What a neat cocktail this is to welcome in the New Year.
This will make 6 drinks…adjust to numbers in your home.
- 1 cup mango nectar
- 3/4 cup vodka
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp. berry sugar (superfine)
Stir together the nectar, vodka, lemon juice and sugar in a 1 qt. glass measure.
Pour half of this into a shaker filled with crushed ice and shake for 30 seconds, strain and pour into chilled old fashioned glasses. Repeat for the remaining nectar mixture.
Garnish each glass with a fresh mango spear. Serve…take a bow and from me to you, HAPPY NEW YEAR,
Pistachio Pound Cake
Here is another dessert that will make you look like a real professional baker. Yum to the nth degree.
And this is the cake before I got to the garnish!
- 1 1/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
- 1 1/4 cup dried mango, chopped
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1/4 plus 1 tbsp. sour cream
- 1/4 cup mango nectar
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla
- 1/4 cup mango jam
- 1 tbsp. mango nectar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and lightly flour one 10 x 10 square tube pan or two 8 x 8 inch square baking pans.
In a small bowl, toss the nuts and the dried mangoes with 1/4 cup of the flour. Set this aside. In another bowl, mix together the remaining flour, salt, baking powder, ginger and baking soda.
In your mixing bowl, beat the butter for about 30-35 seconds. Gradually add the sugar, beating until fluffy. This should take about 10 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated.
With the mixer on low speed, add the sour cream, the 1/4 cup of nectar and the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, beating only until just blended.
By hand, mix in the nut mixture. Pour into the cake pan and bake for about 50-55 minutes. check with a wooden toothpick to ensure it is completely done.
Remove to a rack and cool completely.
Glaze
Whole pistachio nuts
fresh mango
For the glaze, snip any large fruit pieces in the jam. Combine with 1 tbsp. nectar in the microwave. Cook on high for 30-40 sec onds. Brush the warm glaze over the top of the c ake. Let stand until firm. Garnish with the whole nuts and mango pieces.
The picture is before adding the fresh fruit garnish.
The Glam Martini
Glam…glamourous…yummm!
- 6 parts Grey Goose Vodka
- 5 parts fresh Orange juice, no pulp
- 1 part mango nectar
- 6 parts grapefruit juice
- 1 part Grand Marnier
Pour ingredients into shaker filled with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a thin orange slice.
Sounds good, tastes great. Try it!
Tropical Loaf
The other day when I was doing some baking, I noticed a pineapple cake mix in the cupboard. Not wanting to make a pineapple cake (did not have pineapple rings on hand), I thought I would try to make a ‘loaf’.
I changed the recipe on the box: I added:
- 1 cup sour cream
Instead of water:
- I added 1 cup of mango nectar.
- 1 cup of white chocolate/bitter chocolate chips, dried cherries (snipped),
- 1 cup chopped pecans and a handful of coconut.
- I grated the zest from 2 limes.
Poured into 2 loaf pans and baked. While warm, I put a lemon glaze over the top and let cool completely.
AHA! It turned out absolutely great. I wrapped both the loaves in parchment paper and then tinfoil. Placed in the freezer until needed.
Bring on the company now, I am ready!
Ice and More Ice Martini
When celebrating the holidays, I am always looking out for a new martini for everyone to try. This is a good one.
You will need:
- 3 oz. Mango nectar
- 2 oz. Vodka
- 1/2 oz. cream
- 1 oz. creme de banana
- 1 oz. Grand Marnier
Fill the shaker three-quarters full with cracked ice . Add all the ingredients and shake really well until it gets really cold. Strain and pour into your prettiest chilled martini glasses.
Add a few pieces of chopped mango in the bottom of the glass and finish with an orange spiral.
Yummy-Yummy in your tummy. Serve with a salty hors d’Oeurve.
The “NEW” Christmas Cake
Not very many people like Christmas cake but this is a much tastier cake to make. When I make up my trays, I always add a few slices.
You will need:
- 2 cups softened butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 tsp. grated lime peel
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 1 cup golden, seedless raisins
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red and green glace cherries
- 3 cups flour
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar until very fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure to beat well after each one. Stir in the lime peel, juice and vanilla. Now, slowly beat in the flour, salt and baking powder. When it becomes a little ‘heavy’ for the machine, remove and stir it manually. Fold in the nuts and fruit.
Spoon batter into a well greased and floured bundt pan, baking for about 90 minutes. Poke with a toothpick to be sure it is done. Cool slightly and add the glaze.
- 1/4 cup mango nectar
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
Heat only until the sugar has dissolved and pour over the warm cake until it has all been absorbed. Freezes well. When ready to use, thaw to room temperature and slice.
This is a real yummy-yummy cake.
This cake will certainly change your mind on Christmas cakes (especially those of old).
Ice and Snow Martini
Well, well, well.. it has been awhile since I came up with a recipe for a great martini. It is funny for the name as it is now summer, but would sure taste good when it is hot outside.
- 3 oz. mango nectar
- 2 oz. Grey Goose Vodka
- 1/2 oz. cream
- 1 oz. Creme de Banana
- 1 oz. Grand Marnier
Fill a shaker three-quarters full of crushed ice. Add all the ingredients and shake for a couple of seconds to let it get cold, now strain and pour into your sexiest martini glass. Add a few pieces of mango, chopped fine. For more “pizzazz”, add a strawberry and orange spiral on a toothpick and let it rest on the side of the glass.
Yumm!