This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Santa Margherita USA . All opinions are 100% mine. The best dinner parties I've ever hosted, or at least the ones I remember most fondly; are the "relaxed" ones where I, the host, get to enjoy every minute of it as much as my guests! So throughout the years, I've tried to hone in on what works and perfect the art of dinner parties by keeping it all as simple as possible. Whether I have days to plan ahead, or for a last-minute get-together. For me, simplicity is the name of the party game when dinner parties are concerned!
Recipe | Stout Chocolate Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting
Valentines Day's over and we're wasting not time in prepping for St Patrick's Day 'round here! And I'm feeling super lucky, 'cause I get to create AND taste test, yummy recipes like these Stout Chocolate Cupcake with Irish Cream Frosting! This is a super easy and delicious recipe, and I'm sharing my cheat frosting technique too. Lucky YOU! ;)
Pink Champagne Jello Recipe
As part of my Valentine's Dinner party menu that I shared in my previous post ( here ) ; I'm serving pink champagne jello with red berries and cream . Something about jello that evokes 'fun', don't you think? Maybe it's because it's a dessert we associate with kids, and therefore takes us back to our childhood days. But for a grown-up update on this favorite classic, I added pink champagne and red berries. Which makes a super tasty, not to mention pretty in pink dessert for Valentine's Day ! :)
Creamy Whipped Feta Dip Recipe
Super Bowl is 'round the corner and this is THE recipe you need for quick and easy entertaining! It's a super delicious dip too, and if you serve with veggies on the side like I did here , it turns into a much healthier appetizer. But you could just eat it by the spoonfuls too. Well, I could. It's that YUM!
Fruity Beer Cocktail Recipe & DIY Football Coasters
Beer rhymes with Super Bowl. We know that. But what if beer is not your thing? Or you fancy something sweeter while watching the game? Well, for my Super Bowl party I served this super tasty fruity mixer, which not only is the perfect pairing to wheat beer ; but can can be also added to lemonade, sparkling water or tonic to cater for kiddos and mocktail lovers alike!
Recipe | Chocolate Brownie Super Bowl Footballs
Any post that start with the word 'chocolate' is a winner, in my book. Especially when the recipe is easy, and you can make-ahead, and serve it in cute shaped football for a Super Bowl party , right?! Earlier this week I shared some easy and cool ideas to pulling off a fab Super Bowl party , and if you only copy one thing from that, then copy this recipe - It will be a hit with anyone, any age!
Panettone, Chocolate & Marmalade Tart Recipe
If you din't notice, we're brunching this week ;) And nothing screams winter brunch better than some comfort food, right?! Hence this Panettone chocolate and marmelade tart number. Apart from being totally decadent and delicious, is extremely easy and FUN to make!
Smoked Salmon Vol-au-Vent Baked Eggs Recipe
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!
Fruity & Boozy British Christmas Pudding Recipe
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!
Recipe | Scottish Shortbread Christmas Tree Cookies
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!
Party Food | Brazilian Brigadeiro Truffles Recipe
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!
Party Food | Olive Tapenade Crostini Bites Recipe
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!
Party Food | Gourmet Polenta Bologenese Cups Recipe
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 :)
Easy Black Forest Gateau Cake Recipe
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!)
DIY Monster High Inspired Cake Pops Recipe
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!
Halloween Chocolate Bark Lollipops Recipe
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.
Party Food | Italian Sausage & Ravioli Appetizer Recipe
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!
Recipe | Bite-Size Pumpkin Pies with Mascarpone Cream
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.
The Birdie | Lychee Liqueur & Grapefruit Cocktail
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' ;)