Champagne isn’t the only refreshment that can be cooled in shiny silver buckets. La Tete au Cube has created a cooler that doubles as a self-serve station for party guests that prefer brewsky over bubbly.  Made of highly reflective metal, the “So Cool” Cooler conveniently features 17 bottle openers that, from a far, look like an abstract design around the top.

Sold at Charles and Marie for $129, the beer bucket is a Lazy Hostess pick for an entertaining item that has both high style and high function.  Definitely a step up from the galvanized bins you find at backyard BBQ’s, this cooler is good looking enough to grace any cocktail reception.

PHOTO CREDIT:  La Tete au Cube

Slaving over a hot stove in the dog days of summer can be a chore.  Stay cool by creating a summer menu of freshly chilled ingredients packed with bold flavors.  Chef Ulrich Sterling of Agua Dulce restaurant shares a favorite recipe from his Latin kitchen for your next get-together.  His Summer Ceviche is a salmon and citrus dish that is surprisingly easy to make yet impressive to serve.

Summer Ceviche

12 ounces Filet Belly Side Organic Scottish Salmon, sliced super thin
6 ounces Lime Juice, freshly squeezed
1 Small Sweet Orange, segmented.
5 Red and Green Jalapenos, sliced super thin into rings
6 ounces Red Onions, sliced into mini half moons
2 ounces Lemon Oil (store bought  or homemade)
4 tablespoons Mustard Oil
1 ounces Fresh Cilantro, chopped
Maldon sea salt to taste

Mix salmon and lime juice in a medium mixing bowl and place in the fridge for at least 10 min. In separate bowls, marinate the jalapenos and red onions in 1 cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of sugar, then drain.

Add all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add the salmon and coat well. Serve with warm tortilla chips or some shaved veggies
for a real summertime treat.

Chef’s notes:  if you can’t find mustard oil, fresh horseradish is a great substitute.

And, for a tasty libation that will get you and your guests into the Latin state-of-mind, Chef Ulrich suggests serving a traditional Peruvian drink called the Pisco Sour.  His recent visit to the Oro Distillery outside of Pico, Peru supplied him with their special recipe and a few insider tips on the proper technique for the perfect cocktail.

Pisco Sour

2 ounces Oro Pisco
5 medium Basil Leaves, torn
1 large teaspoon Sugar
Juice of 1 Whole Fresh Lime
One large Egg White
2 cups Ice (larger cubes preferred)

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker.  Shake extremely well for 5 min then strain into a martini glass. Top with some homemade bitters.

Chef’s notes: The real trick to this perfect summer cocktail is in the technique. It has to be shaken extremely well to froth up the egg white. For the lime juice, use an old lime press juicer, both halves pressed twice to extract all the juice, as well as some of the natural oils from the peel.

Inspired by the Latin regions of the Caribbean, Central and South America, Executive Chef Ulrich Sterling serves up Pan-Latin cuisine at his restaurant Agua Dulce located at 802 Ninth Avenue, New York.  For reservations and private parties, contact 212-262-1299.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Agua Dulce

It’s a sweet wonton.  It’s deep fried ravioli.  Whatever you call it, you can’t deny that this simple treat sounds delicious and, like all Lazy Hostess-approved recipes, it’s sophisticated yet simple to make.  The Nutella Ravioli, courtesy of our favorite Italian chef and Food Network star, Giada de Laurentiis, is a fun dessert that is crunchy on the outside with oozing warm chocolate hazelnut on the inside.

The best part is that you can fry them the night before, let them cool completely and then store covered on a baking sheet in the fridge until you are ready to pop them in the oven for an after dinner treat.

Nutella Ravioli

16 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten to blend
1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
Vegetable oil, for frying
16 fresh mint leaves
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Granulated sugar, for dredging
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Place 1 wonton wrapper on the work surface. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with egg. Spoon 1 tablespoon of chocolate-hazelnut spread into the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper diagonally in half over the filling and press the edges of the wrapper to seal. Place the ravioli on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers, egg, and chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Add enough oil to a heavy large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Working in batches, carefully add the ravioli to the hot oil and cook until they are golden brown, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Transfer the cooked ravioli to another baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while frying the remaining ravioli.

Spray the top side of the mint leaves very lightly with nonstick spray. Working with 1 leaf at a time, dredge the coated side of the leaves in sugar to coat lightly. Arrange 2 fried ravioli on each plate. Dust the ravioli with powdered sugar. Garnish with the sugared mint leaves and serve.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Food Network

Chef Adam Perry Lang jumped from some of the world’s top four-star kitchens to the backyard BBQ, transforming the art of grilling in America along the way.  Just in time for the holiday weekend, we have collected a few of the chef’s expert BBQ tips and tricks from an article on Epicurious.com written by JJ Goode, Laing’s co-author of Serious BBQ: Smoke, Char, Baste, and Brush Your Way to Great Outdoor Cooking.

Clean Your Grate
Perry Lang debunks the myth that dirty grill grates somehow help flavor your meat: They add flavors all right, he says—bitter, unwanted ones. So he urges you to get a sturdy brush and clean your grate before and after each use.

Go All-Natural
You should never use lighter fluid or charcoal treated with the flammable liquid, warns Perry Lang. Building a natural fire might take a little patience, but it’s very easy and far preferable to spoiling your food’s flavor with the chemical taste of lighter fluid.

