Maple - Bacon Oatmeal

Inspired by a brief article in a magazine read months ago (sheesh, time, what happened?), I decided on a whim this morning to give a new oatmeal concoction a test spin.  And, oh man, was it good.  It was good because not only was it a change from the typical bowl of oatmeal I've been consuming lately, but it was such a delicious combination of flavors.  I'll most definitely be revisiting this combo soon.

Directions:

• Put one packet of instant oatmeal into a microwave safe bowl (I'm partial to Nature's Path brand)
• Add milk (or soy or coconut milk) and or water to the bowl.  Add the amount you want to get your desired consistency. I like my oats thicker, more like porridge, so I add enough to cover and just a bit extra.
• Add a spoonful of nut butter and stir to dissolve as much as possible
• Microwave according to packet's directions
• After your oats are cooked, stir to mix. Then add in the goodness:  a hefty dose of dark amber maple syrup, a small handful of slivered almonds, a solid pinch of chia seeds and cocoa nibs, and - wait for it! - two to three strips of cooked bacon, torn into smaller pieces.
• Stir again and devour

It's almost Friday. Hang in there!

Friday Cheer! The Baren Pear and The Italian Pear Gimlet

Fridays are always a high point of the week, right?  It means you wrap up work for the week and have two days to yourself.  Maybe you even have something fun scheduled for the weekend!  I've been looking forward to this Friday all week long...but I've been looking forward to Saturday even more.  Because Saturday is Cinco de Mayo AND the Kentucky Derby!  Which poses the question: tequila/margaritas or bourbon/mint juleps?  A dangerous riddle...and I know my limits. I can't handle both those liquors mixing in my stomach.  So I'll have margaritas with my feast of Mexican food and save mint juleps (or perhaps Martha Stewart's blackberry mint julep) for next week.

In honor of the double "holiday", I have two Friday Cheer recipes today.

The Baren Pear
from Barenjager Honey Liqueur
A delicious cocktail with a smooth and sweet taste. A word of warning, though; it didn't have the distinctive liquor taste, meaning it is dangerously drinkable.
 

Finally, the end of my pear vodka!

1 part Barenjager Honey Liquor
1 part pear vodka
3/4 part triple sec
1/2 part lemon juice
10 small mint leaves
1/2 part simple syrup (recipe below)
ice

Their instructions:  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients to shaker. Shake vigorously for at least 45 seconds; you want to bruise the mint leaves to release their flavor.  Strain into a martini glass and garnish with mint leaves and a citrus peel spiral.

I know it's odd, but we don't have real ice cubes in my apartment. Instead we have the plastic water-filled reusable ice cubes that don't seem conducive to shaking.  So I have to get creative sometimes.
My instructions: Put lemon juice and mint leaves in the bottom of a sturdy glass.  Gently bruise the mint leaves to release their oils, using a wooden spoon or a muddler. (Over-crushing the mint releases bitter flavors like chlorophyll into your drink, so stay gentle but firm!)  Add the remaining ingredients and ice (or faux ice cubes), stir, and enjoy!

Muddling mint and lemon in a glass

The Baren Pear, minus some plastic ice cubes

To make simple syrup:
Combine equal parts granulated sugar and water in a saucepan. Over medium heat, stir the mixture occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved. Turn off heat. Store your simple syrup in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.  Each time I want to use it, I check to make sure the syrup is still clear (not cloudy or discolored), indicating bacteria or other undesireables aren't growing in it.
If you want to make a flavored simple syrup, simply put an herb (rosemary, mint) or other flavoring (cranberries, fresh ginger slices, pink peppercorns, cardamom, etc) into the saucepan after the sugar dissolves.  Reduce the heat to low and hold there for about 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and allow the syrup to cool with the flavoring agent in the syrup.  Before storing, remove the flavoring agent with tongs or by pouring through a mesh strainer.



The Italian Pear Gimlet
Inspired by Martini's Modern Italian Restaurant in Columbus, Ohio
This drink was actually an error on my part. I'd seen the descriptions for two different cocktails on Martini's menu...and when I attempted to mix them at home, I mixed up an ingredient. It worked, though I would like to try the original version next time.

Pretend there's some grapefruit juice in there too

1 part pear vodka
1/2 part Aperol liquor
1 part grapefruit juice
1/4 part lime juice
seltzer water or club soda to taste


Combine pear vodka, Aperol, and lime juice in either a shaker or glass and mix well.  Pour into a glass filled with ice and add seltzer water or club soda to taste.
*The original recipe from Martini's used grapefruit-flavored vodka instead of pear vodka, which I haven't tried but imagine it would be very tasty.

Wait for it...

