Banana Sushi??????

Yes, we are serious banana sushi! The name sounds kinda gross but read the recipe and it sounds yummy. This recipe is a fun little twist on what we traditionally think of as sushi, don't worry no fish. Banana sushi can be served for breakfast, lunch or a snack and makes a great treat for kids and grown ups. The best part is it's healthy, delicious and easy! Click here for the recipe on ehow.

We found this recipe via Kinser Event Company. Their blog is full of gorgeous event inspiration, vendor reviews and this fun little recipe.  Kinser Events added a honey dipping sauce on the side!

 This recipe would make a great addition to a jungle themed party, or help to make the kids snack table look a little more grown up.

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Banana
• Peanut Butter
• Bread
• Knife
• Rolling Pin

1. Step1
   Take two slices of bread (whole wheat,whole grain, white) and remove the crusts completely.
2. Step2
   Take the two slices of bread and overlap them slightly. While overlapped, take a rolling pin and roll the bread slices flat. This will also connect the two slices of bread at the point of overlap.
3. Step3
   Take the peanut butter and spread a layer (thickness to your liking)evenly over the flattened slices of bread. Be sure that the bread is covered completely.
4. Step4
   Take a medium sized ripe banana and remove the peel completely. Lay the banana on the bread. Be sure the banana is placed at one end of the bread so that you can roll it up.
5. Step5
   With your knife, slice "sushi" sized pieces(about 1 inch thick) and arrange on a plate. You are now ready to enjoy your sushi!
   Tips & Warnings
   • Creamy peanut butter works best
   • If the banana is curved, straighten it slightly with your hands so that it rolls well in the bread.
   • Use whole grain or whole wheat bread for optimum nutritional value.

Southern Cocktails - Blueberry Martini

A few months back my mom, knowing how much I love all things party and all things southern, gifted me a copy of Southern Cocktails by Denise Gee. Ladies this is by far the most fun recipe book I have ever received. Page after page the delicious libations just keep on coming! There are also some yummy appetizer recipes thrown in for good measure. Southern Cocktails is the perfect planning resource for happy hour, a girls night, or really any event you want a signature cocktail for.
For all of our Swanky ladies out there we have the delish blueberry martini recipe to share with you!

BLUEBERRY MARTINI

Handful of fresh, washed blueberries (about 20 small)
1 1/2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce blue curaçao liqueur
1/3 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
Garnish: Several berries skewered on a cocktail pick
Muddle the blueberries in a cocktail shaker. Add the vodka, curaçao, and lemon juice. Fill the shaker with ice. Shake vigorously to help the blueberries release more color and flavor. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a chilled martini glass. Add the garnish. Yield: 1

Jolly Rancher Margarita Recipe!

Mmmmmmm This recipe has my mouth watering already! Elaina over at EllyB Events featured this yummy cocktail recipe. She discovered the recipe while at a BBQ at her best friends house. Swanky Chicks is so glad she shared it and we can't wait to make one tonight! This creative little drink recipe is sure to be a hit at your next party. Come up with a name for it like the Brandy's BerryRita, or something that coordinates with your party.
Here is the recipe:


20 oz prepared margarita mix

10 – 12 candy jolly ranchers

20 ice cubes

You can also make these non-alcoholic for a mom to be or anyone who doesn't drink!
Check out EllyB Events Blog for tons of great inspirations like this one.



 

Cotton Candy Martini Recipe

Happy Friday Swanky Chicks! Fridays just beg for you to relax and if you like partake in a little happy hour. We found a great little drink recipe perfect for entertaining compliments of Happy Hour Moms. Stop on by thier site for more great tips and ideas. Enjoy!

"Tis the season for holiday parties, great family get-togethers and work events. If you want to be the hostess with the mostess at your next soiree try a fun and festive new cocktail recipe. At HHM we like to promote moms to take a “happy hour” each day to unwind. Although we love more productive tasks, no one said a cocktail couldn’t be enjoyed from time to time. With a few easy ingredients you will wow your guests with a Cotton candy Martini."

Step 1
Start by dipping the rim of your glass in grenadine, or drizzling it over the rim. It’s ok if some gets inside the glass – it adds flavor!

Step 2
Spread the sugar out on a plate and place the glass, rim down, into it. Rotate so that the sugar sticks evenly along the rim.

Step 3
Put the glass aside until the end.

Step 4
Fill your cocktail shaker with ice and pour in your two ounces of raspberry vodka and one ounce of Chambord. Add a splash of grenadine for color.

Step 5
After shaking, add a splash of champagne to your mix.

Step 6
Strain the drink into your glass, careful to avoid the sugared rim.



Step 7

Enjoy wisely!

Show Us Your Life- Thanksgiving

Hi! I am so sorry for the lack of posts in the last week. We took a long weekend last week and then of course I came down with a cold! I am back in the saddle now so here come the posts. It's Show Us Your Life Friday again over at Kelly's Korner. This week everyone is sharing their Thanksgiving recipes and traditions. Last year I baked this delicious apple pie recipe from Paula Deen and got soooo many compliments. We do a pot luck with tons of in laws, out laws, and extended family :) So I was very pleased with myself that this little recipe impressed so many. It is amazingly simple for apple pie (I think I used the roll out dough rather than making my own) and so delicious.