Moderate the Flame
Showing off your grill’s BTUs can be fun, like speeding around in a Corvette, but sky-high heat isn’t always best for your meat. Perry Lang cooks thin cuts with very high heat, but for thicker ones like the steaks in this menu, he sticks with medium or medium-high. After all, you don’t want the meat’s exterior to over-char before the interior is done. To that end, he also creates zones of lower heat—places to retreat to when food threatens to burn—by turning down the burner or putting fewer coals under a particular portion of the grates.

Work With Flare-Ups
To some outdoor cooks, flare-ups are to be avoided at all costs. But Perry Lang embraces them. Not only are they inevitable—the result of fat dripping onto the coals or gas flame—but within reason, they produce flavor-boosting caramelization.  Here are his three easy strategies: jockeying (moving your meat to a different part of the grill); stacking (putting a piece of meat that needs a break from the heat on top of another that doesn’t); and flipping (yet another way to keep tasty char from becoming bitter).

PHOTO CREDIT:  Epicurious.com

To begin, fill a bucket 3/4 of the way with ice.  Add enough cold water to cover the ice and then add 1/4 cup of salt.  Stir the mixture and place the wine in the bucket.  In 25 minutes, your bottle should be cold enough to serve.  Make sure that you carefully wipe all of the salt off the bottle before pouring it for your guests.

Think it’s magic? Here’s the scoop (to impress your guests further): in order to chill the wine, the heat in the bottle has to be transferred to its surroundings.  Since liquids are better than gases (air) at transferring heat, a bottle sitting in water with ice cools faster than if you put it in the freezer.  Simply put, the water cools the bottle, the ice cools the water and the salt lowers the overall temperature.

Observation: the better the wine, the faster the consumption and the greater the need for chilling additional bottles.  No scientific explanation needed there!

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It’s a family affair.  Since 1914, the Russ clan has been providing New Yorkers with smoked fish as well as other appetizers that have made them part of the city’s cultural heritage.

Dropping into the Russ & Daughters landmark shop in the Lower East Side, which has been in the same location since 1933, is quite the culinary experience with a vast selection of specialty fish including cured salmon, stuffed trout, peppered mackerel, pickled herring and caviar.

Try the New York Brunch ($85), which includes New York Nova Salmon, all natural cream cheese, hand rolled bagels,  chocolate babka and a bag of Private Blend coffee with a mug.  Available for delivery, the New York Brunch package serves up to 6 people and would be the perfect Lazy Hostess choice for an early morning get-together or a welcome gift for visiting in-laws or sleep deprived new parents.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Russ & Daughters

Decorating with a heavy hand can leave your holiday party looking a little too much like Santa’s lair.  Our friend and celebrated event designer David Stark shows us how to lay off the tinsel and faux snow for a more natural aesthetic this season.

For The Lazy Hostess, Stark shares his top 5 design ideas for a festive home including a few favorite pieces from his new collection at west elm.

1. The supermarket is a decorator’s best friend, and a bag or two of fresh cranberries goes a long way in creating a holiday look without a lot of fuss.  To give inventive cheer to the standard escort card table, fill serving trays with a carpet of fresh cranberries and arrange the cards over the top in rows.  Line trays of hors d’oeuvres with the cranberries to create a bed of rich color for the food.  To round out the theme, serve a cranberry cocktail with a fresh cranberry garnish.

2. Our Natural Weave Trees from west elm are the no mess/no waste version of a Christmas tree! There is virtually no “set-up” unless you feel like decorating them – you can pin ornaments, holiday cards, or garlands to the cones or simply enjoy them as minimalist sculptures without any ornamentation at all!

3.  Use the holiday gifts that you will be giving family and friends as your holiday décor prior to giving them as gifts.  Instead of storing them in your closet or under a bed, wrap them in coordinated papers and ribbons and place them around the house in beautiful vignettes.

4.  Candles are instant magic.  I am using our gold flower candle lantern from west elm a lot this season.  They last and last and last – I love the pattern which is celebratory but not particular.  They have gone from Halloween to Thanksgiving and now will hit Christmas and New Years in my home.  Buy design elements that have multiple holiday uses – GREAT on the wallet. GREAT on time!

5.  A simple cloth napkin can provide all the décor you need to make your dining table feel special and the fold takes only seconds.

David Stark Design (87 Luquer Street, Brooklyn 718-534-6777) produces and designs a wide range of events, from intimate dinner parties to elaborate weddings, museum openings, foundation and non-profit benefit galas, and large-scale corporate functions for clients including Tory Burch, MOMA, Target, and the New York City Opera.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of David Stark Design and west elm

Related Posts:  Easter with a Twist,  Green Inspiration

When it comes to this type of dining, who better to ask than chef Marc Murphy  who is known for his rustic Italian and French cuisine and his easy going style.

The renowned chef took a moment from his busy New York restaurants – Ditch Plains, Landmarc Tribeca and Landmarc Time Warner Center – and his spot as judge on the Food Network show, “Chopped,” to share his secrets with the Lazy Hostess on how to plan the ultimate autumn feast complete with one of his widely popular food stations.  Here’s what we learned:

Display an Abundance of Food
A table presented with an abundance of cheeses, meats, savory snacks, bread and vegetables is an easy way to entertain guests without having to replenish throughout the evening.  A typical Landmarc food station, prepared by Murphy’s catering team, is almost overflowing with a variety of cheeses such as old Amsterdam, Parmesan and Saint Andre, large bunches of red and green grapes, sliced country bread and breadsticks as well as savory antipasto including grilled artichokes, roasted red peppers and marinated mushrooms.

