Who says you can’t eat, drink, and be merry all at once? Tis the season for boozy brunches, family gatherings and holiday feasts after all. If you’re looking to kick up your next party platter, boozy brunch or family gathering – Smirnoff Ice has you covered. Here are some fun and delicious Smirnoff Ice cocktail and appetizer recipes using Smirnoff Ice Original, Smirnoff Ice Strawberry, and Smirnoff Ice Green Apple – perfect fruity and citrus flavors that will steal the show whether you’re hosting or just bringing a dish to the party!
The holidays are rapidly approaching and we all need a few fun ideas for gifting, now don’t we? This hot list below is full of great holiday gift ideas and things I love, perfect for your friends, family and coworkers – whether they love pampering, cooking, or just relaxing and having a cocktail by the fire, there’s a gift on this list they’re gonna love too!
Perfect-sized lowball glasses for whiskey and mixed cocktail drinks monogrammed with gold metallic vinyl will look stunning on display on your holiday table or bar cart.
Seoulscrub’s collections – defined by all-natural ingredients, fragrant scents and nourishing benefits are crafted to stimulate circulation and leave skin with a spa-fresh glow. The set includes 5 assorted scrubs including: Lemon Blossom, Creamy Coconut, Peppermint, Sea Mist and Suede Vetiver. YUM! You should also get Dermatologist to check for skin cancer before you start using any products.
This gift-worthy Sparkling Cocktail Kit includes a beautiful sparkling wine, craft gin, Washington D.C. limoncello and a bittersweet, floral liqueur. Basically everything needed to mix up swanky cocktails like a French 75, floral Spritzer or Limoncello Sparkler.
It also includes a set of four stemless shatterproof Champagne flutes from Govino, designed with a divot for your thumb – perfect way to celebrate the holidays!
The black CUBE+ Lifestyle Action Camera from Polaroid makes it easier than ever to record and share all of life’s adventures. It has a built in video camera that shoots 1440p video at 30 fps, 1080p video up to 60 fps, and 720p video at 120 fps for slow-motion capture. Additionally, the camera captures up to 8MP still images. The CUBE+ also adds image stabilization for smoother looking video and built-in Wi-Fi for syncing with the CUBE+ app for iOS and Android devices. Super cool for any adventure loving photography buff!
Six handcrafted cupcakes made from recipes in Melissa’s new cookbook! Includes Electric Tie-Dye, Ice Cream Sundae, gooey S’mores, Babka, toasty Caramel Coconut & sweet Sugar Cookie. The Dream Team is an exclusive first taste of a few favorite recipes from CAKES by Melissa! cookbook.
Their ceramic mini fondue is perfect for sharing a quick fondue or tabletop tapas for two. Dunk rustic bread into melted cheese, swirl fruit in chocolate or enjoy a breakfast fondue of waffles dipped in warm syrup. Made of ceramic with a rubber wood base, it includes two stainless-steel fondue forks with wood handles and the pot is microwavable making it easy to melt chocolate or cheese.
For someone special, send them this awesome box of gourmet treats in a festive gift box including Harry & David 2014 Ross Lane Blend Red, mulling spices, cheese, mixed nuts, Moose Munch popcorn, cookies, crackers and jam for this you can use a good blender from the best blender under 100 list so is affordable to you.
A mouth-watering selection of premium chocolate bonbons packed in Jacques’ custom-made signature gift boxes. There is something for everyone with flavor schemes ranging from caramels, pralines, fruits, wine, teas, along with special edition holiday bon bons and a Happy Holidays Sleeve. Gorgeous flavors inside too: Spiced Wine (Milk), Swirls of Spiced Wine in Milk Chocolate, Merry Mint (Dark) , Mistletoe Mint in Dark Chocolate, Eggnog (White, and Creamy Eggnog in White Chocolate. YUM.
Perfect for special occasions, this imported Rose Gold Cake + Knife Set adds simple elegance to any table. Use it for your next celebration, or gift a set to a friend. Great for pies, quiches and cakes! And well, rose gold is just super cool and pretty too.
