Food

Cheers to Summer Break with The Salty Dog Cocktail

Why I'm taking the summer off from blogging
May 29, 2018
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Cocktail Hour

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With Memorial Day weekend behind us, summer is officially here.  Break out the white jeans, beach drinks, and long leisurely summer nights.  I mean is there any time of year more nostalgic than summer? When I think of summer I have specific smells and feelings that coming rushing in.  There’s no season that truly makes me long to be a kid again, or in a kind of a sad way makes me feel how far I am from those carefree days, than summer.

That’s why I’ve decided to take a break from blogging this summer.  I’ve never actually taken a break from blogging.  I’ve plowed through every holiday, every date, every season, all the time.  But lately I’ve been feeling very unbalanced and a bit uninspired.  I’ve felt very disconnected from why I started blogging in the first place. It’s almost felt forced.  And forced is the opposite of what I want this space to be about.

So that’s why I’m pressing pause and soaking in every magnificent moment of summer I can.  I plan on taking bike rides, walking barefoot, eating food on a stick at all the local carnivals, playing put-put golf, taking spontaneous road trips, jumping into the lake, and maybe even being a bit lazy.  Yes I am drinking that summer kool-aid (both literally and figuratively as Kool-aid was a major part of my summers in Michigan).

Don’t worry I won’t be totally MIA. I’ll still be sharing all of my adventures over on Instagram and let’s not forget I have a shop that won’t run itself. I hope while I’m on a break you’ll still utilize WOM as a resource for all things home, food, beauty, and entertaining. As I’ve been doing this for five years I’ve built up quite the library of information that still feels rather inspired. And of course don’t forget about the recipe index! So many good recipes to try out!

Which brings me to today’s Salty Dog recipe.  This is the easiest, and perfect cocktail for those lazy days of summer.  Get the recipe below, and whip up a batch sooner rather than later.

So that’s it. I’m signing off until Labor Day.  Here’s to hoping I might just get a glimpse of that inner kid again. Truly, MKR

The Salty Dog
Serves 1
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Prep Time
5 min
Total Time
5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Total Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 1/2 oz. Vodka
  2. 3 oz. grapefruit juice
  3. coarse sea salt for the rim
  4. club soda
  5. ice
  6. grapefruit wedges for garnish
Instructions
  1. rim a glass with coarse sea salt or spicy sea salt for a little extra kick
  2. fill a glass and shaker with ice. to the shaker add grapefruit juice and vodka, shake shake shake.
  3. pour over ice into the glass and top with a splash of club soda and garnish with a grapefruit slice or wedge. enjoy.
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Easy Homemade Granola Crunch Recipe

easy, homemade granola filled with almonds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, cranberries, & cinnamon
May 13, 2018
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Breakfast & Brunch

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easy homemade granola with coconut, cranberry, almonds, pumpkin seeds & honey An easy homemade granola recipe full of almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut, and cranberry.

Recently I’ve been on a homemade granola kick.  If you’ve never tried making homemade granola you should!  Honestly, granola the easiest thing I’ve ever baked, if you can even call it baking.  Besides being beyond easy to make, homemade granola is one of those things that you can really customize to your tastes.  My easy homemade granola crunch is filled with almonds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, cranberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, and maple syrup.

After testing out a few different ways to make easy homemade granola, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s basically fool proof as long as you stick to three main notes. 

One, bake it low and slow.  Don’t rush homemade granola, as that’s when it can burn.  Bake it as 300 degrees for approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  I burnt this recipe the first time as it didn’t feel like it was crisping up. Come to learn, it won’t crisp up in the oven. Granola only crisps up when you take it out and let it cool.

Two, make sure you have a large enough baking dish to allow for stirring.  I bake homemade granola in my turkey roasting pan, and treat it very similarly to my homemade Chex Mix recipe.

Third, add your soft items like cranberries during the last 10 minutes of baking.  Otherwise they become hard as a rock and can possibly break a tooth when biting into! Yikes!

While not a deal breaker, I also think it’s very important to use the highest quality of organic honey and maple syrup.  By using the best of the best you’ll need to add less because the flavor will be so much more vibrant.   Honey and maple syrup are not items you want to skimp on.  You can truly taste the difference when comparing quality.

And homemade granola is not just a snack to munch on. My favorite way to enjoy this easy homemade granola crunch recipe is in a breakfast bowl.   I love filing a shallow bowl with my homemade granola crunch, adding in seasonal fruits, and a bit of almond milk.  This easy homemade granola recipe is also great as a yogurt and smoothie topping.  The possibilities are truly endless.

