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best drink in a leading role: polar seltzer oscars-inspired cocktails

 Cooking With the Walnut
Feb 222013
 

Yes, we admit to focusing mainly on new kiddie products here at the Talking Walnut. But every now and then, it’s nice to shift gears and give a shout-out to the grown-up world. (After all, where would our kiddos be without us?). And because this Sunday marks our all-time favorite TV event of the year, we are paying tribute to the Academy Awards. In our house, we make scorecards and rate our favorite red carpet moments. (My 8-year-old can rate a dress “don’t”  faster than the fashion police!) But if you’re hosting or are invited to an Oscars party for adults, these are some fun specialty cocktail recipes supplied to us by Polar Seltzer that you can mix up. We’re not sure which concoction we like best, but we’ll gladly sample them all. So whether you are rooting for Les Mes or Lincoln, Jennifer Lawrence or Jessica Chastain, be sure to have plenty of snacks (and ice) to sustain you through all those acceptance speeches. Cheers!

In a Nutshell: Grab your cocktail shaker and get busy behind the bar with these fab movie-themed beverages.

 

TheSparklingBayou_TheOscars

“THE SPARKLING BAYOU”-Inspired by / BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (pictured here)

1 lemon wedge

2 sprigs fresh mint

1 teaspoon superfine sugar

1/4 cup grape juice

Ice cubes made with filtered water and various berries Polar Blueberry Seltzer

1 small bunch Concord grapes, for serving Place lemon and mint in the bottom of a cocktail shaker; add sugar and muddle to combine. Add grape juice. Fill shaker with ice; cover and shake to combine. Fill a rocks glass with ice. Strain into prepared rocks glass and top with Polar Seltzer; garnish with concord grapes and serve immediately.

“THE LORD OF LIGHT” – inspired by Argo

Rose Water

Polar Cherry Pomegranate Seltzer

Simple Syrup infused with Cardamom

Garnish with mint, raspberries or pomegranate seeds In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add about a tablespoon of the cardamon syrup, then 1.5-2 ounces of the rose water. Shake and then strain into martini glass. Top with Polar Seltzer. Stir gently to combine.

Cardamom Simple Syrup Recipe:

1 part water

1 part sugar

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

In a saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Turn off heat and allow it to begin cooling. Once syrup is cool enough to be tasted (but before all the heat is gone) add cardamom. The infusion happens quickly and at low heat.

 

“THE GREAT EMANCIPATOR” – Inspired by / LINCOLN

Polar Granny Smith Apple Seltzer

Polar Premium Ginger Ale

Cinnamon sugar

Apple slices, garnish

Pour equal amounts of Polar seltzer and Polar ginger ale into a glass filled with freshly made. Garnish with apples and a dash of cinnamon sugar.

 

“THE EXCELSIOR” -Inspired by / SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

2 oz Gin

1/3 oz Maraschino liqueur

1/2 oz Fresh lemon juice

1/4 oz Creme de Cassis

Polar Vanilla Seltzer

Lime, garnish

Combine in a shaker, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with Polar Seltzer, stir gently so as not to bruise the delicate bubbles.

 

“UNCHAINED WESTERN” -Inspired by / DJANGO UNCHAINED

2-3 chunks of frozen pineapple

1/2 oz. lemon juice

1 tsp. maraschino syrup

2 oz. rye whiskey

Polar Lemon Seltzer

Lemon twist, to garnish

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the pineapple, syrup, lemon juice and whiskey. Add ice and shake well. Strain into a coupe, top with Polar Seltzer. Garnish with lemon twist.

 

“REVOLUTIONARY KIR” – Inspired by / LES MISÉRABLES

4 parts French white wine

4 parts Polar Raspberry Lime Seltzer

1 part Créme de Cassis (Blackcurrant liqueur or syrup ) Blackberries, optional garnish In an old fashioned coupe glass, add the currant liqueur or syrup and then the wine, and then the Polar Seltzer. Garnish if you wish.

 

“ACROSS THE ATLANTIC” – Inspired by / LIFE OF PI

1 large slice crystallized ginger

4 splashes bitters

Polar Vanilla Seltzer

Julienne ginger and add to glass. Add bitters, and then Polar Seltzer just before serving. Stir gently.

