Stir together liquids. Serve over ice. Garnish, if desired. Recipe and photo from Southern LivingNow this is the epitome of a Lazy Bride recipe - frozen lemonade, vodka and beer. No fuss, no muss, no effort yet maximum taste and color. Plus this baby packs a punch, fiddle dee dee! Just the thing to while a way a steamy, hot day in July. Cheers!!
Southern Pink Lemonade Cocktail
One thing that brides often overlook is their purse. Even though you have a bouquet and attendants, you still need a place to stash your stuff (lipstick, breathmints, kleenex, flask - oops, just kidding!). A fancy little clutch makes for beautiful bridal baggage and vintage beaded bags are divine! Reduce, reuse, recycle and save $$ by purchasing a 'previously enjoyed' handbag (plus you'll get miles of style).
My wonderful assistant, Caren, is getting married this Saturday and I hosted an intimate bridal shower for her a week ago. Rather than the usual round of shower games, we opted to have a cooking theme, as the bride loves spending time in the kitchen. I hired a personal chef to give us a cooking lesson, the favours were all cooking related and we showered Caren with kitchen gadgets (you know, those fun things you see in the store that you'd never buy for yourself, like bread warmers or cooking stones or 20-piece pizza kits).
Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Tamarind sauce
1 pack rice sheets (spring rolls wrappers)
1 head of lettuce, washed, drained and chopped
1 carrot, finely grated
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 cup cooked peach palm, peeled and julienned
½ cup ground macadamia nuts
½ cup red cabbage, grated
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
2 quarts Hot-Warm water to soften rice sheets
Sesame to garnish
Sauce:
1 package tamarind
1 cup hot water
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
¼ tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
1. To make the sauce, mix the tamarind in the water and bring to a boil until all flesh has been removed from the pits. Mix well.
2. Strain into another container and return to pan at medium heat.
3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil whisking firmly.
4. Cook until desired thickness. Adjust flavors and reserve.
5. For the rolls, prepare your mise en place of the fillings in a flat surface.
6. In a wide bowl, pour ½ Qt of the hot water and submerge the rice sheet for a few seconds until soft enough. Remove from water and transfer to a clean plate or damp towel.
7. Quickly, filled the inside with the veggies making sure the soft items are on the outside and the rough one on the inside part of the roll.
8. Roll the sides to the middle then fold forward to close the roll firmly and tightly but gentle enough not to rip it.
9. Sprinkle sesame seeds and set aside. Repeat operation with water and sheets until all the fillings are used.
10. Served with the chilled Tamarind and the rolls cut in half.
11. Refrigerate for no more than 4 hours, cut only when ready to serve.
Do those look gourmet or what?
A fun time was had by all and we all left with a few new culinary skills under our belts. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I think I'll have a cooking party just for the heck of it!
Happy July 4th to all American Lazy Brides! This long weekend calls for cocktails with a bit of the ole red, white and blue, celebrating the Stars and Stripes forever and all that. Can't think of a more fun cocktail than this one from the Zebra Bistro and Wine Bar in Medfield, MA. Named after the famed orchestra and it's annual July 4th music and fireworks show, this libation features Blue Curacao, cranberry vodka (how apropos for New England) and pop rocks! Yes, those fun candies that explode in your mouth. It's like a fireworks show for your tastebuds. Tres cool.
Here's something up a lazy bride's alley - Bride$hare , a new social networking site for brides. Here you can save money while helping the environment by sharing goods and services with other brides. Decor, apparel, rentals, and even vendors can be shared, swapped, or sold through Bride$hare connections.
Prepping for my assistant's bridal shower tomorrow and was hunting around for a colourful, tasty cocktail and lo and behold, I found the Strawberry Basil Margarita over at The Blue Jean Gourmet. Looks delish and with an interesting flavor combo. Check back next week for photos from Caren's shower!
I am so loving these non-GMO soy candles from the Grapeseed Company. They smell great, burn twice as long and clean and are eco-friendly.Oh, and did I mention they are affordable?
Yes, another post about seating cards. I admit, I'm crazy about doing fun things with seating cards. Call me a seating card dork, if you want.
Remember Jello shots back in college? Good times, good times. Now that you're all grown-up, you can enjoy this sophisticated version of wiggly-giggly goodness that is 'oh, so chic' when presented on a small spoon (like in the photo). What a great way to 'shake' things up at your cocktail hour! Sangria Bites, (Adapted from Food & Drink, Spring 2009) 1 ½ cups lime simple syrup, (equal parts sugar and water, infused with the zest of 3 limes) 3 packages (7g each) unflavoured gelatin crystals. 2 cups Spanish red wine ½ cup Grand Marnier Extra lime zest for garnish Pour the simple syrup into a small saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin overtop and stir to combine. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 2 minutes. Place this mixture over low heat and stir, gently splashing around the sides of the pan until all the gelatin has dissolved. Do not boil. Stir and add in Grand Marnier into the gelatin mixture. Stir slowly for 1 minute. Pour into an 8 inch glass baking dish. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until very firmly set. Cut the jelly into cubes and serves with a little lime zest on top. Photo and recipe from Jumbo Empanadas
Beautiful day for a beautiful wedding. Although May can be a rainy time here in Costa Rica, the skies held out for Marnie and Marcos on May 15. An intimate group of 29 enjoyed the stunning views from the terrace of the Zephyr Palace at Villa Caletas in Playa Herradura, Costa Rica. Mini-mojitos refreshed the guests pre-ceremony while plantain and mango ceviche kept hunger at bay.