Pack it Together for Fullness
To set up your food station, use items found in the kitchen such as wooden cutting boards, cast iron and copper pots mixed in with other serving bowls and platters.  Create various heights to show off the different food selections (meat, cheese, antipasto) and drape a large white tablecloth over everything to hide the risers underneath. Pack everything tightly together and fill in all the gaps between the levels with bread to create an appearance of fullness and the look will be impressive!

Serve a Signature Cocktail that Reflects the Season
Murphy likes to prepare a big batch of one signature cocktail for the night that reminds guests of the autumn season.  A new creation that is being served at Landmarc events is the Harvest Mojito which is made with white rum, fresh lime juice, mint syrup and beet puree.

Stick to Hearty Seasonal Food
The Landmarc menu is filled with dishes like lamb meatballs with tomatoes, whipped ricotta and mint as well as herb roasted branzino with sautéed radiccio, carrots and zucchini.  Another crowd favorite is their Orecchiette alla Norcina, which is a hearty pasta dish that is very easy to prepare.

Here’s the recipe for you to make at home.

Orecchiette alla Norcina
6 servings (8 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian pork sausage (preferably without fennel seeds), casing removed, crumbled
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound orecchiette

Bring one gallon of water to boil.   Add 2 tablespoons salt.  Add pasta and cook 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add sausage and sauté until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.  Add cream and rosemary and bring to a boil.  Add drained pasta to pan and cook for 5 minutes.  Add parmesan and cook for 3 more minutes, tossing frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Marc Murphy Recommends
We convinced chef Murphy to give us the scoop on some of his favorite resources and brands, which include olives from Sahadi’s, pistachios and mixed nuts from Bazzini Nuts and bread from Sullivan Street and Grandaisy Bakeries in New York.

For more information about Landmarc Catering, contact Lisa Mensch at 646-688-0058 or visit their website.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Landmarc Catering

With the chicest social types embracing the concept of hosting a party where their guests get a hand in the entertaining, the potluck dinner has been elevated from its simple bring-your-own-dish status to a creative group dining experience. Of course, The Lazy Hostess loves the idea of easy home cooking with any army of sous chefs in tow.

Here are some fresh ideas and tips for hosting the modern day potluck:

Divide and Conquer
With so many (literal) cooks in the kitchen, you, as the host of the party, need to give some clear direction to make the night run smoothly.  The more you plan your group menu in advance, the better the final outcome.  Break the food and drinks into categories like appetizers, entrees, dessert and bar so that guests can tell you what they’d like to bring.  Make sure you have enough guests in each category so that you don’t end up with just wine and pie for dinner!

Take the Lead
As the dinner host, you need to provide the foundation for the meal.  This means that you should prepare and serve an entree dish that will anchor the night’s menu and provide a significant amount of food for your guests.  Don’t forget that it’s your responsibility to provide the basic supplies for the party including dinnerware and cutlery, napkins and serving utensils. If you need more supplies, try ordering eco-friendly items from Sustainable Party, which carries cups, plates, forks and more.  For the bar, you will need glassware, ice, garnishes, mixers and bar tools.

Style Your Food
With food arriving throughout the night and in a variety of containers, you need to have a system to organize everything.  If you have extra serving platters, transfer the food from the plastic containers they arrive in to more aesthetically pleasing options, like the porcelain collection at Crate & Barrel  Designate food stations for appetizers and salads, entrees and desserts to keep access to the buffet less congested.  Set up a separate bar so that guests may help themselves.

Select a Theme
To avoid a hodgepodge of dishes and to simplify the assignment for guests, select a theme for the night.  Some of the more popular themes are Italian or Indian night and Chili Cook-Off (where various guests bring their best pots of chili for guests to taste). For something more original, use a favorite film (Like Water for Chocolate) or a specific cookbook (Julia Child) for your event and menu inspiration.

Don’t Slave, Slow Cook
Potlucks call for hearty food that can be easily prepared, shared and served.  A true Lazy Hostess short-cut, we like to use a slow cooker to create savory food with less time in the kitchen.  Whether you are making soup, stew, cassoulet or chili, a slow cooker will let you quickly prep your ingredients, throw them into the pot and then leave for up to 8 hours while it does everything else (which means perfectly cook and meld together all those delicious flavors!)  Our absolute favorite is All Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker which has a non-stick interior pot that can be removed for stove top cooking as well as for serving at your table.

To get you started, here is one of our tried and true recipes, originally from Real Simple and adapted for preparation in a slow cooker.

