We asked readers what types of posts would be fun during this time. A few readers suggested “quarantine cocktails” and we were more than happy to indulge ourselves in this little science experiment. The TMC Team each has their own, little special quarantine cocktail recipe to whip up when the time is just right. Don’t get us wrong, we still very much believe that meditation & exercise are great ways to keep sane during this unique time. Whether it’s 5:00 or 5:00 somewhere we won’t judge you 😉
Lindsey’s Quarantine Cocktail
Tequila Spritzer
8 Raspberries
Drizzle of Honey
Fresh Lime Juice
1-2 oz Tequila
Heavy splash of Seltzer
Muddle raspberries, honey and lime juice together. Add tequila and seltzer, shake & pour over ice.
Abby’s Cocktail
Cool, Calm, Collected… Cucumber Mint Cocktail
Cucumber
Mint
Lemon/Lime
1-2 oz Vodka
Seltzer
Combine all in a glass over ice! If you have the time, infuse the vodka with cucumber, mint and lemon or lime overnight.
Christine’s Cocktail
Strawberry Lemonade
2 oz Vodka (using Tito’s, but if local to Philly/Delaware can use Stateside or Dogfish Head!)
Zero sugar lemonade
Fresh Strawberries (could also use raspberries, blueberries, etc.)
Muddle fresh strawberries and pour into your favorite tumbler. Fill tumbler with ice, desire amount of vodka & top with lemonade. For an extra fizz you could top off with sparkling water or (wait for it) prosecco!
What’s better than a cheese board? Or perhaps a candy board. Or wait, just a board of yummy, salty snacks?! Why, a sweet and salty board that combines the best of all of those worlds, of course! We have been seeing these crazy, elaborate boards all over Instagram and Pinterest from movie night theme to…wait for it…french fry boards. You can 100% believe we are going to dip our toes into the fries board soon.
The first rule in making any kind of sweet and salty board is variety! After that there are no rules. There’s no right or wrong way to construct and lay out food on a platter, or at least in our book. Have fun with it, and definitely taste test along the way. It’s the toughest part of the job but someone has to do it, right?
Sweet and Salty Board
You can use whatever your heart desires for this board, but wanted to share what we used to help get your creative juices flowing!
Potato chips
M&M’s
White cheddar popcorn
Twizzlers
Sea salt chocolate cashews
Pistachios
Donut holes
Dried apricots
Gummy bears
Milk chocolate bar
Sharp white cheddar cheese
Blue cheese
Gluten-free sesame crackers
Strawberries
Green grapes
Swedish Fish
Gluten-free pretzels
Dark chocolate almond bark
It may seem like a lot, but when you’re hosting/bringing to a party it is sure to be gone quickly! If you’re making for a more intimate setting (hello, Valentine’s Day!) you can always scale back on how much serve. Or don’t, we absolutely won’t judge 😉
xConfession. I hypothetically put on my kids’ oxygen masks before putting on my own when it comes to so many things in life… but don’t we all? There are countless mornings when I get to work after getting my kids ready for the day and fed and organized and off to where they need to be, and then realize, UGH, I am starving and forgot to feed MYSELF breakfast. Then I putz around, eat something I probably shouldn’t (hello peanut butter cups I found the depths of my handbag), and try to make it until lunch.
THAT NEEDED TO CHANGE.
And it’s really not that hard as long as you do a little prep work. Brandless has the most amazing wellness bundle that has helped me to start my day energized. The number of recipes you can make with these supplements are endless so I never get bored of eating the same thing over and over and it’s always exciting to try something new. Whether you are a smoothie girl or a soothing latte girl… a bowl babe or a just like it straight up on the rocks, I have a morning or any time of day treat for you! NOTE: I am not a chef nor a medical doctor so check with your physician before adding any supplements to your diet.
Matcha Green Morning Sunshine Bowl
Ingredients:
Whole banana
Half cup frozen mango or pineapple
Cup of fresh kale
1 tsp matcha powder
1 cup almond milk (or milk/liquid of your choice)
Directions: Add all ingredients into a blender, blend to desired consistency, then top with fresh fruit and granola.
