Category Archives: Party
June 9, 2018
Refreshing Summer Cocktails
Summer is the best time of year for a refreshing cocktail. Whether you are sitting on the deck enjoying the weather, hosting a BBQ, spending a day at the beach….you get the idea 😊…a festive cocktail can really help beat the heat. I’ve compiled a list of 4 of my favorite cocktails. They are fun, bright, and full of flavor. Blue Hawaiian Cocktail This cocktail is essentially a blue version of a Pina Colada and promises a little taste of tropical paradise. It’s designed to make you feel like summer no matter how bad the weather is outside. I chose to serve this drink “on the rocks” style by pouring over ice but you can also create a blended version of the cocktail by mixing all the ingredients with ice in a blender. It’s very easy to make – shake the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker, pour over ice, … Continue reading
May 23, 2018
Baked Chicken Wings
There’s no denying it – I love chicken wings! With so many flavor varieties and dipping sauces, they’re not only a delicious meal but allow you to try something different each time. Think potluck, football party, backyard BBQ, afternoon snack, etc. Chicken wings fit the menu for most occasions. I have 4 baked chicken wing recipes to share with you today. These are some of my favorite recipes, so I hope you enjoy them. Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings are super easy to make. You basically toss the chicken wings and oil and bake until crispy, then toss in a delicious combination of hot sauce and melted butter. These are probably the most popular wings around due to the mildy sweet and sour taste with a spicy aftermath. I prefer to dip mine in ranch dressing, but blue cheese dressing is a great alternative. Because the wings can be spicy it’s … Continue reading
May 3, 2018
Derby Dishes
Ok jockeys, quit horsing around it’s time for some Kentucky Derby Themed recipes. I’ve got the Triple Crown of recipes for you now, so bear with me! First up we’re serving Bourbon Meatballs which you’ll find have an exquisite sweet heat to them. We started with Mom’s Meatloaf, found in our Meat Department. Place the meatloaf in a bowl and mix together with finely chopped onion then form into 1″ balls (use a small scoop to help make uniform size). Heat some olive oil in a skillet and brown each of the meatballs, then transfer to a baking sheet and place into your preheated oven (at 350F) until cooked through. Next up we are going to work on our bourbon sauce. To make the bourbon sauce, you’re going to need apricot preserves, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, hot chili sauce, molasses, water, and bourbon. Tempting as it may be to drink, you … Continue reading
March 18, 2018
Chicken Chili Cook-Off
Winter is the best time of year to have chili! It’s hearty, delicious, keeps you warm on a cold day, and is super easy to make. One thing I love about chili is the “set it and forget it” mentality. Once you combine the ingredients and set the timer, the slow cooker does all the work and you have a wonderful meal 4-8 hours later. I personally like this on busy weekends because we don’t have to worry about dinner, spend time planning and cooking, etc. but still get to enjoy a nice meal. I have two different chicken chili options to share with you. I like a bit of heat/spice in my chili and think both recipes have the perfect amount. You get an amazing combination of chicken, veggies, and spices without it being too overwhelming. If you are anything like Andrew and love spicy food, you can always … Continue reading
February 12, 2018
Fat Tuesday
Well we’re back to that time of year again, Mardi Gras. Unfortunate timing this year that Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day are backed up so close together, but we couldn’t resist doing some fun New Orleans recipes for you. First up, let’s get our cocktail game started. We made our very own Hurricanes. We simplified some of the more detailed recipes usually found. All you need is mango passion fruit juice, lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, white rum and dark rum. These are strong drinks, fit for anyone ready to party Mardi Gras style! Starting with our appetizers we decided to do scallops with a sweet chili sauce. A very simple dish, you thaw the scallops and simply dry with paper toweling, sear both sides, then serve with sweet chili sauce. Our main course was Jambalaya, though instead of Andouille Sausage, we used Festival’s Cheddar Chicken Fajita Brats. It’s … Continue reading
December 7, 2017
Say Cheese!
Hello there! I have a secret: I love cheese. I didn’t say it was a good secret, but it’s one of the few things I cannot go without. Cheese makes just about everything taste better. Lucky for me (and you) it’s the Holiday Season and we’ve got our Big Cheese Sale going on now through Christmas and New Year’s! Click through to our ad wrap (12/6/17 through 1/3/17) to check out over 300 varieties of cheese for cooking, sharing and simply enjoying! Below I will go over some fun recipes using cheese a major ingredient. Warning: You may get very hungry reading this blog. Our Beer Battered Cheese Curd Recipe using Ellsworth Creamery® Fresh Bulk Cheese Curds. Perfection combination with another of my favorite things: Beer. We’ve even talked about these before in our Small Bites Blog Post Tickler Bacon Burger with delicious Tickler English Cheddar Cheese. Baked Brie with Hot … Continue reading
October 16, 2017
Creepy Cocktails
You can’t throw a Halloween party without some themed drinks, right? Or maybe you want to enjoy the spirit of Halloween by sipping on a cocktail. Either way, I’ve got you covered! Below are 4 cocktail recipes that will be a hit this Halloween. Your friends and family will really appreciate the creativity and effort you put into making these festive drinks! Even better, one of the drinks is actually alcohol free so it’s something your kids can enjoy but have no fear; you can make an adult version for yourself 🙂 Poison Green Apple 2 oz Vodka 1 oz Orange Liqueur 1 oz Apple Liqueur Green Apple Slices Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and then pour into a short glass that is also filled with ice. Add an apple slice as garnish. Vampire Blood 1 oz Mango Vodka or Pineapple Vodka … Continue reading
Halloween might be Andrew’s favorite holiday and it’s a close second for me. Temperatures are dropping, you have to pick out your Halloween costume, decorate your house, get ready for trick-or-treaters, and the list goes on. I particularly like all the spooky food you can make for a Halloween party or just for fun! Below are a few new recipes and ideas you can try out to make the most of Halloween. Cutout Cheese and Crackers This is probably the easiest snack you can make. All you need is sliced cheese, crackers, and Halloween shaped cookie cutters. Use cookie cutters to cut different shapes out of the cheese slices. I picked Colby Jack and Cheddar cheese but you can use any flavor of sliced cheese. Pair with crackers and you have a quick snack that is still Halloween themed. Cheesy Breadstick Bones Find the recipe here! I had fun making … Continue reading
October 11, 2017
Game Day!
Are you ready for some football? Getting together with family and friends on the weekend is a fun and spirited way to celebrate fall while cheering on your favorite team. There are so many games to watch and plenty of creative food options to choose from. We are gearing up for the big Viking / Packer game this weekend so I wanted to share some of our favorite football snacks. These were a hit for past games so I’m sure there will be some repeats for the game this weekend! I am not someone who can pass up sweets so I started with the most important part…dessert 🙂 I made chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate covered Oreos that I decorated to look like little footballs. Both are super easy to make! Start by lining 2 baking sheets with wax paper (this helps with easy clean-up too). Then melt 1 package … Continue reading
September 25, 2017
Chicken Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes seem to be a family tradition in many households but we always forget about them when deciding what to have for dinner. They are quick and easy to make, yet fairly inexpensive because you tend to have many of the ingredients already in your pantry. And for those of you with kids, they tend to be a kid-friendly option even for the picky child, so it’s a win for everyone. Needless to say, now that we’ve made them once they will become a recurring meal in our house. I don’t eat red meat so I like to use ground chicken instead. Ground chicken tends to have a little less fat and little more protein than ground beef so it’s also a slightly healthier option. The consistency between the ground chicken and ground beef is very similar, or so I’m told by Andrew because he’s the only one that would … Continue reading
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