Spring and summer are ideal times to serve and celebrate with fresh fruit…even in your cocktails! Backyard get-togethers and festive summer soirées like tropical luaus or beach-themed dinner parties are perfect occasions for offering guests a fabulously fruity cocktail. Need some inspiration? Here are a few fun suggestions:

Watermelon Crush (this one’s a crowd-pleaser!)

Ingredients:
8 cups seeded, cubed watermelon (about 4 pounds)
1 1/3 cups light rum
1½ cups freshly squeezed orange juice, or more to taste
½ cup orange liqueur
¼ cup powdered sugar, or more to taste
2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions:
Put the watermelon cubes in a plastic freezer bag; freeze for at least 8 hours Puree the watermelon and the remaining ingredients in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. Combine the processed mixture well. Serve in a large old pickle jar or punch bowl and scoop the mixture into Mason jars, tin cups, or other festive glasses

{recipe from Southern Cocktails}

More fabulously fruity ideas from around the web:

Pictured above:

Raspberry Collins {via Hostess with the Mostess™}
*featuring raspberry puree, créme de framboise, lemon juice, club soda, and gin

Lime Daiquiries by Erika Lenkert {via Everyday with Rachael Ray}
*featuring run and limeade concentrate

Kiwi Melon Sangria {via Cocktail Times}
*featuring wine, kiwi, watermelon, and Midori

Island Blossom {via Cocktail Times}
*featuring fresh fruit, Malibu rum, OJ, lychee liqueur and Tezon Blanco tequila

Which recipes look particularly tasty to you? I just got back from Hawaii and am feeling especially drawn to the Island Blossom for some reason.

– Jennifer Sbranti, hostesswiththemostess.com

Technorati Tags: summer cocktails, fruity cocktails, summer entertaining, daiquri, sangria, watermelon crush

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Gale Gand is the award-winning executive pastry chef at Cenitare Restaurants, LLC, Gand now has a platform to reach a wider audience with the advent of Gale’s Coffee Bar, a small ‘grab-and-go’ pastry/coffee shop and with her dessert programs for long-time culinary partner Rick Tramonto’s new projects with the company, Tramonto’s Steak & Seafood, Osteria di Tramonto and RT Lounge. Gand is also executive pastry chef at world-renowned culinary masterpiece Tru.

Gand’s desserts have consistently received stellar reviews. Pat Bruno, restaurant critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, has declared Gand, “one of the best pastry chefs in the United States.” Esquire’s John Mariani proclaimed effusively, “…every dessert I tried was poetic. They should be: They are made by the city’s best pastry chef, Gale Gand.” You may recognize her as host of her own Food Network show “Sweet Dreams” and is the author of half a dozen cookbooks.

I had dinner at Tru a year ago and the desserts were amazing! They just kept coming an coming and I thought the dessert parade would never end. I was especially impressed with all the candy. What are your favorite chocolates and candies?
I think my favorite chocolates come from Katrina Markov at Vosges, which a Chicago based high end chocolatier. Some of my favorites are American classics like peanut brittle, home made Tootsie Rolls, and anything chocolate and mint that pays homage to Frango Mints.

It seems like fewer and fewer restaurants have pastry chefs anymore, what does the future hold for pastry chefs?
I actually think a lot of restaurant owners are seeing more and more how economical pastry chefs are for a restaurant. They bring a lot of additional attention and sales for very little cost because our ingredients are so cheap compared to the meat of a main course.

Any new interesting dessert trends these days?
I think lighter desserts are being celebrated more right now. Like fruit with a whisper of flavored cream.

I love salty “sweets” like fleur de sel caramel which is showing up all over the place these days. What are your favorite flavor trends?
Savory with sweet is one of my favorites too. Bacon with caramel or chocolate is big. Smoke too. We do a smoked ice cream at Tru.

Strawberries are in season at the moment. What’s your favorite thing to do with them?
I like to serve them straight up with a squirt of real whipped cream for dipping. If you are going with store bought, Reddi-wip is the only national brand that’s made with real cream.

