Captain's log: Supplimental - Stir fry

I don't typically have more than one entry per day, but today is special... I guess. Working of the entry from my regular today concerning photos and food, I have entered another picture of the lunch I made for myself this afternoon.

Let me preface everything by stating that I love stir-fry. It's quick. It's easy. And, if you do it right, it's healthy. My stir-fry usually consists of chicken, but on occasion I will make it our of tuna or beef.

I start off by cooking up my rice in a rice-cooker. A rice cooker is an indispensable kitchen-aid. If you don't have one, you should consider yourself a "looser". Last year I was introduced to the best rice in the world, Jasmine rice. It cooks up perfectly every time (in a rice-cooker) and is very much like, but better, the kind of white rice you get at a good Chinese take-away. Cook time is about 1/2 an hour.

While the rice is cooking, I chop up my veggies in what ever style takes my fancy that day. Sometimes it's julienne, sometimes it's chunk. I heat and oil my skillet and quickly fry my veggies before my rice is done. I typically will use either garlic or ginger, seasoned salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to season my veggies. Sometimes I will use old-bay.

• Today I steamed some snap-peas and some carrot strips. I also quickly stir-fried my ginger and orange pepper in some olive oil, season salt and pepper.

When the veggies are done, I set them aside on my plate and cook the meat. I like my tuna-steak to be blackened, but sometimes I will use lemon and dill or tarragon, rosemary or thyme as a herb. Mostly I use chicken as I mentioned before. Today I used light soy-sauce and hot-oil I had on hand and some salt and pepper then stir-fried that to a dark, golden brown. On occasion I will use a thicker, brown sauce, but not often.

• Today I used some prepared cubbed chicken pieces.

When the rice is done, I throw it all onto a plate and sit down to have a nice meal. Of course, I'm sure this is no gourmet meal, it's fairly simple and probably most people wouldn't care for it.



§

Double Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies/Des Blondies à cacahuètes doubles

Inspired from my most recent trip back in October to Jody's while were were visiting Ashcombe's Nursery, I found a very nice recipe for a Blondie. A blondie is the name used in much of America for a Brownie that is made with peanut-butter instead of chocolate.

I am not a big fan of brownies to tell the truth, but Blondies, I love.

While this particular recipe is no where near as delicious as the one I bought at Ashcombe's it is very nice none the less. The original recipe take from Hersey's Holiday Favorites cookbook 2007 page 16.

Double Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies
Des Blondies à cacahuètes doubles

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick butter or margarine, softened)
• 1/4 cup Reese's Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cup (10oz pkg.) Reese's peanut butter chips
• 1/2 cup Hershey's syrup or Special dark syrup

My version

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  
• 1/4 cup Reese's Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups bread flour
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cup (10oz pkg.) milk chocolate chips
• 3/4 to 1 cup raw peanuts
  
• 1/2 cup Hershey's syrup

Directions

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 13x9x2 inch baking pan. *
  
• Beat Peanut butter in large bowl. Add Granulated Sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in Vanilla.
• Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; mix into peanut butter mixture, blend well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spread half of the batter in prepared pan; spoon syrup over top. Carefully spread the remaining batter; swirl with metal spatula or knife for marbled effect.
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Notes:

• I use bread flour to make my cookie-esque dessert. Bread-flour gives you a fluffy chewy cookie.
• I use unsalted butter especially if there is salt added in the recipe by itself.
• I adjust the ratio of baking powder by 25% and replace subtracted with baking soda. I could explain but it would take too long.
• If using imitation vanilla, I have found it good policy to increase the quantity by 50%.
• I like nuts, so I added raw, fresh, organic peanuts to this recipe.
• I replaced the peanut butter chips with chocolate chips since there was already so much peanut in the original recipe.

*When cooking in glass, reduce heat by 25ºF and allow for a longer cooking time.
§

Apricot Glazed Pork Medallions/Les Medaillons du porc doré d'abricot

With the onset of Winter and a distinct lack of enthusiasm for any culinary adventures, I am stealing this recipe from my friend Jody's former Yahoo! Blog in order to try to keep up with my 2 recipes per month quota. Regretfully, there is no photo.

