Recipes from The Magic Moose Kitchen

Guest-requested recipes and a little Alaska kitchen magic.

Pitcher and glass of pale pink sparkling Alaska Cool-Aid over ice with pineapple mint

Drinks

Alaska Cool-Aid

This is not Kool-Aid. It is our refreshing, ever-changing house drink, made with whatever herbs, berries, flowers, or fruit are available. No two batches are exactly alike.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups boiling water
  • Herbal tea, blended berries, freshly squeezed orange, rose hips, food-safe rose petals, or other seasonal fruit and herbs
  • 2 tablespoons raw honey to start, adding more to taste, or stevia to taste
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, adding more if desired
  • 1–2 liters chilled sparkling or still water
  • Plenty of ice
  • A sprig of pineapple mint for serving, if available

Instructions

  1. Make the concentrate. Steep the herbal tea, rose hips, or rose petals in the boiling water for 15–20 minutes. If using berries or other fruit, blend, crush, or squeeze them and add them to the mixture.
  2. Sweeten it. While the concentrate is still warm, stir in 2 tablespoons of honey. Taste and add more honey or stevia if needed.
  3. Add the tang. Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Adjust it to taste—the finished drink should be bright and refreshing without tasting strongly of vinegar.
  4. Strain and chill. Strain out tea leaves, seeds, pulp, petals, or fruit solids if desired, then refrigerate the concentrate.
  5. Choose how to serve it. For a full pitcher, begin by adding 1 liter of sparkling or still water. Taste, then add up to another liter until it reaches the strength you like. For individual servings, pour some concentrate into a glass and top it with sparkling or still water.

Best served well chilled over plenty of ice. A fresh sprig of pineapple mint makes a beautiful and fragrant finishing touch.

Because the tea, herbs, flowers, and fruit change with the season, every batch of Alaska Cool-Aid is a little different.

Savory Breakfasts

Potato Pancake Waffles

These crisp, savory waffles begin with a firm cheese-potato mixture. The secret is keeping the potatoes fairly dry—the mixture should not be wet, loose, or creamy.

Cheese-Potato Mixture

  • 5 medium yellow potatoes or 3 large russet potatoes
  • 8 ounces ricotta or cottage cheese, well drained
  • 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 large sweet or yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the potatoes until tender, then drain them thoroughly. Let them sit uncovered for several minutes so excess steam can escape.

Meanwhile, sauté the chopped onion in the oil or ghee until soft and lightly golden.

Mash the potatoes with the sautéed onion, ricotta or cottage cheese, cheddar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.

The potato mixture should be firm and hold its shape on a spoon. Do not make it like soft, creamy mashed potatoes. If using cottage cheese or ricotta, drain off any excess liquid before adding it.

Measure 3 cups of the prepared potato mixture for the waffles.

Using leftovers: You may use leftover mashed potatoes. Because ordinary mashed potatoes are often softer, you may need to add a little more flour to produce a thick batter that holds its shape on a spoon.

Waffle Batter

  • 3 cups warm cheese-potato mixture or leftover mashed potatoes
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more if needed
  • 1½ tablespoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ⅓ cup melted butter
  • Oil spray for the waffle iron

Instructions

  1. Preheat the waffle iron and spray it lightly with oil.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter.
  4. Whisk the wet and dry ingredients together. Add the warm cheese-potato mixture and mix until evenly combined. If the batter seems loose, add a little more flour until it is thick and spoonable.
  5. Spoon the batter into the hot waffle iron. Do not overfill it.
  6. Close the waffle iron and turn it halfway through cooking. Remove the waffle when it is golden, crisp, and cooked through.

To Serve

Serve warm with sour cream, plain Greek yogurt, or cinnamon apples.