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Cucumber Southside

Earthy cucumbers, sharp limes and cool mint make for a perfectly refreshing cocktail to drink all spring and summer long.      This post m...

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Cucumber Southside

Earthy cucumbers, sharp limes and cool mint make for a perfectly refreshing cocktail to drink all spring and summer long.

    
This post may contain affiliate links, please see my affiliate notice for details.

Cucumber Southside Refreshing Gin Cocktail Recipe

What You Need For This Recipe
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Water
  • Cucumber
  • Mint Leaves
  • Gin
  • Lime juice

What Is A Southside
A Southside is a cocktail made up of gin, lime juice, sugar and mint.  The history of this drink can be traced back to 1916 during the Prohibition Era. It appeared in the book “Recipes for Mixed Drinks” by Huge Enslinn as the South Side Fizz. His recipe included club soda although modern recipes remove the bubbles and 'Fizz' from the title to get what we know as the Southside today. 

In this recipe, we're adding cucumber for an even more refreshing cocktail just in time for summer.

Cucumber, Limes, Mint Dark and Moody Food Photography
How To Make A Cucumber Southside 
Make The Simple Syrup
This cocktail begins with the cucumber simple syrup. In saucepan, add in water and sugar and cook on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. While the sugar is cooking, grate the cucumber. Once the sugar is done, remove from the heat. Add in the grated cucumber, cover with a lid and steep for 30 minutes.

Strain into a glass container using a fine mesh strainer and/or cheesecloth to separate out the smaller pieces. Cover the a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Make The Cocktail
I like to serve this drink in coupe or martini glass. Which means this drink won't be poured over ice. If doing the same, before you begin, place your serving glasses in the freezer to chill.

In your cocktail shaker, add the cucumber syrup and mint leaves.  Carefully muddle the mint in the syrup using a muddler, rolling pin or the back of a spoon. The best way to muddle mint without tearing it (tearing will make the mint bitter), is too gently press down and slightly twist then lift the tool, press down and twist again. Do this about five or six times. 

Add in your ice, lime juice and gin. Shake until chilled. 

While shaking, the mint will naturally break up into small bits, which won't separate out with just a cocktail strainer. That's where double straining helps (because who wants mints in their teeth). Doubling straining is simply using a Hawthorne and a cocktail strainer or a fine mesh strainer to catch smaller elements you don't want in the finished cocktail. 

Using the Hawthorne strainer, pour the drink through the cocktail strainer into the chilled glasses. Serve with a garnish of mint and cucumber slices and spirals. 

Cucumber Southside Refreshing Gin Cocktail Recipe
Tips For Making This Recipe
  • If using a coupe or martini glass, place them in the freezer to chill before you begin making the cocktail. 
  • While shaking, the mint will inevitably break into small pieces. Double straining will prevent these bits from getting into your finished drink.
  • When muddling the mint, be gentle. Being too vigorous will bring out the bitterness in the mint.
Enjoy,
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Zucchini Banana Bread

Zucchini & banana bread are the ultimate classic quick breads. This recipe combines them both for an easy & moist zucchini bread with the flavor ripe bananas.

     
This post may contain affiliate links, please see my affiliate notice for details.


What You Need For This Recipe

  • Ripe Bananas 
  • Eggs 
  • Vegetable Oil 
  • Brown Sugar
  • White Sugar 
  • All-purpose Flour 
  • Baking soda 
  • Salt 
  • Ground Cinnamon 
  • Ground Nutmeg 
  • Walnuts
  • Grated Zucchini

   


How To Make Zucchini Banana Bread
Prepare the Zucchini
Using a cheese grater or a food processor grate your zucchini with the skin on. You can grate it as fine or thick as you would as long as it add up to 1-1/2 cups. I like mine somewhere in middle. 

Although you may be tempted, do not wring out the zucchini. The water from the zucchini will add to the moisture of bread. 

Use Ripe Bananas 
For the best flavor and sweetness, use bananas that are ripe with lots of black spots on them. I sometimes even use bananas that are mostly black. They tend to have stronger banana flavors and sweetness. 

