Warm Almond Pastry w/ Father Anselm

Hi there,

Last night I took to my mixer and created the Outlander Kitchen Warm Almond Pastry w/ Father Anselm. It looked way to good to pass up! 

First things first, I set the oven to 375 degrees and started to mix the almond meal and flour in a small bowl. Then in my awesome pink mixer, on medium, I mixed together the butter and sugar until fluffy, then added the egg and vanilla. Once combined I slowed the mixer down and added in the flour and almond meal, creating a delicious paste/filling. 

It took everything I had not to consume the whole bowl of almond filling! I kept reminding myself that I had to share..so when Craig came home from work last night, the first thing I said to him was,"Do you want to know what heaven tastes like?" I handed him a small spatula with a bit of almond mix on the end. His eyes lit up and he said that it was probably dangerous to keep in the house ha ha!

Next I took my pastry dough (I went ahead and bought the pre-made dough, as I was not that confident in my skills) and cut it into a large rectangular shape. I scored two lines to help guide the dough and cut sections off the top and bottom of the pastry dough sides. These "flaps" would then be folded over the almond filling. I cut diagonal lines on each side, to interlace. Once I added the almond to the center of the dough, leaving some space on the top and bottom sections I folded over the "flaps" and began to weave together the rest of the dough. It was so cute and delicate looking.

Next, I lightly brushed on egg and a little bit of sugar onto each pastry. After topping it off with sliced almonds, it went into the oven for about 25 mins or until turning into a nice golden brown color. 

I did not want any of this masterpiece to be wasted so I used some of my extra almond filling and dough scraps to make little delicious pastries. Plus then I could try it before serving the main Almond Pastry.

Our apartment quickly filled with a sweet aroma as it began to bake...so delicious and mouth watering. I waited patiently as the dough rose and began to brown. They were perfect! After removing from the oven, I let them cool for a bit and plated the smaller pastries to try. So scrumptious! Thank you again OK!

To my surprise the almond pastry was not too sweet, it was perfectly balanced and a bit hearty. The almond slivers were a nice touch as well. The flaky dough paired well with the almond filling creating a wonderful balance between sweet and savory. Once again I had to try and control myself...it's a bit funny how something to little could be the highlight of our taste-bud's night ha ha!

I will, without doubt, be making this again! Thanks for reading, cheers 

- Bunny

Laoghaire's Whisky Sour

Morning Outlander Fans!

Saturday night I watched the finale (of Outlander) and it still sits heavy with me today. Such a beautiful episode. My eyes filled with tears at Claire's memories and their dance toward the stones. I could see the emotion and love as they were forced to part. Sam and Caitriona did a wonderful job! I still can't believe the season is already over BUT I do have the cookbook to keep me company. Thank you Theresa he he!

Feeling a bit sour about the end, I thought it perfect to start with Laoghaire's Whisky Sour, it just sounded yummy and I was correct! 

Start by stirring together 2 tablespoons of hot water with 2 tablespoons of honey until it's dissolved, then add 2 oz of whiskey and 2 tablespoons of lemon, freshly squeezed. In the OK cookbook it says to use bourbon...but online it says whiskey...unsure about what to use, we chose one of Craig's favorites, Green Spot Irish Whiskey(I hope Theresa won't mind). Then I add crushed ice and a lemon curl and there you have it! A slightly sweet and rich Whiskey Sour. Craig liked it very much and said it was better than any Whiskey Sour he has ordered at a bar. The lemon and honey were perfect! 

As Theresa Carle-Sanders adds: "The perfectly naturally sweet, lightly sour whisky cocktail for a hot summer's evening, whether you shot someone that day or not." he he!

Cheers! Thanks for reading...next, a lovely almond cream pastry!-Bunny

Sex on Safari

Tarzan is here! 

The movie surprised me...I liked it a lot more than I thought I would! Plus who doesn't love them some sexy Skarsgård! Margot Robbie was a great Jane and Christoph Waltz always plays the perfect villain! 

I was so excited to see the movie that it only seemed right to pair it with a new cocktail! So as Tarzan (John) belongs to the Jungle I also loved the way the movie chose to highlight the safari and the other creatures and tribes he loved and belonged to. 

Playing off of a recipe for Sex in the Jungle I used:

1 1/2 oz. Vodka

1 oz Rum

1 oz Midori

1 oz Lime Juice

3 oz Orange Juice

3 oz Pineapple Juice

This mix was sweet, thanks to the pineapple and a tad sour. I really liked how the different juices added some depth to this zesty cocktail. So refreshing!

For a Sex on Safari Sunrise add in 1 oz of grenadine and top with cherries! Such a perfect gradation of colors. Nice and sweet too. Yum!!