Plastic ice cubes!

Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy the dual holiday! I know I will!

List Love: New(ish) Things

I may or may not shop a bit too much. Here are some of my more recent purchases that I absolutely love:

1)  Cuisinart Immersion Blender in Tangerine
It was on clearance, and I'd wanted one for awhile.  Since it was still wintry soup making season, I went for it.  It's first task was to make the most luscious gravy (a la Nigella Lawson) from caramelized onions, sherry, and reduced beef broth.  While it has pureed some soups, it's used a few times each week for a smoothie in the morning.  My favorite use, though, was to make a pumpkin milkshake--vanilla ice cream, milk, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and graham cracker crumbs!  Bonus: it's way easier to clean than my clunky blender.

2)  A Lovely Assortment of Bowls from Anthropologie
While I love the boho chic style of Anthropologie, I've never bought any of their clothes (not a style I can pull off and a bit out of my price range).  I have, however, purchased plenty of cookwares. And a macaron cookbook, since I'm determined to master the art of Parisian macaron making!  Using them or even just looking at them on the shelf makes me feel so creative and elegant, which, I realize is an odd juxtaposition. But they do.

3)  Sephora Collection Be You Lip Stain
Orange is one of my favorite colors, so you can guess how excited I was by Sephora's collaboration with Panetone that named tangerine to be the color of the year.  This lip stain goes on like a gloss, but the pH matching pigments in it create the perfect coral color for your individual lips.  Normally, these self-adjusting cosmetics fail miserably...but this one is perfect, at least for me. It's bolder than I would typically wear, but it is such a lovely coral, I can't resist breaking it out this season.

4) Bandha Criss-Cross Sandals from Patagonia
I'm a Patagonia addict...now expanding into their shoe collection.  I took a major risk and wore them for the first time on my trip to Puerto Rico.  They were amazing! I wore them each day and my feet never hurt once. They have support in the sole from a metal shank, so walking around all day was painless (unlike my stylish and comfortable super thin soled sandals that leave my feet and calves screaming).  I already want them in blue...

5)  Annie Chung's Gochujang Sauce 
The new "it" condiment, if foodie sites and magazines are to believed.  After tasting it, I have to agree.  Mixed with ketchup, it's a delightful change from my curry-ketchup combo for sweet potato oven fries.  Added to ground beef (with plenty of other spices), it made delicious burgers. It's savory and slightly spicy, but different from either soy sauce, sambal oelek (Thai chili paste), or sriarcha.

6)  The Sweet Life in Paris by David Leibovitz
I know I'm behind the times, but I read this book for the first time and loved it. Like laugh out loud and make Eric read that sentence loved it.  It's a quick read, but witty and insightful and fun. Plus you get a recipe with each chapter! You know I'll be trying some of those very soon.

7)  Chia Seeds from Nativas Naturals
Another newly popular food item, chia seeds look like a flattened poppy seed.  But they're packed with nutrients, like iron, minerals, and omega 3's.  I add them to smoothies (I like the mild crunch they add in), oatmeal, or muffins and quick breads. I am obsessed with this chia pudding recipe from the blog Running to the Kitchen; the chia seeds swell after absorbing liquid overnight, so that it's like a healthy tapioca pudding. It's made my breakfast rotation at least once a week!  I'm looking forward to trying another recipe for that blog for chia-strawberry power muffins.

8)  Oiselle's Simplicity Tank and Patagonia's Nouli Tank
With my newly discovered passion for spinning classes, I realized I need to wear moisture-wicking clothing if I didn't want to soak through my usual cotton workout t-shirt.  These two tanks are my favorite to wear to spin class--they're incredibly comfortable (and longer than usual sweat-wicking tees!), flattering, sweat-wicking, and make me feel like a rockstar. Since I've been adhering to my cotton tee and soccer or running shorts ensemble for years, wearing a more fitted top made with performance material feels strange...but I admit I'm becoming a fan. I wouldn't be surprised if those white cotton tee's made their way to the back of the dresser drawer.

Patagonia Nouli Tank

Oiselle Simplicity Tank

9)  Saucony Triumph
Sticking with the exercise theme, these are my new shoes.  There's nothing like new shoes to reignite my desire to workout.  The sole is updated from the previous Triumph (incarnation number ?) and feels a bit different, but it's still the shoe for me.

10)  Ben and Jerry's Greek Frozen Yogurt
Uh, genius! Why didn't we do this before?  It's two things I adore--Greek yogurt and ice cream!  I've only tried the strawberry shortcake flavor (strawberry Greek fro-yo with shortcake pieces and strawberry chunks) so far, but don't worry, I'll be sure to check out all the other flavors in no time.