Milk-n-Cookies: Taste

Photo: Rebecca Thuss for Martha Stewart

The Spa Party of the Month Theme for November is Milk & Cookies ( Yummm!). In the first post of the series I introduced The Pajama Program, a charitable organization that collects new books and PJs for children in foster care & group homes; and suggested hosting a Spajama party in order to benefit the organization. I also provided a list of products, tips, and recipes for putting together DIY Milk & Cookies Manicure treatments, so be sure to check it out.

For each Spa Party of the Month (Taste) feature, I usually provide a full menu of serving suggestions that compliment the party's theme. This month the menu doesn't need much explaining so I'll share some pictures and recipes that may help inspire you when pulling together your own milk & cookies buffet.

I just love this fun, girly, carnival-esque cookie buffet from a Baby Shower thrown by Jen of the blog The Happenings, which was inspired by the shower below thrown by Brittany the blogger behind most likely LATE ( a blog I heart)

Milk can be served in a variety of ways from shot glasses, or in the vintage style bottles that were used above (which are available at IKEA for only $2.99). The Hip Hostess prefers Milk Martinis while the party planners from Colorblind Productions presented individual containers of in a bucket. Ronnybrook Farms (photo via Design Muse) offers attractively packaged milks in a range of flavors including chocolate and coffee.

If you are going to host a milk-n-cookies party during the cold season, it is a good idea to also have hot chocolate, and coffee available, with homemade marshmallows. You can also offer a variety of flavored syrups for those people who may want milk steamers. Not everyone drinks the same type of milk so be sure to offer milk with a lower fat content (like skim or 2%), as well as milk alternatives such as soy, rice, almond or hemp milks.

Now I'll let you in on my little secret.... I really want to be the Martha-y type mom that has fresh baked cookies awaiting, but baking isn't really my forté, though I love to cook. Whenever I do make cookies, I don't start from scratch, I start from cake mix! Here is a site with cake mix cookie recipes; I usually substitute butter for the oil, and add in a few drops of vanilla (to make me feel like I'm doing something). My favorite mix to start with is German chocolate and then add Heath Toffee Bits and Chocolate Chunks in. Another cookie that my grandmother's good friend used to make each time we visited is Potato Chip Cookies, which you'd be surprised are very good.

Don't forget to come back on Wednesday when I'll share some Spajama Party decorating tips.

So what is your favorite type of cookie?

Your Resident Spashionista!

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FALL in Love with Apples: Taste

In the first installment of the FALL in Love with Apples series, I presented ideas for an apple themed pedicure. Now, its time to get down to business... and talk about what's to eat at this fall affair? If you read my last K.I.S.S, you already know I'm going to say SOUP! Soup is great for cold weather entertaining because it is simple, warm, hearty, and can be a whole meal if done right. Soup is also easy for guests to serve themselves, and get second helpings without the pomp and circumstance associated with a sit-down dinner.

 Main Course

If you are lucky enough to have a New England Soup Factory nearby, they have a great selection of soups to choose from that are just scrumptous. One of the Soups that I really loved when we had a NE Soup Factory around was their Pumpkin Apple and Sage. I've scoured the internet for recipes and found this recipe for Farmer John's Pumpkin Soup. To add more variety to your soup bar try a more brothy soup like this Spinach, White Bean & Turkey Sausage Soup, and a tomato based vegetable, or seafood soup like Maryland Crab (which I was introduced to while @ UMCP Go Terps!), this recipe by Paula Deen is sure to beat the dining hall's version any day.

Bread is a perfect accompaniment to soup and you should serve up 1-2 different varieties at least. This recipe for Cheese-Garlic Biscuits from Bisquick produce biscuits that taste like the one's served at Red Lobster. More great bread options include simple baguettes or cornbread, or artisan breads like Olive Oil Rosemary Cibatta.

If you want your bread to play more of a starring role, instead of second fiddle, offer guests bread bowls. There are two ways to go about bread bowls, one is molding dough around ceramic bowls and baking them so that they take on the bowl shape, the other which I prefer is hollowing out a small round loaf of bread. The inner portion of the bread can be baked or fried to make croutons for soup or salad, or left soft as a great accompaniment to spinach dip (which can also be served in a hollow loaf). The great part about hollow loaves as bread bowls is that you can leave some of the soft bread on the inside to soak up your lovely soup.

Dessert

I was smitten with the idea of a candy apple bar the moment I saw it featured in Vermont Vows Magazine. I am always a fan of a "bar" that allows guests to customize their experience and make something that is truly unique to them.

