Blackberry Mint Mojitos

TGIF people, T.G.I.F. 

Working on my own start-up business has made me very appreciative of Friday afternoons. As a chef, I've never been very good at the business/office end of things- talking on the phone, meetings, email, blah blah. Even with my own restaurant- I tended to avoid that whole office side of it (thank the high heavens for good lawyers). But now I'm waist deep in the business side and I can almost see the end- it's so close!! So this cocktail entry is for everyone who has had a long week and has busted their butts to get it all done. I feel like I've killed it this week...so hurrah to me! I'd like to dedicate this cocktail to everyone who works an office 9-5...I respect you mucho! Salud and Happy Friday!! 

Blackberry Mint Mojitos 

Fridge: 

1/3 packed cup of mint leaves plus extra for garnish 

1 cup blackerries plus extra for garnish

1/4 lime fresh lime juice 

2 cups of ice cubes 

1 12oz can of lime or plain seltzer 

Counter:

2 cups water plus 1 cup extra 

Pantry:

1 cup dark rum

1/2 cup light rum

1 cup sugar 

Tools:

Large pitcher

Potato masher 

Measuring cups 

Cutting board 

Knife 

Large spoon

Small pot 

Strainer 

In the pot add 2 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup packed mint leaves. Boil on medium until all the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Turn off and allow to cool completely. This time also helps the flavors meld and become mint simple syrup. Strain mint leaves out and set aside. 

Add both rums and lime juice to your pitcher. Add the blackberries and muddle using your potato masher. Then add your strained mint simple syrup, the extra cup of water and 2 cups of ice. Stir well. 

Right before serving add the can of plain or lime seltzer. Serve with a sprig of mint and a couple blueberries and you've got a great Friday night cocktail. Perfect for the warm weather. Enjoy! Xo

Tar Heel Pie

Sadly UNC lost the NCAA championship a few weeks ago. As a graduate of UNC at Wilmington- I always felt an allegiance to my other NC state schools. Go Carolina!  

A couple days after they lost, I came across this recipe for Tar Heel Pie. Fate? Yes thank you. Anything that combines brownies and shortbread cookies is an automatic favorite for me. This is a rich decadent pie and definitely calls for whipped cream (fresh only please) or vanilla ice cream. My mouth is drooling as I type this. Can you eat pie before 9am? 

Tar Heel Pie

Crust

3/4 cup room temperature butter 

1/3 cup confectioners sugar

2 cups ap flour 

Small pinch salt 

Filling

Fridge

3/4 cup melted butter (hot) 

2 eggs 

Pantry

3/4 cup ap flour

1/3 cup white sugar 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1 1/2tsp vanilla extract 

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips plus extra 1/4 cup 

3/4 tbs instant espresso or coffee concentrate 

1/3 cup shredded coconut 

1 cup chopped pecans

1/4 tsp salt 

Tools:

1 small microwaveable bowl

1 medium bowl 

Large mixing bowl

9 1/2 inch pie plate 

Spatula 

Measuring cups/spoons 

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

For the crust: 

In the medium bowl add the 2 cups of ap flour, 1/3 cup confectioners sugar and a small pinch of salt. Mix well. Add the 3/4 cup softened butter. Mix (I used my hands) all together and then press into the pie crust- pressing evenly onto the bottom and the sides. It should make a 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick shortbread crust. Set aside. This does not need to be baked.

In the small microwaveable bowl add 3/4 cup butter. Microwave until the butter is liquid and hot. Add the 1 cup of chocolate chips to the bowl and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Add both your sugars and eggs. Stir. Then add your vanilla extract and instant espresso. Stir. It will begin to thicken as it cools. 

In the large bowl, add the 3/4 cup of ap flour and salt. Mix. Pour the chocolate bowl onto the flour. Using your spatula mix and then add the shredded coconut, chopped pecans and extra 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. 

Pour the filling into the pie crust. Put into the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a slight crust forms on the filling. It is best to under bake rather than over bake this filling. You want a moist chewy filling. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before decorating with whipped cream. Or better yet- screw decorating and eat warm with vanilla ice cream AND whipped cream. So good. Enjoy! Xo

Earl Grey Sugar Cookies

My boyfriend is a HUGE fan of earl grey cookies and sadly our local coffee shop stopped making them (apparently he was the only one buying them). So I have made it my mission to attempt to recreate his fave Saturday morning treat. And according to him, I succeeded. Yay! 

Although I must say I never tried them at the coffee shop, they definitely have a unique subtle early grey flavor and are pretty dang good. It's not an overwhelming tea flavor, which is what I expected using the actual tea leaves but it's subtle and tastes great with an afternoon cuppa tea. Better yet I made a large batch and froze half to make whenever we feel like more. It's a great make-ahead cookie dough. 

Earl Grey Sugar Cookies 

Fridge:

8 tbs unsalted butter, softened

1 egg

Pantry:

6 bags or about 2 tbs earl grey tea leaves 

2 1/4 cup ap flour

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch 

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup white sugar plus 3 tbs extra 

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup condensed milk 

1/2 tsp salt

Tools:

Measuring cups/spoons

Immersion blender or food processor 

Handheld mixer 

2 large bowls

Spatula

Cutting board or clean counter 

Plastic wrap 

Sharp knife 

Baking tray 

In one bowl cream together the butter and 1/2 cup of white sugar. Once well mixed add the condensed milk and egg. Blend for a minute more and then add the vanilla extract. Mix for a few seconds more and then set aside.

In other bowl or inside your food processor add the ap flour, baking powder, salt, cornstarch and earl grey tea leaves. Using the immersion blender or food processor- blend until the dry ingredients look speckled with tea leaf dots. 

If the dry ingredients are in a food processor- pour them into the other large bowl. Add the other bowl of wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. I prefer to mix this all by hand. But feel free to use a wooden spoon also. This will be your cookie dough.

If you want perfect circles or squares (rectangles?) like in my photos, you need to chill the dough in order to cut it. If you want drop cookies or don't have the time- feel free to bake as is- but the cookies will spread out more. 

I lined my cutting board with plastic wrap and made the dough into a log. I wrapped it up and pressed each side of my log hard into the cutting board to create four sides. And I shaped it as best I could into a long even square log. I placed it in the fridge for four hours to chill. At this point I removed the log and sprinkled my cutting board with the extra 3 tbs of white sugar and rolled my log into it. I sliced the pieces into 1/3 inch slices and baked half of the log for my boyfriend, saving half for a future craving. These do not spread or need a lot of room on your baking tray. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. I did not use baking spray but you can line your baking tray with parchment paper for easy clean up. The cookies do not take on a lot of color- barely golden on the edges. They come out a little soft but harden when cooling- making them perfect for dipping into your afternoon tea! Enjoy! Xo