Sunday, March 4, 2012

White Sangria, Vegan Dinner Party #4, and More!

It was gorgeous here this weekend - blue skies, sunny, and incredibly warm. Saturday was one of those days where you feel like it should be a rule to be outside. It inspired this easy, spring/summer themed dinner party menu - which, other than the homemade chocolates, was a snap to to throw together last-minute.

Beverage: White Summer Sangria (see notes below)
Appetizer/Starter: (made by my man!) Caprise salad (not pictured above, but it was beautiful, with yellow & red vine ripe tomatoes. Made vegan by using avocado instead of mozzarella)
Main: Wheat berry salad with roasted delicata squash, grapes, asparagus, apricots, walnuts and rosemary (a variation of my farro fruit & veg salad; for a quicker cooking time, use farro or quinoa instead of wheat berries)
Desserts: Homemade sorbets and chocolates (posts coming soon!)

I'm a little back-logged on some recipe posts I need to put up, including some items from previous dinner parties, but I promise these and others are coming! For now, how about I tide you over with a beverage? ;-)


K's White Summer Sangria
This is light, fruity, and always a good beverage choice for a warm day! Simply combine a bottle of dry white wine, 1/4 cup brandy, up to 1/4 cup sugar, and stir. Add cut fruit of choice, including: strawberries, orange, lemon, lime, kiwi, and banana (leave peel on orange, lemon and lime; otherwise the pith will come off and add an unwanted consistency to the sangria). Chill, and just prior to serving splash in a little diet sprite. This packs a little punch from the brandy, so I like to leave the sprite out in case people want to alter the strength a little!

Later in the week, I'll post some easy sorbet recipes, as well as all about my exciting first time making chocolates!

Speaking of the chocolates, while waiting for them to set, I realized I'd been tagged in a blog-world getting-to-know-you game of sorts. Click here to read more about that!

4 comments:

  1. those chocolates look SO good!

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    1. Thanks! They WERE ;-) Post coming soon...

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  2. Um yes please on everything you posted here!

    Love the idea of replacing the mozarella with avocados - that wounds so amazing!

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    1. Thanks! I think avocado is my go-to substitute for cheese these days.... Oh and I (mostly) played along with the getting to know you game too! See prev post. Thanks for tagging (and hopefully my disobeying the rules doesn't disappoint!)

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