Turkey Red Bean Chili

2 pounds lean ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 can diced tomatoes (14 ½ ounce)
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained (15 ½ ounce)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne

Place a non-stick pot over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, stirring well, and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Transfer the pot back into the slow cooker (if using the All Clad) or transfer contents of pot into the slow cooker. Add the broth, chili powder, cumin, tomatoes, beans, salt, and vinegar.  Still well.  Close lid on slow cooker, set on lowest heat and leave for up to 8 hours.
When ready to serve, offer your guests garnishes including shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped jalapeno and chives as well as sides like corn bread or crunchy tortilla chips.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma and Real Simple

Don’t fuss over fancy sweets when you can whip together a delicious dessert in 2 seconds flat.  The Lazy Hostess picked up the perfect little recipe for times like these.  It’s from Aussie cookbook author Donna Hay, who is known for her gorgeous photography and mouth-watering culinary dishes.

This dessert, which we have fondly renamed “Brioche Bombs,” are ice cream filled sweet buns that are always a crowd pleaser.

Adapted from Donna Hay

INGREDIENTS
8 mini brioche buns
1 pint of ice cream (in your favorite flavor)

RECIPE NOTES
Cut a circle out of the tops of each brioche bun with a knife.
Remove some of the middle to create a long narrow hole.
Fill the hole with a scoop of ice cream.
Serve immediately to your guests.

While any ice cream flavor will do, we think that if you are going with pre-made ingredients for this dessert, you should spring for something rich and decadent like Ciao Bella’s Dulce de Leche or Maple Ginger Snap.

The individual buns are easy to serve and, since you can eat them with your hands, easy to enjoy!

For more Donna Hay recipes, buy her book Instant Entertaining.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Con Poulos for Donna Hay

And, the love affair with The Minimalist continues….

Published recently in the New York Times, one of our favorite food writers and cookbook authors, Mark Bittman, gives us 101 Simple  Salads for the Season, a full range of effortless recipes, that claim to take 20 minutes or less to prepare.

One of our favorite salads on our list is #58, which consists of cubed rare or seared tuna, sliced jicama and shredded Napa cabbage dressed with mirin, soy sauce and cilantro.  For vegetarians, we recommend #38 – a fresh salad of cubed watermelon, chopped mint, crumbled feta, sliced red onion and chopped Kalamata olive with olive oil and lemon juice.

To top it off (literally), Bittman shares some of his most popular recipes for salad dressing including, Avocado Basil Vinaigrette and Miso Ginger Vinaigrette.  We still love his Basic Vinaigrette, a classic dressing with minced shallots that goes well with everything and keeps in the fridge for a few days. Recipe below:

Basic Vinaigrette

Adapted from “How to Cook Everything,” by Mark Bittman (Wiley, 2008)

Time: 5 minutes

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons or more good wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large shallot, cut into chunks (optional).

1. Combine all ingredients except shallot in a blender and turn on machine; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add vinegar a teaspoon or two at a time until balance tastes right to you.

2. Add shallot, if using, and turn machine on and off a few times until shallot is minced within dressing. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve. (This will keep, refrigerated, for a few days.)

Yield: About 3/4 cup.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Francesco Tonelli for the New York Times

The Lazy Hostess loves this type of stress-free entertaining and has scoped out some of the best gadgets, tools and products to make your BBQ experience even easier.

BBQ in a Bucket
For most urbanites, outdoor space is hard to find.  This Metal Bucket Grill  ($34.95) is an ingenious portable BBQ that works well for small decks as well as grilling on the beach.  All you need to do is fill with charcoal to get the party started!

Marinate Your Meat
This is an easy preparation tip that makes all the difference to the flavor of your meat.  Marinate the night before with a savory and sweet sauce like Jonathan Q BBQ ($4.29), which is made from all natural ingredients and ideal for grilling, baking and broiling.

Perfect Flipper
Here’s a great tool for the grill master in your group!  It’s a stainless steel Meat Hook ($9.96) from Sur La Table that makes flipping food mess-free and safe!

Fry on the Grill
Steaks, burgers and chicken are not the only things that can go on the BBQ.  We love cooking vegetables like sweet Vidalia onions, red and yellow peppers and Portobello mushroom caps in this Mesh Grill-Top Fry Pan ($29.95). Made from heavy-gauge, stainless steel wire, this fry plan creates perfect grill marks, while preventing food from falling into the fire.  And, its dishwasher safe for simple clean-up!

Corn Zipper
Fresh corn salad is a favorite side dish for summer meal but it can be labor intensive to cut the kernels off the cob. Now making it can be super efficient with this Corn Zipper ($12.95) which lets you uniformly strip off the corn.  We like tossing the corn with thinly sliced radishes, chopped parsley or cilantro, red onion, jalapenos, olive oil and lots of lime juice and pepper!

PHOTO CREDIT:  Sur La Table, Crate and Barrel, Williams Sonoma

Summer entertaining calls for casual dishes that can be whipped up in an instant and that pack a flavorful punch.  Bursting with bright colors and fresh ingredients, Mexican food is the quintessential summer cuisine and always a crowd pleaser.

We asked chef Julian Medina, one the leading Mexican chefs in the city and owner of Toloache restaurant for his insider tips on making his famous guacamole.

Use Mexican Haas Avocados
Guacamole is made best with ultra-ripe avocados from Mexico. Avocados from other areas like Argentina are too watery and don’t have enough flavor.

Marinate the Onions
One of my secrets to making guacamole is to marinate the onions in lime juice, jalapenos, and salt before mixing all the ingredients together.

