Drinklage #7: Like the Soda-Jerks of Olde!

 Who said Drinklage had to only be about booze?  :D

 Lemon-lime soda.  It's one of the classic flavors to be sure, but like many things, it could always be better.  So many of the store-bought brands tend to be full of weird ingredients and have tons of calories; wouldn't it be nice to be able to make a lemon-lime soda that's not only decently healthy, but also has a flavor that'll knock any of the name-brand ones out of the water?  Well, it's far easier than you'd think!

Totally worth the extra effort.

I Can Cooking! #8: Swordfish and Steamed Vegetables, also Bechamel-based Homemade Cheese Sauce

 For today's edition of I Can Cooking, we eat healthy!  But don't worry, for those who don't care for the vegetables and fish and whatnot, I'm also going to show you how to make a dynamite cheese sauce that you can use for pretty much ANYTHING!

Because cheese makes everything delicious.

 Let's get started!

Drinklage #6: Caipirinha

 Caipirinha.  This drink is the official cocktail of Brazil, a place with a reputation for its year-round balmy, tropical heat.  Coming from a place like that, you know this has got to be naturally ideal for these hot summer evenings (well, for the few weeks remaining of summer, at least).  Sort of a boozy limeade, it's an exceptional drink which is quite simple to make!  Just 4 ingredients, and you've got the ultimate thirst-quencher.

The Caipirinha... almost as fun to say as it is to drink!

What's on my desk: 9/4/13

Hello!

 It's time I share some of the stuff I've been working on lately!  Though I haven't had much time to do completed illustrations, a good buddy of mine, Craig Scott, has been doing this "one sketch a day" thing and well, darn if it's not an awesome idea.  So, I figure I'd do the same.

 Content after the jump!

I Can Cooking! #7: Chicken and Veggie Skillet

 So, I was originally going to make this an Aliens in the Supermarket due to the use of Chayote, which is a somewhat unusual ingredient; however, since I used it in a somewhat more complex recipe instead, I figured an I Can Cooking! was more appropriate.

 This is a really easy dish to make, and is amazingly good as well (not to brag or anything).  Since I just kind of made up the recipe as I went along, there really isn't a name for it... so let's allow the picture to speak for it instead:

I call it... Chicken a-la McCurdy.

 Recipe after the jump!

Still kicking!

Hey everyone!

 First off, let me apologize for the lack of recent updates; the reason for that being I've been really sick for the past week or so, and most of the time I've had off-work has been spent sleeping and otherwise recovering.  BUT!  I'm feeling mostly better now, so I can get back into the swing of things.

 For those who've been sticking around, and those readers yet to come, a huge thank you for sticking with me!  I'll be sure to make it worth your while.

 In the meantime, here's a preview for a drawing of the Echo Deity I've been working on:

Drinklage #5: Rusty Nail

Scotch.  Cocktail.  (dodges incoming thrown objects)

 For so many Scotch aficionados, these two words evoke a feeling of utter revulsion; that it's an act of blasphemy to defile such a finely-crafted liquor by mixing it with anything.  As a Scotch man myself, I'm inclined to agree, for the most part.  HOWEVER... there is one mixing ingredient which we should consider to be okay to mix with Scotch, as it is made of Scotch itself.  That ingredient:  Drambuie.  The cocktail:  Rusty Nail; an age-old classic which every fan of Scotch (or, you know, of drinking in general) owes it to him/herself to have an open mind about and try at least once, not only because it reveals a new potential for our favored brown nectar, but also for the simple fact that it is DAMN GOOD.

Ladies and Gents, the Rusty Nail.  Beautiful, ain't it?

Aliens in the Supermarket #4: Kohlrabi

 Kohlrabi.  This odd-looking vegetable, with its purple skin and odd swirly bits (which are actually just where the sideways-growing roots have been removed) is a bit of a mystery to many of us in the Western world.  There really aren't many recipes at all outside of Indian cuisine which call for this cabbage relative, so it tends to be overlooked, as... well, what really is there to do with it?  The answer is:  just about anything.  This vegetable has a flavor similar to cabbage hearts or broccoli stems, yet a texture pretty close to that of an apple, with a fairly hearty skin.  It can be eaten raw, steamed, stir-fried, or my personal favorite method:  roasted.  Today, I'm going to show you how!

It's strangely pretty.

What's on my desk, MOE EDITION: 8/16/13

Hello all!

 Sorry for the slow updates; just been pretty busy in real-life stuff the past few days.  Anyways, here are some updates on stuff I've been working on!

I Can Cooking! #6: Potato Pancake Breakfast Sandwich!

 So, let's say you've made up an excessively huge batch of mashed potatoes, and as much as you love them, there's just no way you could possibly get through them quickly enough.  Also, it just happens to be a Saturday morning, and you feel like having a hearty breakfast. Pancakes sound good, but darn it, you're out of syrup!  If only there was a way to make savory pancakes, using stuff you have an abundance of already...  Oh wait, THERE IS!

GET IN MAH BELLEH!

Of course, just savory pancakes by themselves can be a bit boring.  Let's make a full breakfast of this!

