I am not a beer drinker, although I wish I were. And ginger beer, just like root beer, is simply a soda. I adore summer cocktails but I don’t like all the calories that come from some of my favorites. This Ginger Beer Mojito hits the spot for just 125 calories!

This is all you need to be on your way to a simple and tasty, low calorie summer cocktail!

Happy summer!

For 3 Ginger Beer Mojitos:

Ingredients:

• 30 mint leaves (or more, or less … you decide, but I find 10-15 per drink is perfect)
• 4.5 ounces silver rum
• 12 ounces ginger beer (photo shows Reed’s Extra Ginger, but I prefer The Ginger People Ginger Beer. For store locations, click here.)
  
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (approx the juice of 3 juicy limes, hand squeezed)
• Ice cubes
• Extra ginger if you prefer

Directions

• Muddle together mint with the lime juice (for non-purists, you can use a quick tap on the blender if you don’t have have a mortar and pestle or muddler. But, it’s not quite as good.)
  
• Once fully muddled, divide the mint-lime mixture between three glasses.
• Add ice cubes and then pour 1.5 ounces of rum into each glass.
• Add 4 ounces of ginger beer into each glass (that’s one full bottle of a 12 oz. ginger beer, divided into 3 parts)
  
• If you would like to add more ginger, like I do, my short cut is a squeeze of Gourmet Gardens pureed ginger; stir to blend.
• Garnish with an extra slice of lime and some more mint.
• Cheers to summer!

And is it just me, or is the idea of a bite-sized dessert far more appealing than a large serving? When out with a group, it’s fun to order several desserts and pass them around. We just want a bite or two, right? Then, we can simply lie to ourselves and pretend no calories were really consumed.

So, where to go for these quick pick-me-ups, which, by the way, are perfect for the supper club dessert you don’t have time to make, or that thank you gift for the person who has everything, or just because it’s been that kind of a day? StyleBlueprint has been doing a little research on this subject and offers up these delicious suggestions:

Dulce Desserts

Known for their scrumptious custom cakes, Dulce Desserts also offers mini cupcakes (as well as fruit tarts and other mini confections) that are perfect for putting together a dessert tray or curbing a sweet tooth in a few bites. It’s best to order ahead–think Monday or Tuesday for the upcoming weekend–to ensure this very busy bakery has room to accommodate your order. But, it’s well worth the planning to taste these amazing bite-sized delights. www.dulcedesserts.com

SB Note: Dulce Desserts is located near Music Row and Vandy in Edgehill Village and has many desserts on hand each day, including cupcakes and cookies, at their bakery counter. 

Dulce Desserts, edible glitter on top. Caramel and Chocolate.

The caramel cupcake actually has caramel inside! Frosting is a buttery icing.

The Painted Cupcake

As the name implies, this Green Hills bakery is known for their beautiful bite-sized treats. We brought a few of these into the office space we share and nearly lost an arm or two, with suitemates clamoring to grab them! These are really the perfect size, as you can see in the photo below. We love the variety of flavors offered, and their curbside pick up service for preorders is a big help as fast as we all seem to move around these days. High marks were given for the sweet icing–not too sweet, but sweet enough to please picky kids and picky parents alike. A fine line to be sure. www.thepaintedcupcake.com

From The Painted Cupcake. See how small? It’s perfect!

Ivey Cake

With two stores in Williamson County, it’s easy to cure your sugar craving at Ivey Cakes in Franklin or Brentwood. We sampled strawberry (the pink ones, below). They are perfect for the sugar-obsessed among us, as those in our taste test group who preferred the buttery icing at Dulce were not as fond of the sweetness here. But, for those of us who love the sugar, well, these hit the mark! www.iveycake.com

The Painted Cupcake and Ivey Cakes.

And, because we just can’t resist a photo of a pretty cupcake, here’s one we had professionally shot of the Dulce Dessert cupcakes:

Ashley Hylbert captured this great photo of these Dulce Desserts as she happened to stop by during the taste test!

But here’s the $64K question that has us all scratching our heads … Why is it that more restaurants don’t offer dessert tastings? As mentioned at the very start of today’s post, how many times have you been to a restaurant where everyone at your table says, when asked if dessert is desired, “I just want a bite!” Wouldn’t it be divine if you could just order a tiny bite for yourself, instead of the huge dessert and six spoons? Or, how about 6 mini cupcakes? Show us a restaurant doing that and you’ll have our attention!

