summer

Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles

July 4, 2020 by Natalie 4 Comments

It’s officially my first southern summer here in Nashville. Not the summer I imagined I would have, that’s for sure. It reached 91 today so I made these Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles. I’ve been buying a lot of fruit and freezing it to make smoothie bowls and frozen margaritas now that it’s warmer. Enjoying icy cold things while spending time in the sunshine on the deck is my favorite thing. I’ll tell you what, having an outdoor space AND having central AC for the first time in my life is quite the treat. But not as good of a treat as these Kiwi Watermelon Popsicles. I might be lying. I’m not sure.

Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles, makes 10

1/3 cup tequila

1/2 cup lime juice

3 tbsp. agave nectar

2 tbsp. triple sec

4 kiwis, peeled and sliced

2 cups watermelon

Popsicle mold

First, batch your margarita mix. Add tequila, triple sec, lime and agave nectar together. I did this in a measuring cup. Since we have to layer the popsicles were going to do them in two steps and I wanted them to both have the mix in them so that both parts are boozy.

Next, peel and slice your kiwis. Add them to the pitcher of your blender with a splash of the margarita mix to puree them. Once done blending evenly distribute the kiwi margarita mix into the popsicle molds. Send them to the freezer for an hour or so or until frozen. Reserve the rest of your margarita mix for the next step.

Once the kiwi portion of your popsicles is frozen it is time to make the watermelon layer. Add your watermelon to the clean pitcher of your blender with the rest of the margarita mix.

Blend and then evenly distribute between the popsicle molds on top of the kiwi layer. Put the top on the popsicle mold tray and insert popsicle sticks. Freeze up to four hours but overnight is always best.

I haven’t made a boozy popsicle in awhile and boy have I missed them. They were always such a pain to photograph in my old house in the summer because there was no AC. Try photographing something that is melting in a 90-degree kitchen. Not fun.

Happy to report that these were much easier to photograph. Turns out that having central air is amazing. Who knew? lol. I have a feeling I will be making a lot more popsicles this summer because they’re just too good. What’s not to like about dessert and a frozen cocktail combined together?

These Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles hit the spot on this very hot day because they’re tart and fruity and completely refreshing. Watermelon is one of my favorite fruits to use in margaritas and I’ve been drinking a lot of watermelon margaritas lately. Then it dawned on me that I should turn it into a popsicle. Not sure why I never thought of this sooner but I’m glad I finally did.

I hope you’ll make these Kiwi Watermelon Margarita Popsicles. Check out my other popsicle ideas like these Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles, Dark & Stormy Popsicles or these Aperol Spritz Popsicles. And if you make them don’t forget to comment below and let me know what you think.

Cheers everyone and have a safe July 4th weekend. Remember to wash those hands!

Summer Sipping on the Titan Cocktail

August 29, 2019 by Natalie 197 Comments

Summer isn’t over yet! The temperatures are continuing to rise around here. It has been so humid that I am now convinced I live in South Florida because it randomly rains every day now. Even when it’s not in the forecast. Even when the sun is shining. So, what’s a girl to do when it’s too hot and humid to deal? Make a delicious and boozy crushed ice beverage. Very excited to be partnering with my friends over at THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA® to bring you a brand new recipe, The Titan Cocktail, to keep you cool until the end of summer.

THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA, THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA, based in Trinidad, has been blending bitters fornearly 200 years and producing fine rums for 130 years, mastering the art of ageing and blending. Using a secret recipe, closely guarded to this day, ANGOSTURA®aromatic bitters is recognized as the world’s first and best-selling cocktail bitters. It is an essential ingredient for contemporary cocktails as well as the classics. With just a few dashes, ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters transforms summery mixed drinks into beloved warm-weather cocktails, from spritzes to tiki inventions, to frozen cocktails and beyond.

The Titan Cocktail was inspired by one of my favorite tiki classics, The Saturn Cocktail. Most tikidrinks are rum based but what makes the Saturn special is that it is made with gin. This cocktail is rich and sweet just like most tiki concoctions, but the gin gives it the drinkability of a refreshing Tom Collins. I went a step further and, instead of gin, I used mezcal. I named it Titan after Saturn’s largest moon.

