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Archive for the ‘Entertaining Ideas’ Category

Chocolate Pavlova

Posted in Desserts, Entertaining Ideas, Holiday Recipes, Recipes, tagged , , , , , on September 21, 2012| 4 Comments »

A while back I was off gallivanting with two of my cousins who have a myriad of food allergies. Even more than me!

I wanted to bring a fun dessert along, but was trying to find something they both could eat.

Settling on a scrumptious-sounding meringue recipe I found on foodnetwork.com, I emailed the ingredient list to the girls and got a green-flag that they both could eat it.

Although the dessert did not transport well (could have been the way some one haphazardly tossed it in the car) it tasted really, really good. So good, I made it for my book club friends the other night, to their rave reviews.

This isn’t hard to make, just takes a little time, but will leave your guests impressed! I promise!

And for those of you who like tidbits of odd information, Pavlova is named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova. The dessert is believed to have been created in honor of the dancer either during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s.

Ingredients

Start by whipping egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Add sugar, a little at a time and mix until the egg whites look like smooth satin.

Add cocoa powder and vinegar, followed by the chopped chocolate.

Fold in gently with a spatula until well blended.

Spoon onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 300 for about an hour.

The pavlova is done when the top looks dry and crisp, but the inside is still squishy.

Cool completely in the oven, slice and serve with freshly whipped cream and berries.

Chocolate Pavlova

6 large egg whites

2 cups superfine sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar

2 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Trace a 9-inch round circle (use a cake pan) on the parchment then flip over so the pencil mark doesn’t touch the meringue.

Beat the egg whites with a mixer until satiny peaks form. Beat  in the sugar, a spoonful at a time, until the meringue is stiff and shiny.  Sprinkle the cocoa, vinegar and chopped chocolate over the egg whites. Gently fold everything with a rubber spatula until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.

Mound the meringue onto the parchment within the circle, smoothing the sides and the top with a spatula. Try to get it as even as possible. Place baking sheet in the oven then turn the temp down to 300 degrees and bake for an hour or so. When the pavlova is done, the top should look crisp and dry but the inside should give a little (be a little squishy) if you poke it.

Turn off the oven, crack the door  and let the chocolate meringue disk cool completely in the oven. When you’re ready to serve, invert onto a platter and peel off the parchment. I loaded ours up with whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

That was an excellent choice and our tastebuds rejoiced.

She Who Loves Chocolate and Raspberries

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Back to School Party for Parents

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , , , , , on September 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Now that the kids are back in school and life has returned to some semblance of a routine, think about giving yourself and your friends a great gift – a little time together as adults!

Host a “The Kids are Back in School Party” for you and your friends. If you can all attend during the day, when no one needs a babysitter, that’s awesome. Or plan it for an evening or weekend.

It could be a “girls day” in. Ask a representative from Mary Kay or another company to come do a demo. It could be anything from foot massage products to make up, but anything relaxing like that would be appreciated. Serve salads for lunch with some sinfully decadent dessert.

Some other ideas for celebrating “in” could be a tea party, a book reading by a local author, a demo from a someone talented with pastries or with cooking talent. Maybe you offer some fun craft project or you all just sit and gab about what’s happening in your world.

You could also plan a “girls day” out. You could go to a spa together, window shop, take in a museum or art gallery.

If you want to include the guys, maybe you could plan a wine tasting or chocolate tasting party. Something interactive is always a hit.

The main point is to spend some time together and enjoy the company of all adults.

She Who Misses the Smell of New Crayons

 

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Weddings, Barns and Love

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Musings, tagged , , , on September 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »

A couple weekends ago, I was invited to the wedding of a very sweet girl I work with.

She married a wonderful guy and I felt so honored to be able to share in their special day. I may have mentioned it before, but I love weddings. Absolutely love them!

So of course, I took along my camera.

The wedding was at a ranch way out of town back in the hills and the settling was absolutely gorgeous.

 

The bride arrived in style…

Here’s the bridal party.

 

And the amazingly talented singers.

 

 

The buggy that held the gifts. Love this idea!

 

Table centerpieces – simple, but fun!

And the view as I was driving home.

 

Congrats to Mandi and Justin! Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness!

She Who Thought Everything was Beautiful

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A last farewell to Summer

Posted in Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, tagged , , , on August 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »

 

As we head into the Labor Day weekend, many of us are dragging our feet, knowing that it is a final bid goodbye to summer. Even though summer doesn’t officially end until later in September, Labor Day signifies the closing door on summer time fun and the beginning of fall routines and responsibilities.

(Insert huge sigh)

Go wring all the fun you can out of these final days of summer time bliss.

10. Blow Bubbles. Doesn’t matter if you have kids or not, go blow a few bubbles and see if a few worries and cares don’t float away with the soapy orbs.

9. Go on a Picnic. It doesn’t matter if you make something elaborate, run by the deli or grab take-out, pack a blanket and your loved ones and head for a park or picnic area you haven’t visited this summer.

8. Host a bonfire. Make sure you follow local ordinances and keep a hose handy. And don’t forget to have plenty of S’mores supplies on hand.

7. Eat a popsicle. It’s cold and sweet and perfectly delightful. Indulge and enjoy. Have a contest to see who can make theirs last the longest.

6. Pick fresh fruit. Scan the classified ads or ask around for the best “U-pick” fruit location and then go pick something. You’ll be glad you did when you bite into that fresh off-the-tree fruit!

5. Take a hike or a bike ride. Go somewhere off the beaten path and really look around you. Take in the scenery, the smells, the sounds. It won’t be long until fall paints an entirely  different canvas.

4.Take photos. Although the moments won’t last, the photos and memories will. Take photos of your family and friends enjoying the last days of summer in all their joy and silliness.

3. Eat watermelon. Take it outside and let the kids munch to their heart’s content, with juice running down their chins and onto their toes. I dare you to join them! There is summer sweetness packed in every juicy sweet bite.

2. Make homemade ice cream. There is nothing like making your own ice cream and enjoying each cool, creamy bite of frozen confection. You can find tips on hosting an ice cream social here and a recipe for great chocolate ice cream here.

1. Enjoy a sunset. There is nothing quite as spectacular as watching the summer sun sink into the west. The pinks, oranges and golds that fill the sky can be breathtaking. Go sit outside and watch nature’s beauty descend. If you are of a mind to keep up the gazing, throw down a blanket and watch the stars.

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