Out of all the cocktail popsicles I made for the TODAY Show segment, this is my favorite in flavor. I got the push pop molds from LagunaWholesale.com as I found that they had great prices and very cool gourmet pastry supplies.

For Kiwi Layer:
1 cup chopped fresh mango
1 tablespoon frozen limeade concentrate
1 teaspoon white rum
1 teaspoon corn syrup
 
For Lychee Layer:
1 cup chopped fresh mango
1 tablespoon frozen limeade concentrate
1 teaspoon white rum
1 teaspoon corn syrup
 
For Mango Layer:
1 cup chopped fresh mango
1 tablespoon frozen limeade concentrate
1 teaspoon white rum
1 teaspoon corn syrup
 
Key limes for garnish
Push Pop Molds

For each layer, puree ingredients in a food processor and transfer to a plastic airtight container. Freeze until firm.

 Assemble push-pop molds (I got mine at Laguna Wholesale online).

 Spoon 2 tablespoons of each layer into the mold; compacting each layer down for a level surface. Keep frozen until ready to serve. Garnish with a key lime wheel.

 Makes 4 Push Pops

Serve up this sophistictaed treat after a summer dinner party!

5 large egg yolks
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups skim milk (2%)
Peel of an orange cut into strips
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vodka
1 tablespoon vanilla
Whole oranges

Whisk together yolks and sugar in a bowl until combined; set aside

Combine milk and orange peel in a heavy, medium saucepan and scald milk. Remove orange peels.

Gradually whisk milk into yolk mixture in slow streams to temper eggs. Whisk in orange juice, vodka, and vanilla. Return mixture to saucepan and reduce heat to low. Stir constantly until mixture thickens slightly, about 8 minutes, but do not let mixture boil. Strain into medium bowl and refrigerate until chilled.

Pour chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to manfacturer’s instructions. Transfer into an airtight plastic container and freezer for 2 – 4 hours more to firm up gelato.

Just before serving, cut an orange in half and remove pulp. Scoop gelato into orange shell half and garnish with an orange leaf and orange peel star (made using a mini star-shaped canape cutter).

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

This adult version of a carnival favorite is super easy to make and very affordable as Hawaiian Shaved Ice has great prices on the snow cone machines and thye have a delicious variety of syrups such as the watermelon syrup used in this recipe.

1/4 cup vodka
1 cup Hawaiian Shaved Ice Watermelon Syrup
Fresh mint sprigs
Ice Cubes
Hawaiian Shaved Ice Snow Cone Machine

Using a funnel, add vodka and watermelon syrup into a small glass bottle the can be fit with a bartender’s pour spout.

Read the Hawaiian Shaved Ice Snow Cone Machine manufacturer’s instructions completely to learn how to assemble and operate the machine.

Fill machine with ice, turn machine on, and dispense snow cone ice into a small bowl. Transfer into a Martini glass, pour vodka watermelon syrup over the top and garnish with a mint sprig.

I’ve found that about 2 tablespoons of vodka watermelon syrup is a good amount, so the recipe above can flavor about 12 snow cones.

You have to check out the creativity of Zoku Quick Pop Makers! You can freeze pops in about 7 minutes using their patented mold and create a bunch of designs like these red, white, and blue patriotic pops I shared on the Today Show. Also, Zoku’s website has a fabulous blog with tons of pop designs including a Zoku Pop such as this one. 

1 cup cold water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Tequila
Red & blue food coloring
1 Macintosh apple

Zoku Quick Pop Maker (recommend 3- pop model)
Zoku Quick Pop Tools Kit

Read Zoku Quick Pop Maker manufacturer’s instructions thoroughly.

Freeze Pop Maker overnight.

Combine water, lemon juice, sugar, and Tequila in a bowl. Divide mixture into 3 small bowls. Tint mixture in one bowl red and tint another bowl’s mixture blue.

