It’s golf season again! I don’t know how many of you are excited, but I’m excited. We live on a golf course so we spend a lot of time watching people golf. In the summer, we head out to the course - but I refuse to golf when it’s raining or cold. If it’s not a sunny day, a lovely walk and a fun outing - then I’m not going.

So I get particularly excited when the sun comes back out and the season starts back up.

Golf season is the perfect time to whip out your best goofy outfits, strong cocktails, and great visors. Do you play? What’s your vice on the course?

Arnold Palmer ‘Tini

2 ounces good lemonade

1 ounce tea vodka

lemon garnish

STEP 1

Pour the vodka and the lemonade in a shaker. Fill with ice and shake.

STEP 2

Strain into two martini glasses and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Tea Vodka

1 cup vodka

1 tea bags

Pop the tea bags into the vodka and let soak until dark brown. In the sun, it takes about 2 hours.

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I started making a scone recipe thinking a scone recipe couldn’t be too hard. I make a great cake, a great muffin and a TON of cookies that are great. So how hard could scones be?? Turns out I was wrong. Scones were harder to crack than I thought. And millions of recipes out there all do something different to make a scone. Doesn’t it seem like a scone is a scone?

Then I started cooking scones. A scone is not a scone. The first few batches tasted good, but boy were they ugly. And they could not replicate easily. So I kept going.

Turns out freezing butter is a big trend in the scone world. Do you know how hard it is to work with frozen butter?? And it does not stay frozen very long once you start working with it. It seemed to me that the idea of baking from cold - with cold butter - was the critical part of keeping things flaky and tender. Frozen, whipped, chilled, room temp, melted; I tried them all.

And then I arrived here! Cold butter is critical and then refrigerating the dough keeps the scones from spreading and losing their shape.

Since strawberries are just coming into season right now, this is the first fruit I tried with them. Over the summer I’m going to work on raspberries, blueberries, etc. and we’ll see if we can make these an ‘every fruit’ scone - which is the goal!

The Very Best Strawberry Scones

makes 8

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup grated butter (very cold)

1/2 cup chopped strawberries

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1 egg yolk, beaten

turbinado sugar

STEP 1

Mix together the milk, egg and vanilla and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine together the flour, sugar and baking powder.

STEP 2

Blend the milk mixture into the flour mixture until loosely combined. Remove the bowl from the stand and add the butter. With your hands, fold the butter in by kneading the dough until the flour and butter are completely integrated. Use as few kneads as possible. Don’t overwork the dough!

STEP 3

Toss together the strawberries with the cornstarch. Fold them into the dough with three or four turns. Form into a 10 inch circle on a floured cutting board and pop in the fridge. Let it chill for at least one hour or up to overnight.

STEP 4

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the scones from the fridge and cut into eight triangles. Brush the top of each one with egg yolk and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake 20 minutes until golden brown on the edges. Let cool slightly before serving.

Tell me what you want to see in a scone? Have you had a good one somewhere that we should recreate?

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Cheers to brunch

Toast with an espresso martini! And really kick up the morning.

Who else is craving a little summer right now?

Jalapeno Cheddar Burger

with Roasted Potato Fries

Serves 4

2 lb ground chicken

1 jalapeño, grated on a microplaner

½ cup grated cheddar cheese

1 egg

½ cup panko

4 slices of cheddar cheese

½ cup pickled jalapeño

1 head Romaine lettuce

2 sliced tomato

2 large russet potatoes

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

4 hamburger buns

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

In a bowl, mix together chicken, chopped jalapeño, cheese, egg and panko.  Form into patties and let rest on a piece of waxed paper.

STEP 2

Cut the potatoes into ½ inch strips. Toss potato with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.  Pop in the oven.  Roast 20 minutes until tender.

STEP 3

Cook patties in a skillet until done all the way through.  Or carefully grill them on the barbecue.  They are a little stickier than regular beef patties!  Be sure to grease the grill first.

STEP 4

Layer patties on buns with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and pickled jalapeños.  Serve with fries.

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I keep trying to figure out fruit in a cocktail that would still taste delicious and not like too much fruit in a cocktail. This one I started wondering about around St. Patrick’s Day because I was pretty sure it would turn out green - I was right! Not only is it green, but it’s delicious.

The tartness of the kiwi lends itself perfectly with the lime and tequila. It’s not too sweet, not too sour. It’s practically the perfect cocktail.

Kiwi Margarita

makes 2 cocktails

1 kiwi, skinned and chopped

1 lime, juiced

4 ounces anjeo tequila

1 ounce cointreau

lime wedges and kiwi for garnish

STEP 1

In a cocktail shaker or a pitcher, muddle together kiwi and lime juice until blended.

