¡MYO Cinco de Mayo!
Cinco de Mayo, the 5th of May, is a Mexican-American holiday that dates back to 1862. This day celebrates Mexican ethnic contributions to food, music, and beverages in the United States. One of my favorite traditions for celebrating Cinco de Mayo is creating frozen margaritas and making authentic Mexican food and décor. Take your party south of the border into the Yucatan and Jalisco with my tips below!
Create a frozen margarita bar for your guests to enjoy with the Party Bullet. It’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to make frozen margaritas and you can incorporate some of your favorite fruits of the season. Click here for frozen margarita recipes. For your guests who prefer non-alcoholic daiquiris, click here.
MYO (make your own) taco bar! One of my favorite new appliances is the Crock-Pot Hook Up Connectable Entertaining System, which is great for creating an entertaining spread for small or large parties. It comes with four different units and is perfect for making a taco bar. Click on the links below to get crock-pot recipes for authentic Mexican foods.
Slow Braised Beef Jalisco-Style
What’s a fiesta with out décor? Papel picado or “perforated paper” is a decorative craft that can be used on holidays or really at any time! All you need is a pair of scissors, string, tissue paper, Command decorating clips, and mini colored binder clips. Click here for instructions and templates to MYO papel picado.
Easter Egg Decorating Party
Traditions for egg decorating differ from country to country and across cultures as well. Sometimes eggs are painted, dyed, and even carved! Three of my favorite techniques for decorating are below.
Dyeing eggs with Kool-Aid is a fun twist on traditionally decorating eggs. All you really need is unsweetened Kool-Aid packets, water, hard-boiled eggs, a spoon, and ball jars. For directions on how to dye your eggs with different patterns, click here.
Another favorite of mine is decorating eggs in a modern way – decoupaging or egg-oupaging if you will. The French term decoupage translates to “a cutting out” and I’ve made it modern by using fashion mags and celebrity rags. For further instructions on how to egg-oupage, click here.
Taking it to another level, mega modern, you can use crafting scraps for un-eggs-pected designs! They’re perfect as the prize egg in any fashionable egg hunt!
Un-eggs-pected sweet treats are great for hungry little (and big) egg hunters! You can make these egg-shaped treats ahead of time for your party or egg hunt. For no-bake eggs-treme marshmallow cereal treats, use Fruity Pebbles Xtreme for the bright neon colors. Egg sandwich pops, a variation on cake pops, are great for the spring as well! For directions on how to make both of these, click here.
An easy way to add color to your table is to mix and match your table décor. Start with a tablecloth (you can even use a shower curtain or window curtain with colorful patterns) and build from there! Add a centerpiece using some of the un-eggs-pected treats on sticks and plant them in a round vase of wheat grass. Layer different-colored plates on your table that compliment the colors of the tablecloth. For utensils and an added surprise for your guests, make a carrot pouch filled with jelly beans out of an orange napkin, green plastic utensils, and green pipe cleaners.
Easter Egg Decorating Party: Traditional Eggs
Dye your eggs with a Kool (Aid) Twist on the traditional way of decorating eggs! It’s a fun and easy way to utilize the bright colors Kool-Aid has to offer and it also smells great while you’re dyeing your eggs! You can also mix the different flavors in order to come up with new colors (for example: Lemonade and Berry Blue will give you a green). Tip: Lands’ End has cute monogrammed egg baskets that are perfect for an egg hunt!
All you have to do is remember 2 and 2 – two unsweetened packets of Kool-Aid (they can be the same two flavors or two different flavors if you’re mixing colors) and 2 tablespoons of water. I used wide-mouth Ball jars to mix my Kool-Aid because they have lids and are great for preventing spillage.
Place your hard-boiled egg into the jar and roll it around for even coverage. For deeper colors, submerge the eggs for longer. Quickly rinse the eggs with water to let the color set and transfer the eggs to a cooling rack with paper towels underneath.
You can create different types of patterns on the eggs with rubber bands, scrapbooking stickers, and rubber cement.
- When using rubber bands, double-wrap them over the eggs to make sure the dye doesn’t seep underneath and use varying sizes for different effects.
- You can monogram your eggs by placing scrapbooking letter stickers on a dry egg before submerging it into the Kool-Aid.
- Drizzle rubber cement onto an egg and let it dry completely (it will be slightly sticky/tacky). Submerge your egg into the Kool-Aid and after rinsing it, make sure the egg dries completely before peeling off the rubber cement. The rubber cement will give your egg an abstract design.
Tip: Make sure you let the Kool-Aid dry completely before you take off the rubber bands, scrapbooking stickers, and rubber cement.
Easter Egg Decorating Party: Modern Eggs
Decorate your eggs by decoupaging them or “egg-oupaging” them if you will. Decoupaging is the French term for “a cutting out” and you can make it modern by using cut outs of fashion mags and celeb rags. Display your eggs in a classic wire egg basket in order to really show off the designs.
