Fetish Model & Performer, event producer, and Texas Pin-Up Model of the Year 2011 (Hot Rods and Heels), Courtney Crave is amazing both on stage, and in the kitchen.  She is kind enough to share her favorite seasonal recipes with Pin curl Magazine monthly.  For more on Miss Crave, please visit her at GermanDreamGirl.com.

Cherries in Wine Sauce

Somewhere in the back of my head I am slightly aware of the fact that not everyone likes chocolate.  However baffling this may be to me as a self diagnosed chocoholic, I want to provide a Valentine’s Day recipe for those special people.  So no one has to open another heart shaped box of truffles and say; “Chocolates, for me?  You shouldn’t have.  No really, you shouldn’t have.”  This also happens to be one of my favorite desserts from my childhood.  Let that sink in as you realize that most of the recipe is alcohol based.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry red wine, such as Chianti or Merlot
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 strips (3 inches by 1 inch each) orange peel
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 ½ pounds dark sweet cherries (the big juicy plump ones)
• Whipped cream (real whipped cream)

Directions

• Bring wine, sugar, orange peel and cinnamon to a boil in a 4 quart saucepan over medium-high heat.  Allow to boil for about 5 minutes then cool to room temperature.  Put the cherries in a large bowl or storage bowl with a lid and pour the wine mixture on top.  Cover the cherries with wine sauce tightly and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.  This can actually sit in the fridge for up to 2 days, the longer in the fridge, the more the wine becomes infused in the cherries.  Serve by ladling the cherries and sauce into dessert bowls and top with whipped cream (real whipped cream, nothing that comes in a can tub in the frozen section).  You’re also left with a wonderful cherry wine sauce to pour over ice cream or just drink straight.

Love Potion #9

I stumbled across this delicious drink while researching romantic cocktails that require a little more planning than “pour champagne in glass, add strawberry.”  Don’t get me wrong, I love my champagne, but this year I thought we could kick it up a notch for that special someone in our lives (even if that special someone happens to be yourself).

Ingredients

• 1 oz strawberry, vanilla, or regular vodka (my personal favorite for this is whipped cream vodka)
• 1/2 oz white crème de cacao
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup ice
• Strawberry for garnish

Directions

• Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend until totally smooth.  If you prefer a thicker frozen cocktail add more ice or ice cream.  If you prefer a thinner one add more berries or milk.  Pour the mixture into a chilled margarita glass and garnish with strawberry slices.

Fetish model and performer Courtney Crave is not only Texas Pin-Up Model of the Year 2011, as crowned at Hot Rods and Heels, she is a wiz in the kitchen- and she’s kind enough to share her amazing recipes (and their vegan counterparts) with us every month in Cooking with Courtney Crave!

Fudge

So much was going on with the holidays; spending time with family, avoiding being mauled by mobs while shopping, wrapping gifts, mandatory party appearances.  Want to make something yummy and simple to treat yourself for surviving that whole ordeal?  Fudge!

Ingredients

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans*

*Nuts are entirely optional, any type of nut will work but I prefer pecans or hazelnuts.

Directions

• Take a 9×9 inch baking dish and butter the inside.  In a double boiler on medium heat melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips and condensed milk until the mixture is smooth.  Take the mixture off the heat and add the vanilla and chopped nuts.  Pour or scoop the entire mixture into the baking dish and spread evenly.  Let it sit in the fridge about 10 minutes or until completely set.  Cut into squares and share with friends!  Or don’t, they’ll never know.

Hot Toddy

Baby, it’s cold outside.  And I know some of you like consuming cocktails just as much as I do, but at this time of year I want my hands to be warm.  There is nothing glamorous about enjoying a beverage in the mittens your great aunt Mabel knitted you with the little snowmen on them.  So I this winter I suggest that you try a classic favorite, the Hot Toddy (also great for fighting off colds, don’t take my word for it, I’m not a doctor, I just dress up like one onstage).

