Pretty in Pink: A Plummy Drink

I got a little bored over the weekend and decided to look at some more of the menu items for the contest going on at Kitchen Play.

The deal is that Kitchen Play posts a menu each month, and each of the six menu items has already been prepared by bloggers who post the recipes and prep instructions on their sites. Everyone else is invited to make one or more of the recipes, blog about it, and post links hither and yon.

After I got clarification that you're supposed to be inspired by the recipes rather than trying to create them as close to the original as possible, I liked the contest idea a lot better. I'm not into the idea of making food just for a photo or a contest; I want to make something I really want to eat (or in this case, drink). I want it to be something I know I'm going to enjoy.

And of course, when I'm trying to use already-in-stock pantry and produce items, it's nice to be able to make the changes to recipes and still get in on the contest fun.

Speaking of contests, the prizes for this month's contest are from Sur la Table and include V-Slicers and a Le Creuset French Oven. Not exactly a complete kitchen makeover, but those are nice prizes. Definitely worth giving it a shot, and to be honest, I appreciated the inspiration to do something I hadn't planned on.

This recipe is based on this Nectarine Bourbon Cocktail. After making my version, I realized that I could have left out the butter. I'll do that next time. I used plums, because I had a bunch of them in the fridge that were beginning to look like they might want to be prunes some day. They weren't going bad, but they were less than wonderful looking. I started peeling them and removing pits, but then realized that the skins would add a nice color, and it would be easier to cook them down and then strain than it would be to peel and pit the slippery little monsters.

Pretty in Pink: A Plummy Drink
To make the plum puree:
8 plums, cut in half
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon honey (or more, to taste)
For the drink:
Plum puree
Ice
Bourbon (or your choice of whatever)
Fizzy water or soda

Melt the butter in a pan and add the honey. Add the plums and cook until they soften. Pass the mixture through a strainer and discard the seeds and skin. Refrigerate until chilled. Taste for sweetness. I left mine tart, but that's up to you. You can also add honey or simple syrup when you make the drink.

To make the drink, put a few spoons of the puree into a glass and add your liquor of choice (add extra sweetener now, if you want to). Or leave out the liquor for a refreshing nonalcoholic drink. Add ice cubes and top with soda water, lemon-lime soda, or whatever you prefer.

You can garnish the drink if you want. I'm not big on garnishes for my own drinks, but if I was making this for company, a slice of lime would be pretty.

The plum puree would also be nice topped with sparkling wine or champagne.

Yum

King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

Although I don't need to eat gluten-free foods, I know quite a few people who do, So once in a while I'll try out a gluten-free product. I reviewed King Arthur's gluten-free brownie mix a while back and I was impressed with it, so I had high hopes for this cake.

The mix requires eggs, oil, water, and vanilla. I thought the vanilla was a curious addition, since most mixes don't require it.

The instructions require the eggs to be added one at a time, and the water to be added in batches, beating in between each addition. It's not difficult, but it's different from normal cake mixes where you dump it all in and mix a lot less.

The mix is supposed to make two layers, but I decided to make a bundt cake instead. I'm not a big fan of frosting, and I've got plenty of pretty bundt pans.

Yum

Squash and Apple Soup

No doubt about it, soup weather is here. This time squash was the major player, and apples played a supporting role. Yes, apples.

I used one acorn squash and one other winter squash - a yellow and orange striped on that was fatter than a delicata. I'm not sure what variety it was, but for this soup, any winter squash you like will work.

Squash and Apple Soup

2 medium winter squash
2 tablespoons butter
4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
salt, white pepper, and sage, to taste
milk, about 1 cup to start; more as desired

Cut the squash in half, remove the seeds, and place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees until soft, about an hour, depending on the squash you use.

When the squash is done cooking, remove them from the oven and let them cool. Melt the butter in a large heavy bottomed pot. Add the apples, onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring as needed until the onions are soft.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out and add it to the pot. Add enough water to cover the vegetables and puree with a stick blender until it is smooth. (You can also puree this in a blender or food processor, but  a stick blender is easier and a lot less messy. If you do use a blender, use proper precautions.)

Add milk to reach the consistency you prefer. I like a thicker soup. Add salt, pepper, and sage, to taste. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.

Yum