Photos: Vermont Vows Magazine

In order to pull off your own candy apple bar you'll need: apples of course (offer at least two varieties), candy apple sticks, caramel, a crock pot/chafing dish to keep caramel warm, and a variety of toppings including  chocolate drizle, nuts, candies, and toasted coconut. If you'd like to allow guest's apples to "set" and have them act more as favors than dessert you'll also need apple boxes or cello bags/sheets to package them in. Most of the supplies necessary to create your candy apples can be found at Sugar Craft. Printing out personalized labels to adhere to apple boxes is a sweet and stylish way to thank your guests for attending your affair.
If guests are going to be packing up their candy apples for the road, be sure to have some sweet treats like Apple Cider Doughnuts available for them to enjoy during the party. 


What are your favorite fall treats?


Your Resident Spashionista!

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25 Delights for your Dessert Bar

Photo: Adrianne Bonafede

At my wedding back in the Summer of '05 I had an unassuming candy bar using a few soda shoppe style glass candy jars that I purchased from Target. Since then, dessert and candy bars have come a LONG way, being popularized in part by the wonderful Amy Atlas. Dessert bars are popping up at all types of events, from weddings to children's 1st birthday parties, and just about every occasion in between. Some brides are now choosing to forgo the traditional tiered wedding cake in favor of a dessert bar, or incorporate a smaller cake within the bar's theme like in the photo above.

The beautiful photos of dessert bars, floating around the web are inspiring. However, some people may wonder what types of desserts fit well with this style of presentation. To that end, I've compiled a list of 25 Delights for your Dessert bar, mix and match to create your own signature spread that will surely impress your guests.

Piece of Cake

1. Tall Cupcakes via SugarBloom (w. instructions)
2. Mini Cupcakes [Photo: National Geographic Blogs]
3. Red Velvet Cake Balls via Bakerella (w. instructions)

Stick It To 'Em

4. Lollipop-Pies via Luxirare (with instructions)
5. (a,b, &C) Cupcake Pops and Cake Pops via Bakerella (w. instructions)
6. Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Pops via Closet Cooking (w. recipe)
7. Brownie Pops via Brownie Pops

Little Dippers
8. Dipped Pretzel Rods [Photo: Cute Cakes of San Diego]
9. Chocolate Dipped Fortune Cookies via DIY Wedding (w. recipe)
10. Chocolate Dipped Fruit [Photo: Dove Chocolate]

C is for Cookie
11. Decorative Cookies via The Flour Pot
12. French Macaroons via Ariel Yve Designs [Photo: Daemon's Food]
13. Bar Cookies via Women's Day Magazine (w. 10 recipes) more bar recipes @about.com

It's Worth A Shot
14. Jello Cubes infused w. fruit flavored Vodka via Brides.com [Photo:Wendell Weber]
15. Dessert Shooters [Photo: The Peabody Galleria]
Shot glass suggestions: panna cotta, zabaglione, semifreddo, pudding, mousse, trifle, parfait, tiramisu...

Candy Confections

16. Chocolate Truffles via Simply Recipes with recipe
17. Personalized Lollipops via Accent the Party
18. Custom Candy Bar Wrappers [Photo: Karen Mordechai for Amy Atlas Events]
19. Rock Candy Swizzle Sticks [Photo: Escape Concepts]
20. Truffle Sandwiches via Country Kitchen Sweet Art w. video

Pâtisserie

21. Mini Phyllo Cups [Photo: Elegant Affairs Caterers]
22. Krocant Rolls [Photo: Old Style Cakes]
23.Petit Fours [Photo: Old Style Cakes]
24. Meringues [Photo: Miss Meringue]
25. Mini Cannoli via Fine Cooking with recipe
26. Mini Cheesecake [Photo: Stephanie's Kitchen]
25. Mini Fruit Tarts via The Nibble

Now that you hopefully have a better idea of what types of desserts to serve (pretty much anything sweet and bite sized), stay tuned for the next Dessert Bar installment where I'll share inspiration on presentation. For more sweet ideas, check out my posts on Strawberry Topiaries and Dressed Up Mints.

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Prep School: Taste

Photo: Fort Benning Schools

A Back-to-School Spa Party is all about encouraging good habits, and starting the year off right. I know pizza and chips are the go to foods for many a kid's party but this time around I'm going to suggest something different. A Salad Bar, your daughter's complexion will thank you...