Ingredients

• 1 oz (2 tablespoons) bourbon*
• 1 tablespoon mild honey
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup boiling-hot water
• Freshly grated nutmeg

*Scotch whiskey or brandy can also be used instead of bourbon.

Directions

• Combine bourbon, honey, and lemon juice in a mug or toddy glass.  Add the hot water and mix until the honey is dissolved completely.  Garnish with a little freshly grated nutmeg.  Take off mittens and enjoy.

­

Schlep Sisters Darlinda Just Darlinda & Minnie Tonka. Photo: Clint Hild

Shalom! It’s December, which means it’s Hanukkah time! We, The Schlep Sisters, Minnie Tonka and Darlinda Just Darlinda, are thrilled to share our secret Hanukkah recipes, crafts, and tips on how to help enhance your holiday season! Whether you’re a yeshiva bocher, an honorary Jew, or a bacon-loving Heeb, The Schlep Sisters Hanukkah Guide will titillate and inspire your holiday spirit. Come join us in the festivities!

Before we get started, we’d like to give you a brief overview of Hanukkah: Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Jews over the Syrian Greeks in 164 B.C.E., and is celebrated by lighting a menorah (candelabra), for eight days, eating oily foods such as latkes (potato pancakes), and playing Dreidel (spinning top).

THE SCHLEP SISTERS HANUKKAH RECIPES

The Whirling Dreidel

Ingredients

• 1 cup Manischewitz
• 1/2 cup Slivovitz (plum Brandy, traditional Kosher-for-Passover drink)
• 1/2  - 1 cup orange juice, depending upon taste
• 2 cups soda (soda water, sprite, ginger ale, or 7 up) to taste
• 1 lemon thinly sliced with rinds
• 1 lime thinly sliced with rinds
• 1 cup chopped apple, pear, or plum
• 2 bottles Prosecco (a Schlep Sisters favorite!) or champagne, chilled

Directions

In a large pitcher, combine the Manischewitz, Slivovitz, orange juice, and soda. Stir.

Add fruit. Next, pour in the Prosecco and stir. Serve as is or on ice.

The Whirling Dreidel will have your head spinning and it’s a sure hangover; but,

wowza, it’s delicious!

Lusty Latkes

Makes about 25 potato pancakes in about 45 minutes

Ingredients

¾ lb potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated

¼ lb sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Stir together potatoes, onion, flour, eggs, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a deep 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4, spoon 1/8 cup potato mixture per latke into oil and flatten to 3-inch diameter with a slotted spatula. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until golden, about 1 ½ minutes on each side. Transfer latkes with spatula to paper towels to drain.

Serve with sour cream and Apple-Pear Saucy Schlep Sauce.

Apple-Pear Saucy Schlep Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 ripe Comice, Bosc, or Anjou pears, peeled, cored and quartered
• 3 apples (e.g., Royal, Gala, Granny Smith, etc.), peeled, cored and quartered
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons Slivovitz (plum Brandy, traditional Kosher-for-Passover drink)

Directions

Place all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and cover. Cook on medium-low heat until fruit is soft and starts to break down, about 12 to 14 minutes. Uncover and cook over medium-high heat until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Purée in a blender or food processor. If you like a chunkier saucy sauce, skip this step. Makes about 2 cups. Serve warm or at room temperature with Lusty Latkes.

THE SCHLEP SISTERS HANUKKAH GAME

Schlep Sisters Darlinda Just Darlinda & Minnie Tonka. Photo: Clint Hild

Strip Dreidel with The Schlep Sisters!

We’ve got an exciting new spin (pun intended) that combines strip teasing and the ancient Jewish game of spin the Dreidel – yep, you guessed it — Strip Dreidel!

