Celebration Style: Cinco De Mayo

This weekend is most certainly a "twofer". Two big events happening at once with endless possibilities for a really great time. Both of which present an opportunity to wear a really big hat. Of course there is the Kentucky Derby, but since I much prefer margaritas over mint juleps, I'll be focusing on Cinco de Mayo. I like to think of the holiday as the unofficial start of the summer. The bright colors, never ending margaritas, and clanking of Corona bottles simply scream warm weather and puts an instant smile on my face (the tequila probably helps too).

This year I'm taking full advantage of the fact the holiday falls on a weekend and hosting a poquito fiesta aka a little party. Here are a few finds that put me in the mood to shake my maracas and cheers to a great night with mi amigos.

photo from Flckr

The Perfect Margarita

Extra salt please. I am making mine this year with Espolon Tequila, the packaging is killer.

Homemade Guacamole

It's safe to say I am addicted to avocados. And I am not ashamed to admit I almost single handily polished off a large order of Dos Cominos Guacamole. The recipe is actually hangs on my fridge.

Pinata Cookies

Not only are they insanely cute, but I am quite sure they are insanely tedious to make-

judging by the 30 step recipe. I have yet to mentally commit to attempting these.

A trendy, themed outfit

How amazing are these Mexican Blanket Shorts? 

Someone like PS. I Made This needs to create a DIY tutorial STAT!

What are your weekend plans? Cinco de Mayo or the Derby? 

Although there is no reason not to do both. Galloping around in a fabulous hat "taste testing" margaritas and blasting The Gypsy Kings sounds like a fabulous pre-party regimen if I don't say so myself. Ole`!

My favorite Sunday Brunch drink: The Man-Mosa

Once upon a summer almost three years ago, I went to a little cafe in Brooklyn that is now closed. A seemingly innocent Sunday Brunch in the City turned out to be a roller coaster of emotion and for that it will always be one of my most memorable meals in Brooklyn. Highlights included:

• meeting a 40-something guy named Bennett who had the energy of Jack Russell Terrier and told one hysterical story after another
• the start of my egg + avocado obsession (BTW, it's on year three and still going strong)
• super bitchy wait-staff, which explains why they are now out of business
• the worst Mimosa EVER
• the introduction of the ManMosa aka the star of this post

Long story short, my worst Mimosa ever consisted of 85% from-concentrate OJ and a splash of warm, flat, "sparkling" wine. It was so bad and our server was so suck-y that I waltzed into the restaurant, to prove I wasn't being dramatic asked the bartender to "try-it", and requested a replacement of some sort. If I recall, they were "out of Bloody Mary mix" aka strike two. And then, it happened. Another bartender recommended I try the ManMosa. After hearing the ingredients I was most definitely intrigued and gave it a shot. Four rounds later and an entire table singing it's praises, I was hooked. And so I present to you, the ManMosa.

My standard recipe- just add your favorites!

Step 1. Pour an entire bottle (12 oz) or up to 16 ounces of a hefewiezen or wheat beer into a chilled 23.5 oz glass. I plan on adding A LOT more to this list this summer, but here are few of my favorites that have been taste-tested and approved:

• Magic Hat Circus Boy

• Blue Moon Ale

• ROC Brewing Co. Belgian Blonde 

• Dundee Summer Wheat 

Step 2. Top with 4 ounces of fresh-squeezed or not from concentrate juice.

Step 3. Add 1.5 ounces of chilled Vodka. Absolut is readily available. But Prairie is really good if you are making them at home.

Step 4. Pour into a cocktail shaker with ice and gently stir. Strain back into the glass, top with a slice of orange, and enjoy.

Now I am not claiming I created the recipe (hence the back story), but I have yet to come across a menu outside of NYC that offers it or a bartender that knows what I am talking about. So this summer I am making it my mission to spread the word to all my friends and to my favorite spots in the Rochester, NY area in hopes it becomes a standard Sunday Brunch classic. Help me by doing the same! And if you have ordered the ManMosa from somewhere before, please leave a comment with your state and location.

If not the ManMosa, what is your Sunday Brunch standby?

If you are what you eat: be a Shamrock Shake

Inspired by the fabulous creations I seem to always pin from Polyvore, I decided to create a new feature highlighting two of my favorite things: FASHION & FOOD. Everyone's heard of the saying "you are what you eat", so what better way to epitomize the saying by taking it quite literally and creating satirical outfits based on my never ending craving for good food.

