The Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies

For me, Christmas is the season of wistful nostalgia.  This time of year I find myself starting most sentences with "When I was a kid..." or "Back in the day..."   I dont know- jingle bells and holiday cheer turn me into a depression-era grandmother for some reason!   

I know I'm lucky to have warm memories of Christmas past, but I cant help missing it and wishing for it now.   My wonderfully food-centric mother made Christmas (and the days leading up to it) sweet, cinnamon-y, spicy and delicious.  I miss that.  I've been trying to follow in her kitchen footsteps for some time now, but I always fall short on baking.  

"When I was a kid..." each year my mother, with the help of my big sister Denise, would bake ALL the treats.  Spritz cookies, chocolate chips, honey balls, "Greek" cookies, thumb prints, sugar cookies and these, peanut butter cookies were baked in our kitchen.  I call these the "The Easiest" because they are the only cookie that I could master.  The cookie that I, as a kid, could bake, unsupervised.   The same is true today.  I made these all by myself!  - thanks to Denise.

Last week, I asked her for mom's cookie recipes and she sent me lots of pics that look like this:

A page out of my sister's very old steno pad with our family recipes.

Naturally, Denise was the smart one who wrote down mom's creations.   I just ate them with a tall glass of milk.   

Depression-era grandma alert:  When my sister sent me this, I cried.  Look at the stained pages and Denise's cute swirly handwriting!  I remember looking at this page and baking these cookies in my mom's kitchen.   (Its this kind of thing that keeps me writing this blog.)

So, there in that swirly handwriting is the recipe for The Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies ever.   The only thing I'd add is use softened butter and in my opinion, crunchy peanut butter takes these cookies to a new level of greatness (and nostalgia).

Merry Christmas!

xo & a pinch,
Kelly

Holiday Re-Post: Candy Cane Merry Martini

Happy Friday!  Every Christmas season we pull out our red bows, twinkly lights, gold garland (!) and our favorite holiday recipes!  This is one of them.  We are remembering Christmas past and looking forward to a magical season this year!  Cheers!

• 1 1/4  oz vanilla vodka
• 1 1/4 oz white crème de cacao
• 3/4 oz peppermint schnapps

Shake with ice until freezing cold, pour and enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

Measure & Pinch

Slow Cooker Turkey and Pearl Barley Soup

Coming home to a slow-cooker dinner makes me so excited and happy, that it completely washes away my workday exhaustion.   Opening the door to warm, delicious aromas reminds me of coming home to family dinner when I was a kid.  Thank you Slow Cooker!!

This soup is a great way to use up turkey left-overs for a weeknight dinner.  Its thick and savory, almost like a stew.  The pearl barley makes it creamy, luxurious and satisfying.  

Here's what you'll need:

• carrots, 3-4 chopped
• celery, 2-3 stalks, chopped
• onion, large, chopped
• turkey, 3 cups, cooked and chopped (or chicken)
• chicken broth, low -sodium 48 oz. carton
• barley, 1 cup uncooked
• sage leaves, 1 tbsp. chopped, plus more for garnish
• salt & pepper

Here's what you'll do:

Add chopped vegetables to the slow cooker pot.

Add the turkey and barley, season.

Chicken broth and water until all is covered with liquid.

Add your chopped sage, cover and set on low heat for 8 hours.

To serve, stir, ladle into bowls.  Top with a bit of fresh sage and enjoy.

xo & a pinch

Kelly

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

The crowd-pleaser award goes to....  the Bacon-Wrapped Date!

This is hands-down the easiest, best, 2 ingredient, sweet & spicy, warm, fall-like little bite that everyone loves.  Well, everyone that enjoys bacon wrapped around a sweet, chewy little morsel of heaven.

Here's what you'll need for a dozen:

• 12 pitted dates.   (if they aren't pitted, just slice open and remove pit)
• 6 slices of bacon, each slice cut in half.

Here's what you do:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with foil.

2.  Wrap each date with a 1/2 slice of bacon.   Place on foil-lined pan with the seam of the bacon on the bottom.

3.  Bake in the oven on 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until bacon is crisp.

 4. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. The sweet chewy date will be delicious, but scorching hot!

