THE PERFECT SUMMER HOSTESS GIFT: MAKE A BLOODY MARY GIFT BASKET

If you have been invited to visit friends at their lake or beach home this summer, you most certainly will take something to say thank you but it isn’t always easy to figure out what to take. I’ve got the perfect answer for you- make them a Bloody Mary gift basket! This is always a favorite when I show up with it- and it is so easy to assemble.

Get a nice, sturdy basket. I get mine at the farmer’s market.

Start with your favorite Bloody Mary mix. I like Zing Zang, Major Peters, McClure’s, and Tabasco. Sometimes, I make my own and bottle in canning jars, but it has to be kept cool. Here is that recipe.

Next, add some or all of the following:

• VODKA

• HOT SAUCE

• OLD BAY SEASONING

• PICKLED OKRA- Wickles makes a good one!

• CORNICHONS OR PETITE PICKLES

• PICKLED GREEN BEANS

• PICKLED PEARL ONIONS

• CELERY SALT

• HORSERADISH

• GREEN OLIVES

• PRETTY COCKTAIL NAPKINS

• STIRRERS

• FUN PLASTIC CUPS (some places will not allow glass on the beach, so disposable or reusable plastic is good. Swoozie’s has fun ones, and you can always find them on Etsy or Amazon.)

You can add fresh peppers from your garden, too, if you have them.

Wrap it all up with cellophane and tie it with a bow. Your hostess will love it!

HOW-TO: LEMON SIMPLE SYRUP

There is a lot of talk on social media about LEMONADE these days...  which has me thinking about my favorite summer beverage....  not Beyonce's record. Lemonade based drinks and cocktails are always part of summer fun so I'm sharing my secret that takes ordinary lemonade to another level. I use lemon simple syrup to sweeten it which is so much better than dumping in sugar and stirring until it dissolves. You can use lemon simple syrup in many different cocktails or to sweeten iced tea. During the summer, I keep some in the fridge- it will keep in a Mason jar for 2-3 weeks.

When I'm using lemons for cooking or baking, I always zest them first before juicing them. I put the zest in a quart sized Mason jar filled with granulated sugar. I add the zest to the sugar and shake it up- that way, when I want to make lemon simple syrup, I have the lemon sugar ready to go. It will keep in the Mason jar for 2-3 months but best if used within a few weeks.

LEMON SIMPLE SYRUP

Makes 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 4 lemons)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

DIRECTIONS

Add the lemon zest to the sugar. Put water in a pan over high heat.. Add the lemon sugar. Stir. Bring to a boil and remove from heat immediately, stirring to make sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow to cool completely.

Strain into a glass container, like a Mason jar. Press the remaining zest with the back of a wooden spoon to remove all of the syrup from it before discarding it.

Use the lemon simple syrup for one of these LEMONADE RECIPES!

HOW-TO: CLEANING AND RE-SEASONING CAST IRON COOKWARE

HOW TO CLEAN AND PRESERVE YOUR CAST IRON

I am so fortunate to be in possession of some of my mother’s cast iron skillets, probably the most precious thing I own besides the tiny diamond engagement ring my father gave her when they married. I remember as a kid, on Sundays after church, standing on the wobbly kitchen stool beside the stove, hovering over that big cast iron Dutch oven, just waiting for my mom to signal for me to turn the fried chicken. The menu rarely changed: fried chicken, rice, gravy, biscuits, and English peas or string beans.

My collection has grown over the years… and because I have so much, I don’t use all of it like I should. That is the key to keeping your cast iron in perfect condition, my mom taught me.

Every winter, I find an afternoon to go through my collection of cast iron. I wash, dry, and oil it well, re-seasoning the pieces that need it. I’ve been asked many times how I do it---here’s the way I was taught (and a few tips from Lodge and Southern Living, too). Hope this helps you keep your treasured heirloom cast iron pieces in perfect condition to hand down to your own kids someday.

CLEANING CAST IRON

1. Always hand wash your cast iron with a very mild soap with a sponge or cloth. Never use harsh soap, a metal scrubber or rough scouring pad on cast iron unless you intend to re-season it.

2. If there is baked on food residue, place the warm pan under running water and use a plastic spatula to gently push the residue from the surface.

3. Dry immediately.

4. Apply a very light coat of vegetable oil (I use Crisco shortening). Wipe it onto the pan, making sure to get into the corners or curves of the pan.

5. Wipe the excess away using a lint-free cloth or towel. Paper towels leave a residue. You want a light coating of oil, not a sticky surface. The oil helps protect the pan from moisture.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FIND RUST OR DISCOLORATION

1. Use a scouring pad to scour the rust from the pan.

2. Follow steps 1-3 above.

3. If the situation doesn’t improve, re-season the pan to restore it to its original condition.

RE-SEASONING CAST IRON

If food begins to stick to the surface of your cast iron or if you see a discoloration as shown on the image above on the cooking surface, you will need to re-season the piece. You may have to do this more than once to achieve a glossy, smooth black surface.

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2. Clean the surface of the pan or piece with hot water and a stiff wire brush.
   

3. Rinse and dry completely using a lint-free cloth.

4. Add a thin coat of melted Crisco shortening (use a solid shortening only) to all of the inside and outside surfaces of the piece. Too much shortening will result in a sticky surface.

5. Place a sheet pan or piece of aluminum foil on the bottom rack of your oven.

6. Invert the pan and put it directly onto the top rack.

7. Bake for one hour and then turn the pan over. Turn the oven off and allow the oven and pan to cool completely before you remove it.

8. Repeat as necessary.