Materials: hard-boiled eggs, magazines, scissors, mod podge glue, foam brush.
Cut out celebrity faces, fun words, and different patterns from magazines and separate them into different piles. Place a thin layer of mod podge glue on the part of the egg that you’re covering, then place your magazine cut outs on top of it. Secure your cut outs with a thin layer of mod podge glue.
Tip: Use colored tissue paper as a base or a filler as needed.
- Celebrity-inspired eggs – celebrity couples, celebrity besties, and even the royal couple and the Queen! Use text to accentuate the images (for example, “Put a ring on it” for Beyonce).
- Text-covered eggs – layer headlines over article text and use words or hot sayings that pop or stand out!
- Designer eggs – layer different designs, patterns and colors! This is great for incorporating spring colors into your Easter eggs!
Get creative and have fun with your egg-oupaging!
Easter Egg Decorating Party: Un-Eggs-pected Treats
Make egg-shaped or “un-eggs-pected” treats ahead of time for your party guests to enjoy after their egg hunt! Egg sandwich pops, similar to cake pops and eggs-treme marshmallow cereal treats made out of Fruity Pebbles Xtreme are both no-bake spring-time treats and fun for the family!
Egg Sandwich Pops
Materials:
-oval-shaped butter crackers
-peanut butter
-Wilton candy melts in different colors
-lollipop sticks
-sprinkles
-wax paper
Directions:
1. Spread peanut butter over an oval-shaped butter cracker.
2. Place a lollipop stick on top of the peanut butter and sandwich it with another cracker. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for multiple sandwich pops.
3. Place them in the refrigerator to set.
4. Melt the Wilton candy melts in the microwave according to the directions on the packaging.
5. Dip your sandwich pops in the candy melts to get an even coating. Decorate with sprinkles or to your liking and set it on the wax paper to harden.
Eggs-treme Marshmallow Treats
Materials:
-11 oz. box of Fruity Pebbles Xtreme
-1 bag of regular-sized marshmallows
-1/4 cup of butter
-egg-shaped cookie cutter or plastic eggs that open and lollipop sticks
-large microwave-safe mixing bowl
-large cooking sheet
The marshmallow treats can be made two different ways, depending on your preference. If you decide to use plastic eggs to mold the treats into more of a 3-dimensional egg, you can put them on lollipop sticks and they make for a great centerpiece! You can also use an egg-shaped cookie cutter for flat cereal treats.
Directions:
1. Microwave the butter and marshmallows in a large microwave-safe mixing bowl on high for 2 minutes.
2. Stir together when melted and microwave on high for another minute.
3. Stir in the Fruity Pebbles and mix until evenly coated.
4a. For the pops, fill plastic eggs with the mixture and put them in the refrigerator to set. Once set, take them out of the shell and place a lollipop stick in the bottom of the egg.
4b. For egg treats using the cookie cutter, spread the mixture flat onto a cooking sheet. Use the cookie cutter to cut out egg shapes out of the cereal treats. Put them in the refrigerator to set.
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Party: Chocolate Flower Centerpiece
To make the chocolate flower centerpiece above, you need to start off with a 4×4 cube foam form or you can use real cake as your base. Melt Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chocolate to use as your “glue” and place Ghirardelli chocolate squares to form walls. Once finished, put it in the freezer to let it set, but don’t leave it in too long. In order to make the chocolate flowers, you’re going to follow the directions below.
Materials:
- Pack of water bomb balloons or balloons that are 5” or less
- Parchment Paper
- Ghirardelli Semi-sweet Baking Chips
Preparation:
- Blow up a few balloons.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave at 30-second intervals or melt in a saucepan on the stove at the lowest heat possible.
- Transfer chocolate to a small bowl and let it cool slightly (the chocolate should not be hot).
- Dip the bottom of the balloon into the melted chocolate and transfer to a piece of parchment paper.
- Allow it to dry for about 20 minutes or until the chocolate has a matte finish.
- After the chocolate has set enough, cut the balloon at the top – just below the knot – and allow the air to escape slowly.
- The balloon should come off of the chocolate.
- Shape the flowers to make a bouquet and place it on your base with your chocolate glue and let it set in the freezer (make sure you don’t leave it in the freezer for too long!).
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Party: ChocolatRouge Wine
Deliciously different, ChocolatRouge Sweet Red is a luscious blend of fine red wine and rich chocolate flavors reminiscent of chocolate-dipped red berries with a soft velvety finish. Enjoy this ideal combination for a smooth rich taste not to be missed.
Experience true decadence in a luscious blend of rich chocolate flavors and fine red wine. Deliciously Different, ChocolatRouge Milk Chocolate entices with creamy richness. Serve chilled or savor it on the rocks for the ultimate indulgence.