The History of the Dreidel

The Dreidel isn’t only a fun holiday game it also has an important history! The Dreidel game harkens back to 164 B.C.E. when the Syrian Greek armies controlled the Holy Land (before the Jewish warrior Maccabees defeated them). The Syrian Greeks passed laws outlawing the study of Torah and other Jewish practices. It has been said that Jews played with the Dreidel in order to fool the Syrian Greeks if they were caught studying Torah. Therefore, once the Maccabees defeated the Syrian Greek armies, the game of Dreidel became a game of celebration, and is now a traditional Hanukkah game played all over the world!

The Hebrew word for Dreidel is sevivon, a spinning top. Dreidels have four Hebrew letters on them, which stand for the saying, “Nes gadol haya sham,” translating to “A great miracle happened there.”

While the Maccabees’ victory is viewed as a miracle in itself, the eight days of Hanukkah celebrate another miracle. In order to rededicate the temple after it had been desecrated, the menorah needed to be lit. However, there was only enough oil to light the menorah for one night. Supplies were scarce in and around Jerusalem after the war and it would take several days to bring more oil to the temple. The miracle of Hanukkah was that the small amount of oil found burned for eight days until more oil arrived. That is why Hanukkah is also called The Festival of Lights.

Note: In Israel, instead of the fourth letter shin (meaning “there”), the fourth letter is a there peh, (meaning “here”) –- the saying is “Nes gadol haya po”–“A great miracle occurred here.

So, now you’ve got the history…a smart stripper is a successful stripper!

What you’ll need:

- A minimum of four players

- At least 1 dreidel

- Lots of clothes. We recommend gathering up clothes that you’d like to donate and ask players to donate part or all of their winnings to tzedakah (charity). Look up your local donation centers.

RULES:

1. Make a large batch of The Whirling Driedel, The Schlep Sisters signature Hanukkah cocktail (see recipe on page above)

2. Start with as many clothes on as possible, it will make the game last longer and you’ll have more clothing to donate at the end of the night!

3. Each person adds some clothing to the communal pile.

4. There are four sides of the dreidel, from right: nun, gimmel, hey, and shin, take turns spinning the dreidel and when it lands on . . .

נ (Nun Yiddish for “Nothing”) – Take a sip of The Whirling Driedel

ה (Hay Yiddish for “Half”) – Take half of the clothing from the communal pile, another player(s), or some combination of the above.

ג (Gimmel Yiddish for “Everything”) – Claim everything from the communal pile of clothing.

ש (Shin Yiddish for “put in”) – Strip off 2 pieces of clothing and add to the communal pile.

5. Game lasts until everyone is naked or all participants are too drunk on The Whirling Driedel! Remember to also drink lots of water and eat the Lusty Latkes (The Schlep Sisters latke recipe) beforehand.

6. Whoever ends up with the most clothing is responsible for organizing the clothing donation!

Part II of the 2011 Schlep Sisters Hannukah Guide: Menorah Merkin

If you’re in NYC, be sure to check out our 5^thAnnual Menorah Horah Hanukkah show on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at the Highline Ballroom!

The Schlep Sisters are burlesque performers of the Jewish persuasion! Minnie Tonka and Darlinda Just Darlinda are long lost sisters who found each other while tracing the roots of Yiddish Theater and Vaudeville on the Lower East Side. Inspired by Manischewitz, the Barry Sisters, and Rock n’ Roll these ladies can cut a rug! They’ve been livin’ it up on stage together and captivating audiences across North America since 2004. From the New York and Toronto Burlesque Festivals to the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas to the Key West Burlesque Holiday Extravaganza, and the USA’s Premier National Touring Burlesque Troupe, Dangerous Curves Ahead: Burlesque on the Go-Go!, these sassy sisters have so much love they schlep it all over the country! To keep up with The Schlep Sisters visit, www.schlepsisters.com.

The Pin Curl Staff put our heads together and came up with the best gifts this holiday season for the pin-up or burlesque gal in your life. Happy Holidays!

We are completely in love with the gals at Sugarville Candles!  Their unique candles, lip balms, & body butters smell so delicious, they are hard not to eat & the adorable pin-up girl labels are to die for!  (S’mores and Birthday Cake are among our favorites!)

