2008 Trophy Happy Hour Recipies:

[Connie]

As promised here is the recipe for the "Watering Hole"

1 oz Gin (for flavor, or more if you like)
4 oz Tonic (for the quinine of course, to keep the malaria at bay)
2 oz Mr. & Mrs. T's Margarita mix (zebra do make an awful mess of the watering hole)
1 oz of Sparkling Pomegranate juice (those zebra should have kept a better look out for lions)
A squeeze of lime (to prevent scurvy)

Okay, so I recall some rather yummy crab cakes, innovative Margaritas, tasty artichoke dip, etc. etc. Hint, Hint.

And of course... Mr. Desanto paging Mr. T. Desanto please come to a recipe posting center to share your secrets. There are less than 6,000 members here, who would possibly let your secret get out? :chowtime:

 

[jcbrandon]

Spanish coffee

Here's the recipe for Spanish coffee, as served at the Sagebrush Yacht Club, at the 2008 Expedition Trophy:

Rim a heavy, stemmed glass with confectioner's sugar. To do this, I first pour a thin layer of Kahlua into a saucer. Set the glass in the saucer, upside down. Shake off the extra Kahlua, then roll the rim of the glass in the sugar.

Pour about a tablespoon of Bacardi 151 rum into the glass, being careful not to disturb the sugar rim. Ignite the rum. Immediately lift and begin rotating the glass in your hand. Use the flames to both carmelize the sugar rim and heat the glass. Set the glass down, leaving the rum burning. If making multiple drinks, feel free to pour flaming alchohol from one to another. Keep a fire extinguisher handy. I prefer a Halon-substitute as it does not contaminate the bar if deployed.

Shake a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg into the glass. The spices will ignite in the flames, creating a small show of fireworks. Your guests will ask for more.

Add one ounce of a good brandy.

Add one ounce of Kahlua.

Add four ounces of freshly brewed black coffee. If the flames have not yet subsided before you began pouring the coffee, this will extinguish the fire.

Float a layer of fresh heavy cream to taste. The cream should be cold and beaten a bit, but not whipped.

Top with a shake of powdered chocolate.

Serve with brandied pears if you want the full experience.

 

[Pskhaat]

Connie,

Time did not permit, but I did have a number of fresh, large organic jalepeños that I had planned on mesquite-honey frying with some white onion in wined soy sauce for you.

Get your husband to arrange a Grand Junction Red Wine Expedition and I promise to cook the same for you there.

Your drink was excellent BTW.

I should note that no kidding I have a craving for the Tonic when I'm in mosquito-infested areas (like the American Midwest).

 

[jcbrandon]

Brandied pears

And here is the recipe for brandied pears to accompany your Spanish coffee:

Open a can of halved pears in heavy syrup. Pour both fruit and syrup into a cast-iron skillet. Heat to a gentle simmer.

Add a generous quantity of brandy and continue to simmer.

With a ladle, lift a pear half onto a plate with the curved side down and the cavity facing up.

Garnish the pear half with a few fresh raspberries and blackberries. Make sure to arrange a few berries in the pear cavity.

Pour about a tablespoon or two of the hot syrup over the pear half and berries.

Serve with a Milano cookie.

Enjoy with a Spanish coffee as above.

 

[viatierra]

crab cakes

(Southern Living, MAY 2006)
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup saltine cracker crumbs (finely crushed)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add bell pepper and onion, and sauté 10 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; stir in cracker crumbs and next 6 ingredients. Gently stir in crabmeat. Shape mixture into 8 patties; cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

2. Melt 1/2 Tbsp. butter with 1/2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 4 crab cakes 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat procedure with remaining 1/2 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 Tbsp. oil, and crab cakes. Serve with Lemon Rémoulade; garnish, if desired.

 

[viatierra]

Apple Martini

1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup Absolute Vodka
1 cup apple juice
1 cup apple liqueur (Sour Apple Pucker)
Crushed ice

Combine water and sugar in a glass measuring cup (microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring once; cool). Combine sugar mixture, vodka, juice, and liqueur in a pitcher; stir to combine.