Made for the cocktail connoisseur or the amateur mixologist, this personalize cutting board is crafted from solid maple wood, and answers all your cocktail glassware, quantity and garnish questions engraved on the board. Made by J.K. Adams, who, for more than 65 years, has been handmaking beautiful, sustainably harvested wood pieces in Vermont.
For the cheese lover in your family, try sending them this classic cheese collection from Beecher’s Cheese – one of my favorite places in NYC! These three cheeses have been part of the Beecher’s repertoire since the beginning. Enjoy them all side by side for a perfect, full-flavored cheese plate. Includes
Beecher’s Flagship 1/3 lb, Beecher’s New Woman 1/3 lb, Beecher’s Marco Polo 1/3 lb, and Beecher’s Original Crackers. Perfect with wine for a holiday gathering!
The holidays are the perfect time for candles! And the candles at Bath and Body works are not only inexpensive but they have tons of yummy scents like Hot Cocoa and Cream, Spiced Apple Toddy, Campfire Donut and Vanilla Spiced Pear. Perfect way to spend a chilly evening cozied up by the fire with a cocktail.
Superfood Powders, Dr Smood
Dr Smood Superfood Powders would make a wonderful gift for the health and wellness-obsessed foodies on your list. They’re full of health-boosting goodness and are easy to use (they can be easily mixed into smoothies or juices, on yogurt or cereal or added to energy balls and no-bake treats).
There are a total of 13 beautifully packaged superfood powders, including Raw Cacao Powder, Spirulina Powder and Red Maca Powder. Each powder comes with an information packet, including a recipe and serving suggestions, and can be purchased at one of the five Dr Smood cafés in NYC or Miami.
This set of 6 handcrafted stone chillers comes in a hardwood tray with 2 tumblers and is perfect for chilling fine spirits without diluting them with ice. Fancy and perfect for the Scotch and Whiskey connoisseur in the family.
Cozy up with this sumptuously soft faux shearling throw and pillow set from Frontgate. Reversible with a down insert, is plush, soft, smooth and cozy… and great for movie night indoors with a hot chocolate or hot toddy!
My old friend and college roommate has just launched a new perfume line called CScents…she is a singer and musician, she even own a fender telecaster modern player, and has cleverly named all her scents around old classic songs like Juke Box Hero, Candy Girl and Strawberry Fields..brilliant!
Simple unscrew each of these containers (12 grams each) of salt varieties from the larger tower and get seasoning. Try them on their own, or mix and match the following flavors: Fennel Thyme Salt, Porcini Salt, Sagemary Salt, Caraway Salt, Vanilla Salt, Sumac Pepper Salt, Aleppo Chile Salt, Smoked Paprika Salt.
PLAY! By Sephora
These PLAY! by SEPHORA boxes includes a selection of subtle-yet-stunning makeup and skincare. A curated assortment of five trial-size samples, plus a beauty bonus, all in a collectable bag. Plus a PLAY! BOOK including how-to information and tips on the samples in your box and a PLAY! PASS redeemable for 50 extra Beauty Insider Points when used with a full-size purchase inside a local Sephora store. You can also subscribe to a $10/month subscription to receive different PLAY! boxes each month if you choose. FUN!
This Beaujolais Nouveau is fruity, with aromas of red berries and cherry. It is fresh, flavorful, round and unctuous and perfect for the holidays and Thanksgiving dinner! This wine pairs well with tapas, cheese, charcuterie, poultry and salmon. Recommended to be served slightly chilled.
Georges Duboeuf’s Beaujolais Nouveau is mainly sourced from the southern part of the Beaujolais region, which is a patchwork of terroir ranging from sand, clay and limestone to granite and schist. The difference in altitude and latitude can influence the style of wine. Georges Duboeuf and his team tasted more than five thousand samples over two weeks to craft this cuvée. Harvesting of this wine is done manually, in whole bunches, from vines that are over 20 years old.
This wine pairs well with tapas, cheese, charcuterie, poultry and salmon. Recommended to be served slightly chilled.
How cool is this foldable, packable pine table? It literally does come in a bag, and stretches out into an al fresco tabletop ready to host an entire picnic spread, whether at an outdoor concert, the park, the beach, or your backyard. Summer can’t come too soon 🙂
Perfect for the holidays to display all the gorgeous appetizers you are serving. And it’s made of slate, so you can personalize the message or label the food on the board. Love!
