re ready to shred the chicken; since it’s in a crock pot this may be as easy as breaking it up with a wooden spoon, but you can take it out and shred it if need be. Return the meat to the slow cooker set to low and add in enough barbecue sauce to fully coat all the meat
  3. About an hour before baking time pull out some refrigerated dough, form it into a ball and set it in a olive oil brushed cast iron skillet to rise for about 45 minutes
  4. After 45 minutes, start your oven preheating to 400 degrees
  5. Now assemble your pizza! Pat out the dough, then top with barbecue chicken, extra sauce, and whatever else your little heart desires: onions, garlic, pineapple, you name it. Then sprinkle on the cheese and bake at 400F till the cheese is melted and the crust is done — this probably won’t take more than ten minutes or so

Enjoy!