For a Healthy Option, Serve with Vegetables
I typically serve the guacamole with freshly made corn chips but other times I opt for healthier options like sticks of jicama or cucumber, green mango, and hearts of romaine.

For Variation, Add Fruit
I usually add different types of fruit to my guacamoles for a seasonal variation.  Summer time can bring pineapple, strawberries, or watermelon while fall can bring apples or pomegranate. I also add savory flavors like chipotle peppers.

Below, chef Medina shares the recipe for one of his most popular variations of guacamole.

Chunky Fruit Avocado
(Serves 4)

2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion, such as vidalia
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoons seeded and chopped jalapeños
2 ripe Hass avocados (preferably from Mexico), halved with pits removed
2 tablespoons strawberries, preferably Earliglow
2 tablespoons mangos
Salt
1 bag of tortilla chips

Marinate the onions in lime juice with the jalapeños, and salt before mixing with the other ingredients.  Scoop the flesh of the avocados out of the rind and put into a bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork, making sure to leave plenty of chunks. Mix in the onions, jalapeños, strawberries, and mangos. Serve with corn tortillas chips.

A recent Lazy Hostess discovery, we like using a lime squeezer when making guacamole, ceviche or margaritas.  Similar to a garlic press, it extracts the lime juice without the pulp and seeds as well as keeps you hands clean!

And, don’t forget to put your guacamole in a festive bowl to dress up your summer table.  The striped melamine dinnerware collection by Jonathan Adler is a chic alternative to breakable ceramic or glass and adds color to your dinner setting!

For those of you in New York, you can visit chef Medina’s guacamole and ceviche bar at his restaurant Toloache located at 251 West 50th Street, New York.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Toloache

For impromptu picnics in the park, make sure your  basket includes the essentials like savory salads (that won’t wilt in the heat), gourmet sandwich wraps, salty and sweet snacks as well as a bottle (or two) of chilled rosé.

Perfect for dining in the great outdoors, we’ve discovered a clever product called Steady Sticks which are in-ground metal stakes that hold both your wine bottle as well as your glasses.  The bottle holder retails for $11.95 while a set of glass holders are $9.95.

With Steady Sticks, now you can take a little “tumble in the grass” knowing that your wine will not…

PHOTO CREDIT:   Courtesy of Crate & Barrel

Use a simple color palette
Sticking to two colors gives maximum impact to your table while lessening the load on executing design.  Bright white and crisp green are great choices for an elegant yet modern look and be applied to table linens, candles and even florals.

Decorate with potted flowers
A few clay pots filled with fresh white tulips are all you need to dress your table.  It cuts down on the time needed for flower arranging and will last  much longer than cut flowers.

Display dessert as a centerpiece
By using a vintage tiered dessert tray or stacked cake plates, you can create a chic and edible centerpiece. Vanilla cupcakes with white and green frosting (here by Billy’s Bakery) can be dressed up with delicate laser-cut cupcake wrappers by Paper Orchid (available online for $13 per 12 pieces) which adds texture to your table. The Basket, Picket Fence and Butterfly patterns are especially cute for Easter brunch.

Have fun with your tray presentation
Caterer Peter Callahan creates a striking and whimsical hors d’oeuvres tray by sticking appetizers like pigs in a blanket in bright green wheatgrass.  To have some fun with simple smoked salmon on pumpernickel, Callahan used cookie cutters to create pig shaped toasts for the tray.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Chuck Fishbein and Brittany Allen

And, for the Lazy Hostess, it’s one of my favorite desserts to serve to my guests and definitely one of the easiest!

Lately, we’ve been inspired by The Cookie Bar, created by Dawn Casale of One Girl Cookies in Brooklyn, New York.  The Cookie Bar is their signature dessert table filled with an assortment of handmade petit fours and tea cookies which they artfully arrange on vintage serving plates and trays.  We love the simplicity of the concept as well as the variety of tastes and textures of their cookies.

Favorites include the Lucia, a rich shortbread cookie with caramel and chocolate (named after Dawn’s great grandmother) and the Penelope, a butter cookie with chopped nuts and apricot preserves. One Girl Cookies can customize your table with your favorites and even recreate old family recipes for an extra bit of nostalgia.

“To me, it is the most fun and whimsical way to serve dessert.  And, because it can really be personalized, it is a true expression of the host of the party,” says Casale, who recently created a Girl Scout S’more Cookie for a client’s wedding.

For your next event, One Girl Cookies can set up your table, loan you their precious collection of cake stands and trays as well as provide a trained server to help your guests with their cookie selection.  The Cookie Bar is an original idea for a baby shower, dinner party and it can even serve as a party favor bar allowing guests to take home the treat of their choice at a wedding.  Pricing for cookies starts at $10 per person and will depend on the types of cookies selected.

For those in Brooklyn, visit One Girl Cookies at 68 Dean Street, Cobble Hill.

To place an order, call 212-675-4996 or visit www.onegirlcookies.com.  Out of state shipments are available for cookies and whoopie pies only.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of One Girl Cookies

Over the years, I’ve picked up some simple shortcuts from caterers and chefs on how to make everyone’s favorite morning meal quick, easy and without the use of fancy or expensive equipment! The best trick comes from fellow hostess and Domino editor, Jennifer Rubell, who ingeniously uses silicon muffin trays to make a batch of 12 perfectly shaped eggs all at the same time!