Plus, you can make this granola recipe in larger batches, to enjoy throughout the week.  And as long as you’re cognizant of how much honey and maple syrup your adding, my easy homemade granola recipe is an overall healthy recipe. Click through (below) to snag the recipe and whip up a batch for yourself this week!  Truly, MKR
 


 

Easy Homemade Granola Crunch
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 container of organic rolled oats, thick would be best (32-42 oz.)
  2. 1 small bag of organic cranberries
  3. 2 cups almonds; whole or slivered
  4. 2 cups pumpkin seeds
  5. 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
  6. 2 tabelspoons cinnamon
  7. 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  8. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  9. 1/4 cup organic honey
  10. 1/4 cup quality maple syrup
  11. 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300
  2. In a large bowl mix all ingredients except cranberries. Add to a large baking or roasting dish and cook about 30 minutes stirring every 10-15 minutes.
  3. During the last 10 minutes of baking add cranberries and stir. Bake 10 more minutes.
  4. Remove from oven and dump on parchment paper to cool.
  5. Once completely cooled store in an airtight container for about 1 week.
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The Cucumber Collins Cocktail

A refreshing spin on the classic cocktail
May 9, 2018
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Cocktail Hour

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The Cucumber Collins Cocktail Recipe, Waiting On Martha The Cucumber Collins Cocktail Recipe, Waiting On Martha The Cucumber Collins Cocktail Recipe, Waiting On Martha

Named after a famous hoax from 1874, The Tom Collins cocktail has easily become one of the most iconic gin cocktails around. And while I’m not one to often mess with the classics, I think it’s nice to sometimes add a spin. Especially if that spin that doesn’t effect the original version, but only enhances it.  That my friends is how I came to know the refreshing Cucumber Collins as shown here.  But before I dive into my Minty, Cucumber Collins spin, first lets talk about this Tom Collins hoax.  

According to The Gin Foundry, “the story of the hoax goes something like… Tom Collins was a loud and boisterous man who was known to sit in taverns and talk harshly of nearly everyone he’d met, or in many cases, those he hadn’t. Fortunately for those who fell victim to Collins’ wrath, they had good friends who would immediately find their friend and let them know of all the profanity directed towards them. The victim was then encouraged to find Collins and confront him. However, when the victim went to the tavern where Collins was meant to be, he was nowhere to be found (because Tom Collins did not exist). It was then that those desperately looking for their revenge would ask at the bar for Tom Collins, and instead receive the sour cocktail.”

This hoax made it’s way around New York and beyond, with even the newspapers writing all about it.  And while I can’t imagine what would happen each time an enraged person was handed a Tom Collins cocktail rather than meeting an actual Tom Collins, I am thankful it produced such a fantastic cocktail.

Your classic Tom Collins consists of gin, lemon, plenty of simple syrup or sugar, and ice.  And if I’m being honest reminds me of a boozy lemonade, which I love, but typically has too much sugar for me to have more than one.  This led me to thinking of how to make the Tom Collins a bit less sugary, and a bit more refreshing.  Easy; insert fresh cucumber, fresh mint, club soda, and you have the Cucumber Collins.  

As easy to make as it is beautiful to look at, this refreshing spin on an iconic cocktail will be one I promise you’ll be drinking all summer long.  Click through/below to find the recipe, and Cheers! Truly, MKR

P.S.  You could also use lemon, mint cucumber gin to enhance the flavor and if you’re going to go that route you definitely need to check out the WOMH infusion kits!
 


 

The Minty Cucumber Collins
Serves 1
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
1 min
Total Time
6 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
1 min
Total Time
6 min
Ingredients
  1. 2-3 fresh cucumber slices plus more for garnish
  2. 1-2 stems of fresh mint, plus more for garnish
  3. 2 ounces gin (you can use cucumber gin if you prefer)
  4. 1/2-1 ounce simple syrup
  5. 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  6. 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  7. Club Soda
  8. Ice
Instructions
  1. Add cucumber slices, 1 mint stem and gin to a cocktail shaker, muddle lightly.
  2. Add citrus juice, and ice to shaker.
  3. Shake, shake, shake
  4. Strain into a high ball glass filled with ice.
  5. Top with soda water, and taste. Add desired sweetener till it's at a sweetness level you like, lightly stir.
  6. garnish as desired and enjoy.
Notes
  1. I chose to garnish my Cucumber Collins by wrapping a thin cucumber slice around the glass. Do this before adding the ice and cocktail.
Adapted from The Tom Collins Cocktail
Adapted from The Tom Collins Cocktail
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