The Titan

1 1/2 oz. mezcal

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. orange juice

1/2 oz. passion fruit syrup*

1/4 oz. orgeat*

1/4 oz. falernum

Float of ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters

lime twist and cherry, for garnish

*Passion Fruit Syrup

1 part 100% passion fruit puree, frozen and preferably Goya

1 part rich simple syrup (2:1 demerara sugar and water)

Make your rich simple syrup ahead of time. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Let cool. Let frozen passion fruit defrost and then add it to the rich simple syrup. Stir until combined and store in a resealable container.

*Orgeat – You can find my step by step process on how to make orgeat in this post on A Beautiful Mess.

To make the Titan cocktail, simply add mezcal, lime juice, orange juice, passionfruit syrup, orgeat and falernum to a cocktail shaker. Dry shake without ice and pour into a highball or swizzle glass. I used these pearl diver mugs from Cocktail Kingdom. Fill the glass with crushed ice and swizzle with a swizzle stick or bar spoon. You can do this by gently twirling the spoon or stick between the palms of your hands until a frost forms on the outside of the glass. Swizzling is a method of dilution the same way as shaking and stirring is, except it is done in a glass with crushed ice.

Next, float the ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters on top of the drink and top with more crushed ice. Garnish with a lime twist and a cherry. I like to roll the twist around the cherry and then use a cocktail pick to secure it.

I just made a few small tweaks to the Saturn cocktail and made it my own by substituting the gin for mezcal. The mezcal adds a slight smoke and earthiness to an otherwise sweet drink. The addition of the ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters is really what changes everything. ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters counteracts the sharp taste of acidic ingredients and subdues the pronounced flavors of spirits. That’s why it is the perfect ingredient to balance summer cocktails. Although ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters contain some ABV, using just a few dashes can transform your cocktails. So whether you’re sipping on a high-proof or low-abv beverage, ANGOSTURA bitters are the perfect flavor and enhancer and complement to any cocktail. I hope you will be mixing up a few Titans before summer is over. xo

Green Garden Cocktail

August 2, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Possibly one of my favorite things to do is to come up with margarita variations. The Green Garden cocktail isn’t quite just a margarita but was definitely my inspiration for creating this drink. I’m also very excited to be partnering up with my friends over at Exotico Tequila again. So expect a lot of delicious tequila drinks for the rest of 2019! I teamed up with Exotico last year for my Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos post. Those recipes are well worth a revisit and are currently making my mouth water. If you missed that post and you aren’t familiar with Exotico Tequila it is handcrafted with tradition by the Destiladora Gonzalez Gonzalez.

The Destiladora Gonzalez Gonzalez is a family distillery spanning three generations and one of Mexico’s most respected makers of tequila. The tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco. From my many travels to Jalisco I learned that the red clay soil there produces larger and much sweeter agaves which is why Exotico gets their agaves from this region. This type of agave, once distilled, gives Exotico its floral, well-rounded taste. I love the Exotico Blanco because it has notes of roasted agave with a peppery finish which makes it delightful to use in drinks or sip on its own.

I’ve been on a cucumber juice kick and thought it would make a wonderful summer ingredient in a tequila-based drink. I love spicy and savory elements in cocktails and decided to make a green bell pepper syrup to use as well. The results were amazing if I can say so myself. 😉

Green Garden, makes one serving

1 1/2 oz. Exotico Tequila

1/2 oz. Yellow Chartreuse

1 oz. fresh cucumber juice

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

3/4 oz. green bell pepper syrup

handful of basil leaves

salt, paprika and chili flakes, for rim

Green Bell Pepper Syrup, makes 1 cup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 green bell pepper

To make the syrup, cut a green bell pepper in half, remove seeds and rinse. Chop into small pieces. In a small saucepan add sugar, water and chopped green bell pepper. Let simmer on the stove until all sugar has dissolved then remove from heat and let completely cool. I left the green bell pepper in the syrup overnight and then strained to extract the most flavor.