Zucchini Banana Bread on cooling rack framed in pink napkin and spring flowers

How to Freeze Bananas

I hate mushy bananas and I never can finish them before the over ripen, so often I end up freezing them to use for future baking. 

Peel the skin from your ripe bananas. Seal the whole fruit in a ziplock bag removing as much of the air as possible. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

For sliced bananas, place them on parchment paper lined baking sheet with a few centimeters of space in between each slice. Place in the freezer for 3 hours, then remove. Store slices in a ziplock bag removing as much of the air as possible. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

When you're ready to use, simply remove the bananas from the freeze and place on the countertop until thawed, about a hour. Or f you're in a rush, defrost in the microwave

How to Freeze and Unthaw Quick Breads

Quick breads are prefect to make ahead for brunch with friends or a sweet snack by yourself. Here's how to do it.

Freeze a Whole Loaf: Wrap cooled zucchini bread in tightly in aluminum foil and seal in a freezer storage bag for up to 4 months for best flavor and freshness.

Freeze Loaf Slices: Individually warp loaf slices in aluminum foil. Place as many slices you fit comfortably in storage bag, use more if you need it.

Unthaw a Whole Loaf: remove bread from storage bag. Leave on the countertop still wrapped in foil for about 4-5 hours. Keeping it in the foil allows the condensation to remain on the foil and make your bread soggy.

Unthaw Loaf Slices: remove bread from storage bag. Leave on the countertop still wrapped in foil for about 30 mins.



Tips For Making This Recipe
  • Don't squeeze out any water out of the zucchini, or else you'll have a dry bread
  • Store a room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. 
  • How to freeze: Wrap cooled zucchini bread in tightly in aluminum foil and seal in a freezer storage bag for up to 4 months for best flavor and freshness. To unthaw: remove bread from storage bag. Leave on the countertop still wrapped in foil for about 4-5 hours. 
Enjoy,

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Chocolate Bourbon Dulce de Leche Skillet Cookie

A skillet cookie is a quick and easy dessert to whip up with no rolling or chilling dough. This chocolate cookie is filled with dulce de leche and bourbon then served warm with vanilla bean ice cream.

    
This post may contain affiliate links, please see my affiliate notice for details.



What You Need For This Recipe

  • Unsalted Butter
  • Brown Sugar
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla
  • Flour
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Semi Sweet Chocolate 
  • Dulce de Leche
  • Bourbon

How To Make A Chocolate Bourbon Dulce de Leche Skillet Cookie?

Choosing The Right Skillet
The first step in making this recipe is a 10 inch oven proof skillet. I prefer cast iron like this one from the Lodge, but any oven proof skillet up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit will work.

Brown The Butter
Using in the same skillet you plan on baking the cookie in, melt the butter on medium heat. It will melt quicker if you cut the butter into pieces. Cook the butter string occasionally. It will bubble and foam up as it cooks but that's completely normal.

The butter will start to turn caramel in color and brown specs will appear. You will also begin to smell a nutty aroma. At this point remove the butter from the heat. (If you don't it will continue to cook and the butter will burn) When transferring to your mixing bowl, make sure to scrape out the brown bits on the bottom. They are full with a ton a flavor that we want in this cookie.

   

Make The Dough
Add your brown butter into a mixing bowl, brown bits included, and mix together with brown and granulated sugars. In another small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then quickly mix into your sugar mixture. (Because the butter is still hot, beating the eggs allow for them to not begin to cook in our batter) Then add vanilla. Next add in flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Lastly, fold in chocolate if using.

Putting It All Together
Assembling the cookie is simple. Follow the direction below.


Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes. You want to center to be just set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt and then serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream and remaining dulce de leche.

Make Ahead: Make the dough as instructed and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. When ready to bake, prepare the bourbon dulce de leche and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Freeze For Later: Allow cookie to cool completely then cut in wedges and wrap tightly in saran wrap. Store in air tight ziplock bag and freeze for up 3 months.


