For The Menu : Cucumber Sake Shot

Step up to the plate, add some style to your next dinner party and save the planet all in one with DIY cucumber shots. These little guys are EASY to make, very versatile and produce no trash! Enjoy...

Ingredients

Cucumbers

Melon Baller

Alcohol (Vodka, Sake, something from the Signature Drink Club or soup or sorbet or juice. How refreshing! Then you just eat the "cup." No waste, no clean-up.

Directions

Cut the cucumber into 3 inch slices

Scoop out the core of each slice with the melon baller, while maintaining the structure of the cucumber's wall.

Fill

Photo courtesy of Sandra Lee. Lllllllllllove her.

For The Menu : Spiced Beef Empanadas

Recently I made empanadas for the first time, and I have to say that they were absolutely delicious and pictures will be posted soon. Beyond the taste, the presentation of the bakes half moon rocked so much that I impressed even myself! So, a few months ago when Real Simple posted this yummy recipe for spiced beef empanadas with lime sour cream, I knew it was something I needed to share. Does the the name itself not sound insanely good? Say it with me, spiced beef empanada....okay, yum!...with lime sour cream...ah, yes please!!! And the great thing about these little pockets of goodness is that they will make the perfect hors d'oeuvre for a for special event. They can be made large or bite size and filled with whatever ingredients you like . And just like that...BOOM... you've brought the WOW factor to your event! Enjoy...

Small Bites

InStyle Weddings rules! If you are looking for inspiration, look no further. There is always something fresh and innovative yet beautiful to be discovered on their website. Hmmmm, I use the same adjectives to describe my own company :-) Any-who...just this evening, as I was working hard at designing an invitation for an upcoming event...I found myself reading about scrumptious forkfuls of noodles twisted around a fork. What an awesome idea! Give your guests a small bite and keep their fingers clean and their tummies happy. Or how about late night pancake stacks! Also awesome. Who doesn't like pancakes? Guests would be blown away if you offered up a bite sized stack of mini-pancakes, complete with a drizzling of maple syrup. But you'd have to offer a little glass of milk to make it perfect.

Great ideas are always just a click away! Be creative, think outside the box and you will give guests a memorable and tummy-satisfying experience at your next event.

Holiday Cookies

Lately, Real Simple and I are holding hands and skipping down a dirt road together on a warm, fall afternoon. Seriously, I am all over this website because it is filled with...really simple ideas. Today, the really simple idea that jumped out at me was sugar cookies, which are a fantastic gift that can be decorated and given to coworkers and acquaintances, as a hostess gift for a holiday party, gifts for children to give to their friends, for the neighbors, even family members. Everyone loves cookies and it's a gift that wont break the bank! The cookies can be placed in a tin or in your own favor bag with a label like I did for one of my customers.

The recipe I found makes about 40 cookies and will take you a total of 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for shaping the cookies
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
1.In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2.Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
3.With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated (the dough will be stiff). Shape into a disk and (unless otherwise specified in an individual recipe) refrigerate, wrapped, for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
4.Make cookies according to directions below.
5.Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Holiday Cutout Cookies
Directions
1.Divide the basic sugar cookie dough in half (do not substitute slice-and-bake dough). On a floured surface, roll each piece out ¼ inch thick.
2.Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Refrigerate on baking sheets until firm.
3.Sprinkle with decorating sugar and bake at 350° F on parchment-lined baking sheets until just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
4.Cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

For The Menu : Recycled Turkey Ideas

There are so many fantastic ideas posted on all sorts of websites but the execution of many of them tends to be difficult. I love Real Simple because they always have usable ideas. The key work here is usable. Today, I received an email on 10 Ideas for Leftover Turkey and a few of them have stuck in my mind...turkey hash, turkey rubens, turkey samosas, turkey waldorf salad and spicy rice and turkey with chorizo!What are your fantastic ways to recycle Thanksgiving turkey?

For The Menu : Tomato, Watermelon & Basil Skewers

If you are a frequent reader of my blog then my love of The Food Network will come as no surprise. And let it be known that this is not a new love affair; this romance has been going on for decades! Well, I was rumaging through my favorite recipes stored in my Food Network recipe box and I stumbled across an oldie but a goodie: tomato, watermelon and basil skewers. Everyone should have this in their recipe arsenal and whip it out for the unexpected party.

Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 (4 to 5 pound) watermelon, cut into 32 (1 1/2-inch cubes
32 small basil leaves (or torn larger leaves)
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Special equipment: 16 (6-inch) skewers

Directions
Combine the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

Starting with the watermelon squares, push the watermelon to the very tip of the skewer. Then skewer a basil leaf, then a tomato half. Continue with another watermelon, basil leaf, and tomato half. Place the skewer on a serving platter so it stands upright, using the lowest watermelon square as a base. Continue with the remaining skewers.

Drizzle the skewers with the reserved balsamic syrup and the olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and serve!

For The Menu: Baked Brie

I had a few minutes to myself this afternoon and chose to flip on one of the best channels ever...The Food Netowrk. Luckily, one of my Food Network favs happened to be on, Ina (a.k.a., the Barefoot Contessa). She was whipping up a classic, baked brie. One helpful tip she shared is to serve the cheese on top of fig leaves for a beautiful display. If fig leaves are not available any flat leaf will do, such as hydrangea leaves or lemon leaves. Any of these can all be picked up at your local florist.

Ingredients
1/4 wheel brie
4 tablespoons honey

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the brie on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper and drizzle with the honey.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it starts to ooze but not melt.
Serve with crackers.

For The Menu: Molten Chocolate Cakes

Molten Chocolate Cakes are sinfully delicious, easy to make and NEVER fail to impress a crowd. Use 6 oz. ramekins and serve as the perfect dessert at your next event.

Ingredients
4 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (optional, fresh fruit is another option)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Butter four 3/4-cup custard cups or soufflé dishes and place on baking sheet.
Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 minute, or until butter is melted.
Stir mixture with a wire whisk until chocolate is completely melted.
Stir in sugar until well blended.
Blend in eggs and egg yolks with wire whisk.
Stir in flour.
Divide batter among prepared custard cups.
Bake 13 to 14 minutes, or until sides are firm but centers are soft.
Let stand 1 min.
Carefully run small knife around cakes to loosen.
Invert cakes onto dessert dishes.
Serve immediately, topped with whipped topping or fresh fruit.

Photo courtesy of Make Life Delicious

For The Menu: Lollipop-Pies

As I mentioned earlier today, I am preparing a few items for one of my events. One of these items is supposed to be apricot puff pastry twists but after reading this post from Luxirare on lollipop-pies I am torn. What an amazing idea, very similar to cake balls. Maybe I will have to make both!

For The Menu: Apricot Puff Pastry Twists

Posts have been very light lately, which is a result of an influx of new events and clients and preparing for the launch of the company website. It is quite an exciting time right now!

One of the events I am working on is a surprise 60th birthday party. Though the event is being catered, I am preparing a few items. One of which will be apricot puff pastry twists that I found via Robin Miller on the Food Network. This is such an easy and versatile recipe that will impress all your guests!

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

1/4 cup apricot preserves

2 cups vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Roll out puff pastry into a rectangle, about 12 by 15 inches.

Spread preserves over the dough, to within 1/2-inch of the edges.

Fold dough in half lengthwise.

Gently roll again to seal edges.

Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough crosswise into 1/2-inch thick strips.

Take each strip by the ends and tie into a knot.

Arrange knots on a large baking sheet and press down the ends.

Bake 6 to 10 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown.

Scoop frozen yogurt or ice cream into dessert bowls and lay twists over top.

For The Menu: Homemade Ravioli

I heart The Food Network, almost as much as I heart Martha Stewart. Yesterday I happened to find myself with a few extra minutes on my hands. So I flipped on the tele and checked in with TFN. Fortunately, I caught an episode of Everyday Italian on recipes inspired by Giada's Italian island visits. Well, I am so very happy that I decided to spend the few, precious moments of my day watching TV because I learned a super simple and very delicious recipe for homemade ravioli. 

Giada calls the recipe ravioli caprese but it is not made with a tomato sauce. In actuality it's a roasted chicken ravioli in an olive oil sauce with lemon zest and fresh basil. Seriously, it's fantastic and way too easy to make. It truly is the perfect dish for a summer dinner party. This is definitely a recipe to put in your book!

