Baker's Theory

Ginger-Garlic Chicken and Rice Lettuce Wraps

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Healthy, fresh, and DELICIOUS

If you’re looking for a refreshing, light lunch that you’ll feel good about, you’ve found the right recipe. These ginger-garlic chicken and rice lettuce wraps are made around the clock in our house and I just adore them. They’ve got a great crunch from the lettuce and pickled cabbage and some real substance with grilled chicken and steamed rice. But the secret sauce to this recipe is actually the secret sauce. 

A little food prep

Grilling, slow-cooking, or boiling chicken to have ready on hand is such a helpful task to make eating healthy WAY easier. I do this a few times a week so we have fresh chicken ready to throw into any recipe. A food scale makes measuring proportions much easier, too! 1 lb of chicken can make 4-5 servings!

Same goes for rice! I love white jasmine rice and cook about 2/3 cup of dry rice with 1 1/2 cups water and a little bit of Better than Bullion chicken base. This yields about three servings, and what’s great about these lettuce wraps is you eat the rice cold, so there’s no need to heat it up later. 

The recipe I have listed is for a single serving, but I more often make the secret sauce in bulk because I use it so often. If you’d like to do this, too, just multiply everything by four, and remember 3 tsp = 1 tbsp. 

Eating healthier

I have been in self-improvement mode lately, trying to recalibrate and reach some inner peace. A large part of that is affected by whether I’m eating a healthy, balanced diet. Using a calorie-counting and macronutrient-tracking app (Lifesum), I’ve been able to apply my creative cooking knowledge to developing some healthier recipes. These ginger-garlic chicken and rice lettuce wraps are one of my favorite creations. 

Eating a diet with balanced macronutrients (macros) means keeping your carbohydrate, protein, and fat calories within designated limits, such as 50-20-30. That is, 50% of your calories come from carbohydrates, 20% from protein, and 30% from fat. At the onset, this was very difficult for me to achieve! I realized a disproportionate amount of my caloric intake came from fats (hello butter, olive oil, and cheese…). Thankfully I’m figuring it out and these lettuce wraps hit the spot perfectly–they’re delicious and they’re within the macro count I need. I hope you love them, too!

Try these recipes, too!

Ginger-garlic Chicken and Rice Lettuce Wraps

Alex
Low-calorie, macro-balanced, super delicious and zingy lettuce wraps. Full of veggies, protein, and rice for ultimate balance.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American, Asian, Chinese, Thai
Servings 1
Calories 320 kcal

Ingredients
  

Quick pickled cabbage

  • 2 tsp White vinegar
  • 1 cup Shredded cabbage
  • pinch Salt and sugar

Secret Sauce

  • ¼ tsp Fresh ginger grated
  • 1 clove Fresh garlic grated
  • ½ Lime zested and juiced
  • 1 tsp Toasted sesame seed oil
  • ½ tsp Honey
  • ¼ tsp Everything but the Bagel seasoning
  • ¼ tsp Seasoned rice vinegar
  • 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ tsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp Creamy peanut butter

Everything else

  • 3-4 oz Chicken breast cooked and shredded or chopped
  • 3 giant leaves Lettuce Romaine hearts or iceberg
  • 1 tbsp Lightly salted peanuts
  • ⅓ cup Cooked rice

Instructions
 

Quick Pickled Cabbage

  • In a medium-sized bowl, toss together cabbage, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Refrigerate while you make the sauce.

Secret Sauce

  • Grate fresh, peeled ginger into a small bowl. Grate a clove of garlic and half a lime.
  • Slice open the lime and juice one half into the bowl.
  • Add sesame seed oil, honey, everything bagel seasoning, soy sauce, peanut butter, mustard, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk together.

Final Assembly

  • Add chopped chicken to the secret sauce and toss to coat.
  • Assemble three large lettuce leaves on a plate with the thick, outside vein face down. Distribute cooked rice on top of the leaves. Follow with the chicken and pickled cabbage. Sprinkle peanuts on top and serve.
Keyword healthy meals, lettuce wraps, macro balanced recipes

Pineapple Basil Drop Scones

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If you like piña coladas...

As I continue daydreaming of Hawaii, I thought I’d bring to life one of the recipes I was inspired to make while we were at the Pearl Harbor gift shop: pineapple scones. But these have a twist: basil.

Pineapple and basil work surprisingly well together. I think they’re the new “it” couple of Summer 2022 since they’re splashed on the cover of last month’s Food Network Magazine. Very fresh and reminiscent of a piña colada, pineapple basil scones make perfect sense. These scones also feature coconut flakes, lime zest, and of course, a rum glaze. So if you like piña coladas, try this recipe.

Unique ingredients

There’s a meme of Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, that chides her for specifying overly exotic ingredients in her recipes. “If you don’t have butter salted with the tears of German milkmaids, store bought is fine.” 

I mostly laugh at this, but as I buy foods to stock my pantry, I have to admit I have my fair share of fancy ingredients. This recipe is no exception!

  • Pastry flour. Yes, you can use all purpose flour, too. But pastry flour is more delicate and light. It’s ideal for scones. 
  • Candied pineapple. I’ve never used fresh pineapple on these, but I imagine they’d turn out soggy. I wouldn’t recommend it. You can find candied pineapple in the produce section of the grocery store by the nuts.
  • Coconut chips. I buy unsweetened coconut flakes from Trader Joe’s. I like the texture better than shredded, but either work. 
  • Fresh basil. Not dried! Thai basil works, too! It gives it a licorice-y flavor.
  • Lime and coconut extract. Lime and coconut make pineapple and basil a fun double date. I use McCormick’s. If you don’t have these extracts, vanilla extract is fine!

Yes, they freeze well

This recipe yields 14 scones, and I don’t know about you, but that’s a lot for me to eat within the shelf life of a batch of scones. I will typically freeze half the batch, glaze and all, in a Ziplock gallon freezer bag. When I’m ready to dig into them, I pull however many I need out to thaw for 10 minutes before serving them. They taste exactly the same as fresh!

