Oh mules how much I enjoy you. No not the animal. Well wait they are kind of cute, but what I mean is the beverage more commonly known as the Moscow Mule presented in a copper mug. While it doesn’t need to be served in such an apparatus to be considered a mule (but there are some great stories from a bartender friend of mine whose customers think otherwise), it does keep your beverage cold and it does look pretty. Just make sure they are made with food-safe copper and that the interior is lined with high-grade nickel because copper is a heavy metal that reacts with acidic fluids such as cocktail ingredients. Exhibit A: citrus juice.

As you can guess by the name, this mule is a cross with a mimosa. With spring maybe finally coming around and Mother’s Day right behind it brunch is on my brain and obviously mimosas are a common brunch cocktail. But no one needs a recipe for a mimosa (champagne, splash of OJ, done) so what if we combined the mimosa with my beloved mule? It’s not that much more complicated and it’s totally perfect for brunch. This mule-mosa is made with orange vodka, freshly squeezed orange juice, ginger beer, and of course champagne. Literally a hybrid and literally delicious.

These mugs are from Moscow Muled by the way and they pass the safety test. While yes I got mine for free, 15% of their profits are donated to several non-profit organizations so you can have your cocktail and feel good about it at the same time. No they didn’t ask me to tell you that (or dictate anything I said in this post for that matter), I just thought it was cool.

One year ago: Sage Goat Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Three years ago: The Mempho (Grilled BBQ Mac & Cheese Sandwich)

Five years ago: Baked Peanut Butter Cup Banana Pancakes

Six years ago: Cake Batter Puppy Chow

Seven years ago: Homemade Olive Garden Salad and Dressing

MOSCOW MULE-MOSA

Serves 1

Ingredients:

2 oz. orange flavored vodka (or plain)

Juice from half an orange

2 oz. ginger beer

2 oz. champagne

Orange bitters (optional)

Directions:

1. Place ice cubes in a copper mug (or a glass). Pour vodka and orange juice over the ice. Add ginger beer, champagne, and a dash or two of bitters (if using). Stir to combine.
2. Garnish with an orange slice and serve.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary mugs from Moscow Muled. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

Step aside orange juice, there’s room for other kinds of fruit juices when it comes to mimosas. Which will you try first?

‘Tis the season for mimosas! I set up this mimosa bar for Easter brunch but there are far more opportunities for it in the near future. Mother’s Day perhaps? Or just any ol’ weekend? I trust you can find a reason without my assistance. The real question is, have you ever had a mimosa with a juice other than orange? Sure the staple is delicious but you should really mix it up some time. For my first mimosa bar, in addition to orange I had peach-mango and pomegrante-blueberry. And then for fruit garnishes I used blood oranges (from Limoneira), pineapple, and strawberries. Pair it with an easy brunch charcuterie board to really impress.

When I told my friends I was setting up a mimosa bar for brunch they didn’t anticipate what was in store. Admittedly the spread did look pretty impressive, yet it took little effort to set up and therefore might become a staple for future brunch gatherings. I simply poured the juices into clear glass carafes, placed fresh fruit in ramekins, and used one of my homemade cookie sheet chalkboards for the sign/directions. Not that they needed directions on how to make a mimosa as my friends are seasoned professionals but it looked fun at least.

Two years ago: Lemon-Lime Raspberry Mojitos

Three years ago: Strawberry Shortcake Cobbler

Four years ago: Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns

Five years ago: Pineapple Pancakes with Honey Greek Yogurt Topping

MIMOSA BAR

Makes approximately 18 servings

Ingredients:

3 liters of 100% assorted juices

3 liters of champagne, chilled (or more)

Fresh fruit, wash and sliced

Directions:

1. Pour juices into clear bottles. Add labels to indicate their flavors.
2. Place champagne in ice buckets.
3. Mix champagne and juice in a 1:1 ratio (or 3:1 if you’re my friends) in a champagne glass. Garnish with fruit and enjoy!

Source: All over the internet

This chopped village salad is a recreation of one of my favorites from a local restaurant. It has a little bit of everything and it all works exceptionally well together.

It’s funny how things work out sometimes. Every apartment I have ever rented I never bothered with painting. I never thought I would be there long enough for it to be worth the effort and then of course ended up living there a few years, wishing I had painted after all.

