Me at Cowboys Stadium Opening Gala!

Keep It Simple So You, too, Can Enjoy the Party!

Remember, it doesn’t have to be gourmet to be good! A Super Bowl Party is the most casual of all parties! I suggest these Texas favorites for your Super Bowl Party:

Texas Caviar
Ingredients:
½ onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 jalapeño peppers, chopped
1 Tbs minced garlic
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 (18 oz) bottle zesty Italian dressing
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can black-eyed peas, drained
½ tsp ground coriander
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together onion, green bell pepper, green onions, jalapeño peppers, garlic, cherry tomatoes, zesty Italian dressing, black beans, black-eyed peas, and coriander. Cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours. Toss with desired amount of fresh cilantro to serve.

Texas Trash
Ingredients:
½ cup butter, melted
¼ tsp celery salt
¼ tsp garlic salt
1 ¼ tsp seasoning salt
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbs Tabasco sauce
1 cup Cherrios toasted oat cereal
2 cups @h3at Chex
2 cups Rice Chex
2 cups Corn Chex
1 cup pretzels
1 cup nuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250. Mix the first seven (7) ingredients in a cup with a spout. Mix all dry ingredients in a baking pan. Pour the butter and seasonings over the dry mix, stirring until each piece is coated. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool. Store in an air-tight container.

Texas-Shaped Tortilla Chips
There is nothing more popular in Texas than chips and salsa, and I think the Texas-shaped tortilla chips from www.texastreats.com are the best!

Frozen Margarita
The world’s first frozen margarita machine was invented in Dallas, Texas, in 1971, by Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez.
Ingredients:
1 cup of ice
1 ½ oz tequila
½ oz Triple Sec
½ oz lime juice
3 oz sour mix
Lime wedge for garnish
Salt for rimming glass (optional)

Preparation:
Pour the ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. If desired, salt the rim of a chilled margarita glass. Pour contents into the glass. Garnish with the lime wedge.

Sassy Super Bowl Punch
Ingredients:
8 oz Vodka
4 oz Cointreau
5 oz Orange Juice
5 oz Cranberry Juice
Splash with Champagne to taste

Go Green!

Go to your local hardware store and purchase some inexpensive Astro-turf carpet to use as a cover for your Super Bowl Party! Buffet table. Take adhesive tape and make lines to depict the yard lines on the field. Be sure and remove the chairs from your table so your guests can get to your fabulous Super Bowl Party! spread without tackling each other! If you want to spread your guests throughout the house, the best way to do it is to set up separate food stations in different areas.

NO Dishpan Hands!

No need for fine china! Go to your local party store and purchase football-themed paper goods or visit Internet sites that carry fabulous items done specifically for the Super Bowl, such as 4Fun.MakesParties.com

Surfing and Seating!

Hide the remotes so your channel flipping friends will be out of business. Besides, the commercials are sometimes the best part of the game (so plan your bathroom breaks accordingly!). Additionally, consider placing smaller TVs in various rooms throughout the house, and setting aside one room without any television for those who are looking for a quieter place for conversation.

Remember, your guests will not want to stand the entire time, so plan for seating. Don’t hesitate to provide throw pillows, bean bag chairs and stools.

Dress the Part!

Invite your guests to dress in the jersey or colors of their favorite team! This will add an unbelievable amount of décor, color and fun to your party at no cost to you! As the host, you should of course be dressed in a referee’s outfit!

Where will you find the area’s most fashionable foodies this fall? At Delish at Galleria Dallas, a celebration of cuisine, featuring the signature restaurants at Galleria Dallas! Guests will enjoy tasty treats from some of the finest chefs in North Texas, live entertainment and an opportunity to meet and mingle with pastry chef and television personality Duff Goldman, star of the Food Network’s Ace of Cakes! The October 20th bash benefits a cadre of top Dallas charities, and is the season’s must-taste food event.

Galleria Dallas selected four of the area’s top charities to benefit from Delish at Galleria Dallas, including:

Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County
North Texas Food Bank
Paws in the City
Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas

Tickets for this year’s most savory soiree are only $50 and can be purchased from any of the event’s charitable partners. The soiree, designed by celeb party designer Steve Kemble, will be held from 6-9 p.m. on the Ice Rink at Galleria Dallas For more information, visit www.galleriadallas.com. Guests at Delish at Galleria Dallas will receive a Delish voucher. From October 20 – November 20, guests can further benefit the charity of their choice by redeeming that Delish voucher at a selection of participating restaurants for a complimentary dessert with the purchase of an entree. At the end of the promotional period, the charity with the most vouchers redeemed will receive an additional $5,000 donation from Galleria Dallas. Additional donations, ranging from $2,500 to $1,000, will be presented to the remaining charities.

