rachel sherwood Archives - Page 2 of 4

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.

Green Smoothies

June 20, 2014October 5, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

How to make a delicious green smoothie in 4 steps:

Choose your Liquid 1-1 ½ cups
Pick your Greens about 1-2 cups
Pick 2-3 Flavor Additions about 1-1 ½ cups total
Blend thoroughly till smooth and adjust with optional items if necessary.

Liquid
Water
Milk
Soy/Nut Milks
Yogurt
Fruit Juice

Greens
Spinach
Romaine
Kale*
Swiss Chard*
Bibb Lettuce

Flavor Additions
Grapes
Pineapple
Banana
Melon
Berries
Cucumber
Kiwi
Peaches
Mango
Pears

Optional Items: Vanilla/Almond Extract, Honey, Protein Power, Flax Seed

*Note Kale and Swiss Chard have woody spines that can be bitter; remove these before blending if desired.

To get you off to a good start, try this recipe that I love and make all the time. I enjoy the creaminess of the banana and the acid of the pineapple to offset the greens. The vanilla protein powder gives a little addition in sweetness that I like and protein to keep me full and get my day off to a good start.

Rachel’s Rocking Green Smoothie
Makes 2 servings

½ cup milk
½ cup water
1 cup packed spinach or kale
1 cup pineapple (fresh or frozen)
½ cup banana (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder

*Kale can have bitter taste. If you are new to green smoothies try starting with a mild green like spinach or romaine

Tips:
*I like to keep my frozen fruit at hand so I can easily make smoothies without having to keep so much fresh produce all the time. This also chills the smoothie without adding ice. If using all fresh fruits you may want to add a few ice cubes to chill it down. To learn how to store bananas best check out #8 on 20 creative ways plastic bags make life easier.

*Berries tend to turn a green smoothie into a dark brownish color, be aware of this as the color of foods changes our appetite and approach to them. Remember, color is one of the elements of The Pretty Plate.

Healthy Food, Healthy Activities, Healthy Kids

May 23, 2014October 5, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

Life is full of things we “need” to do, and with that, consistently getting healthy food on the table does not always happen. Sadly, even when we do get great healthy new foods on the table kids don’t always want to eat them. Today I share with you how you how to engage that picky eater by simply changing the way a food is presented.

It is not always easy to introduce new foods to children. However, by using the elements of The Pretty Plate, you can make healthy foods interesting and fun so they want to try them. The best way I have found to get kids to try new foods is to involve them in the process, let them have an opinion, a choice between two things, or let them play with their food. I don’t mean toss spaghetti at the walls, but let them have fun by mixing up colors, shapes and textures, and being creative with how a food is presented. Remember we all eat first with our eyes.

One of the things I love is letting the kids make veggie kabobs. I discovered that my niece would not touch a bowl of peas, but as soon as I gave her toothpicks she was able to make a game of it turning the bowl of peas into pea kabobs that were fun to eat. You can even let them dip the kabobs in a sauce for extra flavor and fun. You can try this with a variety of fruits and vegetables; try cutting items into different shapes for more interest. This becomes an activity for kids; now their focus is not especially on the type of foods, but the fun they are having assembling them. By changing how a food is presented, they are having fun and loving trying out new, healthy foods.

For more information on involving kids in the kitchen, check out Cooking With Kids Made Easy. And 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.

Quiche—The Perfect Food For Brunch

April 18, 2014November 2, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

Springtime is here! Brunch is perfect for celebrating the new season. It is also a great reason to entertain, especially if you are new to entertaining or on a budget.

Brunch, typically served mid-morning, is relatively inexpensive and simple to prepare. Instead of creating an entire dinner, you can focus on fresh fruits, breads, assorted cheeses and simple egg dishes. Keep costs down by serving assorted fruit juices and teas, or for something special, mix in a little champagne for a mimosa. Gather friends or family and serve up a little late-morning fun.

Here is one of my go-to favorites for brunch. I love it because it can be made ahead and made to fit any taste with assorted meats and vegetables. See below for the recipe for bacon quiche and other variations that will leave even your vegetarian and gluten-free friends wanting more.

Bacon Quiche and Other Variations

1 pie crust (you can make your own or use a pre-made refrigerated one)
12 thick slices of bacon
4 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 pound (about 1 cup) natural Swiss cheese, shredded (note: do not use the pre-grated cheese in a bag; grate a cheese block yourself for the best melting consistency)

Prepare and roll out pie crust into one 9” pie plate. Set aside in the refrigerator to chill while preparing other items.

Cook bacon in a skillet or oven until crisp and brown. Drain on paper towels and crumble.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a medium bowl with a wire whisk, beat eggs, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in cheese to combine.

Spread crumbled bacon in prepared pie crust. Pour egg mixture over bacon and bake 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 325 degrees and continue to bake for 35-40 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead: To make in advance, prepare recipe as directed, allow baked quiche to cool and refrigerate uncovered until well chilled. Cover with plastic wrap to keep overnight, if needed. You can serve quiche at room temperature or re-heat it by placing it covered with foil in a 325 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes until heated through. Quiche is best if used within 3 days.

There is a quiche for everyone! Try one of these variations or make your own; simply keep the egg, cream and cheese ratio the same and bake as directed, adding in 3/4 cup of your favorite meat or vegetables. (Note: Be careful with items like mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes as these contain a lot of water. Be sure to remove as much excess water as possible. If there is too much liquid, the quiche will not set properly.)

Cheese Quiche: Prepare as directed above, omitting bacon and adding 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese along with the swiss cheese.

Crab Quiche: Prepare pie crust and egg/cream mixture as directed and set aside. To the egg/cream mixture, add 2 tablespoons minced green onion and two 6-oz packages of well-drained crab meat, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 2 tablespoons dry vermouth, optional.

Mushroom Quiche: Prepare pie crust and egg/cream mixture as directed and set aside. In a medium sauté pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add 8 ounces thinly slices mushrooms and 2 tablespoons diced green onions. Cook until vegetables are tender and liquid is reduced. When fully cooked, remove mixture onto a few paper towels and press out any extra remaining liquid. Put cooked mushroom mixture in the bottom of the prepared pie crust, top with the egg/cream mixture and bake as directed.

Gluten-Free Option: Prepare as directed, but omit the pie crust. Pour your chosen filling into a greased pie plate and bake as directed.