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play with your food: a very veggie world cookbook

 Cooking With the Walnut, Reading with Walnuts
May 232012
 

My 7-year-old’s latest trick? Turning her dinner into her own culinary creations. Chicken and baked potatoes turns into “chicken boat wonders.” Bread folded over and dipped in salad dressing becomes “juicy bread.”  As much as it irks me that my daughter just can’t eat a meal without turning it into a project, I’m can’t say I blame her. I remember “sculpting” scoops of chocolate ice cream into igloos, while talking to myself in a Julia Child voice  when I was her age (don’t ask). And after being home sick from school recently, she became enchanted with the Food Network and now tunes into episodes of “Chopped” whenever she remembers (I kid you not). So with her birthday fast approaching, I thought a kid-friendly cookbook would be ideal. So when A Very Veggie World , from the makers of Country Crock and written by noted cookbook author Claire Crespo, recently landed on my desk, I knew I had just the right gift for my budding chef. Stocked with tons of meatless dishes, this cookbook features tons of fun ways to pair veggies with food you may very well already have in the pantry or fridge. Recipes vary from basic–”Beautiful Butterflies,” fashioned from squash and carrots–to the more hands-on, like “Pizza Flag, adorned with tomatoes, mozzarella and spinach. Accompanying each entry are glossy photographs that will have little ones salivating with hunger, even fussy ones who refuse to eat anything green.  Our favorites? Molecular Model Brussels Sprouts and Mt. Veggie Volcanoes. Sounds like a science lesson in the making…

In a Nutshell: Please pass the peas. This family cookbook may put a stop to the “no dessert until…” argument once and for all.

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v-day giveaway: sweetyhigh.com

 Cooking With the Walnut, Wired Walnuts
Feb 022012
 

My 13-year-old niece loves to bake, and I like to think that over the years, we’ve helped cultivate her passion. When she was in elementary school, we gave her a recipe box filled with kid-friendly dishes. And this past Christmas, she was tasked with the honor of making individual cakes for dessert. If you know a tween who knows her way around the kitchen, encourage her to dust off her apron and roll up her sleeves. Sweetyhigh.com, a new social networking site for young girls, has offered The Talking Walnut a special Valentine’s Day giveaway. One lucky winner will be awarded a special baking kit that contains the following:

2 Heart Shaped Plates

1 Petite Pie Mold with Heart-shaped cut-out

1 Set of Valentine’s themed confections

1 Heart-shaped cookie cutter

2 Heart embroidered kitchen towels

1 Spatula

Whether she wants to whip up a special dessert for her Valentine or just for Dear Ol’ Dad, this kit will definitely let her capture his heart, not to mention his appetite! SweetyHigh.com members can also enter to win future contests, including a grand prize baking kit, by becoming a friend on Facebook or following SweetyHigh.com on Twitter.

In a Nutshell: To enter your chance to win this kit, contact The Talking Walnut and let us know who you’ll be baking for this year and why your Valentine is so special to you. We’ll select one random winner and post the results on Valentine’s Day. This contest closes on Friday, February 10, 2012 at 5 pm EST, and is open to U.S. residents only. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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mommy’s comfort food

 Cooking With the Walnut, Feeding the Little Walnuts
Oct 192011
 

To your average kid, milk and cookies is the ideal cure for the rainy day blues. Sinking one’s teeth into a chocolate chip-studded little number, washed down by a tall glass of ice-cold milk, can be just the thing to erase the pain of a forgotten library book or a silly spat with a friend. For grown-ups like me, my idea of comfort food at 3 p.m. doesn’t stray so far from the kid version, but I do like to think that my taste is a bit more refined than the store-bought variety (no offense, Keebler Elf). I admit that I’m not a tremendous connoisseur when it comes to cookies and other baked goods, so when I do choose to indulge, it needs to be the good stuff. Well, I think that I have finally found heaven in a bakery bag: homemade cookies from bakeshop. When I dove into a bag on this wet, dreary fall afternoon, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but the packaging alone piqued my appetite. Freshly baked cookies beckoned at me through the see-through window of a brown bag tied with–what else–bakery string (I relish details!). As I waited for my tea kettle to boil, I perused the back of the bag containing lemon butter cookies: nothing but all-fresh ingredients and a stamped date to let me know when they had been baked (2 days ago! I’d better get snacking…). With a steaming mug of tea in hand, I was ready to experiment. Suffice it to say I don’t know which part of me loved these mouthwatering cookies more: my salivary glands or my very satisfied tummy. They are unbelievably delectable with just the right amount of sweetness. Because every bag of bakeshop cookies is handmade in small batches, they taste like they just came out of the oven.  On top of the lemon butter cookies, there are plenty of other varieties–from waffle cookies to whoopie pies–along with brownies, marshmallows and sea salt caramels. And don’t even get us started on the Cookie of the Month club. We may just have to send that one to ourselves…Take that, rainy day!

