Master Cleanse Sake-Tini

Again from Sarma Meilngailis' "Living Raw Food"

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sake

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup maple syrup (maybe not even this much as it's VERY sweet)

Pinch cayenne pepper

Method:

Blend in a shaker. Pour into martini glasses. Drink. Repeat until the sake bottle is empty.

OMG Awesomely Easy Onion Rings

I am not a deep frying kind of person. First of all, I grew up in a family where fat was the enemy and most meals featured steamed or boiled items, with the meat pan fried in the most miniscule amount of fat. Can't complain, I guess, I'm pretty healthy today.

But I found this recipe in the December 2010 issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray. I've actually just let my subscription lapse because I generally find her recipes too fatty and unhealthy, but you really can't be snooty when it comes to onion rings. And these are so easy that even Sean can make them (well, as long as I act as sous-chef!)

Ingredients:

Canola oil, for frying

1 cup pancake mix

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup cold seltzer

1 large onion, sliced and separated into rings.

Method:

1. Pour about 1" of oil into a 10" skillet. Heat to 380* (I used my candy thermometer.)

2. While the oil is heating, mix up pancake mix, chili powder and salt. Whisk in seltzer. Coat onion rings with batter, letting excess drip off. Add to oil and fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt if desired (but these are plenty tasty!)

Mmmmmm . . .