Next, get your cocktail glasses ready! I did an equal part combination of course sea salt, paprika and red chili flakes. Run a lime around the rim of your glass and then roll the outside rim of your glass through the salt mixture. To make cucumber juice I ran a few cucumbers through a slow juicer. If you don’t have a slow juicer the other option is blending the cucumbers and straining the cucumber juice out through a fine strainer or cheesecloth. Combine tequila, Yellow Chartreuse, cucumber juice, lime juice, green bell pepper syrup and basil leaves in a cocktail shaker. Finally, add ice, shake and strain into your salt-rimmed glasses.

Not only does this cocktail taste magnificent but the color is very stunning. I called it the Green Garden for the use of all the green ingredients and of course the color. I love the green bell pepper syrup and I can’t wait to play around with it in other drinks. Perhaps even test out some other peppers in syrups as well. This cocktail is herbal, refreshing and savory—perfect for a hot day! But always and most importantly, perfect in the company of tacos. And chips. And guacamole. You get it. xo

Blended Watermelon Mojitos + Weekday Weekend Giveaway

July 28, 2018 by Natalie 3 Comments

Happy weekend everyone! I’m sharing a recipe for Blended Watermelon Mojitos from A Beautiful Mess’s cookbook Weekday Weekend. If you haven’t picked up a copy of this book yet, I urge you to! As someone who has struggled with an on again off again vegetarian diet, this book has really helped me stay on track with healthy eating habits.

The whole idea behind this book and the Weekday Weekend concept is simple. For 5 days a week, you eat according to 5 rules.

eat a variety of foods
no refined or artificial sugars or sweeteners
no refined white flour or white rice
no dairy
no alcohol

Then on the weekend, there are no rules! At first, it was a little hard, especially the no alcohol part. But these rules, or diet if you want to call it that, is totally sustainable. You eat healthy all week and then there’s still time to indulge in all the sweets and cocktails your heart desires. In moderation of course! 😉

This weekend I’m indulging in these Blended Watermelon Mojitos plus I will be giving away copies of Weekday Weekend to 3 lucky readers over on Instagram. So head here and check out the rules for entering. I will be announcing winners on my IG stories on Monday. I’m so happy to be able to share this book with you because it has really helped me with my own healthy eating struggles and I hope it will help you too!

Blended Watermelon Mojitos, serves two

2 cups cubed seedless watermelon

4 oz. light rum (I used Plantation)

1/4 cup simple syrup (1:1)

juice and zest of 1 lime

12 fresh mint leaves plus more for garnish

2 cups ice cubes

First, make your simple syrup. Combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Place on medium heat and stir to help dissolve the sugar. Do not boil. Let cool and store in a bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To make your blended watermelon mojitos combine all the ingredients in a blender and process on high until smooth. Divide between 2 glasses or serve in a half of a small hollowed out watermelon. Garnish with mint sprigs, lime, and anything else fun that your heart desires.

I love eating healthy all week because I know that I’m doing something good for myself and my body. Eating healthy does not mean you have to sacrifice flavor. Weekday Weekend will show you how to become more aware of your eating habits and learn more easy options for improving them. There are so many delicious recipe ideas for breakfast, meals, snacks & sweets, and of course drinks. Sweets and cocktails are my favorite so I’m usually counting down the days until Saturday. These Blended Watermelon Mojitos are so easy to make and the perfect weekend treat.

I hope you will enter the giveaway over on Instagram and give Weekday Weekend a read and try!

Tropical Mango Frosé

July 13, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

We all know that rosé and frosé have been pretty much the official drinks of Summer for the last few years now. I love a glass of pink wine on a hot day, so why not make it frozen as well? I’ve teamed up with Kinky Beverages to bring you this delicious and refreshing recipe for Tropical Mango Frosé using their Kinky Pink variety. Kinky Pink is a liqueur made with super premium vodka that has been distilled five times with succulent mango, blood orange, and passion fruit. It is the perfect addition to frosé because it adds so much fruity flavor and a little bit more ABV.

Tropical Mango Frosé, serves up to 6

1 bottle of Rosé (I used Le Grand Noir)

3 oz. Kinky Pink

1 1/2 oz. lemon juice

1 cup of fresh or frozen mango

2 large ice cube trays

blender

Last year I developed an easy frosé recipe on Palm Springs Style. Instead of freezing the rosé and additional ingredients in a sheet pan and scraping it to make shaved ice I made rosé ice cubes. This allows you to blend the frosé to order without the mess and also lets you tailor how many serving you’re making.