Fast forward to the current house which I am renting and I decided to go for it and paint the very first day. Guess what? I want to move already and it’s only been 6 months! Of course I have to wait until the year lease is up but I am already planning to look elsewhere.

Not because I don’t like the house or the area around it, rather it’s the distance it is from where I work that is the issue. On a normal day the mere 15 miles takes about 20-25 minutes which isn’t terrible, but there are always accidents. Yesterday the commute really got to me after it took 40 minutes to get to the gym and then 30 for the last 5 miles home from the gym. Over it.

The disadvantage to living closer to where I work? Higher demand for living spaces and therefore higher in price. And of course there’s the tricky situation of being close to work but not have rowdy college students as neighbors because in case you forgot I work at my glorious alma mater of The Ohio State University. But I think the move will be worth it.

There are just too many wonderful areas right around downtown/campus that are bursting with delicious food and things to do and I would love to be able to bike to work on days when the weather will not be inclement.

And then I would save money because I wouldn’t get the super fancy parking pass I have, instead I’d get a cheaper one. And save gas! Look at all the money saving to make up for the extra cost in living.

One of these said establishments is a place called Northstar Cafe. While yes, there is a second location near where I live now (conveniently in the same area as the gym), let’s just focus on the fact that there is one in the Short North of downtown as well, ok?

The first time I venture to this delicious establishment was with some of my fellow Cbus food bloggers for brunch. We waited in line for quiet a while to just place out orders and then had to fight to get a table for the 6 of us but it was worth it. The food was fresh and absolutely delicious. Since then I have been there many times and on my last venture I finally tried their village salad and I immediately fell in love.

I don’t fall in love with salads easily but this one stole my heart. So much so that had to try my hand at recreating it at home to satisfy my addiction (. The gist of it is a mixture of chopped greens, chicken, tomato, avocado, corn, candied almonds, goat cheese, dates (oh yes stay with me), and a champagne vinaigrette.

One year ago: Fresh Peach Pie

Four years ago: Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

CHOPPED VILLAGE SALAD

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

1 Tbsp agave nectar, honey, or sugar

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

CANDIED ALMONDS

1/2 cup whole almonds

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp honey

SALAD

3 hearts of romaine, chopped

1/2 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from bones and chopped

1 avocado, peeled and chopped

1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped

1 ear of corn, kernels removed from husk

1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped

4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, honey, lemon juice, and mustard. Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified (or shake in a jar with a lid). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the salad.
2. In a small skillet over medium heat combine the almonds, brown sugar, and honey. Cook until the sugar melts and forms a thick syrup, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes. Immediately pour onto a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet. Spread out into a single layer and allow to cool.
3. While the almonds cool, chop up the salad ingredients and toss in a large bowl.

Source: Inspired by the Village Salad at The Northstar Cafe. Dressing adapted slightly from Eat Yourself Skinny.

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I’m not usually a big fan of champagne, unless orange juice is involved. Ah yes mimosas, the drink of brunches. In fact when my lab mates and I were in Berlin we managed to order a couple mimosas for “brunch” despite our waitress looking at us like we lost our minds when we described it as a drink that was half champagne and half orange juice. Silly Americans.

This time of year champagne comes out in full force, namely in a couple days for the celebration of another New Year. But who says you have to toast with pure champagne? I say mix some fruit juice in there, have some fun, and dare someone to stop you.

I mixed in some pomegranate to make it seasonally appropriate. Although I think this could also be called a pomegranate bellini, similar to a peach or strawberry bellini. Whatever you name it, I call it a delicious way to ring in the New Year.

Two years ago: Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

Three years ago: Cranberry and Orange Granola

Four years ago: Chicken Scallopine with Sage and Fontina Cheese

POMEGRANATE MIMOSA

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (4 oz.) champagne

1/2 cup (4 oz.) pomegranate juice

Pomegranate arils, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Pour champagne into a glass. Top with pomegranate juice. Serve garnished with arils.

Source: The Spiffy Cookie original (although I’m sure someone has made it somewhere).

The biggest Thanksgiving problem is always how much oven space and time the turkey hogs. Try this sptachcocked turkey that not only takes up less space but is done in 90 minutes!