I just love both of these salad bar set ups, and the ideas can be combined to make a beautiful buffet. The photo on the left is from Southern Living Magazine, which features a planter filled with ice to keep the chicken salad, fruit salad, and pasta salad cold. The second photo is from Celebrations at Home who used vases in a variety of widths and heights to display the colorful and fresh salad toppins'. A salad bar is really only limited by one's imagination, be sure to have more than one type of green (romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, spinach, etc.), and plenty of veggies, though we all love cheese and croûtons do tell girls that in order to keep the salad healthy use ingredients like these in moderation. In addition to tossed salad toppins, you can also have prepared salads on hand such as fruit, tuna, shrimp, or chicken salads. If you are planning to turn this party into a sleepover, some of the left over salad toppings like onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese would be great for create-your-own omletes in the morning. Just for fun, it's worth pointing out that plenty of salad ingredients can do double duty as skin care agents like tomatoes, eggs, avocado, and cucumber which is great for refreshing the eye area.


Personalized water bottles are popping up all over the place, from weddings to first birthday parties and every occasion in between. You can easily create your own by purchasing waterproof label paper for less than $2 a sheet from labelsbythesheet.com.





For additional drinks, and a little sugar, Southern Style Sweet Tea with a hint of mint ties in well with the theme or try making this Strawberry Ginger Iced Tea from Smuckers:
Ingredients:
• 1 (12 fl. oz.) bottle Smucker's® Strawberry Fruit Syrup, chilled
• 1 1/2 cups brewed strong tea, chilled
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 (12 oz.) can ginger ale, chilled
• Ice
• Fresh strawberries
• Lemon slices
Directions:
1 COMBINE fruit syrup, tea and juice in 2-quart pitcher. Gradually add ginger ale. Stir gently to combine. Add ice.
2 GARNISH with fresh strawberries and lemon slices. Serve immediately.

If you missed the first part of the Prep School series, Touch, be sure to check it out for fun ideas on spa party treatments, and be sure to check back for the next installment which will tie it all together with decor.

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Everything's Comin Up Roses: Taste

This month's Spa Party of the Month is a Damask & Rose Bridal Sprunch. Though the spa treatments and the decor are meant to evoke luxury, the food for this party is purposefully very simple. The purpose of this Bridal Sprunch isn't to "put on airs" or to throw an additional over-the-top wedding weekend function; instead it is meant as a time for the bride to unwind with her besties and enjoy the requisite beauty treatments that most of the bridal party would've had done anyway. Good food doesn't have to be expensive or difficult, and this simple and relatively inexpensive menu should prove it.


THE FOOD
Fruit is a healthy brunch staple, and a wonderful starter to just about any type of party. Fruit kabobs are easy to prepare, and make a pretty and portable presentation for party time. You can take a short cut by buying some fresh pre-cut melons and pineapples from the grocery store, and pair them with strawberries and grapes, drizzle these with honey-ginger dressing for a bit of extra sweetness and kick and to help keep the fruit moist.

Honey Ginger Dressing (from littleturtle on RecipeZaar)

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 teaspoons ginger, minced

Directions

1. In a small bowl combine sauce ingredients and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave; set aside to cool.

A meat and cheese platter usually finds it's way into casual brunch menus and for good reason. Sandwiches are an easy everyday treat, that don't have to seem everyday at all. I personally am a fan of hot sandwiches, so I thought a panini party would be simple enough to pull together, allow everyone to get what they like, and with the right spreads and toppins' bring a little upscale flavor. Don't fret, if you didn't get the shiny new panini press on your registry that good 'ole George Foreman grill from your single days will do just dandy.

Bagels are a good place to start because they work well alone for breakfast, as well as a base for any sandwiches your guests want to build; grab an assortment including sweet and savory varieties. The bread used to make a sandwich is just as important as any of the fillings, DON'T get bagels from the freezer section for this party, instead get freshly made bagels from a place that specializes in them like Panera Bread, Manhattan Bagel or Einstein Bros.

The possibilities for fillings are of course endless....

In order to help inspire guests, create a menu with suggested pairings that are known to work well together. This smoked salmon and bagel panini from Panini Happy is one that your guests can put together simply. Instead of making a dill and watercress salad, I'd just put herb cream cheese and spinach on the toppins' bar because they can both be used with other fillings.



You can also pretty much never go wrong with a Reuben or a hot pastrami sandwich, in my opinion. If you like, you can also include more out of the box pairings on your menu like this Asagio Cheddar Chicken and Apple panini, or Brie Ham and Pear.

