I have modified the recipe just a bit. I prefer this salsa with habanero, jalapeño and serrano. Because Kara (my sister) is here, we skipped the habanero and serrano. She can handle jalapeño. If you don’t find spiciness as amazing as Zach and I do, then you can certainly skip the habanero and serrano. I would suggest still using the jalapeño however. It adds a special little flavor you can’t get anywhere else. Remember, the cucumber really cools things down! It’s not going to be as hot as you think in the end. =) I promise.

For this beer pairing, we went with a Watermelon Wheat Beer. Don’t be nervous, there is a method to our madness. Hell or High Watermelon by 21st Amendment is awesome in each and every sense of the word. Really, anything from 21st Amendment is absolutely awesome. We, unfortunately, can’t get their beer here in Colorado, but don’t worry we have our sources. We thought that the watermelon flavor paired perfectly with the salsa. It complimented the cucumber and really helped to tone down the spiciness. Don’t worry, the watermelon isn’t overpowering, but you definitely get the essence. If you are lucky enough to live in an area where they distribute, get yourself a can. It should be available now since it is their summer seasonal. You will be more than pleased. I promise.

Well, we are on our way to the Grand Canyon. Yay! I enjoy blogging while we’re driving. It’s always a good time. Don’t worry. I won’t forgot about all of you! Tomorrow we’re writing about our favorite travel foods. Zach and I have certainly become gourmet travel cooks. Have a great Sunday everyone and enjoy the start of your week!

So I learned a few things whilst I was making these little pillows of heaven.

Number 1: You can follow your recipe the same exact way each and every time, and each and every time it will come up just a bit different. I can’t even begin to explain why this happens. When it comes to baking, you usually go for exact measurements, and although I am not baking these pancakes; I treat them as though I were. Anytime baking soda or baking powder is involved I always do things the same way each and every time. The first time I made these this week, the batter totally did not come out thick enough. It was literally a thin, soupy mess. I had to keep adding flour to FINALLY get the pancake consistency that everyone dreams of. The following morning, I made them again (for photo taking purposes) and I literally used about 1/4 cup less of flour. Weird right? I think the moral of the story is to start with as little as possible of flour and work your way up. You certainly don’t want the batter to be so thick that it doesn’t “glop” nicely onto the griddle (or skillet). You can always add more flour, and this is usually the trend I tend to follow. Again, I don’t even know how to begin to explain this. Maybe it’s the humidity? Maybe it’s the dryness? Maybe it’s the altitude? It could be that the egg you used it just a little bit bigger than the last one you used. In any case, just be careful =).

Number 2: Whipped cream always makes breakfast/brunch 100 times better. Do yourself a favor and never skip the whipped cream part. It always tends to bring a ray of sunshine into my life.

Number 3: Yes, you can add syrup. I can’t live without the stuff. I douse my pancakes in syrup. It compliments the apples and whipped cream very well =).

Number 4: This will be the last “tip” since I feel as though I’m getting redundant…Ten-grain flour is not the easiest thing in the world to find. You can most certainly use multi-grain. This substitution will work just fine.

Number 5: Yes, I’m sorry. I do have one more “tip.” Regular milk can totally be substituted for the buttermilk (or Almond Milk). I suggest using whole milk or 2% though if you use the regular stuff. I just really really like buttermilk in my pancakes.

Yes, beer can totally be paired with breakfast items. I promise, you will not be breaking any code rule or anything. It’s especially ok when you are eating breakfast for dinner. I went a little unconventional today and decided to break out a pumpkin ale. You totally can not go wrong with a great pumpkin ale and Elysian Brewing’s Great Pumpkin Ale is one of my all time favorites. Pumpkin goes so well with sweets, and we would be lying to ourselves if we said that these cakes aren’t sweet. I know that there isn’t any pumpkin in these pancakes, but it doesn’t mean the dish and the beer don’t compliment one another. For a full review on Elysian Brewing’s Great Pumpkin Ale click here. Zach has a ton of information on pumpkin beers from last year’s pumpkin beer tasting. I know that the chances of you having a pumpkin beer lying around are slim to none. So you may just have to wait until this fall to try it out, but if you just so happen to have a pumpkin beer lying around (doesn’t have to be Elysian’s Great Pumpkin Ale), give it a go. I’m sure you will be more than pleased.

I hope everyone had a great week and is looking forward to a fabulous weekend! Tomorrow I’m making Key Lime Pie (or my version of key lime pie), but then Sunday we will be off to the Grand Canyon to show my sister the sites =). Don’t worry though. I will not forget about all of you. Looking forward to sharing some great recipes and tips for traveling with food next week! Happy Weekend!

I’m going to devote this post straight to the photos because they almost look good enough to eat. Don’t you think?

I like this recipe because it incorporates some of my favorite ingredients all in one.

Strawberries

Frozen Yogurt

Sorbet

Rhubarb

and more…

OH and the whipped cream. Oh my the whipped cream. It really was the perfect post run snack.

Try it out!

Oh yeah, and there’s no beer pairing with this one. I think that just goes without saying.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Vanilla bean, rhubarb, and cookies oh my! Yup, I just went there. Seemed appropriate at the time.

