Ever Ready: A Little of This and A Little of That

Thursday, February 4, 2021

A Little of This and A Little of That

A LITTLE OF THIS AND A LITTLE OF THAT

A great sipping drink for Game Day

Mangorita

Cook's Notes: Add a twist to your usual margarita with fresh mangoes. It's a refreshing sipping drink for game day. Since magoes are naturally sweet no need to add sugar. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

3 mangoes, peeled and diced or 1 (10 oz.) bag frozen mango chunks
3 oranges, juiced
2 limes, juiced (plus extra for garnish)
2/3 cup tequila
1/3 cup orange liqueur, Cointreau or similar
Margarita salt, to rim the glasses
2 cups crushed ice

Directions:

Add the diced mango, orange juice, lime juice, tequila and orange liqueur to a blender. Blend until smooth. Add in crushed ice. Blend again.
Slice a lime into wedges and rub one wedge on the rim of a glass. Dip the glass upside down in the salt.
Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy.

Asian Sliders

Cook's Notes: A lightened adapted version from Food Network that's very tasty and filling.

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground turkey
1 large egg
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
Large pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 bag brocolli slaw
Optional cilantro leaves and tender stems

For serving:

24 large Bibb lettuce leaves or a package of Hawaiian Sweet Slider Rolls
2 medium carrots, shredded
Small red onion, thinly sliced
24 thin slices of cucumber (from 1 small cucumber)
Lime wedges
3/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Sriracha sauce

Directions:

Place the turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, scallions, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a large bowl, and mix gently, just enough to incorporate evenly. Drop mounds of the mixture all around the prepared 9 x 13 baking pan.
Press into an even layer. Score the meat into 24 even squares, cutting down almost all the way. Brush the top with the hoisin sauce.
Cover and bake until the meat is browned about 30 minutes.
While meat is cooking arrange carrots, cilantro if using, onions, cucumbers and lime wedges on a serving platter. Add a dish of broccoli slaw to the serving platter.
Put the peanuts and Sriracha if using in small serving bowls. Slide a spatula in the pan and let guests build their own sliders with desired toppings.

For Peeps Lovers

After a pandemic break, Peeps are back in production just in time for Easter.
Candy maker Just Born Quality Confections announced Wednesday that the sugary treats are returning to shelves just in time for the holiday, after a nine-month hiatus because of the pandemic.
Just Born decided in April to stop production to protect employees' health as the pandemic took root in the US, the company previously told CNN Business. Consumers missed out on a variety of holiday-themed Peeps as a result, including for Halloween, Christmas and this year's Valentine's Day.
But now Peeps production is back in full force, with the company producing several old favorites and two new flavors inspired by Hot Tamales candy and Froot Loops cereal. I have fond memeories of the creative contests run by the newspapers (one being the Pioneer Press, St.Paul, MN).

Based on the movie this one was a second place winner called Beauty and the Peeps

Puzzling Shortages

As we all recall 2020 was the year of puzzling shortages. And well into 2021 we still are encountering various shortages.

Who would have ever guessed this cereal would be in short supply and one of my favorites too! I read online maybe spring it would reappear. Well my day was made today while grocery shopping I noted it made its way back to its regualr spot on the shelf. I bought a few boxes just in case it does a disappearing act again.

An Act of Kindness

My lake neighbor who winters in San Diego went beyond-beyond with this special delivery box.

She knows how much I love lemons and had a surplus from her citrus tree. So she carefully packed some Meyers Lemons (the good type of lemons too) and two other varieties.