Spotlight Brunch Item

These scones were, as Bob Ross might say, a happy little accident I made while dabbling in the kitchen. And it turns out they were a huge hit among my friends. They are so simple to make because they are drop scones, which means you plop them straight on the baking sheet, so there’s no need to flour up your clean counter. And they’re so fresh and delicious. I serve them with Trader Joe’s pineapple spread. 

I hope they make it to your breakfast table! 

 

Like this? Try these.

Pineapple Basil Drop Scones

Alex
Quick, easy, fresh breakfast scones
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American
Servings 14

Ingredients
  

Pineapple Basil Scones

  • 1 stick Butter Cubed into 1/4" pieces
  • 3 cups Pastry flour All purpose is fine, too
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 2/3 cup Candied pineapple chopped into 1/4" pieces
  • 1/3 cup Unsweetened coconut flakes Trader Joe's brand
  • 1/2 cup Fresh basil chopped
  • 1/2 cup Sour cream
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1 Egg
  • Zest Lime
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract or 1 tsp if not using lime and coconut extracts
  • 1/4 tsp Coconut extract optional
  • 1/4 tsp Lime extract optional

Lime Rum Glaze

  • 1 cup Powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp Rum
  • Juice of one lime about 1-2 tbsp

Instructions
 

Pineapple Basil Scones

  • Toss butter and flour together in a mixing bowl, squishing it with your hands to create a fine crumble. You can also use a pastry cutter.
  • When butter is coated in flour and pea-size, add in sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir.
  • Add in candied pineapple, coconut, and basil, mixing with your hands until homogenous.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together sour cream, milk, egg, lime zest, and extracts. Pour over the flour mixture and stir with a spoon until just combined. Batter should be sticky but thick enough to hold its shape.
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup or ice cream scoop, drop scone batter onto the pan, 7 per pan.
  • Place the scone-lined pans in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes. While they chill, preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Bake the sheets one at a time, for 20-22 minutes, rotating half way through baking.
  • While they are baking, prepare the glaze. Allow the scones to cool completely before glazing them.

Lime Rum Glaze

  • In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lime juice, and rum.
  • Pour into an icing bag or quart-sized Ziplock and snip the tip to glaze the cooled scones.
Keyword pineapple basil, scones

“Ooh Mommy!” Umami Summer Salad

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The salad to rule them all

This salad, my friends, is my pride and joy. (Next to Sophie, of course.) I am a little savory obsessed and can never seem to get enough of the umami vibes. So I took everything I love in salad and put it in here, and now I am sharing it with you because when you discover something this wonderful, you shouldn’t keep it to yourself. I think this salad will just about make you shout, “Ooh, mommy!” It’s so delicious and beautiful.

Food is much more pleasurable to eat when it’s presented nicely, don’t you think? This has vibrant greens from arugula and avocado, pale greens from artichoke hearts and pistachios, dark reds from sun dried tomatoes and toasted prosciutto, a pop of fuchsia from radishes, lavender from the shallots, and that toasty, golden brown from fresh croutons. 

It’s paint with your plate and feast with your eyes. 

Perfect salad for entertaining

I love this salad for entertaining because first off, it’s really easy. I usually have all of the ingredients. And second, it’s so savory that it can be a really great main dish if you want to offer a lighter meal of substance. 

And it just plates so beautifully that guests will be drawn to its beauty and composition.

You can use any vinaigrette, but I love to make a quick one myself that I learned from Ina Garten. It is 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, and 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Season to your taste. I like to use Trader Joe’s Green Goddess seasoning. The mustard emulsifies the oil and vinegar so you have a smooth, zingy dressing. 

Another fun upgrade I use on this salad is homemade croutons. I learned this from my mother-in-law who makes the best croutons! You cube up whatever bread you have on hand. I love to use a mini baguette or leftover ciabatta. Let the cubes sit out overnight on a pan, or at least an hour if you’re in a pinch. Toss them in oil and seasonings (Trader Joe’s Green Goddess, ahem), and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. They turn out so golden and crisp! 

Salad for one

I love making this salad fresh, just for myself, and have it frequently for dinner. The biggest difference between serving one and serving 4-6 is that I mix the dressing right in the bowl I will eat out of, and then I toss the arugula in it before adding any other ingredients.

Salad dressing for one is very easy: 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard, and whatever seasonings you like, usually about a 1/4 tsp of them. Whisk it up so the oil and vinegar come together via the mustard, and then coat the arugula in it.  

"Ooh, Mommy!" Umami Summer Salad

The best salad for entertaining or eating all by yourself on a hot summer evening. Full of delicious savory ingredients and vegetables.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Buffet, Dinner, Lunch, Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

Simple Vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1/2 tsp more if you like it extra zesty
  • 1 tsp Green Goddess seasoning
  • Salt as desired

Salad

  • 3 cups Fresh arugula
  • 6-9 Fresh radishes sliced thinly
  • 1 Shallot minced
  • 8 Marinated artichoke heart halves halved
  • 1/4 cup Sun dried tomatoes drained
  • 1/2 cup Shaved parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup Raw pistachios
  • 7 slices Prosciutto baked on parchment at 350F for 10 minutes
  • 1 cup Croutons* see note
  • 1 Avocado sliced

Instructions
 

Dressing

  • In a 1 cup liquid measuring cup, measure out olive oil. Add vinegar, mustard, and seasonings. Whisk until emulsified. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Salad

  • Layer the bottom of the bowl with arugula.
  • Top with sliced radishes, minced shallot, marinated artichokes, and sun dried tomatoes.
  • Sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese, and pistachios. Shatter the baked prosciutto over everything. Fried bacon works well, too, if you don't have prosciutto.
  • Top with croutons and sliced avocado. Serve with dressing on the side.

