Vodka Yummmosa Recipe • A Cocktail to Celebrate! | Club Foody

Celebrations, special occasions and Holidays are memorable moments that set them apart from our daily routines. Decorations, music and even themes are chosen depending on what’s being celebrated. The meals that are served are more sophisticated, refined and prepared differently to give a distinctive touch to the event.
 
Besides the food menu, there are also wines, cocktails and refreshments that set the tone for the occasion. Depending on the time of day the event takes place, certain alcoholic beverages can be served.
 
The best example I can give you is a brunch menu. It goes from eggs to seafood and includes most of the food you’d find on a breakfast or lunch menu. Regular beverages as well as alcoholic drinks are served for this particular meal and can include Bloody Caesar/Mary, Spritzer or Mimosa, just to name a few…
 
One drink I’m sure you’re already familiar with is a Mimosa, orange juice with champagne which can also be replaced by sparkling wine. This is an elegant drink to serve during brunch, a mid-afternoon gathering or even for a wedding.
 
I love champagne but I’m a vodka kind of girl therefore I created another cocktail that can be served for a brunch, New Year’s, or any other special occasion; it is my Vodka Yummmosa! That’s right… This drink is quite refreshing, smooth and fruity. Vodka is the base for this drink along with two other fabulous liqueurs.
 
It all started when I was having brunch at my place. I served this cocktail to my guests and it was a hit! They really enjoyed my Vodka Yummmosa over the other well-known champagne drink which is quite a tasty change. It is elegant and yummy and like most drinks, easy to prepare… This Vodka Yummmosa is the perfect cocktail to celebrate! So at your next event, have a Yummmosa instead of a Mimosa!
– and please drink responsibly….
Cheers!
 
Check out these other drink recipes…
– Cosmocello
– Homemade Holiday Eggnog
– Blood Orange Martini
– Mistletoe Kiss
– Golden Sunset
– Mulled Cider – Slow Cooker
and for even more delicious alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Beverages

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit

https://clubfoody.com/recipe/vodka-yummmosa/

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TURKEY à la KING on TOAST - Tasty leftover Turkey Dish! | Club Foody

I enjoy the Holidays because I love the “traditions” involved with them. From the music, decorations, hanging the Christmas stockings to baking and cooking, I’m 100% into it! The Holidays bring that “magic” ambiance that I love so much…

My typical Christmas dinner is cooking a big turkey with all the yummy side dishes that go along with it. I said “big” turkey because David and I enjoy the leftovers. It’s also a break for me for a few days. I just have to reheat everything and voilà! Dinner is served… lol! There’s no need for me to cook… well unless I want to create another leftover recipe.

In today’s episode, this featured recipe is not really one of my creations because I’ve been enjoying it since childhood. Almost every year, my mother was making this Turkey à la King on Toast using the leftover turkey meat from Christmas dinner. It was a nice change from reheating the whole shebang…

It is an easy meal to put together except if you don’t know how to make a béchamel sauce which is one of the 5 mother’s sauce in French cuisine. Earlier this year, I had a video on it so if you want to learn how, just click on this link… Béchamel Sauce aka White Sauce.

When I serve my Turkey à la King, I like to change things up a little. I either toast slices of bread or use buns. I also love to serve this using my Homemade Vol-au-Vent along with my Mixed Mashed Potatoesfor a better presentation.

Break the routine of having the same “reheated” dinner after Christmas by making this Turkey à la King recipe. Although very uncomplicated, you’ll be surprised how flavorful this dish is. Another plus for this delicious meal is it takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish… now that’s a nice break for any of us…

Bon Appétit!