Add vodka mixture to martini shaker in batches; shake well to chill. Strain vodka mixture into glasses; repeat procedure with remaining vodka mixture, refilling ice as necessary. Serve immediately with groovy 80's rock-n-roll in the background.

:victory:

 

[Connie]

Seriously Tony, where is the recipe for those ribs? :littlefriend:

 

[Jacket]

Seriously Tony, where is the recipe for those ribs? :littlefriend:

unk03: Those things were tasty!

 

[tdesanto]

... but I did have a number of fresh, large organic jalepeños that I had planned on mesquite-honey frying with some white onion in wined soy sauce for you...

Don't rub your eyes for 24 hours after handling those peppers :smileeek:

 

[tdesanto]

Kalbi Recipe

Seriously Tony, where is the recipe for those ribs? :littlefriend:

Ouch, look out; Connie's swinging a big stick

Ok, here it is folks:

Original Recipe:

2.5-3lbs of thin-cut short ribs (Korean style cut)

Marinade:

Soy Sauce - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 cup
I usually put these two in a mixing bowl and throw it in the
microwave for 30 seconds before I add anything else, helps
the sugar disolve.

Green Onion - 3-5 onions - chop fine
Garlic - 8 cloves - chop fine
Rice Wine - 1 tablespoon
Sesame Oil - 1 tablespoon
Black Pepper - 1 teaspoon

Tony's version:

I add more rice wine and sesame oil (roasted) to my liking.

I also kick it up a few notches by adding Chinese red pepper chili paste. This is not uncommon; however, I also added some fresh Chipotle powder to the mix; this is a non-traditional spice to add, but I thought the unique blend of smoke flavor and spice would lend itself well to the beef. You'll want to add whatever amounts suit your taste buds. Start with a litte bit and add as you see fit...you can always add more later, but you can't put out a fire once you've started it.

Grill over hot coals until you see the right color and doneness. The marinade should caramelize adding excellent flavor.

:chef:Enjoy! :chowtime:

 

[Connie]

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you. Hmmm, but now it's awfully cold here for grilling, but we may brave the cold anyway. :chowtime: :chef:

 

[Rock FJ]

Thanks a lot Tony, I thought you were going to keep it as "a family secret"

I will try it this weekend!!

 

[tdesanto]

Thanks a lot Tony, I thought you were going to keep it as "a family secret"

I will try it this weekend!!

Okay...let's call it my "extended family" then.

 

[RoundOut]

Bruschetta (ours was more like an Italian salsa)

Worlds easiest healthy appetizer:

Need: Cherry tomatoes (we used the Cherub ones sold in the yellow plastic dishes, they are exceptionally sweet and help the flavor immensly), chopped garlic, onion, olive oil, fresh basil, salt, pepper

Dice 1 qt. tomatoes into small cubes
add 2 tablespons finely chopped onion
mix in heaping tablespoon chopped garlic
add 5-6 finely chopped FRESH basil leaves
drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
dash of salt and pepper

When one does not have a sharp kitchen knife, a food processor makes it into a salsa consitency, but blends the flavor exceptionally well. That sounds kind of funny, since a sharp knife is easier to pack than a food processor when overlanding, LOL.

Best if you can let it stay in cool place for about 30 minutes.

Serve on toasted baguette (or Triscuits if the toaster is too hard to come by in the bush).

They basil and garlic can be added to suit one's taste. We added more basil than the recipe called for.

.

 

[RoundOut]

Kahlua & "cream"

For those of you like me that prefer an alcoholic beverage tastes like chocolate or candy rather than liquor, try this at home or in the bush.

Needed:

Kahlua
Blue Bell Natural Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Milk (better if less fat is removed, i.e. whole or 2% is better than 1% or skim)
Ice
Blender

Blend about 8-12 cubes of ice, 1 1/2 cup Kahlua, 1/2 cup milk, 2 cups Natural Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Serve immediately after blending.

Enjoy.

.