This wonderful cocktail only has 3 ingredients.  So they have to be top quality for the drink to succeed.  I infuse the rum myself each spring but I’m pretty sure you can just buy cherry infused rum (Cruzan brand I believe) and make it really simple.  Still, nothing beats the flavor of fresh Bing cherry infused rum.  Here’s how I do it:

Ingredients for a Bing Cherry Daiquiri

• Cherries are ideal for fruit infused spirits because they are dense with flavor and color. I infuse for about 5-7 days to allow the rum to pull all the flavor and color from the cherries.
• When making an infusion,  use a container with a mouth wide enough to fit your hand in. Always pack the fruit to within an inch of the top of the container and cover the fruit entirely with alcohol (this prevents the fruit from oxidizing). When dealing with cherries, its best to pit them first as pits can impart a bitter flavor.
  When the rum is a beautiful red color and fragrant with cherry scent…I just drain it into an old, clean, liquor bottle.  Label and store in the refrigerator and it will last for months.
  

  Bing Cherry Daiquiri

  Bing Cherry Daiquiri

  Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 fluid ounces bing cherry infused rum
  • 1/2 fresh lime, juiced
  • 2 heaping bar spoons powdered sugar – depending how sweet you like it.  I used 1/2 oz of simple syrup instead
  • 1 lime wheel

  Directions

  1. Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled, then strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a lime wheel—or, if it’s still summer and you can get fresh cherries, a pitted fresh cherry is a beautiful, tasty garnish

  2. 

     Bing Cherry Daiquiri

Related posts:

1. Brandied Cherries for Cocktails
2. Strawberry Margaritas For Pam’s Birthday

ENVY didn’t hit a false note all evening.

The restaurant is located inside the Renaissance Hotel on Paradise Rd, and right next door to the Las Vegas Convention Center. The decor inside is nice, it’s casual yet elegant.  Comfortable seating with plenty of room between tables unlike some places where they are crammed together.

The Cantonese Cocktail

I started my dinner with a cocktail from their inventive, lounge menu.  THE CANTONESE  ( $10) which was Stoli Vodka, Domaine De Canton Ginger Liqueur, Fresh Lemon Juice, Hand‐Extracted Strawberry Juice and garnished with a fresh strawberry.  Delicious.

Black Pepper Calamari/Rock Shrimp

For an appetizer we ordered the Black Pepper Calamari and Rock Shrimp combo with came with a  Ginger-Mirin Aioli and a Marinara sauce.  The calamari was tender, the dish was pretty greaseless and everything tasted great.

Classic Caesar Salad

I wanted to try the Classic Caesar Salad that consisted of tender Romaine Leaves, a White Anchovy draped over the dressed Romaine and garnished with a tasty Black Pepper Crouton.  Just the right amount of dressing that was spot on as far as Caesar Salad was concerned.

Chopped Salad

Vic had the BLT Wedge Salad which had  Iceberg lettuce, Bacon, Tomato, Red Onion and was dressed with a  Tangy Tomato &
Tarragon Dressing.  He loved it.

ENVY's Bread Basket

Even the bread basket was good:  a white artisan-type loaf, a walnut  white chocolate bread and grissini.

Sea Salts

Then our waiter (Josh was an excellent server) brought a tray of three different sea salts out for our dinner.  One of them was a smoked salt that was a standout on the steak.

We decided to split an entree as we were full at this point…Josh split it for us.  With the bone-in ribeye…we ordered the Maker’s Mark bourbon creamed corn… and the Truffle-Reggiano Fries.

Thank goodness we decided to split the steak…everything was so, so good that we kept eating even tho we were stuffed.

Truffle Parmesan Fries

Fries first.  Hugh (enough for a table of four), hot, crispy, with Parmesan sprinkled lightly on top and scented with truffle oil.  Addictive.

Makers Mark Bourbon Creamed Corn

Creamed corn…wonderful dish, probably their most popular side.  Sweet, creamy yet the corn retains it’s texture….

Bone-In Ribeye

Finally the Ribeye.  Again, just melt in your mouth tenderness and lots of beefy flavor.  Cooked perfectly and served with a mushroom jus.   We ordered two glasses (Cab I think) to go with the meat and just enjoyed the rest of our delicious dinner at ENVY.