In a Nutshell: With goodies from bakeshop, you can now say the words “cookies” and “grown-up” in the same sentence. And, if your kids play nice, maybe you’ll even share some with them.

take me to your eater

 Cooking With the Walnut, Feeding the Little Walnuts
Oct 032011
 

My 7-year-old came home from the school the other day, raving about a fellow second grader’s in-class birthday party. “Mom, guess what everyone got?,” she enthused, salivating as she managed to get the words out. “Their own smoothie! Isn’t that awesome?” Yes, if you feel you can’t quite keep up with the Joneses when it comes to birthday celebrations for the kiddies, now you can really feel like your Mom of the Year award should be plucked down off the mantel. C’mon now, do you still bake those Duncan Hines brownies for class birthdays or, worse yet, pick up Munchkins on the way home from the office? For shame! Regardless of whether you work or stay at home with your kids, every mom likes to feel like a superhero in her kid’s eyes when it comes to their birthday. I say, if you can make your own culinary creation stand out from the masses, then go for it. I’m no whiz in the kitchen, but I do like to add a personal touch to whatever I’m cooking or baking. It’s why we love the new Edible Icing Cupcake Toppers from Hello Hanna. They come in thin sheets of decorative, gluten-free designs (safe for classmates with food allergies) that peel off and press right on. Just bake and frost your signature cupcakes like usual, and add these as a fun way to top things off. They come in plenty of designs and styles to appeal to everyone from princess-loving preschoolers, to robot enthusiasts of any age. So fun and festive. Plus, you get to add a candle and let the birthday kid make a wish. With a smoothie? Not so much…

In a Nutshell: Punch up ho-hum birthday treats with ever-so-memorable cupcake toppers that will have the kids vying for seconds.

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what’s for dinner?

 Cooking With the Walnut, Feeding the Little Walnuts
Jul 292011
 

It’s the age-old question for moms across the world–and one that never seems to produce a satisfactory response unless it’s “pizza,” “Chinese” or some form of take-out. Some nights, it takes all the strength you can muster just to open up a can of soup or microwave a frozen dinner. But when a sandwich just won’t cut the mustard in your house (as is the case in mine!), it’s time to scour the cupboard and rummage up whatever staple can be made into a meal. That’s when childhood comfort foods like Chef Boyardee come in handy. Believe it or not, a can of this stuff is a starter ingredient for an entirely new bunch of dinnertime recipes like Taco-roni, Ravioli Lasagna (shown here) and Cheeseburger-roni. To help you get started in the kitchen, The Talking Walnut is offering a Chef Boyardee giveaway: a lunchbag containing 2 cans of Beefaroni and recipe cards (valued at $15). We will select one random winner between now and 5 p.m. EST on August 1, 2011. Enter now to win. Bon appetit!

In a Nutshell: A kiddie food favorite is all grown-up with a handful of new recipes. Hats off to the Chef!

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hot dog!

 Cooking With the Walnut, Feeding the Little Walnuts
May 312011
 

Memorial Day weekend just can’t be complete without a good, old fashioned BBQ. Whether you played chef in your own backyard or were a guest at a friend’s or family’s gathering this weekend, you hopefully enjoyed what will be the first of many meals centered around the grill. And if there’s ever an American staple during a summertime feast, it’s the hotdog. We can’t seem to go to a ballgame without sampling one, and it’s always a favorite among the kiddies. In the spirit of the season, The Talking Walnut is holding a Hebrew National giveaway this week. We’ll be awarding 2 lucky winners 4 sets of coupons, each good for a free package of hot dogs. It’s a great excuse to stock up on plenty of dogs to get you through those impromptu, “it’s too hot to kick indoors, let’s grill” nights, or for any BBQ you have planned over the next few months. To whet your appetite, here’s a delish recipe for franks and beans that you can bring to a potluck dinner.