Jody is adventurous in her cooking style and she always has something unique for me when I visits or share when I can't

Apricot Glazed Pork Medallions/Les Medaillons du porc doré d'abricot

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds (you can buy them cut)
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 1/4 cups apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup tamari sauce (just use soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon chopped pickled ginger

Directions

• Season both sides of pork with salt and black pepper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add pork and sear 2 minutes per side.
• Add apricot preserves, tamari sauce and ginger and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer 5 minutes, until pork is cooked through and sauce reduces.

§

Double Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies/Les biscuits à la farine d'avoine avec noix de coco et chocolat double

Trixie and I have been doing some cooking recently. She introduced me to a few cook books she had found at the local grocery store. There was one that I bought for myself because it had so many great recipes in it. It lead me to make the best cookie I have made in quite some time. It has superseded the 7 layer cookie. Original Recipe take from Hersey's Holiday Favorites cookbook 2007 page 12.

Double Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
Les biscuits à la farine d'avoine avec noix de coco et chocolat double

Ingredients

• 1 cup of shortening
• 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups of rolled oats
• 2 cups chocolate chips (your choice)
• 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup coarsely copped nuts

My Version

• 1 1/2 cups regular mayonnaise
• 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups of bread flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups of rolled oats
• 2 cups chocolate chips (your choice)
• 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup coarsely copped nuts

Directions

• Beat the Mayo, brown sugar and vanilla in a bowl until well blended.
• Sift and stir in the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda, and salt).
• Add water.
• At this point you might think you've made a horrible, HORRIBLE mistake by the consistency of the batter, but no. When you add the oats, it will all be fine.
• Stir in the chocolate chips, the coconut and nuts.
• Blend well.
• Refrigerate for two hours

• Heat over to 325 degrees.
• Using an 1/4 cup ice-cream scoop, drop scoups of dough onto a greased cookies sheet about 3 inches apart.
• Smash down the dough a bit for quicker cooking, add additional nuts, coconut and chips to the tops if desired.
• Bake 10-12 minutes or until dough is set (don't over bake).
• Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Note:

• You can divided the coconut using one cup in the dough and saving one cup to sprinkle over the tops of the dough. I just add both cups of coconut in the mixing stage.
• Cool cookies sheet bottom with cool water before placing new dough on the sheet. This is a source of bottom burning.
• The original cooking temp is 350. This has always burned my cookies, so I reduce temp to 325 and cook slightly longer. It works for me.
  

§

French Tuna Sandwich/Pan Bagnat

One of my favorite Food TV programs is Alton Brown's Good Eats. It's a cooking show for geek basically. Not the recipes themselves per se, no, but the break down of the process and the techniques used are very precise and explained scientifically.

Anyway, one show last year was about sandwiched. He had done several in the program as I remember but the one that stuck for me was Pan Bagnat, a French Tuna fish sandwich from the Nice Province.

This is a nice tuna sandwich for people who don't like Mayo and Tuna. It combines all the things I love in one sandwich, and it's French, so... Oh là là.

French Tuna Sandwich/Pan Bagnat

Ingredients

• 1 crusty Batard (French loaf, non-baguette), approximately 16 to 18 inches long
• 12 ounces canned tuna packed in oil or water, drained and crumbled
• 1 small green pepper, sliced into rings
• 1 small red onion, sliced into rings
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 1 cup chopped kalamata olives
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced
• 2 table spoons balsamic vinaigrette
  

Directions

• Horizontally slice the French loaf into 2 pieces.
• Tear out some of the soft bread in the center of each side, making a slight well in the bread.
• Place the tuna, green pepper, red onion, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and tomato on the bottom side of the bread in that order.
• Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables, top with the second piece of bread, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
• Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.

Notes:

• Use the palm of your hand, thumb up, placed firmly on the loaf to hold the bread steady as you cut the length of the loaf with a knife.
• I found using Burgundy Olives is nicer than black olives.
• If you don't have extra wide cling-film, make a big sheet by putting tow together slightly overlapping side-by-side. Or, section the sandwich and wrap individuals.
• I take the boiled egg on the side.
• 2 Tbsps of vinaigrette is a general rule, apply as desired.
• I followed the wrong order in picture. Alton had his reasons, but the sandwich doesn't exist for very long after it is made, so...