With summer on it’s way, what are some quick tip for making desserts at home?
Buy fruit in season so it’s at its most flavorful and ripen it at home for a few days if needed, then serve it with some kind of dairy whether it’s fresh ricotta and a drizzle of honey, or fromage blanc and maple sugar. Just keep it simple but use high quality ingredients for maximum flavor and minimum work!

Click here to win one of three fabulous prize packages sponsored by Reddi-wip that includes:

- 1 signed copy of Gale Gand’s Short & Sweet:Quick Desserts with Eight Ingredients or Less
- 12 Reddi-wip free coupons
- 2 Reddi-wip branded bowls
- 1 red silicone muffin pan

——-Amy Sherman

Technorati Tags: gale gand, pastry, celebrity chef, fruit, cream, dessert, candy

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Healthy food has come a long way. It’s not like it was when my high school friends went on celery and cottage cheese diets. Now heart healthy foods are recognized to be one we crave like walnuts, avocados, dark chocolate, cherries, grapes and olives. These are only some of the 40 “super foods” highlighted in the WomenHeart’s All Heart Family Cookbook.

I’ll admit I’m not crazy about the name of the book, but the recipes are absolutely gorgeous. I’ve bookmarked Escarole and Bean Soup, Garlic Smashed Potatoes, Grilled Tuna with Wasabi Cream, Peach Blueberry Shortcakes and Orange Pistachio Cake. Check out the Warm Steak and Orange Salad recipe!

Warm Steak and Orange Salad

Serves 4
Heart healthy ingredients: 5

Fresh orange juice, sherry vinegar, and olive oil make a fantastic vinaigrette for a salad of greens, sweet orange pieces, and thin slices of grilled flank steak. A sprinkling of olives adds a piquant touch. If you’ve only eaten olives from a can, give some fresh ones a try. Delicious kalamata (or calamata) olives, which hail from Greece, contain monounsaturated fats that increase “good” HDL cholesterol and reduce plaque buildup in the arteries.

1 flank steak, about 8 ounces
1⁄2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 oranges
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 bag (5 ounces) mixed greens
1 medium red onion, cut into slices and separated into rings
10 kalamata olives, pitted and quartered

1. Coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Preheat the grill or broiler. Season the steak with the pepper and salt.

2. Grill or broil the steak, turning once, for 8 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 145°F for medium rare. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes longer, if desired, for medium (160°F) or well-done (165°F). Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing

3. Meanwhile, with a small paring knife, cut off the top and bottom of each orange. Place cut side down on a cutting board and cut down around each orange to remove the skin, white pith, and outer membrane. Over a large bowl, cut between the membranes to release the sections, placing the sections in a small bowl and

allowing the juices to drip into the large bowl. Squeeze the membranes over the large bowl to release the juice and discard.

4. Add the vinegar and mustard to the juice in the bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil until emulsified. Add the greens and onion and toss to coat well. Evenly divide among 4 plates. Top each with one-fourth of the sliced steak, orange sections, and olives.

Per serving:
168 calories, 44 calories from fat, 5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 19 mg cholesterol, 421 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 14 g protein

The gift of good health is priceless. This Mother’s Day you could give mom the cookbook or a more deluxe gift basket that includes:
• WomenHeart’s “All Heart Family Cookbook”
• Clos du Bois 2005 Sonoma Reserve Merlot
• Clos du Bois 2007 Rosé
• Red silicon spatula
• Rustic brown wicker gift basket

It’s an $85 value, yours for just $74.99. Place your order online by midnight, Tuesday, May 6th to ensure delivery by Mother’s Day.

——–Amy Sherman

Technorati Tags: mother’s day, cookbook, heart, healthy, wine, clos du bois, gift, steak, salad, beef, oranges

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What is it about a little dollop of whipped cream on top of a dessert that makes it so appealing? It dresses up even the simplest fresh fruit or cake. But I always have the same problem when it comes to whipping cream. I only need a little bit to garnish a dessert but I end up buying at least a half pint container and throwing at least some of it away. For the occasional use, nothing beats fresh whipped cream and no fake cream will do.

