Tag Archives: cocktail

St Patrick’s Day is next week, and in an effort to get everyone excited about the holiday, I want to share some of my favorite St Patty’s Day recipes.  All are easy to make, themed for the holiday, and taste amazing.  The 4 recipes I’m going to cover in this blog can be standalone meals/appetizers or could be combined into one big SPD feast!  Here are the recipes: Irish Nachos Guinness Pulled Chicken Sandwiches Lucky Charms Marshmallow Bars Drunk Leprechaun   Irish Nachos are a fun twist on traditional nachos because they are essentially the same thing, but you use potatoes in place of tortilla chips.  The potatoes are sliced thin and baked until they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.  They are topped with melted cheese, crumbled bacon, green onion, sour cream, etc.  It’s a crowd-pleasing appetizer or side dish that is perfect for your St Patrick’s Day party. The recipe can be … Continue reading

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Mardi Gras falls on Tuesday, February 21 this year.  It’s traditionally celebrated on “Fat Tuesday” which is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.  It’s a wonderful celebration filled with plenty of food and drink…New Orleans style!  We like to celebrate Mardi Gras every year with a fun and festive meal at home.  Sometimes we are with friends and family and sometimes it’s just us.  Either way, the drinks are flowing, and the food is plenty.  Any reason to make a themed meal, right? I like to have a big entrée that allows us to have plenty of leftovers.  This year we are making Spicy Gumbo.  To keep us lubricated, we’ll be enjoying a cocktail while we cook.  And for an appetizer and dessert, we’ll be snacking on a simple themed treat.  It’s an easy menu that I’ll walk you through how to make! Mardi Gras White Chocolate Covered Pretzels – These are a wonderful finger food … Continue reading

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Valentine’s Day is a few short days away.  Do you have plans or know how you’re going to celebrate?  A lot of people have set traditions each year and like to go out to dinner or prepare a fun meal at home with their friends and/or loved ones.  We prefer staying in and making a meal at home.  We feel less rushed, it’s fun to cook together, and we can make something special to celebrate the holiday.  Two things I like to focus on when creating new Valentine’s Day recipes is desserts and cocktails.  Both will enhance your dinner and make the event more memorable and are required to complete the meal (in my opinion).  So, let’s walk through my new recipes and hopefully something will catch your eye to prepare for Valentine’s (or Galantine’s) Day! I’m going to start with the cocktails because 1) they are easy to make, 2) they are delicious, and 3) you need … Continue reading

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Are you ready for the Kentucky Derby?  It’s usually held on the first Saturday in May, making it this upcoming Saturday, May 7, 2022.  A lot of people like to gather with friends and family to watch the races and enjoy some good food and drink.  I believe it’s known as “the greatest two minutes of sports” so why not spend all day in the kitchen for 2 minutes of cheering pleasure? 😊  Kidding…it’s a very fun horse race to watch! I will be preparing the following items to enjoy during our viewing pleasure, and you might notice a theme… Kentucky (where the derby is held) and whiskey/bourbon (sponsors of the event and heavily influenced in the south). Kentucky Hot Brown Dip Whiskey Spiced Chicken Wings Kentucky Oaks Cocktail Maple Bourbon Candied Pecans   Kentucky Hot Brown Dip is a rich a creamy dip that encompasses the wonderful ingredients and flavors of a … Continue reading

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Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.  Do you know how you are celebrating?  They are so many options…spend time with a significant other or your kids, maybe a few close friends (think Galantine’s Day), or boycott the day all together 😊 Which I know some people like to do, and that’s OK!  We tend to make a last-minute decision on how we will celebrate and some years we go out to eat and some years we stay in.  With COVID and rising cases, we’ve been looking for more “at home” options to say safe and healthy. With that being said, I’m not prepared to talk about dinner options today 😊 but do have a few other Valentine’s Day themed treats to share with you. Homemade Valentine’s Day Pop Tarts Valentine’s Day S’mores Frosted Pink Sugar Cookie Bars Strawberry Lemonade Frosé Raspberry Pina Colada   Homemade Valentine’s Day Pop Tarts are a favorite for us!  They are basically homemade Pop Tarts that … Continue reading