Notes

To make fresh croutons, use a serrated knife to cut about 6-8 oz of bread into 3/4" cubes. Set the cubes on a large pan and set it in an unheated oven overnight. This allows the bread to dry out. The next day drizzle the bread cubes with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of salt and parsley flakes. Bake on the pan at 350F for 20 minutes. 
Keyword savory salad, umami

Chocolate-Filled Hawaiian Malasadas

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I have another Hawaiian recipe to share because despite three weeks passing, I still am daydreaming about our amazing vacation to Hawaii (which you can read about here). One of my favorite spots in Hawaii was Leonard’s Bakery in Honolulu. Leonard’s serves malasadas which are Portguese donuts covered in cinnamon sugar. I went back for seconds of the chocolate filled ones. 

Like Leonard's, but better

My malasada
Leonard's malasada

When I sunk my teeth into my first Hawaiian malasada–which was a chocolate custard-filled malasada known as “Dobash”–it was instant love. And I began calculating how I could replicate this treat at home. The donut is crustier than most raised donuts, so bread flour works best. The chocolate custard on the inside was more like pudding, and I have to admit my chocolate custard is even better than Leonard’s. 

Raising Donuts

Making malasadas is similar to making most donuts, except we use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour. The dough is made of 3 eggs, yeast, sugar, warm milk, sour cream, butter, and bread flour. You can do 2-3 risings before frying, the third being after you’ve cut them into circles. 

For the custard, I used my chocolate pudding recipe with a few tweaks to produce a thick, luscious custard. I also used a marinade injector to plunge the custard into the fried malasadas. I got mine at Home Goods, but this one at Sur La Table looks fun!

You’ll also need a candy thermometer to gauge the temperature of the frying oil. It should be at 350F when you’re ready to fry the donuts, and it’ll drop as you put in the “cold” dough, so you’ll want it to heat up again before the next batch.

This recipe makes about 20 3″ in diameter malasadas, so you’ll have a lot of batches!

Chocolate-filled Hawaiian Malasada

Alex
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Rising Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 4 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Hawaiian
Servings 20

Ingredients
  

Donuts

  • 2 tbsp Warm water
  • 1 tbsp Instant yeast
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 2 tbsp Butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
  • 3-4 cups Bread flour
  • Vegetable oil for frying
  • 1/2 cup Sugar plus 1 tbsp cinnamon for sprinkling

Chocolate custard filling

  • 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 3 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup Sour cream
  • 1½ cups Milk
  • 2 Egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1/2 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp Almond extract

Instructions
 

Donuts

  • In a stand mixer bowl combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together milk and sour cream and microwave for 30 seconds.
  • In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together milk, sour cream, and butter, and microwave for 30 seconds.
  • Add to the milk the two egg yolks and whisk until combined. Pour over the yeast and sugar.
  • Fit bowl into the stand mixer with the dough hook and add 1 cup of bread flour. Turn mixer on low and continue adding a half cup of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3-4 cups of flour total.
  • Dough should be sticky but not stuck to the bowl. Pull the dough out and grease the stand mixer bowl with oil and place dough back in. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour.
  • Flip dough over after it has risen and allow to rise again, covered, for an hour. Prepare custard while the dough rises.
  • Roll dough out onto a clean, floured surface so that is 3/4" thick. Use a cup or 3" biscuit cutter to cut round circles of dough. You can re-use scrap dough. You can allow the cut dough to rise one more time for a half hour, or you can go straight to frying.
  • Line a large cooling rack with paper towels.
  • In a deep bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1 tbsp ground cinnamon.
  • Heat a heavy-bottomed pot of vegetable oil, at least 2" deep, to 350°F. Fry donuts in batches, 1-2 minutes on each side. Allow the vegetable oil to return to 350°F before beginning the next batch.
  • Place fried donuts in the cinnamon-sugar bowl and transfer to the lined cooling rack.
  • When all the donuts have been fried and coated with cinnamon sugar, you can inject them with the custard.

Chocolate custard

  • In a medium sauce pan, whisk together cocoa powder, sugar, and cornstarch.
  • In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk, sour cream, and egg yolks. Pour over the cocoa mixture.
  • Turn the heat to medium and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened significantly.
  • Turn the heat off, and add the butter, chocolate chips, and extracts. Cool slightly.
  • When donuts are ready, use a flavor injecting syringe to inject 15 mL of custard into the side of each donut.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

Can be reheated by microwaving for 10-20 seconds on full power. 
Keyword malasadas

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Maui Garlic Fried Noodles

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When we were on Maui, I took a surfing lesson, and afterwards I was so  supremely famished that we walked to a nearby spot for lunch called Three’s Bar & Grill. There we shared a plate of kahlua pork nachos and garlic fried Iwamoto noodles. Ever since then, we have been hooked, Jim has started using chopsticks, and I have attempted to recreate them every day for lunch. 

These garlic fried noodles are so special and simple, I just have to share them with you. I hope one bite takes you all the way to Maui. 

Iwamoto noodles

Sadly, unless you live on Maui, you cannot easily obtain the firm and chewy delight that is Iwamoto noodles. If you have an Asian grocery store, I’d try out some of the lo mein or chow mein noodles. Thick and chewy is the texture you’re after. 

For me, I have found success with the Lotus Foods brand of ramen noodles that are made from brown rice and millet (2 grams of fiber per noodle pack!) And while it’s not the same as our beloved Maui noodles, it’s still delectable and accessible (I got a 12 pack at Costco). 

This noodle dish comes together really quickly. Essentially, you heat up vegetable oil with a touch of sesame seed oil and fry garlic in it until the garlic is golden. Toss in a little red pepper flakes and it’s the same start as aglio e olio. We’re making Italian Japanese food! 

