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Healthy Fall Party Recipes~ Roasted Acorn Squash

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The weather’s turning cooler, and that definitely puts me in the mood for fall flavors and entertaining.

I enjoy fall parties, because they’re usually cozier and slower paced than summer parties, I can also serve some of my favorite comfort foods to guests. If you’re looking for a recipe that for a cozy fall dinner party check out this recipe for roasted acorn squash. I love winter squash this time of year, it’s a comforting flavor.

This recipe is courtesy of Season 52 Restaurant. Their entire menu is created around a positive lifestyle, with natural cooking techniques, including open fire grilling. Yum!


Roasted Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

  • 1 ea Acorn squash
  • 12 spritz Extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • Pinch Black pepper, fresh ground

Procedure:

  1. Wash acorn squash in cold water.
  2. Cut squash in half.
  3. Scrape out all seeds with large kitchen spoon.
  4. Cut acorn squash into 4 wedges.
  5. Place wedges on a sheet tray.
  6. Spritz squash with extra virgin olive oil.
  7. Season squash with salt and pepper; stand squash cut-side up on tray.
  8. Roast in 425º oven for 40 – 45 minutes total.
  9. Spritz twice with olive oil during roasting and turn tray in oven.
  10. Remove from oven and brush squash with spiced cider glaze.

Serves: 4

Tailgate Party Recipes~ Beer Brats On The Grill

By: comment

Happy Friday! It’s time for the weekend, and this time of year that means it’s also time for some football and a tailgate party or two! So get out the grill, throw it in the back of the truck (gently so there aren’t any broken piecs), and get ready for a tailgate party!

Today I thought I’d share my favorite (and easy) recipe for beer brats on the grill.

You already have the beer in the cooler (Just make sure you’re not drinking it if you’re the one behind the wheel!), just bring the brats, and a few other things and you’re ready to go.

Beer Brats Recipe

  • 1 pkg of your favorite brats
  • 1-2 cans of beer
  • 1 sliced onion
  • 1 sliced green pepper
  • your favorite buns
  • a disposable aluminum pan to cook them in.

Heat up the grill. Put the sliced onion, 6 brats, beer, and green pepper in the aluminum pan, and put over medium heat on the grill. Cook the mixture for 15-20 minutes, or until the brats are cooked through. If the beer does not completely cover the brats turn them every few minutes, or add more beer.

When they’re done cooking in the beer I like to throw them directly on the grill for a few minutes to brown them up before serving.

If you need to cook more brats, just add a can of beer, a half an onion, and a pepper for every 6 brats added.

You can also use this method to cook hotdogs, or italian sausage.

Serve your beer brats, with the onions and peppers, on a bun. Enjoy!

Image via stock.xchng

Snack Mix For Your Fall Harvest Party

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It’s super fun to incorporate some of your favorite fall flavors into a quick and easy snack mix for your fall or Halloween party. Just throw this easy snack mix together into a large bowl, and set it out for your guests to enjoy. Here’s the recipe I like to use for a simple harvest or Halloween party snack mix.

Fall Harvest Snack Mix

Mix together:

  • 5 cups of Chocolate Chex(tm) Cereal
  • 1 bag Brachs(tm) Autumn Mix
  • 2 cups of lightly salted peanuts

You can also spread this mixture out on a cookie sheet, or waxed paper, and drizzle it with melted chocolate, or white chocolate. Let it cool, then break it apart.

Yum, I love sweet and salty snack mixes.

Check out more kid’s: Halloween Party Ideas

Fall Cocktail~ Caramel Apple Pie

By: comment

I love the fall season! When it comes around I know it’s also apple season around here, time for apple pies, caramel apples, apple cake, everything apple sounds good this time of year! It’s also time to start thinking about those fall harvest parties, and planning what’s on the menu. Today I have a fabulous caramel apple pie cocktail recipe you can add to your fall harvest party or Halloween party menu, courtesy of Three Olives Vodka. Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Pie Cocktail

  • 1 oz. 1800 Silver Tequila
  • ½ oz. butterscotch schnapps
  • 1 oz. apple cider
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice

Combine ingredients and shake well with ice, strain into martini glass. Garnish with an apple slice.

