Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Preparation:
Melt chocolate chips with butter in top of double boiler over hot water. Remove from hot water; stir in sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Slowly beat in confectioners' sugar until desired spreading consistency is reached. Makes enough chocolate sour cream frosting for a tube or bundt cake or 2-layer cake.

Note - Plan to double this recipe

Chai Liqueur

Success! This turned out delicious. I utilized an article from Googobits - Make Delicious Liqueurs and Wines at Home...

http://www.googobits.com/articles/406-make-delicious-liqueurs-and-wines-at-home.html

And came up with this "recipe"...

2 cups vodka
2 inch knob of ginger (could use more the next time)
4 2 inch cinnamon sticks
2 tea bags (or 2 T chai tea - loose)
2 c. water
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 T. allspice (whole - slightly crushed)
2 T. cloves (whole)
1/2 whole nutmeg (grated)

Combine the vodka, ginger and cinnamon sticks and let sit for two days. After two days add several black tea bags (I used about 2 T of chai tea. Let the vodka absorb the tea flavor for several hours while making the simple syrup.

Heat the water, sugar and remaining spices till the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool completely.

Pass the simple syrup through a mesh strainer and remove the ginger and cinnamon sticks from the vodka and combine the vodka with the simple syrup. Slowly pour the chai mixture through a coffee filter and store in an airtight bottle. Wait a week or two before serving.

Salmon Mousse

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ cup cold water
½ cup boiling water
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated onion
Dash of Tabasco
¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 cups finely flaked poached fresh salmon or canned salmon, skin and bones removed
1 cup heavy cream
Watercress, for garnish
Toast, pumpernickel, or crackers, for serving


Soften the gelatin in the cold water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the boiling water and whisk the mixture slowly until the gelatin dissolves. Cool to room temperature.

Whisk in the mayonnaise, lemon juice, grated onion, Tabasco, paprika, salt, and dill. Stir to blend completely and refrigerate until the mixture begins to thicken slightly, about 20 minutes.

Fold in the finely flaked salmon. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it is thickened to soft peaks and fluffy. Fold gently into the salmon mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a 6- to 8-cup bowl or decorative mold. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Garnish with watercress, and serve with toasts, pumpernickel, or crackers.