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We are in the midst of apple season in MN has some of the best orchards around!  Prime apple picking is mid-to-late August through late October and makes for a wonderful family tradition!  Our family went to a local apple orchard recently and it was a blast.  We enjoyed some delicious apple treats, took a nice walk through the orchards, picked out a pumpkin to bring home, and just had an all-around good day. Most people have a favorite kind of apple but with so many varieties to choose from, I think it’s hard to pick.  And different kinds work for different recipes, so you have the option to sample different flavors while you cook and try out new recipes. Not everyone has time to spend at an apple orchard or doesn’t have any locations close to home.  In that case, you probably swing by your local grocery store to … Continue reading

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It’s that time of year…. fall…. or pumpkin spice season, as some like to call it.  I did a little research on the fall phenomenon that is pumpkin spice and was quite intrigued by my findings.  Did you know that pumpkin spice earned its name because it was originally used in cakes and pies that contained pumpkin?  I didn’t but McCormick (the seasoning brand) started marketing the spice to save consumers the effort of having to make their own homemade version and could instead buy the spice at their local grocery store.  Pretty cool, huh? The spice mix is generally a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice.  I admittedly have all these spices in my cabinet but understand that not everyone else does, so I can make homemade pumpkin spice if needed, but something the store-bought version is easier 🙂 I also learned that cravings for … Continue reading

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The Kentucky Derby is an annual horse race held in, you guessed it, Kentucky.  Typically, the race is scheduled on the first Saturday in May but thanks to COVID and the current pandemic status, it was rescheduled for September 5, 2020.  I’ve never been to the Derby and would love to go someday but until that happens, I’m content staying home and watching it on TV. Like most other holidays or celebrations, there will be themed food.  Did you expect anything else?  🙂 Our appetizer will be Pimento Cheese Spread with sliced baguette.  Pimento Cheese Spread is essentially the caviar of the South.  It’s very cheesy and tangy, and there is nothing quite like it.  It’s a great comfort food…and super easy to make! The recipe can be found here. Start by softening the cream cheese.  You can do this by letting the cream cheese sit on the counter for … Continue reading

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A Mojito is refreshing during any season, but I am partial to enjoying them during the hot summer months.  If you haven’t had one, you’re in for a treat.  Traditionally, a Mojito consists of white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint.  It’s the perfect combination of sweet and citrus with the wonderful aroma of fresh mint – very refreshing! I want to share with you 4 recipes today: Classic Fresh Mint Mojito Blackberry Mojito Blueberry Mojito Kiwi Blueberry Mojito   Please note: Mojitos typically have a lower alcohol content, but the recipes can be adjusted to meet your individual taste. Classic Fresh Mint Mojito – It’s hard to beat the crisp, fresh taste of this traditional drink. Start by adding the mint leaves and lime juice to the bottom of 2 glasses.  Use a muddler or wooden spoon to blend or mash the mint leaves in each glass.  … Continue reading

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If you are having a hard time deciding what to make for St Patrick’s Day, I can help!  There are some really great recipes out there whether you are hosting a party or enjoying a quiet meal at home.  I want to share my take on St Patrick’s Day and the menu I plan on serving. I’m sticking with a “green theme” for my menu and serving mostly food that is…green.  The menu is not necessarily traditional Irish food but is fun and festive for the occasion! The menu consists of the following: Avocado Ranch Dip with Veggies Reuben Sandwich Rachel Sandwich Decorative Pretzel Rods Frozen Grasshopper, for the adults Mint Green Shake, for the kids   The Avocado Ranch Dip is delicious!  It’s light, tangy, and perfectly salted.  You combine the ingredients in the food processor until smooth and serve with veggies.  I only plated green veggies to keep … Continue reading

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