FRESH SPRING ROLLS

Perfect food for when it is 800 degrees outside (San Diego summertime).

INGREDIENTS

• 8 rice wrappers (approx 8 inch diameter)
• 1 cup poached shrimp, chilled, shells and tails removed, sliced lengthways
• 1 cup my Black Bean Salmon  recipe, chilled
• 1 cup shredded Napa Cabbage
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 1 cup matchstick red pepper
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• big handful of lettuce leaves

SAUCE

• hoisin sauce
• Chili Garlic sauce (Huy Fong brand, the same people that make Sriracha)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prep everything
2. Mix Sauce: 3 parts Hoisin to 1 part Chili Garlic sauce, set aside  
3. Fill large bowl with warm water
4. One at a time, place 1 rice paper in water for 15 seconds
5. Place flat on clean kitchen cloth
6. Layer a strip of each ingredient, on top of each other, then roll it up like a mini buritto  
7. Repeat until you have used up all the ingredients
8. Serve with sauce, dip and enjoy! 

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MORE RECIPES

Warm nuts

Bunch last minute visitors arrived on your doorstep...?! Have no fear. Keep your pantry stocked with these simple ingredients and it will always be a breeze.

INGREDIENTS

• bag of nuts (any kind, but I prefer cashews, unsalted)
• 1 teaspoon butter
• dash of smoked paprika
• pinch of Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In small heat-proof dish, add all ingredients
2. Microwave for 30 seconds
3. Mix and serve with a ice cold beer or cocktail.

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Perfect Homemade Lemonade

Serves 4-6

Easy and delicious homemade lemonade. Of course wonderful by itself, but it really gets going when you add bourbon or vodka or whatever in it - you decide.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (5-6 lemons)
• zest of 1 lemon, strained remove pips
• 2 cups cold water
• ice

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 cup water then add sugar, cook and stir 2 minutes to dissolve to make basic sryup
2. Add zest to syrup, let it cool or if in a hurry, warm is ok too
3. Add syrup to lemon juice, add cold water, stir well
4. Serve chilled with lots ice

WATCH ME MAKE THIS... 

Pink Rum Hammer

Makes 1, but a good 1

I'm not sure the combination of rum and ruby red grapefruit juice sounds all that good, but this is one of my favorite cocktails. And on a hot summer day, it's the official drink of the Red Kitchen.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces dark rum
• 1 ounce Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
• splash raspberry liquer, like Aqua Perfecta

Directions

1. Fill a short glass with ice
2. Add rum and grapefruit juice
3. Add the splash of raspberry
4. Squeeze and drop lime on top and serve

Tequila Sunrise

Makes 1

This is definitely an old school cocktail. It reminds me of this one night we were all over at....oh never mind.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila
• 1 ounce orange juice
• About 1/2 an ounce of Grenadine

Directions

1. Put ice in a glass and add tequila then oj
2. Drizzle the Grenadine over the ice and watch the sunrise - get it?

Sangrita

Makes about 20 ounces

Drink this along side your really good tequila. Its awesome....try it!

Ingredients

• 10 oz tomato juice
• 10 oz orange juice
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1/4 cup onion (preferably white), diced extra fine
• 1 tablespoon Cholula Hot Sauce
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• A pinch of salt

Directions

1. Mix ingredients together
2. Refrigerate
3. Serve in a small glass along side an equal amount of good tequila

Potato Vodka Cocktail

Makes One

Think vodka Mojito with mint, sort of.

Ingredients

• 2 oz potato vodka (like Chopin)
• 1 oz Ginger Beer (similar to ginger ale but stronger and non-alcoholic)
• 8-10 fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 lime, cut into small pieces

Directions

1. Put the mint and lime pieces into the bottom of a short glass and muddle (squish down with until the mint and limes are kind of mashed a bit
2. Fill glass with ice and pour in the vodka and ginger beer
3. Stir and enjoy

Sake Martini

Makes 1

This is one of my favorites.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Vodka
• 1 ounce sake
• 1 splash Grand Marnier, or any orange liquer
• Ice
• 1 small wedge of fresh orange

Directions

1. Add some ice to a cocktail shaker and pour in the vodka, sake and Grand Marnier
2. Shake well
3. Add fresh ice to a glass and pour in martini
4. Squeeze the orange wedge into the drink and drop in
5. Enjoy