barefoot summer

this summer at the Newport Chowderfest, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly from CA had a booth with three different drinks that they made using their wines.  the recipes were so easy and made for a great non-traditional party drink.  
it was such a great booth with the most friendly marketing staff that must have gave me and my two friends seven samples each..and educating us on their different types of wine.  did you know the grapes used to make moscato wine are also used for Dom Pérignon champagne?  i am a huge fan, and though they compare it to Yellowtail, i think it is much better.
recently, i went on their website to see if they had anymore recipes...and they have a great site where fans can post their own!  here's the recipe for one of my favorites that i've made several times for summer parties already.
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Lemon-Lime Moscato
1/2 Moscato
1/2 Lemon-Lime Soda
2 tsp Pinapple Juice
Lime

Barefoot Mojito 
Barefoot moscato, mint leaves, lime, suga
click here for Barefoot's Recipes & Wine Pairings

buffy's birthday cakes

Lucky for us, an amazing baker was hired last year, and birthdays happen to be important in the office. We have been guinea pig-taste-testers for so many homemade desserts, including Chocolate Moose Cake, Black Forest, and Pineapple Upside-down Cake.

It's KI's birthday and she placed a request for carrot cake. Here's the awesome recipe from "Main Line Classics II: Cooking Up a Little History" Cookbook from The Junior Saturday Club of Wayne, PA. It can serve at least 15, so cut the measurements if it's not for a party. She claims it's a fool-proof recipe and works every time. Kudos to Buffy and Happy Birthday KI!
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Second-to-None Carrot Cake
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup canola oil
1 (8-ounce) can juice-pack crushed pineapple, drained
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
Salt to taste
Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting

in season: carola potatoes

Each week, NY Magazine does a great job finding recipes used at local restaurants using fruits and vegetables that are in season. It's a short description, recipe, and also is a neat way to highlight and give credits to restaurants. Thought this might be a noteworthy-one.

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Alex Raij’s Patatas a la Importancia

4 chicken livers (or more to taste), quartered

3 lbs. Carola potatoes
Salt to taste
Olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped fine
1 sprig thyme
1 cup chicken stock
11/2 tbs. grainy mustard
11/2 tbs. sherry vinegar
1 tbs. parsley, chopped

recipes for the recession

cry me a river...let's have an appropriate chapter for the times: our favorite cheap (i mean, economically affordable) recipes...
here's my favorite cocktail party app (from the best PC roommate on Huxley and chef, EC)
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artichoke dip
2 cans whole artichokes, 2 cups mayo, 2 cups parm
cut, stir, bake for 30 min at 350* so quick, easy to travel with to parties, and so good

start stacking

the future of collecting, sharing + saving everyone's favorite, and not so favorite recipes. here's a paperless living recipe book that you can take as you travel, record the recipes you have, and share ones you might try.

a tool for people obsessed with organizing or just a clean kitchen, the goal is to give order to your recipes, your family's, your friend's, your cooking club's, and ones you collect on the way.

whatever kitchen you're in, you'll have access to the ones that worked, didn't work, and the ones you cheated on.