I spend every weekend at the baseball field watching back to back baseball games. And several days a week at the batting cages watching batting practice. I started batting practice by reading a book and now I watch each swing to remind him to keep his front foot down; to keep his head down; to watch his wrists; to compare lengths we think the last ball went. We are a baseball family. I am a baseball mom. So it only seemed appropriate that I try to make America’s favorite snack for America’s favorite pastime. CRACKERJACKS!

It’s basically caramel corn with peanuts. It’s super simple and makes a huge batch so you can take it to your next game - double header - or batting practice - and share it with everyone!

Homemade Cracker Jacks

12 cups air popped pop corn (about 1/2 cup kernels)

1 ½ cups tightly packed brown sugar

¾ cup light corn syrup

¾ cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup spanish peanuts

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread popcorn out on a lined baking sheet.  Line with either a sil-pat or buttered parchment paper. 

STEP 2

Place sugar, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.  Cook until a candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees.

STEP 3

Remove from heat and stir in the popcorn and peanuts. Spread out on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle the top with coarse salt.

STEP 4

Pop into the preheated oven and bake 50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until caramel is set. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to one week. 

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I make these muffins all the time. They are super simple and a fan favorite. They are literally the perfect muffin. We often have a big crowd at the beach over the summer and a dozen muffins fills a hole at breakfast. They are also great for menu planning for the week!

I started making these with berries that I had around. Then it turned to fall and I tried it with apples and cinnamon - totally worked great. So I kept trying all of the other fruits that I had on hand. It totally works every time. You cannot go wrong with these muffins! I gave some ideas for mix ins at the bottom so you can see what all of your options are!

Options:

• Apples + 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• Blueberries + 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• Strawberries

• Clear out the fridge of all different berries

• Raspberries

• Blackberries + 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Any Fruit Muffin

makes one dozen

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped fruit

1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

2 tablespoons big chunky sugar of your choice

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease the muffin tins. Combine together the flour, sugar and baking powder.

STEP 2

Whisk together the egg, oil, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour mixture with the egg mixture. Then fold in the yogurt.

STEP 3

Add the fruit and carefully stir in. Scoop evenly into the muffin tins.

STEP 4

Sprinkle the top with the crusty sugar of your choice and bake 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

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I grew up on a golf course. I took golf lessons. I live on a golf course. My kids play golf. My grandpa took his best naps watching golf. Golf was on TV every Easter at my grand parents. We’re a golf family. It’s in our blood.

This time of year, when the Masters comes on, I get so excited about golf again. Up until April, there is no way I am playing golf. In Seattle, it’s raining, it’s cold, and the grass is super muddy. But April is the turning point. The weather is getting better! It’s going to be sunny soon! It’s going to dry out soon! My kids will be out of school soon and will golf with me!

It’s time to start thinking of summer golf days. Possibly the best part is shopping for summer golf days. Aside from cocktailing on summer golf days…

Ball Marker “19th Hole” :: Tervis Tumblers :: Bogey Boys Golf Shoes :: Vineyard Vines Golf Shirt :: Disco Ball Golf Balls :: Master’s Hat :: Golf Skirt :: Gold Putter

Last year I discovered that it is perfectly acceptable in the south to put pimento cheese on white bread and call it a sandwich! A SANDWICH! Out of the very best cheese + squishy white bread. Who has been keeping this miracle from me?!

I have a girlfriend who makes a version of this regularly for parties. It’s good, but there was something missing. That’s when I found out she doesn’t use mayo in hers. It’s the mayo that makes it a spreadable delight! And I know there will be discussion about the kind of mayo I choose. I cannot be talked out of my Best Foods mayo. I know there are lots of in the Duke’s camp. And they also can’t be swayed. So you use your mayo that you prefer. Just know that the correct mayo is Best Foods.

I also use a hand mixer when I make this. It feels more authentic. The stand mixer is great. But doesn’t it feel like a good southern kitchen would use a hand mixer instead? And I like to be sure that I don’t over mix this. Using the freshly grated cheese can lead to clumping if you aren’t careful. The hand mixer lets you get in all the corners of the bowl. Which does let you mix it a little easier.

If you’re thinking of using pre shredded, shredded cheese, let me advise against it. Preshredded cheese get a little coating of potato starch or other starch to make sure it doesn’t clump in the package. I think the starch does something weird when you try to mix it all together - the cheese just doesn’t blend right.

At the Masters, they serve pimento cheese sandwiches. This is the most epic way you could possibly serve pimento cheese. But it’s also perfectly acceptable to serve with celery, Ritz crackers, salami - whatever else you like on a charcuterie board. But I can’t tell you how good it is on white bread.

Epic Pimento cheese Spread

2 cups freshly shredded cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup mayonnaise

4 ounces pimento

1/2 jalapeño, shredded

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

2-4 shakes Tabasco sauce

STEP 1

Grate the cheese yourself. The combine the mayonnaise, cream cheese, and the grated cheese with a hand mixer or a stand mixer.

STEP 2

Grate in the jalapeño and add the pimento. Mix together.

STEP 3

Add the spices and mix one last time. Spread on white bread or eat with Ritz cracker and celery.

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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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How about a traditional Bloody Mary?

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What about one made with tomatillo?