busybee Food

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 12-ounce bag of cranberries, washed
• 5-6 dried apricots, chopped
• 1 navel orange
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 pod star anise
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ cup Cognac

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil until clear. Add the cranberries and apricots and stir, reducing the heat to a low simmer. Zest and juice the orange into the saucepan. Add the cloves, anise, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg and reduce until thick. Add the Cognac and LIGHT IT ON FIRE!!! (remember to keep your lid nearby in case it gets out of hand).

When it goes out, stir some more, and reduce to your desired consistency.

Serve warm, or allow to cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge.

I accidentally discovered how to make something that tastes like bacon quiche without involving any bacon (or any other meat).

• Crust: Quick n Easy Quiche Crust (or just buy some of the premade ones at the grocery store, they’re totally fine)
• Filling: layer shredded smoked gruyère, chopped fresh tarragon, and sliced mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, fresh tarragon, and balsamic vinegar
• Pour in a mixture of 1 cup milk and four beaten eggs, and sprinkle more smoked gruyère and grated parmesean on top
• Bake at 400F for 50 minutes or until set

The smoked gruyère, tarragon, and balsamic mushrooms combine to taste amazingly like bacon, with no bacon involvement.

(Thanks to BunnyHugger for the name!)

In a cocktail glass:

• Ice
• 1.5 ounces rum
• 1.5 ounces Maraschino liqueur (Luxardo)
• 1.5 ounces lime juice
• 1-2 Maraschino cherries (pref. also Luxardo; Marasca cherries steeped in their own liqueur are way better than Bing in sodium benzoate)
• A splash of grenadine
• Top off with ginger beer