weeknight celebration | pineapple party {full of recipes}

It's graduation season!  Who's graduating in your family?  I am pretty sure there's a graduation ceremony for everything - kindergarten, middle school, high school, college, gymnastics level, the list goes on.  So let's celebrate!  You did it!

To celebrate, I leaned into the pineapple trend that everyone is loving and turned it into an edible trend.  If pineapples are cute, then eating them has to be freaking adorable.  Right?  I made a simple little menu with teriyaki chicken burgers that can cook on the grill while everyone sips delicious coconut pineapple cocktails that can be spiked or un-spiked for the younger celebrators.  

PINA COLADA SPARKLERS

In a tall glass scoop two to three scoops of coconut sorbet.  Top with Pineapple Dry Sparkling until the glass is full.  Float 2 oz. of dark rum on top for the adults in the group.

TERIYAKI CHICKEN BURGER

serves 4

4 chicken breasts, sliced into cutlets

1 can sliced pineapple rings

¼ cup soy sauce

Pineapple juice from the can

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tbs corn starch

8 Hawaiian hamburger buns

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tbs. sriracha

Iceberg lettuce

STEP 1

In a microwave safe bowl, combine soy, pineapple juice, ginger, garlic, and sugar.  Set aside.  If you’re making rice, start it now. 

STEP 2

Pour half of the pineapple mixture over the chicken.  Let rest 5 minutes, but no longer or the pineapple with begin to ‘cook’ the chicken.

STEP 3

Grill chicken about 3 minutes on each side until cooked through.  

STEP 4

Whisk cornstarch in the pineapple mixture and microwave at one-minute increments whisking between each minute.  Continue until slightly thick.  

STEP 5

Whisk together mayonnaise and sriracha.  Spread mixture on one side of the Hawaiian buns.

STEP 6

Layer chicken, pineapple, and lettuce on top of each burger.  Serve with rice.

weeknight celebration | celebrating ladies

This time of year is like a ladies party extravaganza.  If they aren't getting married, they are having babies.  And those are both really good reasons to celebrate.  You know I'm a big fan of the simple celebration so I've put together a really good spring luncheon that gives you a reason to celebrate with your ladies even if no one is having a baby (reason to celebrate!) or getting married (again?).

The simplest way to host a luncheon is to make a really big salad filled with everything and a really delicious cocktail.  Last summer I started blending watermelon into juice and using that to mix cocktails.  It's a big hit. Everyone loves blended watermelon.  

This cocktail is great because you can make it boozy, new-mom-friendly, or in a punch bowl so you don't have to serve anyone.  I highly recommend having these made ahead of time so when the ladies arrive, you can hand them a cocktail immediately and they can get into the mood.  

DOUBLE WATERMELON DAIQUIRI

STEP 1

Blend watermelon, lime juice, and rum (if you're using it) in a blender until fully combined and the watermelon is liquified.

STEP 2

Fill cups half way with watermelon puree or pour all of it in a punch bowl.  Top with Watermelon DRY Sparkling.  

STEP 3

Serve with lime wedges

1/2 watermelon, pureed (4 cups watermelon juice)

2 cups light rum

1/2 cup lime juice + wedges

2 cups Watermelon DRY Sparkling

I'll be totally honest.  I had a salad at a restaurant recently that was and amazing cobb salad and I had this fabulous brainstorm to make a cobb salad using all of the fresh spring ingredients that are popping up in the farmer's markets right now  Think asparagus and radishes and tiny potatoes and peas all arranged beautifully on a platter.  Then right before I had my photo shoot, another local blogger created E X A C T L Y what I was thinking.  Clearly, we eat at the same restaurants.  

I was so bummed.  Mine was different because it does have eggs and doesn't have beans (which you could add when you do the asparagus!) so it's not the same.  But I like to be unique.  Do something different.  It's a personal goal that often gets busted by the bazillion recipe developers that are out there, but I try.  

So I decided I could use the same ingredients (which are A M A Z I N G right now!) and toss them like a chop chop salad.  Not only do you get the same delicious flavors but, you also can't screw this up.  I know if I made a cute arranged salad I would hear "mine won't look like yours" or "pinterest-fail" and I don't want you to ever feel like a fail.  Also, when you toss this thing together the egg yolk "melts" down a little bit with the dressing and creates a really good creamy texture without any actual cream.  You could almost call it healthy then.  

SPRING CHOP CHOP SALAD

serves 4

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Place raw eggs in a pot of cold water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain off hot water and fill pot with ice and cold water to immediately cool the eggs.

STEP 2

Toss potatoes with olive oil and salt.  Place on a baking sheet and roast 10 minutes until fork tender.

STEP 3

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Fill a bowl with ice and water and set aside.  Quickly lower asparagus into hot water.  Cook until just bright green – about 2 minutes.  Remove from water and pop into ice bath.  

