Category Archives: Party

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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One thing I always hear people talk about is Easter Brunch.  Who is hosting?  What are we having? So on and so forth.  But what I never hear anyone talk about is Easter Cocktails.  Why not add adult beverages to the celebration?  Well, I did just that!  I use Peeps for a festive touch and each cocktail is themed to a different Peep color. Here’s what I have for you today: Blue Peeps Cocktail Pink Peeps Cocktail Yellow Peeps Lemon Cocktail   The Blue Peeps Cocktail is very citrusy and a little sweet.  It reminds me of a cocktail I would drink on a tropical beach somewhere 😊 The Pink Peeps Cocktail tastes just like a vodka lemonade.  Perfect on a hot summer day! The Yellow Peeps Lemon Cocktail is like a lemon drop.  It’s a little sour with a sweet aftertaste. Two of the recipes call for marshmallow vodka, which I couldn’t locate, so I did have to make … Continue reading

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Are you ready for some football?  Or raise your hand if you care more about the food being served at a football party than the game itself.  My hand is stretched high!  Sure, the game is fun to watch, and I enjoy the comradery of being with friends and rooting for our team, but I also enjoy salty snacks and some gourmet grub while I’m being entertained 🙂 I want to share with you some recipes that will be perfect for your next football party! Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pull Apart Bread Bowl Jalapeno Popper Pigs in a Blanket Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower Bites 4 Dip Sheet Pan with Pull Apart Bread Cookies & Cream Football Dip   Let’s start with the Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pull Apart Bread Bowl.  First off, this is amazing and 2 of us can devour the whole thing if we skip dinner.  Just to paint a picture … Continue reading

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Halloween is fast approaching – are you ready? We sure are. Halloween is a month-long celebration at our house. We decorate early, spend 31 days gorging on candy, watch every Halloween movie possible, and make some fun themed treats to enjoy. I want to share with you some of my new Halloween recipes and ideas for this year. Each is fairly customizable and will be sure to put your friends and family in a mood to celebrate. My first Halloween idea is for a Char-Spookery board. This is a traditional charcuterie board but with a spooky flair. To be called a charcuterie board, it must contain meat. Otherwise, it’s just a plain old board. What I like about charcuterie boards is how easy they are to put together and how customizable they are. Choose 2-3 meats, 3-4 cheeses, some fruit, nuts, olives, and maybe a few pieces of chocolate, and … 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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Baguette sandwiches are my new favorite thing!  There is something about a baguette that makes you feel like you are in a French café, sipping cappuccino, and enjoying local fare.  They are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside and make for a great sandwich.   Prosciutto & Arugula Baguette Sandwiches make the perfect meal.  The prosciutto is salty, the cheese is sharp, and the arugula adds some fresh flavor.  Pair it with some mustard or mayonnaise and jam, and you are set! The recipe can be found here. Start by making the sandwich spread.  In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and mustard.  This gives the sandwich a spicy and tangy taste.  You can use only mayonnaise or only mustard or neither, but I like the flavor of both combined. Next, slice the baguette in half.  Each half will make one sandwich.  Or you can slice … Continue reading

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Make tonight’s dinner a fast and fun meal that’s completely customizable with sheet pan nachos!  These are guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser and are super easy to make.  Simply layer your toppings, bake, and enjoy! One big plus of these is they only take one pan to make so clean up is a breeze, and the pan doubles as the serving vessel so you can simply dig in and be satisfied in no time. I have 3 recipes to share with you today: Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Nachos   As mentioned previously, these would make for a great weeknight meal.  Otherwise, serve them at a football party, birthday party, weekend cookout, holiday party, etc.  The options are endless!  The recipes make a large enough quantity that you can feed a crowd. Let’s start with Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos.  These are … Continue reading

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Willkommen (or welcome) to Oktoberfest!  If you aren’t familiar, Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest…or beer festival and traveling funfair, for those of use that don’t speak German.  It’s held in Germany and runs about 2 weeks, typically from mid-Sept to the first Sunday in October.  You can find traditional German food such as sausages, oversized soft pretzels, mustard and curry ketchup, cabbage and radish salads, dumplings, spaetzle, and obviously, plenty of ice-cold beer!  More than 6 million people from around the world attend the event every year. Unfortunately, the Oktoberfest celebration in German is cancelled again this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy plenty of yummy food.  So, pull out the decorations, get your house in order, invite some friends and family over, and cook up some delicious German food! I’d like to share with you 5 different ideas to host the perfect Oktoberfest party.  We’ll … Continue reading

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Sheet Pan Pancakes are like one giant perfect pancake!  Once you make these or try these, there is no going back.  No standing at the counter flipping pancakes for an hour over the griddle!  Simply bake, slice, and devour.  They are moist, fluffy, and easy to assemble. The recipe can be found here. Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees F.  Generously spray a baking sheet (11×17 size) with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pancake mix, milk, and eggs.  Any brand of pancake mix will work just fine. Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet.  It might look like the batter isn’t filling much of the baking sheet, but it will rise as it bakes so you don’t need to add additional batter.  If you do, your pancakes will turn out more like cake! Add any toppings of your choice – blueberries, bananas, … Continue reading

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Cake Pops are a fun phenomenon and something I had to try.  When I think of a Cake Pop, I think of cake that is coated in melted chocolate, skewered on a stick, and served as a bite sized treat.  They can be made in most cake flavors and decorated as simple or elaborate as you want.  They are very similar to truffles but are often a little lighter and truffles aren’t served on a stick. I started my Cake Pop venture before the 4th of July (can you see I’m a bit behind on writing this? :)) but thought these are great treat for any time of year!  You could make some to celebrate Labor Day, the end of summer and kids going back to school, dessert at a BBQ, or just make them because you love cake 🙂 I purchased this fancy Cake Pop maker (little countertop appliance … Continue reading

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