Having whipped cream on hand enables you to make fun snacks like this one developed by pastry chef Gale Gand. It’s a colorful layering of strawberry jam, pineapple chunks and mandarin oranges topped with whipped cream - good for snacking or dessert using nothing more than pantry staples.

Pineapple Cornucopia
Makes: 5 servings

5 teaspoons seedless strawberry jam
10 slices of fresh pineapple or 1 can (20 oz ) pineapple slices packed in juice, drained
Whipped cream
1/2 can (11 oz ) mandarin oranges, drained

Spread 1 teaspoon strawberry jam in the bottom of five 4-ounce custard cups. Cut each pineapple slice into 5 sections.

Place pineapple slices around the bottom of each cup. Add a serving of whipped cream in the center. Tuck 5 mandarin oranges in a pinwheel around edge of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.

For convenience sake, you can’t beat a product like Reddi-wip, which unlike some brands is actually made with real cream. The packaging allows you to keep it fresh in the fridge much longer and only use what you need. No more tossing out half used pints of whipping cream!

To win one of three fabulous prize packages sponsored by Reddi-wip, just leave a comment with your favorite way of using whipped cream. It could be with fruit, cake, cookies, ice cream– anything (PG rated) goes!

- 1 signed copy of Gale Gand’s Short & Sweet:Quick Desserts with Eight Ingredients or Less
- 12 Reddi-wip free coupons
- 2 Reddi-wip branded bowls
- 1 red silicone muffin pan

Each prize package is worth $100. Leave you comment today to win!

*The Fine Print: To be eligible to win, you must be aged 21 or older, and a resident of the US.Only one entry per person. A winner will be chosen from commentors’/entrants’ names on Friday May 9th, 2008 9am PST. Chances of winning depend on number of entrants. Winners will be notified via email, at which point Glam Editors will request their mailing address to send their prize.

——-Amy Sherman

Technorati Tags: giveaway, contest, reddi-wip, whipped cream, recipe, pineapple

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You might recognize the name “Cynthia Rowley” from the world of fashion and beauty, as this award-winning designer’s collections include everything from women’s wear, handbags, and shoes to fragrance, cosmetics, and more. And NOW, lucky for those of us that love a good summer party, Rowley has added stylish outdoor dining and partyware to her resume featuring great patterns like rattan and colorful multi-stripe. Better yet, this new “Whim by Cynthia Rowley” line is available at Target - which means the added bonus of affordable price tags! Here are a few favorites from her Beach, Picnic, and Party collections:

Pictured above:
Multi-Stripe Bowl and Platter
Multi-Stripe Tumblers (Set of 12)
Blue/Green Stripe Placemats + Napkins 4-pack
Steel Beverage Tub - Blue/Green
Transparent Tumblers and Acrylic Wine Glasses (Red)

Pictured above:
Rattan Melamine 12-pc. Dinnerware Set - Green
Rattan Melamine 12-pc. Dinnerware Set - Pink
Igloo Legend .5-gallon Jug
Stainless Steel Shaker - Pink
Bubble Martini Glasses - Set of 8

Click here to view the entire “Whim” line at Target. Does it make you want to party?

– Jennifer Sbranti, hostesswiththemostess.com

Technorati Tags: summer entertaining, outdoor entertaining, Cynthia Rowley, melamine dishes

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This coming Monday is Cinco de Mayo which is not Mexican Independence Day but instead commemorates a victory of Mexican forces led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín over French forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It’s celebrated in this country with margaritas and Mexican food.

You probably already have a great margarita recipe. If not, check out the one posted here recently. To go with your margarita, how about something tropical and tasty? We’re thinking mango, as in a chicken mango quesadilla. Recipe courtesy of the Mango Board. Visit their site for more recipes and tips.