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

You can also prepare these ahead and keep covered with foil until you are ready to bake.

These are a scrumptious bite with pre-dinner cocktails or bubbles!

Cheers!  Happy Holidays!

xo

Measure & Pinch

Cornmeal & Parmesan Crusted Baked Squash

The crunchy cornmeal topping with warm, fragrant rosemary and parmesan combined with a zip of lemon is perfect here.  Its kind of pretty too! 

• 2-3 zucchini, sliced into coins
• 2-3 yellow squash, sliced into coins
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Fresh rosemary, small bunch chopped, about 1 tbsp
• 1 lemon, zest & juice
• salt & pepper
• red pepper flakes, a pinch (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.  Cut the squash into thin coins.  On the cutting board, coat with 1 tbsp olive oil, season with salt & pepper, red pepper flakes.

Arrange in a baking dish... neatly or not- your choice!

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cornmeal, parmesan, chopped rosemary, zest and juice of the lemon, salt & pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil.  Combine with a fork until mixture is a sandy consistency.

Place the cornmeal topping on the arranged squash.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and the squash is tender.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a spritz of lemon.

Beet & Blueberry Salad

I'm one of those people that reads "Click Here for 10 Foods You Must Eat to Live to be 105!" and clicks.  I just have to do it.  I've heard these things referred to as "chick bait."  Whatever, call me caught hook, line & sinker, but who doesn't want to live to be 105?  

So, in the spirit of post-Halloween detox, I read (on the internet, of course) about the best foods for natural detox.  Or, was it the top 5 cancer fighting foods?  Whatever it was, when I went to go back and read the article again, I couldn't find it, naturally.   So, I've been walking around with these magically healthy foods bouncing around my head.  Today, I decided to get them out of my head and onto a plate.  I remember that beets, blueberries, lemons and pomegranate are super foods that fight disease and make you feel and look your best.  I decided to throw them all together into this gorgeous salad because lets face it, I'd love to naturally detox, ward off cancer and live to 105!  Who doesn't?

Here's what you'll need:

• 3-4 medium sized beets, stems trimmed and scrubbed.
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 Lemon, juiced
• Feta cheese crumbles, 1/4 cup
• Parsley leaves, 1/4 cup
• 1/2 Pomegranate, seeds
• salt   

Here's what you'll do:

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees while you scrub and prepare your beets.   Place scrubbed, whole beets in a foil packet and on a baking sheet.  Roast in the oven until fork tender, about 60 minutes.   Let cool.   Scrub skins off.  They should come off easily with a paper towel.

2.  Cut beets into cubes.   Combine cubed beats with blueberries, parsley, lemon and salt.   Tumble the feta over the salad.  Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Enjoy Super Health!

xo & a pinch,
Kelly

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Hasselback Spicy Sweet Potatoes

Besides their interesting looks, there are two other reasons that I love these potatoes. 

1.  I love, love, love sweet & spicy food.  

2.  I love a side dish that gets into the oven early and takes care of itself until your ready to eat.

We recently had a little dinner party that looked a lot like early Thanksgiving with a big, golden bird in the oven and delicious, fall inspired side dishes.  These potatoes were a hit with an unexpected spicy bite!   

Here's what you'll need:

• 4 sweet potatoes, similar in size and scrubbed
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tbsp. chopped pecans
• 1-3 shakes of hot sauce (we love Outer Limits Jalepeno Lime)
• butter, about 1 tbsp
• 1/2 pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare the potatoes:

1. Scrub well. 

2.  Create a "foot" on your potato for better control while cutting.

3.  Slice using pencils as a base on each side to prevent cutting completely through.

4.  Make slices. Do your best with keeping each slice the same width, but don't make yourself crazy. Perfection is overrated.

5.  Place the potatoes in a medium roasting pan.

To make the topping:

6. Combine honey, Dijon, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper flakes, rosemary, chopped pecans and hot sauce in a medium bowl.

