Rested Rosemary

Many a Saturday morning coffee with Ericka ends with a leisurely stroll through Sur La Table.

Prior to one of the more recent Sur La Table excursions with Ericka, I had just received a case of POM Wonderful, 100% Pomegranate Juice in the mail. While browsing through the store a book stopped me in my tracks.



I LOVE tequila.

My favorite tequila is Sauza Hornitos Reposado. (just typing that makes me think "mmmmmm")

Look at that curvy sexy bottle with the agave catcus at the top....


A quick thumb through, in the middle of the book on page 56... a tequila cocktail that calls for pomegranate juice! And it wasn't a Margarita!

Not that I don't LOVE Pomegranate Margaritas! I absolutely DO love them. But, I already made one. Remember?

It was a sign. I had to buy that book!

Unfortunately, I think that was the weekend that I ended up with H1N1. UGH!

I didn't have it bad, but that cough hung on for about 3 weeks. Feeling yucky, not really into the alcohol, know what I mean?

But last week, I finally started feeling more myself. Plus I had purchased some rosemary for the Roasted Rosemary Butternut Squash Penne. I finally decided.

It was time!

Rested Rosemary
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1/2 oz agave nectar
1 1/2 oz reposado tequila
2 oz pomegranate juice

Pull 10 - 12 needles from the bottom of the rosemary sprig and put them in a cocktail shaker. Add agave nectar, tequila and pomegranate juice and muddle.

Fill cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into high ball glass with fresh ice. Garnish with the rosemary sprig.



(yeah... time for a new bottle of tequila!)



I really enjoyed this drink. Jon and I both thought the rosemary was very subtle.

I think next time I'd muddle more rosemary needles with agave nectar and let them rest for awhile to add a little more rosemary flavor. Oh yes... there will be a next time!

This drinks rocks!!

Pomegranate Jelly

Ever since I got a case of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice, I've been dying to make Pomegranate Jelly.

When I lived near San Diego, a woman named Tina would bring Pomegranate Jelly to work every year. She made it herself with pomegranates from the tree in her yard. It was AWESOME and the perfect addition to the bagels and cream cheese that American Mobile Healthcare provided every Friday. (Hi Susie!! I miss you!!)

Anyway... this isn't Tina's recipe. I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to find her now. But every time I see a pomegranate I think of Tina's Pomegranate Jelly.

This recipe is from the POMWonderful website.



Crimson POM Refrigerated Jelly
2 C POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
1/4 C arils from 1 large Pomegranate
2 TBLS lemon juice
1 packet liquid fruit pectin, or half of a 1 3/4 oz. package powdered fruit pectin
4 cups granulated sugar

In a 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, combine pomegranate juice, lemon juice and pectin. Over high heat, bring mixture to a boil.

Stir in sugar all at once, then stir constantly. Heat mixture again until it comes to a full rolling boil; boil 1 minute over medium-high heat.

Remove from heat and skim foam from jelly with a spoon. Discard foam.

Immediately ladle the jelly into clean jelly jars with lids, or refrigerator containers with tight-fitting lids. Sprinkle reserved arils over the top of each container of jelly. Cover tightly. Let stand 45 minutes to cool, then refrigerate for 1 1/4 hours. If not using immediately, refrigerate for up to 4 to 6 weeks, or freeze for up to 1 year.

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So this is what you need.


Well... you only need one pomegranate if you're using juice.

Pomegranate Juice, Lemon Juice & Pectin


Isn't that a gorgeous color??

Bring that to a boil


Add all of the sugar.


And bring that to a full rolling boil.


Boil for 1 minute over medium high heat.

Remove from heat.


And scoop out the foam.


Ladle into jelly jars.






I didn't sprinkle in any arils. My pomegranate looked less than fresh when I opened it. So I just skipped that part.

Did you know those seeds sacs were called arils? I didn't. Learn something new everyday!