Here are more leftover turkey recipes…

– Chicken Stuffed Crêpes with Poblano Sauce
– Turkey (or chicken) Noodle Soup
– Turkey Tetrazzini
– Turkey or Chicken Pot Pie

and for more delicious poultry recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category – Poultry

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit 

http://clubfoody.com/recipe/turkey-a-la-king-on-toast/

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How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes - Tips & Tricks | Club Foody

When I was living by myself, it was hard to make a single serving of mashed potatoes. Obviously, I had to make more so the other added ingredients such as butter, milk and sour cream wouldn’t overpower the spuds. The problem was when it was time to reheat my mashed potato leftovers, they were not creamy at all and it seemed that the taste was also different – it was probably just in my head because I couldn’t get over the clumped texture… 

One day I decided to try something different when reheating my mashed potatoes and surprisingly, they actually tasted like they were freshly made. The next time I had leftovers, I did it again and had the same results… they were creamy and…tasty! Eureka! I finally found a way to reheat my mashed potato leftovers without turning them into a big clump of food… 

Everyone in my circle, including family, knows about my little trick. Now that the Holiday season is here, I’m sure you’ll end up with mashed potato leftovers and it’s your time to know my about it. If you haven’t succeeded in bringing them back to life to that freshly made, creamy texture, then you definitely need to know about my little trick on How to Reheat Mashed Potatoes! 

The trick works but there’s a little bit of time and work involved. Not too much and not too long but enough to make your effort worth it! Unless someone shows me another way to reheat my leftover mashed potatoes, I am sticking to this trick. What you need is a microwave-proof bowl and some plastic wrap… oh and a fork… lol! 

After you try this little kitchen trick on how to reheat mashed potatoes, you won’t have any problems having leftovers just because this trick works very well… you’ll see! 

Note: The mashed potatoes featured in this video are my Mixed Mashed Potato recipe. 

For more handy kitchen tips and tricks, click on this link… Recipe Category – Tips & Tricks

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Turkey Gravy without Drippings Recipe • Make Ahead Gravy! | Club Foody

The most popular and anticipated item during Thanksgiving and Christmas is Turkey! When well-seasoned and cooked slowly for hours, this juicy protein is a favorite for most of us. What’s not to like… It also comes along with all sorts of yummy side dishes; Citrus Cranberry Sauce, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions, Squash à la Canadienne, Mixed Mashed Potatoes, and many more…
 
When serving turkey, there is a “must have” side that has to come with it… grrravvvy! C’mon, turkey without gravy is like a hot dog without a condiment on top… All right, I’m sure there will be at least one individual that will challenge me about how nice it is to enjoy a plain hot dog – fair enough – but the majority like gravy with their turkey… there!
 
Sometimes things can go wrong and you can end up with either gravy that doesn’t taste right, there’s barely any gravy or even worse… burnt gravy at the bottom of your pan. Oh no! That’s terrible! You don’t want to disappoint anyone because there’s no gravy to serve along with your turkey, right? If it ever happens, and trust me it does to many great home cooks, there’s a quick and easy way to make some more…
 
In this video, I’ll share with you a great way to make Turkey Gravy without Drippings! As I mentioned above, either you don’t have enough of it to serve to your invitees or something really bad happened during the cooking process, there is a solution and you’ll be surprised how delicious it is and also how close it is to the real thing…
 
There are many kitchen tips & tricks and that is what this recipe is all about. This turkey gravy without drippings can be a real life saver – “It’s always good to have a backup plan, agree?”
 
I use an ingredient called “Bisto” for this recipe. It’s a meat-flavored gravy powder originating in the United Kingdom in the early 20th century. Although I try to stay away from any processed foods, I do cheat a little when I have to. I’ve used flour in the past but it was still missing a “je ne sais quoi” in the gravy. With this ingredient, you get the flavor that you would when you make your gravy from the drippings.
 
Another plus about this recipe is as crazy and intense as it can be when cooking during the Holidays, you can make this turkey gravy without drippings a day ahead… what a relief! This can be another dish added to your list that doesn’t need to be made on the day of… you have to like that!
 
So just in case something happens and you’re looking for a quick alternative, THIS is the solution! With the beautiful flavor from this side, no one will know that it was made without the drippings…
This will be our little secret!
Bon Appétit!
 
