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Come Party With Me: Camping Trip - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 05:54:31 -0700

One of my all time favorite movies is Troop Beverly Hills starring Shelly Long. In the film, she makes camping utterly glamorous with her fabulous tents and fashionable safari ware. With the right sort of decorations, you too can turn your campsite into a lush playground like Phyllis Nefler did. Obviously you will need the basics, such as tents and sleeping bags, but also pack a beautiful tablecloth, lots of unscented, colorful pillar candles and vases for all of the fresh wildflowers you find in the wilderness. Cushions for campfire chairs are essential for nights by the fire, as are a stack of thick blankets to keep everyone warm. Bring reusable wine and cocktail glasses and serve the food on colorful plastic plates. Set placemats on top of coolers to create makeshift coffee tables for the campfire chairs. Bring large paper napkins and dish towels for cleaning up after the meals. Got a great campfire decoration idea? Please share it with us below!!

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Come Party With Me: Camping Trip - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 06:58:51 -0700

In my opinion, camping trips should always involve a lot of alcoholic beverages. For the gourmet-like menu that you'll be enjoying over the weekend, lots of beer, wine, soda, and water (sparkling and still) will be necessary. To chill all of these beverages you will need several coolers with lots of ice so be sure to delegate. Have everyone bring a few 12 packs of beer and several bottles of wine. To ensure variety, assign fellow campers either a light or dark beer and a red or white wine. Everyone can bring their own water, sodas, and juices. Since you are planning the trip, it's a good idea to have the fixings for one surprise specialty cocktail that both men and ladies can enjoy. The last time I was at a campground I whipped up a cocktail similar to a hurricane and it was a huge hit. Although it has a pinkish hue, guys like it when they hear it's based on a hurricane. Get the recipe, just read more

PartySugar's Camping Cocktail

3 oz dark rum (suggested Captain Morgan)
2 oz pineapple juice
juice of half a lime
1 teaspoon super fine sugar
dash of grenadine

Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until sugar is absorbed and the drink is frothy.
Strain into a glass filled with ice. Top wth a lime wedge, if desired and enjoy!
Alternately to get a layered look, add the grenadine to the prepared glass with ice. Shake the rest of the ingredients and slowly pour into prepared glass over the back of a spoon.

Serves 1.

To make a big pitcher increase the amounts proportionally and stir vigorously before pouring into prepared glass.

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Come Party With Me: Camping Trip - Menu (Part 2)

partysugar — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:03:11 -0700

Yesterday I started planning the menu to a camping weekend in Yosemite. Instead of supplying the food for all the meals, ask guests to contribute. Have one couple bring sandwich fixings for Saturday's lunch. Have another bring Sunday's breakfast in the form of bagels, cream cheese, muffins, and fruit. For Saturday's dinner wrap salmon in foil and bake over the grill. Potatoes and onion packets cook the same way, wrapped tightly in foil. Cherry tomato skewers round out the menu.

A store bought fruit pie with whipped cream finishes the night on a sweet note. On Sunday before you pack up and drive off, serve guests a filling lunch of stuffed hot dogs. For these recipes read more

Salmon Baked in Foil
From Giada De Laurentiis

4 (5 ounces each) salmon fillets
2 teaspoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained
2 chopped shallots
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sprinkle salmon with 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir the tomatoes, shallots, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Place a salmon fillet, oiled side down, atop a sheet of foil. Wrap the ends of the foil to form a spiral shape. Spoon the tomato mixture over the salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the fish and tomato mixture, covering completely; seal the packets closed. Place the foil packet on a heavy large baking sheet. Repeat until all of the salmon have been individually wrapped in foil and placed on the baking sheet.
Bake until the salmon is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Using a large metal spatula, transfer the foil packets to plates and serve.

Serves 4.

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When my boyfriend and I first moved into together, we had a house warming party that was all skewers (super fun and really easy clean-up, just make sure you have garbage cans handy). The biggest hit of the party was the Caprese Skewers, a simple and colorful appetizer.

