Summer is about the beach.  And when it comes to food, I thinking about shrimp, fish, lobster, oysters…and barbecuing. When hosting a celebration in the summer, you need a mix of things made a head of time, and made while guests are there.  

one of the easiest things to make ahead of time is a shrimp salad that can be served cold, or in sandwhiches.  And after having too much seafood, our sponsor can help you out. 

Orbit® gum is a global brand, enjoyed by millions of people around the world.  Chew Orbit after any meal to leave your mouth with “A Good Clean Feeling®”. Eat. Drink. Chew™ Orbit! Like us on Facebook here.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Orbit® gum via Glam Media but such compensation did not influence any opinions expressed herein. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Orbit® gum.

Frozen Blueberries + Bourbon = Love. 

Most bourbon recipes add something sweet.  A simple sryup. Maraschino cherries.  7-up.  I think that sweet flavor can also come from fruit.  I recently had some blueberries starting to go bad, so I froze them for a smoothie.  And then I thought….why not add bourbon?  Thus the banana blueberry bourbon cocktail.  The 3B.  The Killer Bee.  See the recipe.

This post was sponsored by Dole. They’re running a contest on Facebook. See details. 

Regardless, I’m gonna keep making & drinking this tasty beverage.   You can see more of my cocktail creations on Pinterest. 

Note:  Compensation was provided by Dole via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Dole.”

The perfect cocktail party has one thing:  lots of booze.  It’s just that simple.  But to spice things up, I recommend all parties have a signature drink that is seasonally appropriate.  The cocktail is what your guests will talk about for years to come—it’s how you can remember the party.  Just hear someone saying:  ”Remember the party where you served the Ginger Tequila drink?  Or the Watermelon Mint Vodka drink?  

Here are some tips for seasonally appropriate drinks:

* Fall / Winter:  Use a bourbon base.  Think of adding cinnamon, nutmeg, bitters, apple, pear, beet, and pumpkin. 

* Spring /  Summer:  Use a gin, tequila, or vodka base.  Think of adding watermelon, basil, mint, cilantro, sugar, or ginger.  

Two super easy tricks:

1. Make a ginger syrup by peeling and dicing ginger, and heating water, sugar and the ginger pieces.  Strain and cool to use in drinks
2. Make a fruit flavored vodka by putting chunks of fruit like Watermelon or Pineapple into vodka and letting it chill in the refrigerator for 48 hours. 

Overall, just don’t run out of booze….and put a cup in everyone’s hand.  

It probably goes without saying, but don’t serve a garlic or onion based drink…else you’ll need to give everyone gum.

Orbit® gum is a global brand, enjoyed by millions of people around the world.  Chew Orbit after any meal to leave your mouth with “A Good Clean Feeling®”. Eat. Drink. Chew™ Orbit! Like us on Facebook here.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Orbit® gum via Glam Media but such compensation did not influence any opinions expressed herein. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Orbit® gum.

I have a new favorite indulgence. It involves chocolate. In small amounts. Applied regularly to my tastebuds.  It’s been going on since Valentines Day when I made these Dairy-free, Vegan Chocolate Truffles for my girlfriend. 

Every other day, I’m now pulling these truffles from the fridge, slicing off a 1/4…or a 1/2 of a piece, and popping it in my mouth. Instant indulgence. 

What brings my indulgence to mind?  The launch of a chocolate spread PHILADELPHIA INDULGENCE that can be eaten straight from the container.  This a new product from Kraft that includes real chocolate blended with rich, creamy PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread.  Perhaps that will be a good way to indulge. I already love cream cheese frosting, so why not add chocolate?  And if it’s premixed, I won’t have to go through the fun but messy part of using my hands to turn liquid chocolate into mini chocolate balls.

It seems KeepRecipes is often used for indulgence.  Members are keeping recipes for Banana  Bread with Bourbon and Chocolate Chunks, Spiced Caramelized Graham Crackers, Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Blondies. Any of these recipes could be better with a chocolate spread applied at the end :). 

How do you indulge?

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Kraft via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Kraft.

New!  If you connect your KeepRecipes.com account with Facebook, you can seamlessly share the recipes you keep and cook with your Facebook friends on facebook.com, similar to Spotify.

Already a KeepRecipes member?  You can connect your KeepRecipes account to Facebook for the 1st time at http://keeprecipes.com/start/friends.

Not yet a member?  Join here.

We value your privacy.  If you don’t connect your KeepRecipes account with Facebook, your actions will stay on KeepRecipes.com.

Stay tuned for more updates on sharing recipes you keep and cook on Facebook.