In my house there is no making a deli sandwich without Inglehoffer Sweet Hot Mustard. Other possible fillings for your sandwiches include: tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, pesto, hummus, horseradish, an assortment of cheeses and of course meats from your deli counter. Since your wedding party is liable to be eating plenty of desserts throughout the weekend, and you want to save on costs, there isn't a need to provide a separate dessert; however, you can have peanut butter, jam, Nutella, marshmallow fluff, bananas and strawberries on hand any combination of which would probably make a tasty treat on a cinnamon raisin bagel.

Most importantly, don't forget the butter to spread on the grilled sides of the bread.

Photo: Food Network

This lemon basil pasta salad is light and fresh and will pull in some of the other flavors you have going on. It also never hurts to have chips around when your eating sandwiches, Sun Chips are a healthier option than regular chips and would make for a better presentation.

DRINK

Photo from: Food for Forks

Though the lemonade bar above is inspiring, making several different lemonades for such a small function doesn't make much sense. Instead, you can replicate the concept by offering guests a few lemonade flavorings by way of syrups. Simple syrup is made with a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, and can be flavored with fresh herbs or extracts. When using herbs or fruit to flavor your syrup add them before boiling and extract them when you are finished. If you are using extracts on the other hand they should be added after the syrup has boiled. Any of the following flavors work well for a lemonade any type of berry, peach, pomegranate, mango, watermelon, ginger, mint, lavender, basil, you can even make a tea based syrup for folks who like Arnold Palmers (half and half, or lemonade-tea). If you follow this little trick you can make several bottles at once. Simple syrups will keep in the fridge for a few weeks so they can be made ahead of time and stored in glass or plastic bottles.

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K.I.S.S. - Strawberry Topiary

Lately, I've been working on a big list post which I think you'll LOVE. In the midst of scouring the web for things to make it on the list, I've come across so many new creative blogs and projects that I also want to share. So for today's K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Soiree), here is a tutorial for making these easy yet beautiful strawberry topiaries. If you are worried about the strawberries being too tart or would like a little extra sheen to them apply a fruit glaze with a pastry brush. A popular glaze for red fruits is made by simply heating a 1/2 c of red currant jelly with a tablespoon of water or kirsh, and straining it through a sieve apply a very thin coat, and it will make the fruit shiny and help keep it from drying out.

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Hippie Luxe: Eats

Menu

Double Ginger Granola by Burp! Where Food Happens
Sweet Fruit Salsa w. Cinnamon Chips by Our Best Bites


Open Faced Veggie Sliders by The Cooking Photographer
Tofu Croquettes by Tongue Ticklers
Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms by The Hippie Gourmet
Baked Sweet Potato Fries by Our Best Bites

Peace Cake - mold by
or
Colorburst Cupcakes by Our Best Bites

Peace Punch from Cookie Magazine

Note: Menu links are not permalinks to the specific recipe, rather general links to the food blog from which the recipe originated. Permalinks to each recipe are provided below.


Starters:














This Double Ginger Granola with Cranberries and Cocoa Nibs is not your average granola. The addition of crystallized ginger provides a punch of flavor perfect for the party atmosphere. If plain dried cranberries are too tart for your taste try substituting Ocean Spray's Craisins (TM).

Not in the mood to make your own granola, try offering guests Bear Naked brands Mango Agave Almond or Fruit & Nut Blend.

Recipe

Double Ginger Granola with Cranberries & Cocoa Nibs

4 1/2 cups thick rolled oats
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp powdered vanilla (we order ours from the Spice House)
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup oil (we don't mind the flavor of olive oil here, but you might like a more neutral oil like canola)
1 T freshly grated ginger
3/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped finely
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup cocoa nibs

Preheat oven to 325ºF.

Place oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, honey, oil, and grated ginger in a bowl and combine well. Pour onto a greased 12x17 inch baking pan, and place in the oven.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove pan, stir granola, and return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes. Bake the granola just until toasted and ingredients seem mostly dry. Watch the granola closely toward the end so that it does not burn.

Allow granola to cool, then mix with crystallized ginger, cranberries, and cocoa nibs.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

©BURP! Where Food Happens

This beautiful sweet fruit salsa from Our Best Bites can be made according to your preference. The blog post features quite a few options to allow you to craft your own perfect salsa.


Grazing:

There really is no "meal" at this party. Instead this second set of foods are savory morsels to be passed or set up for grazing.

