Menus, tips and ideas for hosting with style!
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I love this idea from the Crafts Dept. for using water balloons and either plastic coffee stirrers or wooden skewers to creae an inflatable balloon cake topper. Buy a small bag of water balloons (available at most drugstores this time of year or year-round at toy stores). Blow up the balloons (with your own hot air – no helium needed) and slip a coffee stirrer (wooden or plastic) or wooden skewer into the knot as you tie it. Stick the skewer into your cake or cupcakes for a simple and cheerful birthday celebration. Use one balloon for each year, as you would with candles on the cake.
I had the pleasure of attending the GreenFestival in NYC a few weeks ago. There were so many amazing eco-friendly and organic vendors there. I had a great time talking to passionate vendors and sampling lots of tasty new organic products. One of the hightlights of the festival was the Vitamix demo, where they made and gave out samples of a vegan ice cream made from raw cashews. The cashew ice cream was delicious! It tasted like what I remember a Wendy’s frosty to taste like – a little thinner than traditional ice cream but still thick enough to scoop and eat with a spoon. I am the proud new owner of a Vitamix. My fab husband recently bought it for me – I have wanted one for years and had burned through 2 Breville blenders in the past 3 years (we make a LOT of smoothies and protein shakes in our house and apparently even the motor of a high-end blender cannot take daily frozen fruit and ice for more than a year or so, as the nice people at Williams-Sonoma explained) so he thought it was time to splurge for the Vitamix. Unfortunately, the cookbook that came with the Vitamix doesn’t have many recipes that appeal to me – most have gluten or dairy or are just not that interesting. For years I have dreamed of making my own nut milks, nut cheezes and pureeing metal forks (kidding on that one – but that’s what several Vitamix advocates used to describe the power of the motor on the Vitamix: “It can puree a metal fork”). Inspired by the demo, I went home and made the cocoa cashew ice cream the next day. My whole family loves it, including my 2 year-old. It is slightly grittier than traditional ice cream, but still creamy and delicious. It melts quickly and does not taste nearly as good if you freeze the mixture for later (which I tried doing – it loses its creaminess and becomes icy), so plan to serve it immediately. [Read more...]
Earlier this year I blogged about Cup-4-Cup’s gluten-free flour blend. I have since used it in some of the recipes I miss most from my gluten days. Popovers are on my short list. If you haven’t had one, you should make them immediately (recipe below) or go to a restaurant that serves them. Popover Cafe in NYC and Passports in Gloucester, MA are a few of my family’s favorite popover spots. My mom, a skilled baker, used to make popovers for the holidays. She passed away when I was nine years old and until I met my mother-in-law, who made them the first time I had the pleasure of dining at her house, I hadn’t had a homemade popover in almost 15 years. They were deliciously nostalgic and I have since made them many times myself. [Read more...]
Portobella mushrooms have long been religated to the status of vegetarian grill item. I’ll admit to having served them as such, though I do love a good grilled portobella mushroom at a BBQ and I am not a vegetarian. But I like to think of portobella mushrooms as gluten-free, healthy vessel for delicious fillings. I make them into “pizzas” (when my husband is not around – he’s not a fan of the mushroom), and this recipe is one of my favorite variations on that recipe. Pesto provides a complex, bright flavor, while proscuitto adds some salt and melted mozzarella give this dish some ooey gooey goodness (yes, that is a technical term). Serve these mushrooms along with sauteed spinch or kale for a light dinner, or use babybella mushrooms and make these bite-size appetizers for a party. [Read more...]
I first started making this recipe back in 2009 and it has since become one of my favorite spring entertaining recipes, served to rave reviews. This dish is great for so many reasons. First, it’s super fast, which is especially convenient for a weeknight dinner when you only have a few minutes after rushing in the door from work to prep before friends arrive, or for a family meal that includes impatient kids (know any of those?). It’s the meal I made most often for entertaining as a new mom because it requires so little time in the kitchen. Second, this dish is super healthy – low fat, lean protein and the bulk of the dish is made of veggies. It works for almost any food limitations or anyone with food allergies since it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, low carb and Paleo. [Read more...]