Maca Milk Chiller
Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk (I use vanilla)
1 tsp maca powder
1 tsp cocoa powder (optional)
1-2 tsp honey
half cup ice
Directions: Wisk all ingredients together and pour over ice
Moringa Almond Milk Honey Latte
Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk (I use vanilla)
2 tsp moringa powder
1-2 tsp honey
Directions: Heat almond milk and wisk in moringa powder and honey OR if you have a frother (I used my Nespresso one) they work great as well. Pour into a mug and sip.
Golden Milk Banana Mango Smoothie
Ingredients:
Whole banana
half cup frozen mango or pineapple (or mix of both)
2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
1 cup almond milk (I use vanilla)
1 tsp golden milk powder
Directions: Add all ingredients to blender and blend to desired consistency.
Every Sunday we have a family dinner with whatever family members happen to be around – cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, more cousins etc… And every Sunday I show up, usually empty handed. I mean, I have my 4 kids and my husband with me, but my family assumes I have my hands full and usually gives me a free pass on bringing actual food (hint: they are right). Sometimes they put me on veggie duty, but even then my mom will say, “Well, I’m going to the store anyway and its silly for us both to go, so just, you know what, just bring yourself.”
Okay! Done.
But every Sunday as we sit and eat, I give my praises to the chefs of the family, my mom and my sister, about how good everything tastes. They are the kind of people that make it look really easy and swear that it really is. This turns into a conversation about how I want to put their recipes on the blog, we drink more wine, and forget until the next Sunday comes around when we have the same exact conversation. Last weekend my brother-in-law looked at the three of us and said, “You know, you guys say this every week. Just do it already.”
So yes, my friends, we are doing it. Liz, my sister, also a mom of 4 kids (who clearly has it more together than I do!) is sharing a delicious corn and black bean soup recipe that you and your family will love. Make this for a “meatless Monday” and serve with cheese quesadillas on the side. Clearly, we take cooking very seriously…..
The recipe is quite simple and we thought this was the perfect time to post while corn is still available in the markets. Yes, you can make it with canned or frozen, but nothing beats the real thing.
There is minimal chopping required – just an onion, a few cloves of garlic, and a jalepeno which adds just the tiniest kick to still make this “kid friendly”.
After the raw ingredients are prepped (and we finished arguing over the proper way to cut an onion), the onion is sautéed for several minutes until nearly brown, then you add in the jalepeno, chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper.
Next a dash of flour is added to the pot and once combined, pour in the milk, stock, and corn to simmer.
Using an immersion blender, pump 5-6 times to break up some of the corn. Then add the beans and return to a simmer until warmed through.
Serve with a spoonful of sour cream, scallions and cilantro – flavor explosion!
Major kudos to the chef!
Corn and Black Bean Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
8 ears of corn, husked and sliced off the ear 1 tablespoon avocado oil (can also use olive oil) 1 large onion, diced 2 clove garlic, minced 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 2 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon chili powder 4 cups vegetable broth 2 15-ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup of milk kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Soup toppings: sour cream cilantro scallions
In a large heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeno and chili powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 of freshly ground pepper. Mix and cook for another couple minutes. Add flour and combine into mixture. Add stock while constantly stirring. Add corn and milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Move pot to another burner that is off and then use an immersion blender to chop up some of the corn. Pulse the immersion blender about 5-6 times in the soup. Put the pot back on the burner over medium/high heat and add the beans. Simmer for about 6 minutes until the beans are warm. Serve soup in a bowl topped with a dollop of sour cream, cilantro and scallions.
A hefty claim, I know, to deem this recipe “The best crab dip in the whole wide world”, but when it hits the appetizer table, they swarm and it’s………. gone. And between mouthfuls while already scooping another bite all you hear is, “Oh my gosh. This is SO good.” No really, that is the only way to describe it. It’s one of those special occasion dips (one, because it’s a little pricy to make, and two, because it takes a little longer than throwing together a cheese plate), but worth. Every. Penny. My mother-in-law has been making this for years and like all of her famous appetizers (this one and this one from my mom) I feel that it is my duty to share the goodness with you all. If you like crab with a little kick, this one is for you.
To start, sautee onion, celery, green pepper, and green onion in butter until tender (about 5 minutes).
Add mayonnaise, creole mustard, chopped parsley, worchestershire, salt, cayenne, tabasco, white pepper, black pepper and egg – so many flavors. So much GOODNESS!
For the crab meat, I use Phillips Lump Crab (bought at Costco for about $20) and for really special occasions I splurge for the JUMBO lump variety for about $25. Like I said, the dip is a little expensive, but ask anyone in my family and they will tell you it’s worth it.
