ROTD: National Mint Julep Day 2012

Today is National Mint Julep Day. Pour up a few cold libations, invite some friends over to relax and wax nostalgia about great memories and future plans for creating more of the same. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 oz Bourbon Whisky (Preferably Makers Mark)

8 Sprigs of Mint

1 tsp fine Sugar

Drink Mixer w/ Lid

Shaved Ice

Instructions:

Wash the Mint thoroughly and remove any stems that may be attached.

Place the Mint and Sugar with a dash of water in a drink mixer.

Add Shaved Ice & Bourbon, cover with lid and shake until outside is cold & frosted.

Pour into a Rocks Glass and garnish with a fresh sprig of Mint.

Recipe Of The Day: Salmon Croquettes

Sometimes simplicity is what things lack in today’s world. I was once told, by an old boss of mine “don’t try to recreate the wheel,” and since then I have somewhat been living by that motto.

When things seem to become overly complicated everyone has the tendency to lose focus. This rings true especially in the kitchen. With 2012 already moving full steam ahead, it is truly the time for people to take back their lives, simplify things and of course eat some damn good food in the meantime.

Salmon Croquettes. A breakfast that many of us grew up eating, sometimes baffles people and well that just isn’t fair. So here goes an old world classic, that can be spruced up any way you like, just don’t go so far as to add a bunch of crap that need not be anywhere close to your precious Salmon.

Enjoy these with a few pitchers of strong Mimosas or Sangria.
Trust us, you won’t be mad.

(click Read More for the entire recipe)

Something Fresh 2 Cook 2: "We Fly" - Terrace Martin ft. Snoop Dogg & Teedra Moses

Happy Birthday Heavy D - "Mr. Big Stuff"

ROTD: Lemon-Garlic Shrimp & Grits

There is nothing more right than a bowl of Shrimp & Grits, especially when they have been cooked to perfection. The hints of lemon and garlic combined with the fresh shrimp and dash of cayenne pull this dish together better than a pair of new shoestrings.

Enjoy this with a cold beer, a Rum & Pepsi or some Barefoot Moscato (Cheap and fully effective.)

(click Read More for the entire recipe)

Where Strawberry Milk Comes From...

Light & Easy, Lobster Po' Boy Sandwich

The taste of fresh seafood awakens my senses, almost to the point that I can never really get enough of it. Of course I won’t sit here and say I am the biggest seafood eating monster on the planet, because there are still a few things that I just wont or cant bring myself to consume (at least not without a bunch of strong drinks.) But Lobster, the lovable little non huggable creatures they are, well to me they can do no wrong. From serving them broiled with lemon and drawn butter to frying them up for a po’ boy sandwich it can be said, these babies are versatile.

Enough with the talking though and let us get down to the nitty gritty. Today we are showing you how to make a delicious Lobster Po’ Boy w/o frying it, so you don’t have to feel guilty or clean up an extra mess. 

Get to cooking those lobsters so you can enjoy these sandwiches ASAP.

(click read more for the entire recipe)

Fresh Whipped Cream & Strawberries... (National Strawberries & Creme Day)

Today is National Strawberries & Cream Day, which works out perfectly for us. Ya see we love strawberries, we love cream and with the temperature reaching 80 before 10:00am we know its going to be a long hot day, so what better to eat to keep yourself cool?

Strawberries (which aren’t hard to grow in your own backyard) are healthy for you, loaded with vitamins, minerals, healthy lipids and amino acids. Strawberries also contain the naturally produced chemical fisetin, an antioxidant that helps prevent kidney failure, resulting from diabetes as well as has been used in Alzheimer’s  Disease studies.

RIP Donna Summer (The Queen of Disco)

Cabo San Lucas, A Place To Lose Yourself & Love It

Cabo San Lucas, is the kind of place you can find yourself easily getting lost in. Not in any negative sense of the statement, more so what we mean is Cabo is the kind of place you Would Want to get lost in. Cabo is beautiful simply because of the array of cultures that come together every day on its shores to be amazed by its astounding landscapes. 
From the local restaurants making the food that is greatly responsible for creating the California fusion craze, down to the local shops making traditional clothing, Cabo San Lucas is a place to lose yourself and find yourself all at the same time.