Then comes the glorious part. Squeeze into the pan tomato paste and break it up so the oil turns reddish orange. Add a few dashes of Worcestershire and soy sauce and a healthy few shakes of everything bagel seasoning. Stir, stir, stir and toss in the cooked noodles. 

Chives or green onions, a soft poached egg, and peanuts garnish these noodles to a whole new level. I poach the egg in the same water I boiled the noodles in. These Hawaiian garlic fried noodles have quickly become a staple in our house and I hope you enjoy them!

Maui Garlic Fried Noodles

Alex
A simple Hawaiian noodle dish with fried garlic, red pepper flakes, and everything bagel seasoning.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Hawaiian, Japanese
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 5 oz Ramen noodles (dry) about two packs
  • 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp Sesame seed oil
  • 8 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/8 tsp Red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp Tomato pastee
  • 1/4 tsp Everything bagel seasoning
  • 3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Soy sauce
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 tbsp Chives or scallions, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Peanuts for garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a medium pot, bring some water to a boil and drop in the ramen noodles. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
  • While ramen is cooking, in a large skillet heat up the vegetable and sesame seed oil. When oil is shimmering, drop in the minced garlic. Stir fry until the garlic is golden.
  • Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and stir. Quickly squeeze in the tomato paste and break it up with a wooden spoon so that it melts into the oil and turns it orange.
  • Once the tomato paste has melted, add in the everything bagel seasoning, the Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Stir quickly to not burn the seeds and then lower the heat.
  • The ramen should be done at this point and you can use tongs to transfer it to the skillet to coat it in the sauce. Toss in the sauce and turn off the heat.
  • In the same pot the noodles were cooked in, crack two eggs in and poach for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked medium. Scoop out and place over noodles.
  • Sprinkle with chives/green onions and peanuts and serve.

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BT Goes to Hawaii

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Sometimes we must nourish and feed our adventurous spirit just as much as rumbling tummies, and this was definitely the case when I first proposed to my husband that we travel to Hawaii for our 2022 vacation. 

Crawling out of our Midwestern winter hibernations, I was desperate for warmth, outdoor activity, and natural beauty. Hawaii delivered and then some. If you’re looking to travel to Hawaii in 2022, here’s how this foodie and her husband did it! 

Travel in style

Wherever you’re traveling from, Hawaii is far away. If there is ever a right time to treat yourself and upgrade to first class, it’s on the long flight to Hawaii! That’s what we ended up doing, and it was such a special way to start our trip! Of course, the food was amazing! 

Between the reclining chairs that went completely flat into a bed and the bottomless mimosas, first class was a lovely prelude to an incredible vacation. From now on, any flight longer than eight hours warrants an upgrade, in my opinion!

A few days on Oahu

We booked our first five days at the Marriott in Waikiki. This was our view! Waikiki is a popular beach neighborhood in Honolulu, which is the capitol of Hawaii and sits on the island of Oahu. We booked our hotel and rental car through Costco travel and highly recommend it. 

In addition to getting a four-star hotel and Camaro at a significantly reduced rate, we also got $200 in hotel credit to use towards hotel parking or restaurants, a free cabana day by the pool, and an $80 Costco gift card. 

First Night Dinner

We were very jetlagged our first day and walked around Waikiki Beach as long as we could before falling asleep at 7 p.m. local time! But I had to christen our first night by getting dinner at a local Hawaiian spot! Basalt is a grocery store and bar with casual Hawaiian food. There we shared two appetizers: charcoal bao pork belly buns and Peruvian-spiced beef on waffle fries. My husband is not the most adventurous eater and he really enjoyed Basalt! 

Activities on Oahu

Lanikai-Kailua Beaches

Lanikai Beach

Lanikai Beach was our first stop, and we got there early in the morning to snag parking close to the beach. We were the first ones to plop our chairs in the sand and dove in the calm, turquoise waters for some snorkeling. This was by far the best beach on our entire trip. 

Lanikai Beach
SUP in Kailua

Kailua Beach is right next to Lanikai Beach, and you can rent stand up paddleboards (SUP) and kayaks in Kailua. The water was pretty choppy on the water in Kailua, and the transport from the rental place to Kailua is long and winding. I can’t say I would recommend it, however, there is a shave ice store next to the rental place called Island Snow that is divine. 

Banana-vanilla shave ice from Island Snow in Kailua

Shave ice is a Hawaiian treat of delicately shaved ice soaked in flavored syrups. This one was Jim’s vanilla-banana shave ice. I aimed to have a shave ice every day of our trip. 

Hawaii is a destination you’ll need a car for,  and getting a convertible made our trip so much more enjoyable than a regular sedan. We got to capture views like this with the top down non-stop. I just love how the clouds hover over the green mountains. 

Iolani Palace

Hawaii has a rich history, of which you can catch a glimpse of at the Iolani Palace. The docent-led tour we had was informative and a huge complement to the James Michener book I was (am still) reading on Hawaii!

Pearl Harbor

On board the USS Bowfin
View from the USS Arizona Memorial

No trip to Oahu would be complete without visiting Pearl Harbor. This was Jim’s favorite activity of the entire trip! We split up Pearl Harbor into two separate half days. We visited the USS Arizona and USS Missouri in one morning, and the Submarine Museum and Bowfin in another afternoon. 

Leave it to me to find the kitchen on the battleship. 

This was taken on the USS Missouri, which is the battleship that the Japanese surrendered on during WWII. It actually was not even built when Pearl Harbor was attacked! 

There are several food trucks in Pearl City (very close to Pearl Harbor) and they are absolutely worth checking out! These were insanely delicious birria tacos. It was quick, cheap, local, and a massive flavor bomb. 

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay

Another must-see on Oahu is Hanauma Bay, a snorkeling haven! The most resplendent, beautiful fish live in the corals there. I spotted a parrotfish and the Hawaiian state fish, the humu humu nuku nuku a pua’a! 