Guests at Delish at Galleria Dallas will enjoy live entertainment and a spectacular selection of delicious cuisine from Galleria’s assortment of full-service restaurants, including:

Grand Lux Cafe
The Grill on the Alley
Marketplace Café at Nordstrom
Mi Cocina
The Oceanaire
The Second Floor
Townhouse (Opening late Fall)

“We are so excited to partner with these remarkable community organizations,” notes Galleria Dallas Director of Marketing and Business Development Jim Anderson. “While 100% of ticket sales for Delish at Galleria Dallas go to the charities, Galleria Dallas is also providing a contribution to our charity partners.”

Conveniently located at I 635/LBJ Freeway and the Dallas North Tollway, Galleria Dallas offers shoppers more than 200 exceptional nationally and internationally recognized retailers and a collection of notable restaurants and hosts over 19 million visitors each year. Center hours are 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Visit www.galleriadallas.com to learn more about the famed shopping center and for holiday store hours.

GALLERIA DALLAS PUBLIC INFORMATION NUMBER: 972-702-7100.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: SHIROMA SOUTHWEST, 800-382-3054/972-732-6100 kelly@shiromasouthwest.com

Will you be the host to a FABULOUS Independence Day party this year? If so, check out my last minute tips featured on AccessHollywood.com!

Oh My! It’s time to put your party pants on and have a SASSY weekend!! To read full article, click here .

The Mint.com blog features a great how-to article for planning a budget-friendly, but still OH SO SASSY extravaganza. Check out my tips which made the story!

Click here

Check out my feature on AOL ShelterPop for my tips on how to throw a great summer party!! Click here

Be Seated!
Those cute, small pumpkins make the perfect name card holder for your table. Write out your name card (or those done by children are always wonderful!) and attach it to a toothpick and simply stick it in the pumpkin. Additionally, small pumpkins with a hole carved in the center make a perfect candle holder. If you had orange candles leftover from your Halloween party, this is the perfect opportunity to use them!

Create Memories!
Ask the people coming to your Thanksgiving feast to bring their favorite dishes to complement your turkey. Ask them to send you the recipe for their dishes in advance. Take all the recipes and copy and bind them into a booklet. The book of recipes makes the perfect favor for your guests and will create everlasting memories of your holiday table filled with cherished flavors.

Say Cheese!
Think about adorning your table with photos of your family and friends in the form of fun and fabulous confetti. Visit www.confetti.com. Simply send in your photos and they create confetti that is a perfect and festive addition to your holiday table. Additionally, guests can take these with them, providing a precious memory of the time gathered around the table.

Stop back tomorrow for more of my Sassy Thanksgiving tips! Gobble gobble!

For this latest edition of NACE Sassy Bites & Libations, I bring you the sassy and fabulous, Kevin Brant, CPCE, Director of Sales for Wolfgang Puck Catering in downtown Dallas. In this role, he oversees catering sales and marketing at Downtown Dallas’ historic Union Station and the landmark Reunion Tower, both of which recently finished a $46 million renovation, as well as off-premise catering.

Prior to joining Wolfgang Puck Catering, Kevin held the position of Director of National Accounts for BBJ Linen, a specialty linen rental company. This position identified and developed new national accounts and developed strategies for market growth and penetration. Prior to his working with BBJ Linen, he was Vice President of Private Events for ClubCorp, USA. In that position he assisted in the training and certification of Private Event Directors within the company as well as driving revenues. His seventeen year career with ClubCorp began in Miami and has taken him to Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and San Jose before bringing him to Dallas. He has been a member of the International Special Events Society and of the National Association of Catering Executives for many years. With NACE he has served in many capacities on the Chapter level including being the President of both the Ft. Lauderdale and Atlanta Chapters. On the NACE National level, he has served as both Region II and Region VI Vice-Presidents and as the National Secretary/Treasurer and the NACE National President. He continues to serve on the NACE National Board as the Immediate Past President. He is one of a select few who have attained their CPCE (Certified Professional Catering Executive) Certification. He has also been honored with NAFEM’s (National Association of Food Equipment Manufacturer’s) Doctorate of Food Service Award for his contributions to NACE and the industry-at-large.

Sake Sangria
Makes about 4 cups (6 to 8 servings)

In crafting this drink, Wolfgang tried several different brands of sake and found that an inexpensive dry sake definitely works. Kampai!