Turkey, the Thanksgiving staple. However I actually did try to convince my parents into having smoked ham this year instead but that was meat with instant dismissal. Maybe for Easter. It is true though, all the potatoes, green beans, and stuffing seems better fit for turkey. So a turkey is what I cooked when I hosted Friendsgiving at my friends home, marking only the second time I have ever cooked a Thanksgiving meal and both times in someone else’s kitchen. Thankfully I brought along some trusty OXO tools to make this adventure less stressful than the last time, because cooking in someone else’s kitchen is never as easy as your own.

• Poultry Lifter – This is one heavy duty tool used to lift your turkey unscathed onto the serving platter.
• Twine Dispenser – Although I did not need twine for a spatchcocked turkey this is a really handy tool if you do truss your turkey or use twine in other baking/cooking adventures. Pork loin roulade anyone?
• Angled Baster with Cleaning Brush – Whether you are basting your turkey or sucking up the pan drippings everyone needs a good baster. It even has little feet for resting on the counter.
• 2 Cup Fat Separator – Easily removes fat from pan drippings, comes with it’s own stopper and strainer, had measurement markings, and is heat-resistant.
• Stainless Steel Butter Dish – Pass the butter! And don’t worry about butter fingers with this good grips butter dish.

For the gravy, normally I would strain the pan drippings through a sieve into a bowl and after letting it rest, carefully skimming off the fat layer. But OXO is always thinking of others and made this handy fat separator which strains the solids out on the top and then allows you to pour out the liquid with a spout that starts at the base, avoiding the fat layer on the top, and just making life easier. Isn’t that the OXO way?

As for the butter dish, well it was obviously begging for some compote butter to be placed upon it so I obliged. The clear cover let everyone see the pretty log inside. And of course you cannot go wrong with the stainless steel bottom. As one of my friends mentioned, I’ve never had an OXO stainless steel product rust. But the coolest part was the tablespoon markings.

Thanks to all these OXO tools my turkey and Friendsgiving was a hit. It was my first time trying a spatchcocked turkey combined with cooking in a foreign kitchen and it was a smooth and easy ride. By the way, a spatchcocked 14-pound turkey only takes 90 minutes to cook – no that was not a typo! So not only did I not have to get to my friend’s home at the crack of dawn, but there was more room in the oven to cook the stuffing, butternut squash, and mac and cheese due to it not taking up as much vertical space. To free up even more space you could try a smoked spatchcock chicken, which is also great for smaller gatherings.

The only thing I would change next time is taking off the foil towards the end to allow for the skin to get crispy. Otherwise it was one juicy, flavorful bird!

Enter for a chance to win the same set of tools so that you are are well-equipped to make the perfect turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. This giveaway begins today and ends Thursday, November 20 so that it will arrive in time for the big day! Just use the widget located a the bottom of this post.

One year ago: Overnight, Slow Cooker Ice Cream Oatmeal

Two years ago: Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Three years ago: Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Casserole

TURKEY WITH CHAMPAGNE-THYME GRAVY

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

TURKEY

1 (12-14 lb.) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed

2 Tbsp dried parsley

2 Tbsp ground dried rosemary

2 Tbsp rubbed dried sage

2 Tbsp dried thyme leaves

1 Tbsp lemon pepper

1 Tbsp salt

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 orange, cut into wedges

1 onion, cut into wedges

1 carrot, chopped

1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth

1 (750 mL) bottle champagne

GRAVY

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a turkey roaster with long sheets of aluminum foil that will be long enough to wrap over the turkey.
2. How to spatchcock your turkey: With the turkey breast side down, use kitchen shears or a butcher knife to cut along both sides of the backbone. (Reserve it along with the neck and giblets to use for stock.) Turn the turkey over, breast side up, and press down hard with the heels of your hands in the center of the breast to flatten – it will crack.
3. Stir together the parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon pepper, and salt in a small bowl. Flip the turkey over and rub the herb mixture onto what would have been the cavity. Rub any excess on the breast if desired.
4. Place celery, orange, onion, and carrot into the bottom of the roasting pan. Place turkey breast-side up on top of the vegetables. Pour the chicken broth and champagne over the turkey. Bring the aluminum foil over the top of the turkey, and seal.
5. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180 degrees F (82 degrees C), about 1 hour. (For crispier skin remove the foil for the last 30 minutes.) Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil (if removed), and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the gravy. Strain the solids from the pan drippings into a bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes and skim off the fat layer.
7. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the thyme and saute for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes or until golden. Whisk in turkey juices and increase heat to medium-high. Cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with turkey.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes, Bon Appetit November 2014, and Cooking Light November 2014.