First, make the rosé ice cubes by pouring the wine into your ice cube trays. Top each mold with a little bit of water just to ensure proper freezing. I cut my mango fresh and also froze it ahead of time. The key to a great frosé is having as many of the ingredients frozen before blending. That makes the consistency of the frosé more thick and slushy like.

Next, in the pitcher of your blender add 1 cup of frozen mango, 1 1/2 oz. lemon juice, 3 oz. Kinky Pink, and 6 rosé ice cubes (about a half a bottle). Blend on high and then pour into your desired serving vessel. If you want to make 1 serving cut this recipe in half and if you want to serve 6 people double it. Garnish your frosé with an edible flower like an orchid.

Sip and enjoy!

I’m so glad I decided to use this Kinky Pink in my Tropical Mango Frosé. It adds so much bursting, fruity, tropical flavors and compliments the fresh mango and wine so well. I thought this recipe was sweet enough without adding any additional sugar. If you feel that you want this Tropical Mango Frosé more on the sweeter side, I would recommend adding 3/4 oz. of simple syrup to the recipe above. I hope you’re enjoying your Summer and make sure next time you’re sitting poolside to whip up a batch of this Tropical Mango Frosé. Or if you’re like me, just drink it and pretend you’re poolside. Either way, the flavors will most certainly transport you somewhere tropical or wherever your heart desires´. 😉

Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles

July 6, 2018 by Natalie 3 Comments

I reach a point every Summer when it just gets too damn hot. That is when everything I eat or drink has to be frozen. Coffee is no exception! I teamed up with Chila ‘Orchata Cinnamon Cream Rum to bring you these delicious Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles. Staying cool, caffeinating, and getting a buzz are all pretty high up on my priority list. Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles are the perfect treat when an iced coffee just isn’t going to cut it!

Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles, makes 10 popsicles

2 cups cold brew

1/4 cup sweetened coconut condensed milk

1/4 cup Chila ‘Orchata Cinnamon Cream Rum

popsicle mold

popsicle sticks

First, add 1 cup of cold brew to a bowl with sweetened coconut condensed milk and Chila ‘Orchata. Stir well and taste. If you want this mixture sweeter you can add either more coconut condensed milk or rum cream. Pour the cold brew-milk mixture into the popsicle molds only filling each one halfway. Place in freezer for about an hour.

Next, insert popsicle sticks and top off each mold with the remaining cold brew. Freeze for 4-6 hours but I always recommend letting them freeze overnight.

The recipe for these Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles couldn’t be more simple. They are so easy to put together even with the layering. Chila ‘Orchata is smooth, creamy, with a little hint of spice. It is a unique blend of Puerto Rican rum, real dairy cream, Tahitian vanilla, and exotic cinnamon. All the flavors of Chila ‘Orchata are wonderful for use in coffee and made these Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles extra delicious.

I’m usually a black coffee/cold brew drinker but adding a creamy latte element to these popsicles made them sweet, flavorful and refreshing. My new favorite thing to use in recipes is coconut condensed milk and it added just the right amount of sweetness and complimented the additional vanilla and cinnamon notes from the Chila ‘Orchata.

These Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles would be an amazing addition to any Summer brunch party. For me, I’d enjoy one on any regular afternoon just to pretend I’m on vacation. Hopefully, the cold brew kicks in and makes me semi-productive though. Another great idea: use them as a giant ice cube in your coffee! Stay cool everyone and if you’re giving these a try at home don’t forget to chime in on the comments below. xo

Summer Solstice Sparkling Chamomile Sangria

June 21, 2018 by Natalie 2 Comments

The Summer solstice marks the official start of Summer. With it brings the longest day and shortest night of the year. You might need sangria for the longest day of the year, correct? In light of Summer solstice, I made Sparkling Chamomile Sangria with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. just for the occasion. After all, I do wait all year for the first day of Summer — every year. A delicious bubbly wine together with chamomile tea, elderflower liqueur, lemon, and strawberry seems like the perfect combination to ring in the first day of Summer.

