danapop

Grandma Mary keeping a close watch on four of her grandchildren.

There’s really no polite way to put this, so I’ll just come right out with it–my Grandma Mary (my paternal grandmother) was a terrible cook. Rotten. During my teenage years, my grandparents moved to the same town as us, and that meant holiday dinners at their house. Without fail, the Tuesday or so before Thanksgiving Thursday, my dad would look at his watch and declare, “Well, mom just put the green beans on the burner.” Green bean soup, we called it. And in all honestly, it was the only thing edible on the holiday table.

In her defense, there were a couple of recipes she did exceptionally well, which make me think of her memory whenever I make them. One is for caramel ice cream. It’s taken from a recipe passed down to her by her own mother, Fey, my great-grandmother known as Gram.

You might find it funny to be posting a recipe for ice cream in November. But let me tell you, you’ll think nothing of it when you’ve got a great heaping spoonful of this Salted Caramel Ice Cream sitting on top of a piping hot slice of pecan pie in a couple of weeks. No sir. The salt was my addition, as I think salt and caramel go together like ebony and ivory. Sweet harmony.
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Summer is the season for ice cream. Since I only recently unearthed my old-fashioned ice-cream maker; I thought I’d start slow this year by making a classic ice cream flavor.

But the online recipes I found with herb (lavender and basil) and heat (jalapeno and ginger) additions were really over the top.  I’m a fairly straight-forward gal when it comes to the cream…not totally plain vanilla by any stretch, but a combo of vanilla and chocolate taken up a notch by something crunchy is my number one choice.

This recipe for French Vanilla with Toasted Hazelnuts & Nutella Ice Cream (or as I like to call it, Howdy Hazelnut) is a sort of rip from the Hazelnut Chip served at the almighty Graeter’s (alas, this flavor is no longer on its seasonal menu). It’s a stretch to say my version even comes close to competing with this Cincy institution’s pint, but, it’ll do on a sweaty, summer day when you’re dying for a cone.

Sweet (cold) dreams.
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This past winter my husband and I became obsessed with the Animal Planet show: Jockeys - a documentary/reality program following the lives of seven jockeys at the Santa Anita racetrack in Arcadia, California. Both the visuals and the storyline were fascinating. Plus, I can openly admit I have a crush on Mike Smith despite the high probability that I’m taller than him.

So to honor Jockeys and the Run for the Roses at Churchill Down’s tomorrow, this week’s food & drink is Kentucky Derby inspired…complete with two Southern favorites – mint juleps and derby pie. First, derby pie – one of my favorite desserts,  it combines chocolate and nuts (I’d eat those two things in combo with anything) in a flaky crust.

And then there’s the mint julep. Both of my sisters make nice ones from when they attended college in the Blue Grass State – so dignified sounding, but I assure you, they likely were sipping the juleps out of plastic Solo cups instead of the traditional monogrammed silver tumbler. What truck drivers they are; honestly, I can’t take them anywhere.

I often daydream about what I’d name a horse if I ever had one, whether or not he or she was derby material – Magellan’s Map, Bordeaux Binge and Piñata are solid contenders. No question, if I ever win the lottery, I’m buying a horse. It’s on the list just after the in-ground swimming pool and my own in-home Pilates studio.

For now, my money is on Dunkirk.
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My older sister is a fantastic baker. It’s likely the scientist in her – all that precise measuring and exactness that really suits her. She doesn’t bake as much as she used to (what with the full-time career, two children under the age of 4, and a husband who often travels for work) but I remember her pre-children weekend routine. She used to whip up a few goodies to sell at the local outdoor farmer’s market. The top sellers were her homemade granola, dog treats, and these granola bars.

They are chewy, gooey and good without all the extra additives and gunk in those packaged kinds. Perfect for day hikes, long car rides, or simply a healthy snack, sure to tide you over without all the guilt. My sister’s version uses raisins, but I subbed in dried cherries because I love the combo of dark chocolate and cherries. But you can use whatever you wish.
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When we go to the beach, we generally indulge in cocktails. At home, I’m more of a wine drinker, but when sun, surf, and sand are involved, I want something a bit more refreshing…so, of course a good margarita is in order. I love my husband’s version, so that’s this week’s drink recipe.

And because those beach towns function on 2 for 1drink specials, I’ve included another grown-up thirst quencher. This one is for the Madras…a delicious cocktail that combines ingredients you likely already have stocked in your vacay fridge…

A million thanks to my Madras testers…my mom and the Lindas who enjoyed the drink while on their girlfriend getaway!
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Spring is a funny season. It’s hopeful, fresh and new, yet, sometimes I find myself clinging onto the wintry comforts of day’s past. This week’s food & drink combines those two ideas. The cleanness of the season, paired with something homey and warm of month’s past. But, both bubbly and good.

Macaroni & cheese is the little black dress of food. It can be dressed up or dressed down according to the occasion. I’ve lived in Atlanta for almost a decade now. And one thing I learned early on, here in the South, they take their macaroni & cheese VERY seriously and you certainly should have a recipe for one in your repertoire regardless of geography. Mine is an adaptation of a recipe I found years ago in Real Simple magazine. I’ve tweaked and altered it enough times now, for it to be called my own. It’s always a hit – a cinch to make and one of those dishes that makes me happy when I serve it because it usually means any of the following - someone just had a baby, I’m cooking for a crowd (which I love), or I’m going out of town and need to leave something in the fridge so my husband doesn’t eat burritos for 72 hours straight.
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One of my oldest friends back home has a lethal punch recipe passed down to her by her mother. My friend always serves it at Holiday parties and whether I drink it with her and the girls back home or make it where I live now, it makes me think of family and longtime friends. It’s the perfect thing to serve if you’re hosting anything on New Year’s Eve. And like most good recipes, you can really vary it any way you like – adding or omitting ingredients, making it your own. A forward thinking tip – stock up on frozen hashbrowns, a block of cheese, eggs and Excedrin for the next day…

Cheers!

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These are the perfect cookies to leave out for Santa. They won’t kill his waistline, as they are adapted from Cooking Light and made with just one egg white and less butter than usual cookie recipes (admittedly, my version ups the ante on chocolate chips, it is the holiday season, after all). I love the addition of dried cherries in what would otherwise be just a plain ol’ chocolate chip cookie.

I do have to give most of the credit for these gems to my older sister, since I was introduced to the recipe years ago, when we baked them together at her house.

Whatever holiday it is that you are celebrating this season, I do hope it is filled with loads of joy, laughter, and cheer.

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