Leonard's Malasadas

Ignoring conventional wisdom to avoid eating before swimming, we gorged ourselves on Leonard’s Bakery doughnuts before heading to Hanauma. Leonard’s makes malasadas, a Portuguese contribution to Hawaiian cuisine. They are filled with chocolate, vanilla, or coconut custard! 

A chocolate (dobash) malasada from Leonard's Bakery in Honolulu

Waimanalo Beach

On several occasions, my husband would declare some obscure fact about Magnum P.I., a cop show starring Tom Selleck that was filmed on Oahu. To indulge him, we drove past the house where filming took place, and to indulge me, we stopped at this gorgeous lookout over Waimanalo. 

Moana Surfrider

After our Maui leg, we spent the last day of our Hawaii trip back in Oahu. This time we stayed at the historic Moana Surfrider hotel,  the oldest hotel in Waikiki. It was right on Kamakaua Avenue near the high end shops, and also right on Waikiki Beach. We even got to take a ukulele lesson here!

Honolulu Coffee Company

Serving premium Kona coffee, Honolulu Coffee Co. is another must-try for any foodies traveling to Hawaii in 2022! There is no coffee like it, and for a hefty $45, you bring home a bag of Kona peaberry coffee beans! At Honolulu Coffee Co. you can also get an iconic açaì bowl. The. açaì berry is indigenous to South America, is very high in fiber, and when frozen, shapes up like sorbet. It’s like healthy ice cream for breakfast! Topped with cacao nibs, bananas, blueberries, and granola, I have made this many times since we’ve returned from Hawaii. 

Time in Maui

Lava rocks meet the ocean waves on the Hoapili Trail

The island of Maui has a very different vibe to it than Oahu. Oahu is more developed and metropolitan while Maui has more untouched land and a laid back attitude. We stayed in south western Maui in a town where many locals live called Kihei. 

A lot of people visiting Maui will stay on the west side of the island called the Kanapali coast, but having seen both, I can honestly say south Maui is superior in every way! 

Surfing in Kihei

Surfing lessons was my top favorite activity of the entire trip. It was $100 for a two-hour lesson and sea turtles showed up to see me surf! It was an incredible experience, and I think about it all the time. I took my lesson through Surf Club Maui which is a truck right in the beach parking lot, and I highly recommend them! I was up on the surfboard after just a few tries! (I would also recommend a massage following surfing because it’s quite a workout.)

Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm

Grown into the side of Mount Haleakala is a serene and bucolic lavender farm. So many exotic species of plants and flowers grow here, and they are the kind of flora you’ve never seen anywhere else in the world! Jim was a bit bored here, but he was a trooper while I ogled this charming, mountainside garden and delighted in a lavender scone with lavender lemonade!

Maui Ocean Center

The Maui Ocean Center is one of the best aquariums in the world! One of the reasons it’s so great is it can pull resources right out of its backyard. We saw sharks, stingrays, octopuses, and an infinite number of beautifully colorful fish. 

Maui Eats

Three’s Bar & Grill in Kihei was a big favorite for the garlic fried noodles and Kahlua pork nachos! Here is my husband eating with chopsticks! I’m so proud. One of the many reasons to love travel! Three’s was also right across from surf lessons, perfect after that workout.

Maui Brewing Company was another favorite where we got to try a flight of different beers and split a Neapolitan-style pizza and giant cookie. Jim works in the beer industry and provided me with a free lesson in beer processing while we waited for our table. 

We adopted the Kihei Cafe as our daily breakfast spot where we’d share our morning observing wild chickens and locals. This chia pudding bowl topped with toasted coconut and blueberries was one of my favorites.

Of course, I had to get my daily fix of shave ice, and this one was guava-coconut-lilikoi (passionfruit), topped with mochi and bottomed with macadamia nut ice cream. Picked it up in Lahaina, which was the old royal capital of Maui, and is where the whalers and world travelers would port in Hawaii. Lahaina is very historic, albeit touristy. 

Hoapili Trail

At the southern tip of Maui, past the affluent Wailea, is a hiking trail on black sand / ground up lava called the Hoapili trail. Waves shoot up through naturally formed lava formations and wild goats roam around while wind surfers and surfers bravely ride the gigantic waves. It’s a sight to behold and I will always remember it. 

Kamaole Beaches (1, 2, and 3)

It’s not a Hawaiian vacation without putting in some time reading on the beach! We really enjoyed the Kamaole beaches in Kihei to just relax and walk off breakfast. We thought Kamaole II was the best beach! Not too crowded, and not too mulch-y/seaweed-y. 

Kamaole II was also a great place to catch the sunset.

Future Travel

I think about our Hawaii trip every day and can’t wait to go back! I don’t like to return to many places after I’ve seen them once, but for Hawaii I will make an exception! For me, my next big trip is to New York City with my girlfriends, but for Jim and me, we drew places out of a hat to predict our next trip…Italy. 

Did you like this post? Try this one!

Chewy Chocolate Blueberry Granola Bars

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The best granola bar recipe

I have tried many granola bar recipes. Bake, no-bake, excessively chock-full of peanut butter, and always wilting or crumbly. It’s annoying and I decided to do something about it! So I have created the a chewy granola bar recipe that keeps it together, and is so darn delicious, I even eat it for dessert. 

These particular chewy granola bars are chocolate and blueberry, but the combinations are endless once you have the base recipe. I’d say these granola bars taste the most similar to the Quaker Chewy granola bars of any recipe I’ve tried so far. 

Ingredients

Rolled oats. There are two types of oatmeal in the world: rolled oats (old fashioned oats) and steel cut oats. You need rolled oats, and cannot substitute with steel cut oats. Steel cut oats are one of the purest, most unprocessed forms of oat you’ll find, so they need to be cooked for a long time to be edible.

Crispy rice cereal. Also known as Rice Krispies, this cereal gives the granola bars a much better texture than the standard granola bar recipe. 

