Pomegranate Lime Gin

This week I did an infusion for a party. I decided to make this infusion because last year I had made a pomegranate gin infusion that was good, but I felt it was missing something to liven it up. I would say that most people that drink gin like it with either lemon or lime. I personally like it with lime more than I do with lemon as the lime flavor is sharper and more sour which I like as a counter balance to the pine flavor from the juniper berries.

Pomegranate Lime Gin

Ingredients:
750 ml London dry gin
1 pomegranate
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 tsp lime zest

Directions:
seed the pomegranate
zest lime
squeeze lime juice into a empty 750 ml bottle (I used a wine bottle that was washed and dried)
add crush pomegranate seed pods in a funnel to allow for the juices to better mix with the gin and lime zest to the bottle.
add gin until full
shake every day for 1 week followed by once a week after that
after 2-4 weeks strain the pomegranate seeds and lime zest out and enjoy
store in a cool dry place
serve chilled.

Suggestions:
make a gin and tonic with this and garnish with a lime wedge.
combine with soda water and pomegranate juice and garnish with a lime wedge.

Pomegranate Gin I made last year

Everything all together

Before straining out the seeds

Strained and ready for drinking

I just stored it back in its bottle as a plastic container seemed like a bad idea

Puppy Chow Cookies

This week I made Puppy Chow Cookies because what is a better way to start in on holiday cookies than with a sugar overload. This turned out to have an intense peanut butter flavor with a lesser chocolate flavor in the the cookies. This is essentially a combination of Chex (TM) Muddy Buddies (TM) with a modified version of Hy-Vee peanut butter chocolate chip cookies to form a different type of cookie. Also at the end you will have some of the puppy chow left over.

Puppy Chow Cookies so be prepared.

Ingredients:

Puppy chow

9 cups rice chex (TM)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cookies:

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup white granulated sugar

1 cup butter (Soften)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 TBSP cocoa powder

5 cups puppy chow

Directions:

Puppy chow

Combine semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and 1/2 cup butter in microwave safe quart container and microwave on High for 1 minute add in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. If not fully melted continue to microwave on high for 30 seconds and stirring the mixture until fully melted.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the Chex and stir with the powdered sugar until everything is coated.
set aside.

Cookies 

Cream the 1 cup butter, 1 cup granulated white sugar, and 3/4 cup brown sugar together.

Stir in 1/2 cup peanut butter

Add 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix

In a separate bowl combine the 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour with the 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1 TBSP cocoa powder.

Slowly mix in the flour mixture into the wet mixture

Once all of the flour mixture is combined with the wet mixture fold in 5 cups of puppy chow

Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet

bake at 350 degrees F for 11-13 minutes.
remove from oven and let stand for 1-2 minutes on the baking pan before moving to a cooling rack to fully cool.

Here is some puppy chow

Folding the puppy chow into the dough

I have created a MONSTER!

Balls placed and pressed

Here are some fresh out of the oven

This is two layers of cooling racks in action

Store for later in an airtight container