My bartending style tends to run less towards the carefully measured, tried-and-true recipes and more towards the “What’s in my fridge right now?” trial-and-error method. I rarely use actual measures, because what is “good” depends on how many people are drinking, how liquored up they want to be, and how well they hold all that liquor.

That being said, I have a few favorite drinks that do really well in cold weather.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate:

This ain’t your grandma’s hot cocoa. (Or maybe it is…) I like to add a few drops (or shots) of Peppermint Schnapps to hot chocolate for an immediate warm-up. Make the cocoa with milk if you like it creamier.

Cinnamon Vanilla Cream:

One day my love of Starbucks and alcohol collided, and this drink was born. I just poured some Cinnamon Schnapps into my Vanilla Crème, and – voilà – an innocuous looking brew. Yes, I did keep it all in the Starbucks container. You can make your own Vanilla crème by warming up milk, adding a drop or two of vanilla extract, sugar to taste, and topping it off with whipped cream.

Hot (Spiked) Apple Cider:

First, you need to find some alcoholic apple cider. It’s probably somewhere between the beer and wine sections. Two bottles is a good amount to start with. On the stove, get it simmering with two cinnamon sticks, a tablespoon of cloves, a little bit of sugar and some nutmeg. What really makes it piping hot though, is the addition of either rum or apple brandy. Be generous, ladies – the apple cider has lost most of its alcoholic content in the heating process. Read More »

It’s simple: French fries are good but baked sweet potato fries are better! In every way, I might add. They satisfy junk food cravings without the grease and trans fat. And you can rest easy knowing they will be good to your shrinking Coach wallet at less than a dollar an order.

Plus they’re so. damn. good. I swear, I’m so addicted to these things I thought they had crack in them until I made them myself. Turns out, it’s just sweet potato goodness. And a bit of salt.

Stuff you need:

Sweet potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Let the salivating begin:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Scrub the potatoes clean.

3. Cut the potatoes. As you chop away like a veritable Martha Stewart, think about how good your fries are going to taste. I know, I know. These potatoes are like freaking carrots – I never expected them to be so hard either. But try to make them all the same size and thickness so they’ll cook the same. Also, the smaller you cut them, the less baking time you’ll need, which translates to less time you’ll have to wait before you can eat the deliciousness that will be your sweet potato fries. Oh, and leave the skin on – it has valuable nutrients and gives the fries texture. Your call though, obvi. Read More »

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream.

But I scream the loudest.

And my abs scream quite differently. That’s why I totally flipped out (in glee!) last weekend at Target while shopping for a blender. I wanted to buy one to make fruit smoothies and iced coffees instead of spending $5 a pop at Jamba Juice. When I dragged my friend along with me on my quest for smoothie heaven, she informed me that she also uses her blender religiously….for bananas.

WTF? That sh*t is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

But then she told me that if you first freeze the banana, then blend it until it’s completely fluffy, it tastes just like soft serve ice cream! And guess what yummy flavor it comes in? Needless to say, I had to try it out, so my Target bag included not only a new 10-speed blender, but also a nice giant bunch of bananas. And now all I can say is… YUM.

Stuff you need:

2-3 frozen bananas
A powerful blender
Your favorite toppings (May include: berries, dried fruit, hot fudge, syrup, chocolate sauce, cinnamon, sprinkles, granola, even more cut-up bananas.) Read More »

You know those people who screw up the brownies where all you have to do is add water? Yes, that’s me. I have screwed up popcorn, switched ingredient amounts, and frequently embarrassed my mother with my basic lack of culinary skill. However, one summer’s night when my sister and I had nothing to do I typed in “Cookie Recipes” to Google. After sifting through ladybug cookies, frosting cookies, and every variation of chocolate chip that you can imagine, I finally came across the god of all cookies:

The Peanut Butter Cup Cookie.

Taken from allrecipes.com, this cookie is not only easy to make, it is nearly impossible to screw up. The first time I made them I was ecstatic; the second time I made them, I had everyone at my aunt’s Father’s Day party telling me what a gem I was and how lucky it was that I had inherited my aunt’s natural cooking abilities. I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of myself. To all of the peanut butter lovers out there who want to make something sweet, try these. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. Besides being easy to make, they’re totally fun, and taste…well, like heaven melting in your mouth. Read More »

Who doesn’t love having a few shots of tequila? This writer doesn’t.  I can usually manage with the lime and salt included, but still; there are tons of things I’d rather experience than the burn of tequila as it runs down my throat followed immediately by my stomach trying to send it back.

BUT, it is National Tequila Day, so the Goose (or the cheap Burnetts vodka that I normally drink) is gonna have to wait until tomorrow night. I can’t let a momentous day like this pass me by without partaking in some “festivities.” And by festivities, I clearly mean a little one tequila, two tequila, three tequila…. well, you know the ending.

And I don’t even have to do it in shot form, because there are some mighty fine lookin’ tequila cocktails out there. These badboys give you all the tequila goodness without the pain/regurgitation.

I’ll drink (tequila) to that! Read More »

You know how when you go to a restaurant and order a veggie burger, you always end up paying $8 for a tasteless circular patty of cardboard? Or, worse, a freaking Boca Burger that you can get for $.50 at home?