ChocolatRouge Orangette (pictured above)
Mix 2 oz. ChocolatRouge and 1 oz. orange syrup for this tantalizing drink. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a chocolate-covered orange peel or twist of orange
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Party: Iced Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
- Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa
- water
- 1.5 oz. Van Gogh Dark Chocolate Vodka
- 8 oz. of milk
- ice
- 1/4 cup mini marshmallows, for garnish
Preparation:
- Put 1 oz. of the cocoa into a saucer.
- Put some water into another saucer.
- Dip the rim of a martini glasses into the water and shake off any excess. Dip them in the cocoa mix to make a cocoa rim.
- Heat 8 oz. of milk in the microwave and mix in 4 tablespoons of the cocoa until it dissolves.
- In a shaker, add ice, 4 oz. of the hot cocoa, and vodka. Shake vigorously.
- Let it settle for a few minutes, then strain into the martini glass and garnish with the marshmallows and cocoa.
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Party: Chocolate Martini
Ingredients:
- ice cubes
- 2 oz. Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka
- ½ oz. Van Gogh Vanilla Vodka
- 1 oz. butterscotch schnapps
Preparation:
- Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously and let it sit in the shaker for several minutes in order to let the vodka mellow in the ice.
- Pour into a chilled martini glass rimmed with Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa.
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Party: Chocolate Tomato Soup with Cocoa Panini
Chocolate Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tbl Unsalted Butter
- 1 Onion, Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 2 Carrots, Peeled and Diced
- 2 Celery Stalks, Diced
- 1 Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Sliced
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to Taste
- 2 tbsp of Sriracha sauce
- 2 tsps Hungarian Paprika
- 2 tsps ground Cumin
- 1 tsp ground Coriander
- ½-3/4 cup Dry Sherry or White Wine
- 1-28 oz Can Diced Tomatoes
- 4 Cups Chicken Broth
- ¼ Cup Cilantro, Chopped
- ¼ Cup Italian Parsley, Chopped
- 3-4 oz Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate
- 2 Tbl Honey or to Taste
- Queso Fresco, Goat Cheese or Crème Fraiche to Garnish
Preparation:
- Heat oil and butter in a stock pot over medium high heat until butter melts.
- Add onion and sauté until translucent, approx. 5 mins. Add garlic, carrots, celery and sun dried tomatoes.
- Season with salt, pepper, harissa, paprika, cumin and coriander. Saute for a couple of minute to toast spices and soften vegetables.
- Add wine and continue cooking on high until all of the liquid has evaporated. Add tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 45 mins or until the vegetables are tender.
- Pass soup through a food mill to puree sorry, and remove any large particles. Return soup to pot and place over low heat.
- Add parsley and cilantro. Add chocolate and enough honey to balance acidity. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve hot, garnished with queso fresco, fresh goat cheese or crème fraiche.
Cocoa Panini
Ingredients:
- Panini Bread
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
- 12 oz. of Ghirardelli Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Preparation:
- Preheat the panini grill.
- Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil. Grill the bread slices until they begin to turn golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove from the panini grill and place 2 ounces of cheese on 1 slice of bread (the bottom half), top the cheese with 1/3 cup chocolate chips, and a sprinkle of basil.
- Top with another slice of bread. Continue with the remaining sandwiches. Return the sandwiches to the panini grill until the chocolate begins to melt, about another 2 minutes.
- Cut the sandwiches into 2-inch wide rectangles or small triangles and transfer to a serving platter.
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Party: Chocolate Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
Chicken
- 1 whole medium chicken, about 2 lbs
- 4 carrots, roughly cut
- 2″ ginger, sliced into 1/4″ coins
- 1 onion, roughly cut
- 1 garlic, halved
- 2 bunches thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 bottle white wine
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 10 white peppercorns
- Water to cover
Pie Filling
- 3/4 stick butter
- 1/2 cup shallots, diced 1/4″
- 1/4 cup AP flour
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup sliced celery, diced 1/4#
- 3/4 cup corn kernels
- 3/4 cup carrots, diced 1/4″
- 1 cup diced potatoes, 1/4″
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa
- 2 cups reserved chicken stock
- 1 cup milk
- 6 oz. of Lindt Excellence Chili Bar
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1/4 cup brandy
- add reserved chicken meat
Preparation:
Cooking Chicken
- Bring everything but the chicken to a simmer. Let cook for 25 minutes until vegetables are soft. Turn off heat and set aside to room temperature.
- Butcher chicken into 8 pieces, separating into 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, 2 wings, and saving all the backs and carcasses.
- Remove the innards and use it for a different recipe.
- Rinse chicken under cold running water and pat dry with a towel.
- Add chicken pieces to chicken stock, starting with the wings, followed by thighs and drumsticks, and breasts on top, and turn heat to simmer and poach until chicken is tender and meat falls apart from the bones.
- Remove chicken from stock and refrigerate until cold. Once cold, pull chicken meat, discarding skin and fat, and save the meat to be used in filling. Strain chicken stock for use later.