A mandolin would surely come in handy when attempting to serve these veggie sliders to a crowd. To make life easier and more flavorful cut your zucchini rounds the night before and marinate them in a mixture of olive oil, garlic powder and dried herbs of your choosing (i.e. thyme, oregano, rosemary) or in a store bought Italian dressing like Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar.

The recipe also calls for hummus, if your not making your hummus from scratch I'd recommend Tribe's 40 Spices Hummus. You can also pile on some roasted red peppers or serve them on the side. If you aren't going totally vegan with the party piling some cheddar or pepper jack cheese may also be a tasty addition either on the side or piled onto the slider.

Sunshinemom from Tounge Ticklers served these cute tofu croquettes on toothpicks and a homemade hummus. To see more photos of the beautiful presentation visit her blog. I generally use recipes as a guideline, and tweak as I see fit, looking at this one I'd probably add a bit of curry powder, though I'm sure they are delish as is. Curry powder already contains tumeric so the pinch required by the recipe could be eliminated if you use curry.

Tofu croquettes:
Adapted from "The Tofu Cookbook" by Becky Johnson
Ingredients:
Oil (I used carotino) - 1 tsp. + 1tsp.
2 large onions - finely chopped
2 garlic cloves - grated
15og firm tofu - drained well and ground into a paste
3 cups whole wheat bread ground into crumbs
2tbsps. coriander (cilantro) - finely chopped
2tbsp. soy sauce (I use low sodium)
Sesame seeds toasted - enough to coat - about 2 tbsp.
1/2tsp. ground cumin powder
3 tbsp. tahini (I toasted and ground sesame seeds with everything but ginger)
A pinch of turmeric powder
Red chili flakes to taste
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat 1tsp. oil and saute onions and garlic till transluscent.

Mix the other ingredients and form a uniform mixture after mixing in the onion garlic mixture.

Oil your palms with the rest of the oil and form balls of desired size. Mine were about an inch in diameter. Bake, grill or broil till crusty on the outside. It will remain soft within.

Mine were taking long, so after 10minutes in the oven at the highest temperature, I removed them. Heated a tsp. of oil in the pan and sauteed till the spheres became crisp. Takes not more than 5 minutes this way.


Check out PBS' The Hippie Gourmet on YouTube making his Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms.





I'd serve these crispy baked sweet potato fries in a Belgian style paper cone like those available from Frite Shop.





Drink:

Peace Punch Serves 13

• 6 cups lemonade
• 1 cup cherry juice
• 1 cup raspberry juice
• 2 cups pear juice

1. Start with the lemonade as a base and add the cherry, raspberry, and pear juices, or any other fruit juices of your choice.
2. Garnish the bowl with flowers and berries threaded on a wax string.

Dessert:

This silicone cake mold by FRED, includes a recipe for tie dye cake on the back of the box. Better yet, the manufacturer is contributing a portion of the proceeds from this product to
organizations dedicated to peaceful resolution of conflict, justice
for all, and respect for human rights. If the plain white frosting isn't hip enough for you try dripping food coloring on top and swirling with a spatula for a marbled tie dye effect. Get it at Perpetual Kid.




One more trip to Our Best Bites' blog (which I just happened to stumble upon today), for their wonderfully colorful Colorburst Cupcakes which you can serve instead of or in addition to the peace cake.




And there you have it a hippie party finger food menu full of color, flavor and free of meat.

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Slumdog Slumber Party- Food 2

If you're hosting a slumber party, providing breakfast is a must. Start the morning off with India's favorite and most famous drink Chai. If you recall the Slumdog Millionaire's main character, Jamal, worked as a chai runner, serving tea to the higher ups in his company.

Masala Chai is made by brewing black tea with whole spices such as peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger, and adding milk. Chai is traditionally served hot, but can also be served iced, similar to iced coffee which is now such a popular summer beverage. There are several "chai cheats" sold in grocery stores so that you won't have to purchase all the spices necessary to brew it from scratch; chai tea bags, powders and syrups are available. Chai-Direct, has a wealth of options when it comes to chai and their taste-o-meter rating system can help you find the right brand for your tastes.

In addition to your breakfast beverage you'll need actual food. A simple fruit salad or fresh fruit tray is both healthy and easy for girls to nibble on throughout the morning as they finish up their spa treatments and do their Bollyrobic workout.

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Slumdog Slumber Party- Food

The Menu for this party is decidedly low-key. Instead of treating guests to a full blown Indian feast, I've opted for an ethnic spin on traditional movie & party foods.

