You Asked, We Answered

We love hearing from our readers through Facebook, Instagram and especially in person.  We have so much fun creating our blog posts and hope that you look forward to receiving them in your inbox each week.  This week we are taking a break from sharing more recipes with you to answer some commonly asked questions about The Blind Pig Blog.

  1.  What do you do with all of the drinks and food that you create for the blog?  That’s an easy answer… we drink and eat them.  Many of the drinks and recipes that we make for the blog have made it into our regular rotation.  We love to share the food we make on the blog with friends and family, so what are you doing next Friday?
  2. Does everything you make contain “The Blind Pig” twist?  No.  We make plenty of food and drinks on a daily basis that do not contain extra libations at all.  In fact, when we are not cooking things up for TBPBlog we try to eat fairly healthy.  Actually, Blind Piglet #2 prefers recipes that we make without a twist.
  3. Do all of the recipes and concoctions you make get featured on TBPBlog? No.  We try all of our recipes out at home before posting.  Many of the recipes we try get tweaked and adjusted before making it to the blog.  Some we try and nix altogether.  Some recipes we prepped, took photos, and then never made it into the queue.  We try to bring you relevant recipes with current trends and if we just don’t feel confident with a recipe, we don’t post it.
  4. Do you get paid to feature certain products on your blog?  Not currently.  Everything that we feature on our blog is because we believe in the quality of the product.  We like to feature products from smaller companies when we can.  When our blog grows up and we get the opportunity to be paid for a feature, we will be sure to be transparent about it with our readers.
  5. How do you decide what you want to blog about?  We think about what kind of entertaining our readers may be planning for in the near future.  If there is an upcoming holiday, we want to give you some ideas to serve your guests.  Throughout the year we are on the lookout for ideas to include in the blog.  Rhonda has a huge file of recipes that she has kept throughout the years.  When we need some inspiration we look through Rhonda’s files.  When we find something that interests us, we play with the recipe and tweak it to make it relevant and current.
  6. What is your favorite ingredient to use in TBPBlog posts?  For Rhonda it is Kerrygold Irish Cream.  The chocolate flavor makes it so easy to add to many dessert recipes, and we have been surprised how easy it is to incorporate into other things.
  7. What is your go-to drink when you are out and about?  Craig hands down loves to drink anything with Fernet Branca or Fernet and Coke.  He orders it everywhere we go.  Rhonda’s go-to drinks are usually a Templeton Rye and Ginger Beer (Maryann or Ginger) or a Correlajeo Skinny Agave Margarita.  It’s just easy to order and most bars are able to make it.
  8. Where is your favorite place to go out and have a drink?  Craig’s favorite place is Sable Kitchen and Bar in downtown Chicago at the Kimpton Hotel.  Rhonda’s favorite place is Village Burger Bar.  They have really good Corralejo Margaritas and I love their sweet potato fries.  Really she just loves anywhere with a great patio and fire pit.
  9. What have been your favorite posts?  Choosing a favorite post is a lot like choosing your favorite child. It’s difficult to pick just one. (Don’t tell, but Blind Piglet #3 is our fav.  Shhhh!) We do have a few favorites, though.  Some of the posts that are special to us are because of things that were going on in the background when we were prepping or taking photos.

Rhonda’s Favs:

  • Corralejo Skinny Agave Margarita:  This was our first official post and some of Rhonda’s girlfriends came over to help us kick off the post.
  • The Watermelon Wars:  Both of these drinks are delicious and it truly was a war between us to decide which recipe was better.
  • Mary Ann or Ginger:  To this day, this is still my go-to drink when out and about.
  • Golden Mint Crinkles:  This cookie recipe was a family favorite to begin with, and we were able to make it even better.
  • Salted Whiskey Caramel Corn:  We had a lot of activity in the house the weekend we made this post.  This post always makes me think of warmth, family, and home.  Not to mention all of the caramel corn was gone within two hours of the photo shoot.
  • Tequila Ceviche: We used this recipe all summer long.  It was so easy, tasty and fresh.
  • There are more, but we don’t want to bore you.

Craig’s favs:

Still have more questions?  Bring it on.  We would love to answer them!

Are you following us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram?  If not, use the links below! Have an awesome week.  Next week we will be back with more yummy recipes for your taste buds and tummy with a February flair.  Love is in the air!

  

Disclaimer:  All beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older.  We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

Bonus Post: You Knead It!

