Category — Holidays

A Happy 4th of July to all the US readers of the Entertaining Tonight blog. Especially for you I have a July 4th recipe:

Stars and Stripes Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen strawberries
4 teaspoons sugar
 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Grease 12 muffin tin cups or use baking cups.  

Place the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl.  Mix a little to combine the ingredients. and make a well in the center of the ingredients. 

In a separate bowl mix the milk, oil and eggs together.  Slowly add the mixture to the dry ingredients by placing the liquid into the well made in the dry ingredients.  Carefully fold together until the dry ingredients are just moistened through. 

Divide the batter into two bowls.  Add the blueberries to one and the strawberries to the other.  Mix them in well. 

Fill each muffin or baking cup with batter: six blueberry muffins and six strawberry muffins.  Sprinkle the tops with the 4 teaspoons of sugar. 

Bake for 23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.  The tops should be light brown.  Remove from the tin immediately and cool on a wire rack. 

Enjoy your day!

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5 Fun Cinco de Mayo Games

Celebrations of Cinco de Mayo are all about the number five.  Food comes in fives, fives are incorporated into the decorations, and now here are five fun Cinco de Mayo party games to help make your next celebration a success.

1.  Forget Pin the Tail on the Donkey:  Honor the man who led the Mexicans to the famous victory that sparked the Cinco de Mayo holiday.  Pin the medal on Benito Juarez.  You can add to the fun by making one person at the party the hero, but don’t tell anyone who it is.  Guests can ask each other questions to try and determine who they should pin the medal on in order to win a prize.

2.  Take musical chairs to a whole new level.  Clear a room of furniture and place one chair for each of your guests around the room up against the wall.  Place an equal number of sombreros in the center of the floor and let your guests dance round them to the traditional tune of the Mexican Hat Dance.  When the music stops, everyone must grab a sombrero, put it on their head and find a seat.  After one trial run, start removing a chair and a sombrero on each round.  The last guest standing gets a prize (or his or her choice of sombrero).

3.  Watch what you say.  As each guest arrives, pin a festive pin on their collar.  The object of the game is NOT to say Cinco or five during the course of the night.  If someone gets caught saying one of those words, they must surrender the pin to the person that catches them.  At the end of the night, the person with the most pins is declared the winner.  You can offer them a prize or just let them keep the spoils of the game.

4.  Piñatas may seem like kids stuff, but it all depends on what you stuff the piñata with.  Get some small and inexpensive prizes to fill your piñata and let your adult guests take turns swinging at it.  You can handicap the men (or everyone if you think it more sensible) by blindfolding them AND tying their writing hand behind their backs.  It’s also fun to have someone controlling the height of the piñata (by moving it up and down with a pulley system).  Be sure there is plenty of room for guests to swing the stick and not hit anyone else or damage any ornaments or furniture – this could get out-of-hand!

5.  Build a better taco.  Pair up your guests and ask one of the pair to stand behind the other.  Blindfold the guest that is behind so that they can’t peak.  Now the person in front needs to put their hands behind their back and the person behind needs to weave his hands through the first guest so that their arms become the arms of the guest in front.  At the word go, the partnership must build and eat one taco.  The winning team gets a great prize.

The key to a great Cinco de Mayo celebration is to offer lots of variety, great food and games, and to have fun yourself.

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Festive Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Food is an important part of any celebration and Cinco de Mayo is no exception.  When you are planning your get-together, take some time to plan a great menu filled with delicious Cinco de Mayo recipes to keep your guests happy and satisfied.

These appetizers will get the party started:

Taquitos can be a fun choice.  Tweak them to your own taste (and what is readily available in your cupboards).  Take some small tortillas, meat (already cooked and shredded), a smoked cheese and some salsa.  Stir all the ingredients together and then place a couple of spoonfuls into a tortilla.  Fold-in the top and the bottom of the tortilla before you roll it up.  Dot it with a little olive oil and place on a cooking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray (or covered with aluminum foil for an easy post-party clean up).  Bake in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes at about 450ºF. 

Don’t forget the dips.  Go crazy with salsas, cheese dips, and guacamole. Include lots of different items for dipping, from vegetable sticks to corn and pita chips.  Keep it interesting and surprising so that your dip table becomes the most popular table at the party.