The first in the series is dedicated to the spirit of St. Patrick's Day. My hometown of Rochester, NY goes absolutely CRAZY during the weekend leading up to the holiday. I'll be hosting a party of my own before taking to the streets of my downtown neighborhood to share in the festivities. Only I'll be sporting a much more relaxed outfit [re: theme t-shirt, orange flats, & huge sequin hair bow] since the day's celebration is reminiscent of an all-day college frat party rather a fashionable cocktail hour.

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Blouse | Necklace | Clutch | Shorts | Shoes (which I have and love!)

Plus, I love this look for its ability to hit on multiple trends without trying to hard:

• Color Blocking
• Pastels
• Statement Necklaces
• Metallic Accessories

Speaking of Shamrock Shakes, if you do go to McDonald's do yourself a favor and order a Thin Mint by requesting half Shamrock half Chocolate. And for those of you that are fast-food phobe (like me), click here for a copycat recipe, which also happens to be a MUCH healthier alternative.

How will you be celebrating St. Patrick's Day? And what will you wearing?

A sweet and savory pizza.

As I mentioned in my first post about cooking, I am a novice when it comes to navigating my way around the kitchen. Luckily, my discerning (okay fine, super picky) palette appreciates high-quality, fresh tasting food. So much of what I make is anything but traditional and is always a bit quirky. Normally the words 'gourmet' and 'interesting' don't come to mind when the topic is pizza. Thanks in part to my first job, that is exactly how I prefer my pizzas to be in addition to fun and of course, flavorful.

The last time I had a gathering at my house, I wracked my brain trying to figure out something to make that wouldn't be labor intensive, messy, or too heavy knowing there would be a whole night of cocktails ahead. While strolling the aisles of my favorite grocery store ever, I concocted a recipe in my head, purchased the ingredients and headed home in hopes things would turn out for the best.

I'm proud to say the pizza was a hit! Here is the shopping list and my [attempt] at a cohesive recipe perfect for a cozy meal or to share with friends.

Step 1: Pre-heat your oven to 350°

Step 2: Using a pizza stone or floured pan, roll the pizza dough out into a circle (as best you can). Using a fork, sporadically pierce holes into the dough to prevent from it rising too much.

Step 3: Crack that egg, beat it, and egg wash the entire surface of the dough. 

Step 4: Cook the egg-washed dough for approximately 7 minutes. By doing so, you are creating a "shell" to top with the remainder of the ingredients while avoiding a loss of flavor as a result of overcooking.   

Step 5: When your shell is done, layer the following ingredients being sure to leave a 1-inch border around the outside as your crust:

• A few pads of truffle butter, spread as evenly as possible 
• A thin layer of baby spinach
• Very generous clumps of creamy gorgonzola cheese 
• Thinly sliced peaches strategically placed in array all around the pizza
• Sprinkle of salt & pepper
• Very light drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Step 6: Cook for 10-13 more minutes or until you notice the crust getting slightly darker than golden brown.

Step 7: Cool for 3 minutes and drizzle with even more balsamic vinegar. I actually used a BV glaze which added the perfect amount of flavor without being a drippy mess. 

Step 8: Cut into desired number of pieces and serve.

Between Step 5 & 6.

Buon appetito!   

P.S. Let me know if you have any questions or if you try the recipe out for yourself.

Minced with love.

I've spent the last six years or so convincing people that I don't know how to cook, simply because I never actually tried. Since moving into a bigger apartment with a much bigger kitchen, cooking has quickly become one of my favorite activities. I love finding new recipes, experimenting with my own, and the sense of accomplishment that is felt the moment a meal hits the table.

Thanks to Pinterest (an obsession that I will soon be writing about), learning my way around the kitchen has brought a new level of excitement and inspiration to simple gatherings with friends. And that is exactly how this past Friday night was spent.

 I had a mini knife technique lesson while learning how to mince garlic. All four of us promptly decided that a garlic press is a necessary and worthy investment.

Jeanette taught us the most amazing gnocchi, sun-dried tomato, and chicken recipe. As soon as I get the recipe I will post it on Pinterest; it's simply too good not to share with others.

In addition to homemade hummus and entire wheel of cheese, we also switched up the recipe for these stuffed mushrooms. Our changes included no parmesan cheese and swapping turkey bacon for regular bacon. The night also included copious amounts of wine and champagne. Which is the precise reason there are no pictures of our Michael Jackson The Experience Wii dance party.