Tips For Making This Recipe

  • To brown the butter, use in the same skillet you plan on baking the cookie in. Don't wipe it out any reaming butter.
  • Make Ahead: Make the dough as instructed and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. When ready to bake, prepare the bourbon dulce de leche and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
  • Freeze For Later: Allow cookie to completely then cut in wedges and wrap tightly in saran wrap. Store in air tight ziplock bag and freeze for up 3 months.
Enjoy,
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Game Day Steak Sliders

Juicy, tender steak, sweet and tangy caramelized onions, roasted peppers, peppery arugula, gorgonzola and a horseradish aioli make a restaurant quality steak sandwich right at home.

    

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my affiliate notice for details.


What really makes this sandwich special is the balance between sweet, salty, savory and sour. You get sweet and sour from the onions caramelized in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Saltiness from gorgonzola andmore sweetness from roasted peppers. Savory/umami flavors from the steak, peppery arugula and a sour note from the horseradish aioli. 

This sandwich may seem fancy but you don't need a special occasion to make this beauty. Theses sliders are perfect game day watching or an elegant dinner party. They are even great as full size sandwiches for a hardy lunch or dinner.




What You Need For This Recipe

  • Steak - Strip, Sirloin, Flank, Flat Iron
  • Onions
  • Butter
  • Brown sugar
  • Balsamic Vinegar 
  • Roasted Peppers
  • Arugula 
  • Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese
  • Provolone or Swiss Cheese
  • Slider Buns 


Choosing the Best Steak

There are quite a few options for choosing the right steak for a sandwich. I've used flat iron and flank for this recipe and both worked really well and are a cost effective option. Because these cuts are much leaner, meaning less fat, they are best cooked to no higher than medium. 

The more fat your steak has, the more tender it will be. Thus cuts like strip, tenderloin, ribeye and sometimes sirloin can handle high temperatures and still be tender. However make sure cuts like ribeye aren't too fatty or remove some of the fat before assembling the sandwich or else you'll have a few unpleasant bites. 

Ironically the more tender cuts of steak are more expensive. However you can still make an awesome juicy steak sandwich without have to spend a lot of money. Below is my list of the best cuts in order by price point:

Flat Iron - $ | Flank -$ | Sirloin -$$ | Strip - $$$ | Ribeye - $$$ | Tenderloin - $$$$ 


How to Cook The Prefect Steak

As mentioned earlier the more fat your steak has marbled throughout the more tender it will be. If you like your steak medium well to well done it's best to choose fattier cut.

But the biggest factor is cooking the prefect steak is the temperature. The best way to do that is by using a meat thermometer like this one. Cook according to your taste:

Rare: 120°F - 125°F (cool, red center, soft texture)
Medium Rare: 130°F - 135°F (warm, red center, soft texture)
Medium: 140°F - 145°F (pink, warm center, slightly firm)
Medium Well: 150°F - 155°F (lightly pink, warm center, mostly firm)
Well Done: 160°F (no pink, warm center, firm texture) 

How To Caramelize Onions

The caramelized onions really set the sandwich over the top. And I highly suggest you don't make this recipe with out them. Although super super easy to make, they do take a while to cook about 45 minutes total, but they're so worth the time. 



How To Make Ahead

The caramelized onions, horseradish aioli and steak can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Alternatively, cooked steak can be frozen. Tightly wrap the cooked steak in plastic warp and seal into a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To re-heat preheat oven to 250 degrees and cook for about 20 minutes or until warmed through. 



Tips For Making This Recipe
  • For leaner cuts like flank and flat iron, cook no higher than medium temperature. If you prefer medium well or well done choose a or tender cut like a tenderloin.
  • Use a meat thermometer to get the best juicy, tender steak 
  • Make up to 4 servings with this recipe for full sandwich instead of sliders. 
Enjoy,
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Red Velvet Pound Cake

A perfectly dense and decadent Red Velvet Pound Cake. Lightly flavored with chocolate and hint of espresso covered in a tangy and sweet chocolate cream cheese frosting.