Time for the main course:

There is no limit to what you can serve for dinner at your Cinco de Mayo party.  It really all comes down to how you want to eat.  If you don’t mind your guests eating with their hands (and what party isn’t complete without that option?), then you can serve traditional tacos.  Use a bar to serve the taco ingredients so that guests can create their own.

If you want to make dishes your guests will be talking about for weeks to come, there are dozens of websites that offer great Cinco de Mayo recipes with easy-to-follow instructions.  This one came from Allrecipes and got some great reviews:

Chicken with Chipotle

8 chicken leg quarters (with skin)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon butter
salt (to taste)

Preheat the oven to 375 ºF.  Roast the chicken legs until the skin is crispy (around 30 to 40 minutes).  While the chicken is in the oven, mix the milk, sour cream, chipotle peppers and chicken bullion in a blender or food processor and puree until the mixture is smooth.  Melt the margarine in a large pan over a medium heat then pour in the puree.  Bring it to a simmer and then turn the heat to low and reduce.  Add salt to taste for seasoning.  When the chicken is cooked, add it to the reduced puree and let it simmer in the pan for around 10 minutes (or more) to take on the flavor of the sauce.

Serve dinner with refried beans and rice to complete the meal.
 

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Easter Ice Cream Nests

This is the perfect child-friendly dessert.  It’s guaranteed to be a hit!

Ingredients

20 milk chocolate mini-eggs unwrapped
½ cup miniature marshmallows
1 tablespoon
Light corn syrup
1 tablespoon butter
1 ½ cups corn flakes (crushed)
Vanilla ice cream
Chocolate syrup for topping

Method

Lightly grease 6 muffin cups and set aside.  Microwave 12 of the 18 chocolate eggs (make sure they’re uncovered) in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1 minute (or a little less) and stir.  If they are not fully melted microwave for another 10 seconds.

Combine the butter, corn syrup and marshmallows in another bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds, stir until melted and add the melted chocolate and cereal to it.  Mix the mixture well. 

Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the muffin cups to form a “nest” shape.  Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour.  Remove the nests from the muffin cups very carefully and let stand at room temperate for approximately 15 minutes.

Place a small scoop of vanilla ice cream inside each nest, top with another unwrapped chocolate egg and drizzle with chocolate syrup.

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Super Easy Easter Brownie Cupcakes

Enjoy these spring themed brownie cakes this Easter.

Ingredients

1 (19.5oz) package chocolate brownie mix 
36 milk-chocolate mini eggs
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup granulated sugar 
1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
1 ½ cups flaked coconut 
2 drops green food coloring 
 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. 

Prepare brownie mix according to package instructions.  Stir in 9 mini chocolate eggs and stir well.  Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. 

Place in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15 to 17 minutes or until the edges start to firm but the center is still slightly soft. 

Remove from oven and cool in pan for approximately 10 minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

In a separate bowl beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth.  Set aside.

Combine the shredded coconut and food coloring in a small bowl and mix well.  Now top each cupcake with a tablespoon full of the cream cheese mixture and smooth the mixture flat.  Then sprinkle the “green grass” shredded coconut over the cupcakes. 

Top each cupcake with one unwrapped chocolate egg.

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Tips For Making Your Own Easter Baskets

There used to be a time when buying Easter baskets was affordable, but now prices seem to have increased beyond many buyer’s budgets. Here are some tips for making your own Easter baskets using creative and ingenuous ideas.

A basket can come in any size and shape. Traditionally, an Easter basket is made of wicker, filled with brightly colored cellophane and with a handle. You can make a basket out of things in your home. For example, a milk carton can be used. You can wrap it with brightly colored cellophane or tissue paper, attach a bow for the handle, and Voila! An Easter basket is born.

You can also make a cute little basket using a paper plate and ribbon. Make holes on each side of the paper plate; use a bright colored ribbon to insert through the holes; make a bow and you have a basket, similar to one you would use to carry flowers! There are so many decorative paper plates available in your local supermarket, and you can dress it up however you choose. Your little girl will love it!

How about buying a plain basket? Take some pink or blue ribbon and weave it through the basket. You can cover the handle of the basket with ribbon as well. Instead of buying the cellophane grass, line the bottom of the basket with colorful tissue paper cut into strips – making a nest, so to speak.  Fill the basket with whatever you choose.