§

Bourbon Balls/Boules de bourbon

Jody and I made these last time I was down to visit. They were holiday favorites of hers from her youth, ::insert me gushing over the flavor::

Jody writes:

My mother made these when I was a kid, I remember the smell distinctly. This is my grandmother's recipe. The reason I'm posting this now is that these MUST be made several weeks in advance of eating them in order for the flavors to truly develop. Make sure you store them in something air tight.

Bourbon Balls/Boules de bourbon

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon cocoa
• 3 tablespoon Karo corn syrup
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup dates, chopped
• 1 lb. vanilla wafers, crushed well
• 1/2 cup bourbon whiskey
• powdered sugar

Directions

• Combine sugar, cocoa and wafers in a food processor.
• Pulse until mixture is mostly free of large chunks.
• Rough chop and add to the mix the dates and then the pecans.
• Pulse until mixture is of the roughly same consistency.
• Slowly add the Karo syrup and whiskey
• Form into small (3/4") balls, then roll in powdered sugar.

Notes:

• I used some left over sugar and cinnamon mix to coat the balls.
• I think it is a good idea to chill the mix before rolling them into individual servings.
• It might make a good log.

§

West Indian Pumpkin Soup/La soupe de citrouille de l'Indie de l'ouest

I had originally planned to serve this at my Autumn Festival party this year. Unfortunately I had to cancel the party. However, Jody and I had the opportunity to make during my little vacation there last week.

I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens' America's Ethnic Cuisines.

West Indian Pumpkin Soup
La soupe de citrouille de l'Indie de l'ouest

You can serve this creamy, richly spiced soup cold or hot. Look for pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas) at Latin American or Mexican markets, if they're not already roasted, toast the raw seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet for 10 minutes in a 350º F oven.

Prep: 1 hour
Roast: ¼ hours
Cook: 40 minutes
Oven: 350°F
Stand: 10 minutes
Makes: 10 cups


Ingredients

• 2 pounds butternut squash or cooking pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
• ½ Scotch bonnet chile or 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped*
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh thyme or
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 small bay leaves
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1//2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced (optional)

Directions

• In a large roasting pan toss together the squash, sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Roast in a 350° oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chile, garlic, and ginger; cook 1 minute more. Add thyme, orange peel, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat vegetables. (The mixture will resemble a paste and begin to stick to the bottom of the Dutch oven.) Add the roasted vegetables and any pan liquid, stirring until well combined.
• Pour in broth and bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes to cool. Discard cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Place a small amount of soup at a time in a blender container; blend or puree until smooth. Return pureed mixture to Dutch oven. Stir in cream and coconut milk. If desired, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve cold or reheat.
• To serve, ladle soup into shallow bowls. Sprinkle soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and, if desired, diced apples.

Notes:

1. A Dutch Oven is just a large, deep pot.
2. I used Jalapeño as I have never cooked with Scotch Bonnets before.
3. Instead of roasted pumpkins seeds we used spiced apple rings. Everyone agreed this was a good choice.
4. Matt suggested that is wasn't spicy hot enough.
5. Jody and I think it could have used more nutmeg and possible cinnamon.
6. I think it could use some clove.
7. The soup is nice cold, but I think I like it better hot.
8. It's much better to serve it a day or so after you make it.

§

Aunt Shirley's Seven Layer Cookies/Les biscuits à sept niveaux de ma tante Shirley

Holiday cookies are just as big a part of my family's seasonal traditions as any others. Just about every year one of my Aunts will bring over a plate or a tin of home-made cookies. One of my favorites is my Aunt Shirley's Seven Layer Cookie. It's probably something she picked up from someone else along the way, and is no secret... unlike my sister-in-law's Lumpia recipe.

Anyway, ♪♫'tis the season to make cookies fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la♫♪, so I made a batch of them before I went on my autumn vacation get way to give out as gifts Chez Jody. I gave some to her mom and co-worker both of whom asked for the recipe. What perfect timing for a Culinary Delights of the Delta Quadrant blog entry.

