Category Archives: Recipes

Various recipes that I’ve found and liked, or made up myself

Ward 8

Food, Recipes

There doesn’t seem to be an abundance of cocktails that use fresh squeezed orange juice in them – which seem surprising since many use orange peels as a garnish.
The Ward 8 is an old drink recipe, created in Boston around 1898.

  • 2 oz. rye whiskey
  • 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz. fresh orange juice
  • 1 tsp. grenadine
  • Maraschino cherry (optional)

Shake the rye whiskey, lemon juice, orange juice, and grenadine with ice; then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
I like it poured over a few large chunks of ice.  Garnish with a maraschino cherry, if desired.  Originally, the drink was also decorated with the state flag of Massachusetts 🙂

Another tequila cocktail

Food, Recipes

Had a great dinner the other day at a restaurant called El Cortez, located just south of the Strathcona Farmers Market.
Along with some very tasty tacos, I had their Tequila Old-Fashioned – and it was awesome!
Had to see if I could find out how to make it – and I think I found their recipe here.

Oaxaca Old-fashioned
Recipe Type: drink
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Haven’t made this yet myself – just have to get a couple of the ingredients together!
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 oz. reposado tequila
  • 1/2 oz. mezcal
  • 1 tsp. agave nectar
  • 1 to 2 dashes Bittermens Xocolati Mole bitters
  • 1 wide strip of orange zest for garnish
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, and fill with ice.
  2. Stir to chill.
  3. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass.
  4. Twist orange zest over drink and use as garnish.

 

Kung Pao Chicken

Food, Recipes
Kung Pao Chicken
Recipe Type: Main
Cuisine: Asian
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • Marinade
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar or dry sherry
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns
  • 2 vegetable oil
  • 6 dried red chilies
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (seperate green and white)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced or grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
Instructions
  1. Marinate the chicken – using a medium sized bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the chicken and stir gently to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes (while preparing sauce)
  2. In another bowl, mix balsamic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, honey, cornstarch, and Szechuan pepper. Stir until all has dissolved and is mixed well, then set aside.
  3. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat (when a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact). Add vegetable oil and coat the base. Add chilies and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, or until the chilies have just begun to blacken and the oil is slightly fragrant. Add the chicken and stir-fry until no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add green onion whites, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce and mix to coat the other ingredients. Stir in the peanuts and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle green onion greens over top, and serve.

 

Gin Sling

Food, Recipes
Gin Sling
Recipe Type: Drinks
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 oz gin
  • 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 oz simple syrup
  • 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
  • 3 dashes Angostura bitters
  • soda water
  • lemon peel (spiral for garnish)
Instructions
  1. combine gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, vermouth and bitters in shaker that is 1/2 full of ice.
  2. shake well, and strain into tall collins glass, over ice. Top with soda, add lemon peel garnish

 

Pulled Pork 2016

Food, Recipes
Pulled Pork 2016
Recipe Type: Main
Author: Ray
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1/4 cup malt vinegar
  • 1/4 cup lemongrass mint balsamic vinegar
  • 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 4.6 lb pork shoulder, bone in
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. red robin seasoning salt
  • 1 tsp. ground pepper
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. smoked sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp. cocoa powder
Instructions
  1. Add water and vinegars to crock pot, add sliced onion
  2. Rub oil over pork shoulder, and let rest
  3. Mix all other ingredients together, then rub into pork shoulder
  4. Place roast onto onions in crockpot, and cook on low, 8 hours.
  5. Remove roast from crock pot, remove bone, and shred.
  6. Strain fat from liquid in crockpot, and put liquid into saucepan.
  7. Simmer liquid to thicken, then add to shredded pork.
  8. Place pork into roaster, and broil for a few minutes, to create some crispy bits of meat. Stir, and broil again if desired.
  9. Lightly toast brioche buns