Drinklage #4: Irish Coffee, the right way!

 Irish coffee.  Such a delicious and wonderful way to bring oneself to consciousness on a nice relaxing weekend morning.  Yet for so many, this classic day mood-setter / hangover cure has been confused for the overly sweet, tongue-coating ick that is simply Bailey's and coffee.  That is not a real Irish coffee.  Over the next few minutes, I'll show you how easy it is to make the best Irish coffee you've ever had, and even some suggestions for other flavor additions!

The mug's really not all that small; I've just got huge hands.

I Can Cooking! #5: Country Fried Stuff!

 Country-fried chicken.  Chicken-fried steak.  Chicken-fried chicken even, despite how redundant it sounds.  Even... country-fried liver and onions?!  The latter is the one I'm covering in this edition of I Can Cooking, but even for those non-lovers of liver out there, don't fret!  This exact recipe can be used to make any meat that can possibly be fried into this classic of Southern cuisine.  I'll also show you how to make the best mashed potatoes you've ever had!

Be envious of my dinner, but perhaps not my arteries.  Ah well, YOLO!

 Let's begin!

Wings of the Phoenix

 Sorry for the lack of updates over the past week or so, but I have a very good excuse.  First part of the excuse being the AMAZING new Dynasty Warriors 8; such a good game but damn it for being so good it takes up much of my free time.  Other excuse being that I've been working on finishing this illustration:

Not the character you'd expect to have such a tattoo, but it just makes her all the more interesting as a protagonist.

  Productive use of time?  I'd say so!  :D

 Explanation of the symbols and then a walkthrough of the WIP after the jump:

Aliens in the Supermarket #3: Artichokes

 Artichokes are delicious, that's no big secret.  They're not entirely uncommon in many Italian and French dishes either.  Yet, how often have you run across this vegetable in the store, with its somewhat pinecone-esque appearance, and thought to yourself, "Wait, how do I actually eat this?"  Well, my friends, today, I'm going to show you how!

HOW DO I ARTICHOKE

I Can Cooking! #4: Homemade Marinara/Pizza/Spaghetti Sauce!

 Have you ever been in a situation where you're planning a pasta/pizza/whatever dinner, and find yourself spending long minutes in the jarred sauces aisle of the local grocer's, looking through all the different flavors and varieties, trying to remember that one brand that was really good that one time, or possibly just which one hits all the flavor notes you're looking for, while not being too expensive?  And then, what of additives and expiration dates?  Wouldn't it be so much simpler if you could, I don't know, just make a delicious sauce, from scratch, yourself?  To put what YOU want into it, and know that the whole thing is high quality?

 Today, I'm going to show you just how easy it is to do exactly that.  Also check out the latest Aliens in the Supermarket feature for the artichoke that I made as the side-dish to this!

See this?  This deliciousness could easily be yours!

 Full instructions after the jump!

What's on my desk: 7/23/13

Hey everyone!

 I'd just like to show you a couple of my recent art projects, and some sketches that are a little bit older, but still haven't been shown yet.  Let's start with this preview of a project I'm finally getting back to again:

The most elaborate tattoo I've designed yet, but for a fictional character of my design.  There's an underlying sense of vanity to that, isn't there...?

 More after the jump!

Drinklage #3: How to make a real Margarita!

 The Margarita.  A classic cocktail with a once-proud reputation, more recently made infamous by overly-sweet readymake "just add Tequila!" mixes or even worse, *gag* those premade, underproof (5% ABV?  Really?!) versions that come in those freezable pouches and are barely more than your typical slushy.  Made properly though, this cocktail is greatly refreshing, balancing perfectly those sweet, sour and salty notes, and with a potency somewhere more in the neighborhood of wine.  And as an added plus, it's just ONE MORE INGREDIENT than the mix version, and takes only about a minute more to make.  Intrigued?  Let's begin!

You may notice the lack of artificial color.  This is not a bad thing.

I Can Cooking! #3: Borscht! (a.k.a. борщ)

 Hello again!

 Let me preface this by saying this is a custom recipe, made from suggestions and what I found suited me best from a multitude of traditional recipes.  It may not be the borscht that you're used to, but that may be a good thing because this one is DAMNED TASTY.  Also, I have no idea where the "t" that ends the English version of the word came from.  ONWARD!

This is what perfection looks like.

Song of Last Week (oops!) 7/7-7/13/13: Mrs McGrath (SuidAkrA cover)

(this is what happens when I forget to press "publish")

 When I recently picked up SuidAkrA's latest album, Eternal Defiance, I was absolutely blown away by its bonus track, a cover of the old Irish folk song "Mrs McGrath."

Aliens in the Supermarket #2: Jicama!

 While these things may be pretty much second-nature to those who live in tropical regions, they're quite unfamiliar to those of us from further up north.  I've seen them at the grocer's quite a few times, and never thought to give them a shot.  But due to my sense of culinary adventurism, I figured I'd go ahead and take the plunge.  Was pleasantly surprised!  Preparation tips and description after the jump.

Huge jicama is huuuuuuge