Mud House Year

Prickly Pear Gin and Tonics

Last night we toasted the Mud House Year Blog's one year anniversary with Prickly Pear Gin and Tonics! You can find the recipe on Mud House Year by clicking here and you can learn how to harvest prickly pears here.  Of course, if harvesting prickly pears is not on your fall agenda, you can always just buy prickly pear syrup here. 

When we moved to Pasadena we knew we would no longer be surrounded by cactus so Allen bought dry ice and packed up our frozen prickly pear juice in a cooler and drove it to Pasadena (we worked hard on that harvest, darnit).  It made the trip just fine and is now being put to very good use.   After thawing some of the juice... I combined it with an equal amount of sugar, and boiled it down to a lovely syrup.  For the complete recipe, and to find out how to create that lovely layered look, click the recipe link I provided above. 

Maybe it's because I haven't had any sugar in awhile or maybe the prickly pear juice is even better now that when we harvested it, but these G&Ts were even better than the ones we made last fall.   Absolutely scrumptious and so pretty. Be sure to use plenty of fresh limes - they set off the sweetness and earthiness of the syrup perfectly

Cheers!

Thank You Christmas Cookie Elves!

As I mentioned, this year we introduced a new tradition - a Christmas Eve cookie exchange that doubled as dessert.  I really wish I had pictures of the baking that went on in every household.  I hear that some had fun and some, well... not so much.   That was also true here at the Mud House where some of us were into baking and some of us were downright, doggone it, absolutely not!  Ah well, even with a few abstaining, we still ended up with enough cookies to choke a moose! 

I did want to share some of the fun surprises that occurred during cookie baking here at the Mud House. First, there was Cowboy Al who decided, all on his own, mind you, to hearken to his family heritage and make Kentucky Bourbon balls.  He decided one new tradition deserves another, and served everyone Bourbon and cokes as he began baking.   I tell you, I kind-of like some of these new traditions.He followed an old family recipe from his family cookbook.
They were wonderful.  My sister called the next day and told me she was getting drunk on the Bourbon balls.   I asked her how many she had and she said, "Um, two."  Hmmm,  I guess it's a good thing she wasn't here for the new pre-Bourbon-ball-baking-Bourbon-and-coke tradition! She's a bit of a lightweight.  

Anyway, the Bourbon balls were delicious and they keep in the refrigerator for a long time.  Store them in an airtight container with wax paper stacked between rows.  If you decide to make them be sure to include the finely chopped pecans.  

Thanks, Cowboy Al, for making some amazing Bourbon balls and for making it all so much fun!

Next-up:  My son-in-law's mom's delicious chocolate cookies...

Mud House Christmas Eve

I know that Christmas has come and gone and we are well on our way in 2013.  However, my next few posts are dedicated to our wonderful Mud House Christmas.   This is the first moment I have had to sit down and organize my thoughts but Christmas was just too much fun to let slip by without sharing!Christmas in the desert does not offer the anticipation of snowfall and sleigh rides but it is lovely and festive none-the-less.  At the Mud House, we share distinctive and charming traditions, some of which have been handed down through seven generations of my family here in the desert southwest.  For example, whimsical tin ornaments and sweet brass angels collected in the border town of Nogales by my grandmother, Mema,  (and later by me) grace our tree and mantel.Other traditions are more recent and some are new this year such as gingerbread tee-pee making with Chef Amanda at the Ritz at Dove Mountain.  One of our oldest family traditions began when my great-grandmother, Bammi,  first served flat enchiladas on Christmas Eve.  Family lore maintains  that Bammi actually created the recipe and later shared it with a lady down the street. This lady eventually opened  a little restaurant,  El Charro, which now has several locations and is celebrating its 100th anniversary.  Flat enchiladas, now widley known as Sonoran enchiladas, have been on El Charro's menu for a century.   They have been served on Christmas Eve in my family for longer than that. This photo does not do them justice but the contrast between the colors of the red sauce, green olives and white and yellow cheeses make them especially festive.   

My family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve.  We gather at one of our homes and share a wonderful dinner of Mexican food.  This year our celebration began on the porch of  the Mud House with sparkling sangria. We then enjoyed a buffet of flat enchiladas, frijoles, green corn tamales, tortillas, and fresh salsa.   The tables were set with rose bowls, mason jar candles, and individual kits to make Christmas Eve hot chocolate .This year we introduced a new tradition which may or may not take hold.  Everyone was asked to bake and bring a batch of cookies.  These cookies served the double purpose of being treats for dessert and for a cookie exchange.  Guests took them home in red Chinese take-out containers.   All the cookies were delicious and so creative!  We even had some reindeer cow-pies (thanks Greg!) However, rumor has it that some of the cookie makers were not too thrilled with their assignment.   Also, we ended-up with way too many cookies so maybe next year we will ask for one batch from each family rather than one from each person. As always, it's the little things that make our gatherings so special.  Rumor also has it that next year we will be doubly blessed yet again with more little things.

At the end of the evening,  guests were guided on their way by the warm glow of luminarias and sparkly white lights festooning dried mesquite and century plants.

