Bloody Mary Special

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Peg

Ho Ho Ho! I’ve made my list, and checked the darn thing at least thrice (maybe 9 times!). Everyone has their own unique recipe for a Bloody Mary, so I will leave that specific concoction up to you. However, for the Holiday Season I highly encourage making Bloody Mary ice cubes for your guests, and of course for you! I combine Zing Zang mix with a dash of Tito’s vodka in a small pitcher, then pour it into the trays (you don’t want the cubes really strong!)…that is if you want them to taste your fabulous cooking that you have literally fretted about for weeks. Ha! Fill an old timey ice cube tray and allow to freeze. After frozen I like to pop them out of the cube tray and store in a sealed ziploc, so there is no freezer aroma in the cubes. Then after you whip up your batch of B Mary’s, plop a couple of frozen cubes into the glass, fill with your B Mary and relax…I promise that the day will float right by with lots of love, laughter, delightfulness and not a single snafu! Happy Holidays! See you on the other side of the Holiday Season, if not before! PS…I do love celery salt, fresh celery, hot sauce of your choice, and a fresh lime in my Bloody!

Sausage Bread

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Peg

This is fabulous for breakfast or snack while the fam is home for the holidays! Make ahead. It freezes perfectly; bake before freezing! Zip it out of the freezer the night before, and pop slices in the microwave the next morn. Won’t they be happy campers! I’m making 2 loaves this afternoon! Getting ready. I’m thrilled anticipating a full house for an entire week. Now if TD will just assemble the Big Wheel please, after he collects the Dibon cases (Spanish Cava…delicious and an extremely fair priced champagne) from On the Square tonight! (This is also available at your local Total Wine!) Ho Ho Ho!

1 lb ground hot sausage
11 oz can refrigerated French bread dough
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend

Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook sausage in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, stirring, until browned.
Drain grease off sausage, and transfer sausage to paper towels to blot.

Lightly grease rectangular baking sheet with cooking spray.
Unroll dough into rectangular shape onto baking sheet.
*This is easiest if you remove dough from refrigerator and immediately unroll it cold.

Sprinkle evenly with sausage and cheese, leaving a 1 inch margin on all sides.
Beginning with 1 short side roll up, jelly roll style.
Turn seam side down.
Pinch ends to secure the filling inside.
Cut three 1/4 inch slits across top of dough with a sharp knife.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until browned.
Remove from oven.
Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 12.

*Author’s Note: I find this delicious but extremely rich. So I always slice it thinly. If you are going to freeze it, cook it first, and then freeze. It microwaves by the slice beautifully.

Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Peg

Goodness Gracious, as my maternal grandmother, “Mama” used to say! I literally have neva in my life seen anything like this place. Istanbul was the first stop on this magical mystery tour with my fab fam of five (six counting Liam, but he was with his amazing MA grands)! Second day in, we ventured into this place. Grand Bazaar. I’m sorry…3 THOUSAND shops in one market. Stop it! Met a fine merchant five minutes into the place. Offered us tea. TD was skeptical, but the rest of us accepted. Marvelous. Ventured back to Spice Market the next day to secure this jewel for stocking stuffers…oops, just blew that surprise; they’ll be more than happy anyway! And this was just 2 hours of a 12 day adventure. More to come. Recipes for the holidays in the next couple of days, I promise. Remember the collards! Make ahead and freeze. Just thaw and consider it “done”…i can’t stand that word! Off to Boston for the Pink concert. Have a happy weekend.