Chicken Mango Quesadilla
serves 4

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 dried ancho/pasilla chile pepper, stemmed and seeded
4 burrito size flour tortillas
6 ounces thinly sliced Jack cheese
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
¼ cup minced red bell pepper
¼ cup sliced green onions

Mango Salsa:
1 large peeled, pitted, and chopped mango
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup minced red onion
½ tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
½ tablespoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cook chicken on a lightly oiled grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes on each side or until lightly charred and cooked through. Let cool slightly and cut into bite size strips. Puree the tomato sauce and dried pepper in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add grilled chicken to pan and toss well to coat; season to taste with salt.

Place flour tortillas on a flat surface. Top half of each tortilla with equal amounts of cheese, mango, bell pepper, green onion and chicken; fold over tortilla. Cook in a large skillet on both sides until cheese is melted and tortilla is crisp, about 5 minutes on each side. Serve with mango salsa. Mango Salsa: In a small bowl, stir together mango, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

———Amy Sherman

Technorati Tags: mango, recipe, cinco de mayo, mexican food, quesadilla, chicken, cheese

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Congratulations to Nupur for winning the $1000 prize sponsored by Eggbeaters here is what she said she’ll be doing to celebrate:

My mother is a pediatrician and works more than full-time…and she has been doing this for decades! I would love to gift her a weekend retreat with a little pampering (and time off from work).

Thanks to everyone for entering, I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day and be sure to bookmark this site, we’ll have another giveaway with 3 prize packages next month!

There were almost 100 comments/entries, here are some of my favorite comments:

McAuliflower wrote:

Ahhh Mom gave me my taste buds.

+ The ones that tell me to have a spoonful of ganache for breakfast.
+ The ones that tell me to make waffles just to use up some whipped cream.
+ The ones that like entire states (like Texas) just because of the food.
+ The ones that still search for the ultimate flavors.

With $1000 I would put together a culinary trip to thank my mom for instilling in me the drive to taste my travels, to swallow my adventure. I want to travel with her, now as an adult, a companion -not as a child, to find more tastes, to giggle over cocktails, to share how we’ve grown up in the influence of each other.

Zoe wrote:

My mom lost my dad to a three year battle with brain cancer last year and has been in a dark hole ever since. My brother and I live across the country and she is trying to sell her house to move out to be with us but the housing market is so horrible, that she is feeling “trapped” all over again. With the money I’d take her on an “escape” weekend: a night in a fabulous hotel, a dinner at Nobu and an amazing facial. She needs a break in the biggest way!

Aimee wrote:

While traveling in Spain, I encountered the “tortilla espanola,” a delicious traditional egg/potato/onion torte that’s served all day long in cafes and restaurants, for breakfast, lunch, tapas, whatever. I learned how to make it when I came home, and it was always one of my Mom’s favorite dishes. My mother died two years ago, so now I make it for my “adopted mother”–a woman who started as my boss and became one of my closest friends. She is of a certain age now–let’s just say 70 and counting–but could easily substract 20 years from her real age without engendering disbelief because she has such a healthy, youthful lifestyle (she still goes to the gym every day). It occurred to me that I could easily make the tortilla healthier by using Eggbeaters. And I’d spend the $1000 on fabulous accompaniments–caviar, champagne, the fattest out-of-season asparagus, the darkest Belgium chocolates–and maybe convince Placido Domingo or James Taylor to serenade us while we’re eating.

Rebecca wrote:

We bought our mother three months of yoga lessons for Christmas this year, and after living with terrible neck and back pain for years, this is the only thing that has ever actually helped her. She has promised to keep going, but if I won the $1000, I would buy her two years worth of lessons so that she would never have to worry. Because she is the most loving, selfless, wonderful role model and deserves to actually treat herself once in a while.

Mary wrote:

I’d buy my mom a new fridge. She really needs one; but having grown up during the Depression she’s the type who’ll make a new bar of soap out of all the old soap scraps. She loves food and is an amazing cook - and the old stove works just fine (they don’t make ‘em like they used to) - but the woman needs a new fridge. I’d surprise her.