I just discovered an amazing new cafe and store in NYC called Dr Smood – have you seen it? If not, you need to go. Based out of Miami, Dr Smood is a health company that makes “Smart Food for a Good Mood” – and oh how you’re gonna love this place!
They make all their own juices, smoothies, organic products and delicious healthy food based on 6 moods – Power, Beauty, Immunity, Detox, Energy and Health, which you can choose based on your mood and feeling and what you want to gain from the experience.
I had the opportunity to visit the Flatiron location in NYC and had a delicious Organic Detox Juice #9, made with ginger, lemon, lime, raw honey, echinacea, and cayenne. Then for lunch I tried their Butternut Squash Soup, Turkey and Avocado sandwich on their homemade Performance Bread before browsing the beautiful cafe and store of amazing products including organic tea, coffee, chocolate, health and beauty supplements and organic dried foods.
Dr Smood’s Organic Superfood Powders
Dr Smood’s Organic Superfood Powders would make a wonderful gift for the health and wellness-obsessed foodies on your list. They’re full of health-boosting goodness and are easy to use (they can be easily mixed into smoothies or juices, on yogurt or cereal or added to energy balls and no-bake treats).
There are a total of 13 beautifully packaged superfood powders, including Raw Cacao Powder, Spirulina Powder and Red Maca Powder. Each powder comes with an information packet, including a recipe and serving suggestions, and can be purchased at one of the five Dr Smood cafés in NYC.
Dr Smood Red Maca Powder is an adaptogenic herb that helps the body to adjust to stress. Maca is an excellent source of phytochemicals and protein and helps to regulate the endocrine system and hormones, boost libido and increases energy, stamina and endurance. Enjoy maca in homemade granola or add it to tea, juice, smoothies, oatmeal or cereal. (SRP: $21.95)
Dr Smood Spirulina Powder contains over 60% complete protein—almost 3x as much as beef—and is one of the few good sources of plant-based B12. This algae can also boost your immunity and promote a healthy digestive tract. Use it to make a semi-raw soup with sweet potatoes and carrots, spirulina cacao clusters or add it to your favorite juice or smoothie. (SRP: $14.95)
Dr Smood Raw Cacao Powder contains approximately 40x more antioxidants than blueberries, which help the body to resist and repair damage from free radicals; plus it’s a natural mood booster and can promote beautiful skin, nails and hair. Use it to make hot cacao with coconut cream and almond milk this season and you will never want the standard version of hot chocolate again! You can also add it to coffee, yogurt, fresh fruits or smoothies. (SRP: $10.95)
I picked up a jar of the Red Maca powder at the store and created a new recipe for Maca Pumpkin Couscous w/ Shallots and Bacon and Crispy Sage that turned out absolutely delicious! Maca powder is a great supplement to add to sweet recipes like juices and smoothies and organic raw desserts, or savory recipes like soups, sauces, gravies, or to sprinkle on roasted veggies.
Maca Pumpkin Couscous w/ Shallots and Bacon and Crispy Sage
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield: Serves 4.
Serving Size: 1 cup
A delicious and healthy way to incorporate Red Maca powder into a lovely fall savory dish. Roasted pumpkin, sautéed garlic and shallots and bacon tossed into a basil and herb couscous topped with crispy sage and pumpkin seeds.
Ingredients
1 small sugar pumpkins, halved, seeds removed, skin on
3 tablespoons olive or coconut oil, divided
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon Dr Smood Red Maca Superfood Powder
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 shallots, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
6 slices of bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
1 package of Near East Basil and Herb couscous
6-8 sage leaves
Roasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds, for garnish
Parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Drizzle each pumpkin half with 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and pepper, Red Maca powder and cayenne. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Roast in oven for 1 hour, until fork tender and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
Remove skin from pumpkin, cut into 1-inch cubes and toss with maple syrup; set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the couscous according to package directions and set aside.
Cook bacon in oven on a large foil lined baking sheet for about 20 minutes until crispy and brown, drain and crumble; set aside.
Heat another tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan over medium heat; cook shallots and garlic for approximately 5 minutes until soft and golden (be careful not to burn!). Add sage leaves and sauté until crispy and browned.