The Three Olives Vodka website has more cocktail recipes for your fall and holiday party planning.

You could plan your whole harvest party around apples, from the main dish, to dessert, decorations, and cocktails. If you know someone with an orchard rent it out for the day and hold your party there.

You might also want to check out the yummy Pumpkin-tini cocktail recipe I posted yesterday.

Don’t forget to always drink responsibly.

Pumpkin Cocktail Recipe~ Pumpkin Pie-tini

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Only a couple weeks until Halloween! Are your fall and Halloween party plans in full swing yet? Today I thought I’d share a recipe courtesy of Three Olives Vodka. One of my favorite fall flavors is pumpkin, so this pumpkintini recipe definitely caught my attention!

This yummy cocktail would be perfect for a fall harvest or Halloween party. Make a whole pitcher to shake and pour in your guests’ glasses as they arrive. It’s sure to be a big hit.

The crème de cacao, vanilla, and pumpkin flavors sound like a wonderful fall flavor combination. Yum!

Pumpkin Pie-tini

  • 1 oz. milk
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
  • 1 ½ oz. Three-O Vanilla vodka
  • 1 ½ oz. crème de cacao

Using a small amount of honey, rim martini glass with graham cracker crumbs.

Shake milk and pumpkin puree over ice to combine. Pour in remaining ingredients and shake well. Strain into the martini glass.

I have more fall and Halloween party cocktail ideas and recipes coming up. Maybe I’ll roundup some of my favorites! Don’t forget to remind your guests to drink responsibly.

Cucumber Sandwiches

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I have an easy Summer party appetizer or finger food recipe to share with you today. Cucumbers are a cool refreshing taste of summer.

Cucumber sandwiches are super simple to make. They’re great for bridal or baby showers, graduations, a summer garden tea, or backyard cookout.

Cucumber Sandwiches

Mini pumpernickel bread (in the Deli section at most supermarkets)
1-2 cucumbers~ sliced
Dill weed
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1~ 8oz cream cheese (at room temperature)

Mix the Mayonnaise and cream cheese together with a blender until smooth. Spread the cream cheese Mayonnaise mixture on the pumpernickel slices, then top each one with a cucumber and sprinkle with dill on top for garnish and flavor.

Cinco De Mayo~ Summer Tequila Cocktail Recipes With a Twist

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Today I have some fabulous Cinco De Mayo cocktail recipes to share with you. These recipes would also be perfect vor any summer party. I can see myself beside the pool, or lounging in the beach chair with one of these in my hand.

These cocktail recipes would also be fabulous for a backyard barbecue, with a tropical island theme. Just looking at them makes me think of sandy beaches!

I might just have to make one of these tequila cocktails this weekend!

The recipes are courtesy of Oro Azul Tequila.

Island Sunset

  • 1 ½ oz Oro Azul Blanco Tequila
  • ½ oz Cointreau®
  • 2 oz pomegranate juice
  • 1 oz fresh lime juice
  • ½ oz simple syrup

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add above ingredients shake well and pour into a Collins glass filled with ice.

La Bonita

  • 1 ½ oz Oro Azul Reposado Tequila
  • ½ oz Cointreau®
  • 2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 oz pear juice
  • 1 oz simple syrup

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add above ingredients shake well and pour into a Collins glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

El Matador

  • 1 ½ oz Oro Azul Blanco Tequila
  • 3 oz pineapple juice
  • Juice of ½ lime

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add above ingredients shake well and strain into a champagne flute.

Pomegranate Perfection

  • 1 ½ oz Oro Azul Añejo Tequila
  • ½ oz apple brandy
  • 2 oz pomegranate Juice
  • 2 oz fresh squeezed lemon Juice
  • Splash of cinnamon

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add above ingredients shake well and strain into an ice filled 12 oz glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Mangorita

  • 2 oz Oro Azul Reposado Tequila
  • ½ oz Triple Sec®
  • 2 oz mango juice

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add above ingredients shake well and strain into a martini glass.