Here is my Lazy Hostess Brunch Menu that incorporates all of these tricks of the trade.

Eggs Benedict (adapted recipe from Domino)

12 large eggs (organic if possible)
6 Whole Wheat English Muffins (split in halves)
12 pieces of Canadian Bacon
6 tablespoons of Butter (room temperature)
Sour Cream
Cayenne Pepper
Chopped Chives
2 Silicon Muffin Trays

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Place two silicon muffin trays on a baking sheet and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Crack one egg into each muffin cup. Place one round piece of bacon over each cup. Butter one English muffin half and place buttered face down on top of the bacon. Carefully place trays in oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Place a large platter on top of the muffin tray, invert and, if necessary, give each cup a gentle squeeze to remove the egg. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a pinch of cayenne pepper and some chives for garnishes.

Fruit Skewers (copied from my corporate events)

12 Wooden (or bamboo) skewers
24 Halved and Stemmed Strawberries
24 1 inch chunks of Melon
24 1 inch chunks of Pineapple
(or, other in-season fruit – but stay away from apples as they turn brown)

Push skewer through the middle of each piece of fruit. Alternate each fruit type. Leave room at the bottom so guests can hold the skewer. Line skewers on a shallow tray or display on a tiered cake stand.

French Press Cappucino (adapted technique from chef Tyler Florence)
*yields 4 cups of coffee

French Press
1 Cup of Whole Milk
1 Cup of Coffee Beans (one rounded teaspoon of ground coffee for each cup)
Cocoa Powder or Cinnamon
Immersion blender

Heat milk but do not boil in medium saucepan. Grind coffee beans and place 4 rounded teaspoons of ground coffee into the French press. Pour 3 ½ cups of boiling water into the press and let sit for 3-4 minutes. Take saucepan and place on a towel on the counter so that the pot is tilted. Place immersion blender into the shallow end of the milk and froth until the foam holds. Plunge coffee and pour into cups. Add the heated milk and then spoon some of the frothy foam on top. Sprinkle with cocoa powder or cinnamon. Serve immediately.

Celia’s Bloody Mary

4 parts Stirrings Simple Bloody Mary Mix
1 part Premium Vodka (preferably Reyka or Ketel One)
Celery Stick
Lime Wedge
Freshly Grated Horseradish
Tabasco
Salt and Pepper

Combine bloody mary mix, vodka and a pinch of grated horseradish in tall glass with ice and stir. Add dash of Tabasco, squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with celery stick.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Domino, Williams Sonoma, Stirrings and Cooking.com

All you need to do is get back to basics and become more thoughtful about how you spend your hard earned cash. We turned to Claudine Revere of Relish Caterers for some entertaining tips that are easy on the pocketbook as well as the planet.

Reuse What You Already Have
Before you rush out to buy new serving trays and specialty dishes, check to see what you already have in your pantry. You can create a crudité platter using a variety of mismatched, left-over glassware including a martini glass, a bud vase and a water glass. It’s a fresh way to present the typical platter and solves the problem of showcasing different sized vegetables.

Turn Fruits and Vegetables into Tableware
Winter vegetables come in rich colors and make great table decorations. Not only are they readily available at the local farmer’s market but, they are inexpensive, edible and compostable! Another insider trick from our chef Arvin Dhansew is to use acorn squashes as soup bowls or condiment bowls. Just cut the bottoms off to make them lay flat on the table and use an ice cream scoop to empty them out. A piece of melon can make a wonderful serving plate for your hors d’oeuvres. Cranberries have a gorgeous holiday color and can be used as winter accents to any dish. And, sticks of cinnamon look great around a punch bowl filled with eggnog.

Skip the Flowers
Cut floral arrangements may be beautiful but they can be an extravagant element to your party. A stylish (and sustainable) alternative is to find fallen branches and pine cones from your backyard for your décor. Pine cones can be painted in any color and used from year to year. Potted herbs such as rosemary are another fragrant option for decorating your buffet table. And, you can cook with it as well!

With clients ranging from Fox News to Instyle Magazine to American Express, Relish Caterers (220 East 22nd Street, New York, 212-228-1672.) is committed to sustainable practices for all of their events.

The key to any casual get-together is making sure your guests feel relaxed and at home. Make sure to serve comfort food that is easy to eat and simple to make. Grilled cheese is always a crowd pleaser, especially when you use artisan cheeses, freshly baked bread and unique toppings for a gourmet touch. We like to make our sandwiches on a panini press like the Breville Ikon, which leaves the most amazing grill marks on your bread. Place the grilled sandwiches on a loosely covered cookie sheet at 275 to keep them warm before serving.

Besides the classic cheddar melt, try interesting flavor combinations such as Brie and Pear on Brioche or Green Olive and Mahon cheese on Sourdough. One of our all time favorites, the French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese with Spiced Jus comes from Tillman’s Lounge in New York. (For the secret sandwich recipe, courtesy of owner Lesly Bernard, click here)

Check your local grocery store or farmer’s market for ingredients or order online from Fresh Direct, which is a great resource for gourmet cheeses, fresh breads and prepared catering platters. If you want to save time, order the Crudite Masterpiece, which is a beautifully presented tray of celery, red and yellow pepper strips, baby carrots, grape tomatoes and broccoli florets. Just make sure to transfer the blue cheese and ranch dips from the plastic tubs into glass or ceramic containers before serving.