Add the cooked pumpkin, bacon, garlic, shallots to the couscous and toss together.
Transfer to individual serving bowls, garnish with crispy sage, roasted pumpkin seeds and grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
You can also substitute roasted butternut squash or any other hearty veggies like eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and bell peppers.
Omit the bacon and cheese to make it vegetarian and dairy free.
Here’s another fun easy recipe you can make when you have a sweet tooth:
Maca, Coconut and Cashew Granola (gluten-free, vegan)
1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup raw, unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped 1 cup coconut flakes
4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon Dr Smood Red Maca Superfood Powder
pinch Himalayan fine grain sea salt
Preheat your oven to 300° F. Line a medium-sized baking sheet with parchment. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Spread all ingredients in an even layer on a pan. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Allow to fully cool on the pan. Granola will firm and turn crunchy once cooled. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
Check out the gallery below to see more photos of their amazing store and food and products I discovered!
To find a Dr Smood cafe and retail store near you, please visit their website at http://drsmood.com
It’s a cold, rainy Fall day in NYC, and what better than to make a big pot of cozy comfort food for the soul?
I was invited to join the TresOmega Blogger Recipe Challenge and I thought my One Pot Chili Mac Soup recipe would be the perfect thing to make with their gluten free pasta incorporated. This recipe is a cross between chili, tacos, mac and cheese and soup – all mixed together into a delicious pot of goodness..trust me, you’re gonna love this!!!
TresOmega Gluten Free Quinoa Elbows Pasta is made with a unique blend of Organic Royal Bolivian Quinoa – a nutrient packed superfood, organic amaranth, an ancient grain rich is vitamins and minerals, and organic white rice. The pasta is gluten-free, corn-free and certified organic and GMO-free, and has 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein in each serving.
Next I browned the ground beef, garlic and onions in a little more coconut oil and added some taco seasoning to the mixture in a large dutch oven.
Then I added all the delicious veggies to the pot – corn, three types of beans, tomatoes, and chiles, and mixed it all together with the ranch seasoning. Just cover the pot and let simmer on low for about an hour, adding the cooked pasta in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Guys, this is so easy..and soooo good!
You can top this soup with whatever your heart desires – sour cream, jalapeños, shredded Mexican cheese, green onions, corn chips, maybe even a little parsley or cilantro for some extra green…go nuts!
This one-pot recipe is so simple to make and so delicious and best of all gluten free! So you can have a big pot of comfort food without all the guilt and feeling weighted down. Although on a cold rainy day like today, it might just warrant taking a nice nap afterwards. Enjoy 😉
Heat one tablespoon of Tresomega Coconut Oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the ground beef, onions and garlic and brown for about 5-7 minutes; drain the excess fat. Transfer the mixture to a large stockpot or Dutch oven, stir in taco seasoning.
Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles and ranch dressing mix, and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in the pot on the stove.
Meanwhile, cook Tresomega Elbows according to package directions, drain, toss with a tablespoon of Tresomega Coconut Oil and set aside.
Add cooked pasta to the pot in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Top with corn chips, sour cream, shredded Mexican cheese, green onions and jalapenos.
Notes
Note - you can also cook the soup in a slow cooker over low heat for 6-8 hours.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post by TresOmega Nutrition as part of their Blogger Recipe Challenge. I did not receive compensation for this post but did receive products to develop this recipe and all opinions, recipes, photos and text are my own. Please do not use any images without my granted permission. Do feel free to share this post on social media with a link back to the original post and credit to Kristen Hess/The Artful Gourmet.
This is another favorite recipe I developed for my client Seven Barrels using their Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar to make a lovely sweet and tart dressing, perfect for salads around the holidays. I wanted to make a recipe that incorporates Thanksgiving leftovers and create something light and easy after such a big, rich, and heavy meal.
This Wild Rice + Turkey Bowl with Citrus Vinaigrette uses all that gorgeous leftover cooked turkey, some wild rice, crisp romaine, fresh oranges and orange zest, crunchy celery, red onion, dried cranberries and toasted walnuts, drizzled in a gorgeous lemon and raspberry vinaigrette dressing with a touch of cinnamon, cumin and tarragon.