Pie Filling
- Sautee butter with shallots and flour until browned. Add cocoa powder, chipotle, celery seeds, potatoes, and cook for another 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add chicken stock to deglaze, add milk, whisking until mixture comes to a boil, whisk in Lindt chocolate and emulsify until homogenous. Add the rest of the vegetables and bring the mixture to a boil. Fold in chicken meat and brandy. Consistency should be like that of a chowder.
- Place filling in pie molds. Top off mold with pastry fit to size with a 1/2″ overhang and season top
Assembly
- Pastry cut to size with 1/4″ overhang
- Fill mold with chicken mole pie filling
- Fit pastry to size. Season top with salt and pepper.
- Bake at 375 degrees until top is golden brown and bubbling with filling. Let rest for 15 minutes and reheat before serving, then dust with Ghirardelli Unsweetend Cocoa.
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Party: Chocolate Pasta with Chocolate Covered Bread Sticks
Ingredients:
Chocolate Pasta
- 1 pound all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate and Cocoa
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa
Parmesan Pasta Sauce
- 2 cups cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 1-2 oz. of 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- Optional: Chocolate truffle
Chocolate Covered Bread Stick
- 1 pound cake flour
- ½ pound butter
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons salt
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma
- 1 cup Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate, melted
Preparation:
Chocolate Pasta
- Sift flour and cocoa powder together and knead in the eggs and olive oil for 15 minutes.
- Rest for another fifteen minutes then roll and cut in a pasta machine.
- Heat up a pot of lightly salted water and boil pasta until al dente.
Parmesan Pasta Sauce
- In a medium sauce pot scald the cream.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, Parigiano Reggiano, and melted chocolate.
- Temper this mixture into the hot cream and bring to a light simmer, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
Chocolate Covered Bread Sticks
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Put the butter and flour in a mixer then add water, salt, sugar and egg yolks, and mix until just combined.
- Let the dough rest for fifteen minutes then roll out to ½ inch thick.
- Cut into ¼ inch thick strips and bake untill golden brown. Let the bread sticks cool then wrap in Prosciutto and dip in chocolate. Allow to set.
To Finish:
Toss the hot pasta in the sauce, serve with a breadstick, and dust with Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa.
Romantic Valentine’s Day Stay-cations
Valentines Day is the most romantic day of the year and the ideal time to plan a couples getaway to a romantic destination. What about those of us who can’t fly to our dream destination of choice or don’t have extra cash lying around so soon after the holidays?
I’ll show you how to create a romantic Valentine’s Day stay-cation without leaving the comfort of your own home and without the hefty price tag. I’ve created three Romantic Stay-cation themes based on three lover types; Languid Lovers, Sporty Lovers, Lover Lovers. Each dinner is comprised of food, drinks and décor inspired by the culture and landscape of each of the destinations.
A Tropical Stay-cation Destination for the languid lovers who love to lay around with each other, sipping on drinks wearing only a strategically placed lei. Click the link to see how you can cool off your hot night with exotic frozen drinks and savor the sensual tastes of the tropical islands.
A Ski Stay-cation Destination for the sporty lovers who love to cozy up to a warm fire and enjoy après-ski bites and nibbles without the hassle of suiting up…in ski clothes! Click the link to see how you can prepare hot cocktails to warm you up from top to bottom and how to satisfy your sweet and savory sides with a classic Fondue menu.
A City of Love & Lights (Paris) Stay-cation Destination for the lover lovers who love to fair l’amour en Francais. Click the link to see how you can prepare bubble cocktails that will tickle your palate and how to prepare a romantic picnic by the Seine-style menu.
Super Bowl Entertaining
Ahh! The Super Bowl…the Shangri-La for party themes! When it comes to the Super Bowl, the three most important things to remember are location, location, and location! Super Bowl XLVII (47) is in New Orleans AKA NOLA (AKA The Big Easy), a city world-famous for its fusion of foods from different cultures. The food and drinks I’ve put together are inspired by a blending of the three locations – New Orleans, San Francisco for the 49ers, and Baltimore for the Ravens. Follow my tips and recipes to bring “The Big Easy” to you and your guests for the BIG GAME!
New Orleans is in the heart of hot sauce country. Tabasco is South Louisiana’s own pepper sauce made with peppers grown on Avery Island Plantation. The Original Red Sauce is the same pepper sauce that was created in 1868 by Edmund McIlhenny. What better way is there to add a little bit of spice to your spread than with a few of the Tabasco flavors?
- Original Red Sauce
- There is a Limited Edition football-themed bottle of the Tabasco Original Red to commemorate “The Big Easy.”
- A portion of the proceeds from this bottle will be donated to Taste of the NFL, which will help feed families who need assistance from their local food banks.
- Used in my recipes for Jambalaya and Red Beans and Rice and my Bloody Mary Bar.
- Green Pepper Sauce
- One of the main flavors in this sauce is jalapeños.
- Used in my recipe for the San Francisco Hangtown Fry Po-Boy.