Egg whites. Egg whites bind the granola together and keep it that way after it’s been baked. Most recipes call for peanut butter, but I find the amount needed to keep granola together is overwhelming, not to mention, very high fat. 

Honey, Butter, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon. More sweet emulsifiers. 

Ground flax seed. Secret ingredient. It adds a fiber boost and you don’t even know it’s there. I’m nowhere near the age where I should care deeply about fiber intake, but I’m here nonetheless. I get it at Trader Joe’s. 

Chocolate chips and dried blueberries. Of course, use which ever add-ins you want. I’ve made chocolate-almond-coconut that was absolutely delicious!

How to make chewy granola bars

I appreciate when a recipe doesn’t use excessive bowls and measuring spoons. This entire recipe comes together in just one bowl. I use a kitchen scale so I can pour or dump ingredients directly into the bowl without using a measuring cup or spoon (it really saves on doing dishes!), and I tare the scale, or zero it, between each new addition. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, not a problem. I provide the recipe in volumes, too. 

In a large bowl, melt a half stick of butter (4 tbsp) in the microwave, about 30 seconds. Place the bowl on a kitchen scale and tare it. Add 55 grams of brown sugar (about 1/4 cup packed), 84 grams of honey (1/4 cup), and half a teaspoon of cinnamon. Whisk together. Add in 46 grams of egg whites (about 3 tbsp), 21 grams of ground flax seed (3 tbsp), 172 grams of rolled oats (2 cups), and 27 grams of Rice Krisipies cereal (1 cup). Last, add in chocolate chips and dried blueberries, about 40-50 grams or 1/4 cup of each. 

Mix everything together evenly and dump the contents of the bowl into a parchment lined and greased square pan, such as an 8″ x 8″. Now here’s the trick to getting chewy, non-crumbly granola bars: press. Press the granola into the pan very hard, for a solid minute, at least. I used disposable kitchen gloves and pressed with my hands. Another smaller baking pan would work, too. Then bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes, cool slightly, sprinkle with more chocolate chips, and cut into bars. 

We’re taking a trip to Hawaii soon and I’ve been thinking about all the snacks. to pack for the long plane ride, and this granola is definitely on the list. I’ve also prepped a homemade trail mix and more bagel chips. I wish more savory foods were non-perishable! Let me know if you have suggestions!

You may also like these recipes!

Chocolate Blueberry Granola Bars

Alex
Chewy, chocolatey, super healthy, and wholly delicious.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cooling Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 bars
Calories 170 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup Salted butter
  • 84 grams Honey 1/4 cup
  • 55 grams Brown sugar 1/4 cup, packed
  • 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 46 grams Egg white 3 tbsp or two egg whites
  • 21 grams Ground flaxseed 3 tbsp
  • 164 grams Rolled oats 2 cups
  • 27 grams Rice Krispie cereal 1 cup
  • 56 grams Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/4 cup
  • 40 grams Dried blueberries 1/4 cup

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and spray and line an 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, about 30 seconds. Whisk in brown sugar, honey, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract. If the bowl is cool enough, add the egg white, or wait a few minutes for it to cool before adding the egg white.
  • Add remaining ingredients (flaxseed, oats, rice cereal, chocolate chips, and dried blueberries) and combine until evenly distributed.
  • Pour granola into the prepared baking pan. Then press the granola hard into the pan for at least one minute. You can use your hands (disposable gloves) or another, smaller pan.
  • Bake granola for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, if desired. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into 12 equal bars. Store in refrigerator to keep firm.
Keyword chewy chocolate granola recipe

Maple Pecan Crusted Bacon

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An easy gourmet breakfast

So delightfully crisp and lightly sweet, you will love this maple pecan crusted bacon. Besides how delicious it is, you will also love how easy it is to make! 

Whether you’re looking for an easy, gourmet breakfast upgrade or a fancy salad topper, you have found it here! 

How to make maple pecan crusted bacon

I’m not exactly a recipe person, which is strange for a food blogger, but I just don’t cook with recipes often. I often eyeball however much I think is enough of everything and minimize how many teaspoons I have to wash later. This way of cooking isn’t for everyone, I know, but this maple pecan crusted bacon recipe lends itself to those of us more inclined to improvise our recipes. 

First, preheat the oven to 300F. Then place a cookie cooling rack on top of a rimmed jelly roll pan. Brush the rack with oil and lay the bacon flat on top. Brush the top of the bacon liberally with maple syrup. Sprinkle chopped pecan pieces on top of the bacon and drizzle with a little more maple syrup. Bake for 20 minutes, raise the heat to 400F, and bake for another 10-15 minutes. That’s it. Carefully peel the bacon off the rack and enjoy! 

How to serve Maple Pecan Crusted Bacon

This bacon is seriously fantastic on its own! Serve it at breakfast with scrambled eggs and pancakes! It also makes a very nice addition to salad. As its own dish, I would recommend a reduction sauce that is equal parts balsamic and maple syrup, and I would drizzle it over the bacon! 

However you make it, enjoy it and share it! Tag me on Instagram @bakerstheory if you make this recipe. I love to see how they turn out!

Maple Pecan Crusted Bacon

Alex
Very easy bacon recipe glazed with maple syrup and encrusted with pecans
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Breakfast, Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 8 slices

Ingredients
  

  • Oil for brushing the rack
  • 8 slices Thick cut bacon
  • 1/4 cup Maple syrup
  • 2/3 cup Chopped pecans

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 300°F.
  • Place a cookie cooling rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the rack with oli.
  • Place bacon on the rack and brush liberally with maple syrup.
  • Sprinkle chopped pecans on bacon, gently pressing into the bacon to secure.
  • Bake for 20 minutes at 300°F. Raise the oven temperature to 400°F and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes.
  • Gently pull the bacon off the cooling rack and serve.