Check out these other Holiday recipes…
– Citrus Cranberry Sauce
– Christmas Stollen
– Old Fashioned Stuffing with Giblets
– Mistletoe Kiss
– Spicy Gingerbread Cookies
– Squash à la Canadienne
and for even more delicious sauce recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Sauces & Marinades

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/recipe/turkey-gravy-without-drippings/

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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions Recipe | Club Foody

I love vegetables and depending on the season, I take advantage of what Mother Nature has to offer. By late fall and through the winter, there is a vegetable that David and I really enjoy and it’s Brussels Sprouts! During the Holidays, it’s something I like serving with my Turkey Dinner.
 
There are a few different ways to serve these little guys; steamed, sautéed or cooked. Some home cooks like to grate them raw and add them to a salad. This is definitely on my list to try but in the meantime, I enjoy my recipe of Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onions! The combination of ingredients gives such a delicious taste to these little guys…
 
As Brussels sprouts are now available at your supermarket, you can buy them either loose or on a stalk. I prefer buying them on a stalk for a couple of reasons. First, I know they are fresh and second, I get more for my money. The stalk can look intimidating but don’t worry because it is quite easy to handle. If you are not too sure, check out this quick tutorial video on Handling & Prepping a Brussels Sprouts Stalk…
 
This Brussels sprouts with Bacon and Onions recipe is a great side dish to serve with most proteins. As the Holidays are approaching, this dish will be served along with my turkey dinner but I also enjoy accompanying it with my Salisbury Steak, Mediterranean Leg of Lamb as well as with some Grilled Chicken Breasts.
 
If some of you or other family members are not too fond of these little green vegetables, this Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions recipe is a good way to give them a second chance. You’ll be surprised how amazingly delicious these healthy vegetables can be!
Bon Appétit!
 
Check out these other delicious and healthy vegetable recipes…
– Vegetable Medley
– Green Beans with Chili-Orange Oil
– Squash à la Canadienne
– Creamy Mashed Cauliflower
– Tomates à la Provençale (Tomatoes Provençal)
– Quick & Easy Sautéed Broccolini
and for even more vegetable and side dish recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Vegetables & Sides

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/recipe/brussels-sprouts-with-bacon-and-onions/

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Oysters Rockefeller - A New Orlean's Classic! | Club Foody

I’ve always enjoyed fish and seafood. From a young age, my parents frequently prepared different meals using a wide variety of fish and shellfish such as molluscs and crustaceans. Later on in life, I started eating echinoderms which include sea urchins and sea cucumbers… 

To me, seafood is a delicacy. When it comes to shellfish, my three favorites are lobster, scallops and oysters! By the way, I’m writing this blog at around 6am in the morning and I’m getting hungry just thinking about it… lol! I really love the delicate, sweet taste of them, they’re what I call “heavenly bites!” 

From all of my seafood recipes, there is one that stands out and it is my Oysters Rockefeller! This is the type of appetizer that is served on special occasions or during the Holidays. It is a very classy dish that is extremely easy to make with amazing results! 

Shucking an oyster is not as easy but not difficult either. After trying a few, you’ll start getting the hang of it… 

Place the curved shell side down on a dish towel and the flat side up. Using a good quality oyster knife, find a little gap to insert the tip of the knife. There are two ways of doing it; side entry and hinge entry. David uses the hinge while I use both techniques… well wherever I can find a little gap. Gently move your knife in and move it back and forth until the top shell releases. Slide the knife under the meat to cut the adductor muscle and carefully transfer the oysters with their liquor into a small pot… Voilà! 

In my Oysters Rockefeller sauce I use Brie cheese. I do remove the rind from it otherwise the sauce would be grainy. Although they are edible, I don’t eat the rinds from any type of cheese… just a personal preference! I also like to use double cream Brie as the texture is creamier therefore making the sauce even more velvety. 

These Oysters Rockefeller are perfect for the Holidays! They are very “chic” to serve and for such an elegant appetizer, it doesn’t take that much time to make either. Believe me… if you want to impress your dinner guests, this is the recipe to serve!Happy Holidays and Bon Appétit!

