Showing posts with label New Years Eve. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Years Eve. Show all posts

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Breakfast Burrito - an excellent hangover breakfast.





So it's the morning after the night before. You will have taken your dip to the party, started the evening with firm assurances you'd alternate your drinks with water, and were reasonably sure the kebab you ate before bed was the best decision to be made in all of 2011.

Now your mouth tastes like the bottom of a bird cage, you're weak, trembly, slightly nauseous and really, really tired. So tired you think you won't even be able to get through the day, let alone the next ten minutes.

You are mayor of Regretsville. You spent more than you should have, drank more than you should have, told more secrets than you should have. You also may have danced wildly inappropriately with someone you shouldn't have, but details aren't clear.

What you need is a bloody mary and someone who is a dab hand with a spatula to make you this breakfast burrito. You can make it as greasy and spicy as you like (I've heard they're definite hangover breakfast requirements, although I'm not sure I'd agree) or as fresh and light as you like. It's customisable to the level of hangover you may or may not have.

I dare say it won't make you feel better... I'm yet to find anything that really does. Ice-cold Corona with lime is good for me, as is a nice snooze with an iPod to keep you entertained while you're laying there restlessly convincing yourself sleep is actually possible. But there ain't no cure, although people have spent considerable time investigating the subject.

Your breakfast fairy needs to saute some sliced green capsicum/pepper, onion and mushrooms in oil until soft. A little cumin and salt added, and garlic is good too. They need to take those out of the pan and scramble some eggs - two per person. Then they need to roll it up in a soft tortilla with salsa, cheese, chopped tomato, sliced green onion, sour cream and coriander. And most likely pour you another drink.

Do you have a hangover breakfast? Sometimes only eggs Benedict will do for me. But I'm too lazy to make them at home. Tell me your secrets!

Friday, December 30, 2011

Spinach and Mint Dip




Don't you just love this time of year? Even if you're not into Christmas, or NYE fireworks, it's usually when the weather is balmy, you (hopefully) have some time off work to (theoretically) relax, the mood is jovial and I spend a great deal of time giving myself permission to keep reading instead of mopping the floor. It's holidays, I justify.

Something about this weather makes me just want to nibble on lots of different things, and if there's one thing I love it's a cheese plate. Add some interesting dips and a beverage with lots of ice, and there's a good chance you won't hear from me for a while. Sometimes I'm asked to bring a dip somewhere, or I want to bring one... whether Christmas or the beach, or a new year's eve party, and I like to make one with what I've already got. That's how this spinach and mint dip was born.

The first person tried it and pronounced it "to die for". Very kind, I thought... I quite like it too.
A latecomer took a bite and pronounced: "to die for!". So I believe it's now been independently verified! Either/or, it's easy and good.

Ingredients:
2 frozen packets spinach
1 large handful mint
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4-1/2 cup greek yogurt
a squeeze of lemon
a generous pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Thaw spinach, and squeeze as much water as you can out of it.

2. Add to food processor with mint, garlic, yogurt, lemon and salt. Whiz to your liking.

Have a foolproof dip? Remember the french-onion-soup-and-sour-cream concoction from your youth? What do you always take?