We recently were in Cabo for sadly only a limited amount of time, while taking acruise through various ports on a Carnival Cruise. Having only a few hoursusually means you have to either do the tourist thing or find a place to eat and get back to the boat. In Cabo that is not that case as so many wonderful things to do are all possible as soon as you touch down on the land. From horseback rides and catamaran tours to fine dining and great shopping, a cab ride is almost not needed because everything is so close.

We chose to eat at the famous Lorenzillos Live Lobster House (in operation since1863) and we couldn’t have been happier. Huge, fresh lobsters are on display for your to choose from or just stare at / take pictures with. Not only is Lorenzillos famous for their lobster and shellfish dishes, they also make one of the meanest yellow fin tuna steaks (served over a pink peppercorn and cognac reduction, known as the “Henry Morgan.”)

After we ate a few plates of lobster croquettes and Bruja Del Mar (Angus Steak stuffed with shrimp & lobster, topped with Bearnaise Sauce) we had to roll ourselves out of the restaurant to go find a bar and have a few drinks.

We quickly stumbled upon Squid Roe, where we had more rum & cokes and freezin gcold Patron shots than we could count. It’s funny cause in bars in the States,yeah the goal is to make money off of the customer, but bar staff can sometimes have hilarious egos, but in Cabo, the staff all seem like they really just wanna chill with the customers, because if your having a great time, so are they.

That is unless you go in with a nasty attitude and in that case you wil quickly see where that gets you.

With a bit of time left to do some shopping (get your haggle on, its all part of the great game of life) we picked up some beautiful handmade choncletas, dresses and things of that nature for our loved ones as well as some great tequilas to take back on the ship.

All in all Cabo San Lucas is the type of place you could vacate too frequently or even retire too. Take our word for it, make a few phone calls before you arrive and see how friendly everyone is. 

 By saving the amount of time we did getting around in town, we were able to provide ourselves with a bit of real rest & relaxation by hitting up ME by MELIÃ Cabo (ME Cabo for short).

Now for those of you not in the know, ME Cabo is one of those places you simply must hit up in this lifetime, it would be like taking one trip to New York and not riding a subway, seeing The Statue of Liberty or going to Manhattan, (a sin of sins.) We had about 3 hours to kill, so we figured why not go and sip on exotic drinks while lounging poolside taking in the amazing weather.

We were able to get a cabana and consume enough libations (trust us even if you hate mojitos, you will fall in love with one of the many they have on their menu) and get enough Sun that we almost didn't want to go back to the ship.

ME Cabo or to put it better Nikki Beach is like the Sunset Strip & South Beachall rolled into one big show. Honeymooning couples looking to really start off their marriage right, college grads looking for a party worthy of bragging about or the couple in search of the love they have no time to tend too because life won’t allow it, all need to make reservations immediately at ME Cabo.

Nikki beach is great because they invite the party to them instead of pushing away the vibe that overcomes you as soon as you touch down in Cabo. Every night could be something different from their amazing White Parties, Tequila Parties, St. Patrick's Day Parties to whatever the day may be, they are ready to celebrate and do so with class.

Just look at the photos and understand why we sound like little school girls talking about Justin Bieber, the place is amazing in every aspect you could imagine and from the looks of it, isn’t looking to lose that label anytime soon.

Formore info check out the incredibly helpful: www.VisitLosCabos.Travel

                                                                            www.me-cabo.com/nikki-beach-en

Recipe Of The Day: Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today is National Chocolate Chip Day. Show the people around you some love and make a few cookies from scratch. I think its funny how people always say they are on a diet at first, then they have a few and before you know it, a whole gang of cookies vanishes right before your eyes.

Besides once you make something from scratch you will see just how quickly you never want to mess with store bought stuff again.

Enjoy!

(Click Read More for the entire recipe

The Definition of Sophistication... The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach

When your brand boasts 77 hotels worldwide in exotic places such as Chile, Grand Cayman, Indonesia, Mexico, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates; and the United States its hard not to attract a clientele that expects only the best. Whether it be a quick overnight business trip or the Honeymoon that dreams are made of, lets face it, The Ritz-Carlton name exemplifies excellence, everywhere.

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach is without a doubt the area’s most lavish oceanfront hotel. Situated perfectly in the heart of Art Deco district (surrounded by great shopping and pristine beaches) the property is affectionately referred to by locals as “the hotel where the action meets the ocean.”