The real secret of this lovely recipe is that it looks like you slaved away. While you sip on a chilled mimosa, your French toast is nicely baking in the oven. 

We teamed up with our ace photographer, Ashley Hylbert and the equally talented and lovely Mary Carter, one of Nashville’s most accomplished food stylists. Together, they created the vision of this perfect French toast.

My role? Pretty simple. I was a taste tester. Once again, this was unanimously a favorite of the cooking committee.

Enjoy!

A huge thank you to Ashley Hylbert Photography and Mary Carter, food stylist. Click here to see more of Ashley’s work.

Also, Thanks to Obelisk for supplying the table setting for today’s post. For more information click here:

Seafood Cioppino is a favorite simple meal of mine. I discovered it years ago when I lived in Denver, and it has several huge advantages when it comes to entertaining: it can be made the day before with little or no prep when your guests arrive; it is a true one-bowl meal; and, chocked full of seafood, it’s healthy for you.   

Get the chopping done the day before!

Dinner parties that I call “one pot wonders” are becoming my universal favorites.

Wanting to serve this dish for a supper with friends recently, I searched on Google and found a recipe that’s gotten rave reviews at my house and is relatively easy to prepare, to boot. This recipe has a high degree of flexibility; if you don’t like a certain type of seafood, just omit. (And in terms of buying seafood locally, I continue to find great seafood choices at Costco, Fresh Market and Whole Foods, for what it’s worth.)

I added mussels (not in the original recipe) to my seafood cioppino because they add a bit of pizzazz. These are from Costco and are imported from Canada.

Unlike many recipes, this seafood stew doesn’t require lots of shrimp, so you can cut costs

Without further adieu, here’s Grandfather’s Seafood Cioppino. By the way, I have no idea whose grandfather this is or was, but I do know this recipe is a worthy of his legacy! 

Serve with crusty french bread, a crisp wine like a Spanish Albarino, and you’re off to the races!

Bon Appetit!

 

Here’s the ice try, ready to unmold. Jeannette placed the bottom of the pan in warm water briefly to loosen the ice. Can you see the scalloped edge? Isn’t that brilliant!

 

Jeanette’s party-ready butler’s pantry

Jeanette, thanks so much for another fabulous DIY idea! Cheers to you, and to Wiff for the beautiful photos! 

If you missed Jeanette’s HoliDIY post from earlier this month, click here.

For more information about Garden Variety Designs, visit this website: www.gardenvarietydesign.com. To contact Wiff about photography, visit her website: www.wiffharmer.com.

Amos Gott:

Your mission – should you choose to accept it – is to conquer your fears and hesitations of hosting your friends at your house for a party before the holidays. And I’m going to tell you how you can do it… The answer is by going to Costco!

Now I’m not saying you won’t still have to do a little bit of preparation to throw this stylish soiree, but by following these simple tips and directions you can whip through the store tonight after work and be party-ready tomorrow. With just a little time in the kitchen you can be “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” as opposed to having an otherwise “Silent Night.”

With just a little bit of preparation and just a little bit of investment, your guests will be wow-ed by your prowess as a host or hostess.

Let’s start with the menu. Items that are pre-made can be bought ready to go or tweaked to become a new family-favorite in your recipe repertoire. You want to make sure you have a good balance of items. For this spontaneous party, I have put together the following menu selections.  

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

Chicken Salad on Croissants

Sushi-Grade Salmon on Crackers

Toasted Ravioli

Spanakopita

Cheese Tray

Brie en Brioche

Madeleine Tree

Brownie Santa Hats

You might think it sounds adventurous on such short notice, but trust me – you can do it!

Shopping List:  

Meat Department – Pork tenderloin (one two-pack actually contains four loins), salmon slices and chicken salad

Bread Department – Rolls for the tenderloin, mini-croissants for the chicken salad, madeleines and brownie bites

Cheese Section – You may select whatever variety of cheeses you prefer. Keep colors, sizes, shapes and textures in mind, as you don’t want a tray of cheeses that are all the same color and size. Try something new, but definitely purchase the Ford Farm Wensleydale with Cranberries. It’s always a hit. And also pick up the Brie en Brioche.  