STEP 2

Pour in booze and fill with ice. Shake or stir until combined.

STEP 3

Strain into two cocktail glasses filled with ice.

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I can honestly say that clams are my favorite food. I cannot eat enough clams. When we took a roadtrip down the Pacific Coast Highway years ago, I stopped and ate all of the clams. It was the best.

Because clams are so simple to make - they just need a little steam - we made all kinds of clams. The biggest hit on that trip was the simplest of clams. But the one that sticks out the most was a spicy clam dish we had in Northern California. It was spicy, filled with sausage and brought out the best in the clams.

Now, I pick up clams at the grocery stores and make the dishes of my dreams - but they’ll never compare to those clams on the PCH.

You’ll love these clams because they are so easy to make. The secret - which is actually the secret to everything I make - is the buy the best ingredients. Go to a reliable fish monger (I love Whole Foods for everything), pick out a local sausage, and don’t skimp when buying spices. When you only have a few ingredients, you need them to be the best ingredients.

Spicy Clams with Israeli Couscous

Serves 4

1 pound Andouille sausage

4 pounds manila clams, rinsed

1 onion, about 1 cup diced

4 stalks celery, about 1 cup diced

1 clove garlic, grated

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp dried thyme

2 tbs olive oil

½ cup vermouth

½ cup chicken stock

1-15oz can diced tomatoes

2 cups Israeli couscous

STEP 1

In a large flat pan over medium heat cook the celery, onions, and garlic in olive oil until translucent.  Add sausage and spices.  Cook, gently breaking up, until cooked through.

STEP 2

Add the vermouth, tomatoes, and couscous.  Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low and cook about 8 minutes until the couscous is nearly done. 

STEP 3

Stir gently making sure the couscous is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Nestle the clams in the center of the couscous and cook an additional 3 – 5 minutes until the clams have opened all the way.  Discard any clams that have not opened. 

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Gin Rickey

A perfect cocktail alongside clams - and even better when the sun is shining (or we want the sun to be shining)

This year we are going skiing during Easter weekend so Easter cocktails will be mandatory! What could be better than a fun bloody mary just before hitting the slops? The hill we go to has an amazing tradition of costumes while skiing, so I can’t wait to see who comes down the hill as the Easter Bunny!

A regular Bloody Mary is great but I love a good pun so a Bunny Mary seemed hilarious to me. The kids all rolled their eyes. When it’s made with carrot juice - it becomes the perfect Easter cocktail!

Bunny Mary

makes 2

8 ounces carrot juice

4 ounces vodka

2 tablespoons Bloody Mary seasoning

2 tablespoons Bloody Mary mix

garnishes like carrots, bacon, pickled asparagus, pickled beans, celery, and lime wedges

In a small pitcher, stir together the juice, vodka and seasoning until well combined. Sometimes the seasoning sinks to the bottom, so stir to totally integrate! Run a lime wedge around the edge of two glasses and dip them into the Bloody Mary mix. Pour the vodka mixture into the glasses filled with ice. Add your favorite garnish!

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Click here!

How about a traditional Bloody Mary?

Click here!

What about one made with tomatillo?

Teenagers can be so hard to buy for. I rounded up a handful of things that my kids like that may help you too! I’ve bought a few things for my teenagers for Easter this year from this list - and taken inspiration from things they have either purchased in the last few months or told me they wanted. I hope this helps!

Walk it out

I still cannot believe these nurses shoes that I only wear when I’m at the beach - AND the kids used to make so much fun of - are now popular. But here we are. At least there are cute new spring colors.

Tune me out

My teens listen to music or books 24/7. Listen in style with these - and they are great for airplanes too.

Sassy bracelet

Pearl makes these! And sells them! Click the picture to buy them from her on Etsy. And she’s sassy, just like whatever teen you’re buying for.

Go bold

Again, the music. Pearl likes these when she’s falling asleep - she listens to her books then.

High MAINTENANCE

The reputation for the teen girls taking care of their skin is no joke. Even my low maintenance daughter is still using all the product. These are delightful - and cute spring colors!

Ball boy

Jud hits one million balls a night. More balls are always needed. Any kid who plays baseball always needs another baseball.

Game night

We love a good game night when we can squeeze one in. But as they’ve gotten older, we are looking for more games that we all want to play. Obviously, the real Cards Against Humanity is a little riské for teenagers, but this one is perfect!

Put it on ice

This got teenager girl approval - and teenage boy approval - for their iced coffee obsession. Since I refuse to pay $5 a day for their Starbucks habit, we’ve been making it at home. In cute cups, they seem to tolerate it - and me.

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Joe’s Special is a classic dish from San Francisco. It originated as a late night meal for bands at a little hole in the wall in the 1920s. It’s the perfect late night meal still!

