Pink Orchid

June's not only perfect for blooming flowers, but it's also a great month for get togethers.

This is perfect to enjoy on a June evening, brunch or anytime.

1 c. cranberry juice cocktail
4 - 6 oz. vodka

1/4 c. elderflower liquor

1 T. lemon juice

1/8 c. pre made simple syrup

Ice 

Put 4 clean martini glasses in freezer to chill for 10 - 20 minutes.

Cut lemon in half, set aside.

For each cocktail:

Add 1 shot of vodka, ice, cranberry juice, elderflower liqueur, some of the simple syrup into shaker and squeeze some lemon into the cocktail shaker, shake for 10 - 20 sec.

Take glasses out of freezer. Strain cocktail into glasses.

Serves 4. 

Garlic Butter

This is perfect for summer or anytime.

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 - 2 cloves: crushed, chopped garlic

Remove butter from refrigerator.  

Remove butter from wrapper and place in a clean bowl. 

Cut butter into chunks and let it soften to room temperature 1 - 3 hr.

Peel, crush, chop garlic.

Add garlic to butter.

Mash butter with a clean fork to mix well.

With clean hands place butter on wax paper. 

You can also use parchment paper as well. 

Roll butter in wrap to form a log.

 Secure the ends of butter log and place in refrigerator to set for a few hrs.

To serve: remove butter from refrigerator, unwrap butter from wrap, put on a butter dish and slice desired amount. 

Serves 16 (1 T).

Adults Only Orange Pops

Being a grownup is hard work.

After a long day of adulting even we adults need a treat sometimes.

1 - 2 c. prepared orange juice

4 - 6  oz. Vodka

Combine orange juice, vodka in a medium jar, screw lid on jar and shake for a few seconds. 

Pour into popsicle molds and place in freezer for a few hr. or until frozen.

Serves 4 - 8.

Thai Beef

This is perfect for a weeknight meal or anytime.

1 lb. beef strips

1 - 2 T. oil

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 T. each:  honey, seseme oil, lime juice

1- 2 tsp. corn starch

1/4 - 1/3 c. water

1/8 tsp. each:  ground ginger, dried basil 

1 - 2  T. low sodium soy sauce

1 clove garlic crushed, chopped

1 c. each: chpped onion, chopped bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, sliced celery, broccoli, sliced carrots

Cut lime in half, set aside.

Peel, crush and chop garlic.

In a bowl combine: beef, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes,  ginger, seseme oil, garlic, honey, soy sauce, dried basil. 

Squeeze some lime juice into the bowl.

Stir to coat beef and let marinate in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

Remove beef from refrigerator and let it set out for a few minutes.

Peel, rinse chop onion and place into a clean bowl.

Rinse, seed, chop pepper, add to the bowl with onion.

Rinse, slice mushrooms, add to the vegetable bowl.

Rinse, cut ends from, chop broccoli, carrots, celery, add to bowl, set aside.

Preheat saute pan over medium high heat, reduce heat to medium and add oil.

 Add beef to pan and stir fry for 6 - 8 min or until done.

Remove beef from pan and place into a clean bowl. 

Add vegetable to pan and cook for 6 -  8 min.

Add beef back to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes more. 

In a clean measuring cup combine: 

corn starch, water and stir to mix.

Fresh meat and vegetables to the sides of the pan to form a well in the center. Pour in constarch mixture, stir, cover pan with lid and cook for a couple of minutes or until sauce is reduced. 

Serve with cooked rice or noodles. 

Serves 4. 

Lemon Rice Soup

This is my version of a diner classic.

This is perfect for a Michigan May, where the weather can't make up its mind what it wants to be.

1 - 2 lemons juiced

2 eggs beaten

8 c. low sodium chicken broth

Nonstick cooking spray

2 - 3 each: carrots, celery chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed, chopped

2 - 3 c. cooked chicken chopped

2 c. rice

1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. each: oregano, dried parsley.

Rinse, cut ends from, chop celery and carrot, set aside.

Peel, rinse chop onion, set aside.

Peel, chop garlic, set aside.

Chop cooked chicken into a clean bowl, set aside.

 Cut lemon in half, set aside.

Preheat stove to medium high heat.

Lower heat to medium, spray nonstick spray in pan. 

Add onion, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, dried parsley, dried oregano, garlic to pan and saute for a few minutes.

Add chicken broth to pot and cook for 15 -  20 min.

Add uncooked rice and cook for 10 minures more.

While soup is cooking, squeeze lemon juice into beaten eggs.

Ladle some of the broth into egg mixture.

Lower heat to medium low.

While adding eggs slowly to broth, stir and cook soup for a few minutes more.

Serves 4.

Watermelon Salsa

This is refreshing alternative to tomato salsa.

It's perfect for Cinco de Mayo,  summer or anytime.

2 c. watermelon

1c. chopped bell pepper

1 c. chopped onions

1/4 tsp. each: pepper, salt

1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. lime juice (to taste)

2 tsp. cilantro (chopped)

Cut lime in half, set aside.

Seed, chop watermelon and place into a clean bowl.

Seed, rinse, chop peppers, place into bowl.

Peel, rinse, chop onions, garlic, add to bowl.

Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cilantro to salsa. 

Squeeze some of the lime over salsa. Toss to mix.

Let chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Makes 8 servings.

Citrus Shrimp

 This is a special post.

My dads birthday is today. He made this for dinner one night for us.

I've used precooked shrimp for this.

1 lb. precooked shrimp

1/8 c. orange juice

2  - 3 T. butter

1/4 tsp. each: salt & pepper

Preheat skillet to medium high heat.

Lower heat to medium and add butter and juice to pan.

Place shrimp in pan, cook shrimp for 3 - 4 minutes or until shrimp is done. 

Serves 4.