Ribeye & Fries at ENVY

Related posts:

1. Las Vegas Dining – Ceres Restaurant
2. Lunch at ENVY in Las Vegas
3. Due Forni Pizza in Las Vegas

Roasted, mixed nuts are delicious.  Everyone loves them and all you have to do is open the package and serve.   However, with just a few more ingredients and a little more time–you can turn the nuts into something really special.  And these nuts keep beautifully in the freezer, waiting for friends to drop by!

Sweet N' Spicy Mixed Nuts

Spicy Glazed Mixed Nuts

Ingredients for Glazed Nuts

from david lebowitz

2 cups mixed nuts (untoasted); any combination of cashews, whole almonds, pecan halves, and hazelnuts, walnuts (I used a package of roasted, salted mixed nuts and just didn’t do the first baking or use any extra salt and they turned out great)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse or kosher salt

1
Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes, stirring once for even toasting.

Sweet/Spicy Coating

2
In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, and maple syrup. Add the warm nuts, pretzels, and salt, and stir until the nuts and pretzels are completely coated.

Baking the Glazed Nuts

3
Spread the mixture back on the baking sheet and return to the oven for 10 minutes, stirring twice during cooking. Remove from oven and cool completely, separating the nuts and pretzels as they cool.

Cooling Glazed Nuts

Once cool, they can be stored in an airtight container for 4 days.  Or, freeze them for weeks.  Then they’re ready to bring out for a snack to serve your guests…something special.

Sweet and Spicy Mixed Nuts

Related posts:

1. Prosciutto Appetizer That’s Sweet & Salty
2. BBQ Chicken Wings
3. Hamburger Rolls or Buttermilk Buns

Who doesn’t like pasta with a rich, creamy sauce?  This dish is quick, delicious and only calls for a few common ingredients to produce a wonderful dinner for the family or for guests.

Pasta with Mushrooms and Cream

Pasta with Mushrooms & Cream

what you need:

About 12 oz or 300g dried pasta –  you can use pappardelle or fettucine or tagliatelle.

2 Tbsp or 25g butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

white wine, about 1/3 to 1/2 Cup

3/4 Cup or 200ml heavy – cream

3-5  tbsp grated Parmesan

About 10 oz or 250g mushrooms – You can use any fresh mushrooms

sea salt and black pepper

what to do:

Bring a pot of water to the boil, add salt and pasta and cook until al dente.  While the water is coming to a boil:

Sauteeing Garlic in Butter & Oil

Chop your mushrooms and garlic separately.  Then saute the garlic in a large saute pan heated, in advance, with the butter and oil.

Sauteeing Mushrooms

Next, add the mushrooms and cook for about 10 – 15 minutess until coloured and lightly softened.

Sauteeing Mushrooms

When mushrooms are ready, add the wine and let it boil down for a couple of minutes.

Adding White Wine

The heavy cream is added next and allowed to simmer gently until it has thickened.

Simmering Heavy Cream

Now is the time to drain your pasta and add to your sauce.

Adding the Pasts into the Mushroom Sauce

Let this cook for a few minutes and you gently mix it all together and allow the pasta to be coated well with the sauce.

Have some heated pasta bowls ready and serve your pasta with lots of Parmesan cheese on top.

Finished with Parmesan

This makes a great company meal too.  It’s easy, fast and tastes fantastic.  Goes best with a green salad and a crisp, white wine to cut the richness of the pasta dish.

Pasta with Mushrooms and Cream

Related posts:

1. Saturday Night Pasta in Las Vegas
2. Last Minute Pasta with Baby Broccoli
3. Lemon Pasta with a Bronx Cocktail

Ceres is located in a former Ritz Carlton property which is now the J W Marriot Resort at Summerlin. The property boasts high end design and decoration – great pool area with large waterfall – beautiful grounds and once you walk into the property, you can easily forget you are in Vegas. For visitors, it’s only about 15 minutes from the Strip.

View from Ceres interior

Ceres Restaurant itself is in a spacious room with an elegant, contemporary décor and a handsome bar and lounge, the best feature is the view.  Ceres overlooks lush gardens, waterfalls and fountains.  From any table in the restaurant, you’ve got beautiful spaces.  And the food?  First course was a hugh crab cake sitting on mustard slaw with scallions and dressing with a  remoulade sauce.  Hot, crispy, filled with sweet crab….delicious.