- Chipotle Sauce
- This sauce brings an instant BBQ flavor.
- Used in my recipe for the Baltimore Crab Cake Po-Boy.
Starting off my Super Bowl spread is Jambalaya – AKA the perfect game day one pot dish. This dish was born after a traveler arrived late one night at an inn in New Orleans and told the cook to “throw something together.” The dish calls for a base of long grain rice, seasoned onion, garlic and celery, chunks of chicken, and Smithfield Andouille Sausage.
Red Beans and Rice, a NOLA Monday tradition and another hearty one pot meal, is up next! This tradition stems from the women of the house cooking a pot of red beans all day for Monday night’s meal while tending to the laundry. Monday used to be “laundry day” and because the red beans required little hands-on attention while cooking, it was the perfect dish to make while doing laundry. However, if you don’t have all day to make this dish, you can always save time (and money) by buying canned red beans!
Po-Boys, basically overstuffed sandwiches served on French bread, are also a New Orleans tradition. The name actually comes from “poor boy,” which came about during the Great Depression when streetcar workers opened up a sandwich shop using cut potatoes and roast beef gravy. I created Po-Boys for the two teams with gourmet ingredients inspired by favorites from each team’s city.
- The Baltimore Crab Cake Po-Boy - the area is known for crab from the Chesapeake Bay.
- The San Francisco Hangtown Fry Po-Boy – the “Hangtown Fry” is credited as the oldest signature meal of the area and is actually considered a gentlemen’s meal with its ingredients (eggs, bacon, and oysters).
Forget chips! These Po-Boys are served with a side of pierogie fries AKA the perfect pairing of pasta and potatoes. I fried Mrs. T’s Mini Cheese and Potato Pierogies and paired them with dipping sauces (Green Goddess for San Francisco [since it was actually created there] and a Remoulade for Baltimore).
Finally on to the drinks…you can’t have a Super Bowl Party without a Bloody Mary Bar! Tabasco is essential to my famous Bloody Mark! Set up an area with skewers and several garnishes, then let your guests have a go at dressing up their own drink.
Hurricanes are an essential NOLA cocktail. Pat O’Brien originally created this daiquiri while trying to get rid of rum in his bar. I’ve made three different hurricanes using regional spirits from the area the drink is for.
- New Orleans Style Hurricane using Old New Orleans Crystal Rum and Old New Orleans Amber Rum
- The Raven using Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin
- The Gold Rush with Charbay “S” Hop Flavored Whiskey
For recipes on the dishes and drinks above, click on the links throughout.
Super Bowl Entertaining: The San Francisco Hangtown Fry Po-Boy
Ingredients:
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk or cream
- 3 raw shucked oysters
- ½ cup Bread Crumbs
- Vegetable oil or butter
- 2 slices bacon
- 1 egg
- Shredded lettuce
- 1 tomato, sliced
- Dash of TABASCO Green Pepper Sauce
- Green Goddess dressing
- Sourdough baguette
* Pat the shucked oysters dry with paper towels to remove moisture.
Preparation:
- In a small bowl, beat egg with the milk or cream. Dip the oysters in the egg/milk mixture and then the breadcrumbs.
- In a frying pan, heat the vegetable oil or butter. Add the oysters and fry approximately 30 seconds on each side or until three-fourths (3/4) cooked, remove from heat and set aside.
- While frying the oysters, fry the bacon in another skillet until the bacon becomes crisp and then fry the egg.
- Place the bacon in the sliced baguette, then top with the fried egg. Place the 3 fried oysters on top of that. Add a dash of TABASCO Green Pepper Sauce, then drizzle with Green Goddess dressing and serve on a bed of shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
Makes 1 serving.
Instead of the chips, fry up a side of Mrs. T’s Potato and Cheddar Mini Pierogies and serve with Green Goddess dressing.
Super Bowl Entertaining: Bloody Mary Bar
Ingredients:
- 3 oz. of premium vodka
- 3 oz of tomato juice or use your favorite Bloody Mary Mix
- 1 tbs. Horseradish paste
- 3-5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dashes of TABASCO Original Red Sauce
- fresh cracked pepper
- a dash of sea salt
- 1 fresh lime wedge
Tools:
- Highboy glass
- Two mixing glasses
- Olive spoon
- Small skewers or toothpicks
Preparation:
For the rim mix:
In a shallow dish mix equal parts; sea salt, garlic flakes, fresh cracked pepper, paprika, dried parsley, finely chopped dried citrus rind and for an extra kick cayenne pepper.
- Coat the rim of the highboy glass with the juice from the lime wedge and dredge the rim in the mix, fill with ice and set aside.
- In one of the mixing glasses, combine all of the ingredients and roll from one mixing glass to the other to combine. Tomato juice (and pineapple juice) should never be shaken as it makes the juice too foamy.
- Once combined, pour the mixture into the prepared glass and garnish with the skewered olive/onion/lime wheel and celery stick.