Repeat with the peas.

STEP 4

Mix together 2 tbs bacon drippings, red wine vinegar, dried basil, honey, and Dijon mustard.

STEP 5

Chop all ingredients and toss together with salad dressing. 

1 bunch Asparagus

1 cup Fresh peas

6 Radishes

2 cups Artichoke hearts, cooked and sliced

6 Hard boiled eggs

¼ lb Tiny red potatoes – sliced in quarters

2 tbs olive oil

8 strips Bacon

2 tbs Chives

1 head romaine lettuce

DRESSING

2 tbs reserved bacon drippings

2 tbs red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard 

½ tsp Dried Basil

1 tsp Honey

Can you actually have a luncheon without something sweet and sugary?  I am pretty sure that's a hard no.  When I was in Palm Springs I found this darling little bakery that made something very similar to this.  I am 100% sure they made the dough from scratch and probably used lard.  Since I have no patience for dough and no desire to include lard into my life, I made these with just a little puff pastry.  They are addictive.

CINNAMON SUGAR TWISTS

makes 24

STEP 1

Unroll the puff pastry and using a rolling pin to flatten.  Roll out to 12" x 15" or so.  Just a bit larger, basically.

STEP 2

Brush the top of the puff pastry with half of the butter.  Mix together 1/2 of the sugar and all of the cinnamon and dust half of it over the top of the pastry.  

STEP 3

Slice the pastry into strips using a pizza cutter or a knife.  

STEP 4

Twist each strip, wrap in a circle and pop on a baking sheet.

STEP 5

Pop in the oven and bake 20 minutes.  As soon as they come out of the oven, sprinkle the top of each with the plain granulated sugar.

STEP 6

Repeat with the second sheet of pastry.

1 package puff pastry, defrosted (2 sheets)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 cup melted butter

What kind of celebrations are you hosting this spring? This would be fun to host just because and not for any other reason.  There's always something to celebrate; friend got her kids out of the house without yelling?  CELEBRATION!  Your fourth grader finally tied their shoes on their own?  CELEBRATION! Your six year old left his shirt on at school all day?  CELEBRATION!  

Tell me why you're celebrating! 

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weeknight entertaining | new year's eve

 * GIVEAWAY * 

Click here to Instagram where there's a giveaway going on involving everything you see above!

Going out on New Year's Eve is so much fun.  But if you are even slightly over worked, over tired, or a parent - then going out on New Year's Eve doesn't sound as fun.  Also, have you seen what restaurants are charging on New Year's?  It's insane.  So stay in.  Invite a few friends over and WOW them with my ridiculously simple Champagne Risotto with chanterelle mushrooms and seared scallops.  

For dessert, pick up a tier of Trophy Cupcake's Raspberry Champagne Macrons.  Following this shoot I actually ate an entire box of them.  Epic.  Amazing.  I don't know if I recommend eating that many in one sitting, but I'm not judging.  

Clearly you are pouring champagne too.  You can pour it straight up or try some of my cocktails made with champagne (click here for the recipes 1/2).    

The macrons are also freeze-able so you can pop the box in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer.  That way you have some for hostess gifts, New Year's Eve desserts, or Thursday nights.

Also, you can get them packaged in cute little packets which are perfect for little favors at the plate if you're more into that look instead of the darling tower.  I'm partial to the tower.  

weeknight celebration | thanksgiving cocktails

Thanksgiving and cocktails go together like mac and cheese.  I can't be the only one who spends her Thanksgiving surrounded by family.  

If you need some ideas for a new cocktail this holiday, I have a few suggestions.  The best part is you can make these into a giant pitcher and have it on the table for everyone.  Click on the below pictures and you'll be taken to the recipes yourself!

Cranberry Fizz Cocktail

Apple Cider Mule

weeknight celebration | thanksgiving turkey

Do you make a huge giant bird or just the breast?  You can still make a big bird for a small crowd - I've seen some tiny birds coming out of the grocery store this week.  They're darling!  But they can feel intimidating - especially if you are only serving a few people.  

Instead, why don't you do something simpler? Below I have three ideas for fabulous Thanksgiving dinners that don't take much to get on the table.  

Side note, if you are going somewhere else for thanksgiving and you're missing the leftovers - you can make one of the dinners below (try the Turkey Bake!) and have the perfect amount for a midnight snack.

All of the recipes are in the app - just search for turkey and most of these come up.  Except the risotto which clearly does not have turkey in it.  But I included it here because it's the perfect blend of Thanksgiving flavors and vegetarian sensibilities.  

Rosemary Roasted Turkey Breast

Turkey Tender Bake

Citrus Turkey Breast

Sage & Barley Risotto