Yeah, what a rip-off.

Is it that hard to make a decent veggie burger? No, and I’m here to prove it.

Seriously, restaurants have no excuse to pull that kind of crap on people. Veggie burgers are super easy to make, and make well. Next time you want a nice juicy veggie burger that actually tastes good, save your 8 bucks and hit the kitchen instead.

(This recipe is modified from Cooking for Two, a book I can’t recommend enough.)

Here’s what you need to make 4 burgers:

- Olive oil
- 2-3 green onions
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- 1 zucchini
- 1 large carrot or 2 small carrots
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1½ tablespoons fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup flour Read More »

Confession time: I quit my (stable-ish well-paying, super fun) job a couple of weeks ago to go to culinary school for baking next year. Was this an awesome decision or a terrible one? The jury’s still out, but the way I think about it, the more time I have to devote to desserts, the better. So I’m leaning toward awesome.

To celebrate my decision, I’m using this week’s DIY to share an incredible buttercream frosting recipe with all of you. You can use it to frost a cake, cupcakes, cookies . . . or to eat it straight out of the Tupperware with some pretzels when you’re dealing with a breakup. Stop buying this stuff and make it yourself.

Ingredients
(Makes enough buttercream for one standard-size cake with 12-16 servings)

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy cream Read More »

Chipotle has become one of those super hip ingredients you find in everything it seems, right up there with pomegranate, and for very good reason: it’s frickin delicious. Smoky and hot, it adds a killer flavor to anything it touches, and this spread is no exception. It’s magical.

I’ve made it for many a backyard/patio/rooftop bbq, and it is always a huuuuge hit. Throw it on a burger, use it as a French fry dippin’ sauce, anywhere you want a really excellent dollop of flavor. It’s so easy you can whip it up in no time, and keep a jar on hand in your fridge for that impromptu summertime grill-fest (like the 4th of July??)

Chipotle Mayonnise

1 16 oz. jar Mayonnaise (makes a lot, but I like to use the whole thing so I can just pour the whole recipe back into the jar for storage, and have it on hand at all times.)
2 chipotles in adobo sauce, plus 2 tsp adobo sauce
1 large clove garlic
Juice of half a lime
Salt to taste (start with about ½ tsp) Read More »

Ever see something you want but don’t have the money to buy? Ever get sick of studying/watching TV and have the urge to get crafty and make things on your own? We know! Us too! We just don’t know where to start, which is why we got some of CollegeCandy’s craftiest writers to share their favorite DIY projects with everyone. This week we’re doin’ things a little differently. This project isn’t so much a want as a total need. Well, if you want to fit in at your neighborhood Chinese eatery..]

As an Asian, I’m unable to fully understand how many Americans can’t use chopsticks. Especially my friends. I thought I’d rubbed off on them enough to take them to a local Chinese fast-food place this past weekend. Guess not.

“How can people use two little wooden sticks to eat food?!” <Looks at the food. Looks at the chopsticks. Wipes hands then digs in. With hands.>

“Is this why Chinese people are so skinny?” <Does several frantic scooping motions with the chopsticks, ultimately picking up one grain of rice.>

“I’m too hungry for this! I give up.” <Throws one chopstick on the table and proceeds to stab the chicken and veggies with the other. Makes chicken kebab.>

(All of this while the group of Asians a table over looks at us in distaste. And silently condemns me for not teaching them the sacred Chinese tradition.)

Well, this doesn’t have to be you! After you make these awesome rubber-band chopsticks, you’ll never face disgrace at Panda Express again. Read More »

If it’s one thing we’ve learned here at CC, it’s that all people are fascinating (Yes, even your econ professor). Let’s face it – people love to glimpse into the lives of other people. Disagree? Then please explain why you’re currently looking at your friend’s brother’s girlfriend’s cousin’s photos on Facebook. Or reading about the latest Brad/Angie/Nanny dramz in this week’s tabloids. Yeah we thought so.

Fact is we connect to others by learning about them. And everyone has something to share (even if it a really embarassing fart story). So to give you yet another reason to procrastinate, we started ‘The Five Questions We Ask Everyone’ (and five just for that one person) because we know whether we’re schmoozing with an A- list celeb or your local bartender, you’ll be equally entertained.

It’s no secret that we CC’ers are addicted to Top Chef. Probably because it gives us hope that one day, we too, will be able do more in the kitchen than microwave a Smart Ones meal and pull out a Skinny Cow from the freezer for dessert. So imagine how excited we were when we got to chat with Top Chef winner (and fan favorite!) Stephanie Izard.

Her personality is adorable, her talent is indisputable and – bottom line – the woman knows how to cook. Even her pork recipes make me salivate and I’m Jewish! I don’t even eat pork! But this Top Chef makes me seriously think that maybe I should.

She was kind enough to share a recipe for all of us to get us out of our Ramen Ruts (below); for more recipes and info on Steph (she twitters!) check out her website:

And for those lucky enough to live in Chicago (ME!) look out for her restaurant The Drunken Goat in the fall. Read More »