There are several burlesque autobiographies that scored high on our list of gift giving favorites.  Check out: Georgia: My Life in Burlesque by Georgia Sothern, And Men my Fuel by Lili St. Cyr, Tempest Storm: The Lady is a Vamp by Tempest Storm, Gypsy: Memoirs of America’s Most Celebrated Stripper, The Days We Danced: The Story of My Theatrical Family From Florenz Ziegfeld to Arthur Murray and Beyond Any of which are sure to please the bookworm on your list.

For the fashion diva, we like Elegance Navy Polka Dot Dress by Bettie Page Clothing, The Birdie Dress by PinUp Couture is a fabulous holiday party dress, and for underneath we adore the Bernie Dexter Tigress Garter Belt and matching bra by Lucy B.  The vintage lingerie selections sold by Shannon Doah at Vintage ShowGirl are not to be missed!

If you are looking more to decorate yourself from the neck up, we are head over heels for the work of Sharon Sullivan, the milliner and owner of Dream Hats!  Whether you are looking for the perfect pillbox, fedora, or fascinator from her amazing line, or a custom one of a kind creation, Dream Hats is the perfect choice!

For stocking stuffers or the collector in your life, we adore the series of pin-up and burlesque gal drinking and shot glasses.  The gals’ clothes disappear as you drink!

If those aren’t enough eye candy, there’s a fabulous collection of modern pin-up books out by photographers such as Viva Van Story, Gayla Patridge of 666 Photography, and Roy Varga available on Amazon.

If DIY is more your style, you’ll want to get to work on a Mikiphone- vintage or reproduction a Mikiphone is a nifty pocket phonograph popular in the 1920’s.  It fits into a canister just a little larger than a snuff can.  Certainly a lesson in patience and not for the novice builder, you can find plans and video online to build your own, or get lucky on Ebay! Either way you go, a wonderfully original gift for the music loving guy or gal in your life, and a superb conversation piece.

Of course, if you are looking for a practical yet fun gift that helps a good cause in the process, you’ll want to check out the 2012 calendars offered by pin-up centered non-profits such as Pinups for Pitbulls, The Pinup Angels, and Pin Ups for Vets.  What’s not to love about flipping through images of lovely ladies with big hearts? Each are changing the world one centerfold at a time.

Candy Corn.  Love it or hate it; it is certainly synonymous with Halloween.  According to Candynomics, candy corn is still the #1 Halloween candy, and Americans purchase 20 million pounds per year!  If you are one of those confectionery enthusiasts, these cocktails are for you!

Candy Corn Cocktail

Ingredients
2 oz. Pineapple Infused Vodka
1.5 oz. Orange Sherbet, softened
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 oz. Milk
1 oz. Simple Syrup

Directions
Combine Pineapple Infused Vodka and pineapple juice in cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over fresh ice into a clear Collins glass. Combine softened orange sherbet and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain, and pour over bar spoon to layer in the rocks glass. Then, combine simple syrup and milk in cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Layer milk mixture on top of sorbet mixture.

Simple Candy Corn Shooter

Ingredients:

1/3 oz Galliano

1/3 orange curacao

1/3 oz cream

Preparation:

1. Pour the Galliano into a shot glass.
2. Float the orange curacao on top.
3. Float the cream on top.

Candy Corn Jell-o Shot

This recipe is a little time consuming and complicated, but super original and well worth the effort. Created by MyScienceProject.org

White Layer

1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup canned, unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Vanilla Schnapps

Sprinkle the gelatin over the coconut milk and water in a saucepan and let sit for a few minutes. Heat over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin starts to dissolve. Add the sugar and stir till dissolved. Cool till just warm. Stir in the vanilla schnapps.

