A couple of weeks ago, I hosted a pool party for some of my daughter's friends. I'm not sure who had more fun - the girls or me? When I started planning this party, I turned to pinterest for some nautical inspiration. (Talk about inspiration overload.) I loved this cute idea of wrapping plastic silverware in blue napkins and securing it with a rope and a life saver for a pool party. I headed out to my front yard to pick some blue hydrangeas to add to my nautical blue pool party table. I used 5 hydrangeas in each mason jar to create 2 beautiful blue centerpieces. For dinner I served "heat wave hamburgers" and "too hot - hot dogs." (My daughter's request.) I also served some "time for a dip salsa" with "surfboards". (Longboard chips from Trader Joe's.)
and rice crispy "starfish."
Finally, I dipped each frosted star in crushed graham crackers and added some eyes. The food table was set and ready for guests to arrive. After the girls had eaten, I could tell that the massive amounts of sugar were starting to have an effect on them so we headed straight to the pool to burn off some extra energy. Even though I had done my best to fill the bellies of these teenagers, I knew that it wouldn't be long before they got hungry again. I thought about packing a bunch of snacks to take the pool and then I decided it would be easier to have the girls pack their own snacks. I set out jars of pool themed snacks and gave each girl a cellophane bag to fill with goodies to take to the pool. There were frosted cheerio "floats" and club mini "beach towels." There were mini nilla wafer "suns" and colored "goldfish." There were pretzel "beach balls" and scoops "boats." Each girl filled their bag with goodies and made their own unique snack mix. This was one of their favorite parts of the party. I tied them all up with a pretty blue ribbon and I took them to the pool for the time when the inevitable munchies hit. The party was a big success. The weather cooperated and the girls had a great time. Ciao!
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Salted caramel confections are popping up all over the place lately. It's the new trend in chocolate bars, ice cream shops and even cupcakes. Even though I'm generally not a huge fan of salty and sweet flavors blended together, there's something about a salted caramel that I just find irresistible. I found this recipe for Salted Caramel Cupcakes in my Cupcakes book by Shelly Kaldunski last year and I started to advertise them on my facebook page. Apparently I'm not the only one jumping on the salted caramel bandwagon because ever since their first facebook appearance, I've gotten all sorts of orders for these cupcakes. Salted Caramel Cupcakes 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 cup butter 3/4 teaspoons baking powder 2 eggs 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup dark brown sugar 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup sugar 12 caramels for decoration
Bake 20 minutes at 350. Cool 1 hour. Caramel Buttercream 2 egg whites 1/3 cup sugar 12 Tablespoons butter 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 6 caramels, melted and cooled
To top each cupcake, I made a salted caramel by dipping a caramel into milk chocolate and then sprinkling it with sea salt. Even though these cupcakes were in mini size, they packed a whole lot of punch into one or two bites. Ciao!
When it comes to food - looks aren't everything but they do play a big role in how we perceive our food. We eat more with our eyes than we actually realize. Studies show that when food is presented in a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing way, we're much more likely to have a positive response to the flavor. Keep that in mind when you read through this recipe on Vegetable and Rice Burritos with Quesadilla Cheese. My burritos completely fell apart and they didn't look very appealing but they did taste good - you'll just have to take my word for it. Vegetable Burritos 4 teaspoons canola oil 1/3 cup long grain white rice 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 2/3 cup water 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon jalapeno, chopped 1/4 reduced fat sour cream 1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup fresh corn (I used frozen) 1 small zucchini, halved and sliced 3/4 cup halved grape tomatoes 4 whole wheat tortillas 4 ounces quesadilla cheese Heat 1 teaspoon oil in saucepan. Add rice and 1/2 teaspoon garlic to pan. Saute 1 minute. Add 2/3 cup water and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Stir in jalapeno. (optional)
My husband really liked these burritos which surprised me because they were loaded with vegetables. I guess these burritos were a lot like him, rough and tough on the outside but tender on the inside. (Did I really just compare my husband to a burrito? It was intended to be a compliment.) Ciao! I should have known when I opened the package of tortillas that they were not fresh enough to fold or roll. (They were all stuck together.) They did exactly what I though they were going to do - they all cracked and tore when I tried to fold them.
Heat remaining oil in skillet and brown each burrito in skillet. A trip back to the Mediterranean Sea is not in my near future so I decided to bring the flavors of the region to our dinner table in Georgia. This recipe for Lemony Mediterranean Chicken and Rice came from a Cook's Country magazine. The olives and fresh oregano and lemon zest really was reminiscent of the delicious food that we enjoyed while sitting by the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Chicken and Rice 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives 1/4 cup olive brine 1/4 cup olive oil 4 cloves garlic 1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest 4 boneless chicken breasts 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup long grain white rice 4 1/2 ounces grape tomatoes 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in skillet. Pat chicken dry and then add to hot oil. Brown chicken 3-4 minutes on each side. While chicken cooks, microwave rice and 1 1/4 cups broth in covered microwave dish for 6 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to skillet. Add 2 teaspoons oregano and 2 cloves garlic. Cook 30 seconds.
Off heat, stir olives, tomatoes and 2 Tablespoons parsley into rice. Sprinkle over rested chicken. Serve chicken over rice. I served my Mediterranean chicken and rice with my version of a Mediterranean salad. (Romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, sliced olives and chick peas) It was all quite delicious and even though I wasn't sitting on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea, I still enjoyed the meal.
Ciao! It's officially summer - have you heard those dreaded words from your kids yet? "There's nothing to do. I'm bored." Not to worry, I have a project that will keep your kids busy for at least an afternoon. These peanut butter flip flop cookies are easy to make and a fun summer activity for the whole family.
Decorate the chocolate covered cookies with Royal icing. (Or any icing that you love really.) These cookies would be a great addition to any pool party or summer get together. I'm sure that your flip flop cookies will be much more artistic and creative than mine. I'd love for you to send me a picture of your creation.
Ciao! |
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