In a Nutshell: Fire up the grill and enter to win these tasty dogs by e-mailing The Talking Walnut. Don’t forget the mustard and relish!

 

 

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cupcakes for wee folk

 Cooking With the Walnut
Mar 102011
 

With St. Patty’s Day fast approaching, it’s time to whip up a feast of corned beef and cabbage–and don’t forget the Irish soda bread. But even if you’re not a culinary wonder, you can get still get your Irish up and make a festive treat to bring to the class party. Cupcake Cuties takes the otherwise vanilla task of cranking out yet another two-dozen cupcakes and gives it personality. These themed cupcake decorating kits contain all the trimmings you’ll need to make an unforgettable batch, including 24 decorative wrappers, pastry bag and plenty of toppings. We’re tickled “green” over the St. Patty’s Day kit, with its shamrock candy confetti and laughing leprechaun holders. Be sure to check out the innovative sushi roll and popcorn kits, too. No matter the holiday or special occasion, there’s a Cupcake Cuties kit that will have everyone smiling…just like those Irish eyes.

In a Nutshell: You won’t need to count on the luck of the Irish to pull off a savory St. Patty’s Day treat, thanks to this line of cupcake kits.

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let’s eat

 Cooking With the Walnut
Jan 042011
 

Every mother has her least favorite time of day with the kids and for me, that would be dinnertime, hands down. Maybe it’s because I can’t quite keep up with the ever-changing demands of my toddler who once had a penchant for vegetables and now will hardly eat a crust of bread. My 6-year-old is no bargain either, although she is venturing outside the fish sticks realm and into real (gasp!) fried flounder. I proudly claim to be one of those moms who makes a home-cooked meal almost every school night (barring Pizza Night on Thursdays). I figure since I work from home, I should be able to pull off dinner that doesn’t come from a take-out bag, right? Plus, I secretly relish the fact  that my kids are learning to eat “grown-up food” since they started solids. But like any Chef Mom, I can always use some inspiration. That’s why I am savoring the Time for Dinner cookbook that I recently received as a Christmas gift. Written by a trio of moms who are the former editors of Cookie magazine, this book speaks to me like a friend walking alongside me as I cruise the aisles of Stop ‘n Shop. They know the lingo that speaks to harried moms looking to get food on the table  (“bribery booty”), and have innovative ideas for experimenting with future foodies (ice-cube-tray-sushi, anyone?). One chapter I’m aspiring to addresses my greatest desire: “I Want to Have a Family Dinner Where We All Eat the Same Meal.” But for now, I think I’ll settle for a meal made from scratch…even if I do have to get up to refill milk glasses for the umpteenth time.

In a Nutshell: Make a New Year’s resolution to yourself and your family and break out the dinnertime rut. This book will tell you how, even if you don’t know your way around a blender.

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thankful for gluten-free treats

 Cooking With the Walnut, The Healthy Walnut
Nov 012010
 

Just one day past Halloween and my sweet tooth has kicked into overdrive. Between now and January 1st, my 1st grader’s “social life” seems to be a steady endless stream of parties that include tasty treats. How fun it must all be….unless you’re a child with allergies. One of her classmates can’t have anything with gluten, and anytime there is a class party, he must trek down to the nurse’s office to retrieve one of his gluten-free cupcakes from the freezer. I can only imagine how tiresome that can get after a while. Maybe this is why Stacey J. Miller’s book, 101 Recipes for Gluten-Free Microwave Mug Cakes, caught my attention. It’s chock-full of delightful desserts that are simple as baking can be: baked inside a microwave and involving minimal ingredients. Check out Gingerbread Microwave Mug Cake, Pumpkin Cheesecake Microwave Mug Cake and, our favorite, Molasses Pudding Microwave Mud Cake. If your child or someone you know has a strict gluten-free diet, this cookbook may put a smile on their face–and keep it there through the new year.

In a Nutshell: Kids with gluten allergies can finally have their cake and eat it too, thanks to this yummy cookbook.

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