7.  Spoon over the potatoes, pushing some of the sauce into the slices.

8. Add 2 pinches of butter to each potato.

9.  Cover with foil and bake in the oven for one hour at 350 degrees.  Then, remove foil and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.

When to potatoes are tender, they are done.  Top with pomegranate seeds.

Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Enjoy with your favorite sweet & spicy friends!

xo & a pinch,

Kelly

Sausage & Cannellini Stuffed Eggplant

During these gorgeous golden days of early fall, we are still enjoying summer's harvest and eating outside.  Every last minute cherished before it becomes completely Siberian and we are under blankets, eating carbs. 

This weekend I noticed that our basil is still full of green leaves and eggplants at the market are gorgeous and abundant through October.   I love stuffing eggplant this way. I've featured it here before with tomatoes, basil & cheese.  I love eating a half an eggplant as my dinner... and then the other half for lunch the next day.   

Here's what you'll need for two halves:

• 1 large eggplant
• 1 16 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 red pepper or 3-4 baby peppers, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• olive oil, 3-5 tbsp
• 3 links of Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 16 oz can of cannellini beans
• red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp
• salt & pepper
• mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup, shredded
• parmesan, 1/4 cup, grated
• basil, a bunch chopped or torn (some for cooking, some for garnish)

Here's what you'll do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

2.  Prepare the eggplant:  Cut the eggplant in half.  Scoop the meat from the halves and chop.  Coat the eggplant shells with olive oil and season with salt & pepper.  Place on a baking sheet, cut-side up and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes; until the eggplant shells are tender.  Remove from the oven and reserve.

3.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the sausage, crumbling the meat at it cooks.  Once completely browned, remove the sausage from the pan and reserve.

4.  In the same skillet over medium high heat, add 3 tbsp. oil, garlic, cubed eggplant, chopped peppers, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper.   

5.  Cook on the stovetop until the vegetables become tender.  Add the tomatoes and beans.  Return sausage to pan.  Stir in most of your chopped basil, combine and simmer about 15 minutes.  Taste to adjust seasoning. Add salt & pepper if needed.

6.  Scoop the eggplant/sausage mixture into the eggplant halves.

7.  Top each half with mozzarella and parmesan.  Return to the oven for 5-8 minutes until cheese is melted.

8.  Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Garnish with torn basil leaves and more grated parmesan.

Mangia!

xo & a pinch

Kelly

Slow Cooked Asian Spiced Pork Lettuce Wraps

We're not "paleo" but dinners like this remind me of the paleo concept... meat and greens in a big bowl.  Dig in Caveladies!

This one has an Asian twist, so you can feel a bit more sophisticated when you pile that luscious pork into a lettuce wrap and bite.   However you see it, you'll feel great eating it!

• 22-3 lb. pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
• 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 inch piece of ginger, minced
• soy sauce, 1/2 cup
• rice wine vinegar, 1/2 cup
• chicken stock, 3 cups
• fish sauce, 1 cup
• brown sugar, 1/2 cup
• chili paste, 1/4 cup
• vegetable oil, about 4 tbsp
• salt & pepper
• 1 scallion, chopped (for garnish)
• lime (for garnish)
• butter lettuce, used as shells

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Pat pork dry and season with salt & pepper.  In a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, cover the bottom with vegetable oil and brown the pork on all sides.  Do it in batches if needed. Don't overcrowd the pot.   Remove the browned pork and reserve.

Discard any excess fat from the pot and add fresh oil.   Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.   Add soy sauce and vinegar.  Let simmer and reduce by half.  Add the chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar, chili paste and clementine zest and juice.  Let simmer 5 minutes.

Return the pork to the pot, cover and place in the oven for two hours.  After one hour, turn the pork pieces over.  After another 30 minutes, remove the lid and let cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes.    Remove the pork from the pot and shred, using forks.  Garnish with lime and scallions.  Serve with lettuce to be eaten as lettuce wraps. 

Eat beautifully,

xo Measure & Pinch

Grilled Figs with Fresh Ricotta Dip

Sometimes the most delicious food is the simplest.  This dessert is perfect for after dinner drinks with guests. Its easy to add to an already heated grill and its only 3 ingredients!