Orange Layer

3 oz. pkg Orange Jell-O
1 cup water
4 oz. Orange sherbet (about one scoop)
1/2 cup Vanilla schnapps
3 Tbsp Butterscotch schnapps (optional)
Orange food coloring (if desired)

Bring the water to a boil. Add to Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Add sherbet while still warm and mix thoroughly as it melts. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla and butterscotch schnapps. Add a few drops of orange food coloring to make the color more vivid if you want to.

Yellow Layer

3 oz. pkg Pineapple Jell-O
1 cup water
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup Vanilla schnapps
Yellow food coloring (if desired)

Bring the water to a boil. Add to Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in coconut milk and vanilla schnapps. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring for more vivid color.

Directions:

Mix the white layer first and fill your Jell-O shot cups about 1/3 full (about ¼ inch deep on a 2oz cup), then chill till firm. Mix the orange layer and fill the cups till they’re about 2/3 full. Keep in mind that you’ll need a little room at the top because you won’t be filling the cups to the brim with the final layer. After the orange layer has chilled, mix up the yellow layer and top off the shots.

Candy Corn Cordials

Originally published by Food Network, Photo: Levi Brown.

Ingredients:

For the infused vodka:

1/2 cup candy corn

1 1/2 cups vodka

For the cordials:

2 ounces orange liqueur

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 large egg white

Candy corn, for garnish

Directions

Infuse the vodka: Combine the candy corn and vodka in an airtight container; set aside for at least 3 hours, then strain.

Make the cordials: Add 4 ounces of the candy corn vodka, the orange liqueur, lemon juice and egg white to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Strain into 2 chilled martini glasses and garnish with candy corn.

Not Enough Candy Corn Yet? Check out these simple Candy Corn Cupcakes!

With September being the month that brings Fall, and The New York Burlesque Festival an apple cocktail & dessert seemed the obvious choice!

The Big Apple Manhattan

Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz Wild Turkey bourbon
• 1/4 oz Amaretto Di Saronno
• 1/4 oz Apple Pucker liqueur
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• cherry garnish

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice.
2. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds, then strain into a chilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with a cherry.

Apple Crumble

Ingredients

• 6 large apples (Try: Granny Smith, Winesap, or Rome Beauty) peeled, cored and medium diced
• 6 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the apples and just 1/2 of the sugar (3 tablespoons) into a saucepan and cook over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes or until apples begin to soften. Drain them and set aside.

For the crumb topping: Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter in a bowl. Blend with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

Coat the apples with the lemon juice and spoon into a deep baking dish. Top with the crumble mix and sprinkle with the brown sugar, and bake until done, about 30 minutes. To minimize oven clean-up, you may want to place foil under the baking dish to catch any spills. The fruit will bubble and will be very hot, so exercise extra care in removing from the oven.

Serve topped with ice cream.

DIY: Saving the Taste of Summer (for Cocktails!)

by: Shoshana

Though it may not seem like it now, considering the record heat wave, soon summer will be over and with it goes all of the fabulous flavors of the season: fruits, berries, peppers, and herbs.  Here are a few simple and clever ways to enjoy your favorite summer flavors, long after the sunshine is gone!

Herb Infused Ice Cubes

You can have great mojitos in the winter, by simply preserving your mint in ice cube trays.

Process: Strips leaves of of fresh mint sprigs, and chop leaves evenly.  Portion so that each pile is one teaspoon of herb.  Place each portion in separate compartment of ice cube tray, cover with water and freeze.

To use: Thaw and strain.

(This method also works well with just about any fresh herb.)

Herbed Simple Syrups

You can put a twist on a simple syrup, simply by infusing with herbs.  (Simple syrup is equal parts white processed sugar and water, heated until sugar melts.)

Lemon Verbena Simple Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon verbena leaves
1/2 cup water

Chop and bruise the lemon verbena. Put sugar in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup water and stir to dissolve as it comes to a simmer over low heat. Let it simmer for just a couple minutes.

Stir in the lemon verbena and take off the heat. Let steep for fifteen minutes, and then put in the refrigerator to cool completely.

