Iowa Recipe Quest-New Year’s Party Edition: A Fat Swell Vodka Moscow Mule

Oh, what a Swell year its been for The Iowa Gallivant!

Happy New Year, Iowa! Let’s ring it in premium vodka style, shall we. Luckily for us Iowans we can support local distillers by picking up a bottle of Swell Vodka for all our party needs. And let’s get the party going with a classic cocktail that seems to be taking vodka by storm from everyone this side of Siberia. We’re talking fat copper cups of Moscow Mules!

Are you kidding me! You haven’t brought home any poinsettias yet? The Hy-Vee on North Dodge Street in Iowa City still has some! They’re also the official sponsor of Iowa Recipe Quest!

Don’t even think that you’re not making some great food for the New Year’s party to go along with the Moscow Mules. Let’s get a rundown of those tasty sliders you saw earlier. Prepare yourself for way easy and way yummy….

These are the main ingredients you’ll need for the surf and turf sliders and the rest is up to you. Hy-Vee’s fresh cod is perfect for the battered and deep fried fish slider and it’s easily the seafood that just about anyone likes. Hy-Vee also has an army of great batter mixes so go Cajun, beer batter, peppery, or classic. It’s your party! One thing I always put on these sliders is creamy coleslaw and as you can see that’s ready to go too. As for the turf part of the sliders, I’d go with the 85-15 beef patties. I cut them into fourths and pan-fry them up with yellow onion. Another classic ally of the beef slider. Put out avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and all the condiments. Just please don’t get weird and offer peanut butter. I haven’t gotten use to that and it’s hard for me to handle seeing someone do that to a burger. Thank you. Mule time…..

Hy-Vee also has those very important copper mugs you’ll need for the Moscow Mules. We picked one up and followed the recipe on the box…..kinda. I thought another ounce of Swell Vodka was needed. Mariposa Farms is located in Grinnell, IA and that’s who we supported for the fresh mint. Saranac is our favorite icy cold ginger beer, but use the one you love. It’s your cocktail, right!?!

Serve the sliders and Swell Vodka Moscow Mules all night long through the countdown. Dick Clark would have wanted you to. And so does The Iowa Gallivant. Let’s do this, 2016!

Be sure to read about more of our kitchen adventures in Iowa Recipe Quest.