Today also marks my 2nd blogiversary. I can not believe it! We’re going to need more prosecco!

Sparkling Chamomile Sangria, serves 4-6

1 bottle Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G

2 cups chamomile tea

3/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup gin

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup elderflower liqueur

lemon wheels

strawberries

First, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 2 chamomile tea bags and let steep 5 minutes. Remove bags and discard. While tea is still hot add your 1/2 cup of sugar and stir until fully dissolved.

Next, cut up the fruit and then add it to your pitcher or large serving vessel. Pour tea, lemon juice, gin, and elderflower liqueur into the vessel and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours. The longer you let the fruit steep the better!

Just before serving your Sparkling Chamomile Sangria, add ice and finally top with a bottle of Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. In this recipe, I only used 1 bottle of prosecco, but if you want to make a boozier sangria I suggest using 2 bottles instead.

I love adding an iced tea element to cocktails in the Summer. Especially in sangria and punches! Tea adds a lot of fruity, floral, and herbal elements that can compliment wine and spirits nicely. In this case, the chamomile adds floral notes that are a perfect match to the aromatic, fresh, fruity, and sweet floral aspects ofSanta Margherita Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. Santa Margherita grows luscious, aromatic Glera grapes in the gentle hills of Valdobbiadene, a town synonymous with the finest Prosecco Superiore, and DOCG status – the highest and most distinctive classification possible.

Please sip and enjoy this delicious Sparkling Chamomile Sangria. I’ve been waiting a long time to say this — happy first official day of Summer everyone!

Summer Mocktails with Red Bull

June 20, 2018 by Natalie

Recently I teamed up with Red Bull to make some Summer mocktails to celebrate the release of their Red Bull Summer Edition Coconut Berry. The Coconut Berry might be my favorite flavor yet but I’ve also put together mocktails using Red Bull Green Editon and the Yellow Edition (my other two favorite flavors). The Green Edition tastes like kiwi and apples and the Yellow Edition tastes like a mix of tropical fruits with passionfruit shining through the most.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy Red Bull was to mix with. These flavors are fruity and absolutely perfect for topping off your drinks with for Summer. Because who doesn’t love a little energy boost in their drinks? I certainly need all the energy I can get! I loved how these mocktails turned out which is why I decided to share them with you here.

In Love with the Coco, makes 1 serving

4 oz. Red Bull Summer Edition Coconut Berry

1 oz. coconut milk

1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice

1/2 oz. orange juice

4 strawberry halves

First add pineapple, orange, and strawberries to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Next, add coconut milk and then shake with ice and pour into your serving vessel over ice. Finally, top with Red Bull Coconut Berry. Garnish with coconut flakes, freshly grated nutmeg, and a strawberry wedge.

Lime So Fine, makes 1 serving

4 oz. Red Bull Green Edition

1 oz. lime juice

1 oz. cucumber juice

Splash Red Bull Lime Edition

mint, green grapes, green apple slices, for muddling

First add lime and cucumber juice to a cocktail shaker with a handful of mint, 5 green grapes, and 2 apple slices. Next, muddle and then add ice and shake. Strain into your serving vessel over ice and top with Red Bull Green Edition and a splash of Red Bull Lime Edition. Garnish with 2 cucumber slices and a mint sprig.

Hello Sunshine, makes 1 serving

4 oz. Red Bull Yellow Edition

1 oz. lime juice

3/4 oz. ginger syrup

club soda

5 mango chunks

First add lime, ginger, and mango to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Next, add ice, shake, and then strain into your serving vessel over ice. Top with Red Bull Yellow Edition and a splash of club soda. Garnish with a lime wheel and ginger candy.

I’m totally in love with all of these Summer mocktails that it’s hard to pick a favorite! I hope you’ll be giving these Summer mocktails with Red Bull a try at home. I’ll be enjoying quite a few myself. xo

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

May 1, 2018 by Natalie

I’m so excited to be teaming up with Bai for this next post! Memorial Day Weekend is just over a month away and is the official kick-off to Summer. I’ve put together 3 fun ways for you to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend this year. Whether you’re staying home, entertaining, or going to a friends party, it’s always a good idea to have a few tricks up your sleeves.