It is doubtful you will run out of ideas, but just in case check online and you will find a variety of ways in which you can use a paper bag; and even templates that you can print out to make a unique and creative Easter basket this year.  These tips for making your own Easter basket are just the “tip” of the iceberg. If you are a craft person, no doubt you will come up with even more creative ways to make this Easter a fun and exciting one for your kids to remember.
 

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Easy St. Patrick’s Day Crafts

Want to have some fun decorating with the kids this St Patrick’s Day? Here are some easy St. Patrick’s Day crafts for your children to enjoy.

1. Buy green construction paper and trace shamrocks from either a coloring book or a template online, and make a string of shamrocks to hang in your home.

2.  You can’t celebrate the day without hats! You can easily make St. Patrick’s Day hats by using construction paper. There are tons of templates available online, or you can follow these simple instructions.  Take two pieces of green construction paper and tape them together forming about a 14” long piece. Fold it into a circle and tape one side to the other. Take another piece of green construction paper to make the top of the hat by using a paper plate to trace a circle. Cut it out and use clear tape to attach it to the top of the hat.

Next, you’ll need to make the brim of the hat.  Again, using green construction paper; cut out a larger circle and apply glue so that the hat will attach itself to the brim. Finally, you need the buckle to place just above the brim of the hat. For this you can use brown construction paper and cut a wide strip and glue or tape it to the hat. 

In addition, you may want to assist your kids in making a rainbow Jello mold. You can even make a pot of gold using yellow apples! Or how about the old standby; cupcakes with green icing, with a shamrock cookie on top!

There is no end to the many creative and imaginative ideas you can incorporate when creating decorations for St. Patrick’s Day. Put on some Irish music, and have a great time!
 

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Leprechaun Candy for St Patrick’s Day

The children will love making this candy for your St Patrick’s Day celebrations. Just watch out for those mischievous leprechauns!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded coconut
1 tablespoon butter
2 drops green food coloring
Cinnamon

Method:

Place mashed potatoes in a large mixing bowl.  Add green food coloring and mix well. 

Stir in salt, sugar, vanilla, coconut and butter.  Remove from bowl and knead for about 5 minutes. 

Add a little more sugar if necessary to keep the dough stiff while kneading.  Tear off small amounts of the dough and roll into log shapes.  The amount of dough you use will determine the size of each piece of candy. 

Roll the shapes in the cinnamon.  Place the candy on wax paper and allow to set for at least one hour before storing. 

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Luck of the Irish Potato Stew

Knock Knock!

Who’s there?

Irish Stew

Irish Stew who?

Irish Stew in the name of the law!

Not the funniest joke, but thankfully this traditional Irish Potato Stew will go down a lot better with your guests on St Patrick’s Day.

Ingredients:

2 pounds lamb cut into chunks
2 pounds white potatoes cut into 1/2 inch chunks
2 onions, chopped
3 to 4 cups water
Parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom of a Dutch oven.  Next add half of the onions.  Place all the lamb on top of the potatoes and onions.  Place the other half of the onions on top of the lamb and finish with the other half of the potatoes. 

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and add a small amount of parsley to the top.

Add enough water about 3 to 4 cups to come 2/3 of the way up the pan.  Place the pan over high heat and bring to a rapid boil.  Once boiling, place the heat on a low temperature and cover the pan. 

Cook for approximately 2 hours or until potatoes are fork tender.  Stew should become slightly thick.  Water can be added during cooking if stew become too thick for your liking.
 

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Easy Easter Casserole for Easter Sunday Morning

An easy to prepare Easter morning casserole recipe, that can be made the day before. 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound pork sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups (16 ounces) frozen diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Spray a square casserole dish with cooking spray on the bottom and up the sides. Cook the sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink and onion is slightly tender.  Drain. 

Place potatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish.  Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the top of the potatoes.  Layer in all of the sausage mixture.  Cover the top with the rest of the cheese. 

In a large bowl mix together the eggs, milk and pepper.  Pour over the top of the casserole. 

Bake for 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle. 

Let stand 10 minutes before serving. 

This can be put together the night before and left in the refrigerator. Just let the casserole come to room temperature about 15 minutes before cooking.

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