irish ale cocktail

irish ale ginger-beer cocktail / loveandlemons.com

Happy St. Paddy’s day!

This one came about all because of these silly little shamrock glasses that I was determined to use this year (last year, I forgot).

Awhile back, I went through a glassware thrifting phase. I didn’t notice until I got home that these had little shamrocks on them. Bummed about why someone would put shamrocks on such otherwise-cute glassesI stuck them up on a high high shelf.

So last night we celebrate with this simple little cocktail in the once-a-year celebratory glasses. I have to say – I’m not usually the whiskey person in the family, but mixing it with ginger beer was kind of life changing.

And not ginger ale – there’s a difference. We happened to have this kind which is made from real ginger. It’s not overly syrupy tasting and it has that wonderful spicy kick that only comes from actual ginger and not “ginger flavor.”

I think I discovered a new favorite, all thanks to the little accidental shamrock glasses.

Go to the recipe “irish ale cocktail”…

cauliflower puree with chickpeas

cauliflower purée & roasted chickpeas / loveandlemons.com cauliflower purée & roasted chickpeas / loveandlemons.com

This might just be my last cauliflower post of the season. I’m trying to remind myself that it’s still March and many of you have snow on the ground. Or at least slush. Which is hard for me to comprehend because it suddenly became July here this week.

But last week, when it was a little bit cooler and cauliflower was still showing up at my door, we made this fancy little meal. Cauliflower, two ways… a light velvety purée, with roasted florets and chickpeas on top.

cauliflower purée & roasted chickpeas / loveandlemons.com

This would be a great one to serve at a small (plated) dinner party.

Not that I regularly have plated dinner parties. But if I were to, I would make this.
Go to the recipe “cauliflower puree with chickpeas”…

apple muffins

apple muffins / loveandlemons.com

My mom made these for us last week while she was visiting. And I made them again for breakfast this morning. I haven’t been feeling well all week and Jack is also home from work today. Suffice it to say, we overdid it a little during the sxsw weekend… a few too many late nights, a few too many tacos from trucks. I’m calling it south-by-sickness.

The cure? Simple food. These muffins aren’t too sweet, and they’re not too indulgent. But they were the perfect little pick me up with a nice coffee to start off this slow morning.

Go to the recipe “apple muffins”…

shells & brussels sprouts

shells & brussels sprouts / loveandlemons.com

Growing up, I was made to eat vegetables just as much as the next kid. Broccoli was at the top of my hate list, closely followed by mushy cooked carrots (one of the only veggies I still won’t eat). But I never had to face brussels sprouts. My mom didn’t like them as a child, so she never subjected them to our family. I felt lucky about this… if the adults in my family wouldn’t eat them, they must be that bad.

shells & brussels sprouts / loveandlemons.com

I don’t know what prompted brussels sprouts to go from America’s most hated veggie to darn near the most loved one, but I’m glad they did. Like most things, I’m sure it has everything to do with the preparation. They’re so great roasted until golden, or flash fried until crisp. Here, I coat them with a little balsamic and pan-roast them, then toss with shells, a little cheese and some bright squeezes of lemon.