Make your bloody mary bar interactive and set up a station where guests can dress up their own drinks! Get creative with the garnishes…I included bacon, fried oysters, and shrimp to name a few.
Super Bowl Entertaining: Hurricane, New Orleans Style
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Old New Orleans Crystal Rum
- 1 oz Old New Orleans Amber Rum
- 3 oz orange juice
- 3 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1/2 oz grenadine syrup
- crushed ice
Preparation:
- Combine all ingredients; mix well (shake or stir).
- Pour over crushed ice in hurricane glass. Best enjoyed through a small straw.
- Garnish with orange wedge and a cherry desired.
Tying back to the location-based theme, Old New Orleans Rum is perfect for a New Orleans Style Hurricane. Distilled in NOLA, Old New Orleans Rum is produced by Celebration Distillation, the oldest premium rum distillery in the United States. The founder of Celebration Distillation, James Michalopoulos, is a New Orleans-based artist, who experimented with distillation through trial and error and with a crew constructed a unique combination pot and column still. For more about Old New Orleans Rum and where you can get it, visit their website at www.oldneworleansrum.com.
Super Bowl Entertaining: The Raven
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 2 oz cranberry juice cocktail
- 1/2 oz Blue Curacao
- 1/2 oz Chambord
- crushed ice
Preparation:
- Pour the gin, and blue curacao into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.
- Slowly pour the Chambord over the back of a bar spoon so it floats on top.
The Raven is a dark and mysterious cocktail that I’ve adapted from other recipes for the Baltimore Ravens. It calls for Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin, which is distilled in the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since before prohibition by Becky and Scott Harris. Located in the Chesapeake Bay area, this gin perfectly ties in to the location-based theme and in name pays respect to the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It is distilled from organic rye graine with a secret recipe of organic herbs and spices. For more information about Catoctin Creek, you can visit their website at catoctincreekdistilling.com.
Super Bowl Entertaining: The Gold Rush
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Charbay “S” Hop Flavored Whiskey
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 2 oz. orange juice
- lemon wheel and lime wedge for garnish
- crushed ice
Preparation:
- Combine all ingredients, mix well (shake or stir).
- Pour over crushed ice in hurricane glass.
- Best enjoyed through a small straw. Garnish with fruit wedge if desired.
I created The Gold Rush, similar to a Whiskey Sour, for the San Francisco 49ers. This drink calls for Charbay “S” Hop Flavored Whiskey, which is distilled in California and ties into the location theme. Charbay is a family owned business in Napa Valley that has been around since 1984 and is headed by Miles and Marko Karakasevic, a father and son team. Charbay Whiskey S is aged in used Chardonnay French Oak for 22 months, then cut to 99 proof. For more information on Charbay, you can visit their website at www.charbay.com.
Winter Stay-cation Party: Exotic Destination – South African Safari Adventure
For a safari adventure to South Africa, follow the cocktail recipes, food recipes, and décor tips below.
Cocktails
- Bertrams VO(serves 1)
- Serve 2 oz Bertrams VO on the rocks or straight up
- A traditional South African brandy that epitomizes the art of traditional blending
- Serve 2 oz Bertrams VO on the rocks or straight up
- Parrot Bay Frozen Pouches Mango(serves 1)
- Method:
- Freeze overnight
- Pour into a daiquiri glass
- Garnish with a fresh mango
- Method:
- South African Sun (serves 1)
- Ingredients:
- 1 ½ oz Bertrams VO
- ½ oz Ketel One Orange
- ¼ oz fresh lemon juice
- ¼ oz fresh orange juice
- Method:
- Pour all ingredients over ice in a shaker and shake vigorously until combined.
- Serve in a martini glass
- Ingredients:
South African Sosaties and Yellow Rice
- Traditional Cape Malay Sosaties (Kebabs)- These popular kebabs are served with BBQ “wokked” vegetables. The kebabs have a very gentle curry flavor smell wonderful on the BBQ. Lamb, chicken and fish all work really well with this recipe.
- Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped gingerroot
- Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole cloves
- 3 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup white wine
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- ½ cup strained fresh lemon juice combined with ½ cup water
- 1 ½ pounds beef or lamb cubed (chicken can substitute)
- 1 cup dried apricots, softened in boiling water
- 1 onion, cut into quarters and softened in water
- 1 green pepper, cut into one inch pieces
- 1 red pepper, cut into one inch pieces
- Method:
- Sautee the garlic and ginger in oil until soft, approximately one minute.
- Add dry ingredients and stir for approximately 30 seconds; then add the remaining liquids and bring to a boil.
- Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from the heat and let cool.
- Skewer the meat alternating with apricots, onions and peppers.
- Cover the skewers with cooled marinade.