DIY Balloon Arch

Supplies:

helium tank

balloon decorating strip

various balloons in different colors and sizes

glue dots

balloon string

I’ve never blown up balloons with helium before this project. Honestly, it was so easy and I got this Balloon Time tank that is available at Party City. They’re so easy to use and can easily be recycled when empty. To use all you have to do is twist the nozzle, press down to fill the balloons, and then tie the ends up. You can blow up all your balloons and then attach them or attach them as you go which is what I ended up doing. If you blow them all up at once, make sure you can reach them, or put them in garbage bags so they don’t float up.

Next, you can attach them to the balloon decorating strip. Slip the knot of a balloon through the hole of the decorating strip. Skip a few holes and place another balloon facing the opposite direction. Keep alternating balloon colors and sides until you have a balloon strip as long as you need your arch to be. If your balloon arch is looking scarce you can add a few more balloons where needed, but don’t go too crazy. We’re going to add little balloons to fill in the holes too.

Once all your main balloons are on the strip as long as you need it to be, you can cut the strip on either side where the balloons end. You can use balloon string to tie your arch to the table or piece of furniture your using. I tied mine to strings that went to the floor and then used balloon weights to hold it down. Use glue dots to stick mini balloons into the holes and crevices until you have an arch that’s completely full.

Jalapeño Watermelon Paloma

Ingredients:

2 oz Jalapeño infused Tequila

2 oz. Bai Kula Watermelon

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

4 chunks watermelon

salt, for rimming

top with Bai Bubbles Gimbi Pink Grapefruit

First, infuse your tequila. Slice jalapeño and add it to a jar with the tequila. Depending on the intensity of your pepper this may infuse fairly quickly. With this in mind, I’d say infuse it for 10 minutes or 20 minutes MAX. I have a very high tolerance for spice, however, if you don’t straw test it every few minutes until it’s at your desired spiciness. Once your tequila has infused you can build your drink.

Now, rim your glass with salt. Add watermelon together with lime and Bai Kula Watermelon to a shaker and muddle. Next, add the jalapeño tequila and shake with ice. Strain into your desired serving vessel that’s been rimmed with salt and top with Bai Gimbi Pink Grapefruit. Finally, garnish with a lime wheel. This Jalapeno Watermelon Paloma is spicy, fruity, refreshing, and not to mention delightfully fizzy, which makes it perfect for a hot day. I found that using just the Bai Kula Watermelon made this drink sweet enough so no added sugar or syrups necessary.

Additionally, you can also make this Jalapeño Watermelon Paloma a large format style drink too. To serve 10 people add 20 oz. jalapeño infused tequila, 2 bottles Bai Kula Watermelon, 8 oz. lime juice, 2 cups watermelon, 2 sliced grapefruits, and 2 cans of Bai Bubbles Gimbi Pink Grapefruit to a punch bowl or drink dispenser with ice. It’s such a perfect beverage for your Memorial Day Weekend festivities!

Hot Dogs 4 Ways

It wouldn’t be Memorial Day Weekend without some hot dogs! Pick out your favorite type of dog and cook it your favorite way. These are my 4 suggested ways to dress up your dog this holiday weekend.

Mexican Dog

Ingredients:

avocado, sliced

jalapeño, sliced

1/4 cup white onion, diced

1 tomato, diced

kiwi, diced

1 cup pineapple, diced

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

4-6 dashes hot sauce of your choice

juice of 1 lime

To make the pineapple kiwi salsa simply toss onion, tomato, kiwi, pineapple, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and lime juice in a bowl. To assemble your Mexican Dog top with the salsa, freshly sliced avocado, and freshly sliced jalapeño.

Chicago Dog

Ingredients:

white onion, diced

tomato, sliced

pickle spears

yellow mustard

sweet relish

pickled sport peppers (we used serranos)*

celery salt

Cut the tomato into half-moon slices and line your hot dog bun with the tomato slices. Add your dog and then top with a pickle spear, sweet relish, sport peppers, mustard, a sprinkle of onion and celery salt. *sport peppers are regional and if you can’t find them where you live use serrano peppers

Caprese Dog

Ingredients:

tomato, sliced

whole basil leaves

fresh mozzarella

balsamic vinegar

Cut tomatoes into half-moon slices. In your hot dog bun line one side with tomatoes and one side with fresh basil leaves. Top with fresh mozzarella, I used mozzarella pearls, and then drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Greek Dog

Ingredients:

cucumber, sliced

tomato, sliced

greek yogurt

cheese, crumbled

Cut cucumber as well as the tomatoes into slices and line your hot dog bun with them. Add your hot dog to the bun and then top with greek yogurt and a sprinkle of feta cheese.

I had so much fun putting this all together with Bai for Memorial Day Weekend. You can use one of these ideas or all of them, it’s totally up to you! I love the idea of doing a hot dog bar with the DIY balloon arch, and serving your favorite kind of dog coupled with a large format drink, like the jalapeno watermelon Paloma, to go along with it. I’d love to hear what your planning for your Memorial Day Weekend especially if you decide to try any of these ideas. Make sure you chime in on the comments below and let me know what you think!

Thank you for reading this sponsored post that makes Arsenic Lace possible.

Food + Wine Pairing for Spring Entertaining

April 30, 2018 by Natalie 17 Comments

I’m so excited to be teaming up with Santa Margherita Wines this year to show you how I enjoy drinking their wines at home. Spring is such a busy time for entertaining. The weather is getting nicer and Mother’s Day, plus many holiday weekends are fast approaching. Having some ideas of what food to serve and what kind of drinks to pair it with is so important.

For as much as I love cocktails, I also love to enjoy a glass of wine. Wine is also so much easier to have on hand and serve especially when you’re entertaining. I’ve put together two easy dishes and paired them with Santa Margherita Sparkling Rosé.

Spring Pea Salad with Strawberries, serves 4

Ingredients

8 cups mixed salad greens

1 cup snow peas or snap peas, trimmed

3/4 cup strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup fresh peas

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped

For the dressing

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. champagne vinegar

1 tsp. honey

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

Arrange greens, mint, snow/snap peas, strawberries, peas, and feta on a serving platter. Whisk oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and drizzle over the salad.

Cantaloupe & Proscuitto Skewers

Ingredients

3 oz. package of prosciutto

1 cantaloupe

basil leaves

fresh black pepper

Cut the cantaloupe into bite-sized pieces. cut each piece of prosciutto in half and roll individually. Place a toothpick into each piece of prosciutto and then into the cantaloupe. Sprinkle with sliced basil and fresh black pepper.

These recipes were so easy and they took minutes to whip up. Talk about some super easy peasy entertaining ideas! I love using fresh fruit in salads and appetizers in the Spring/Summer and it really brings out the fruity notes in the wine. Santa Margherita Sparkling Rosé has a full bouquet of pleasing floral aromas with hints of red berry and crafted with a blend of white wine made from Chardonnay and Glera grapes and a red varietal of Malbec. It is delicate in flavor but also vibrant and well rounded which makes it a deliciously easy drinking wine. This pale bubbly pink wine is tasty, aromatic, and a great companion to savory appetizers, salads, and seafood dishes. I absolutely adore how it complemented the spring pea salad and prosciutto skewers.

What’s your favorite food and wine pairing? I hope you will consider these options next time you’re entertaining!

summer

The Titan

*Passion Fruit Syrup

Green Garden, makes one serving

Green Bell Pepper Syrup, makes 1 cup

Blended Watermelon Mojitos, serves two

Tropical Mango Frosé, serves up to 6

Boozy Cold Brew Popsicles, makes 10 popsicles

Sparkling Chamomile Sangria, serves 4-6

In Love with the Coco, makes 1 serving

Lime So Fine, makes 1 serving

Hello Sunshine, makes 1 serving

DIY Balloon Arch

Supplies:

Jalapeño Watermelon Paloma

Ingredients:

Hot Dogs 4 Ways

Mexican Dog

Ingredients:

Chicago Dog

Ingredients:

Caprese Dog

Ingredients:

Greek Dog

Ingredients:

Spring Pea Salad with Strawberries, serves 4

Ingredients

For the dressing

Cantaloupe & Proscuitto Skewers

Ingredients

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