We flew into Miami for a brief stay prior to taking a cruise and found ourselves stuck in the lap of luxury. (click read more for the Entire Story & More Photos)

What Made Me, Me...

This is the Era, I came up in... 

For Those That Slept... Hennessy Sneakers

Vintage Hennessy Ads

Clearly Interesting... Remy Martin V

Canned Food Sculptures #Canstruction

Carnival Valor 8 Day Caribbean Cruise Review

Being able to get away from the madness that all of our lives entail is essential to staying sane and focused on what is important. Too often we don’t allow ourselves a moment to take a breath and enjoy the small things around us. That is why we do our segments entitled “Road Trippin.” If it weren’t for these getaways we might be the next ones on the roof with the rifle looking to settle a few scores, believe us. Last December we took our readers aboard the Carnival Splendor, a massive ship that called Long Beach, CA home. Well this time we headed to the big East Coast on down to South Beach Miami and took a little spin on the Carnival Valor.

The Carnival Valor, a ship that calls Miami, Florida home is one of the many amazing vessels in Carnival’s arsenal of Fun Ships. Checking into our Ocean Suite on the 7^th Floor / Empress Deck, for eight days was just the start of an amazing vacation. We took full advantage of our VIP booking and avoided the rather lengthy lines on one of the most humid morning I have yet to experience in my life. 

Located in the “Midship” section of the ship the spacious 300 square foot suite is situated just around the corner from the Atrium elevators, which you will pass through more times than you can count over the next week. Featuring a King size bed, floor to ceiling mirrors and a large sliding glass door that leads out onto your own private balcony, the interior of this suit itself is 30% larger than a standard Ocean-View Suite.

ROTD: Shredded Chicken Empanada's

Empanadas are no joke. The perfect food for a day like this, you can’t go wrong with a few bites of Shredded Chicken Empanada in your stomach, whether your headed to work, the beach or to lounge poolside, these babies can’t be beat when your serving these alongside some strong mixed libations…

Enjoy!!!

Ingredients

1 TBS olive oil

½ cup chopped onions

Kosher Salt

Crushed red pepper flakes

½ lb skinless chicken breast, finely chopped

1 tsp chopped garlic

¼ cup sliced green onions

¼ cup chopped black olives

½ cup chopped green pimento stuffed olives

3 TBS seedless raisins, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained

2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped

Empanada dough, recipe follows

Directions:

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil.

When the oil is hot, add the onions.

Season with salt and crushed red pepper, saute for 2 minutes.

Add the chicken, saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and turn into a mixing bowl.

Add the garlic, green onions, olives, raisins and eggs, season with Kosher salt.

Mix well.

On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a circle, 1/8-inch thick.

Using a 4-inch round cutter, cut the dough into individual circles.

Press the remaining dough together and repeat the above process.

Preheat the fryer.

Place about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each circle.

Lightly wet the edges of the dough with water.

Fold the dough over, forming a half-moon, using your fingers, seal the edges completely and crimp the sides of the dough.

Place the finished empanadas on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

Fry in batches until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove and drain on paper towels.

Season with Kosher salt.

Serve warm on a large platter. 

Garnish with parsley.

Yield: about 1 ½ dozen empanadas

Empanada Dough:

1 cup masa harina

½  cup flour

½ cup yellow cornmeal

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp  Kosher salt

½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 TBS lard

1 cup warm water

In a mixing bowl combine the masa harina, flour, cornmeal and baking powder.

Season with the salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. 

Cream in the lard and add the water a little at a time, working the mixture until all is completely incorporated.

Using your hands, form the dough into a log about 12 inches long by 3 inches across and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza

Nothing beats the feeling of doing something yourself. Whether it be changing your oil, cutting your own hair, doing your own taxes or feeding your family, we have said this time and time again doing something for yourself feels amazing. Today we hope to help you capture that same feeling by making your own pizza instead of ordering from the local delivery spot. Now you don’t need to use only our ingredients as your toppings, we just told you what we used for the night. Take this recipe, master it and make it your own. We love to hear when people take recipes and turn them into family nights or a romantic night with someone special.

Enjoy!

(click Read More for the entire recipe.)