• 8-10 figs, halved, skewed and grilled for 5-8 minutes
• 1 cup fresh ricotta
• honey, drizzle

The key is the fresh ingredients.  Fresh ricotta really makes a difference here and if you have local honey, all the sweeter!

Salud!

xo- Measure & Pinch

Avocado & Jicama Guacamole

In the world of Measure & Pinch, the avocado and the jicama are best friends.  They're cute, quirky and get along beautifully. They're not exactly beauty queens, but inside they are wonderful and delicious, but completely opposite.  Avocado's creamy, soft, buttery inside is a perfect match for Jicama's crunchy, light sweetness. Together they make a great team and thanks to our friend Chef Peter, who generously shares his recipes, tips and expertise with us home cooks,  we learned that jicama is the key to making the ultimate guacamole! 

Serving 4-6 Measure & Pinch people  you'll need: 

• 3 ripe avocados
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 1/2 small white onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped, peeled jicama
• 1 lime (zest,) 
• 2 garlic cloves (pressed or finely chopped) 
• Juice of 2 limes
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1 Jalepeno pepper (optional) 

Ripe avocados are not always in the store so, if your avocado is bright green, ask for a dark one. Squeeze to test ripeness. It should give a little when you squeeze it but, not squish it. To get the meat out of an avocado you want to take a large knife and press it lengthwise  into the avocado until you feel it hit the pit, you want it to touch it then drag the blade full circle. When the blade makes it back to the original cut, push the blade harder into the pit so that the knife sticks. Now, pull the avocado apart and one side will still have the pit in it. 

With a spoon, spoon out the first avocado half onto a cutting board. The one with the knife in it will need a little help but, the pit will come right out as it's stuck in the knife! (Good trick, huh?) 

Once you scoop out the three avocados give them a rough chop into eighths. Take a fork and give them a mash but, not so that they're smooth, just so they're not chunky. Add your lime juice.

(Keep in mind when you open the avocado it will immediately start to turn brown unless you squeeze lime on it so, once the avocado is free from it's shell, and diced  & pressed, squeeze the lime juice on it...)

Press your garlic and add, then add about 1/2 cup of jicama.  If you follow the "pamelita pico" recipe for everything except the avocados & jicama, just add it all into your bowl and you'll have your guacamole. 

This is a party favorite, for sure. 

Enjoy, xo 

Measure!

Stuffed Eggplant

Vegetables are beautiful! I love making eggplant this way because you keep the gorgeous form of the fruit (Ok, yes. Its a fruit).   This recipe is a celebration of the summer harvest; using tomatoes, basil and eggplant.  Its also so rustic Italian, I'm compelled to blow the dust off of my Rosetta Stone discs!   

Heres what you'll need for three stuffed eggplant halves (pictured):

• 2 large eggplants
• 2 cupstomatoes, chopped (we used cherry tomatoes and sunbursts, but any tomato will do)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• basil, large bunch
• olive oil, 3-5 tbsp
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock (or white wine)
• red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp
• salt & pepper
• mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup, shredded
• parmesan, 1/4 cup, grated
• bread crumbs, 2 tbsp.  (optional)

Here's what you'll do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

2.  Prepare your eggplants:  Halve both eggplants.  Scoop the meat from 3 of the halves and leave 1 half to chop for the filling.   Coat the 3 halves with olive oil and season with salt & pepper.  (use your hands to season & coat the outside and inside).  Place on a baking sheet, cut-side up and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes; until the eggplant shells are tender.  Remove from the oven and reserve.

3.  Meanwhile, chop the remaining half eggplant into cubes.

4.  In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 3 tbsp. oil, garlic, cubed eggplant, chopped tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper.   Add handful of torn basil. 

5.  Cook on the stovetop until the mixture combines about 20 minutes.  Add stock or wine to create a sauce-like consistency. Taste to adjust seasoning.  The mixture is done when the eggplant and tomatoes are softened.  