Photo courtesy of Casa di Trevi

Cake Inspiration

It's been a while since I have put up a picture of a beautiful cake. Well, the wait is over because I happened upon this delightful little cake by April Reed Cake Design out of New York today on The Knot. I absolutely love the sugar carnations placed perfectly all over this yummy dessert. Now ... how to make sugar carnations?

Raspberry Filling

Knowing how to whip up a raspberry filling is a must! This recipe is a chic and delicious way to bring some pizazz to a ton of dishes: baked brie, use this as a dipping sauce, for cake or pastry filling. Honestly, there are a zillion ways to use raspberry filling and it is easy to make. You tell me some creative uses!

What You'll Need:
1 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

Instructions
Place the raspberries and lemon juice in a small sauce pan and bring berries to a boil. Strain the mixture through a sieve, pushing the mixture with a spoon or spatula to separate the seeds. Discard the seeds and return the mixture to the sauce pan and put over medium heat. Add the sugar and cornstarch to the mixture and whisk. The cornstarch will cause the filling to thicken. Once the mixture is well combined and thickened, remove from heat. If you are using this as cake filling, it must cool completely before it is spread onto a cake.

Photo courtesy of D K Images

DIY Marshmallow Fondant Cake Part 3

Photo credit Liz Denmark Photography
This is the third and final chapter in my DIY marshmallow fondant cake tutorial. When I reported last, all I had left to do was bake the real cake, frost it, cover it in fondant, apply the polka dots and add some real flowers. I like my use of "all I had left" as if it was just a little task like putting on some lip gloss, grabbing my purse and running out the door! Ha ha ha. This part took a little bit longer than anticipated; partly because I only bought one 6" pan when I should have bought two; partly because artistically applying polka dots is difficult for a perfectionist; and partly because I was exhausted. With that being said, I think the cake turned out fabulous.

Here are the rest of my instructions...

1. I used a boxed cake mix and store bought frosting, and I am glad of this! Or else, I would have been totally behind the eight ball whipping up buttercream frosting and mixing cake mix. I'll work on perfecting those areas later but the lemon cake and lemon frosting was a hit, EASY to work with and took no time to put together. As I baked my cakes in the oven, I made my own raspberry filling to use in the cake. Figured it went well with lemon cake, and is refreshing for a spring bar-b-q menu.
   
   
2. I took the same steps to cover the actual cake layers with fondant as I did to cover the dummy layer. This is another area where I ran into a little glitch. I used a 9 x 1 1/2 inch round cake pan for the middle tier, and a 6 x 2 inch round for the top tier. The extra half inch makes a difference. A HUGE difference. Be that as it may, I trimmed the top of the cakes to make them flat, spread my raspberry filling in between layers, frosted and covered the middle and top layer in the marshmallow fondant, trimmed the excess fondant off, smoothed the fondant out, stacked the layers on top of each other, wrapped them in ribbon and completed the cake!



3. At this point it was about one in the morning and I just forgot to take pictures. But I dyed my extra fondant using Wilton icing colors. I tried to match the colors from the invitation, which is tricky to say the least. I made an orange, fuchsia, yellow and lavender dough for the polka dots. Using Wilton round cut outs, I cut different size shapes from the different colored fondants and glued them onto the cake by lightly brushing one side with water. The bigger circles covered the corners where I tragically butchered the fondant, and the smaller circles covered any other blemishes. Next time I decide to use polka dots, I'll sketch out a pattern rather than deciding on the spot where to place them on the cake. My poor brain just doesn't function well under that type of pressure! A plan helps to make it perfect!
   
   
4. The last part of my tutorial is adding fresh flowers to the cake, which was done day of. My husband picked up a bouquet of flowers from the grocery store, and the colors he picked complimented the cake perfectly. Big kiss to my awesome husband!!! I cut the flowers and stuck 'em in my cake. They helped to really cover up anything that looked weird in the fondant. Then I poked the birthday candle in the center of the top tier and voila!

Photo credit Liz Denmark Photography
More on the amazing photography of Liz Denmark to come!!!
Like I said before, for my first time making a cake like this, I think it turned out fabulous! Were there imperfections...you bet. But the more you do something the better you become at it. So, I look forward to making more cakes and watching them improve!!! DIY marshmallow fondant cake was a huge success!

