Jun 28, 2015
It’s summer – and that means that picnics, backyard barbecues and outdoor get-togethers are happening NOW! For your next summer party, use a watermelon keg – it’s clever, useful and a fun way to delight your guests (for only $24.99, plus the cost of a watermelon).
To start, if your watermelon will stand up straight on its own, then can slice off the top and start scooping out the flesh. If not, you’ll need to trim approximately 1 inch off the bottom so that the watermelon will stand up securely.
Use an ice cream scoop to hollow out the inside, reserving the watermelon flesh in a large bowl (or two).
Stop scooping when you get about 2-3 inches close to the bottom of the watermelon. (If you scoop too far down, you run the risk of piercing the outer skin and causing a leak.) Next, assemble the keg dispenser and use the included coring tool to create a hole for the tap.
Attach the keg dispenser by placing it in the hole, and tightening from the inside. If you tighten enough, it will naturally create a “seal” with the watermelon flesh and rind.
Once the dispenser is secure, you can fill it up with the beverage of your choice (I recommend something fruity flavored, because it’s still going to taste like watermelon).
If you want to utilize the watermelon flesh, use an immersion blender to liquify it.
Then strain the mixture, using a spatula to push the flesh through the strainer. When you’re done, you’ll have a pitcher of watermelon juice, to which you can add whatever you want – club soda, lemon lime soda, vodka, gin, etc. Want more ideas? Check out our Pinterest board with Watermelon Drink Ideas.
No matter what you put IN the watermelon keg, it’s sure to be a hit at your summer get-together – it’s just so darn cute and… summery!
Jun 21, 2015
Did you attend our “Snack and Shop” event in the store? We served treats made from a few gourmet food items we offer, and a clear favorite was the Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken, so we wanted to share the recipe:
Ingredients:
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Savannah Bee Company Grill Honey
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tsp. steak sauce
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Directions:
Preheat the grill to medium heat. In a shallow bowl, mix the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and steak sauce. Set aside a small amount of the honey mustard sauce for basting, and dip the chicken into the remaining sauce to coat. You can let the chicken marinade in the sauce for a few hours (covered, in the refrigerator) or you can go ahead and grill immediately. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken over indirect heat for 18 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until juices run clear. Baste occasionally with the reserved sauce during the last 10 minutes. Enjoy!
{original recipe from Savannah Bee Company}
Jun 21, 2015
Some weekends, the best way to beat the Texas heat is to whip up a batch of easy frozen margaritas. This recipe is tried and true (from my friend Kate), and I love that this recipe is super easy (only 3 steps), delicious, and you can adjust the alcohol content to your liking. It’s also not too sweet, which I prefer.
1-2-3 Easy Margaritas
You will need:
1 can frozen limeade concentrate
Tequila (preferably Sauza Silver)
Gin (I like Hendrick’s)
Grand Marnier
Ice
Margarita Salt to rim glasses (optional)
Sliced limes for garnish
Directions:
1. Throw the can of frozen limeade concentrate into the blender.
2. Fill the blender with 2 parts Tequila + 1 part Gin + a shot of Grand Marnier – you can make it as weak or as strong as you like, just keep the proportions in this ratio.
3. Add ice until you get the consistency you desire.
Using a slice of lime to rim the edge of the glass, place face-down in the margarita salt and give it a good twist. Pour the margarita mix in the glass and serve cold! Garnish with a lime wedge if desired. See now, wasn’t that easy?
Mar 24, 2015
With beautiful weather in store for this week, I couldn’t resist pulling out the grill over the weekend! I’ve only made this recipe a few times (I’m still working on perfecting the “art of the artichoke”), but it gets tastier every time. And of course since the grill was already out, I HAD to make Brick Chicken for dinner on Sunday, right?
When I was in New York last May for the National Stationery Show, a friend and I tasted this appetizer and loved it. We asked the server what was in dip, and since then I’ve been trying to recreate it.
Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Creme Fraiche Dip
2 artichokes
1-2 Meyer lemons
8 oz. package of creme fraiche (you can also substitute plain Greek yogurt if you can’t find any)
chives, finely chopped
oil – extra virgin olive or vegetable oil
salt and pepper
First, clean the artichokes and cut off the top of each one with a knife.
Then using kitchen shears, trim the sharp, thorned tips of each leaf.
Cut one lemon in half (and have it at the ready). Next, cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and rub the inside flesh with the lemon to keep it from browning (which it will do quickly).
Use a spoon to scoop out the “hair” at the inside base.
Once they’re cleaned, steam the artichoke halves for approximately 15 minutes until tender.