    
This post may contain affiliate links, please see my affiliate notice for details.

Although red velvet cake is a southern staple, its origin might not have began in the south. The birth of velvet cakes began in the 19th century when bakers began adding vinegar to their cakes. The result was an incredibly soft, tender and moist crumb. Around the 20th century devil's food cake, a rich chocolate cake, came into the picture and many mark this as the begins of the red velvet cake.

Red velvet cake was originally dyed its famous color using beet juice, however during the Great Depression, Adams Extract Co introduced food coloring into the market by promoting a red vevlet cake recipe. Simultaneously, the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City also began featuring the cake on its menu. Both believe they are the inventor of the beloved cake but the truth is no one knows for sure. Either way, red velvet cakes lovers rejoice in its existence. 

What You Need For This Recipe

  • Unsalted Butter
  • Cream Cheese
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Eggs
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Espresso Powder
  • Salt
  • Buttermilk
  • Vanilla
  • Red Food Coloring, Gel or Liquid
  • Powdered Sugar


How To Make A Red Velvet Pound Cake?

Start by bringing all of your ingredients to room temperature and pre-heating your oven to 325 degrees. Generously brush your bundt pan with pan release and set aside. More on this in my bundt pan tips below.

In a large bowl using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the butter, cream cheese and sugar on medium speed, until light and fluffy and slightly pale in color. Add in the eggs one at a time. When all incorporated scrape the bottom and the sides of your bowl. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt. Stop mixing when a few streaks of flour is left, then continue mix by hand, scraping the sides and the bottom of the bowl. 


Lastly mix in the buttermilk and red food color. Like with the flour once you have only streaks of milk left, stop mixing with the machine  and continue mixing by hand. As always, scrape the sides and the bottom of your bowl.

There few type of food color, but the kind I prefer gel food color like this one from Americolor. However, liquid food color works as well. If you are using liquid food color and try not to add more than what's in the recipe, it can throw off the proportions and negatively effect the cake. 

Pour batter into your prepared bundt pan. Gently tap the pan on counter a few times to release any air pockets. Bake for an hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If the cake is taking longer to bake, cover it with aluminum foil and bake until done. 
The foil will prevent the cake from over browning. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip onto a baking rack and cool completely before icing.

For the chocolate cream cheese glaze, beat the butter and cream cheese till smooth and creamy. Then add in powdered sugar, cocoa powder and milk mix til incorporated and smooth. If the glaze isn't a pourable, add milk one tablespoon at a time until you have the right consistency. Pour over cake and decorate with fresh berries if desired. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

   

Bundt Pan Tips Tricks

This recipe starts off with choosing the right bundt pan. Bundt pans come in many shapes and sizes. Nordic ware is my favorite brand. Their quality is always consistent and they have beautiful designs. 

Speaking of designs, the more intricate, the more difficult getting a cake out will be. Using pan release is your best bet. There are plenty of brands out there that have good reviews like Pan and Wilton. I however have always used a homemade version from Sugar Geek Show. Another option is to generously brush on vegetable shorting with pastry brush or paper towel and dust with flour, or cocoa powder for a chocolate cake, making sure not to leave any clumps of flour in the pan. 


When spraying or brushing on the pan release make sure you are getting into every nook and cranny even put in a little extra in spots that might be a little difficult. But if all else fails and cake doest come out in pieces, patch it up while the cake is still warm. The heat will help it to stick. And always remember icing can cover a multitude of sins.


Tips For Making This Recipe

  • Bundt Pan Size: This recipe perfectly fills a 10 cup bundt pan but you can also use a 12 cup which will give you a short cake. If using a pan large an 12 cup check the doneness at 1 hour and every 5 minutes after that.
  • Whip the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
  • Once all of the flour is incorporated stop mixing and don't forget to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl
  • If your cake isn't done after the 1 hour and 10 minutes, cover the cake with aluminum foil until done. This will prevent the cake from over browning.
  • If the frosting is too thick to pour add in 1 tablespoon of milk at a time till the constancy is pourable.
Enjoy,

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