Still iced in here in Atlanta, but we have plenty of food and wine. It could be worse.
Plus, the Golden Globes are on Sunday! I love awards shows, and the Golden Globes by far is my favorite. All the stars are drinking at the event, so you have no clue what they may say in their speeches, making for a hilarious evening. Plus, you can enjoy it in your pajamas, with a drink in hand, hollering at the television set. Which I personally enjoy.
My friends in NYC, Esther and Katie, sent me these recipes for adult beverages that have 2010 movie themes. I love it! Click here for these special drinks!
There are so many fab blogs out there that I bet you’ve never read. And since being snowed in all week, I’ve had plenty of time to scour the web to find the best cozy recipes for you.
How about spaghetti and mozzarella stuffed meatballs from Babble? Aren’t these gorgeous?
Nom, nom, nom!
And Tessa over at Handle The Heat had me swooning with her chicken wrapped in proscuitto and sage. Golly that sounds scrumptious.
At Let’s Dish they are baking up Snickerdoodle Bread. OMG, are you kidding me? That sounds fantastic!
So, if you are snowed in, there are three recipes to try. Don’t they sound tasty?
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to Smokey Robinson and The Miracles – Cruisin’
My friend Barry and I made a little video for you on how not to bake. I think you will like it. Take a look as we try to make a special cake for Holly’s birthday.
I don’t know about you, but we are snowed in here in Atlanta. It is so much fun! Eric has the day off and the neighbors are organizing a Winter “Olympics” in the park this morning. Karen loves the snow and Oscar despises it.
But instead of cowering in our homes waiting for the snow to arrive last night, 14 of us packed up and headed out to Pizza Vesuvius for “This Ain’t Yo Mama’s Sunday Dinner”. For $12, it’s all you can eat pizza and salad. You know, one must carb load for the impending snow. And their pizza really is fantastic. They even deliver to our house and no one delivers to our neighborhood. Except Papa John’s. But this is real pizza. And since everyone else was waiting for the snow to come, we just about had the place to ourselves.
I didn’t bring my camera, but my buddy Justin did, so I am nabbing some of the shots he took from last night.
I just received a fun message from Jaclyn in New York telling me about Kahlua’s Delicioso Night In 2011. Not only do they have Food Network Chef Aaron Sanchez on board, but they are giving away a trip for FOUR – one night in NYC and three nights in Veracruz, Mexico. And the evening in NYC is accompanied by a dinner hosted by Chef Sanchez in New York. Wouldn’t that be swell? Log on to the website and you could win! I might win, too!
Survey says – more recipes. And more budget conscious parties.
Let’s tackle more recipes today. And you know, it would be great for a light luncheon for the ladies, too. Two birds, one tuna.
Eric and I learned this at The Ritz-Carlton Cancun a couple of weeks ago when we traveled to Mexico for Christmas. Chef Rory Dunaway shared it with us and it was so good and the perfect foil for all that rich food you consumed over the holidays.
The tuna portion with vinaigrette and eggs
The veggie component
Nicoise Salad
Serves 4
4 Hardboiled Eggs, Quartered
1 Red Bell Pepper, Finely Julienned
3 Artichoke Hearts, Quartered
2 Tomatoes, Cut Into Eighths
1 Cucumber, Peeled and Sliced Into Rounds
12 Long Green Beans, Blanched & Sliced Thin
2 Ounces Black Olives
2 Stalks Celery, Sliced Thin
10 Fingerling Potatoes, Blanched and Cut in Half
Vinaigrette
3 Anchovies, Minced (note: don’t skip this, it makes the salad. I promise)
1/4 Cup of White Balsamic (note: substitute red, if necessary)
1 Large Garlic Clove, Minced
1 Tablespoon Parsley, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Basil, Chiffonade
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Seared Tuna
12 Ounces Yellow Fin Tuna
(note: unless you just caught it, all tuna will be found in the store frozen)
Arrange Veggies and Eggs prettily on a serving tray.
For vinaigrette: In a medium bowl combine anchovies and garlic and smash to a paste using the back of a spoon. Add the balsamic, parsley and basil and mix well to combine. Slowly drizzle oil stirring constantly until mixture is thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour vinaigrette into serving boat so guests made add their own.
For Tuna: Pat tuna dry with paper towel, season well with salt and pepper. In a hot pan, pour a small amount of oil, carefully place tuna in pan and sear on all sides. It should be very rare. When cooled slightly, slice into 1/4 inch slices. Fan tuna slices along salad plate and serve.
Super easy! And super delish. This salad will make your guests think you are very swanky and the amount of veggies and small amount of tuna makes it very economical.
Chef Rory Dunaway of The Ritz-Carlton Cancun
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to The Little Mermaid Soundtrack – Under The Sea
Before the new year we went to the annual holiday party given by Calvin and Steve at their fabulous loft. It is always a wonderful time and we always meet the most fun people. This year’s guests included a designer for Kate Spade from New York and a former news anchor. Fun!
The Big House's Big Tree
This past year the loft played host to the cast of The Vampire Diaries, where they filmed for a few weeks. Come on in for more Big House Fun
I trust you all had a safe and fun New Year’s Eve. Last year we stayed home but this year we attended two parties that blew the doors off. Couldn’t greet the new decade with a pizza and a coke, you know.
The first party was given by our friends Wesley and Mark at their loft, nicknamed “Remark Central”, because of Mark’s considerable dj skills. It was filled with interesting people, images and food. There is always a theme – last year being a masquerade. In anticipation of this year, I picked up several fabulous masks in New Orleans during our travels. But I didn’t consider that the theme changes every year. This year was “Red, White and Black”. And so we all dressed in the appropriate manner. Eric donned his tux with a red tie and I wore a black dress with fabulous new red shoes. And of course, my new red hair.