Oro Azul is produced by the Lopez Garibay family, which has been in the tequila business for over 100 years. Established in 1921, their present ranch is located in the heart of the tequila region, Los Altos, where only the finest blue agave is found.

After five generations, the family continues to follow a traditional style, handmade tequila production process that focuses on 100 percent estate grown blue agave and attention to preserving the original cultivation and distillation techniques used over a century ago.

Always remind your guests to drink responsibly, and never drink and drive!

Red White and Blue Dessert Idea~ Cupcake Flag

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Here’s a fun twist to the flag cake. This cupcake flag would be a fun dessert idea for  Memorial Day, The Fourth of July, or any summer party. I used mini cupcakes to put this one together. You could also use regular size cupcakes to make the cupcake flag, if you’re making it for a large party. You can use a large covered cardboard, or assemble the flag right on the dessert table.

The cupcake flag takes 48 cupcakes to make. Here’s the breakdown: Ice twelve cupcakes with royal blue icing, use one of the star tips to make white stars on the blue cupcakes. Arrange the blue cupcakes in 3 rows of 4.

Ice the rest of the cupcakes with white icing. Arrange the white cupcakes 4 more cupcakes to finish off the blue rows. Add 3 more rows of white cupcakes below. For a total of 6 rows of 8 cupcakes. Add strawberry slices to make stripes.

Like I said above you can assemble the flag right on the dessert table, or you can cover a large piece of cardboard, or a baking sheet with silver foil. If you will be traveling with your cupcake flag, add a tiny dollop of icing under each cupcake to help hold them in place.

Cinco De Mayo Party~ Guacamole Mexican Flag Dip

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Today I have a fun recipe to share with you for your Cinco De Mayo celebration. I love guacamole, salsa and sour cream, so this dip is definitely a big hit as far as I’m concerned! It would great for any Mexican fiesta, or just because for a summer outdoor barbecue, or fall football party.

The recipe is courtesy of Wholly Guacamole , I have to say I’ve had the opportunity to try their guacamole and their salsa (they sent me a sample a while back), both are delicious.

Here’s the Guacamole and Salsa dip recipe:

Quick Cinco de Guaco Mexican Flag Dip

Prep: 7 minutes

Ingredients

  • 14 oz package Wholly Guacamole
  • Fat Free Sour Cream
  • Wholly Salsa—your favorite heat level
  • Rosemary sprigs
  • Black beans and olives
  • 1 bag your favorite dipping chips

Instructions:

1. Divide a rectangular pan into thirds. Spread guacamole, then sour cream in the center — and salsa on outer band last.

2. Top center with an “eagle” of olives, beans, and sprigs of greens. Use as a dip for fresh corn chips, or vegetables, and enjoy.

Image via Wholly Guacamole

How To Make a Decorative Ice Ring

By: comment

Can you believe it, spring is here, and summer is just around the corner, which means summer parties and entertaining will soon be in full force.

During the summer ice melts fast and can dilute your drinks, that’s why I almost never use plain ice cubes in the punch bowl. I usually make my own decorative ice ring. It’s simple to do with a little pre-planning, just freeze your ice ring a day or two before the party, with some of the punch you plan to use for the party.

I use a Jello mold, or Bundt pan to freeze my ice ring in. To make the ice rings I show here I used a Wilton Silicone Mini Fluted Tube Pan. It released the finished ice rings without much fuss.

To add texture and color to your ice rings add in season fruit like strawberries, or lemons slices. You can also add fresh mint leaves, lemon balm, or edible flowers to the mold.

Fill the rest of the mold with some of the juice you’re using to make your punch. If you use juice instead of water, when the rings start to melt your punch will not be diluted. Freeze the rings a few hours, or a few days before your party.

I used strawberries and lemons in one of the rings, in the other two rings I used mint leaves, and lilac blooms. You can use your favorite herbs, or berries to add flavor to your ice rings, mandarin oranges are also fabulous!