While the artichokes are steaming, you can make the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine the creme fraiche and chopped chives. Stir in the zest from one lemon and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Add salt and pepper (and lemon juice) to taste. Then make yourself quit tasting until the artichokes are ready. 🙂
After the artichokes have steamed, fire up the grill. Brush the artichokes with oil (or use an olive oil sprayer to lightly coat them) and put them inside-down on the grill over low heat. Grill for 5-7 minutes and then turn over and grill for another 4-5. You just want a little char on the leaves (they’re already fully cooked from steaming).
Remove from the grill and serve with the dip. To eat, peel away each leaf (discarding the tiny or too crispy outer ones), dip the “plucked” side in the sauce, and use your teeth to scrape out the artichoke leaf goodness. This dish is a great as an appetizer or side at a cookout too – enjoy!
Jan 21, 2015
One of my highlights of visiting Atlanta for Market is the variety of incredible restaurants within a stone’s throw. Being in West Texas, I don’t have many opportunities for interesting cuisine, so I rely on my travels to get adventurous – especially with seafood. On this trip, I was bound and determined to try The Optimist (and I’m really glad I did).
I started with the oysters (of course). I’ve had great oysters on the East Coast (New York and such), but these were unbelievably fresh and delicious. Anyone who says they don’t like oysters hasn’t had them like this (or they would). The Optimist makes their own hot sauce in-house too, and I couldn’t get enough of it. I tried the Tatamagouche, Cotuit and Barnstable and they were all delicious (in fact, they were so good I ordered another round).
After that I wanted to try to the She Crap Soup and Shrimp toast, but I knew the appetizer portion would be too much – so the waitress kindly suggested that I order a cup of the soup (not on the menu). It was deliciously creamy, but the Shrimp toast stole the show – brioche battered in breadcrumbs with a shrimp mousse-like filling on the inside. Wow.
For my entree, I ordered grouper with celery root, roasted mushroom, and truffle vinaigrette.
Even though I really didn’t need more food, I wanted to try the bok choy with pickled shallots and ginger (on Natalie Chang’s recommendation) – and it was delightful! Very fresh and light. I definitely have to figure out how to copycat that dish at home.
{ I love how they recycle past menus – isn’t that clever?}
No room for dessert, so I just Ubered it back to the hotel and crashed into a food coma.
One of my other favorite dinners on this trip was at Poor Calvin’s. It’s a teeny, tiny place, and even with a reservation, I ended up eating at the bar. As it turns out, that made the experience even more fun! I sat next to a girl named Pebbles (yes, for real, I saw her credit card) who insisted that I try her Lobster Fried Rice (it was as good as it sounds), so I shared my Steamed Chicken and Pork Dumplings. Then I ordered Duck Dynasty (seared maple duck breast, tiger shrimp, kale mashed potato, seasonal greens).
The vibe in the restaurant was really cool – great music and a very playful staff – so that made for a fun dining experience.
Oh Atlanta, keep up the good food for me, will ya? See you next Market!
Jan 4, 2015
This year, on a bit of a whim, I decided to throw together a New Year’s Day Brunch with my girlfriends. I had the day off, I still had plenty of food in my fridge from Christmas, and I haven’t had much time with my favorite girls since the busy season hit.
Since it was a last-minute thing, I tried to decorate with items that I had at home. I had just packed away my Christmas decorations, and discovered an “extra” box of ornaments. I found these mirrored glass ornaments, which I haven’t used in years {my dog Sarah ate three off the tree eight years ago and I haven’t used them since}.
I thought they were perfect for my New Year’s theme (hello ball drop!), so I cut off the strings.
Next I found an apothecary jar from my storage closet and filled it with the mirrored glass balls. Then I added a black and white striped ribbon bow.
All I wanted next was a little color, so I scattered tissue confetti (available in my store) and a few of the leftover mirror balls.
With the tablescape done, all there was left to finalize was the menu…
– Mimosas and a Bloody Mary Bar {here’s what I normally do for parties}
– Fresh berries with homemade whipped cream
– Bacon (duh)
– Dill red potatoes
– Feta, tomato and olive side salad with balsamic viniagrette
– Leek and Asparagus and Gruyere Quiche {from Martha Stewart}
– Chocolate Pie and Andes Mint Homemade Ice Cream {leftover from Christmas}
Even though we couldn’t have our brunch actually ON New Year’s Day {West Texas was bombarded with ice and snow right before, so the roads were pretty dangerous}, the postponed version was just as fun.
Cheers to 2015!