Ingredients
Cherry Tomato
Fresh Mozzarella balls (roughly the same size as the Cherry Tomatoes)
Olive Oil (I love Sciabica Basil olive oil - they are the oldest olive oil producer in California)
Fresh Basil
Balsamic Vinegar (optional)
salt and pepper
Skewers

1. Soak the skewers in water for an hour

2. Chop up the Basil

3. Skewer tomato, mozzarella and piece of basil. Repeat

4. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Voila, Caprese Skewers!

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Grilled Potato & Onion Packets
From Bon Appetit magazine
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2/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds white-skinned potatoes (about 4 large), peeled,
sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 large red onions, halved, sliced 1/2 inch thick
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Combine oil, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper in large bowl. Whisk to blend well. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
Add potatoes and onions to mustard oil. Toss to coat.
Set six 18 x 9-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil on work surface. Spray foil with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Divide vegetables among foil sheets, placing in center of left half of each. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold right half of foil over vegetables. Fold edges of packages together to seal tightly.
Place packages on grill. Grill until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 25-35 minutes.
Remove packages from grill. Slit top of foil and fold back. Garnish potatoes with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Serves 6.

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Hot Dogs Stuffed with the Works
From Mastering the Grill : The Owner's Manual for Outdoor by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim
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2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup refrigerated sauerkraut, drained, rinsed, and coarsely chopped
4 large hot dogs, such as knockwurst
1/2 ounce Cheddar cheese, cut into 4 small sticks
4 slices bacon
Oil for coating grill screen
4 long hot dog buns or small sub rolls, split

Mix the mustard, ketchup, and sauerkraut in a small bowl.
Slit the hot dogs lengthwise, forming a deep pocket end to end in each one. Fill the pockets halfway with the sauerkraut mixture. Put a stick of cheese in the center of each, and top with the remaining sauerkraut mixture. Wrap a bacon slice around each hot dog to hold it together, and secure the ends of each bacon strip with wooden toothpicks.
Put the grill screen on the grill and coat it with oil. Wait a minute or two, until the surface is hot. Grill the hot dogs until the bacon is cooked through and the hot dogs are browned on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.
To toast the buns, put them cut sides down directly over the fire for the last minute of cooking.

Serves 6.

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Come Party With Me: Camping Trip - Menu (Part 1)

partysugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:12:37 -0700

When planning a camping trip, select a menu before you leave the house and get as much as you can done in advance. For a weekend getaway, you should prep Friday & Saturday dinners and Saturday & Sunday breakfasts and lunches. For Friday afternoon's arrival at the campground, have a cooler of store bought snacks ready. Creamy cheeses, chips and dips, and sliced salami will tide guests over while setting up the tent. For the main course reheat already made corn chowder over the campfire. A green salad with fresh fruit pairs nicely with the chowder. Don't forget the fixings to s'mores, the classic campground dessert. The following morning for breakfast, scramble a big batch of herbed cream cheese eggs, serve bacon, toast, and sausage as hearty sides. For these tasty recipes, read more

Corn Chowder
From The Bon Appetit Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild
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6 ears fresh yellow corn (or about 4 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed)
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
7 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
1 1/2 cups finely chopped leeks, white and pale green parts only, (about 2 leeks)
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 pound white-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
6 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons dry Sherry
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 pound fresh crabmeat, picked over
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cut kernels off corn cobs. Set kernels aside. Combine cobs, broth and cream in heavy, large saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Heat oil in large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and saute until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
Pour off all but 3 tablespoons bacon drippings and add onion, leeks, celery and fennel seeds to pot. Sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in potatoes.
Discard cobs from cream mixture, and strain cream mixture into potato mixture. Simmer until potatoes are almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in corn kernels.
Simmer chowder until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer. (Can be prepared to this point 1 day ahead. Cover and chill bacon. Cool soup slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
Melt butter in large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in Sherry and thyme. Add mushroom mixture to chowder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Saute crabmeat in same large skillet over medium-low heat just until heated through, about 3 minutes. Divide crabmeat, reserved bacon and parsley among bowls. Ladle chowder over and serve.

Serves 8.