Maple Balsamic Glaze (optional)

  • Combine 1/4 cup of maple syrup and 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pot. Whisk and heat on medium heat until the mixture has reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Drizzle on bacon and serve.
Keyword maple pecan crusted bacon

Carrot Pudding Tart

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A beautiful Easter dessert

Carrot cakes abound this time of year, and I love carrot cake as much as the next person, but I also feel too much of a good thing can get boring and predictable. So I thought to myself, I have a beautiful tart pan and a couple of ideas, and thus this carrot pudding tart was baked. 

I’m not really clear on what makes anything “pudding” anymore since I’ve discovered sticky toffee pudding, which is, in fact, a cake, and everyone should have it; so I am brashly taking the liberty of dubbing my carrot pudding tart a carrot pudding tart because it seems like a smart name. 

It also has a swipe of vanilla creme fraiche and candied carrot chips. It’ll be a big crowd pleaser on your Easter menu! 

Aaron's Tart Dough

One of my favorite cookbooks, Salt, Acid, Fat, Heat, by Samin Nosrat lists “Aaron’s Tart Dough” as both versatile and forgiving. I can attest to how easy this dough is to work with. The recipe calls for creme fraiche, but sour cream or plain yogurt would probably work just as well. It draped easily to form the bottom of the tart, and the remaining dough was mine to play with.

To make these braids, I first rolled Aaron’s Tart Dough out flat and then cut it with my pastabike which makes these fun, pinked edges. My pastabike came with my pasta maker at Sur la Table but you can also buy the bike separately. (It’s a better deal to get the pasta maker, though. Really, it’s cheaper.) A pastry cutter probably would have been the right tool, but I don’t have one (yet).

The dough was truly easy to work with and never tore as I braided it. 

 

Carrot pudding filling

What’s a carrot pudding tart without the carrot pudding filling? It comes together similar to making lemon curd (though, carrot curd sounds too dissonant for my taste; I’ll stick with pudding, thank you).Freshly shredded carrot, freshly grated ginger, freshly zested orange and juice, brown sugar, lots of warm spices, butter, of course, and cornstarch and egg yolks for binding. 

It’s the best of carrot cake minus the flour! But who needs it when you have Aaron’s Tart Dough? The spices, similar to carrot cake, are ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and the secret ingredient: cardamom. If you don’t have cardamom, it’s not the end of the world! But you should definitely try it some time! 

The flavors of this tart would be a bit caramelized, spiced (the cinnamon and cardamom really shine), and pleasantly carrot-y. I think walnuts or pistachios would work wonderfully in here, too, but I haven’t tried. Let me know if you do. 

To make the carrot pudding tart filling, melt a stick of butter in a medium pot. Add in freshly shredded carrots, grated, ginger, and orange zest. Definitely shred the carrots yourself, as pre-shredded carrots are very dry. Let it cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Then combine the orange juice, spices, egg yolks, corn starch, and sugar. Spread it all over the carrots and continue cooking until it comes together in a ball. Allow it to cool completely before spreading onto the tart dough. 

Wrap up your Easter meal with this beautiful carrot pudding tart. Maybe even start the following morning with it? It is both unique and unassuming–a humble tart. With Easter upon us, that sounds perfect. 

Carrot Pudding Tart

The best flavors of carrot cake transported into a fragrant, beautiful tart.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Bake Time 40 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

Carrot Pudding Filling

  • 1/2 cup Butter, salted
  • 1½ cups Freshly shredded carrots, packed about 6-8 carrots, don't use pre-shredded carrots
  • 2 tsp Freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tbsp Orange zest
  • 1/3 cup Fresh orange juice
  • 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp Corn starch
  • 1/2 tsp Sea salt
  • 4 Egg yolks
  • 2/3 cup Brown sugar, packed

Aaron's Tart Dough

  • 1⅔ cup Flour
  • 2 tbsp Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Sea salt
  • 8 tbsp Butter, unsalted cut into 1/2" cubes
  • 6 tbsp Creme fraiche or sour cream, plus more for serving
  • 2-4 tbsp Ice water
  • 1 Egg Lightly beaten

Instructions
 

Carrot Pudding Filling

  • Melt butter in a heavy, medium-sized sauce pot. Add the carrots, ginger, and orange zest. Cook for 5 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occassionally.
  • Combine the orange juice, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, salt, vanilla, cornstarch, and eggs and whisk well.
  • Spoon the brown sugar over the cooking carrots and stir. Then pour the orange juice mixture over it all and stir until it comes together in a stiff dough-like consistency.
  • Cool to room temperature or transfer to the refrigerator and make the dough.

Aaron's Tart Dough

  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Drop in the cubes of butter, and either with your hands, a fork, or a pastry cutter, smush the butter into the flour.
  • Scoop in the creme fraich and gently work the flour into it until a shaggy ball forms. Add only as much water as you need to get it to come together. Some shaggy dough is still fine.
  • Place dough in the center of a sheet of plastic wrap and twist it sealed. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
  • When ready, divide the dough in half. Roll one half into a flat round and drape over an ungreased tart pan. Press dough into the grooves of the pan and trim the excess.
  • Spread the carrot pudding filling evenly into the tart.
  • Roll the second half flat and cut into thin strips with either a knife or pastry cutter. Carefully create a lattice pattern with the strips. You can also create a braid out of the strips to drape around the circumference of the tart pan.
  • Brush with a beaten egg.
  • Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes on the middle rack, then lower the heat to 400°F for another 10 minutes, and 375° for a final 10 minutes. Check on it frequently to ensure the crust does not burn. Cool completely before cutting.
  • With the remaining creme fraiche, add vanilla bean paste or extract and sugar to desired taste. Take a spoonful and drop it on a serving plate. With the spoon facing up, place the bottom of the spoon on the dollop and swipe the creme fraiche along the plate for a little flair. Serve next to a slice of tart.
Keyword carrot pudding tart

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Strawberry Shortcake Cream Soda

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A Charming, warm weather beverage

I’m not sure why old fashioned soda shoppes haven’t made a fancy, gourmet comeback yet, but when they do, I’ll be the first to say I told you so. Cream sodas are adorable, Instagram-worthy, and essentially carbonated ice cream. (How did this ever come out of fashion?) This particular fancy, gourmet strawberry shortcake cream soda recipe is a charming delight; it’s what spring and summer dreams are made of. Plus it has edible garnishes.