So… for our bonus post we had hoped that we would be sharing two fun cocktails to serve at your Super Bowl party.  Since the Chiefs and the Saints are going to be there next year instead of this year, we decided to keep that post for 2020. (wink)  Thus we bring you your January Bonus Post:  You Knead It!

There is nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread.  The winter time is when fresh, steamy bread tastes best.  Is it because it is the ultimate comfort food?  We realized that we have a fondness for featuring good bread recipes on TBPBlog over the past couple of years.  This week we are going to take a look back and revisit some of our “kneadiest” recipes.

Zaya Banana Bread:  Yummy!  If you like banana bread, you need to try this recipe. It is so easy.  Make sure to save some bread for day 2 when the rum is released.  Oh yesssss!

Angry Orchard Bread:  This bread was an overnight success and quickly became a favorite both on the blog and in The Blind Pig household.  Did we mention that there are only 3 ingredients?

Easy Pumpkin Beer Bread:  Easy Pumpkin Beer Bread is the close cousin of Angry Orchard Bread.  You don’t have to wait for the leaves to start to fall to enjoy it.  Try it out today.

Christmas Morning Bread: Craig won’t stop talking about this bread!  This has been one of his most favorite recipes we have ever featured on The Blind Pig Blog.  It is the perfect breakfast bread for a brunch or morning meeting.  Serve it at home or take it to go.

Kerrygold Cinnamon Rolls:  No one makes cinnamon rolls like grandma.  This recipe is definitely worth the extra work.  The Kerrygold icing is a hit!

Kerrygold French Toast:  Looks difficult, but isn’t.  Serve this at your next brunch or family breakfast.  It will impress all who attend.

Whiskey Bread Pudding: This is the perfect warm winter dessert.  It is so filling and comforting with just a little zip of whiskey to warm you inside and out.

 

Seven delicious breads for breakfast, brunch or anytime.  Which one will you try this weekend?

  

 

 

Brrrr It’s Cold Outside….Have a Hot Toddy

When you think of winter you may think of snow, hot chocolate, and cold weather. Last week we shared our Snowed In cocktail with you as an ode to winter.  (How are you doing, friends in the Midwest?)  Sometimes winter isn’t so great.  It also brings with it cold and flu season, so this week want to share with you our Fernet Hot Toddy recipe.

fernet hot toddy

Have you tried a hot toddy before?  If not, this drink is a great drink to have when you feel like you are coming down with a cold or have a sore throat.  It is referred to as a popular home remedy for cold symptoms.  The hot liquid is very soothing to sore throats and honey is believed to have anti-bacterial properties.  We have shared Fernet Branca with you in our post Fernet About It.  Fernet Branca is an amaro that is made with 40 different herbs and spices.  Fernet was originally marketed as an herbal remedy, and when you sip our Fernet Hot Toddy you will understand why.  When we feel a cold coming on, we typically have a hot toddy before bed.  It is especially helpful when we get that weird tickle in the back of our throat.  The Fernet Hot Toddy creates a warm sensation on your insides that is comforting and relaxing.  However, you don’t have to be feeling ill to enjoy a Fernet Hot Toddy.  It is a wonderful beverage to enjoy on any cold dark winter night.

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There are many hot toddy recipes out there, but we prefer the Fernet Hot Toddy.  It has a wonderful herbal aroma and is a mix of interesting flavors.  To make the Fernet Hot Toddy you will need, rye whiskey (We used Templeton Rye.), Fernet Branca, tea, Angostura bitters, maple syrup, lemon, maple syrup and an orange slice and rosemary sprig for garnish. Brew your choice of tea, add the other ingredients and garnish.  Sip steaming warm wrapped up in your favorite blanket by a warm fire.

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You can substitute the maple syrup with honey or agave nectar.  We made ours with both maple syrup and honey.  Honey has properties that help soothe sore throats and may even fight bacteria. You may need to decide which flavor you like better.

If you are viewing this post via email, you can find a complete printable recipe of the Fernet Hot Toddy at our website at http://www.theblindpig.blog.

You don't have to wait until you are feeling ill to have a Fernet Hot Toddy. It's a delicious cocktail all winter long.

Try out the Fernet Hot Toddy this weekend, and let us know what you think!

New to our blog?  Thanks for stopping by and make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a post.

Look for our January bonus post coming sometime this week.

   

Disclaimer:  Beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older. We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

Snowed In?