Aunt Shirley's Seven Layer Cookies
Les biscuits à sept niveaux de ma tante Shirley

Ingredients

• 9 x 12/14 baking dish
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 bag of Rolo candy
• 1 bag of milk chocolate chips
• 1 bag of white chocolate chips
• 1 bag of butterscotch chocolate chips
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 package of graham crackers
• unsweetened coconut
• walnuts

Directions

• Layer 1: Chunk up the butter into the baking dish a micowave until melted. When the butter is melted coat the bottom and ths sides of the dish.
• Layer 2: Crush the graham crackers finely leaving some dime size bits adn sprinkle evenly over the butter.
• Layer 3: Unwrap about 90% of the bag of Rolos and place evenly about 1 inch apart over the graham crackers.
• Layer 4: Fill in the spaces between the Rolos with the milk chocolate chips creating a layer of milk chocolate. Use about 90% of the bag.¹
• Layer 5: Create a butterscotch layer, another 90%.
• Layer 6: Create a white chocolate layer, 90%.
• Layer 7: Create a walnut and coconut layer to your own preference.²

1. Evenly pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the layers.
2. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 30 minutes.³
   
3. Cool for 30-45 minutes and precut into 1 to 1 & ½ inch pieces.
4. Allow to cool completely and cover with plastic wrap.

Notes:

1. Using a whole bag will be a problem because you will run out of height in your dish.
2. I put the coconut on last. It makes it pretty. If you don't like coconut, make sure the white chocolate chips are the last layer. It's about presentation. Of course, you don't have to listen to me. What the Hell do I know, right?
3. When this stuff cools completely, it is hard to cut. So save your knife and your wrist and and precut.

§

French Onion Soup/La soupe à l'oignon

Recently I have noticed a number of restaurant in the area offering French Onion Soup on the menu. I enjoy the soup and jump on the opportunity to have it when eating out. It occurred to me a few weeks ago that I have never made a soup before and that I am sure it was well within my abilities to do so.

So I did some research on the soup and settled on a recipes from the Food Network's Good Eats program hosted by Alton Brown. I love Brown's humor and approach to cooking.

French Onion Soup/La soupe à l'oignon

INREDIENTS

• 5 sweet onions (like Vidalias) or a combination of sweet and red onions (about 4 pounds)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups white wine
• 10 ounces canned beef consume
• 10 ounces chicken broth
• 10 ounces apple cider (unfiltered is best)
• Bouquet garni; thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parsley tied together with kitchen string
• 1 loaf country style bread
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• Splash of Cognac (optional)
• 1 cup Fontina or Gruyere cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

• Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise.
• Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes.
• Set electric skillet to 300 degrees and add butter.
• Once butter has melted add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little salt.
• Repeat layering onions and salt until all onions are in the skillet.

Do not try stirring until onions have sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes. After that, stir occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced to approximately 2 cups. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not worry about burning.

• Add enough wine to cover the onions and turn heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup consistency.
• Add consume, chicken broth, apple cider and bouquet garni.
• Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven and heat broiler.
• Cut country bread in rounds large enough to fit mouth of oven safe soup crocks.
• Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 1 minute. (a.k.a. toast some special bread in a toaster)
• Season soup mixture with salt, pepper and cognac.
• Remove bouquet garni and ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch to the lip.
• Place bread round, toasted side down, on top of soup and top with grated cheese.
• Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. (a.k.a. screw the broiler, use a toaster oven)
  

Note:

1. There were no amounts indicated for the bouquet garni, so I just kind of winged it.
2. I used all but a cup of a bottle of wine
3. I used the full 14 oz. of the consumés
4. I will probably use less onions next time as with the amount indicated there was a lot, A LOT.
5. I bought the Cognac, but I forgot to use it.

* Legend has it that the soup was created by King Louis XV of France. Late one night, he discovered he only had onions, butter and champagne at his hunting lodge, so he mixed them together to create the first French onion soup. Alternate stories attribute the creation to King Louis XIV.
§

Sweet Chili Thai Sauce/La sauce sucrée de chili thaï

A while back I had made something called Sweet Chili Thai Sauce from the chilies that Tracy had given me. Now, you can follow the recipe that is provided in the link, or you can follow what I did. Basically, I took example from the notes that other people had left on the page concerning their experience with the recipe.