5.   Scoop the eggplant-tomato mixture into the 3 eggplant halves.

6.  Top each half with mozzarella, parmesan and bread crumbs.

7.  Return to the oven for 5-8 minutes until cheese is melted.

8.  Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Garnish with torn basil leaves and more parmesan.

Mangiare le verdue!  (& frutta)

xo & a pinch,
Kelly

Ratatouille

Fresh harvest, thank you Sickles Market!

Today was one of those Saturdays where I go to Sickles Market in Little Silver, chat with Junior, my favorite cheese maker and when he asks me what we're making this weekend, without skipping a beat I said, Ratatouille! I made it last weekend for one of McSweeney's sides for the week and we all agree it was definitely "blog worthy!" 

The ingredients you see above along with some garlic, basil, thyme, salt & pepper are all you'll need! 

5 large Jersey tomatoes ( you can use them from anywhere but, in the summer I bet your grocery store has a "Jersey display!" ) 

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 yellow squash
• 1 large or 2 small zucchini 
• 2 red onions
• 2 large peppers, green or over ripe green ones that look red like mine! 
• 6 cloves garlic 
• 10 basil leaves 
• 5 stalks of thyme 
• salt, pepper olive oil

All you need to do now is chop! 

Peppers and onions saute

These are your peppers and onions, salt & pepper. Medium heat for about 10 minutes, move to another pan and add.... 

Zucchini and yellow squash

Again, same thing, olive oil in pan, throw in vegetables add salt & pepper, about 10 minutes stirring as you go... dump out into the bowl with the peppers and onions. Next up... 

Eggplant

Third verse, same as the first! :) Olive oil, eggplant, salt & pepper, 10 minutes and dump into the bowl. Here comes your last step. 

Tomatoes, with basil and 6 cloves of garlic 

Yup, you know what's next. Olive oil, chopped basil, garlic and thyme. I always crush my garlic so, this is what 6 cloves crushed looks like. This should be on medium high heat for 10 minutes. When you hit 10 minutes, add everything back into the pot and stir well. 

One last hit with salt & pepper and into the oven it goes! If you don't have a pot that can go into your oven, feel free to put it into a slow cooker for the 4 hour setting. If you do, set to 400 and cook for 90 minutes cover on, then 30 minutes cover off - serve hot, cold or room temperature. 

Dinner is served!

You will love this but, I will give you one special tip... Eat it the next day!

And, feel free to serve it anyway you like, in the pot you cooked it in, in a 9x11 glass baking dish, or like this in little individual serving sizes. Totally up to you! 

Let us know what you think, we hope you love it!! 

Enjoy, as always.. 

xo Measure 

Greek Chopped Salad

Right now tomatoes are my middle name; beefsteak, plum, cherry, you name it in Jersey we're eating it! 

This salad is one of many I'm eating on on the weekends! It's super easy and it requires no lettuce. Is it still a salad without leafy greens?  We say YES and this salad is a must-have! The fresh, crisp cucumbers, sweet tomatoes and the salty, creamy feta! YES. Who else is in? 

• 10-12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 cucumbers, sliced into half-moons
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• Dill, 1 small bunch, chopped
• Feta cheese, 4 oz crumbled

We dress this salad simply with the juice of a lemon, swirl of olive oil, salt & pepper. Toss and share with your friends! 

And, since I'm all about the salads lately, take this one if you love it only leave out the dill and add these next four ingredients instead. You'll still have an amazing salad just a different version! 

• I can of chick peas, strained and rinsed
• Mint, 1 small bunch chopped
• Kalamata olives, about a cup and go for the ones w/out the pits! 
• And, yup, one head of romaine lettuce, chopped! 

Two salads for the price of one entry! :) 

Enjoy, xo Measure! 

Mediterranean Summer Salad

I call all Greek food "Goddess food."  Is it because its usually so healthy and beautiful?  Or maybe its because I think that if I eat like a Greek Goddess, maybe I will start to look like one!   You are what you eat, so I'm sticking with the Goddess food...with my fingers crossed.   