Be sure to squeeze all excess water out of the crab meat using a paper towel and/or strainer and then gently fold the crab meat into the mixture leaving the lumps in tact.
Is your mouth starting to water yet?
The final steps: pour some heavy cream and a thin layer of mayo on the top and finish it off with a few sprinkles of paprika.
Then in the oven it goes, just for about 15-18 minutes and there you have it:
The Best Crab Dip (in the whole wide world) Recipe Type: Appetizer Cuisine: Seafood Author: Sisters to Sons Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 35 mins Ingredients
2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
6 tbsp mayonnaise (split)
4 tsp Creole (or brown) mustard
2 tsp finely chopped parsley
2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp tabasco or other hot sauce
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb lump or jumbo lump crab meat
1 egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
crackers or pita chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat and saute onion, celery, green pepper, and green onion until tender, but firm (about 5 minutes)
Remove from heat and add: 2 1/2 tbsp of the mayonnaise, creole mustard, parsley, Worchestershire, salt, cayenne pepper, tabasco sauce, white pepper, and black pepper
Beat in one egg and stir well.
Add one pound of lump or jumbo lump crab meat. Toss gently leaving the lumps in tact.
Spoon the mixture into casserole dish and pour heavy cream over top.
Spread top evenly with thin layer of remaining mayonnaise (about 3 1/2 tbsp).
Sprinkle with paprika
Bake at 350 degrees until brown and bubbling, about 15-18 minutes.
Serve immediately with crackers
Enjoy! And I always love your feedback so if you make it, let us know what you think!
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of the Always Pan. I discovered it during quarantine when I was forced to make 87 meals per day for my family of 6 who had nowhere to go, but my kitchen. Cooking is not my favorite thing and it’s debatable whether I am deterred because of the clean up that comes after or if it’s just really not my thing. If there is a recipe for a one pot meal, I’ve probably made it. The Always Pan has fed into my love for one pot meals because it replaces the need for 8 pieces of traditional cookware. It steams, sautés, frys, boils, sears etc… plus it is very, very pretty. It’s the only dish I need to make dinner, plus it is crazy easy to clean. Do you see the appeal?
Another reason I love the Always Pan is that the ceramic non-stick surface is made without PFOAS and PTFES so I can rest assure that no toxins are seeping into my food. I’ve talked before about all of the bells and whistles of the pan … the built in spatula holder, the lid for storing and steam release, the pouring spout, the cool touch handle, but for this post I wanted to focus your attention to the steamer basket. Whether you are steaming or straining, it makes any recipe that much easier.
Here is a recipe for an easy vegetable orzo dish that can be served as a side dish, or would make a full meal with the addition of a protein. Since I am gluten-free I used Banza orzo which is made from chickpea flour, but this can be made with any brand.
Vegetable Orzo Recipe
Place the steamer basket inside the pan, fill with water and bring to a boil. Add orzo.
Allow to cook according to directions on package, stirring occasionally.
Using a cloth, remove steamer basket from boiling water. I like to rinse all of my gluten-free products in the sink – the basket makes this very easy to do, but this is an optional step.
Remove orzo from the steamer basket and put aside. Fill the pan with fresh water and replace steamer basket to steam broccoli.
When the broccoli is cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside. Next, add olive oil to the pan and sauté two cloves of garlic.
When garlic is fragrant, put the orzo and broccoli back into the pan and mix to integrate the olive oil. Add halved cherry tomatoes, a touch more olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper to taste.
And I wish I could take the credit….. but it’s really my sister’s recipe!
Ingredients:
1 package of orzo 1 small head of broccoli 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half 2 cloves of garlic Olive oil Salt Pepper Parmesan Cheese
Recipe:
Cook the orzo according to the package, strain and place in a dish.
Steam the broccoli for 3-4 minutes and set aside.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a saute pan. Add the minced garlic and cook on med/low heat for 1 minute (make sure it doesn’t burn).
Add the orzo, broccoli, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and another good swirl of olive oil to the pan and mix.
Top with Parmesan cheese and serve!
If you try it, let me know what you think! And if you are looking for a great gift for the holiday season (for yourself, or a loved one) the Always Pan is an amazing choice! Make sure to take advantage of the special Black Friday price before it sells out!