Thanks to every single member of my dear family who helped make this evening so much fun.  My next few posts will share some recipes and more details about our Mud House Christmas Eve. 

As a side note, Pinterest Wednesday will return soon.

 

A Few of My Favorite Things - Part I

                                                  

I am so fortunate to have spent almost three wonderful weeks in Nashville!  As my visit comes to an end, I am thinking about a few of my favorite Nashville things.  Some I have already told you about, but I am including them again because I love them so much!

 

                                                             Vicki Sawyer                                                    
                                                    

First of all,  there is Vicky Sawyer and her amazing birds (and other animals).  If you haven't yet, please check out her website - so wonderful!

 

                                                                                     Davis Cookware "Well, Ma'am you can't sell from an empty cart."  Mr. Davis replied when I commented on how much there was to see in his store.  

Davis Cookware has been in Hillsboro Village for 43 years.  It is stuffed to the rafters with everything you could ever need for your kitchen.  It also carries over 50 types of coffee beans and I don't know how many types of loose tea.  They also sharpen knives and bill themselves as, "Home Of the Knife Whisperer."  Designed and staged - definitely not.  Original, charming, whimsical, complete, and reliable - yes.    If I lived in Nashville, this would be my "go-to" place for everything kitchen related and for the wisdom, history, and lore of Hillsboro Village. 

 

                                        Olive and Sinclair Chocolate Company 

Voted America's Best Chocolate by Southern Living Magazine, Olive and Sinclair make small batch, slow roasted, and stone ground chocolate right here in Nashville.  These lovely bars are already packed and ready for the trip home to the Mud House where they will find themselves snuggled into a few lucky stockings on Christmas Eve.  Here is their website:  Olive and Sinclair.  

 

                                                                  Midtown Wine and Spirits
I love little bottles of anything.  I think little bottles of liquor are especially enticing, for obvious reasons.  I  also love how their shapes exactly mimic much larger bottles.  My first few days in Nashville I popped into a couple of grocery stores looking for a bottle of wine.  I found beer, but no wine.  I soon learned that Tennessee liquor laws vary by county and are complicated - wet counties, dry counties and everything in-between.  You can read more about it here, if you are interested.  Anyway, I discovered that in Nashville, liquor and wine are sold only in liquor stores.  Beer may be purchased in grocery stores.  Midtown Wine and Spirits not only has an amazing selection of everything you can imagine containing alcohol, they also have a wonderful selection of mini-bottles.  I bought some for a few of the adult stockings I will be stuffing. For more info please click here. 

 

                                                             Pralines by LeonNo visit to this part of the world is complete without sampling some pralines and Leon's is the place to try them.  Pralines by Leon is located in downtown Nashville on 2nd Avenue.  It has been in it's current location since 1994 but its history can be traced back to 1888 when Leon's Greek grandfather Constantine moved to New Orleans and began making candy.   You can read much more about Pralines by Leon and the other wonderful candy they make by checking out their website.  You can also order on-line.  If you are in Nashville it is absolutely worth a visit.

 

 ... Stay tuned for Part II of a Few of my Favorite Things...

 

 

First Annual Mud House Pomegranate Celebration

Last night we had  a little dinner party to celebrate the (slightly) cooler weather and the abundance of ripe pomegranates on the trees in our yard.

Guests sipped fresh pomegranate martinis and picked their own pomegranates off of the trees to take home.  
That's my sister, Melissa, and her husband Greg.  They look pretty happy with their martinis.

Then we ate a simple dinner on the patio. 

Mud House Dinner Party Menu, Saturday 10/13/12
Cocktails:  Mud House Fresh Pomegranate Martinis
Appetizer:  Smoked Red Idaho Trout Pate (Al has a new smoker.  It's his new best friend.  SUCH a guy thing.  More on this soon...

Salad:  Grilled Romaine
Entree:  Grilled New York Strip Steak
Side Dish:  Crash Hot Potatoes (Thanks Pioneer Woman)
Wine with Dinner:  Something Red (It's my favorite color)
Dessert:  Mud House Pumpkin Whoopie Pies and Crunchers

Party Favors: Pick Your Own Pomegranates, Please!!

The weather was actually cool, and cool is a big deal around here, so everyone was in a festive, fall-is-here-finally, mood.  We ate on the front porch, with candles.                                                                                                       
It was actually cool enough to have a little fire in our outdoor fireplace! Of course, it's going to be 90 degrees again on Monday so our fall-like-cool-weather-hysteria was short-lived but much enjoyed, none-the-less.

Ok back to reality.   Please stayed tuned this week as I share some of the recipes from our little gathering.  

 

 

Promises Promises

I know I said ganache was next but, seeing how it is Friday,  I decided to go with this instead. It's quick, it's easy, it's delicious, so pretty and what better way to start the weekend.  

Mud House Prickly Pear Gin and Tonic

Freeze prickly pear syrup (recipe below) in ice cube trays.   They will not freeze solid but will be slushy. If you don't plan on harvesting cactus and cooking-up a batch of prickly pear syrup, click here for info on how to order some. 