Check out these other elegant recipes…

– Chicken Cordon Bleu
– Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Pineapple-Mango Sauce
– Veal Piccata
– Fettuccine alle Vongole – Clam Fettuccine
– Cognac Chicken Liver Pâté
– West Coast Smoked Salmon Chowder

and for even more tasty appetizer recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category – Appetizers

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit

http://clubfoody.com/recipe/oysters-rockefeller/

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Sucre à la Crème aka Butter & Cream Fudge | Club Foody

It doesn’t matter where you’re from in the world, there are dishes that seem to appear more often during the Holidays. Kids of all ages anticipate them and when they’re served, it’s a delicious feast to remember until next year. 

Each culture has its own favorites and when displayed during the Holidays, they remind us of our roots and where we’re from. I’m originally from Québec and there are a lot of dishes that we like to serve more often during the Holiday season than the rest of the year. Of course, there’s nothing written in stone that says we can’t make it at other times during the year but these dishes set the tone for the festivities. 

The sweet little treats I’m about to share with you are seen on most coffee tables in Québec. They are called Sucre à la Crème and are also known as Butter & Cream Fudge! This sweet treat is fast and easy to make and within a couple of hours, your family and guests can enjoy them. You can also make them ahead of time and store them in an air-tight container or freeze them for later. 

Kids just love them as the sucre à la crème is cut into small squares. As for the adults, these little pieces of sugar bring us back to our childhoods to cherish memories of the Holidays. Did I mention how sweet they are? You don’t have to eat very many to satisfy your sweet tooth… 

In the past, I used to make them on the stove top. As the years go by, certain food ingredients are modified and the quality may not be the same, diminishing the product. One of the main ingredients that has changed quite a bit over the years is heavy cream. 

As my mother and I were complaining about our sucre à la crème end results, that is when we realized that the heavy cream wasn’t as “heavy” as it used to be making it hard to cook this sweet treat! As I was giving up on it, my mother did a little experimenting and started making hers in the microwave… Voila! She found a way to bring back our traditional family treat. 

I’m really not a fan of using microwave ovens but in this case, I really appreciate it. In Québec, we use heavy cream for this recipe but a friend of mine told me that where she’s from in Scotland, they use evaporated milk. Perhaps next year, I’ll give it a try and get back to you with the results… 

This coming Holiday bring another culture to yours and enjoy this popular sweet treat from Québec… Sucre à la Crème! I’m sure this treat will be well appreciated by everyone…Happy Holidays and Bon Appétit!!

Check out these other delicious recipes from Québec…

– Old Fashioned Baked Beans with Bacon
– Creton Maison
– Maple Walnut Ice Cream
– Perfect Poutine with Bacon Gravy
– Sweet & Savory Homemade Ketchup
– Tourtière (Meat Pie)

and for even more snack recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category – Snacks

For ingredient amounts and even more, visit

http://clubfoody.com/recipe/sucre-a-la-creme-buttercream-fudge/

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Brussels Sprouts Stalk - Handling & Prep | Club Foody

They are so many vegetables to choose from during the winter months. One of David’s and my all-time favorites are Brussels sprouts. As you probably know, these little green guys are from the cabbage family. They are packed with vitamins such as C and K with a good amount of B, minerals and fiber. Right after a frost, the starch from these little green veggies turns slightly sugary making them taste more on the sweet side compared to their cousins which are more “sour” tasting. 

Buying a Brussels Sprouts Stalk is more economical than buying them individually. One stalk can weigh up to 3 lbs. and is loaded with sprouts. Another plus about buying them on a stalk is you know they are fresh and when prepared the right way, you can enjoy this healthy vegetable all year round. 

Now here are a couple of tips on what to look for when buying a stalk…Try to get one with a lot of sprouts on it and look for bright green heads without any black spots. They have to be firm with tightly packed leaves. Many say that size matters… well in this case, the little ones win because they are sweeter than the big ones. 