Remove Zoku Quick Pop Maker from freezer. Pops usually take about 7 – 10 minutes to freeze, but the addition of alcohol and layering takes a bit longer.

To make the Pop design in the photo and as seen on the TODAY Show, stamp out 1/8-inch thick green apple stars using the star cutter in the Zoku Tools Kit. Then, use the fruit wand to adhere stars to the inside wall of the Pop Maker mold. (Tip: moisten stars with water for better adhesion.)

Place Pop sticks into the molds. Tilt Pop Maker on an angle using the angle tray in the Zoku Tools Kit. Use the siphon in the kit to add 1 tablespoon of red mixture into the Pop Maker mold(s). Allow to freeze completely; about 7 minutes. Tilt the Pop Maker the other way and add 1 tablespoon of white or clear mixture; freeze completely. Place Pop Maker on flat surface and pour blue mixture into molds to fill line. Freeze completely. Remove Pops form mold, slide on a drip cups and enjoy!!!

Makes about 6 Zoku Pops

The cookie recipe used for these petite ice cream sliders is from my first cookbook, The Sophisticated Cookie!

Black Russian Espresso Cookies
1 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons espresso powder
3 tablespoons Kahlua
1 tablespoon vodka
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Slivered almonds
1 pint premium vanilla ice cream

Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Dilute espresso powder in Kahlua, and beat into mixture along with vodka and eggs. Sift together flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder and beat into mixture until combined. Chill dough for about 30 minutes until firm.

Form batches of dough into 1 1/2-inch diameter logs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper and coat lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Slice off 1/4-inch thick rounds from cookie dough log and reform if necessary into nicely shaped circles. Place on prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Insert a slivered almond into the center of each cookie.

Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on cookie sheet.

Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of vanilla ice cream on one cookie and top with another cookie. (You may need to soften the ice cream just a bit.) Smooth around side of ice cream sandwich using a butter knife, and place in a container in the freezer while finishing up remaining sandwiches. Cover container and chill until firm before serving.

Makes about 48 cookies; 10 – 12 ice cream sandwich sliders from 1 pint ice cream

I just wrapped up an Easter SMT with PAAS, Heinz Vinegar, and Nestle. Just look at how colorful the picture is and packed with ideas!!! But the cool thing about this SMT was that I was letting viewers know about an amazing charitable gesture offered by PAAS & Heinz Vinegar.

Give Back with the PAAS/HEINZ “Egg Decorator” APP

This year, PAAS Easter Egg Dyeing Kits and Heinz Vinegar have teamed up to create a free “Egg Decorator” iPad app. For every person who virtually dyes and shares an egg, PAAS and Heinz will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, up to $25,000. Click here for the “PAAS/Heinz” in the iTunes App Store, download the app, and start decorating and sharing. Too Cool!!!!

Easter is such a fun holiday that really lets you be creative and crafty. The Easter basket handle in the photo above is decorated with a Wonka SweeTART Jelly Bean garland. (I brought a bag home for my kids to munch and my husband pretty much ate the whole thing!) We made the jelly bean “jewelry” by threading fishing line through the jelly beans using an upholstery needle.

For the basket centerpiece, a chocolate bunny is a must and Nestle has a couple of great ones: Nestlé Butterfinger Bunny and the Paul Frank Crunch Bunny! Both are solid milk chocolate and the crunch bunny is actually “Julius the Monkey” dressed up to look like a bunny. Very cute!

Everyone loves decorating Easter eggs; in fact over 180 million eggs are dyed and decorated each year. This year, Paas Easter Egg Dying Kits has 8 new varieties such as 3d Eggsplosion (it really is 3D) and Go Wild with really fun animal prints.

And here are a couple of egg dyeing tips:

• For brighter eggs, add 3 tablespoons of Heinz Distilled White Vinegar into the egg wash or dye bath.
•  When boiling the eggs, add a couple of tablespoons of Heinz Vinegar to the water to help keep them from cracking.

Happy Easter!!!!