Paula Deen Crunch Top Apple Pie

Dough and Filling:
Paula’s Perfect Pie Crust, recipe follows
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
3 1/2 cups peeled, chopped cooking apples
1 16-ounce jar applesauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter, chopped into small pieces

Crunch Topping:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
Dash of salt
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature



Paula’s Perfect Pie Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
12 tablespoons butter, (1 1/2 sticks) cold and cubed
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a 9-inch pie pan with half of dough. Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the apples, applesauce, and lemon juice. Spoon the apple mixture into pie pan and dot with butter. Cut remaining crust into strips; arrange in a lattice design over top of pie.

For crunch topping:

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over top of crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for about 45 minutes, or until crust and topping are golden brown.

Paula’s Perfect Pie Crust:

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn’t get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball. When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.

Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2007
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes

Spooky Halloween Treats

We chose our three favorite spooky halloween treat recipes from Southern Living magazine to share with you. These treats are delicious and perfect for any halloween party. Best of all they are simple and require NO Baking, yep you heard me. Delicious deserts and no baking required. ENJOY!

Chocolate Ghost Cakes

These no-bake treats are quick, easy and make great party favors. Get Step-by-Step Instructions from one of Southern Livings Test Kitchen professionals in the video tutorial.

Witches' Hats

For all the reluctant bakers out there, have no fear: Witches’ Hats require only three ingredients and no baking! Fudge-striped shortbread cookies are simply topped with a chocolate kiss and finished with a frosting bow.
Recipe: Witches' Hats

Yield

32 cookies

Ingredients
1 (4.25-ounce) tube orange or red decorating frosting
1 (11 1/2-ounce) package fudge-striped shortbread cookies (32 cookies)
1/2 (13-ounce) package milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped (32)

Preparation
Pipe a small mound of frosting in center of each chocolate-covered cookie bottom; press a chocolate kiss on frosting. Pipe a frosting band and bow around base of each kiss.

Easy Owl-Ween Treats

Open-faced Oreos, M & M’s, candy corn, and sprinkles bring a convenience store treat―a MoonPie―to life. Secure cookies and candy to your MoonPie with melted chocolate candy coating. Then insert a 12- x ¼-inch dowel, available at craft stores, into marshmallow center and secure with more chocolate for an eye-popping, kid-friendly sweet.

Watermelon Crush Recipe

Ingredients

8 cups seeded, cubed watermelon (about 4 pounds)1 1/3 cups light rum1½ cups freshly squeezed orange juice, or more to taste½ cup orange liqueur¼ cup powdered sugar, or more to taste2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions

Put the watermelon cubes in a plastic freezer bag; freeze for at least 8 hours Puree the watermelon and the remaining ingredients in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. Combine the processed mixture well. Serve in a large old pickle jar or punch bowl and scoop the mixture into Mason jars, tin cups, or other festive glasses

Watermelon Crush Recipe from The Hostess Blog and Southern Cocktails

Fish Taco Recipe- Kelly's Korner Blog Hop

This week at Kelly's Korner our blog hop is to share dinner recipes. This fish taco recipe is simple and always a big hit!
Ingrdients
Mahi Mahi or Orange Ruffy or another light white fish
3-4 Limes
Salt
Pepper
Cayanne Powder
Chili Powder
Shredded Cabbage
Shredded Cheese
Avacado
Sour Cream
Corn Tortillas
Olive Oil (If cooking inside)
Tomatoes
Salsa
Directions:
Place your fish fillets on cutting board or baking dish. Cut a few limes in half and squeeze juice over fish fillets on both sides. (Tip if you stick a fork in the lime and twist you get alot more juice) Then season with salt, pepper, cayane and chili powder to taste. You can then grill the fish or put a dab of olive oil in a pan an cook them on your stove top. Once the fish is cooked it will be flaky and you can shred it. Place shredded fish in a corn tortilla and garnish with your choice of cabbage, avacado, cheese, salsa, tomatoes etc. I usually serve mine with black beans and rice. It's easy quick and very yummy!

Shrimp Ceviche Recipe

Happy Monday! Our Swanky tip for you today comes by way of a simple yet delicious shrimp ceviche recipe. Ceviche is one of those recipes that looks and tastes delicious, and makes you look like chef extraordinaire. The best part about is it doesn't take a lot and pretty much anyone can pull it off! It is guaranteed to be a hit and is light enough for a daytime shower or an appetizer at an evening event.

Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
If you find the ceviche a little too acidic, drain out some of the juices after the marinating, add a little more avocado (or some olive oil) and/or a little more salt.
Ingredients
1 pound medium-small shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp salt
3/4 cup lime juice (juice from 4-6 limes)
3/4 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3 lemons)
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, minced
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cucumber, peeled diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 avocado, peeled, seed removed, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
Method

1 In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, salted with 2 Tbsp salt. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute to 2 minutes max, depending on size of shrimp. (Over-cooking the shrimp will turn it rubbery.) Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
2 Drain the shrimp. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces. Place shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix in the lime and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour.
3 Mix in the chopped red onion and serrano chile. Refrigerate an additional half hour.
4 Right before serving, add the cilantro, cucumber, and avocado.
Serves 4-6.