DIY Marshmallow Fondant Cake Part 2

Here is the second part of my DIY marshmallow fondant cake that covers making a dummy layer and covering it with fondant. This is my first experience working with fondant, dummy layers, multi layered cakes, and baking cakes in general. For the most part, this has been a very easy process. There were a few snafus here and there but nothing that would have forced me to abort my project!

1. Cut and place styrofoam blocks in the shape and size needed for the dummy layers.
2. Wrap the layer tightly in saran wrap.
3. Frost over the saran wrap.

A few suggestions I read: once the layer has been frosted, place the layer in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This allows the frosting to harden and will make applying the fondant easier and with less bubbles; after the frosting has hardened, smooth the surface with a paper towel, which will also help when applying the fondant.

4. When you are ready to apply the fondant to the cake, place it on the platter which it will be served from.
5. Now, to the dough! Sprinkle corn starch on the counter top, put the dough on the corn starch, take your rolling pin and start to roll out the dough. This is a bit of a work out at first, but it gets easier and easier as the dough becomes more pliable.
6. Roll the dough out to the size needed for your cake. I need 28 inches because the cake is 12 inches and there are four 4 inch sides. This is my first issue. Do not forget to keep sprinkling corn starch on the counter or the fondant will stick and tear. Also, throughout the rolling process, lift the fondant as you are rolling it out and slide your hand below the fondant to make sure it has not become stuck anywhere. Be mindful of your finger nails when doing this because they can snag the fondant.
7. To transfer the fondant I placed it over a large cutting board, carried it to the cake, and then gently placed it on the cake. This is another issue. I have a rectangular cake and smoothing out the corners was very difficult. I am sure there is a proper method to this, which I will have to research and learn. For now, I am going to cover my beat up corners with ribbon, flowers and polka dots.

8. I forgot to take a picture of the fondant rolled out on the counter top, and since there is only one of me, it was impossible for me to take a picture of the transfer but this is a picture of the dummy layer covered in the marshmallow fondant and wrapped with a ribbon. I smoothed out the fondant with a Wilton smoother, trimmed the excess fondant with a pizza cutter, and I think it looks pretty good. All that's left to do is bake the real cake, frost, cover in fondant, apply the polka dots, add some flowers and this DIY will be completed.

DIY Marshmallow Fondant Part 1

Okay, here we go! DIY marshmallow fondant, part 1.

Lauren Daversa's White Chocolate Marshmallow Fondant

1. 1 bag of mini marshmallows, about 16 oz
2. 1 1/2 oz of good quality white chocolate
3. 1 tsp of clear vanilla extract
4. 1 tsp of clear butter extract
5. 2 tbsp of H2O
6. 1 lb icing sugar
7. Crisco

Instructions

1. Grease a microwavable glass bowl with Crisco.
2. Add to the bowl the marshmallows, vanilla extract, butter extract and H2O.
3. Microwave for 60 seconds.
4. Stir mixture.
5. While stirring marshmallow mixture, melt the white chocolate in the microwave.
6. Add the melted white chocolate mixture to your marshmallow mixture.
7. If the marshmallows have not melted entirely, return to microwave and heat for about 30 seconds; continue until completely melted.
8. Start adding the icing sugar, a little at a time, and stir. This is a fantastic workout for your arms as the mixture gets oooey-gooey-sticky.
9. Continue adding sugar and stirring until the consistency of the mixture starts to become dough like.
10. Generously sprinkle icing sugar on a clean counter, remove the dough from the bowl and place it on top of the icing sugar. Start to knead, and knead and knead. The mixture may stick to your hands, you can grease your hands with Crisco to help combat this. Notice, kneading is also another great workout for your arms!
11. Continue kneading until the mixture is a dough, adding icing sugar to the counter and/or mixture when necessary.
12. Voila! You have made marshmallow fondant. Congratulations!!!!