Fruit Infused Vodka

You will need:

A generous handful of washed & bruised fruit such as lemons, oranges, peaches, or berries. You can also use summer peppers for a spicy kick.

750ml Good Quality Vodka

Large Glass Jar

Steps:

1. Fill your jar halfway with fruit, then add enough vodka to fill to rim and cover with

tight-fitting lid.

2. Place jar in cool dark place (like pantry) for three days to a week.  How will you

know when it’s ready?  Taste it!

3. Once you have the flavor you want, strain it.  Keep the fruit- it’s yummy but

powerful!

4. Store your infused vodka in the freezer to enjoy when summer is gone!

Vegan Crispie Treats

Since it’s July I wanted to come up with some traditionally American recipes that you could create for your 4^th of July celebrations.  I also haven’t done a vegan recipe in a while, so here’s a vegan friendly recipe that doesn’t require you to track down vegan marshmallows.  And depending on how you celebrate Independence Day, you may just end up with more of these to yourself if your friends and family go blowing themselves up with rockets.  Just grab a sparkler and crispie treat and enjoy the show.

Ingredients

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine like Earth Balance
• 6 cups puffed rice cereal or your favorite cereal
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sugar

Directions

• In a small pot, heat the syrup over medium heat.  Add the sugar, stirring continuously until it begins bubbling at the bottom.  If it starts to turn frothy just lower the temperature.  Once the mixture looks as if it’s boiling add the margarine and stir until well combined.  While still stirring add the vanilla.  Put 6 cups of your favorite puffed rice cereal (might I suggest Rice Krispies, Fruity Pebbles, or even Crunchy Nut cereal) in a large bowl.  Pour the syrup-butter-vanilla mixture over the cereal and mix with a spatula until evenly coated.  Scoop the mixture into a 9×13 inch glass baking dish coated with non-stick oil, spread evenly, and cool.  Or don’t cool, it’s perfectly good all warm and gooey as well!

St. Germain Tom Collins

Some of you may know about my affinity for St. Germain. While I could do article after article on St. Germain drink recipes alone, I’ve tried to switch it up for you in the past.  Well this month I couldn’t resist any longer. I’m giving you my favorite twist on a truly American cocktail. Try this drink and then tell me this isn’t the most refreshing beverage ever created on a steamy summer day, I dare you.

Ingredients

• • 2 oz. dry gin
  • 2 oz. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 oz. St. Germain
  • Soda water
  • Slice of lemon

Directions

• Place the gin, lemon juice and St. Germain in an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake vigorously to combine. Pour into a chilled Collins glass over ice and top with soda water to add some fizz.  Garnish with a slice of lemon and enjoy!

Congrats to Courtney Crave, who was just crowned Texas Pin-Up Model of the Year at Hot Rods and Heels last month!

Mini Lemonade Pies

It’s June. For those of us in Texas, we’ve been dealing with summer for a while now. For those of you not in Texas, welcome to summer! For me, summer desserts are supposed to be refreshing and cooling to save our tummies (and sanity) from the oppressive heat. Mini lemonade pies are the perfect hot weather treat for those who don’t like to share. I don’t know about you but when I get my dessert I want it for myself. So while everyone else is melting, you can keep chilly with your own oasis of zingy creamy coolness.

Ingredients

• 1 – 2 packages of 6 pre-made mini graham cracker pie crusts (I use Keebler Ready Crust brand)
• 1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk, keep chilled
• 1 12oz. container of whipped topping, keep thawed
• 1 6 fl. oz. can of frozen lemonade concentrate, keep frozen*
• Optional garnish: graham cracker crumbs or candied lemon pie

*Note: different types of frozen lemonade concentrate can create different pie flavors. For traditional lemon pie use lemonade concentrate, for a sweeter lemon pie use pink lemonade concentrate (my favorite!), or for a key lime pie use frozen limeade concentrate.