When I was a kid, my dad would talk about the Joe’s Special he’d had in San Francisco and then make it for us at home. For me, without the mushrooms, but the rest of the family loves them, so I left them in for this recipe. It seems like most people like the mushrooms, I don’t see the allure. If you’re also not a fan, you can easily leave them out.

When I search the original recipes, the mushrooms and onions are optional. At my house growing up, they were not optional.

This is clearly a great breakfast, but better - it’s a late night dinner. As baseball season ramps up, late night dinners are going to be a regular thing for us. If it’s not a practice night, it’s a game night. I think we have one night a week without something happening that keeps dinner from being at a reasonable time!

Joe’s Special Frittata

Serves 4

8 eggs

2 cloves garlic

1 onion, chopped

8oz ground beef

4 cups spinach (OZ)

4 oz white mushrooms

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp oregano

Salt & Pepper

STEP 1

Preheat broiler to 500.  In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onion, garlic, oregano.  Season with salt and pepper. 

STEP 2

Add spinach and mushrooms and cook until wilted. 

STEP 3

Beat eggs and pour them into the pan.  Stir until cooked about halfway through.

STEP 4

Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and pop into the preheated broiler.  Cook until bubbly and browned on top. 

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Every year I make an Irish soda bread for St. Patrick’s Day and EVERY year I forget it takes 40 minutes (or more!) to make. Then, a few years ago, I thought about making mini loaves and that train of thought quickly went to scones. Scones are basically mini bread loaves - and when you’re making bread that’s based in buttermilk and cold butter - you are LITERALLY making scones!

Scones are buttermilk or cream + cold butter + flour + your favorite fruit. It could not be simpler. And the recipe could not read more like an Irish Soda Bread recipe - they are so close to the same recipe.

It makes turning one into the other painfully simple.

Here are the secrets

• Use frozen butter and grate it on a cheese grater. You need tiny curls of butter

• Don’t let the dough warm up - either work fast or pop them in the fridge before baking

• Don’t overwork the dough. You’re going to knead it a few times and then let it go. They won’t be perfectly smooth and that’s ok.

Irish Soda Bread Scones

makes 8-12

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 cup frozen butter, grated

1/2 cup currants

1 tablespoon heavy cream (or an egg yolk) for brushing the top

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the buttermilk, egg and egg yolk and set aside.

STEP 2

Combine flour, sugar, baking power, and currants in the bowl of a stand mixer. Grate the butter into the flour. Turn on the mixer and combine until almost mixed but there will still be some flour in the bowl (about 1/2 cup should be remaining.

STEP 3

Turn out the dough and knead it 5-6 times until the flour is combined into the dough. Form the dough into a 12 inch circle. Slice into 8-12 triangles.

STEP 4

If the dough does not feel cold to the touch, pop the scones into the fridge and let them rest for 10-15 minutes. If they are still cool, then place the scones on a baking sheet lined with parchment and brush the top with cream.

STEP 5

Bake 20 minutes until brown on the edges. Serve warm with butter.

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Irish Cocoa

The perfect side to a perfectly Irish breakfast. And topped with Lucky Charms, it’s actually the cutest spiked cocoa you ever did see,

I recently went on a streak where I made cookies with a variety of cereals. I literally raided the cabinet in the kitchen and made cookies - the kids have been big on Lucky Charms this last week. So I made cookies with them! With the white chocolate, the vanilla, the crushed up cereal, and the marshmallows - these are epic. And they are so simple you can whip them up just in time for classroom parties, friends coming over, or just to be festive in your own house!

The big lesson I learned is that these are definitely a margarine cookie. I never make margarine cookies if I have the option. Occasionally I make them for my dairy free kid so I don’t feel guilty when he eats them. These cookies are best with margarine. Let’s not get high and mighty about ingredients on these - we’re putting Lucky Charms in there too - these aren’t health food. There is no fooling ourselves that these are anything other than a junk food treat. But a delightful one. These are amazing. And trust me - with butter instead of margarine, these turn out flat and weird.

Lucky Charm Cookies

makes 24 cookies

1 cup Crisco (1 stick)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

1 cup crushed Lucky Charms cereal (no marshmallows)

1 cup Lucky Charms marshmallows

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the margarine and sugar until smooth. The add eggs and vanilla. Whip until light in color.

STEP 2

Combine the dry ingredients and add them to the mixture. Do not add the marshmallows or the chocolate chips just yet. Blend the mixture until it’s just combined.

STEP 3

Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spoon to stir in the chocolate chips.

STEP 4

Scoop onto a baking sheet and dot with at least three of the marshmallows. Bake 12-15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let cool before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

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