Now that your ceviche is complete it is all about presentation! For a little Mexican flare serve the ceviche with tortilla chips in margarita glasses. Try serving in martini glasses for a more elegant touch. Get creative with your presentation and you are sure to wow your guests. If you don't have enough glasses no sweat, your local Dollar Tree has wine and martini glasses for $1 each! Or try Cost Plus World Market they always have a great deal on stem ware.

Monkey Bread Recipe

With Easter coming up this weekend I tought I would share a swanky recipe with my swanky ladies! This monkey bread recipe is always a huge hit. In fact whenever we do pot luck I get requests for monkey bread. So I will probably be making it myself for easter sunday since we do a big family pot luck!

Ingredients

1/2cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cans refrigerated biscuits
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired
1/2 cup raisins, if desired
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease bundt pan.
In large plastic food-storage bag, mix sugar and cinnamon. Separate dough; cut each into quarters and roll into balls. Coat the dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Arrange in pan, adding walnuts and raisins among the biscuit pieces if desired.
Mix brown sugar and butter; pour over biscuit pieces.
Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate; pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

Happy Easter Ladies hope this recipe is a hit!

Tortilla Roll Up- Recipe

I thought I would share another amazing recipe with y'all today. These tortilla roll ups are a great idea for finger foods, and are light enough to be served with lots of other goodies. Whether you are hosting a baby shower, or bridal shower, or cocktail party this recipe is sure to be a hit!

Tortilla Roll-Ups Recipe #1
12 (14-ounce package) flour tortillas
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
12 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup salsa or picante sauce
PREPARATION:
Directions for tortilla roll-ups. In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, chilies, onion, red bell pepper, and Cheddar cheese. Mix thoroughly. Spread onto tortillas and roll up. Cover tightly and chill for 2 hours or overnight. Slice the tortillas into smaller portions to make a great hors devours.


Tortilla Roll Ups Recipe #2
These tortilla roll-ups are very popular, especially for holiday entertaining. Serve with salsa, Ranch dressing, sour cream, guacamole, or use your own favorite dip ideas.
INGREDIENTS:
5 large flour tortillas
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 ounces chopped green chiles, drained
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces sour cream
1/2 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste
salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or your favorite dip ideas
PREPARATION:
Have tortillas at room temperature. Place the remaining ingredients in a bowl mix with an electric mixer on low until well combined. Spread mixture thinly and evenly over tortillas to within 1/8-inch of edge. Slice into smaller portions for a great hors devour.

If you decide to try this yummy recipe please comment and share your thoughts or variations!

Crab or Chicken Salad Martini!

I have a wonderfully Swanky Party Tip for you today! I love to cook and I was raised in Texas so I always joke that my recipes are great but never healthy, or healthy but not as great. I also love getting my hands on as many new recipes as I can. Needless to say I adore Paula Deen and her amazing recipes! Good southern cooking maybe not so good for you but is always good. I get so many compliments when I use one of her recipes. I was watching Paula Deen over the weekend and found this awesome recipe with a very swanky twist! The Paula Deen recipe is a crab salad serve in a martini glass! This is such a classy and unique way to serve a light dish, your guests will be so impressed.

Cost Plus World Market always has inexpensive glasses if you are short on martini glasses. If you are not a seafood lover try making a chicken salad and serving it garnished in the martini glasses. (Hint to spice up my chicken salad I add a few spoonfuls of green salsa YUM) The Paula Deen recipe is Paula Deen Crab Martini. Enjoy!

Sausage Queso Recipe

Okay so this recipe may be more football party than baby shower but it is too good not to share! You will need a crockpot, one stick of velveta cheese, one can of rotel(in the mexican food area), and one roll of ground sausage jimmy dean is usualy the best the sage flavor. This is really easy but you should start it at least an hour or two before the party so your cheese melts. But not earlier than that or else it starts to burn on the edges. Brown your ground sausage in a skillet and drain. Cut up your velveta into smaller squares about 16th's but that's not too important the smaller the pieces the faster it will melt. In your crockpot add the cheese, sausage and rotel (do not drain). Heat on high until the cheese melts and then turn down to low or warm to keep the cheese from burning. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy. Your guests will love it! I always get requests for how to make this one. Don't forget to stop by Swanky Chicks for great baby shower and bridal shower favors to go along with your recipe!

Swanky Party Recipe- Fruit Dip

This fruit dip is a great little way to spice up your fruit tray. I suggest apples, melons, or strawberries specifically, but it is a great compliment to any fruit. Your guests will all be asking where you found the recipe, I did. I picked this up from a great friend at one of her parties!

Fruit Dip
1 large tub of Cream Cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 package Heath toppings

This is super simple. Empty your cream cheese into a mixing bowl and add the sugar and brown sugar. Whip this mixture with a fork or mixer. Add the heath topping (this is at yor discretion as much or little as you please) and mix. Transfer your dip into a serving bowl or party tray. Serve with fruit.

I hope your guests love this as much as I did!