Directions

• Pour the chilled sweetened condensed milk into a medium sized bowl. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping. Slowly add the frozen lemonade concentrate and continue folding gently until well mixed, but don’t let the mixture get soupy. You may not need to use the whole can of frozen lemonade, I usually add to taste. For a stronger lemon punch use more, for a milder creamier flavor use less. Ladle the mixture into the mini pie crusts and keep them in the freezer overnight. Before serving garnish them with some graham cracker crumbs or candied lemon peel.

White Sangria

White sangria has to be one of my favorite summer drinks. I proved this once by drinking an entire punch bowl of it on my own at a pool party (not recommended, do not drink and swim). It’s really that good, so you want to make a lot. The sweet fruit flavors go great with the mini lemonade pies, except this time you should probably share.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle sparkling pear cider
• 1 cup white brandy (or more, to taste)
• 2 bottles white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or a Spanish wine
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 cups green grapes, cut in half
• 2 fresh peaches, cubed (no canned fruit!)

*Note: the amount of fruit you incorporate depends on how much fruit you like to have in your sangria. I prefer a lot, it adds more flavor and you get to eat it.

Directions

• Get a giant pitcher or punch bowl. Mix all the ingredients together, minus the sparkling pear juice. Let the fruit soak in the mixture for a few hours to bring out the flavors. Before serving, add the sparkling pear juice, if you add this too early it will go flat.

Fetish model and performer Courtney Crave is a wiz in the kitchen- and she’s kind enough to share her amazing recipes (and their vegan counterparts) with us every month in Cooking with Courtney Crave!

Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

It’s May, and in Texas that means we’re already pulling out the sundresses and swimsuits and gearing up for fun in the sun at Hot Rods & Heels.  I have yet to bring you a cookie recipe so here’s my cooling cookie sandwich that you can enjoy as we near summer in the south. What does an ice cream cookie sandwich have to do with hot rods, pinup models, and burlesque babes? Nothing! But I like any excuse to eat ice cream and what better way than to pack it in between two delicious cookies and not have to worry about bowls and spoons?

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter*
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs*
• 2 cups (one 12oz package) chocolate chips
• Your favorite ice cream

*For a vegan option replace butter with 1 cup of Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread and replace the 2 large eggs with Ener-G Egg Replacer which can be found in specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods or Sprouts.  Follow the instructions on the package and do not let the egg replacement mixture sit out long before putting it in the oven.

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 375° F (190º C). In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, granulated and brown sugars, and vanilla extract until creamy. You can use a mixer to do this or do it by hand. Slowly add the eggs or egg substitute and beat well. Gradually mix in the mixed dry ingredients. Add the chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed. Drop rounded tablespoons of the cookie dough onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. You can leave them softer and gooey-er but it makes it more difficult to create a sandwich. Let them cool on a wire rack completely before introducing them to the ice cream. To make an ice cream sandwich with the cookies, let the ice cream soften enough that you can scoop it but not so much that it’s melting. Spoon ice cream onto the bottom of a cookie, about 1 inch thick, then place a second cookie on top. Voila, you have an ice cream cookie sandwich. Do this until all the cookies are gone. I suggest being adventurous and using ice cream flavors such as coffee, coconut, rocky road, or mint chocolate chip. To preserve, wrap each sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer.

Black Russian

So now you’re probably thinking; “Courtney, your recipes are usually themed to a holiday or event during the month, what gives? How does a Black Russian tie into pinup and car culture?”  It doesn’t!  But it does go great with my ice cream cookie sandwich recipe. You can even dip it in your cocktail. Mmmmm. In an effort to relate this to the Hot Rods & Heels event I will say this: Don’t drink and drive!

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Van Gogh Double Espresso Vodka (or other coffee flavored vodka)
• 1 ounce Kahlua Original, Kahlua Mocha, or Kahlua Especial

Directions

• Fill a rocks glass 2/3 of the way with ice. Pour the 2 ounces of vodka into the glass followed by the 1 ounce of Kahlua. Finish with a stir straw. Grab ice cream cookie sandwich and enjoy!