Blog - Page 34 of 41 - Impressions

To make square Volovants

August 6, 2014August 8, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

Start with a 3in square piece of puff pastry dough. Lightly fold the dough in half to form a triangle.

Make two incisions one centimeter from each edge of the triangle towards the point, but stopping short of the corner.

Unfold the triangle into the original square with a cut frame. Now the cool part! Fold each corner of the outer frame over so that it meets the opposite corner of the inner square.

You can lightly brush them with egg wash to a nice golden color if you want, prick the center with a fork for more even cooking. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Allow pastry to cool, and fill with Creamy Smoked Salmon spread or any other desired filling such as:

chicken salad,
sundried tomato spread, even
lemon curd for something tangy and sweet.

Making the best Memories

August 1, 2014August 18, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

After all the planning, the food is eaten and guests say their good byes. At this point, all that is left are the memories. Those moments that you will never forget, the stories that you will share time and time again those moments are the memories that make our lives richer and keep the festivities living on.

So how do you create the best memories? How do you get people to talk well about the parties you host? It’s simple to make them feel welcome, special and have something unique.

Do your best to plan ahead. Create a party friendly menu or hire help so that you can have time to greet guests, make a few introductions and thank them for attending. As a host you will most likely know most of the guests attending so it is easy to be pulled in many directions. Make a point to have the focus on just your guests at the beginning and end of the event. All the food and beverages should be set just before they arrive so that you can welcome guests and then slip away for simple refills throughout the party.

Choose one thing to create a “wow factor”. Think about your guests and the experience you want to create for them. As they leave your event, what is it that you want them to say of their experience? What is it you want to be remembered for? What are those best memories you want to leave them with? Whatever that is, create a “wow factor” around it. Not everything has to be over-the-top and perfect. To be honest, some of the best memories usually come from things that go wrong.

Pick one thing to completely excel at. No one will remember if they drank out of plastic cups or normal glassware, but they will remember if you had custom crystal glasses. They may not remember the food but they will remember the perfect popovers or a unique sushi-making party. Simple candles are great decorations, but you could make a grand impression with beautiful, fresh flowers and stunning centerpieces. Or send them home with unique personal favors.

Pick one thing and do it very well, normal is normal, so think outside the box and do something uniquely you. It will long be remembered.

I truly hope you enjoyed the Summer Entertaining series with all the tips and entertaining secrets to get your next summer bash off to the great start. May every party you host, simple, grand and everything in between, be one that adds love, laughter and lasting memories to your life.

Summer Entertaining Series

The things you need to know to ensure summer fun for all:

#1 Food: easy, delicious and safe, read this before dishing up
#2 Relaxing Refreshments, don’t break a sweat keeping hydrated
#3 Easy Breezy, decorate with casual summer style for less
#4 Keep Your Cool, comfort is everything
#5 Party in an Instant, have these on hand to welcome guests at any time

One last tip: Keep a camera close by and use it often, ask a friend, or hire a photographer to capture the moments. Smiling faces make it easy to remember why we get together. I never regret taking too many photos and capturing the best memories of a lifetime.

Leave a comment! What’s your favorite party memory?

Pick up your copy of The Pretty Plate for more simple techniques and recipes, and learn about the five elements to make your everyday meals magnificent.

Party in an Instant, Pantry Essentials for Easy Entertaining

July 25, 2014August 18, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

Having a well-stocked pantry means you can have a party in an instant. The summer is always a special time for casual gatherings. In addition to my everyday pantry I like to keep a few of these special summer treats ready for an impromptu get together. It is easy to have confidence in the kitchen when you know you already have what you need on hand to make quick, easy, delicious meals at home.

Quick Breads: Banana bread in the beginning of summer and zucchini bread for the summer-end and into fall are perfect for a simple breakfast or snack on the go with fresh fruits and yogurt. You can make multiple loaves one for now and one to keep frozen for when you need it later.

Cheese: Cheese is wonderful for simple grilled cheese sandwiches, addition to green or pasta salads, simple snacks or my favorite for entertaining cheese plates. Cheese plates are the best, no-cooking-required entertaining appetizer, first course or dessert. Get your Cheese Wheel Paring Guide to easily choose delicious pairing combinations.

Out of Hand Snacks: For on-the-go snacks or putting together a simple elegant cheese place for appetizers keep a variety of cheese, smoked sausages, crackers or chips nuts and dried fruits available.

Pizza Dough: You can get this already prepared, in 5-min mixes or make your own. Pizza dough is so versatile! Use it for pizza with any topping or as flatbread with dips and spreads. In the summer I love to grill it and keep all the heat outdoors.

Citrus: lemons, limes, oranges add flavor and freshness to water, make lemonade and easily mix up a batch of lemon curd for dessert or breakfast.

Canned Beans: Beans are great to have at any time of the year to quickly mix up a bean dip like hummus or a spicy black bean dip for appetizers or a side dish. They are also a quickly prepared and inexpensive protein source to mix in with fresh vegetables for salads, tacos, quesadillas, or salsa.

Fruit: especially melons like watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew. These are great for breakfast with yogurt and granola, snacks, side dishes and even dessert with a little ice cream. Melons in the summer are sweet and large, which makes them perfect for many people to share.

Something Special: Everyone loves a little sweet in the summer and if you have a campfire s’mores are a must have. I like to keep the fixings sealed in mason jars to have a party in an instant. This is a nice approach for a DIY snack. The jars keep ingredients fresh, clean and easy to handle and they are quite darling if you want to wrap with scraps of fabric or ribbon to match a theme.

Other freezer treats: like Ice Cream or Popsicles for children, and a batch of Brandy Smash for the adults are sure to please a summer crowd.

Pick up your copy of The Pretty Plate for more simple techniques and recipes, and learn about the five elements to make your everyday meals magnificent.

Light and Healthy Zucchini Bread

July 24, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ unsweetened applesauce (if it is sweetened reduce the sugar by ¼ cup)

1 ½ cups grated zucchini, squeezed to remove some of the moisture

½ cup chopped walnuts, optional.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9x5in loaf pan.

In a medium bowl combine the all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl add the egg, sugar, vanilla, almond and applesauce. Add the zucchini into the egg mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 50-65 min until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in the pan for 5 min then remove to a wire rack.

Easy Delicious Banana Bread

July 24, 2014January 20, 2015 Rachel Sherwood

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 medium overripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5 in loaf pan.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar add the eggs, vanilla, bananas until well blended. Combine the flour mixture with the banana mixture and stir just to moisten. Pour into the pan prepared.

Bake in preheated oven for 50-65 min, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in the pan for 5 min then remove to a wire rack.

Note: this recipe easily doubles so make two and freeze one for later.