Lemon-Basil Fizz Cocktail

Remember when I made that basil syrup last week?  Well, my friend put it to good use and we had some Lemon-Basil Fizzes last night.

Here are the ingredients for a Lemon-Basil Fizz, serves 1:

-2 ounces basil syrup
-2 ounces gin
-Juice of one lemon
-Soda water
-Basil leaves for garnish

To make the basil syrup, place 2 cups packed basil leaves, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 cup water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and cover, let sit for 1 hour.  Pour basil leaves and liquid through a strainer, and store the syrup in the fridge.

To make the cocktail, pour in basil syrup, gin, and lemon in a cocktail glass.  Fill up with a few ice cubes, and then splash the top with some soda water until the cocktail is filled to the top.  Garnish with basil leaves.

We sipped on these as the water boiled for this Summer Zucchini Pasta.  Yum!

Dixie's Punch

Here is a very festive punch, which my grandma Dixie always made during the holidays. It is very simple and delicious. I made it for my coworkers last Friday and it was a hit. But beware, it can be dangerous depending on how much you drink ;)

Here are the ingredients which servers about 10-20 people (depending on how much they drink):

-1 can frozen orange juice, thawed

-1 can frozen lemonade, thawed

-1 can frozen limeade, thawed

-1 large bottle apricot nectar

-3 two-liter bottles of ginger ale - or more if you like

-Vodka, optional (As much as you can handle as my grandma would say)

-Fresh sliced fruit for garnish (I used oranges, lemons, and cranberries)

Pour everything together and stir until mixed well. Throw in fruit as a garnish. Enjoy!

Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream

This is the best ice cream I have ever made (which isn't hard since I have only made a few kinds), but it is also one of the best ice creams I have ever tasted. I found this recipe for Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream in David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop. What makes this chocolate ice cream special is its complex flavor due to the chile powder, ground cinnamon, and brandy added. Lebovitz suggests using ancho or chipotle chile powder, which you can find at Mexican markets. I found whole dry ancho chiles in Dallas, Texas at a bulk food store called Sprouts Farmers Market, and ended up just grinding a couple up (after removing their stems) in a coffee grinder I rarely use. The coffee grinder create a pretty fine powder, but it was still coarse enough that it created a subtle texture in the ice cream. If you are worried about the strength of your chile powder, add a small amount and let it sit for a while and see if you like it before adding more.

Here are the ingredients for David Lebovitz's Aztec "Hot" Chocolate Ice Cream:
-2 1/4 cups heavy cream
-6 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
-3/4 cup sugar
-3 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
-1 1/4 cups whole milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-Pinch of salt
-1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
-2 to 3 teaspoons chile powder
-2 tablespoons brandy

To begin, chop the chocolate and set aside.
Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in a large saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full rolling boil. It will start to foam up.
Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate, then whisk until it is competely melted.
Stir in the milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, chile powder, and brandy.Pour the mixture into a blender and blend for 30 seconds, until very smooth.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to instructions.
Place your ice cream in an air tight container and place plastic wrap on top to reduce freezer burn.

If you get a chance to make ice cream - make this one! It is so satisfying - chocolatey, warm, and hint of brandy all the way through - you will not be disappointed.