To really see just how gorgeous this jelly is, it needs to be back-lit.


Isn't that pretty?

Cover tightly. Let stand 45 minutes to cool, then refrigerate for 1 1/4 hours. If not using immediately, refrigerate for up to 4 to 6 weeks, or freeze for up to 1 year.

Here's the aliens are taking the jelly view...


So... how did it come out?

Well... it looks gorgeous! And it tastes WONDERFUL! (One might say POMwonderful hehe)

However; my jelly is not gel-y. It's kinda gel-y. It's a little too thin to call jelly... but it's also a little to thick to be a syrup. It's kind of like a sauce.

But, I had just made my first pomegranate jelly... so of course the first thing I had to do was have it on a bagel with cream cheese!


See... it's a little thin... still tasty and beautiful... but thin.

So I thought... hmmm... I bet this would be awesome on ice cream.


Oh yeah! Awesome on ice cream!


Ice cream would also be a good place for some arils.

And how about on pancakes?


SO good on pancakes!!!

I did have to thin it out a little to use as syrup.

30 seconds in the microwave was perfect.

So, although it's didn't really gel as much as I thought it should. It was definitely still a winner!

This was my first attempt at jelly of any kind.

Did I do something wrong? I'd love to hear any suggestions you might have!

Have a great weekend!!

POM-a-RITA ~ Oh yeah!!

Molly over at POM Wonderful was kind enough to send me a case of POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice.



I have to say... I was pretty excited when it arrived in the mail yesterday.

Eight, eight ounce bottles of that fabulous, deep, rich, red, tart and sweet juice!

What to make first? Ok... yesterday was a little busy. So I just popped it in the fridge to ponder my options.

I was remembering the Pomegranate Jelly one of my co-workers in California used to bring to work. It was sooooo good!!! I always wanted to try my hand at making it, but prepping all those pomegranates? That seemed like a lot of work. Maybe I can make some with this juice!!

But that's definitely not a Friday night project.

The perfect Friday night project would be a POM-a-RITA!

My husband Jon makes the BEST margaritas on the planet. I know if we have all of the ingredients in the house, all I have to do is ask and he'll make me a margarita that will totally melt away all the stress of the day in just two sips.

So when I got home tonight, I asked him to make me one, but with POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice instead of sweet & sour.

He readily agreed! YAY! He's so cool. =)

Thanks Baby!! *kiss*

So he gathered the ingredients.



OK... how lame is that pic?? My kitchen is so small that I have no place that doesn't have the coffee maker & supplies, the kitchen sink, the toaster oven, the FoodSaver, or a bunch of spices that don't fit in the spice cabinet, in the background... so every once in a while, when the background just looks too busy... I pull out this white project board.

It really isn't any better.

Oh well... someday I'll have a big spacious kitchen...

Anyway... this is what you need.

POM-a-RITA
2 parts Sauza Hornitos Reposado (my FAVORITE tequila)
1 part triple sec
3 parts POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
a little Rose's Lime Juice
a lime, cut into wedges
ice
salt

Pour about a tablespoon of Rose's Lime Juice in a saucer and dip the rim of a glass in it.
Then dip the rim of the glass into some Kosher salt.


Set the glass aside.

Fill a cocktail shaker about 2/3rds full of ice.
Pour the Rose's Lime Juice into the shaker and add the tequila, triple sec, POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice.

Cover and shake vigorously, then pour into the salt rimmed glass.

Squeeze 3 or 4 lime wedges (I love lime) into the glass, toss the squeezed lime wedges into the glass.

Enjoy!!



These were AWESOME!!!

Perfect mix of sweet and tart for a perfect POM-a-RITA!

You will definitely see more POM recipes here!!

If you haven't tried POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice yet, run out and get some now!

Not only does it taste great, it's wicked healthy!!

Healthy AND tastes good?? Don't believe me? Check THIS out!

Thanks Molly!! You ROCK!!