This is as far as I've gotten. Literally, the fondant is wrapped and living on the third or maybe fourth shelf in my refrigerator. I've read as long as fondant is wrapped in saran wrap, and stored in an air tight zip lock, it will keep well. A few sites suggested rubbing the dough with Crisco. I didn't. I'm going to make the cake today and finish the project tonight! I'll soon see if not slathering the fondant in Crisco was a fatal mistake. Don, don, daaaaaaa...

DIY Fondant Cake

As I posted a few days ago, I am making a fondant birthday cake for my daughter's 1st birthday. And, as promised, I am going to post my DIY tutorial on cake baking. For now, here are my pictures of the cakes from which I am drawing my inspiration.

Top left cake is courtesy of Cake Central
Top right cake is courtesy of Cake Central

Bottom left cake is cake # 753 courtesy of Pink Cake Box

Bottom right cake is courtesy of Collette Foley

Cake Inspiration

Slowly, I am starting to obsess about cakes. Besides the fact I'm an event planner, and cakes and/or desserts play an important role in most every event; I'm also planning my daughter's birthday party and I've decided to make her a very special, 3 tier, fondant birthday cake! Of course, now everywhere I look all I see are cakes, cakes and more cakes!!!


I will post pictures of my DIY birthday cake when start the task next week, but for now here is the most darling cake by Kristine Bender out of Washington D.C. for K Rose Cakes. I came across it on Style Me Pretty. Simple, chic and pink! I hope some day I will be able to make a cake as beautiful as this!

Menu For Easter

What did I spy on Martha Stewart today? Pineapple-mustard-glazed ham menu perfect for Easter. The iconic Easter ham gets an enticing update with a new-fashioned glaze of country mustard and fresh pineapple. It's then paired with an ephemeral spring salad, citrus-and-hazelnut-garnished leeks, a rich potato gratin, and simple roasted asparagus. To finish the meal: an egg-shaped cake, delicately flavored with almond and coconut, covered in a heavenly layer of seven-minute frosting and spring flowers.

Photo & article courtesy of Martha Stewart

Romantic Menus for Wedding Receptions

Food can set a mood. Fried chicken says one thing, caviar, another. But what does a salad with flower petals, a tower of strawberries or a heart-accented ice cream sandwich say? Pure, unabashed romance.

LOVE (AND SALADS) BLOSSOM

If roses capture a girl's heart, then why use them only as decor? Rose petals look just as lovely sprinkled in salads and are quite tasty paired with arugula and goat cheese. Chef/partner Gayle Pirie of San Francisco's Foreign Cinema developed this salad with lovers in mind, she says, and notes the goat cheese is “a tangy counter-point to the mild spice of arugula and nutty, ephemeral rose petals.”

I ♡ FOOD

For an adorable dessert, New York-based Elegant Affairs adorns ice cream sandwiches of almond-raspberry ice cream and fudgy cookies with tiny sugared hearts, then serves them as after-cake sweets at weddings.

Other romantic options? Aphrodisiacs, which Correale insists, “are not just oysters.” She cites almonds, avocados, truffles, honey, pineapple, licorice, ginger and figs as excellent options for an aphrodisiac-themed wedding menu. And for added touches of elegance, place decanters of wine on the table, or have servers offer choices of water table-side instead of setting pre-iced glasses of water.

As for what's up and coming, Correale says to look for salad dressings of vegetable purees to take the place of acidic dressings. And toss out the rolls and butter and serve whole-wheat flatbreads or crostini with spreads and patés, she notes.

MY LOVE IS LIKE A TOWER

Few things say romance like towers of strawberries. Alexandra Payard, founder of Tastings in New York, offers these as well as towers of meringues as dreamy centerpieces. The meringue tower, which serves as decor only, is presented alongside edible vacherin-style meringues filled with different curds, from caramel to lemon.

Yet another way to celebrate a matrimonial pairing is to offer food in pairs, Payard notes. The Tastings team has served tasting plates of bite-size savories for two, a main course duo, as well as two desserts, one representing the bride's taste and the other the groom's. And if you need a little help setting a romantic scene, Payard says, you can always play Cole Porter songs.

RESOURCES

Elegant Affairs - (516) 676-8500

Foreign Cinema - (415) 648-7600

Tastings - (212) 744-4422

For the complete article by Christine Landry click here
Photo courtesy of Frankie Frankeny