Tasty Tuesday: Ginger Lemon-Limeade

Ginger Lemon-Limeade

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 4-inch piece fresh ginger (thinly sliced)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 7 limes)
• 1 cup vodka
• 1.5 liters club soda

Combine sugar, ginger, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, 2-4 minutes. Cool completely; strain. Stir together ginger syrup, lemon and lime juices, and vodka in a large pitcher. Just before serving, top with club soda and pour over ice.

Tasty Tuesday: Pink Velvet Cake

Pink Velvet Cake

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-6 drops red food coloring
• 2 ¼ cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 (8-inch) or 2 ( 9-inch) pans with Baker’s Secret.
Line bottom with wax or parchment paper. Spray again lightly. Sift cake flour and
measure. Put aside for next step. In a medium bowl, combine butter and sugar.
Beat with a mixer at high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a
time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and food color, and beat
to combine. In a separate small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder,
baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with
buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour in three additions. Divide batter
among pans, smoothing tops. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cake tester
inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the pans cool on a wire rack for 10
minutes. Invert on a rack, carefully remove parchment or wax paper from the
bottoms. Cool completely.

Buttercream Icing

• 4 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
• 8+ cups powdered sugar
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4-6 tablespoons milk or cream

Whip the butter until creamy and pale. Add the powdered sugar. Mixture will be dry so add the vanilla and cream gradually until frosting reaches a good piping and frosting consistency. Frost and/or decorate immediately after making.

Repertoire Assists: Prop Shop South

Prop SHop SOuth

If anyone knows me, they know that I LOVE props and home decor. So, when I got the chance to play around and style Mary Clayton Carl's amazing collection of props, I jumped at the chance! Below are images by Ali Takes Photographs from our day of propping at Mason + Dixon. Can't wait to get my hands on these beauties again!

Tasty Tuesday: Fresh Grapefruit Greyhound

FRESH GRAPEFRUIT GREYHOUND

• 3 ounces high quality vodka
• juice of one fresh grapefruit (about 6 ounces)
• 6 ounces club soda

Combine in a pitcher and stir ingredients well. Split between two glasses over ice.

Tasty Tuesday: Orange Shortbread Cookies

ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

• 1 cup salted butter (softened)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 T finely grated, fresh orange peel (packed)
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 t orange juice
• 1/2 t butter flavoring
• 2 cups All-Purpose flour

In a medium bowl, beat together butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in orange zest, vanilla, orange juice, and butter flavoring. Add flour, then beat just until well blended. With a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and bottom to make sure everything is combined. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, for 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350º, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Using a 2" circular cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place them on parchment-lined cookie sheets until sheet is filled. You may have to re-roll the dough a couple of times and might have a little left over that you can bake later. Chill pan for 10 minutes. Bake cookies until light brown on bottom and just barely golden around edges, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to rack and cool completely.

Icing

• 2 T orange juice
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• zest of half an orange
• 2 T cream cheese (melted)

In a medium bowl, slowly whisk together orange juice into the powdered sugar. Add orange zest and cream cheese and beat until well combined. Once cookies are cooled, brush them with icing using a pastry brush.  If you want a harder icing you will probably want to use more powdered sugar. Just start with more at the beginning and do it to taste.