Creme Brulee - Remixed:  Ann & Jason

Similar to Kim & AJ taking on baked mac 'n cheese, Ann & Jason decided to challenge themselves with making a dairy-free creme brulee.

Made with coconut milk instead of heavy cream, the taste did not disappoint.  However, the consistency left a bit to be desired!

Recipe:

http://www.fooduciary.com/coconut-milk-dairy-free-creme-brulee/

To make 8 we doubled the below recipe (which left a bit extra).  Instead of the vanilla beans, we used vanilla extract where 1 bean = 1 teaspoon extract.

Ingredients

• 5 egg yolks
• ½ cup unrefined cane sugar plus 1 tbsp for each ramekin
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 2 vanilla beans

Instructions

1. To start, begin heating about 6 cups of water in a tea kettle. You'll need this hot water when we go to bake the creme brulee.
2. Turn the oven to 325.
3. In a small saucepan heat the coconut milk on low.
4. While that's warming up, use a mixer to whip together the egg yolks and sugar until the yolks are light in color.
5. Slice the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the vanilla bean pulp.
6. Whisk the pulp into the coconut milk.
7. When the coconut milk begins to simmer, remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour a small amount into the egg yolk mixture as you stir. This will help temper the eggs.
8. Allow that to sit for just a short minute, then add the rest of the coconut milk and stir until well combined.
9. Place 5-6 ramekins in a shallow baking dish and fill each with the coconut mixture.
10. From the tea kettle, pour the hot water into the baking dish so that the water comes roughly to halfway up the ramekins.
11. Very gently place the baking dish into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the custard is has set but still wiggles a bit. Let cool.
12. When the ramekins have cooled to the point you can handle them, sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over the top of each dish and use your butane torch to heat the sugar until brown and crisp.
13. Of course we want to sneak in healthy produce wherever we can, so top it off with a dash of your favorite berries that you just picked up at the farmer's market. :)

Dragon Fruit Martinis:  Ann & Jason

While there were a few classic black and white cocktails made from coffee and cream, Ann & Jason decided to go out on a limb and try incorporating the ever so beautiful black & white dragon fruit.

 Definitely full of color on the outside, this rare Asian fruit is white with black seeds on the inside.  We have come to learn that it doesn't have a ton of flavor itself, but it did pair nicely with the other drink ingredients.

The beers served included Barrio Blanco White IPA, Blue Moon White IPA, and Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Recipe:

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/recipe/dragon-fruit-martini

We felt that the original recipe didn't have quite enough alcohol so we doubled this which we learned caused the black seeds to sink to the bottom of the drink.  Apparently alcohol density plays into the mix.  The below makes 4 servings.  We found white guava nectar at Lee Lee's.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 3/4 cups cubed peeled dragon fruits
• 1/2 cup guava or guanabana nectar
• 3 oz vodka
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon lime juice

Simple Syrup:

• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups water

METHOD

Simple Syrup: In small saucepan, bring sugar and water to boil; simmer, stirring occasionally, until clear and syrupy, about 2 minutes. Let cool completely.

In blender, puree together ice cubes, dragon fruit, guava nectar, vodka, coconut milk, 2 tbsp of the simple syrup and lime juice until smooth and frosty. Pour into cocktail glasses. Reserve remaining simple syrup for other cocktails.

Campfire Pizza Nachos:  Ann & Jason

Ann & Jason showed up with two cast iron skillets ready to go on the campfire for some campfire pizza nachos!

Since the weather wasn't cooperating with us we put them straight on the grill and that worked just as well!  

These pizza nachos were immediately devoured and will definitely become a camping staple on future camping trips!

Recipe:
http://cookingwithjanica.com/campfire-pizza-nachos-recipe/

We cooked ours on the grill since it was raining out and they still turned out awesome!

Ingredients:Garlic Cream Sauce Ingredients:

• 1.5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• ½ Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2-3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• ½ cups Heavy Cream
• ¼ cup Milk
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• Salt
• Pepper
• Red Pepper Flakes

Nacho Ingredients:

• 1 Bag of Tortilla Chips
• ½ cups Garlic Cream Sauce (recipe below)
• ¼ cups Onion, diced
• ½ cups Pepperoni, cut into quarters
• ½ cups Black Olives, sliced
• ½ whole Bell Pepper, diced
• 2 Green Onions, sliced
• 1 cup Colby-Jack Cheese, Shredded

Directions:

Garlic Cream Sauce: Melt the butter and olive oil in a sauce pan. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic. Stir. After a minute or two, add in the cream and milk. Stir until it comes to a boil. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and cheese. Stir until sauce has thickened. Once it has thickened, remove from fire and set aside.

Nachos: Grab your cast iron skillet and add the tortilla chips. Drizzle the garlic cream sauce all over the chips.

Top with the onions, pepperoni, olives, bell pepper, and colby jack cheese. The best approached is to layer it between tortilla chips so every bit gets plenty of toppings.

Place over the open fire and cover. Cook until the cheese is nice and bubbly and the veggies are warm, about 5-8 minutes.

Bourbon Sidecar:  Ann & Jason

Alcohol in the 1920's was not easy to come by - unless you knew the location and password to get into your neighborhood speakeasy.  Luckily as part of the Mafia, we were in the inner circle.

Ann and Jason made a classic 1920's cocktail - the sidecar.... but with our favorite.. bourbon!

 ... Shhhhh!  Don't tell!!!! 

Recipe:

Makes two:
4 oz bourbon
2 oz Cointreau
2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 3-inch strip of lemon zest

1. Chill two cocktail glasses.
2. Fill a shaker with ice.  Add bourbon, Cointreau, and lemon juice.  Shake assertively for a minute or so.
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glasses; garnish with a trip of zest.

http://brooklynsupper.com/2015/03/bourbon-sidecar-cocktails-exciting-news/#more-7054

Kentucky Waffle & Belgian Waffles:  Ann & Jason

Ann & Jason were a little worried when they heard the theme "Things  you can make in a waffle maker".  Hmmmm, we are on drinks so that should be fun!  Luckily, MJ was kind enough to make us exempt from this rule as long as we went with the Waffle theme :)

The Kentucky Waffle was a huge hit - made from bourbon, maple syrup, lemon juice, and sparking cider.  This went down way too easy.  After our second round, we had already finished the entire bottle of Basil Hayden's!

To follow up on the heels of the Kentucky Waffle, Ann & Jason made Belgian Waffles, also known as Black & Blues.  Little did Ann know, Jason even had his own turtle bar tool, a necessity for keeping the "waffle" on the bottom and the "syrup" on the top!  The turtle did a great job!

 
1st Place Winner:  Culinary Couples Year Two - Best Drink!










Recipes:

Kentucky Waffle:
http://www.cowboysindians.com/Blog/April-2013-1/Recipes-Restaurant-1833s-Kentucky-Waffle-Penicillin-2-Cocktails/

Belgian Waffle:
http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink10427.html