Posts for March 22nd 2012

Sugar Shout Out

Sugar Shout Out: Playful Prints to Display at Your Desk

10 work-themed Etsy prints to display at your desk Treat yourself with this buttery garlic bread recipe See the week's cutest celebrity social media snaps The most scandalous women in history Actors who were almost cast in The Hunger Games How to refresh a pet-friendly home Organize your spare cables in style Get inspired by the design in Katniss and Peeta's Capitol quarters January Jones joins fashion frenemies The best yoga poses to enhance your detox The 5 most creative ways to share baby news The details of Effie Trinket's out-there nail art 20 pieces perfect for Coachella, all under $100 Video: Rob Pattinson's racy Cosmopolis teaser


Cooking Basics

Colorful and Varied: A Brazilian Food Primer

Photo: Susannah Chen For a country as large as Brazil, it's no surprise that each region has its own traditional recipes and dishes.

Photo: Susannah Chen

For a country as large as Brazil, it's no surprise that each region has its own traditional recipes and dishes. Regional cuisines have been influenced over time by immigrants and what natural crops are available to them. In the North, you will find caruru, a dish featuring okra, onions, shrimp, peanuts, and palm oil, and in the South, you'll be able to sit down to a plate of lasagna. The Northeast enjoys a stew that has been made for 300 years, while the Southeast is more accustomed to meals featuring rice and beans. Regardless of all of the differences, all of the different cuisines sound fresh and flavorful. Find out some basic Brazilian dishes and ingredients when you keep reading.

recipes

Dessert Meets Happy Hour: Sorbet With Citrus Vodka and Lime Zest

If you happen to find yourself in need of a fast but sexy dish to close out a meal, try the simple combination of sorbet and vodka.


If you happen to find yourself in need of a fast but sexy dish to close out a meal, try the simple combination of sorbet and vodka. It works particularly well for large parties on warm days. While it may not be kid-friendly, you can always opt to simply leave out the vodka and still enjoy a scoop or two of sorbet with lime zest.


This combination of ingredients has been my mother's go-to dinner party dessert for years and years. And each time she serves this, people are always impressed by its martini glass presentation and simple sophistication. All you need is your favorite citrus sorbet (I used lemon and blood orange sorbet from Ciao Bella), citrus vodka, and lime zest. For the recipe, read on.

Dessert

Sorbet With Citrus Vodka and Lime Zest

Don't be scared to play around with your favorite sorbet and vodka flavors.

Don't be scared to play around with your favorite sorbet and vodka flavors.

From Camilla Salem, YumSugar

Sorbet With Citrus Vodka and Lime Zest

Sorbet With Vodka and Lime Zest Recipe

Ingredients

2 scoops citrus sorbet
1 ounce citrus vodka, like Absolut Citron
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime zest

Directions

  1. Place two scoops of sorbet into a martini glass.
  2. Pour vodka over sorbet and top with lime zest.

Serves 1.

giveaway

Enter to Win in LilSugar's Stroller-a-Day Giveaway


The snow has thawed and the ice has melted — Spring is finally upon us! Celebrate the warmer weather and blooming flowers by grabbing your lil one and heading outside. To help you do just that, we're giving away a Stroller-a-Day for the next 10 days! We will be giving away strollers from some of our favorite and most-trusted brands, keeping you and your child traveling in style this Spring, and beyond.

Check out today's stroller and enter to win on LilSugar's Facebook.

Appetizers

Make Elegant Parmesan Twists in Under 15 Minutes

If you're hosting or attending an impromptu gathering and you're in a crunch for time, turn to these ridiculously easy, cheesy twists.

If you're hosting or attending an impromptu gathering and you're in a crunch for time, turn to these ridiculously easy, cheesy twists. Here, chef Meg Hall shows you how to turn little more than puff pastry, parmesan, and ingredients you've already got on hand into an mouthwatering finger food in under 15 minutes. Keep watching for a quick and simple vegetarian appetizer that's as fun to make as it is to eat!

recipes

Treat Yourself With Warm, Buttery Garlic Bread

Come on, you deserve it.


Come on, you deserve it. Garlic bread is one of those indulgences that should be enjoyed every once in a while. It's just good for the soul. I came across this recipe a while back and was really excited by the idea of stirring a bunch of chopped garlic into melted butter then pouring it over a delicious loaf of bread.


This recipe is almost too easy. By that I mean it's so simple I'm inclined to make it all the time and, thus, eat it all the time. Three ingredients are required: butter, garlic, and bread (I like to use ciabatta for this recipe, but a baguette will work as well). But I highly, highly recommend the optional lemon zest addition at the end. It adds a layer of complexity to the experience, making it even more addicting.

Be careful during the broiling step not to step away for too long, otherwise you will end up with blackened, buttery loaves of garlic bread (mine were a little overdone, but that didn't stop me from inhaling them). Ready to make this? Get the recipe when you keep reading.

taste test

Dry Soda: A Celebratory Nonalcoholic Drink

How many times have you wanted a special, celebratory drink that didn't contain alcohol?

How many times have you wanted a special, celebratory drink that didn't contain alcohol? Well, this is where Dry Soda will become your very best friend. The Seattle-based company has a line of carbonated, flavored drinks, designed to be enjoyed with food in place of wine or beer (the creator was actually inspired by her pregnancies and having to abstain from alcohol!) or to be mixed in with your favorite spirits for a unique cocktail experience. Having only sampled a few flavors, I was thrilled to be able to finally try the entire line, thanks to Dry — especially juniper berry and the newer wild lime flavor. Click through to see all of the offerings.