I’m a big fan of the AMC TV Show MAD MEN, but it was my husband who got this premiere party together! Ya’ see, my husband and his college buds went to school with John Slattery, who plays Roger Sterling on the show. Apparently, Slattery’s nickname in college was “Slats” because his eyes were like slits when he partied.

Given the graphic nature of this TV premiere party, I wanted to incorporate MAD MEN branding into the tabletop. I printed their classic Don Draper image on to photo paper and wrapped it around a cylinder vase topped with red roses for the centerpiece of the food table.

I also picked up personal martini shakers for $1 each at a local liquor store! A little floral foam in the base and a yellow “football mum” later, they were the perfect MAD MEN accents on my coffee table (and cheap – under $5 each).

I’ve used Martini glasses as vases and food serving vessels for other TV viewing parties as they are great space savers on living room tables. Imagine 20 people with food plates crowded around your living room coffee table! Stemware and similar items for displaying food and flowers is the way to go for this kind of party!

As you can see, I dyed my hair red ala Joan Holloway for the party and we went with a 1960′s menu from Clams Casino to Fondue! It was a hoot!

Oh yes friends, there were Martinis a plenty at this party! But the 60′s Menu was a big hit and helped to fill the guts as all gulped!

Clams Casino

Easy Fondue

Ham Balls

We really wanted that classic “Sterling-Cooper” touch at the entrance so we purchased a sheet of luan for about $12, aged it with an oak stain that we had in the garage, and then cut out some black cardstock letters using my Cricut machine to replicate the reception area of the ad firm.

Fondue is sexy! It reminds people of key parties (aka wife swappin’ get togethers) and a time when the country let down their hair and unfastened that top button. Fondue is great for a 50s, 60s, or 70s theme party and this easy recipe will please any crowd. (This recipe is an adaptation of one from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.)

24 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons Kirsch-Wasser

Dredge cheese with flour. Heat wine in a medium saucepan over low heat until tiny bubbles appear. Add cheese by the handful into wine. Stir until smooth and then add another handful of cheese and stir, repeating process until all cheese has been incoporated. Stir in Kirsch until cheese is velvety! Transfer to a fondue pot over a low flame and serve with fondue dippers like cubed Italian or French bread, broccoli, mushrooms, and baby carrots. If you don’t have enough fondue forks use long bamboo skewers.

Makes about 3 cups fondue

 This recipe was the big hit of the night for my MAD MEN Party! So classically 1960s!

6 slices bacon
3 slices white bread, crusts removed
3/4 cup Ritz Crackers
2 tablespoons bacon fat (reserved from cooking bacon)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup minced green pepper
1/4 cup minced onion
1 (6.5 oz.) can chopped clams, drained
1 (6.5 oz.) can minced clams, drained
20 half clam shells, cleaned

Cook bacon until slightly crisp. Remove from pan and reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Chop bacon into coarse bits.

Pulverize white bread and Ritz crackers in a food processor into crumbs. Pour 1 cup of mixutre into a medium bowl.

Saute 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat, butter, green peppers and onions in a medium skilet over medium-high heat until tender, about 3 – 5 minutes. Add to bread crumb-cracker mixture and stir to incorporate. Stir in chopped bacon and clams until combined.

Place clam shells on a baking sheet. Add 1 – 2 teaspoons clam mixture into each clam shell. (You can prepare these the morning of the party and then cover and refrigerate until serving time.)

Makes about 20 clams

This Ham Ball recipe was updated from a version in 1960′s entertaining bible “The Calvert Party Encyclopedia.” More like an “egg salad ball,” I ate these tasty leftovers for days after the MAD MEN party! (Calvert was a brand of whiskey popular in the 1960s.)

6 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced chives
1/2 cup finely chopped prosciutto
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 cup finely ground walnuts

Combine eggs, chives, prosciutto, mayo, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Roll into 1/2-inch diameter balls and then roll in walnuts to coat. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes about 40 balls