You can have it classic, sans alcohol, which is absolutely delicious. Or, you can have a very grown up, fancy, gourmet strawberry shortcake cream soda that will have you saying I told you so in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. 

How to make a strawberry shortcake cream soda

Regardless of alcohol, this strawberry shortcake cream soda starts the same way. You slice up some strawberries and tear mint leaves to put in a cocktail strainer. Add sugar, muddle it up, and then pour hot water over them to steep. I like using hot water in cocktails when I want to extract a little more flavor rather than just muddling. 

Depending on which road you take now, the ingredients change a little. But what still stays the same is A) how freaking delightful this cream soda is and B) the fact that it has a large edible garnish. 

Look, we live near and visit Wisconsin often, and good ol’ Wisco is famous for very elaborate Bloody Mary garnishes. I find this inspiring. I don’t see why more drinks can’t have excessive garnishes. I’ll have my drink and eat snacks on it, too, thanks.

So here we have some cranberry orange scones I made chopped into cubes and a juicy, plump strawberry, all stuck through with a drink skewer.

The Classic Strawberry Shortcake Cream Soda (Non alcoholic)

Without alcohol, this is a lovely, simple, and refreshing drink. Equal parts strawberries and simple syrup plus soda water and whipped cream, it is bubbly yet not cloyingly sweet. 

Perfect in a vintage milkshake glass, serve them up for kids, baby showers, bridal showers, or naturally, brunches. 

Strawberry Shortcake Cream Soda (Alcohol free)

Alex
Strawberries and mint muddled together with simple syrup and topped with soda water and whipped cream. Garnished with scones and strawberries
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup Fresh strawberries sliced
  • 10 Mint leaves, torn
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 oz Boiling hot water
  • 2 oz Simple syrup
  • Ice
  • 4 oz Soda water plain or flavored
  • 1/4 cup Heavy cream
  • 1 tsp Sugar for whipped cream
  • 1/4 tsp Strawberry extract optional
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 Strawberry for garnish
  • 2 pieces/cubes Scone or pound cake

Instructions
 

  • Place sliced strawberries and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Cover with 1 tsp sugar and muddle.
  • Pour 1 oz hot water over the muddled mixture and cover for 5 minutes.
  • While strawberries are steeping, make the whipped cream by combining heavy cream with 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp strawberry extract and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. Whip with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  • Once the strawberries and mint have steeped, add to them the simple syrup and ice. Re-cover and shake for 30 seconds.
  • Strain into a milkshake glass until all the juice has come out. It might be easier to use an actual strainer rather than the cocktail strainer, as the strawberries can block the cocktail strainer holes.
  • Pour 4 oz of soda water over the juice. For a lightly sweet cream soda, use plain soda water. For a sweeter cream soda, use a flavored soda water such as lemon, orange, or strawberry.
  • Spoon the whipped cream on top of the soda. It should be close to the top of the glass. Garnish with a mint leaf and a skewer of scone pieces and strawberry.
Keyword strawberry shortcake cream soda

The Grownup Strawberry Shortcake Cream Soda (with Alcohol)

This drink, she has a dark side, and it’s wonderful to behold. If the classic strawberry shortcake cream soda is Sandra Dee, the grownup strawberry shortcake cream soda is Beauty School Dropout. For myself, I prefer my strawberry shortcake cream soda on the saucy side, and I hope you can try it so we can bond over our love for this sassy libation. 

The spirits used in this recipe are Gran Marnier, which is an orange liqueur; Chambord, which is a raspberry liqueur; and Vodka. I have not tried substituting the soda water with rosé champagne, but I imagine it would be fantastic. 

If you’re throwing a party with a 50’s malt shop theme, your guests are going to love this.

Strawberry Shortcake Cream Soda (with Alcohol)

Alex
A very strong summer drink made with strawberries, mint, simple syrup, vodka, Gran Marnier, Chambord, soda water, and whipped cream.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup Strawberries, sliced
  • 10 Mint leaves, torn save a sprig for garnish
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 oz Boiling hot water
  • 1 oz Simple syrup
  • 1/2 oz Gran Marnier
  • 1 oz Chambord
  • 1½ oz Vodka
  • Ice
  • 4 oz Soda water see note
  • 1/4 cup Heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 tsp Sugar
  • splash Chambord
  • Mint for garnish
  • 1 Strawberry for garnish
  • 2 1" cubed pieces Scone or pound cake for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Muddle strawberries, mint leaves, and sugar in a cocktail shaker. Pour hot water over it and cover for five minutes.
  • While strawberries steep, whip heavy cream with sugar and a splash of Chambord (or vanilla, if you prefer). Whip until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
  • When strawberries are done steeping, pour in simple syrup, Gran Marnier, Chambord, Vodka, and add ice. Re-cover and shake for 30 seconds.
  • Strain into a milkshake glass (it may be easier to strain with a small cocktail strainer as the strawberries might clog the cocktail strainer holes) until all of the juice is in the glass.
  • Pour soda water* over the juice. The soda should be about an inch and a half below the milkshake glass top. Spoon the whipped cream over it. Insert a straw and garnish with a mint leaf and a scone-strawberry skewer.

Notes

This is already quite a strong drink, but if you were looking to fortify it, you could use rose champagne instead of soda water. I have not tried it before, but I imagine it could be nice. 
Keyword alcoholic drinks, strawberry shortcake cream soda