Been spending a lot of time with the grill this summer. One of my goals is to grill more fish at home, expand the menu. I enjoy the fish tacos so why not give it a try at home. The chipotle sauce is great and I get to use some of my herbs growing in the garden. A margarita on the rocks is a of course the drink of choice.
Food stylist: Karla Spies
happy grilling
The temperature has finally hit 80 degrees and I even saw the sun, things are feeling better. I’m on the hunt for fresh simple salads to eat this summer. I found this recipe in cooking light magazine and tried it out immediately. Will be making this with a side of grilled chicken.
Started a new batch of infused vodka, I was thinking something a little spicy and citrus.
I chopped a 3/4 cup of ginger chunks, 2 lemons sliced one orange, and lots of vodka. Put it in the refrigerator for two weeks. At this point take a sample and see how it tastes, add more flavor if you want or start making cocktails.
Here is an idea for an Icy ginger lemon cocktail
I can’t eat Ceviche without being transported back to ocean side on the beach. Has to be one of my favorites places to be. I tried ceviche for the first time on some tropical Island and I was hooked, ordering it on every menu it was listed. It is so light and flavorful, can’t get enough of the fresh lime juice. A friend of mine served his homemade ceviche at a BBQ, that bowl of ceviche was gone in minutes. He served it with slices of avocado, tomatoes and tortilla chips to pile it all on top. You can make it with several different types of fish-tuna, red snapper,monkfish, shrimp or swordfish. The fish is cooked in the citrus juice an acidic marinade, which takes at least 8 hours or overnight. A light fresh appetizer or as your main entree-yum.
recipe from epicuriuos
We are having a slow spring, it’s May 3rd and there is snow flakes coming down with rain and cold forecast for the weekend. I say bring summer to yourself. This mix of citrus and summer fruit is a great start. Made with all fresh fruit and garnish with berries it’s sunshine in a glass. You can mix the strawberry lemonade mix with soda or gingerale to make it a spritzer. And is tasty with vodka or a white rum. Now close your eyes and pretend you are sitting on the patio working on your tan lines.
Cheers, Robin
This pear recipe caught my attention mostly for its photographic quality. I would say I just eat my pears straight up, or perhaps grilled with some pork. But this was a very nice dessert not too sweet and just enough hint of spice. And fun to photograph. 
recipe inspired by Donna Hay
I’m feeling optimistic that sunshine, cocktails and patios are in my near future. Last summer a friend gave me some of his Gin Infused Cucumber Mango to try. I brought it out one evening mixed it with some tonic and a twist of lime, very smooth and refreshing. I have always claimed that I am not a fan of Gin, but as I become more adventurous with my mixology there are a lot of tasty cocktails to mix with gin. I have to be honest I had a bottle of Gin sitting in my cupboard since my house-warming party-eight years ago. That bottle of Gin has made it out to the table several times, and no one ever touches it. I thought about donating it the guy with the sign at the corner, but came up with a better idea. I’ll get an infusion going of my own, it only takes like one week of the Gin and cucumber mango sitting in your refrigerator to infuse with flavor. Then my friend gave me a good tip, take the fruit out and squeeze it through a potato ricer back into the gin and it’s ready to enjoy.
Cheers Robin
I had some homemade mustard at a dinner party and thought it was an interesting idea. And then I came across this beer mustard at a hot dog stand, and I had to give it a try. Very simple to make and you can use any of your favorite beers. So now I’m making up all kinds of recipes and dressings to use my mustard. 
recipe from Savuer
A Grasshopper Pie a slice of spring for Easter. This pie is a classic you don’t see around as much as we did when we were kids. So why not be retro and whip up a minty fluffy pie for the holidays? As a kid it was a big treat to order a Grasshopper at the restaurant, still one of my favorites. (can u still order those for kids theses days?) Especially when you are at a swanky supper club in the middle of rural mid-west america. And any excuse to buy a bottle of creme de menthe. This pie is one big flash back…good times
For the crust
For the filling
Make the crust:
In a bowl stir together the wafer crumbs, the sugar, and the butter until the mixture is combined well, pat the mixture onto the bottom and up the side of a buttered 9-inch pie plate, and bake the crust in the middle of a preheated 450°F. oven for 5 minutes. Let the crust cool.
Make the filling:
In a metal bowl mix in the gelatin with a 1/3 cup of the cream and let it soften for 5 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, the crème de menthe, the crème de cacao, and the egg yolks, set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it registers 160°F. on a candy thermometer. Transfer the bowl to a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir the mixture until it is cooled and thickened. In another bowl beat the remaining 1 cup cream until it holds stiff peaks and fold it into the crème de menthe mixture thoroughly.
Pour the filling into the crust and chill the pie for 4 hours, or until is set. Dollop with whipped cream and sprinkle the pie with the chocolate cookie crumbs.
food stylist: Barb Standal and Karla Spies
The Ski season is not over yet here, even tho it’s officially the first day of spring today. There s still snow to shovel. The other weekend we had a ski weekend up at the UP at a friends cabin. I made this crock pot shredded beef the night before, and packed it to go. I bought like four pounds of beef roast and cooked it in the crock pot for 10 hours on low.
Slice up the meat into several chunks and mix with; One can cream of condensed tomato soup, one diced onion, five diced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons celery salt, 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce and one packet of french onion dip mix. I mashed up the meat with a mashed potato masher and kept all the juice with it. It had a great flavor and simple to reheat on the stove top. I like to put some coleslaw on top of the beef. It was great after a day of skiing, a tasty beer sitting by the fire-place.
The images were shot in the studio for a client packaging, I thought you might find them tasty looking:) This recipe is defiantly a repeat for another ski weekend coming up.
photoappetite 