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Fruit Salad with Arugula
From Food & Wine magazine

1 cup whole blanched almonds (5 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon almond oil (optional)
Kosher salt
4 large nectarines (2 pounds), 3 sliced 1/4 inch thick and 1 coarsely chopped
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
1 pint blackberries or Persian mulberries
4 bunches of arugula (1 1/4 pounds), large stems discarded

Preheat the oven to 375°.
In a small pie plate, toast the almonds for 8 minutes, until fragrant. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon of the almond oil and sprinkle with salt.
In a mini processor, puree the chopped nectarine. Transfer the puree to a small bowl and add the shallot, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk in the olive oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon of almond oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Put the sliced nectarines and the blackberries in a medium bowl. Drizzle on one-third of the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.
In a large shallow bowl, season the arugula with salt and pepper and toss gently with the remaining vinaigrette.
Gently toss in the dressed fruit. Garnish with the almonds and serve immediately.

Serves 10.

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Cream Cheese Scrambled Eggs
Southern Living magazine

8 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, cut into cubes
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
Garnish: fresh basil sprigs

Whisk together first 4 ingredients.
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add egg mixture, and cook, without stirring, until eggs begin to set on bottom. Sprinkle cream cheese cubes evenly over egg mixture; draw a spatula across bottom of skillet to form large curds.
Cook until eggs are thickened but still moist. (Do not stir constantly.) Remove from heat. Stir in chopped basil before serving, if desired, and garnish, if desired.

Serves 4 to 6.

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Come Party With Me: Camping Trip - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 22:09:56 -0700

Although I'm no camper, I promised a friend I would help her plan a camping getaway for her boyfriend and a few other couples. They are going for the weekend, Friday afternoon to Sunday night, and I am organizing all the details before they leave. She called me up at the last minute and I threw together a quick invitation. To see how I made this invite in less than 15 minutes - evite couldn't have done it quicker - read more

To make an invitation similar to this one you will need:

computer, printer
images (the camping destination, a local map, and a fun tent)

To assemble the invite:

Create a collage with the images of your choice, leaving room for the party info.
Write out the details of the party, I used the font Synchro LET in size 14 to write out the following:

Grab Some Gear & Pack A Tent You're Invited!
Camping Trip

August 24-26
Yosemite Park
Call PartySugar
415.555.5555
For All The Details
Send the invite in PDF in an email or print it out like a flyer and have the mailman deliver it.

When was the last time you went on a camping trip? How were you invited?

Come Party With Me: Campfire Fiesta - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:15:51 -0700

After a long day of pitching tents, cooking food, and preparing dessert, the gang at your campfire fiesta definitely deserves a drink. No camping trip is complete without beer, so fill a cooler with plenty of ice and ask guests to bring their own brews. I'll also pick up a few bottles of red and white wine.

As the host of this fireside fete, you can also offer a fun addition to the bar menu. Since you probably won't have the time or energy to whip up something like a guavarita, opt for spiking a watermelon with rum. It's summery and refreshing, it will go great with the Mexican-inspired main courses, and it's easy to eat around the campfire. Just consume with caution, since it will undoubtedly be strong! To find out how to make it, read more.

Rum-Spiked Watermelon
Original Recipe

Ingredients

1 large watermelon
1 750-ml bottle of white rum, chilled
2-3 large Ziploc bags

Directions

At least 4 hours before serving, cut up the watermelon. Discarding the rind, cut the flesh into single-serving triangular slices.
Divide the slices between 2-3 Ziploc bags (however many you need) and pour an equal amount of rum into each bag.
Place bags in a cooler and let sit for at least 4 hours.
Remove watermelon from bag and discard excess liquid. Serve slices in a bowl or on a plate.

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'Wich of the Week: Sloppy Jose

YumSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:00:50 -0700

Food often tastes better on camping trips; it takes so much effort to make that I'm usually starving by the time I eat. Because I first tried Trader Joe's carnitas while roughing it, I had to revisit this tasty pork at home. Dare I say, it was better than I remembered. The fully cooked Mexican-style pork is easy to prepare - warmed in a saucepan with TJ's red mole sauce - but I wanted to expand its horizons.Naturally, I thought, "sandwich!" and imagined piling the pork onto soft bread with avocado, salsa, and cheese. Then I realized that the smoky, sweet flavor of the carnitas and mole reminds me of Sloppy Joes. Thus, the Sloppy Jose was born. To see how it came together, read more.