Menu:
Naan Pizza
Garden Salad (optional)
Indian Spiced Popcorn
Mango Lassi

Naan Pizza














A bit of a spin on the build your own English Muffin pizzas, these naan pizzas are larger and sure to be a hit. Naan is a delicious, fluffy Indian flatbread that is often labeled pocketless pita in regular grocery stores. The following list of ingredients will allow your guests to be as daring as they choose with options for an Indian inspired pizza or a California BBQ chicken pizza.



Ingredients:
1-2 packages of Naan
6 chicken breast fillets skinned and sliced
1 large red onion sliced
1 green pepper seeded and sliced
1-2 packages of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
chopped cilantro for garnish
cooking spray
---
1 tbs rojan josh paste
1 tbs low fat yogurt
1/2 jar of rogan josh cooking sauce

*Patak's is a good brand to use for the Indian sauces and is carried in Wegman's. Try subsitituting Tikka Masala for a milder flavor.

----
1/2 c of Ken's Steak House Italian Dressing & Marinade
1tsp Grill Seasoning
your favorite BBQ sauce

Directions:

The night before: Marinate half of your chicken strips in a mixture of the rogan josh paste and yogurt, and the other half in the Italian dressing

The morning of: Remove chicken from marinade. Sprinkle the Italian marinated chicken with grill seasoning. Cook in batches over medium heat in a non-stick pan sprayed lightly with oil. Cook for 6-8 minutes until chicken is cooked through and is charred. While chicken is cooling, slice veggies and place all the toppings in separate baggies or plastic containers.

Party Time: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set up your toppins bar by placing each topping and sauce in it's own bowl or use a lazy Susan, place naan on a plate or platter. Allow guests to assemble the pizzas as they wish using either the rogan josh or barbeque sauce as the base. Bake for 10-15 minutes until pizzas are golden and cheese is bubbling.

Don't forget a pizza wheel so guests can easily slice their pizzas into manageable portions.

Indian Spiced Popcorn

A movie night calls for popcorn and this one is no exception. For a twist on your average buttered pop corn try these recipes for Bombay Popcorn or Sweet Garam Masala Kettle Corn from popcorn.org

Bombay Popcorn

8 cups popped popcorn, warm
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons curry powder or hot curry powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup toasted coconut, golden raisins or sliced almonds, optional

• Place popcorn in a large bowl.
• Microwave butter 20 seconds or until melted; stir in curry powder until well blended.
• Drizzle seasoned butter over popcorn and stir to distribute.
• Sprinkle with salt, sugar and optional ingredients; stir gently until blended.

Yield: 8-1 cup servings

Sweet Garam Masala Kettle Corn

½ cup popcorn kernels
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon garam masala, Indian spice blend
1 teaspoon salt

• In a large heavy-bottomed pot (with a lid), place popcorn, sugar, oil, garam masala and salt. Cover and place over medium heat until corn begins to pop.
• Once corn begins to pop, shake pot constantly over heat. When popping slows, remove pot from heat and transfer popcorn to a bowl to serve.

Yield: 10 cups

If you don't want to pop the popcorn on the stove, or buy the extra ingredients try ordering the Orange Chai & Masala Popcorn Kits from What's Eating Yin's Etsy Shop , each kit is only $2.50 and comes with everything you'll need to pop enough corn for 1-3 people right in your microwave.

Mango Lassi



















Lassi is a popular South Asian drink which is essentially a smoothie. They are sweet and refreshing, and the yogurt provides a nice compliment to some of the more spicy dishes on the menu. This recipes calls for canned mango, but fresh mango can be subsitituted if you are able to find a sweet ripe mango at your local store or farmers market. Lassis can be garnished with ground cardamom or crushed pistachios.

Ingredients:

1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
3/4 cup milk (any type)
3/4 cup canned mango pulp
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
2 teaspoons sugar, adjust to taste

Instructions:

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Fill four serving glasses with a few ice cubes. Pour lassi into serving glasses and serve immediately.

Recipe from Simply Delicious Indian

If you do decide to serve a salad try serving it with yogurt based dressings like those made by Bolthouse Farms. I've also come across an interesting recipe for Cilantro-Ginger Vinaigrette.


Local Tip: If you live in South Jersey, you should try the Chai Ice Cream from Pat's Pizzeria on Route 73 in Marlton. It is delicious and would make a great dessert for an Indian themed party.

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