Jumbo Crab Cake from Ceres

Next we had an endive, watercress and poached pear salad with candied pecans and crumbles of blue cheese.  Dressed with an herbed vinaigrette, this salad was a great play of yummy contrasts—peppery cress, sweet pear and salty cheese.

Belgian Endive Salad with a Poached Pear

Before the main course was brought out, the waiter gave us an apple and champagne sorbet in a martini glass.  I’ve had ‘palate refreshers’ before that were just too sweet to get excited about.  But this time I was so wrong.  The sorbet was light, refreshing, slightly sweet with a nice acidic punch to it —I loved this.

Apple and Champagne Sorbet Palate Cleanser

Our main course was a sauteed Halibut with a Grilled Filet Mignon.  Served with a polenta cake flavored with chevre and baby carrots & asparagus.  The sauce tasted like a truffle jus?  I can’t remember but it was delicious.  The beef and the fish were cooked beautifully, the polenta was crisp on the outside and creamy within.  I really tried to eat everything because it was so good but ended up running out of steam and taking home most of the Filet.

Filet and Halibut Duo at Ceres

This was an wonderful dinner—everything was excellent and the service was top notch.  I’m absolutely looking forward to another dinner at Ceres.

Halibut & Filet at Ceres Restaurant

Related posts:

1. Las Vegas Dining – ENVY
2. Firefly Restaurant
3. KJ Kitchen: Chinese Food in Las Vegas

Lemon Drop Martini

Grating the Fresh Lemon Rind

Turbinado Sugar mixed with lemon rind

Lemon Drop Martini

Sugar + Vodka + Lemon Juice=Lemon Drop

Lemon Drop Martini with a sprig of mint

Tobi Enjoys a Lemon Drop

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Everything that I’ve ever made from this cookbook (Two Dudes, One Pan) has been wonderful.  And this meatloaf was no exception.   Once the onion, garlic and parsley are chopped, the rest of the meatloaf is easily mixed together in one bowl and then shaped over the bacon and flipped into your prepared pan.

All this to say—it’s an easy recipe.  And delicious.

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Dinner

Bacon-wrapped meatloaf

Serves 8

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 1/2 pounds ground pork

1 Spanish onion, chopped

 3/4 cup panko (bread crumbs)

 2 eggs

 1 cup ketchup

1/3 cup milk

 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 thick slices bacon  (since I like my bacon crisp–I partially cooked the bacon before using it in the recipe)

Meatloaf Ingredients

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, onion, panko, eggs, ketchup, milk, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, and cayenne. With your hands, work the mixture until thoroughly combined.

Mixing the Meatloaf Ingredients

Arranging the Par-Cooked Bacon

3. Lay a 16-by-12-inch piece of plastic wrap lengthwise on your work surface. Arrange the bacon strips vertically on the plastic, slightly overlapping. Turn the meat out onto the bacon and form into a loaf shape with your hands by pressing the loaf lengthwise along the bacon first, and then shaping the sides. Use the sides of the plastic to wrap and press the bacon around the loaf. Transfer the loaf to a rimmed baking sheet and flip it over. Gently remove the plastic wrap.

Shaping the Meatloaf

Baking the Meatloaf

4. Bake the meatloaf for 60 to 70 minutes or until it is firm to the touch and the bacon starts to brown. For extra-crisp bacon, place the meatloaf under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, watching it carefully. Set aside for 10 minutes. Use a serrated knife to cut into slices.

From “Two Dudes, One Pan”

Bacon Wrapped Meat Loaf

The house was filled with wonderful aromas as this meatloaf cooked…and it was so tasty.  And the best part about making a meatloaf is the great sandwiches you can make from the leftovers!

 

 

Related posts:

1. Meatloaf from Food Network’s “Best Thing I Ever Ate”

We had  Tim & Pam over at the last minute on Sunday for dinner and I was looking through my recipes for an interesting but simple cocktail recipe for Pam & I.  I’ve been wanting to try a Kamikaze and since Pam is a good ‘drinking’ buddy in that she’s not afraid to try new drinks, I settled on that.

Legend has it that the Kamikaze was first poured on an American Naval base in Japan in the late 1940s, and that the name (not unlike      that of The Zombie) is meant to give you an idea of its effect.