Yes, that would be the birth of a rhubarb and orange simple syrup. I don’t think that needs any explanation, except for maybe…Yum!

I’m not going to lie, these cookies aren’t going to take 10 minutes to make. There is quite a bit of work involved. There is also quite a bit of inactive time and cooking time. There are also quite a few steps to tackle. Have I scared you away yet? I certainly hope not. They are totally worth the pain and suffering. I promise.

Also, I am definitely NOT, not going to tell you how much butter is in this bad boy of a recipe (ahem 1 1/2 cups…yup, 3 sticks). That’s right. It’s not light, but it’s fun to indulge sometimes right?! Also, it’s brown butter! Who doesn’t absolutely love brown butter!?

Fun Fact:

When picking out a rhubarb, look for one that is bright in color with hardly any blemishes. The straighter the better. The crisper the better. Also, if your local grocery store is like mine, they usually only sell the stalks. This is because the leaves contain toxins that can be harmful to humans…and especially your puppies! If you happen to be growing rhubarb, then you probably already know that you shouldn’t eat the leaves. If you happen to find rhubarb in the store with the leaves still in tact, toss them or compost them (which is totally ok to do). You don’t want them. Trust me.

Let’s Talk Beer

You totally want something sweet and dessert-like for this beer pairing. If I were pairing with wine I would definitely choose a good port or sherry. We’re pairing with beer of course so I decided to go with one of my favorites. The Bruery’s Five Golden Rings is one of my favorite beers of all time and it is such a sweet-tasting “dessert” beer. Although it is brewed with pineapple and not rhubarb, it is still a perfect pairing. It is tart and fantastic. Choose something sweet and refreshing for this pairing. You will be so happy you did. Hey, and if you happen to come across a beer that has been brewed with rhubarb, let me know! I know they are out there, but I have yet to find one at my local bottle shop.

Happy Monday everyone! See you all tomorrow!

If you are hosting:

The Food: We will start with food, since this is obviously the most important part. As you are the host of this get together, I find it best to always provide the meat, the essentials (such as condiments), rolls, maybe a side dish (or dishes) and a dessert. Then, when your RSVPers ask what they can bring, you ask them to bring another side dish and/or a dessert. I tend to enjoy themes. The last time we had a get together, we had a slider bar. We had chicken burgers, buffalo burgers and vegetarian sweet potato burgers (it’s always important to have something vegetarian if you know an attendee is vegetarian). We provided the condiments, rolls and essential veggies. Feel free to make a side dish or two, but have faith in your guests. They may just surprise you!

The Drink: Always provide non-alcoholic beverages. Plenty of water is necessary, as well as some juice and soda. I think it’s always fun to make a non-alcoholic cocktail. A couple of weeks ago we made a Cucumber and Mint Cocktail! Try it out…with or without alcohol! You can certainly do a BYOB. I think this is probably the best way to go if you are going to have a lot of drinkers, but I also don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a 12-pack of good beer on hand as well as a bottle or two of white and red.

The Decor: This is totally dependent on your personal preference. I don’t like to overdo it. I do, however, like to make sure the garden/yard/patio looks nice. Make sure all of those weeds are plucked. If you want to decorate for a picnic, I suggest picking up some planters and throwing some flowers inside. Flowers are such a fun and natural way to make a beautiful presentation. If you want a table setting, fresh cut flowers work perfectly, and I think those red checkered tablecloths are absolutely adorable. As far as cutlery, plates and cups are concerned, I am a big advocate of not using plastic products. I usually just end up using whatever plates, cups and utensils are in my kitchen cabinets. Yes, I do spend about an hour washing dishes. We have smaller parties though, so this tends to be doable when you don’t have as many plates to clean. I completely understand if you want to go the paper route, just make sure everything is recyclable and everything will be awesome sauce =).

The When: The day of the Holiday perhaps? In this case, Memorial Day Monday? I don’t think I need to go into depth on this. The Saturday or Sunday before will also work. =)

The Who: Be aware of how many people you want in your house or backyard at one time. We tend to like smaller picnics: between 10-20 people, but we just have more fun this way. If you want to go with higher numbers, then go for it! Just remember that you will need to provide for these people, but then again you will get more side dishes and desserts in the end! This part I will leave totally up to you! Also, spouses, families and puppies should always be invited along with the invitee!

The Dress Code: Dress code? No. That’s dumb. There should be no dress code, unless of course there is a chance of rain or the temperature randomly plummets to -10 degrees F. In this case, I would recommend you instruct your guests to bring a parka, umbrella and/or rain boots. Also, if you have a pool…well you get the point.

Perfect Recipes for your Memorial Day Menu

You can’t get anymore picnicky than deviled eggs, and we love them around here. We made a special batch yesterday with hot pepper, bacon and avocado sprinkled on top. Next time you make deviled eggs, get creative! It’s fun!

When you are going to select beer for a picnic (and specifically for this deviled eggs recipe) go for something that exemplifies Summer. Avery’s Karma Belgian Pale Ale is the perfect Summer beer. It’s light and refreshing, but doesn’t lack in flavor. Pick up a couple of 6-packs for your next together. Your guests will be super impressed =).

Well I hope this has helped in getting you prepared for your next picnic! Hope everyone has had a great weekend and has a great week!