1 (750 ml) bottle sake
6 tablespoons honey
2-inch piece of fresh ginger. peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, halved lengthwise, then cut into 3-to-4 inch pieces (uses the entire stalk)
½ lemon, thinly sliced
1 small tangerine or orange, thinly sliced
1 large plum or apricot, pitted and cut into thin wedges (optional, if not in season)

In a large pitcher, combine all the ingredients and stir with a spoon, crushing some of the fruit. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 2 days, to let the flavors marry before serving. Serve over ice, and include some of the fruit in each serving.

Chinois Salad
Created by Wolfgang in 1983 for the original Chinois on Main, and it is still one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes

Chicken salad
One 3 pound chicken, cavity filled with finely diced celery, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper
2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 small heads, or 1 medium head Napa cabbage
1 cup romaine lettuce, cut into ¼ julienne strips
10 snow peas, cut into ¼ inch julienne strips
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Chinese Mustard Vinaigrette
2 teaspoons dry Chinese or English (Coleman’s) mustard
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons light sesame oil
2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
1. Prepare the vinaigrette. Place all the vinaigrette ingredients, except peanut oil, in a blender and blend until smooth. Add peanut oil slowly and correct the seasonings.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
3. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and baste it with some of the butter. Roast for about 11/2 hours, or until just done. (The juices should run clear) Baste every 15 or 20 minutes with the butter and drippings.
4. Select 4 to 8 nice looking leaves from the Napa and reserve them. Slice the remaining cabbage into ¼ inch julienne strips.
5. Shred the meat from the breasts and thighs of the chicken.
6. Combine the chicken, cabbage, romaine and snow peas in a bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat the salad nicely.

Arrange the reserved Napa cabbage leaves around the edge of a large serving plate. Mound the salad in the center and sprinkle it with the sesame seeds. Makes 4 appetizer or 2 entrée salads.

recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck © 2002

For this month’s edition of NACE‘s Sassy Bites and Libations, we have Executive Chef Alan Ehrich. For 11 years, Chef Alan has been leading the Audubon Nature Institute catering establishment located in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Audubon Nature Institute has eleven venues in which they cater events from 5 to 5,000 including the Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Audubon Tea Room, and Audubon Golf Club House.

Chef Alan studied in Switzerland, where the program required students to visit a variety of European countries to study their respective kitchens and culinary style. Chef Alan carried the inventive curriculum a step further by combining the distinctive spices and cultural styles with the native flavors and essence of Louisiana. He combines surprising flavors and textures for events both large and small in his environmentally green catering kitchens. With Alan, cooking is more than a craft: he cooks from the heart, creating unique foods for the soul.

The following, a quote from Catherine Newstadt; Marketing Director, Gourmet Magazine, illustrates Chef Alan Ehrich first hand:
“It is a rare occasion that one finds top restaurant-quality culinary skill at an event facility, but Chef Alan at the Audubon Tea Room is clearly the exception to the rule. Delivering a fresh and imaginative take on classic Cajun and Creole dishes, he brings the flavors of Louisiana to life with panache in a unique Southern setting.”

Now on to the recipes!

Roasted pecan, Maytag Bleu cheese, Granny Smith and Micro Green Salad
Per Salad
Table spoon of roasted pecans
Slice of Maytag Bleu Cheese
Slice of pealed Granny Smith apple soaked in lemon juice
Half ounce of Fresh Micro Greens

Champaign Vinegar Air Foam
175 g water
75 g champagne Vinegar
3 doses Lecite

Whip with a hand blender just before service

Infused Olive Oil
2 cups Olive Oil
3 garlic toes
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in pot with garlic and herbs for about twenty minutes till the herbs and garlic have infused into the oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Popping Bloody Mary
For your bloody Mary mix you can create your own, I like to use ZinZang. And use your favorite Vodka Chilled
Algin Bath
500 g water
4 doses Algin
Mix the water with algin using electric mixer and leave set for 2 hours before use
For the Bloody Mary Spheres
200 g Blood Mary Mix
1 Dose Xantana/ 10 Doses Gluco
Dissolve Gluco in 200 g of blood Mary mix then dissolve xantana in the mixture and let stand for 2 hours. With a table spoon drop bloody Mary mix in algin water and let sit for 2 minutes. Pull out of algin bath and lightly rinse with water. Drop into an ounce of your favorite vodka and garnish with mini celery sticks.

Now THAT’S a sassy salad and cocktail for this weekend — or any day for that matter!