Hooray for Adult Beverages!

The way I see it, I'm in my prime drinking years. You know that sweet spot between college and starting a family where not only am I legal to drink but I'm good at it? Years of painstaking practice and dedication to the sport, nay -- art of imbibing have led me to this elite level of libation mastery. Needless to say, as we mature, our taste and preferences mature with us honing what started as a blindfolded slap-boxing contest to a fine-tuned pirouette of specific flavors we love and curtains for those that we decidedly do not. In tribute to my Mad Dog 20/20 days (don't judge, we all did it) and to, what I can only assume will be my Scotch-on-the-Rocks days to come, here is my current favorite summer drink recipe.

Obligatory Disclaimer: Drink responsibly, friends; a DD is a fine accessory to any party outfit.

Lemonade Cooler Recipe Preface

Muddle - verb, "to muddle"

1. To confuse or befuddle (the mind), as with alcohol

2. To stir (or mix) a drink gently

3. To push on to a favorable outcome in a disorganized way

Lemonade Cooler Recipe

Lemonade from concentrate (if you make your own fresh, even better!)
Berries (use what you've got or what you love, if your blackberry bush overfloweth, toss 'em in)
Fresh Mint Leaves (any variety, I used mojito mint for this one recently and it was amazing)
Brown Sugar
Vodka

Simple right? Start with your fresh mint leaves. Pick a handful or so, you don't want the mint flavor to overpower the berries. Place them in the bottom of the pitcher and sprinkle with just a little bit of brown sugar to use as an abrasive. If you're using an aggregate berry, such as blackberries or raspberries, wash them well and add them now. Muddle gently with a wooden spoon or something similar. Add your lemonade concentrate but do not add the full amount of water the instructions recommend. The instructions are wrong. See where it says add so many cans of water? Some of those need to be vodka. You decide how many. If you're using another fruit, such as strawberries, slice them and add them now. Stir well. This drink is tasty from the get-go but the fruit flavor really comes through after it has chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours. Pour this through a strainer before serving to avoid the little mint floaties from muddling up the drinkability and presentation of your concoction. Serve in patio-friendly glasses with a piece or two of your fruit of choice in the glass as a tasty little bonus. Muddle with friends for maximum satisfaction.

This recipe is an easy make-ahead for parties (4th of July, anyone?), looks beautiful, and is easily extended or manipulated. Do me a favor and use a decent vodka; nothing that comes in a plastic gallon jug. You're better than that. Now get out there and get your muddle on! Bottoms up!

Shuck & Jive

Ahhh, summer! You're finally here, bringing with you all the warmth, beauty, and new challenges dear to our seasonal Midwestern hearts. Sunshine and sunburns. Gardens and snails. Barbeques and the-same-sides-we've-eaten-every-summer-since-the-beginning-of-time. Wait! I can help with that one!
Here are two easy, garden-inspired recipes for side dishes perfect for picnics and barbeques that will blow your neighbor's yellow mustard potato salad out of the water. Not that it's a competition, but she's going down. I'm totally kidding, of course, but seriously....she is.

Cumin Corn

Sweet Corn

Butter

Cumin

Cilantro

S&P

Gather several ears of corn from your garden or farmer's market, shuck them making sure to remove all the silk, and strip them of their plump, smooth kernels. * Fun Fact: When you're choosing ears of corn, whether straight from the stalk or at the market, first pull back the husk and stick a kernel with your thumbnail. If it squirts you in the face, it's a keeper! * Melt a couple tablespoons of butter in a pan on low to medium heat. Add the corn, a light sprinkling of cumin (go easy or it will overpower the sweetness of the corn), and plenty of salt and pepper and let it rock out. The secret to achieving the roasted flavor that makes this dish sing is to let the corn saute' in the pan even after all the butter is absorbed. Keep stirring occasionally to make sure its not burning but a little browning is good. It'll start to smell very toasty and exotic (probably about 15 minutes). Just before serving, add another tablespoon of butter and a handful of fresh, chopped cilantro. Stir until the butter is melted and you're ready to eat. This can be prepared on the grill in an aluminum pan as well but you'll have to watch it a little closer and your cooking time will probably be reduced.

New Potatoes in Caper-Butter Sauce

(Adapted from a recipe found on Allrecipes.com here. Thank you, MichelleJ from Lawrenceville, GA. It's phenomenal!)

New Potatoes

Capers, chopped

Butter

Parmesan, shaved or shredded

Green Onion, chopped

Rice or White Wine Vinegar

Italian Parsley, chopped

Dig and scrub enough new potatoes to feed your party; any variety will work. Boil them in salt water.  While your 'tatos are boiling, soften a stick of butter. Add your chopped ingredients, onion, capers, and parsley to the butter. Add a splash of rice or white wine vinegar and a handful of shaved or shredded parmesan. Grind in black pepper and sea salt. You're done! Now you can pour a glass of wine or open another Shiner and kick back until the potatoes are tender little morsels of deliciousness then drain 'em and toss with the sauce. BAM! Best potatoes ever. I really fell in love with the way this recipe showcases the flavor of the potato itself and of course, the salty/tanginess of the sauce. My husband said they were like little balls of mashed potatoes.Try it this weekend! You won't be disappointed.