Friday, September 21, 2007

Blueberry-Lime Margarita

Reviews of this recipe were quite high. One person said they used 1/2 cup of tequila instead of 3 oz. The other issue seemed to be lack of "blueberry nectar" but apparently blueberry juice was readily available. I wonder what would happen if you used Rose's Lime instead of plain lime juice - I'll bet it would add a little more zing - maybe a little dash of apricot brandy on the top?

Blueberry-Lime Margarita - 2 Servings
Frozen limeade adds zing to this stellar blueberry margarita.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups ice
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup blueberry nectar
1/4 cup seltzer
2 tablespoons frozen limeade
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 ounces tequila
1 lime wedge
Coarse salt

DIRECTIONS:

Combine ice, blueberries, blueberry nectar, seltzer, limeade, lime juice and tequila, if using, in a blender and blend until smooth. Rub rim of 2 glasses with lime wedge and dip in salt. Divide the margarita between the prepared glasses and serve.


Presented by: EatingWell.com
Total Time: 10 min
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
1 serving: Calories 125; Carbohydrates 31g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Fat 1g; Potassium 147mg; Sodium 6mg
Photograph from EatingWell.com

Monday, September 3, 2007

Pancakes ala' Williams & Sonoma

About once every couple of weeks I get a "Customer e-mail" from Williams & Sonoma. They never fail to delight me with a very cool kitchen tool that I'd love to have, but either don't have room for (remember, there's all those Pampered Chef things in my kitchen) - or can't afford - face it - W&S is top drawer BUT their customer emails are anything but junk mail - They also have what I call "do-able" recipes - that is something that looks not too fussy that the DH will eat and will also be fun to make. Here's their latest offering - (and actually they called it "Maine" Blueberry Sauce - but bein' as how we're in Washington, and you might be in Minnesota, I left the state off)




Pancakes with [YOUR STATE'S NAME HERE] Blueberry Sauce

This pancake batter combines all-purpose flour with buckwheat flour, a dark flour that has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor and firm texture. A warm sauce made from fresh blueberries adds the perfect finishing touch.

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup whole-ground buckwheat flour, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tbs. vegetable oil

2 cups fresh blueberries
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Preheat an oven to 200°F. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed until frothy. Add the all-purpose and buckwheat flours, 3 Tbs. of the sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, butter and vanilla and stir just until smooth. Heat a griddle over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the griddle with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Using a batter dispenser, dispense the batter onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles form on top of the pancakes and the batter is set, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining pancakes.

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the blueberries, the remaining 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. sugar, the lemon zest and 1/2 cup water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch, 1 Tbs. water and the lemon juice. Add to the berries and stir until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Serve the warm blueberry sauce over the pancakes. Serves 4.

Copywrite 2007 Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.