Fruit Section – Fruit to garnish your fruit tray, and some additional to add to your centerpiece. Pomegranates, red and/or white grapes, raspberries and pears are seasonal and colorful favorites.

Freezer Section – Ravioli (You may pick the kind, but consider the shape as well as the flavor) and spanakopita

Refrigerated Section – Cream cheese

Grocery Aisles – Raspberry Chipotle Sauce, crackers for the salmon and for the cheese (the sampler pack offers several selections in one and is the best deal), peppermints, frying oil, such as canola, peppermint bark and marinara sauce

Recipes:  

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

Probably the one item that sounds the most intimidating, this pork recipe is quite easy to make. You can find the recipe HERE. If you’re feeling less adventurous, you can make it easier by simply liberally covering the loins with salt and pepper and placing them in an oven-safe skillet over high heat to brown on all sides. Then place the skillet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Once you get the pork loins cooked and sliced on an angle and on the tray, then you can add the sauce at the end as the garnish. After slicing, open the rolls and place them into a basket or bowl, then line a tray with romaine lettuce. Lay the pork on top of the lettuce, add a bowl of the sauce, and voila! A beautiful dish ready for your guests.

 Chicken Salad on Croissants

Couldn’t be simpler…  Slice open the croissants with a bread knife and scoop on the chicken salad. Display on a tray, and done!

Sushi-Grade Salmon on Crackers

Well, maybe this one is simpler…  Lay the crackers out on a tray.  Add a slice of pre-sliced salmon.  Top with Greek yogurt and a little sprig of dill that I bought at the grocery store. Check!

Toasted Ravioli

This has become a favorite of mine.  And this recipe is so good – even cold as a leftover! (Not that you’ll have any left though…) You can find the recipe HERE. Note that I did cheat here: I bought the Parmesan cheese and the buttermilk at the grocery store because I didn’t want the larger quantities.

As I mentioned, when shopping, look for different shapes. Here I used triangular pasta, and then arranged the pieces in different directions on the tray. So many tasty appetizers may look bland because of their neutral colors. This is a way to add some interest to the tray. And a bowl of marinara sauce contributes some color.

Spanakopita

Take the Spaniakopita out of the freezer. Bake it. On to a Tray. Then out on the table. You’re sailing through this now, aren’t you?!

Cheese Tray

This is one place you can really get creative. I love putting together a cheese tray. There’s a certain art to it, but also simply a matter of taste. I first start with the cheeses, placing them on the tray based on their shapes and sizes. The ones that lay down or are shorter should go in the front. The taller and bulkier ones should go in the back. Keep in mind, they shouldn’t be close enough where you can’t cut one because another is in the way. I like to add fruit to my trays for garnish, but also for color. Here I used green and red fruits like grapes and raspberries because they are the typical colors of the season. Sometimes I incorporate the crackers onto the tray. However this time I opted to keep them separate, arranging them on a long glass tray vertically instead of the expected horizontally.

Added to this display was a warm, baked brie that I simply bought, warmed up per the directions and put on it’s own small, beautiful tray surrounded by crackers. Looks laborious and expensive, but was actually minimal in cost and required practically no effort.

Madeleine Tree

If you read December’s Southern Living, you might have seen the beautiful red velvet Madeleine tree on page 83.  But this party is supposed to be simple, and I didn’t have time to make red velvet Madeleines. So instead, I picked up a couple of containers of Madelines and some toothpicks, bought a Styrofoam tree form from Michael’s, and made my own version. I laid out the Madeleines on a cookie sheet and sprinkled them with powder sugar (bought from the grocery store, otherwise you’ll have enough to last you until the end of the world – oh wait…according to the Mayans that’s next week!), and then I followed these INSTRUCTIONS.  

Place your completed tree on your tray, and surround the tree with peppermints. Warning – the peppermints from Costco are individually wrapped. That was probably the most labor-intensive process of this entire party! So needless to say, I put Elizabeth to work…  

Brownie Santa Hats

This has got to be the cutest thing on the table… And one of the simplest. Place the brownie bites onto a tray. Beat together cream cheese and a little powdered sugar (I used 1 cup of sugar for two blocks of cream cheese) and spoon this ‘icing’ into a large plastic baggie. Snip one corner and you now have a pastry bag! Pipe the icing around the rim of the brownie, drop on a strawberry that has had its stem cut off, and then pipe a dollop of icing on top and “ta-da” – you have a Santa’s Hat!  

