Following from last week's brunch post , and as promised; here's my recipe for Vol-au-vent Baked Eggs. Baked eggs is something I've pick up in France ( œufs cocotte ), and it's a great way to serve eggs for an occasion such as brunch, because you can get all the yummy flavors and fun of the egg (yes, eggs are fun!) without the 'slaving over a hot stove' factor.
Happy New Year, party friends! January is not my favorite month, I have to say. It's hard enough getting back to a work/school routine after the end of year parties. And then the weather doesn't help one bit... So my goal at the beginning of the year is just to eeeease myself back gently into the groove of things. And basically, just to keep warm. Brr. That's where this Spiced Earl Grey Hot Toddy comes in super handy!
Christmas pudding's a traditional dessert served in Britain at Christmas . You may have come across it in one of the Happy Potter movies (flaming Christmas pudding). And if you're a fan of Downton Abbey , this will recipe will totally speak to you!
Okay, so the traditional Scottish shortbread cookie aren't really meant to be "Christmas trees". They're just baked in a round cake pan, then cut into triangles. But I think if you dip them in chocolate and sprinkle with sugar stars like I did, they totally look the part, don't you think? :) Therefore PERFECT for Christmas and Holiday parties!
Truffles are synonymous with Christmas for me. They are super yummy and the perfect Holiday party sweet treat or homemade gift to make, to give and to EAT! And these Brazilian Truffles (Brigadeiro) are the creme de la creme of the truffle world!
The Holiday season is here, and I find myself mentally salivating over all the dazzling party food ideas and quick recipes I can serve for my end-of-year parties. Let's just say I'm a tad obsessed with canapés and appetizers this time of year. It's sort of a personal challenge to try to find THE perfect Holiday recipe that ticks all the boxes (quick, easy, tasty, pretty...), and become my new go-to party food favorite!
Being from Italian descent, I grew up with polenta. And one of my fave dishes is creamy polenta with Bolognese sauce and generous sprinkles of Parmesan on top. SO yum!! So naturally, when thinking up delicious appetizers for our end of year parties , I turn to my Italian roots. And polenta usually figures in some shape or form, in the array of bite-size delights I serve time and time again... It's like bringing a little bit of Italy to my table :)
When it comes to desserts I'm a cake kinda gal. And no self-respecting party or family get-together should go without some form of cake - homemade, shop-bought...or my fav, a combination of the too! ;) That's why this super drool-worthy but mega easy Black Forest Gateau is perfection for Thanksgiving (or any other time of year!)
This year I'm inspired by all things Monster High for Halloween (mainly 'cause I have a little fan at home...). So much so, that together with some of my fave party and food bloggers; we put together a huge and totally SPOOK-takular spread in the Fall issue of Bird's Party Magazine - with decorated cookies, cake pops, cupcakes and sparkly party ideas inspired by the Monster High vibe!
If you're looking for a BOO-tiful, kid-approved treat recipe for Halloween , this is IT! Easy to make, quick, 'scary' tasty and loads of FUN for all. Trust! Plus, it only requires two ingredients , which is a major bonus in my party book.
Italian food has a very special place in my heart due to my Italian roots. To me, it's more than food - it means love, comfort, family values, tradition... I still remember to this day, being in awe of my grandmother's pasta-making skills , in her kitchen cutting tagliatelle with a knife, dusting them with semolina and hanging them to dry on a broomstick made by my granddad!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Truvia® but all photos and opinions are my own. Pumpkin pies are traditional and synonymous with Fall. But to keep things 'fresh' and a little more exciting, I always try to jazz up my traditional recipes with a little twist to bring'em bang up to date - like these dinky pumpkin pies! They're super easy and quick to make (and eat!) , look really cute and are therefore ideal for serving as a sweet appetizer or party food on Halloween, on Thanksgiving, or any other Fall celebration.
TGIF! And you know what Friday means? Happy hour, of course! And to test drive my brand new studio bar , we had to create a brand new cocktail recipe! This one is supper yum, and perfect 'transition' cocktail to take you from summer (and the warm days that we're still having. Yay!) into Fall. And we call it a 'Birdie' ;)
Have you noticed how almost anything tastes better on a stick?! Not sure if it's the novelty of seeing our yummy recipes in bite-form; or actually a scientific reason behind it. Whatever it is, pie pops are my new Fall favorites! They are perfectly practical for serving at parties. And can we just taking a minute to appreciate how cute they look? :)
We're starting the week on a sweet note. Is there a better way?! I think not ;) Especially when it concerns one of my all-time favorite desserts: Crème Brulée! Seriously, I could eat it all day long. And so for the sake of variety, and keeping this classic up to date, I like to experiment!
Okay, so we're all settled now into a back to school or back to work routine. But are you like me, still on summer body-clock time, and feeling like "I need my pillow" every morning? Well, it may be we need something healthy and exciting to kick start our day!
This is quite possible, the easiest "pie" recipe I've ever made! Pastry and all. Well I say pie...but really, the shape is the typical French galette style. No fuss, rustic goodness. And that' how I like my pies! The most difficult part is waiting for it cook (and cool!) so you can start devouring ;)
It's the last few days of summer vacation for us, and we're determined to squeeze out every fun moment we have! Including celebrating the every day with family and friends. 'Round here we need no special excuse for a party ;)
This has become my go-to salad this summer. You know, the salad that you find yourself making over and over, simply because you're either: a) digging all of that gorgeous, ripe summer produce b) want something healthy but delicious to chomp on c) want a quick meal without putting the stove on d) all of the above?! ;)
I grew up on smoothies. My mom used to create the most weird and wonderful concoctions of fruit and veg, all blended up into a practical and nutritious drink/snack. Some flavors I loved, and some I hate to this day (hello trauma of beetroot!), but now find myself passing down my love of smoothies to my kids. And smoothie bowls are not only the latest healthy rage around, but I found it to be a super FUN and healthy snack for kids , as well as a lazy (but nutritious) breakfast option for busy gals ;) Major bonus points that they look totally Instagram worthy (wink) AND are super good for you!
