Boursin Mashed Potatoes

This recipe is unbelievably easy, and incredibly flavorful. It harnesses the power of a premade cheese blend to avoid most of the hassle normally associated with good mashed potatoes. Via Budget Bytes.

For the salt, I keep adding it and tasting until I feel subconsciously compelled to keep reaching back for another bite.

Boursin mashed potatoes
serves 6-8

Cut into one-inch cubes:
2.5 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes

Place the diced potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes by one inch. Place a lid on top and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Boil for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.

Once the potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork, drain them in a colander. Return them to the warm pot (with the burner turned off).

Add and mash the potatoes to a rough consistency:
1/4 cup milk
1 5-oz. package Boursin "basil and chive" cheese

Add a further 1/4 cup milk, and mash/stir until mostly smooth.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice to finish.

Shopping list
2.5 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes
5-oz. package Boursin "basil and chive" cheese

lemon

Check the pantry
1/2 cup milk

Sesame chicken

Via Budget Bytes.

Sesame Chicken
serves 4

Combine in a small bowl: 
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. water
1.5 tsp. (0.5 tbsp) sesame oil
4.5 tsp. (1.5 tbsp) brown sugar
4.5 tsp. (1.5 tbsp) rice vinegar
1 inch fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. sesame seeds

In a large bowl, whisk together: 
1 egg
2 tbsp cornstarch
a pinch of salt and pepper

Take 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Trim any excess fat, then cut them into small 1 inch pieces. Toss the chicken in the egg and cornstarch mixture (a technique called "velveting").

Heat a large skillet with ~2 tbsp. of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and all of the egg mixture. Cook the chicken for 7-10 minutes, until it's golden brown and cooked through. Stir occasionally to break up the chicken chunks (and avoid making an omelet).

Once the chicken is cooked through and golden brown, pour the sauce over top. Toss the chicken to coat it. Thanks to the cornstarch, the sauce will begin to thicken as soon as it hits the hot skillet. Once the chicken is coated and the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat.

Serve over rice.

Pancakes for 2

Alton Brown makes a mean pancake recipe. However, his is designed to feed a family of four, three times over if you count the volume of dry ingredients (which he says to split into 3 and freeze). Even a single batch makes about 18 4-inch pancakes, which is far too much for just me and my husband on a Sunday morning. Since doing mental math before noon on a weekend should be illegal, I've cut down the recipe and recorded it here.

Pancakes for 2
makes 8-10 pancakes

Dry ingredients
Combine in a large bowl:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Wet ingredients
If you don't have buttermilk on hand, combine 1 cup milk and 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Let stand for 5-10 minutes.

Pour into a medium bowl:
1 cup buttermilk

Melt in the microwave:
2 tbsp. butter

Separate 1 egg, adding the yolk to the melted butter and the white to the buttermilk.

Whisk each mixture together. Then pour the yolks/butter into the buttermilk/whites, and whisk thoroughly to combine.

Pour the combined wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined (some lumps will remain). If you would like to add blueberries, chocolate chips, etc., stir in about 1/2 cup at this point.

Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle until a drop of water will dance across the surface. Lightly butter the surface, then wipe it thoroughly with a paper towel until no butter is visible.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, ladle the pancake batter onto the hot skillet. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake, flip the pancakes. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the middle of the pancake is set.

Hold the finished pancakes on a plate in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Tiki drinks

We've started experimenting with making classic tiki drinks, so I'm making a standing post that will be updated with our successful experiments and favorite versions.

Rum recommendations:
Jamaican, dark Jamaican: Appleton Estate
dark: Koloa dark
Demerara: El Dorado 5 year
white, light: Mount Gay


Demerara Dry Float
Discovered at the bar Smuggler's Cove. This recipe was found on TikiRoom.com. The original calls for Luxardo, but I find that Cherry Heering, which is sweeter, better balances the citrus in the drink and adds a nice depth of flavor.

2 oz El Dorado 80 proof Demerara rum
0.5 oz Lemon Hart 151 Demerara rum (float)
0.5 oz Cherry Heering or Luxardo maraschino liqueur
2 oz fresh lime juice
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz Small Hand passion fruit syrup
0.5 oz simple syrup

Shake all ingredients with ice except the 151. Strain into an empty glass and float the 151.

Mai Tai
The original recipe, as determined by Beachbum Berry. Use quality rum.

2 oz. rum, pref. Appleton Estate (options: gold, spiced, or 50/50 light/dark rum)
0.5 oz Grand Marnier orange curacao
1 oz. fresh lime juice
0.25 oz Small Hand orgeat syrup
0.25 oz simple syrup

Sidewinder's Fang
http://www.killingtime.com/Pegu/2012/02/02/tiki-drink-sidewinders-fang/

1 oz. dark Jamaican rum
1 oz. demerara rum
1.5 oz. fresh lime juice
1.5 oz. orange juice
1.5 oz. Small Hand passion fruit syrup
2 oz. soda water

Painkiller
http://tikiloungetalk.com/2011/11/25/painkiller-cocktail-recipe-your-weekend-tiki-drink/

2 oz. dark rum
1 oz. cream of coconut
4 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. orange juice

Puka Punch
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Puka-Punch

2 oz. white rum
0.75 oz. dark Jamaican rum
0.25 oz. 151-proof rum (optional)
0.25 oz. falernum
1 oz. fresh lime juice
0.75 oz. fresh orange juice
0.75 oz. pineapple juice
0.75 oz. Small Hand passion fruit syrup
2 tsp. honey mixed with 2 tsp. hot water, chilled
1 dash Angostura bitters

Garnish with pineapple slice, orange wedge, and maraschino cherry.