And, no Game Night would be complete without a wide array of sweet and savory snacks that can be placed around the party. Try one of the gourmet popcorn combos by Dale and Thomas, which has an assortment of amazing flavors including White Cheddar and Black Peppercorn, Frosted Gingerbread and Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Drizzle.

As for the actual games, the choices are endless. We like to play “The Name Game” or “Celebrity” because you don’t need a board and your guests can participate in creating the “names.” Here’s what you need to know…

The Set-Up:
Give each of your guests 20 strips of identical paper and a pen to secretly write down names of celebrities, personalities, well known public figures and fictional characters. Remind your guests to submit fun and recognizable names instead of foreign or obscure ones that no one will know. All strips are folded and placed in a bowl. Split your guests into two or more teams of three or more players.

How to Play:
The first team starts with one team member as the “clue-giver” who selects a name out of the bowl. That person has one minute to give his/her teammates clues so that they can guess the name on the paper. The goal is to guess as many names as possible within the allotted time. Once the time is up, the next team goes and so on. Make sure to give each team member the chance to be the clue-giver.

Once all the names are guessed, all the names go back into the bowl for Round 2 where the clue-giver can only say one word but allowed to use hand-gestures. In Round 3, the clue-giver is limited to hand-motions and gestures only like in Charades.

The Rules:
The clue-giver is not allowed to say any part of the name on the paper. Points are won on correct answers and lost on illegal clues. The team with the most points after Round 3 is declared the winner.

Don’t forget to have prizes for everyone so that all your guests go home a winner!

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Tillman’s, Fresh Direct and Williams Sonoma

With some original ideas borrowed from one of her recent corporate bashes, Kalman shows us how to channel our inner child and have some fun, even on a budget or in the city!

Go With Brightly Colored Décor
For this party, we used hundreds of beach balls (of all sizes from 5” to 24” rounds) as our general inspiration. If you hang them in clusters, it makes a great visual and sets the “fun” tone of the event. Table clothes were rented in a rainbow of colors from orange and yellow to blue and green. Striped umbrellas were placed indoors as well as outdoors on old-fashioned picnic tables.

Use Everyday Items as Accent Pieces
Beach pails come in all sorts of sizes and colors, which can be used for flowers, drinks or ice. Beach towels can be rolled up and used as bolster pillows or laid down overlapping on the floor like a rug. Fresh citrus like oranges, lemons and limes are inexpensive and reusable decor items. Limes look chic in tall minimalist vases with single blooms.

Serve Classic Summer Favorites
Always a crowd pleaser, we served mini burgers decorated with pickles on top. If you have a larger budget, serve steamed lobsters and clams. A raw bar is a great option for a buffet. We set up rows of shot glasses filled with chilled Bloody Mary’s next to the oyster bar. Watermelon can be marinated with flavored vodka by cutting a hole in the watermelon, pouring vodka inside and letting it soak in. All you need to do is slice and serve for a cool, refreshing treat that has a kick.

Give Kids Stuff an Adult Twist
Give you guests a dose of nostalgia by bringing in items from their youth. We found these faux fireflies in mason jars that reminded us of our childhood. Surround each glowing jar with some amber votives and you have an elegant and interesting centerpiece. For something really kitsch, set up a do-it-yourself snow cone station, which can be rented from Party Rental LTD or purchased from Snowie with all of the different syrups and cones. Add a splash of alcohol for the adults!

Play Childhood Games
Part of having fun is getting your guests to goof around. Water guns, bubble blowers and even a piñata can get everyone in a playful mood and create some great photo opportunities. If you have a backyard, try a game of Bocce Ball or set up a make shift lawn in your apartment with a strip of AstroTurf from Home Depot.

Opened in 2001 by Maya Kalman, Swank Productions (231 West 29th Street, Suite 605, 212-643-3211 x111) began as a boutique wedding coordination company which, over the past eight years, has evolved into planning different types of social occasions and corporate events. Voted “Best of the Best” Event Planner NYC by the Knot Magazine in 2007, Swank Productions has clients including CBS, Bloomberg and Bride’s Magazine.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Swank Productions

For more Lazy Hostess tips, click here.

Pick Vibrant Colors
Don’t be afraid of color! They add life to the party and change your energy. There’s so much emphasis placed on picking two or three colors and sticking with them; however, I think it’s one of those rules that was meant to be broken. Color, and lots of it, is what summer is all about. For our tea party we used organic bright pink carnations mixed with Ranunculus and accented with lime green Alyssums.

Use Vintage or Transform Everyday Items
Vintage china is a great way to reuse old items to create a unique tabletop. Esther Derkx has an original collection of cast off crockery that has been screenprinted with new images for a modern look. For placemats, we used recycled, eco-friendly drawer liners. And, we found beautiful and elegant tea tins at The Odor that were used as colorful vases. Lemons became place card holders!

Look for Eco-Friendly Tabletop Accessories
These are my favorite cream and sugar pots by LightenUp that are made with natural clay and handmade, non-toxic glazes. Cork underlays from Matteria are great options for table decor. The table cloth and napkins we used are handmade with organic cotton and locally manufactured here in LA. Look out for Green Carpet’s new sustainable line of tabletop accessories and linens coming this Fall!