In this tutorial video, I’ll show you how to handle a Brussels sprouts stalk. I’ll also show you how to prepare them before cooking or freezing. There are a few important steps and the first is to get rid of insects, dirt etc. that could hide under the second outer leaf layer. 

Another good tip in this video is to get them ready for either cooking or freezing. The method I use is blanching and you might ask, do you really need to blanch them? I say yes and this is why… Although it’s optional, it is a good way to stop the enzymes which are the cause for discoloration, loss of flavor and vitamins as well as texture. If you are planning on freezing your sprouts, this is a “must do” step. Blanching also helps to preserve the bright green color and speeds up browning. 

As I explain in the video, you have to separate them by size before blanching; large, medium and small. The reason is the cooking time varies from one size to another. The small ones will take 3 minutes, the medium 4 minutes while the large ones will take 5 minutes. Be careful not to over blanch them otherwise they can get mushy. 

After plunging them in an ice bath, if you opt to freeze them, place them on a baking sheet and transfer them in the freezer. After they get frozen, place them in a re-sealable freezer bag for later use, making sure to remove the air in the bag before closing. On the other hand, if you are planning to use them within a couple days, transfer them in a bowl and place it in your refrigerator until needed. 

After watching this video, I’m sure you’ll be more inclined to buy a Brussels sprouts stalk. It is easy to handle so the next time you come across one of those unusual, weird, almost alien-looking stalks at your supermarket, don’t be intimidated, buy one and give them a try! This is the best way to fully enjoy these little green guys…Bon Appétit! 

Here are a few delicious vegetable recipes for you to try…

– Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Onion (coming on December 18th, 2018)

– Vegetable Medley

– Green Beans with Chili-Orange Oil

– Mixed Mashed Potatoes

– Squash à la Canadienne

– Quick & Easy Sautéed Broccolini

and for even more fun kitchen tips and tricks, click on this link… Recipe Category – Tips & Tricks 

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube

Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe • Healthy Goodness! | Club Foody

I’ve always loved cereals but just before I moved out on my own from my parents place, I stopped eating breakfast on a regular basis. Whenever I had my morning meal on the rare occasion, cereals was my “quick” option unless I wasn’t alone…
 
The thing is because I was eating breakfast so sporadically, I had to throw out cereal boxes often because they smelled rancid. As I couldn’t keep up with my cereals, I stopped buying them. This is also about the same time that I started to be more “health” conscious. It didn’t matter how “natural” the cereal companies said their products were, most of them still had a lot of preservatives in them…
 
I decided to start making my own and that is when I came up with my Healthy Homemade Granola! This recipe is so flavorful and what makes it even better is that the ingredient list is flexible. You use what you have on hand in your kitchen pantry and cook with the ingredients you enjoy.
 
Another reason why I like making my own granola cereal is that not only can I eat it in the morning with milk or sprinkle it on yogurt but it’s also a healthy snack throughout the day. A handful gives you a healthy amount of nutrients. This granola can also be used as an ice cream topping like my No Churn Vanilla Bean Ice Cream…
 
I haven’t bought boxed cereals for a long time now and I’m not planning on doing so any time soon. My Healthy Homemade Granola is far tastier and besides that I can also play with the ingredients. From one batch to another, the flavor changes depending on what kinds of nuts and dried fruits I have in the pantry.
 
As the Holidays are approaching quickly, this Healthy Homemade Granola would be an awesome gift to give to family and friends. If you are having people staying over or are hosting a breakfast/brunch, you definitely have to add this to your menu. This will be a “healthy” hit everyone will feel good about…
Bon Appétit!
 
Check out these delicious breakfast recipes…
– Marbled Chocolate Pecan Banana Bread
– Breakfast Quinoa Cereal with Mixed Berries
– Ooey-Goey Cinnamon Buns
– Quiche Lorraine
– Coconut Waffles
– Strawberry Butter
and for even more breakfast and brunch recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Breakfast & Brunch

For ingredient amounts and much more, visit https://clubfoody.com/recipe/healthy-homemade-granola/

Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube