There are so many options for how to spend Valentine’s Day, but a fun way to celebrate with all of your friends is with a simple cocktail party - after all, Valentine’s Day is on a Thursday this year! Instead of celebrating just as couples, invite everyone over for drinks and small bites and celebrate together. This is especially great if some of your group is ‘coupled up’ and some of your group isn’t. And the planner-ahead-ers can pop over before their dinner reservation!

I have found when you’re hosting a party that the best thing you can do for appetizers is pick three good ones and go ALL IN! So be prepared to make tons of them because no one will dig into a partially empty buffet. I usually make one batch of each of these per every 10 people. But if you are cheese lovers, then maybe add a little more.

BAKED CAMEMBERT

1 wheel of camembert cheese

10 sprigs rosemary

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a bed of rosemary sprigs on a baking sheet and place the unwrapped wheel of cheese on top.

Bake 30-35 minutes until the cheese browns on top. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes.

Move the cheese to a serving dish and discard the cooked rosemary branches. Drizzle the top with honey and sprinkle with walnuts.

Serve with slices of bread or crackers.

I found all of these serving platters at Anko - my new favorite obsession because everything is darling and really well priced. I picked up these pink platters because they’re pink but not PINK. I was friends with a guy who used to call PINK menopause pink because when he was growing up in the south, every woman around 50 years old remodeled her kitchen and added those pink appliances that were so hot for a while. It was the ‘60’s after all. Ever since then I have been super picky about my color pink. I DO NOT WANT menopause pink in my life.

These are not. These are awesome. There are dinner plates and bowls too.

PESTO GORGONZOLA

Undoubtably the simplest appetizer you will ever make. Two ingredients; ten minutes; served hot or cold!

1/2 cup pesto

1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese

1 baguette, sliced

In bowl, mix together the pesto and gorgonzola until evenly mixed. Spread on the top of toasted bread. Toast again for 2-3 minutes in a broiler - or serve cold. Delicious either way.

CANDY COCKTAIL

1 packet grape poprocks

slice of lemon

1 tablespoon chambord

champagne

Rub the edge of a champagne coupe with the slice of lemon and rim with poprocks. Pour in chambord and top with champagne. Serve quickly!

I love combining new things with my collection of vintage barware. These champagne coupes are from the 1950’s and I adore them. I use them all the time because there is literally never a time when gold rimmed champagne coupes aren’t appropriate. If you can find some yourself, I highly encourage you to grab them! I set them on top of a marble board from Anko. I like to have everything grouped together - the marble is a great landing place for glassware ESPECIALLY if you have marble countertops. The slab creates a spot that’s unique but won’t damage your real marble counters in the event anyone spills.

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Usually I would post a boozy punch, but there have been loads of reasons why we need a punch with no booze recently. Mostly because I have children who feel the need to participate in every party. It would be so much easier if they didn’t think I was cool. We’ll get there soon - my 10 year old is already starting to be embarrassed by me.

If you aren’t looking for a booze free situation, then add 1 cup of whiskey and 1 teaspoon of bitters. Cheers!

GINGER CHRISTMAS PUNCH

4 cups orange juice

1 cup pomegranate juice

1 bottle DRY Sparkling Ginger

Mix everything together in a punch bowl or a pitcher and serve iced.

My kids all started school this week!  HOORAY!  That means we could all use a cocktail.  I made one using my favorite apple juice and a locally made apple cider whiskey.  It's the perfect way to have that 'apple a day.'  Cheers!

Also, turns out I really love adding the word "tail" to the end of cocktail recipe names.  So get used to that.  It's sticking around.

My birthday party continues!  There is no birthday party with out a cocktail.  At least at my house.  A cocktail makes the whole night sing.  My signature birthday cake is a Black Forest Cake and I was dying to figure out how to get those flavors into a cocktail.  So I did it.  

HAPPY SUMMER!  Is it summer where you are?  Seattle is full on starting summer.  The weather has creeped up into the 80's (!!) and the sun is out.  It's glorious.  My tan from Palm Springs hasn't faded so I'm really relishing this weather.  Which means we need a cocktail.

This cocktail is great for a party because you can make it boozy, new-mom-friendly, or in a punch bowl so you don't have to serve anyone.  I highly recommend having these made ahead of time so when your ladies arrive, you can hand them a cocktail immediately and they can get into the mood.  

DOUBLE WATERMELON DAIQUIRI

STEP 1

Blend watermelon, lime juice, and rum (if you're using it) in a blender until fully combined and the watermelon is liquified.

STEP 2

Fill cups half way with watermelon puree or pour all of it in a punch bowl.  Top with Watermelon DRY Sparkling.  

STEP 3

Serve with lime wedges

1/2 watermelon, pureed (4 cups watermelon juice)

2 cups light rum

1/2 cup lime juice + wedges

2 cups Watermelon DRY Sparkling

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Every Friday night needs a good cocktail!  Pair this one with my Hawaiian Burger and you're in for a fabulous little dinner - it's a perfect menu for hosting a few friends and celebrating summer, spring break, or a wish to be somewhere warm.  

Pair the cocktail with my Hawaiian Burger for a perfect dinner!  Also, friends love this too.  So invite friends over.

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Going to Palm Springs, laying by the pool, and hydrating with tequila is one of my favorite things. It's even better when the tequila you're hydrating with is in the form of a handmade margarita.  In the desert there are so many citrus trees, there is almost never a time you can't buy handfuls of lemons and limes to make these yourself.  

Pour a glass and let's grab the sunscreen.

As long as it's St. Patrick's Day and it's on a Saturday, why not start the day with a little 'Irish Cocoa?' There is nothing more dreamy than real homemade hot cocoa and when you pop in a little Frangelico and a few lucky charm marshmallows on top.  Dreamy.  Lucky.

Top of the mornin' to you!

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