Serve Small Bites and Fair Trade Tea
The premise behind an afternoon tea is to enjoy small bites of sweet and savory foods. I like to source locally produced or fair traded teas from around the world. The artisan tea cakes by Jin Patisserie, who has a charming boutique in Venice Beach, are displayed on a recycled artisan cheese board made of left-over marble.

To promote conscious consumerism, don’t forget the 4 R’s of Green Entertaining, “Reuse, redo, recycle, and rent!”

Founded by Dana Morgan, Green Carpet Event (446 Doheny Drive, Beverly Hills, 888-402-1117) is a sustainable event design and production company based in Los Angeles that specializes in weddings, birthdays, baby showers, product launches and gift suites. Notable projects include the LG House in Malibu and the Sundance Green Gifting Suite.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Sprig, Matteria, Green with Glamour and Esther Derkx.

More Green Entertaining, click here.

To bring the red-carpet glamour of the Oscars to the comfort of your own home, it’s all about mixing high and low. Tell your friends to come over in comfy clothes but ask them to wear their best jewels in the spirit of the awards.

Set Up a Celebrity VIP Lounge in Your Living Room
Have bottle service on your coffee table in front of the television so none of your guests miss a minute of the show. Champagne (or Prosecco), white wine, vodka and mixers should be on ice in a silver tub with glassware, garnishes and ice.

Get Your Guests Involved
Create a little excitement by letting your guests predict the winner. The Oscar ballot (and information about the nominees) can be printed out online and handed to guests to complete before the show begins.

Serve a Specialty Cocktail
Create a signature drink that is as glamorous and extravagant as the Oscars like our Gold Dusted Black Licorice Martinis (recipe below).

Gold Dusted Black Licorice Martini
2 parts Vanilla Vodka
1 part Black Sambuca
Shake with lots of ice and Serve
Garnish with Black Licorice and Gold Dust
(Gold Dust can be found at any craft store in the baking section)

Create a Gourmet Popcorn Bar
The ultimate viewing snack, gourmet popcorn comes in all sorts of savory and sweet flavors. Set up a row of large white bowls where guests can help themselves. Some of our favorite flavors can be found at Dale and Thomas. Try the White Cheddar & Black Peppercorn and the Chocolate Chunk n’ Caramel. A quick do-it-yourself option is sprinkling cayenne pepper, parmesan cheese and salted butter over different bowls.

Serve Classic Family Style Food
A night at home means comfort food but give it a luxe twist. Add truffle oil and shaved parmesan to store-bought or delivery pizza. Brush butter over frozen hors d’oeuvres before baking. For an impressive yet easy-to-prepare appetizer, serve caviar on buckwheat blinis or toast points with crème fraîche and chilled vodka shots.

Give a Gift Bag
Make up a swag bag (inspired by the celebrity gifting suites) filled with beauty products, chocolate, candy and other little luxuries for the guest who predicts the most winners. Guests can be given a single cupcake and a split of champagne as a parting gift. We love the Sofia mini cans of sparkling wine.

Mary Giuliani Catering & Events (157 Lexington Avenue, 212-725-1658) is famous for their customized events for the elite of the art, fashion and entertainment worlds. Since opening their doors in 2005, they have worked with clients including Miramax, Warner Brothers, Tribeca Film Festival, Christies, Denise Rich, Sheryl Crow, Gwen Stefani, Jerry & Jessica Seinfeld. Recent highlights include, The Harry Potter Premiere, Zac Posen’s after-show dinner and The Frick Young Fellows Ball.

The Lazy Hostess has a crush. Naturally, it’s on a best-selling cookbook author who goes by the moniker – The Minimalist (from his popular column in the New York Times).

Mark Bittman (of the wildly successful How to Cook Everything) has created 101 simple appetizers that can be prepared in 20 minutes or less. The easy recipes are perfect for the time-pressed entertainer who wants sophisticated, home-cooked hors d’oeuvres.

Some of our favorites include the ones served on toothpicks such as the Pitted Dates Wrapped with Bacon and the Bay Scallops Seared in Butter with Lemon and Parsley. Especially elegant is the Crabmeat with Minced Shallots on Lettuce Leaves (or we love endives as well).

Another classic is the recipe for Shrimp Cocktail sauce which can be whipped up on the spot with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen like ketchup, chili powder, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco and horseradish.

Some of Bittman’s recipes do not require any cooking at all and, if you are in a real pinch, can be prepared with high quality store bought food. With such delicious bites to offer, it’s a detail you need not share with your guests…

For the fully published list (which you should absolutely bookmark), see 101 Simple Appetizers in 20 Minutes or Less [NY Times].

PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Sung for the New York Times.

Now you can recreate the gourmet pleasure in your home with Fondue au Chocolat by Aux Anysetiers du Roy, the Parisian restaurant best known for their aromatic blend, Herbs de Provence. Packaged in their signature, reusable stoneware crock, the fondue comes in milk chocolate, milk chocolate with praline, 70% dark chocolate and white chocolate.

For a romantic night chez vous, simply heat, stir and serve with fresh strawberries and pieces of cubed pound cake. The crock stays warm for 45 minutes which should be just long enough for you to get things heated up.

Fondue au Chocolat comes in a 7 oz crock and retails for $19.95.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Sur La Table.