This salad combines my favorite Greek elements; chick peas, cucumbers, mint and feta with a few local, fresh vegetables that seem to find there way onto most summer tables.; corn & tomatoes.  Its kind of Jersey Greek... or better, Shore Goddess!   Beautiful!

Heres what you'll need:

• 19 oz can of chick peas, rinsed
• 3 ears of corn, cooked, kernels removed
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 8-10 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• mint, 2 tbsp chopped, plus a few sprigs for garnish
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2-3 ozfeta cheese, cubed
  
  For the dressing, whisk these ingredients together:
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 tsp Dijon dressing
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper

 In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients together with the dressing.  Garnish with mint, extra cucumber or lemon wedge.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Eat Beautifully,

xo & a pinch,

Kelly

Chicken Sausage & Garden Vegetables over Spaghetti Squash

Its a that wonderful time of year when gardens are bursting with delicious things!  Total summer abundance!  .. well, not in my yard.  One of my dreams is to have a gorgeous, healthy garden in my backyard.  Right now, I have only a couple of struggling herbs.  I blame it all on the squirrels.  

Until my garden dreams come true, I enjoy the farmer's markets and the generosity of my green-thumbed friends!    Here I used a bunch of local veggies and some chicken sausage to create a chunky "sauce" to put over spaghetti squash.  It makes a great, easy, healthy dinner.  It would be more delicious over regular spaghetti, but I also have bikini dreams... I blame it all on ice cream. 

• 6  chicken sausages, casings removed  (we love Premio)
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• garlic, 2 cloves, chopped
• 2 small or 1 large spaghetti squash
• parmesan cheese, grated 1/4 cup, plus more for garnish
• olive oil, 2 tsp
• butter, 1 tsp
• salt & pepper
• red pepper flakes, a pinch
• parsley, for garnish
• chicken stock or white wine, a splash

For the spaghetti squash:  

1.   Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2.    CAREFULLY cut the squash in half.   Spaghetti squash are really hard and round.  They are not easy to cut.  PLEASE do so with caution.  Scoop out the seeds. 

3.    Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place the squash, cut side down onto the sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes.

4.  To test for doneness, poke the squash rind.  If there is "give" its done.  Let cool. 

5.  With a fork, scrape the inside flesh from the squash.  It will release as threads (resembling our long-lost friend, spaghetti.)

For the sauce:

1.  In a large skillet over medium heat, swirl olive oil.  Add the sausage, casing removed.  Cook 5-8 minutes or until browned.   Remove from the skillet and reserve.

2. To the same skillet, add all vegetables.  Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

3.  Add the sausage back to the vegetables, toss with splash of wine or stock and butter.  Stir in parmesan cheese. Taste to adjust seasoning.

To serve, spread spaghetti squash shreds in a shallow bowl.  Season lightly with salt & pepper.  Top with sausage and vegetable sauce.   Garnish with extra grated parmesan and parsley.

Sweet Dreaming!

xo & a pinch,

Kelly

St-Germain Summer: The "Henke" Panky

Henke Panky 

Our St Germain summer continues with this little gem. Inspired by our friend Brian Henke, we've named it the "Henke Panky!"

You know how you meet someone and you just connect immediately?

Well, despite being a sweaty disaster after racing through New York dragging my roller luggage over a mile to catch the ferry home, with zero time to spare and falling into my seat, only to begin the mad search through my briefcase for God knows what, Brian and I started chatting and, of course laughing. We shared a ton of laughs that day (including me potentially being Janet from "Three's Company" aka Joyce DeWitt) with lots to follow! 

Today we're sharing the love of St Germain in the form of the Henke Panky! 

Ingredients: 

·       1.5 oz Pink Grapefruit Vodka (Belvedere) 

·       1.5 oz St-Germain

·       1.0 oz Pink Grapefruit Juice 

·       Shake in a shaker, with ice! 

·       Top off w/Soda Water (or in Brian's version, rose champagne!) 

When Brian & Mike tied the knot in the Spring, this cocktail was one of two signature cocktails at their wedding. Great idea for your wedding cocktail this summer or if you're just in the mood for something fresh & fabulous! :) 

While shown here in a cocktail glass we also love to serve it in a large Cabernet glass filled with ice or a Collins glass, also filled with ice with the St Germain spoon-straw!

