Summer is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a fun night of great food, cool cocktails, and juicy gossip with your closest gal-pals? (Gentlemen, you may wish to retreat to your nearest outdoor grill for a great burger party).
The recent release of “Sex and the City 2″ inspired us to create some great ideas to help kick off the summer party season. Whether for a casual “girls’ night out” …at home, spunky bachelorette, or lively bridal shower, Big City Chefs has you covered! So put on that cute new outfit, call your girlfriends, and throw a get-together with simple light bites and a cocktail or two, then catch the movie afterwards, or just be fabulous at home. We’ve put together a few recipes to get you started.
Sugar Cane Skewered Shrimp with Pineapple Glaze
These shrimp are delicious hot off the grill. To save on calories and saturated fat, use I
Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!® instead of butter(0 grams trans fat per serving)
Ingredients:
Sugar cane skewers
1 pound Large shrimp
Kosher Salt, to taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1 8-ounce can Crushed pineapple in juice, drained
1/2 cup Pure maple syrup
1/4 cup Fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Soy sauce
1/4 stick Butter (or trans fat-free butter substitute*)
Directions:
1. Skewer shrimp, season with salt and pepper and grill about 5 minutes, or until just cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, whisk crushed pineapple, maple syrup, lemon juice, mustard, soy sauce, and butter in medium saucepan to combine. Baste shrimp skewers with some of pineapple mixture, and grill again.
3. Serve the leftover pineapple glaze as a dipping sauce.
*We recommend using I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter!® sticks.
Chef Jesse’s* Cotton Candy Martini
You’ve seen Chef Jesse make these on Food Network’s “Private Chefs of Beverly Hills.” Now, make them for your guests! We offer an alcoholic and non-alcoholic version.
Ingredients:
Cotton Candy (in a variety of colors)
Lemonade
Soda Water
Ice
Raspberries and blueberries to garnish
What you do:
1. Take a small bunch of cotton candy and place in a chilled martini glass
2. Mix lemonade and soda water together in a martini shaker with ice.
3. Pour the lemonade over the cotton candy. The cotton candy will instantly dissolve and create a really pretty pink or blue color!
4. Garnish with raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries on a festive tooth pick.
Remember: It’s the “show” that counts here, so wait until you are just about to serve in front of your guest before you pour!
Note: For a “true” cocktail add some vodka to the lemonade mix.
*Recipe Courtesy of Chef Jesse from Private Chefs of Beverly Hills — please visit Chef Jesse’s website at www.jessebrune.com
Many thanks to our friends at I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter!® for their support.
is there anything else besides lemonade i can use?
Hi Michele,
We do love the tart sweetness of lemonade, but if you wanted a great substitue that’s a little healthier without that strong citrus kick, then we recommend pomegranate juice for a fantastic alternative.