- Cover and marinate overnight or up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Grill the skewers over high heat basting with the leftover marinade. (The marinade can be used as a sauce–simply boil for 3 minutes)
- Ingredients:
- South African Yellow Rice
- Ingredients:
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup black raisins
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 2 ½ cups water
- Method:
- In a saucepan, combine the rice, salt, turmeric, sugar, cinnamon, raisins, butter and water.
- Bring to a boil uncovered.
- When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until rice is fluffy and water has been absorbed.
- Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork.
- Keep warm until serving time.
- Ingredients:
Décor:
- Accents
- Cover your tabletop in African inspired fabrics with a weaving pattern in bright colors.
- You can also purchase (or make) pillows in similar fabrics for the couch and sitting areas in your home
- Centerpieces and Accent Décor
- Use brightly colored florals to make a living centerpiece.
- Soak floral foam in water and place it at the bottom of a wide-mouthed vase. Place greenery in the bowl in a criss-cross pattern to serve as your base and hide the foam. Insert the flowers into the foam starting with the most prominent and fill with lighter florals in the negative space.
- Animal Print
- Place touches of animal print fabrics and décor pieces to give you the feeling that you are on an African safari
Winter Stay-cation Party: Ski Destination – French Alps
For a cold-climate destination replication of the French Alps, follow these hot cocktail recipes, fondue recipes, and tips for décor!
Hot Cocktails
- Baked Apple Pie (Serves 6)
- Ingredients:
- 30 oz unfiltered apple juice
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise pods
- 6 oz Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
- Method:
- Put the apple juice in a large pot with whole cloves, cinnamon and star anise.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat.
- Ladle the mixture into six coffee mugs and add 1 oz of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum to each mug.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
- Ingredients:
- Peppermint Mocha Toddy (Serves 1)
- Ingredients:
- 1 oz Peppermint Schnapps
- ½ oz Dark Crème de Cacao
- 1 teaspoon crème de menthe
- 4 oz Hot Chocolate
- Whipped cream
- Shaved chocolate or chocolate sprinkles for garnish
- Method:
- Pour the liqueurs into an Irish coffee glass
- Fill with hot chocolate
- Top with whipped cream
- Garnish with shaved chocolate or chocolate sprinkles
- Ingredients:
- Winter Wonderland(serves 1)
- Ingredients:
- 1 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
- 1 oz Bushmills Whiskey
- White hot chocolate
- Whipped cream
- Cinnamon for garnish
- Method:
- Combine ingredients in a mug or Irish coffee glass
- Stir to combine
- Top with whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon for garnish
- Ingredients:
Fondues
- Artisanal Cheese Fondue - Smooth and rich, this fondue recipe is the classic après ski dish on menus in the French Alps.
- Ingredients:
- 1 clove garlic, cut in half
- 1.5 cups dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 7 oz Comte cheese, coarsely grated
- 7 oz Roclette cheese
- 7 oz Gruyere cheese, coarsely grated
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- Pinch of ground paprika
- 3 tablespoons Kirsch
- Suggested dippables:
- Bite sized cubes of bread
- Bite sized pieces of roasted potatoes
- 1 inch cubes of seasoned veggies
- Peppers, Carrots, Broccoli, etc
- Method:
- Rub the inside of a saucepan with the cut side of the garlic and then discard the garlic.
- Add the wine and cornstarch to the prepared pan and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat so the wine is just simmering and add the cheese, nutmeg, black pepper, and paprika, stirring constantly until the fondue is melted and smooth.
- Keeping the heat low to medium, continue cooking, never boiling, the fondue for 15 minutes until it is thickened.
- Add the Kirsch and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Transfer the fondue to a fondue pot set over a flame and serve it with cubed bread.
- Ingredients:
- Chocolate Hazelnut Fondue for those who love sweets.
- Ingredients:
- ¾ cups heavy whipping cream, reserve ¼ cup to thin if fondue begins to thicken
- 4 bittersweet chocolate bars, chopped 3 ½ ounces each
- 2 tablespoons Bailey’s Hazelnut Liqueur (optional)
- ¼ cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds (optional)
- Suggested dippables:
- Bicotti
- Salted pretzel sticks
- Cubed pound cake
- Sliced bananas
- Strawberries
- Oranges
- Pineapple slices
- Method:
- Heat ½ cup cream in a heavy non-reactive saucepot over moderate heat until cream comes to a low boil.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add chocolate and let chocolate stand in hot cream for 3 to 5 minutes to soften, then whisk the chocolate together with the cream.
- Stir in Bailey’s Hazelnut Liqueur (and chopped nuts) and transfer the fondue to a fondue pot with a flameIf the fondue becomes too thick, stir in reserved cream, 1 tablespoon at a time to get the desired consistency.
- Serve with your favorite dippables.
- Ingredients:
Décor
- Fireplace
- A fireplace serves as a gathering spot in a ski lodge after a long day on the slopes.
- If you do not have an indoor fireplace, create an outdoor fireplace on a non-flammable dry surphase with a “Light ‘n Go Bonfire log from ecoforestfirewood.com
- For a high-tech option, put a crackling fire DVD on your TV. You will not get the heat of the fire, but the sight and sound of the fire will create a cozy environment.
