Red Wine Lollies...

So I saw this recipe on Pintrest... where else? I have a bachelorette party this weekend in Vegas so I thought what better time try out this recipe! It was not as easy as it looked, especially when you don't have a thermometer (but luckily I'm the queen of improvising on the fly) but the results were worth the extra effort!!

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp Port wine
3 tablespoons corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
12 Lollipop sticks

1. Bring red wine to a simmer in a small saucepan. Simmer wine until reduced to 1/3 cup, this should take about 20-25 minutes. Remove from stove-top and let cool completely.


2. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and wine reduction. Stir until combined. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally with a heat-proof spatula until all sugar granules have dissolved. Boil until candy temperature registers 298-310 degrees on a candy thermometer.


3. Remove from heat and fill greased lollipop molds with the hot candy. Place lollipop sticks in the stick crevices and rotate until the stick is coated in the hot candy. Alternatively, you may also drop the hot candy from a spoon onto a silicone mat or parchment paper, making two to three-inch disks and leaving room to place -and rotate- the lollipop sticks.


4. Allow the lollipops to harden completely. These are best if you wait a day to consume them, as this gives the red wine flavor plenty of time to develop.

Chicken Potpie Empanadas AKA the easiest weekday meal

If you are like me, cooking after working can seem like the worst possible thing in the world! I found this amazingly easy recipe on Real Simple and I am happy to report it was as easy and as delicious as it looks! The best part is it is perfect for left overs for lunch later in the week! Now this is my kind of meal!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 10-ounce box frozen peas and carrots
• 1 3- to 4-pound store-bought rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 refrigerated 9-inch piecrusts (from a 15-ounce package, such as Pillsbury)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
3. Slowly stir in the broth. Cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the peas and carrots, chicken, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
4. Cut each piecrust in half. Spoon the chicken mixture over one side of each half-circle, leaving a ½-inch border. Using your fingers, wet the border with water. Fold the crust over the chicken. Press to seal. Make three 1-inch slits in the top of each.
5. Transfer the empanadas to a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.