Yum.....

Enjoy, Measure & Pinch xo 

Fiesta Corn Salad

This recipe is inspired (copied) from my father-in-law.  While preparing for a family party at my in-laws, I offered Mom my hand with cooking.   She asked me to prepare Dad's Corn Salad and I was really happy to do it.  I've always loved it and was curious about the makings. To make the salad, I was given a "recipe" that simply said:

1 bag of corn

1 can of beans

Cilantro

1 Jalepeno

Peas

1 Red Onion

1 Lime

Clearly, my father-in law is a "pinch!"  I threw it all of the ingredients together, then Dad added his magic touch and it was delicious, as always.  When I got home, I couldn't wait to try it on my own.  I made a few changes.  I left the peas and  jalepeno out because I'm feeding picky little boys and I used roasted corn (confession: I used left-over roasted corn).  I also tossed the salad with an agave lime dressing to give it my own spin.   Dad would approve! 

Heres what you'll need:

• 8 ears of corn, roasted or boiled, cooled  (or a big bag of frozen kernels, defrosted)
• 1 can (15 -19 oz) can of beans  (red or black beans) rinsed
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1-2 baby red and orange peppers, sliced (or a red pepper sliced)
• 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
• Cilantro, a bunch, chopped

Cut the corn from the ears.  You should have 3-4 cups of kernels. 

In a large bowl, combine corn kernels, beans, chopped onion, sliced peppers, tomato and cilantro.

For the dressing:

• 1 lime, juice and zest  (plus more limes for garnish)
• 1 tbsp. agave nectar
• 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil 

Toss all ingredients together and garnish with lime and cilantro.

Happy Summer!
xo & a pinch,

Kelly

St~Germain Summer: The Vodka Germain Gimlet

"Have you tried St-Germain?" 

This has been the question of the summer.  We have been asking everyone because, quite honestly, its the best thing that ever happened to drinks... all drinks!

St-Germain is an elderflower liquor that has a wonderful, slightly sweet, delicious flavor that adds wonderment to any drink.  As the makers say:

"Neither passionfruit, nor pear, grapefruit nor lemon, the sublime taste of St-Germain hints at each of these and yet none of them exactly.  It is a flavor as subtle and delicate as it is captivating.  A little like asking a hummingbird to describe the flavor of its favorite nectar."

So now, you have to try it.  Here's the perfect start.

• 2 parts Vodka
• 1 part St-Germain 
• 1/2 part lime juice

Pour all into ice and filled shaker & shake with vigor.

Strain into a martini glass, garnish with lime twist, sip and enjoy.

We are St-Germain obsessed!  You will be too.

a votre sante! (cheers!)

Measure  & Pinch
 

* This is not a sponsored post

Garlic & Lemon Dijon Grilled Shrimp

My favorite recipes are usually the ones where I say "this can hardly be called a recipe."  They are the recipes that I usually describe as quick, easy, healthy and festive.  To me, all food should have those elements.  Why make things difficult?  More importantly, why not have a little fun?

And yes, to me, a pile of grilled, delicious shrimp is fun!

Heres what you'll need:

• 2 lbs large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail-on
• 2 lemons, 1 for juice and zest, 1 for garnish.
• parsley, bunch, chopped for garnish
• garlic, 1-2 cloves, minced or grated
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 splash Worcestershire sauce
• salt & pepper
• olive oil, about 2 tbsp

For the marinade:   Whisk the juice and zest of 1 lemon, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire, olive oil, salt & pepper in a bowl.   Taste for proper seasoning.

Pour over shrimp and toss, coating all.  Place in a large food storage bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. 

For the grill:   Using a slotted spoon, transfer marinated shrimp onto a grill pan (a pan with holes).  On high heat, cook shrimp for 8-10 minutes, turning as needed to avoid over browning.   Grill until shrimp are curled and opaque.

Garnish with squeeze of lemon, lemon wedges and chopped parsley.  

Have fun!

xo & a pinch

Kelly