As the year winds down and snow piles up at my door, my drink choices tend toward hot, spiced, and spiked. The hot buttered rum recipe I share in my Flathead Beacon column this week fits all of those criteria. The recipe comes together in two stages: the batter that takes just minutes to make and the hot, rum-spiked cocktail. One batch of homemade batter will last months in the fridge and can fill many mugs on cold winter evenings. To mix the cocktail after a long day playing or working in the snow, simply to boil some water, stir in the butter batter, and splash in some rum. Ready, set, done.
Learn to make Hot Buttered Rum
Tag: food column
Home-Spiced Nuts
I love home-spiced nuts at the holidays. I reach for them long after I’ve tired of the endless sweetness of cookies, and they’re just as tasty on a cheese and pickle platter as a eaten straight from the jar with a cocktail.
The recipe I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon not only explains how to make your own spiced nuts but also gives you plenty of options. From my favorite homemade sweet-and-spicy blend, to a premixed garam masala, to an infused salt variation, there are ideas for every occasion.
Learn to make Home-Spiced Nuts and my Sweet Spice Mix
Ginger-Spiked Carrot and Apple Pickle
Pickles have been a holiday staple since I was a kid. A bowl of home-canned pickles always sat on the dinner table at gatherings. While we waited for guests to arrive, my dad would be sneaking Christmas cookies, but I’d be dipping the cute little serving fork into the pickle bowl. If we set the table too early, I could nearly empty that bowl before the doorbell rang.
The flavorful pickle I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon adds a bit of zing to many rich holiday main dishes and puts a splash of color on the table. It’s one of the 125 recipes you can find in my cookbook The Complete Guide to Pickling.
Learn to make Ginger-Spiked Carrot and Apple Pickle
30-Minute Tomato Soup
In this week’s Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, I share one of my favorite soup recipes. Even my sister, who grew up unimpressed by many tomato dishes, has gotten hooked on this soup. It’s quick, easy, and uses the homegrown produce that’s been stashed away for the winter. In the column, I share my storage methods for its main ingredients, hoping to entice you to plan ahead next growing season. I also tell you how to make it right now with whatever tomatoes and onions are in your kitchen.
Learn to make 30-Minute Tomato Soup
My New Food Column
In the words of Cab Calloway, “Everybody eats when they come to my house.” As I mentioned when sharing my cover story in last week’s blog post, I’ve joined one of our local newspapers, the Flathead Beacon, as a food columnist. My first Twice as Tasty column was published this week under a headline from Mr. Hi-De-Ho’s swinging song. You can find it in this week’s print edition or read it online here.
Read more about my new food column