To get that pretty, layered, sparkly affect, place a slushy prickly pear ice cube in the bottom of a glass. Add 1-2 oz of good quality gin, then add tonic water, leaving room for ice.  Add plenty of ice, a squeeze of lime, and a slice of lime to garnish the glass.    That's it!  Enjoy!  I know you will.

Prickly Pear Syrup

Combine equal parts prickly pear juice and sugar (I use 1 cup to 1 cup) in a small pan and bring to  a boil.   Turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.  

Cool to room temperature and keep refrigerated.  Use the same day or freeze into ice cubes.  

 

 

A Prickly Situation

Ok.  So, harvesting cactus?  Actually, harvesting the fruit of the cactus known as "pears." Usually I limit my cactus exposure to drinking prickly pear margaritas at El Charro.     

But, if you have this in your front yard...

and this...

and this...  

Whatchagonnado?

Well, first you get some gloves.  Then some metal tongs.  And then a torch.  I'm not kidding.  These are prickly little guys.  They may look all pink and innocent but they have tiny, almost invisible thorns that will drive you nuts.The pears are easily removed with tongs by a little tug and turn.   Wear gloves and DO NOT TOUCH THEM, really.

Collect about 50 pears in a double paper bag.  That may sound like a lot, but collecting them is easy and goes quickly.  DO NOT TAKE THEM IN YOUR HOUSE YET, seriously.

Pour the pears from the bag into a large colander and rinse them with a hose for several minutes.   

So pretty.  Let them drain for a little while, then...

Use a small torch to burn off the little thorns.   Do this in a fire-safe, outside area with a garden hose at the ready. 

NOW YOU CAN TAKE THEM TO YOUR KITCHEN!

Some people skip the torch step, but I found that once I burned the prickles off, I could handle the pears with my bare hands.  This made the next step much easier.  I was able to hold the pears and slice them into quarters without using the tongs.  I decided to put my gloves back on, just in case, but once we used the torch we did not encounter any more thorns.

Once they are quartered, put them in a large pot with enough water to cover the pears.  

Bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer for 20 minutes.   While the pears are cooking, line a colander with four layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl.

After simmering for 20 minutes, gently pour pears and water into the cheesecloth and let drain several hours or overnight.  

This recipe results in about 8 cups of prickly pear juice.  I used one cup of juice to make prickly pear simple syrup  and I froze the rest in individual 8oz portions to use later.

Prickly Pear Simple Syrup

1 cup prickly pear juice
1 cup sugar

Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Cool syrup, keep refrigerated and use the same day.

Upcoming posts will highlight some fun prickly pear syrup recipes.  No worries if there are no prickly pears in your yard.  I will tell you where to buy prepared prickly pear syrup.

                                                
Oh yum!

The final step...

                       

Burn that bag that held the pears!  It's full of thorns!

For more information and recipes, click here.

If Life Gives You Pomegranates...

...Make Martinis!   Fresh, just picked, off the tree, pomegranate martinis.  Without a doubt, these are THE BEST martinis I have ever tasted.  And, I've tasted a few.  If you have never tasted fresh pomegranate juice you are in for a treat. These are truly scrumptious and worth the extra effort.  Here's the recipe.

Fresh Pomegranate Martinis, Mud House Style

Serves 2

1 1/2 cups fresh pomegranate juice from approximately 3 large pomegranates
1/4 cup fresh clementine juice
2 oz good quality, light colored tequila (or vodka or gin)
1 oz Cointreau
2 tablespoons reserved  pomegranate seeds for garnish
2 slices clementine for garnish
2 pomegranate "crowns" for garnish
superfine sugar for rims
ice
sparkling water (optional) if you want to add a little sparkle

    Here's how...

Rinse two martini glasses with cool water and place in freezer.  

If you don't happen to have pomegranate trees nearby, buy 3-4 large pomegranates.  Otherwise, do this...                      

First cut off the ends (save the little crowns!)  then score the fruit all the way around into sections like this...          Pomegranate seeds are beautiful, but the juice stains everything.  So wear your grubby clothes and submerge the fruit in a large bowl of water while you are removing the seeds. This prevents the seeds and the juice from flying all over kitchen.     Next,  scoop the seeds out of the water and gently squeeze with a hand reamer.

This step is very important.  There are other ways to do this but the trick is to NOT crush the seeds.  You want to gently release the juice without adding any bitterness from the seeds.                                                                                 

Open the reamer once or twice, stir the seeds and gently re-squeeze.  Once you have 1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice,  use the reamer to squeeze 1/4 cup clementine juice.                             

Now mix the juices, tequila and  Cointreau in a small pitcher and refrigerate while you prepare the glasses.                      

Remove glasses from freezer, rub cut side of clementine around the rim and invert glass into shallow dish of superfine sugar.  Throw reserved seeds into each glass and return glasses to freezer.                              

Fill cocktail shaker with ice, add contents of pitcher and shake.                                 

Enjoy! I know you will.                                                

Tips:

Place a slice of clementine on a toothpick and place crown on top.  It will be loose.

Add a splash of sparkling water after you pour martinis into glasses.

Keep liquor in freezer.  It will not freze and it will be cold when you need it.  

Check out YouTube for some very helpful videos on how to peel the pomegranates.