Ok...one more ab pic!! he he

Love, Bunny

High Fitness Love

As the first ten mins passed I could feel my body awaken...like my soul needed to sweat. Doing our second set of lunges I quickly surveyed the room. Good...I wasn't the only one having balance issues ha ha! The music started to pick up again and we shifted to our next set of moves. Each girl now with beads of determination collecting on their skin. 

This was...and is...High Fitness. 

High Fitness was originally started by these lovely ladies, Emily Nelson and Amber Zenith and they are quickly making their presence known. Check out this news report on them HERE. 

I should have written about HF sooner, it's been maybe my 10th class and while it has been a bit brutal, it's fun! I don't think I have ever jumped so much in my life LOL! Thanks to Ashley, studio owner, The Barre Studio in Capitola was lucky to pick this new technique up and we have all gotten hooked. HF involves choreographed moves but is about bringing in cardio and toning sets. Working to shape certain muscle groups. I think it's going to be more than a craze, it really does yield results. There is one set where we jump forward punching the air and it always makes me think that Ashley is building a small army of punching squat jumping warriors. We will take over!

 High completely helps to motivate me even on my most sluggish days. I always dread the beginning and then as our last set starts to wind down I am so proud of myself. 

I would definitely recommend trying HF. I know you can make it through the first 10 mins and you'll be on your way toward glory! Here's a pic from the Studios first class! 

http://www.thebarrecapitola.com/

MWAH! -Bunny

The Comte St. Germain’s Poison

Hello my darlings!

My second drink for Outlander is the
The Comte St. Germain’s Poison, basically a Gin Zesper,which was quite refreshing. Thank you Chef Theresa Carle-Sanders!

*Outlander Kitchen Photograph

I have always loved the smell of St. Germaine Liqueur, flowery and sweet, and the bottle that it comes in... so interesting and almost feels like an old relic from a time long past. Plus the name is perfect for our St. Germaine! What a great idea to create a drink inspired by the Comte. As the Outlander Kitchen says, "Poison never tasted so good!"

Simply take:
Gin – 1½ oz
St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur – ½ to ¾ oz
Tonic – to taste
Ice and a Lemon Twist

*Jack waiting for his drink ha ha ha! He looks so pleased!

 Pour the gin and St. Germaine over ice into your glass then add the sparkling tonic and the lemon twist. Use as much of the tonic as you see fit. I found that the gin is a bit powerful so I needed some extra bubbles!

*Outlander Kitchen Photograph

*mommies little vampire

Adding in the lemon zest was a nice touch and I even squeezed a bit of the lemon into the drink. Like I said, this one was strong but refreshing. Wonderful for a sunny Saturday!

Cheers Outlander fans! Here's to a lovely season and even more lovely treats. Thanks for reading.

-Bunny

Thank you!

Check out @HayfieldManor's Tweet: https://twitter.com/HayfieldManor/status/736181164969472001?s=09

Madame Nesle de la Tourelle’s Slippery Nipple

Hi everyone! 

Outlander is back and the much anticipated Outlander Cookbook is almost here!! I am so excited! Hopefully I get it for my upcoming birthday...wink wink Craig. For now here is a link to webpage in case you want to get more familiar with the recipes. http://outlanderkitchen.com/ 

Chef Theresa Carle-Sanders has really outdone herself with each dish. Taking bits and pieces from the books/show. I wanted to start off small...but yummy... so I decided to make a few cocktails. First on the list...Madame Nesle de la Tourelle’s Slippery Nipple. 
I love a good shot and this one was so perfectly paired with Madame's erotic fashion. 

Purely:  
1 oz of Sambuca
1 oz of Bailey's Irish Cream
1 Blueberry
I loved the instructions for this simple shot...just too perfect! Plus here is one of the cookbooks pics, much better than mine!
"Pour the sambuca into a shot glass, then pour the Bailey’s gently down the backside of a spoon to float it on top. To make this an authentic “Nesle Nipple,” float a small blueberry in the middle before serving...Sláinte!"
I was actually impressed with myself that I got the Baileys to float on top...took a few tries though he he!

As I took the shot I tasted the sweetness of the Baileys right away and then the liquorice in the Sambuca! The liquorice lingered in my mouth, tingling my tongue. Such a simple drink with quite the punch! While I don't like liquorice I did not mind it this time. Must be the mix with the Irish Cream!

Seeing as how the fashion in Outlander is so extravagant, I had to add a few pictures of my favorites! Claire is such a lucky girl...that red dress was AMAZING!! 


My immediate response to seeing the garden scene dress was "Yes, I need that on my body!" So beautiful!!

Thanks for readin! 

-Bunny

Next: The Comte St. Germain’s Poison (Gin Zesper)