Social Saturday: It's All About The Sides

Everybody loves a backyard BBQ - cold drinks, grilled meat and most importantly, some yummy side dishes. Unlike when you eat inside and the main dish takes center stage, at a BBQ, everyone is always excited to see what you’re serving to compliment the grill.

My Veggie Soba Noodle Salad is always a true crowd pleaser and I serve it at my annual summer party. It’s a fantastic blend of Asian flavors, barely cooked veggies and crunchy peanuts over soba. I will warn you, it’s a bit of chopping, blanching and boiling but once you take a bite, you’ll forget all the grunt work and dig in.

Social Saturday: Building the Perfect Antipasto Platter

Sometimes, when you decide to entertain, you don’t want to fuss. A good bottle of wine, some fancy cheese and quality salumi are all you need to have some friends by for a chin wag.

Whenever I make antipasto platters, I make sure to follow the same, simple steps to make a great dish with a variety of yummy bites.

ItalyAnna GassMarch 19, 2016social saturday, Antipasto, How-To, Cheese, Meats, Fruit, Vegetables, Bread, Flowers, easy entertaining, cocktails

Sweet Tooth Friday: Tiramisu (Valentine's Edition!)

As I mentioned on Tuesday, this year, I decided to throw a Cupid’s Cocktail Party in honor of the ‘Day of Love’. I needed an excuse for a get together and it seemed like the perfect time to invite my friends for a night of cocktails, yummy bites and of course, dessert.

I have asked my guests to bring a dessert they love to the festivities and I decided to do the same. I went with a favorite, an old stand by, Tiramisu. Just like any great love, it never disappoints and everyone digs in. Layers of delicious lady fingers and creamy mascarpone cheese and of course, lots and lots of espresso. When it’s made right, it’s a dream on a plate.

How-To Tuesday: Throwing A Smashing Cocktail Party

Not to toot my own horn but I know how to throw a successful party. Phil and I share a love for entertaining, so we try to throw at least three to four parties annually.

Having an entertaining party isn’t difficult, but a little planning can make your party better and stress-free. After all you want to be able to mingle, laugh with friends and enjoy the fruits of your labor, right? Read on for a few tips on throwing an A+ affair along with a killer recipe for my mother's stuffed mushrooms - perfectly bite-sized and guaranteed to impress your guests!

From Nonna's Kitchen: Nonna Gina’s Rice Balls

Growing up in an Italian home, I didn’t eat a lot of rice. We preferred pasta and my mother served it regularly as our staple carbohydrate. Once and a while, however, my mom would whip up a risotto and I would pout through dinner, pushing it to the edges of my plate hoping my father would think I had some.

Truth be told, I hate risotto. It just doesn’t do it for me. If I am going to eat something creamy and full of carbs, hand me a dish of cheesy polenta and I’m a happy girl. The one positive to hating risotto though, is that my mother had plenty leftover to make rice balls with for us the next day. Golden brown and crispy on the outside and creamy, cheesy inside make for a killer combination.

New Year's Day Goat Cheese Quiche

Hurray, it’s 2016! This quiche is perfect for those of us that just want to roll out of bed after staying up late, heat up something delicious and curl up on the couch with a hot cup of coffee. You can make this quiche days in advance, and simply heat it up in the oven at a moments notice. Now that’s what I call a Happy New Year!

Social Saturday: Brie En Croute

Grab a bottle of nice wine, put the kids to bed; it’s time for the annual run of holiday parties. I love going to holiday parties. Its great to see friends, have a few laughs and toast the upcoming year. My cocktail party stand by is Brie En Croute. That’s a super fancy way to say wheel of brie covered in puff pastry. I also cut mine in half, fill it with brown sugar, dried fruit and nuts. Trust me, make this baby and it will disappear before you can say, “God, that’s an ugly sweater!”

Social Saturday: Anna's Heirloom Bruschetta

I’m a big fan of Tapas because you get to try a whole bunch of items without having to commit to one dish. When I am entertaining, aside from some salted nuts, a great cheese plate and veggies with dip, I always serve bruschetta. Traditionally, tomatoes and garlic are used but if you like, get creative and other toppings like ricotta and honey or brie and apple. With a delicious piece of butter bread as your base, it’s hard to mess things up.

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