Though I used Trader Joe's packaged, cooked carnitas, you could also make the pork from scratch or use homemade mole in place of the jarred product. But if you live near a TJ's, I highly recommend their versions for a quick and easy dinner. I also added brown sugar to my mole to give it a more Midwestern comfort-food flavor.

Sloppy Jose
Original recipe

Ingredients

6 oz. prepared red mole sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
1 tablespoon water or broth
12 oz. fully cooked pork carnitas, cut into bite-size pieces
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
1 cup shredded lettuce*
1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Half of an avocado, cut into thin slices
1/4 cup salsa

Directions

In a saucepan over low heat, combine the mole sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce, and water or broth; heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To the saucepan, add carnitas and stir to coat. Cook slowly over low heat for 10 minutes or until fully heated through, stirring occasionally and breaking up the pork.
To make each sandwich, place 1/4 cup shredded lettuce on the bottom bun, then top with carnitas. Sprinkle a layer of shredded cheese over the pork, then lay a few slices of avocado over the cheese. Top with a spoonful of salsa, and place the top of the bun over the stack of ingredients to serve.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

*I used red leaf lettuce. However any other cool, crunchy lettuce (iceberg, romaine, etc) would be delicious.

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What's Yummy This Week: YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 23:45:13 -0700

This week we went on a virtual camping trip and provided you with lots of tips including how to pack your food for a camping trip, a simple easy dessert idea and why wine in a box is a great idea.
The magical Magic Shell chocolate will help you create your own It's It ice cream sandwiches.
Do you prefer peaches or nectarines?

Would you be able to eat this adorable Hello Kitty Bento Box?
Can you name this dish?
We got to see a re-match in the great Top Chef Restaurant War of 2007. You may know who won and lost, but were you really paying attention?
Check out who's sporting milk mustaches now!
If life gives you apples, make caramel apple bars.
Want to invest in a basket for fruit picking or farmer's marketing? You'll find some great ideas in these basket finds.

Is it just me, or is it getting haute in here? Don't miss these girly haute couture aprons.
Would you pay $2100 for a ham?
Do you prefer faking it over making it? If so then be sure to enter your best submission into the Real SImple Fake it, Don't Make It recipe contest.
Finally, if you're not reading enough about food here, be sure to check out our latest summer reading choices.

Off To Market: Campground Tablecloth

partysugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 12:32:43 -0700

Before summer ends, my pal Jessie is off on a camping trip and she needs our help! She asked to borrow a sturdy, yet stylish, tablecloth to cover the campground's picnic table during her stay at Lake Pinecrest. I do not camp and therefore don't have a campground tablecloth to lend her. Can you folks help by searching for a reliable, cotton, vinyl, or linen tablecloth? It should be fun, colorful, and outdoorsy. Bookmark the tablecloths you discover in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Campground Tablecloth. Good luck!

If you're unclear about how to bookmark on TeamSugar please read geeksugar's informative article.

Food & Wine's Top Tastes to Try in 2008

YumSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:22:11 -0800

In their recent January issue, Food & Wine magazine released their annual 100 Tastes to Try. This year the tastes have been broken down into 15 categories ranging from food trips to new ingredients. I took a look through the list and here are some of the ones that are topping my personal list of tastes to try in 2008. I don't know how feasible some of them are, but I know I can cross a few of these off my list.

A meal at Elizabeth Falkner's new restaurant Orson
Rare, edible plants like Sechuan button-flower bud
Honeydew-scented sake
Chocolate bars with popcorn
Saffron-flavored popsicles from Koolfreeze
Tom Douglas's Culinary Summer Camp

For the rest of my picks, read more.

More Sweetbreads - this one's easy, I already love that stuff!
A refreshing Amberjack
Faux Gras. I like the real deal, but am really curious about this one.
Barrel-aged American beers
Hungarian table wine
Exploring Instanbul's bazaars and Anatolia's clay-pot cooking with Nancy Harmon Jenkins
Something off the Treats Truck in New York

How about you? Why don't you look through the full list and tell me which ones you are hoping to try!

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