Peppermint Bark

It’s a crowd favorite. One of those things you can’t stop eating when you start. So add a tray of peppermint bark to the table and your guests will think you made it yourself!

Setting the Table:  

Now with food in hand, it’s time to set the table. If you think you need all new things to set the table, then think again.  Gather things from around the house. Leftover Christmas decorations, pillar candles, holiday plants like poinsettias or paperwhites, ornaments in an attractive vessel, votive candles. Anything can be used singularly or combined to creative a festive tablescape. For this gathering I used items literally within arm’s reach. The vintage lantern was already on the farm table. To that I added both a poinsettia and a red amaryllis from the hallway for both color and different textures. Boxwood topiaries added some green and another unique shape to the table display. I arranged these items down the center of the table, not letting them look too formal or intentionally set in place.  

Next came the trays. Working from one end of the table to the other, I started with the plates and napkins, then the platters, letting their size, shape and food type guide me. I typically start with the proteins and work my way to the desserts at the end. Remember to elevate some of the platters, which you can easily do with either footed or stemmed trays, three or four votive candle holders, or even canned foods concealed under a tablecloth or fabric fluffed on the table.  

Continuing the gathered, casual appearance of this table, I incorporated fresh cypress greens surrounding the platters and throughout the center, and I also added whole and halved pomegranates and large pinecones to complete the festive tablescape. You could also add pears or other fruits of the season.  

This table looks like it was styled for a photo shoot, but in reality it took very little time and produced a comfortable, but elegant party theme for friends – and me – to be able to enjoy.

Event Planner and Designer Amos Gott and Style Blueprint Co-Owner Elizabeth Fox

Cheers!

Thank you, Amos, for these wonderful ideas, and to the Haynes family for the use of your lovely home! And thank you, Ashley Hylbert, for the beautiful photographs!

For more information about Amos and his event planning and design services, visit his website: www.amosevents.com. And for more information about Ashley’s photography, visit her website: www.ashleyhylbert.com

Libby Page hosted us for lunch in her beautiful Richland-Central home. Her skills as event planner extraordinaire were evident  everywhere, from the cut flowers, fresh from the garden, the memorable chilled rosé, unusual appetizers and a simply gorgeous table setting. 

Libby’s pottery from France creates a wonderful table setting.

Libby’s other half, Ben Page, wasn’t there, but his presence was felt in every corner of the garden. Ben’s reputation as one of Nashville’s premiere landscape architects speaks for itself, and if you don’t believe me, then pick up a copy of this month’s Elle Decor. What struck me was the harmony of his garden–all the plantings, while great individually, played off of each other to create an unforgettable symphony of colors. 

The hues of various green plants offer a welcome respite from the sun.

Ashley Hylbert, StyleBlueprint’s ace photographer, captured the meal beautifully. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful appetizer than the hibiscus flower and goat cheese – so vibrant are her pictures!

Not only was this appetizer of pickled hibiscus flowers and goat cheese gorgeous, it was tasty too!

Dani Kates stole the show with a delicious lunch of roasted salmon, corn salad and tossed greens. Since everyone begged for the corn recipe, we twisted Dani’s arm until she cried,”uncle” and sent it to us. 

(Kates Fine Catering is Dani Kates’ company and she can be reached at dkates@bellsouth.net. Libby Page can be reached for party and/or wedding planning at libbypage@comcast.net)

Today’s recipe uses fresh corn, mint and feta cheese.

 Of course, the entire afternoon seemed effortless (it wasn’t), but the moral of this luncheon goes something like this: 

• Use the best quality ingredients available.
• Create a feel for your party that is authentic – mix up your silver, use your favorite china and don’t be afraid to be adventurous with your menu selection.
• Share your recipes – spread the love and it’ll come back to you in spades!

A simple buffet is both elegant and functional

A lovely piece of salmon cooked to perfection!

Thanks Dani, for sharing this incredible corn recipe. We promise to only share it with about 10,000 of our favorite StyleBlueprint buddies.

Elizabeth, Dani and Liza – all smiles after a spectacular meal

Friends and associates of StyleBlueprint

What goes around, comes around! So, add a luncheon just for friends to your future and be paid back with joy of your fabulous company!