Sweet Stephanie from Deutsch Inc. clued me into some great tips from her friends over at Pat Glenn Productions on giving your best New Year’s Eve party ever. Trust me, even after years of giving my own parties, I can always learn something new and these handsome fellows from NYC have a few new tricks up their sleeves! Look at this gorgeous event they created – wouldn’t you just love to be a guest at this party?
Here’s some great tips from Event Gurus Pat James & Glenn Jacinto:
1. Know Your Space. Don’t over invite. There is nothing worse than having a space where your guests are crowded and can’t get a drink. (note: oops – I always overcrowd….)
2. Don’t Sweat It. You don’t want your house to feel stuffy and overheated. Turn down your heat well in advance of your guests’ arrival to ensure the temperature will be comfortable. It will also cut down on cost for your heating bill!
3. BYOB – Build Your Own Bar: You can create a bar by simply covering a six-foot table with a crisp, white floor length table cloth. Make sure to situate your bar in an accessible location so you don’t create a “traffic jam” in the corner of your living room.
4. Get Festive with Ice Cubes! Give your guests’ drinks a festive touch by freezing cherries or cranberries in your ice cubes! Any leaf from the mint family also freezes nicely.
5. Custom Cocktails: Don’t waste money on high-end champagnes. Instead create a signature cocktail for your event. It’s not only festive but will help monitor how much alcohol you’re serving.
6. Create a Coat Check: Clear out a hall closet or consider renting a coat rack, which are easy to assemble and can be placed in a spare room or hallway. It’s much nicer than having guests throw their coats on a bed with a sea of other jackets.
7. Kitschy Cocktail Napkins. Buy cocktail napkins with fun/seasonal sayings – they will becoming conversation pieces at your party.
8. Candle Couture. Instead of a large centerpiece at your dining table, decorate with pillar and votive candles. Votives come in virtually every color, so you can buy colors to match your other décor and line them down the center of the table to create a simple, clean warm ambiance.
9. Hello Espresso! Coffee, Espresso and Cappuccino Bar with whipped cream and shaved chocolate toppings are a special sweet treat for your guests. It’s also a great way to keep your guests awake until the New Years Eve countdown!
10. Forget Flowers: Save money by incorporating a common theme throughout your party and sprinkle the room with different objects that connect to the theme to tie it all together. Some great holiday touches are using pine cones, holly, mistle toe and wreaths to create an inexpensive yet elegant decor. Small personal touches really help make your guests feel the warmth of the season.
Or, you could just hire these two and they could turn your party into a once-in-a-lifetime event!
Party on, Dudes!
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to Shop Boyz – Party Like A Rock Star
Eric and I are back and tanned from Mexico (more on that later) and ready to party. Some more partying. I guess we should take a break for at least a couple of days, but there are so many soirees to attend!
If you are hosting, here are some fun cocktail recipes from our friend Kate at Deussen Global Marketing.
At the World Bar (frequented by major league sports stars and UN diplomats), mixologist Jonathan Pogash created the Cherry Pop, which is a beautiful rosy color and redolent of nutmeg:
Mmm, Cherry Pop
Cherry Pop
3 or 4 pitted sour cherries
.5 oz. fresh lime juice
.75 oz. almond syrup (Monin brand preferred)
1.5 oz. Lucid Absinthe
Crémant d’Alsace
Method: In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle the sour cherries in the lime juice and almond syrup. Add the Lucid, then fill with ice, and shake very well. Strain into a chilled flûte. Top with Crémant d’Alsace. Garnish with a few swipes of freshly grated nutmeg.
Another spice that says “holiday” is cinnamon; here, it is combined with warming rum and Cognac, while the sparkle keeps things festive rather than too cozy:
Cinnamon Sparkler
Cinnamon Sparkle
.5 oz. cinnamon bark syrup (instructions below: cinnamon sticks, water, and sugar required)
4 sugar cubes
1 oz. club soda
2 oz. Flor de Caña 7 year rum
1 oz. CAMUS VSOP Cognac
.25 oz. Marie Brizard Peach liqueur
1 oz. lemon juice
1.5 oz. Crémant d’Alsace
Method:
Make the cinnamon bark syrup by boiling three cinnamon sticks with one cup of water and one cup of sugar for 15 minutes; strain; refrigerate unused portion
In a mixing glass, dissolve the sugar cubes in the club soda (this generally involves muddling to help the process)
After the sugar cubes are dissolved, add the spirits and lemon juice one at a time, stirring as added
Add ice once all of the above have been added, continuing to stir until the individual serving of punch is chilled
5. Strain into a punch glass and top with 2 oz. Crémant d’Alsace
Finally, for a beautiful holiday red color, not to mention the health benefits of rosehips, hibiscus, and lemon (all great sources of Vitamin C), a simple but delicious cocktail is the Xanté C; Xanté is the second most leading liqueur in the Netherlands, where they know a thing or two about staying warm and celebrating the holidays!
Xanté C 1.5 oz. Xanté pear liqueur
2 oz. Rosehip & Hibiscus Tea concentrate (suggested brand: Teekanne Tee)
.5 oz. fresh lemon juice
Splash Crémant d’Alsace
Method: In a shaker over ice, add first three ingredients. Shake vigorously, then splash with Crémant d’Alsace. Strain into a chilled martini glass, garnishing with a red rose petal.
Sweet Bubbly Standard
1.7 oz. Russian Standard Vodka
1 tsp honey
Fresh ginger for garnish
Splash Crémant d’Alsace
Method: Shake Russian Standard Vodka and honey gently over ice. Serve on the rocks. Top with sparkling Cremant D’Alsace. Garnish with a piece of ginger.
That should keep you pretty busy all night. Don’t forget the number of your favorite taxi service or the number of your favorite designated driver. Safety first!