Feel free to experiment too with the bowl ingredients – you can substitute any other healthy whole grain like quinoa or farro or brown rice, and you could also try using cooked chicken in place of the turkey and try dried tart cherries and pistachios in place of the cranberries and walnuts. Any way you make it..I promise it will be delicious!!!
Wild Rice + Turkey Bowl with Cranberries and Oranges
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: Serves 4
This is a great recipe for using leftover Thanksgiving turkey - a healthy delicious bowl salad with wild rice, romaine, orange, celery, red onion and dried cranberries and toasted walnuts, drizzled in a gorgeous lemon and raspberry vinaigrette dressing with spices and tarragon.
Ingredients
Turkey
2 cups roasted turkey (light and/or dark meat – large slices or shredded)
Prep the cooked turkey breast by shredding the meat into bite sized pieces or slicing it into large pieces for the salad.
For the vinaigrette, whisk together orange juice, Seven Barrels Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar, Seven Barrels Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, tarragon, grated garlic, 1 teaspoon orange zest, cumin, pepper, salt, and cinnamon.
For the bowl, combine cooked wild rice with 1 teaspoon orange zest. Toast chopped walnuts in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until lightly golden brown, set aside.
Divide cooked turkey, rice, romaine, orange segments, celery, red onion and dried cranberries among four serving bowls; drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with toasted walnuts.
Notes
You can also substitute dried tart cherries, and cooked chicken breast for the cranberries and turkey.
Try experimenting with other grains too - quinoa, farro, or brown rice in place of wild rice.
hey guys..the holidays are rapidly approaching and we all know what that means…parties, parties and more parties…full of friends and family sharing delicious food and drinks together. It’s the best time of the year!
I recently did some recipe development and a photo shoot for one of my clients, Seven Barrels, maker of premium infused Italian olive oils and vinegars with delicious flavors from natural ingredients. For the holidays I created a series of recipes featuring their Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar and Meyer Lemon Olive Oil – a delicious, sweet and tart flavor pairing that’s perfect for the holidays.
I decided to make some party food because we all like parties and appetizers / small bites are the way to go to keep them fun and social! My recipe for Sausage and Mushroom and Cheese Turnovers is an absolute flavor bomb and they’re super easy to make!
They’re stuffed with sweet Italian sausage, ricotta cheese, green onions, mushrooms, cranberries and mozzarella all wrapped up in buttery flaky baked puff pastry topped with sesame seeds. They’re the perfect crunchy, savory, cheesy bite in your mouth, with a hint of sweet and tart from the cranberries, lemon olive oil and raspberry vinegar for dipping.
You’re definitely gonna want to make these for all your holiday parties..trust me, they won’t last long 😉
Heat 2 tablespoons of Seven Barrels Lemon Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes until it starts to brown, crumbling while cooking to separate the meat. Add the green onions and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes until the veggies are soft and meat is cooked through. Drain the fat and excess liquid, set cooked mixture aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked sausage mixture with dried cranberries or tart cherries, ricotta, mozzarella cheese, 1 beaten egg and 1 tablespoon Seven Barrels Raspberry Balsamic vinegar to make the filling. Season with a dash of Italian seasoning, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
On lightly floured surface, roll one sheet of puff pastry into a large 12-inch square. Cut pastry sheet into 9 (4-inch) squares and brush edges with egg wash.
Place 1 rounded teaspoon filling on each square; fold to make a triangle; seal with fingers or fork. Place the triangles on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a large rectangular baking sheet and brush egg wash over the top of the turnovers, pierce 3 slits on top of each one, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, repeat steps above with the remaining sheet of puff pastry and sausage, mushroom and cheese filling to make 9 additional turnovers. Bake again at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Sprinkle sea salt and chopped rosemary (or thyme) on top of the turnovers for garnish. Serve immediately with Seven Barrels Raspberry Balsamic vinegar for dipping.
Notes
You can also substitute spicy Italian sausage or ground beef for the sweet Italian sausage.
To make a thicker dipping sauce (Balsamic Glaze), heat the vinegar in a saucepan over medium high heat until it reduces by half, drizzle over turnovers or serve as a dipping sauce on the side.