- Setting the tone
- Drape tables and furniture with winter throws (the one above is from Lands’ End) to create a warm feeling for your ski staycation
- Arrange pine cones and evergreen branches throughout the space to perfume the air with a pine scent which is reminiscent of the aroma of a ski slope coursing along an evergreen forest.
- You can even use artificial pinecones and evergreen branches that have been recycled from your Christmas decorations.
- Skiing is not the same without freshly fallen snow. Cut out paper snowflakes and hang them around the room and in the windows, doorways and ceiling. Embellish the snowflakes with glitter for an added sparkle.
- Ski Gear: When you are on your stay-cation, you do not have to hide your ski gear in the closet. Use poles, skiis, boots, coats, scarves/hats/gloves and goggles for decoration around the home. Place the boots near the fire to keep them warm, place the skiis and poles near the front door. This will give you the sense that you have just come off the mountain.
The Procrastinator’s Guide to Last Minute Holiday Parties!
Do you tend to leave everything to the last minute? You have nothing planned for your holiday party…no tree, decorations, or food? Leave your worries behind because I’ve got the procrastinator’s guide to last minute holiday parties! Seeing as you’re already out of time, I’ll show you how to bring the holiday cheer to your home with easy recipes and last minute decoration tricks!
Deck the halls without wrecking the walls! Transform your home with holiday décor using items you already own. Click on the links below to see how you can make your home more festive without a pine tree, all while damage-free! Pro Tip: Use damage-free Command Clear Decorating Clips, Mini Hooks, and Fridge Clips so that when the holiday season is over, you can remove the decorations without leaving nail marks on the wall or door.
Free-Form Décor
No tree? No problem! You can save the space and make a free form tree on your wall with last year’s lights and ornaments.
Décor Using Holiday Cards
Everyone gets holiday cards in the mail…why not double them as decoration? Display them on your wall and presto, instant décor.
I also have 3 ways to “punch up” your party with easy holiday punch recipes and an instant egg nog! There’s no need for a punch bowl either—I’ll show you how to repurpose everyday household items. Click the links below for recipes and directions on how to make your holiday punch.
You can also create a delicious holiday spread with only one trip to the grocery store! Smithfield spiral ham is great for the holidays—all you have to do is throw it in the oven to bake, then glaze it and serve. To glam up your ham, click on the link below for a glaze. For the turkey eaters out there, you can always substitute the ham for a preroasted turkey.
Holiday Smithfield Ham with Pecan Molasses Glaze
For leftover ham, click on this recipe: Ham, Garlic and Chive Appetizer Spread
Canned food is a procrastinator’s best friend! For easily prepared sides and appetizers, use canned foods—they’re not only convenient and budget-friendly, but they can reduce your cooking time. For recipes and directions on how to make these can-friendly dishes, click on the links below.
Baked Brie with Cranberry-Orange Relish
For sweets, make these faux homemade treats! Buy some already made gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies, and colored sprinkles. Coat the cookies with a simple sugar glaze made out of confectioner’s sugar and water and decorate with sprinkles to make it look like you’ve baked all day!
Repurpose items from around your house for table top décor. Use the cans from your holiday spread to make a cake stand—decorate the cans with holiday scrapbooking paper or wrapping paper and tier plain plates on the cans. A festive throw can be transformed into a table runner, while you can make an instant centerpiece out of ornaments arranged on a plate.
For entertainment, play a photo retrospective of embarrassing family photos and on your TV or favorite video device!
The Procrastinator’s Guide: Holiday Ginger Cheer Punch
Ingredients:
- 15 oz. Ketel One Vodka
- 15 oz. Ginger Ale
- 6 oz. Cranberry Juice
- 1.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
- Candied Ginger
Preparation:
- Combine all ingredients and serve in clear glass mixing bowl.
- Garnish with candied ginger. Good for 10 servings.
Ketel One is an ultra-premium vodka with a smooth crisp taste and lingering finish that makes it perfect for a holiday punch like the Ginger Cheer.
Get creative with your bowl and cups! No need for proper punch cups when you can use wine glasses, mason jars and even coffee cups.
The Procrastinator’s Guide: Spiced Cider Rum Punch
- 30 oz. unfiltered apple juice
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise pods
- 6 oz. Zacapa 23
Preparation:
- Put the apple juice in a large pot with whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and star anise.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heat.
- Once the juice has cooled, add ice and rum.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
- Serve in a large vase with wine glasses on the side. Good for 6 servings.
Zacapa 23 is an ultra-premium, barrel-aged rum that is perfect for the holiday season–its rich notes of vanilla caramel and dry fruit and smooth quality make it great for this cider.
Get creative with your bowl and cups! No need for proper punch cups when you can use wine glasses, mason jars and even coffee cups.