Three Ingredients for a Kamikaze

Kamikaze Cocktail or Shot

The cocktail:

1 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 oz. vodka
1 1/2 oz. triple sec

Kamikaze Cocktail Ingredients Combined

How to mix the cocktail:
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add lime juice, vodka, triple sec, and 3/4 oz. simple syrup. Shake well, about 15 seconds, to chill the mixture. Strain into a highball or martini glass for a single drink or, if you prefer, into 4 separate shot glasses. Garnish with a wedge of lime and serve cold.

Lime Sugar for a Kamikaze

Since the cocktail is on the sour side, I grated some lime peel and mixed it with sugar to coat the rim of my glasses which added a touch more of sweetness in the drink.

Rimming the Kamikaze Glasses with Lime Sugar

I used these liqueur (I think) glasses because I knew I needed something small but need to look around for a straight sided bigger shot-type of a glass for the next time I serve Kamikazes.

Related posts:

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3. Summer Cocktails – Whiskey Peach Smash

I grew up eating this dessert, especially in the early spring when strawberries from Plant City, Florida would make their appearance in the grocery stores and produce stands in the small central Florida town that I grew up in.   Mom would make pans of it and freeze the pans, well covered and sealed, and then bring it forth when we wanted something sweet and cold.  This dessert really is the perfect summer treat.

A Pan of Frozen Strawberry Fluff

Strawberry Fluff

Makes:
16 servings

Ingredients:
1 c flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 c) butter, softened
1/2 c finely chopped nuts (optional if you are allergic to nuts)
2 egg whites
1 c sugar
2 c strawberries, hulled and cut in quarters
1 c whipped cream
sliced strawberries, for garnish (optional)

Spreading the Strawberry Fluff over the crumb mixture

Instructions:

1. In mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, butter, and nuts until crumbly. Spread loosely on a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool.

2. Beat egg whites until frothy. Add sugar and beat for about 5 minutes. Add strawberries and beat on HI for 10-12 minutes. Fold in whipped cream.

3. Spread 1/2 of crumb mixture on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Pour strawberry mixture over crumbs, and top with the rest of the crumbs. Garnish with sliced strawberries if desired. Freeze.

4. Remove from freezer shortly before serving.

Frozen Strawberry Fluff

Since you can make this so far in advance and it keeps beautifully if it’s well sealed—this is a great dessert to have in the freezer for spur-of-the-moment visitors.

Related posts:

1. Strawberry Margaritas For Pam’s Birthday

This recipe was  posted on a website called The Kitchen.  There was a lot of great stuff on the website but I really loved the pickled eggs.

I’ve loved pickled eggs since I was a student at the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL and working part-time in a campus area pub.  We sold mainly beer and some snack type foods….but I remember looking at the big glass jar on the polished wooden counter filled with creamy colored eggs.  Having never even heard of pickled eggs, I was hesitant to try them, but after a few weeks of work there, curiosity won out and I gingerly bit into one.

I remember a firm, almost rubbery exterior giving way to a smooth, yielding interior as wonderful spicy pickle flavors flooded my mouth.  Wow….delicious, I was hooked.

Pickled Egg Ingredients

Pickled Eggs with Jalapeños

Ingredients:
2 cups white vinegar
6 fresh jalapeños, tops trimmed off, seeds removed, and sliced in half lengthwise
1 teaspoon pickling salt – if you can’t find it, use kosher salt. If you use kosher salt, your garlic will turn blue, but it’s harmless, so don’t worry about it.
1 teaspoon pickling spice
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
4 whole cloves
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon hot sauce
4 cloves garlic, peeled
12 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
2 quart-size wide mouth Mason jars with lids

Preparation:
Hard boil the eggs and let cool. Remove the shells.

Wearing gloves, trim the tops off the peppers. Slice in half lengthwise and remove the ribs and seeds.

Wash the jars in hot soapy water and sterilize them in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, salt, pickling spice, bay leaves, mustard seeds, cloves, and hot sauce and bring to a gentle boil for 5 minutes.

Pickling Brine

Gently Boil the Pickling Brine

Divide the eggs, peppers, garlic, and onions in each jar and pour the hot brine over, filling the jar to 1/2 an inch below the top.

Hard Boiled Eggs, Peppers, Garlic & Onions

Pour Hot Brine Over Eggs

Dunk the lids in the hot water you used to process the jars in for one minute. Wipe the lids and jar rims dry and seal.

Eggs are ready to Refrigerate

Place jars in refrigerator. They will be ready to eat in 8 days. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 months.

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3. Meatloaf with Bacon