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Let us just start by saying that we planned this post a few weeks ago.  At that time we had noooo idea that the Midwest would be under a winter storm warning.  Currently there is close to a foot of snow on the ground for many of our Midwest followers.  When we created this recipe and came up with the name, we did not realize that the universe was listening so closely.  We apologize.  However, we are sharing a delicious, chocolaty drink with you that we aptly named  Snowed In.  We felt that reflected the weather in much of the country for this time of year. (Yes, parts of Texas did receive some snow two weeks ago.) It has a little chocolaty goodness, a little bit of coffee and a lot of yum!

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There are three main ingredients in Snowed In: Crystal Head Vodka, Cafe Borghetti, and Kerrygold Irish Cream.  Put them together and shake with a little ice, and presto you have a fabulous cocktail to drink next to the warm fire.

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We used chocolate syrup, semi-sweet chocolate shavings and a few espresso beans for garnish.  We showed you our trick for garnishing with chocolate syrup last year when we made Who Needs Half Price Shakes Before 8?

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We’ve made this tasty little drink a couple of times now, and we think we like it more and more every time we make it.  It would be perfect to serve to guests as a dessert drink.  We would love to hear what you think!

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If you  are viewing this post via email, visit us at http://www.theblindpig.blog for a full printable recipe.

snowed in

The next time you are snowed in or not, shake up this cocktail to keep you warm on the inside as you cuddle up next to the fire with your honey.

  

Disclaimer:  Beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older.  We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.

 

Top Posts for 2018

Happy 2019!  We hope that you had a wonderful evening of ringing in the New Year.  Early January is always a great time to take stock of where we are headed and where we have been.  We took some time to look over our blog posts from 2018 and wanted to share with you the top ten most popular posts from The Blind Pig for the past year.  We hope that you enjoy looking back and maybe will try out a few of these top recipes in 2019.

Kerrygold Cinnamon Rolls

10.  Kerrygold Cinnamon Rolls

Our mouths start to water just looking at these photos and reflecting on the yummy goodness of these rolls.  This post holds a special place in out hearts, because Rhonda’s mom, Ruth, assisted us in this post.

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9.  London in 4 Days

What a wonderful blessing to visit Blind Piglet #1 while she was studying abroad in London.  It was a whirlwind trip, but well worth it!

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8.  Grapefruit Spritz

You have great taste!  We were pleased to see that the Grapefruit Spritz made it into the top ten.  It is such a yummy and refreshing cocktail, and writing this post was so much fun.

caramel rye pie

7.  Rye Rye Miss American Pie

Yes!  This dessert was a fabulous find.  It is definitely going to make it into our summertime dessert rotation.  It is delicious down to the last bite.

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6.  Do You Fondue?

This post was so much fun because of all of the activity in the background with the Piglets’ friends. As you can tell from the post, there wasn’t a drop left as soon as the photo shoot was over.

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5. Tickle Me Pink

This fun strawberry garnished rose’ sangria is the perfect cocktail for a ladies’ brunch or a bridal shower.  It’s as tasty as it is pretty.

golden mint crinkles

4. Golden Mint Crinkles

Our Golden Mint Crinkles kicked off the holiday baking season, which we could tell that many of you were ready to get started.  Thanks for all of the love and comments about this post.  We feel like we hit a “gold mine” with this recipe and post!

Christmas Morning Bread

3. Christmas Morning Bread

Wow!  The reception from this post was so much fun.  Thank you to all of you who reached out to let us know how much you liked it.  We made it again for our Christmas morning and it was just as delicious the second time.  If you follow Craig on facebook or instagram, you probably saw the pics.

Espresso Fudge

2. Espresso Your Love

This post was a lot of fun to make and shoot, because of this post we started adding in the month bonus posts.  Espresso Fudge is a very easy little treat to make anytime of year.  You don’t have to wait until Feb. 14.

holiday cheese spread

1.  Holiday Cheese Spread

Who knew?  We are glad you enjoyed this post about this quick holiday spread.  It is perfect for an easy take along appetizer or treat for any social gathering.

We look forward to sharing many great recipes and posts with you throughout 2019.  It brings us a great deal of joy to share our home, family and ideas with you.  We love to hear from our readers, and if you have a post idea for 2019, send it our way!

Make sure to share our posts with family and friends on facebook and twitter.  We always welcome more followers to our little tiny corner of the internet!

Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous new year!

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Disclaimer:  The beverages on this site are meant for adults 21 years of age and older.  We do not condone underage drinking, and never drink and drive.