——–Amy Sherman

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Today is free cone day at Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shops. To find a participating store, click here. Some of their newest flavors include Coconut Seven Layer Bar, Imagine Whirled Peace™, ONE Cheesecake Brownie™, and Cake Batter. My favorite flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is Chunky Monkey.

The next best thing to free ice cream is ice cream that only costs 31 cents*. Baskin-Robbins is hosting 31¢ Scoop Night tomorrow, Wednesday, April 30th, 2008. The event is in honor of America’s firefighters and benefits the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Baskin-Robbins will be making a donation of $100,000 to the foundation and at select local stores, you may also have a chance to donate to your local fire station. To read 31 heroic fire fighter stories, click here.

I haven’t had Baskin Robbins ice cream in a long time. But it’s my godson and his sister’s favorite. Candy sweet flavors this month include Reese’s® Peanut Butter Cup, Heath® Ice Cream and York® Peppermint Pattie Ice Cream.

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

*2.5oz scoops are 31 cents plus tax where applicable. Limit 10 scoops per person, per purchase.

———-Amy Sherman

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May 11th marks the 100th anniversary of Mother’s Day in the US . In addition to brunch, and a card, it’s nice to treat your mom with a gift. Here are some of our favorite budget friendly picks this year, each under $100. Don’t wait until the last minute. Order today!

From Perpetual Kid, the Don’t Make Me Stop This Car travel mug. How many times did you hear that from mom? Now you can remind her of all those fun car rides, even when you’re not there. $16.99

This cute basket is filled with four packages of Wolferman’s deluxe English muffins. It also includes a yummy fruit jam. Great for a house full of hungry kids. Plus she’ll get to keep the basket to use all year round. $29.95

Eat your fruits and vegetables! Show mom you listened and treat her to Harry & David’s gourmet gift, a pretty hat box full of the tastiest pears ever paired with one of the best blue cheeses around, Riviera® Pears and Rogue Valley Blue Cheeses from Oregon. $49.95

Vosges chocolates are over the top, and so is this chocolate and flowers gift, where the flowers are in the chocolate. It includes a 9 piece Les Fleurs du Chocolat Collection, Bianca Couture Cocoa, ½ lb. Bapchi’s Caramel Toffee & one 4 piece Exotic Caramel box. $95.00

——-Amy Sherman

Technorati Tags: chocolate, mother’s day, fruit, mug, gifts, holiday, english muffins, pears, cheese, vosges, harry and david, wolfermans, perpetual kid

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In the past few years we’ve grown accustomed to finding fresh salmon on the menu. But this year the salmon season was cut short. After a series of public meetings and hearings, the Pacific Fishery Management Council decided not to permit any commercial and sport salmon fishing from Cape Falcon in Oregon to the Mexican border. No one knows why the Sacramento chinook salmon populations have declined, but until they reach sustainable levels again it’s time to explore cooking and eating other fish varieties.

Halibut comes from the icy waters off the coast of Alaska. It has a delicate flavor, snow-white color and firm texture. It can be baked, broiled, fried, poached, barbecued or even “cooked” in lime juice in a ceviche, and works with all kinds of sauces. It is an excellent source of protein and minerals, low in sodium, fat and calories.

Ceviche makes a great first course and couldn’t be easier to make. This halibut ceviche recipe comes from Chef Liz Ozanich at McCormick & Kuleto’s in San Francisco.

Coconut Lime Alaskan Halibut Ceviche
serves 8

1 pound fresh Alaskan halibut
1  1/2 lemons, zest and juice
1  1/2 limes, zest and juice
1 ounce fish sauce (Vietnamese or Thai style)
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 ounce Chinese chili garlic paste
6 1/2 ounces canned coconut milk (unsweetned)
1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Slice the halibut into small bite size slices. Whisk together all the rest of the ingredients and marinate for at least 4 hours in a non-reactive bowl in the refrigerator. Serve with plantain chips or tortilla chips.

——–Amy Sherman

Technorati Tags: ceviche, halibut, seafood, recipe, coconut, lime, restaurant

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