tea cake martini

Make-Ahead Chocolate Soufflé

 

Since I love getting together with friends and family, I am always on the look out for great & easy recipes to serve. So when I saw this post at Party Blu Prints,  I knew I had to share it with you.  This recipe is perfect because you can partially prep them ahead of time so you spend less time in the kitchen and you'll get to mingle with your guests a little bit more.

While you're there, check out Dawn Sandomeno and Elizabeth Mascali  share their expertise in home entertaining and other fabulous party tips.  They do all the hard so you can make your entertaining "easy and simple".

You can also find Dawn as a weekly contributor on the popular Twitter Moms site and other sought after sites, sharing her expert advice on how to make your next party a huge success!

Photos and recipe via Party Blu Prints

Pretty Random Salad

It was a rainy Thursday afternoon and I wanted to make something healthy for a very late after school snack and came up with this pretty random salad. I am lucky enough to have an eleven year old son that appreciates my attempts in preparing pretty arranged food. My 8 year old however will never even consider the idea.

So I hurriedly prepped  this afternoon/right before dinner snack  &  to my surprise, he really loved it.  Even his little friends liked it too.  So I thought if he likes it, you might just feel the same. So here it is.

Ingredients

Romain Lettuce or Spinach

Slice or cube fresh orange

Fresh Currants

Fresh Blueberries

Cole Slaw Dressing by Marie

Steak & Spinach Couscous

 

Quentin Bacon                                                                 Yunhee Kim

Steak & Spinach Couscous                       Cucumber & Lime Spritzer

These two recipes are easy and yummy. Click on the links to get the complete guide on how to make these treats.

Source: Real Simple

Blood Red Punch For A Tasty Halloween Treat

 

Happy Halloween Y'all! 

Here's a festive looking and yummy tasting punch recipe for your trick or treaters. 

 

To make scary ice cubes, place Halloween items (such as plastic spiders and bugs or gummi worms) in ice cube trays, leaving a little of each item exposed. (Be sure each item is big enough not to be easily swallowed.) Fill the tray with water and freeze. Place several cubes in each glass before filling with punch.

 

Ingredients:

3 cups cranberry-raspberry juice blend or other berry juice

3 cups sparkling water

1 cup thawed frozen strawberries or raspberries, pureed

1 cup crushed ice cubes

Directions:

In a 2-quart pitcher or punch bowl, combine the juice, sparkling water, pureed berries and ice. Stir gently to mix. Divide the punch evenly among 8 glasses. Serves 8.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kids Parties, by Lisa Atwood (Oxmoor House, 2008).

Photo Credit:  Williams Sonoma

Ole Guacamole!

I snagged this recipe from Spa Magazine back in 2005 and it has been one of my favorites to serve as appetizers.  I love fresh avocado and this “homemade” Lake Austin Spa Guacamole recipe is one of the yummiest I’ve tasted and the perfect center piece for a get together.

2 medium size ripe avocados

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon lime juice or fresh orange squeezed

¼ teaspoon salt

2 small Roma tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

½ small Serrano chili, seeded and minced (optional)

Cut the avocados in half, lengthwise. Remove the pits and scoop fruit out with a spoon into a large bowl.  Add the garlic, lime juice, and salt and mash together coarsely with a fork or potato masher.

Fold in the tomato, onion, and cilantro (and chili if using).

Serve at room temperature with corn chips.  Serves 4

Enjoy!