Sweet Chili Thai Sauce/La sauce sucrée de chili thaï

Mild version

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons hot chile pepper, minced
• 2 teaspoons Tomato Paste
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Hot and Sweet version

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons hot chile pepper, minced
• 2 teaspoons Tomato Paste
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

• Pour water and vinegar into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Stir in sugar, ginger, garlic, chile pepper, and ketchup; simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in cornstarch.
• Remove saucepan from stove to cool.
• Then transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.

Notes:

1. I used jarred, non-pickled ginger that I found in the Asian food section of my grocery store.

2. A large clove of garlic should be about a teaspoon when chopped.

3. I used the real, whole, dried chilis Tracy got me from the Mexican isle at Wegman's. I assume Fresh would work nicely too, but I should think the dried pepper flakes that have been sitting on a shelf for God knows how long would be a bad choice.

4. Remember wear latex when handling fresh chilis, wash hands thoroughly and don't touch your eyes or nose for three days.

5. This is an excellent substitute dip for the orange sauce that comes with Sweet and Sour Chicken.

§

Lemonade | La Limonade

I have gone off the pop, sweety. I do have a glass occasionally maybe every few months or so when I eat out. But, I no longer buy it myself, and I am definitely not drinking it in the quantities I used to. I've lost some weight too from not taking on so much sugar.

Instead, I have replaced pop with more water, teas (hot and cold), lemonade and low-sugar juices (cranberry, pomegranate etc...).

So because of this, I decided to make some lemonade from scratch. I like tart lemonade, the kind where you can really taste the lemon rather than the sugar. I looked at a few recipes and came up with my own, and I thought I would take a moment to share it here.

Lemonade | La Limonade

Lemonade

• In a two quart container dissolve 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar in 2 cups of warm water and set aside.
• Seed and juice 7-8 fresh lemons. This will render about 1 3/4 to 2 cups of lemon juice ¹.
• Combine the sugar water and lemon juice.
• Add an additional 3 to 4 cups of cold water to fill the 2 qt. container
• Stir until will mixed and any remaining sugar is dissolved
  

Notes:

1. I like pulp so I leave it in, but you can strain it if you like.
2. Add fresh mint sprigs if desired.
3. Add ice-cubes before topping off with water for insta-cold lemonade.
   

¹ I went with a straight 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of lemon juice, but you can modify according to individual taste.
­§

My Fruit Salad | La salade des fruits à moé

My Fruit Salad | La salade des fruits à moé

I threw this fruit salad together in need of using up some fruit quickly before it spoiled. It has gotten some small-town acclaim. Here's how I make it.

• 1 lg. Golden Delicious apple
• 1 lg.peach
• 1 lg. lemon
• 1 8oz can of chunk pineapple in its own juice
• 2-2 1/2 cups of red seedless grapes
• Vermouth
  

Syrup

In a 1 cup measuring cup...

• Seed and juice the entire lemon
• Combine with the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple ¹
  

This will give you about 1/2- 2/3 cup of juice.

• Fill to 3/4 cup with honey
• Top off to 1 cup with Vermouth ²

Stir until honey is well dissolved. Set aside.


Salad

• Put the drained pineapple chunks in a mixing bowl (with lid preferably).
• Core and pit the apple and the peach and dice into bite-size chunks, add to pineapple.
• Pick and wash thoroughly 2-2 1/2 cups of red seedless grapes. Add to the mixing bowl.

After you have chunked the fruit, pour the juice mixture over the fruit. Stir, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Serve cold. Even better the next day. Serves 4-5.

Notes:

1. Add honey to sweeten.
2. The honey, lemon juice and alcohol will keep the salad fresh for days more than your typical fruit salad.
3. If peaches are out of season, you might substitute with Honeydew, Mango or Papaya.
   

¹ I have not used fresh pineapple with this before. I can only imagine it would be even more fantastic. If you do use fresh pineapple, be sure to pick up some pineapple juice.

² The syrup comes out to be approx. 1/4 cup each of honey, lemon juice, pineapple juice and vermouth.
§