Chocolate Martini Recipe by The Purple Mermaid

Hosting an engagement party or rehearsal dinner? Or, just planning a great cocktail party? The Chocolate Martini is the signature drink to feature at your bash! There are many ways to make a chocolate martini. Our favorite recipe features a sweeter taste, so we use vanilla flavored vodka. To garnish, coat a rim of martini glass or make a swirl of chocolate syrup along the inside of the glass.


Ingredients:
2 oz Vanilla Vodka (Stoli Vanili is our favorite)
1/2 oz chocolate liqueur
1/2 oz white creme de cacao
Chocolate syrup to coat rim of martini glass
Coat rim or swirl the inside of martini glass with chocolate syrup.

Mix all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a martini glass.

If your party is a celebration for someone special, such as a birthday party, engagement party or retirement party, "create" a specialty drink dedicated for your guest/guests of honor. For example, find a really great recipe for a chocolate martini. Think of a "name" for your drink such as "John and Alicia's Love Potion". Create a simply decorated space near your bar area with a framed photo of the guests of honor, a small framed computer print out of the drink recipe and the "name" of your drink creation! Place all the makings for the drink including barware beside the photo frames. Then prepare a couple drinks to have at the ready for your guests to sample. This simple yet thoughtful idea is always a hit

Mint Yogurt Dipping Sauce for Lamb Chops by The Purple Mermaid

With Easter almost upon us, we wanted to share our favorite mint yogurt dipping sauce for lamb chops! We serve this sauce every Easter with our Rosemary Marinated Baby Lamb Chops. You're gonna love it!!

Ingredients:

1 cup plain yogurt
1 lime, juiced
3 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish
Salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika

Chop fresh mint in a small food processor. Place the yogurt, lime juice and garlic in a blender and puree on high speed until blended. While blending, slowly incorporate the mint and season with salt, cayenne, and cumin. Place a dollop of this great dip on each plate when serving your entree.

Roasted Easter Lamb by The Purple Mermaid

This is a very elegant yet easy recipe for roasted lamb that would be wonderful for Easter dinner.

1 Leg of Lamb About 5-6 Pounds (Whole or Boned)
3 Large cloves of Garlic
5 Tablespoons Mixed Fresh Herbs (Rosemary, Parsley, Thyme, Oregano are good choices)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the garlic cloves into three or four long strips, and with a sharp knife, make 1-inch deep slits into the lamb spaced fairly evenly apart. Place a piece of garlic in each slit. Chop the herbs and mix with the olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Rub the herb mixture over the outer surface of the lamb. Place in a roaster pan, and cook for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees, and cook an additional 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or between 20 to 30 minutes a pound depending on desired doneness. Remove the lamb from the oven, and cover with aluminum foil and let sit about 20 minutes before carving.

Recipe Serves 6

Perfect Party Bar Tips from The Purple Mermaid

The Perfect Party Press can assist you in planning your perfect party. Want to mingle with your guests and make them feel pampered too? Make the bar self-serve. Welcome your guests by pouring their first drink, then invite them to help themselves. Protect furniture by placing wooden trays or brightly hued placemats underneath bottles, ice bucket, and glasses. Provide extra napkins and glasses, and check on the bar every 30 minutes to make sure things are in order. Perfect.

The Perfect Party Invitation From The Purple Mermaid

The Purple Mermaid suggests your invitation should match the style of your event. Is it formal, semi-formal or a casual backyard get together. Your invitation provides the details of the celebration as well as what to expect at the party. We believe that hosting a good party begins with the invitation. A perfect invitation compels your prospective guests to Want to, Need to, attend your party! Whether your style is simple elegance or bold, trendy color, your invitations can set the tone for a stylish extravaganza. This is your time to shine. Make the most of it. Please visit The Purple Mermaid for a collection of the most stylish and unique invitations on the web. Contact us with any questions.

Perfect Salmon Recipe~Salmon In Pesto from The Purple Mermaid

This salmon recipe is superb! Salmon is a tasty and trendy choice for dinner parties ~ popular because of it's health benefits, salmon has become THE fish to serve your guests. Deliciously simple to make, this recipe is the perfect choice for entertaining since you will have lots of time to spend with your guests! We have served this dish on many occassions and have never failed to receive rave revues. Prepare in advance, cover and leave in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook! Serve with rice pilaf and asparagus and you are good to go! Guests will LOVE this one!.

Ingredients:
4 salmon filets, approxinately 4 oz each
8 oz. basil pesto
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Plum Tomatoes, sliced thin
Romano Cheese, grated

Preparation:
Take 4 individual casserole dishes (anything kind you can put in the oven). Put approximately 2 Tablespoons of Basil Pesto into each dish. Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to each dish and mix into the pesto until smooth. Pleace one salmon filet into each dish. Put 2-3 slices of tomato on each filet. Top with a sprinkle of romano cheese. Place your casserole dishes on top of a cookie sheet and Bake in 350 degree oven 15-20 minutes until pesto bubbles and salmon is opaque and cooked through. Use sliced roasted red peppers to top filets instead of tomatoes for a variation. Also, works with tuna or swordfish! Serves 4.

The Perfect Artichoke and Spinach Dip

This is a classic recipe for a spectacular Artichoke and Spinach Dip ~ Perfect for your next party, courtesy of The Purple Mermaid!

Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic
(10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo-style pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place garlic in a small baking dish. Bake in preheated oven 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Remove from heat. When cool enough to touch, squeeze softened garlic from skins. In an 8x8 inch baking dish, spread roasted garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo-style pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and cream cheese. Cover and bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly. Serve warm.

Essentials for Planning The Perfect Party from The Purple Mermaid

There are four essentials to consider when planning your party:
1) The purpose of the occasion
2) The person whose party it is
3) Your guests
4) Your budget
Your guests will largely influence the sort of party you have, so consider them when planning. A family occasion such as a christening, for example, is likely to differ in theme from a rehearsal dinner
Now ask yourself what kind of party you want. Do you want a formal sit down affair or will an informal affair do? Would you like organized entertainment or like to provide an opportunity for people to meet and socialize? What music and/or activities would make the party really perfect? What would make the occasion special for the person/people that the party is for? Venue, food and entertainment should again be tailored to your guests and their preferences. Caterers and organized entertainment will increase the cost, but leave you with a lot less to do. Price out the various options and choose the best solution that is within your budget and appropriate for the occasion.

Perfect Party Tip

The Purple Mermaid has lots of tips for hosting The Perfect Party. Check out our website dedicated to the perfect party ~ http://www.perfectpartypress.com/. People often say they do not have a big enough space to have a really perfect party. We love that challenge because where there is a will, there is a way! We have hosted and assisted with hosting many successful parties in very small spaces. Some of these parties were talked about as wonderful memories for a long time after the party ended! Isn't that exactly what you want? Well, first look around at your space. Pay attention to mood. Think about the music, lighting, and where you're placing the food throughout the house so the party flows and the guests still have a place to land. For example, serve cocktails and hors d'oeuvres on your elegantly yet simply decorated deck or porch. No need to spend alot of money and you can use what you already have in the house to decorate a porch or deck. Put out hurricane candles, flowers and bold colored tableware. We believe in using "real" plates and glasses even outdoors. It spells ELEGANCE even with mix and match china. You can use a portable CD changer or radio for your mood music outdoors. Then move indoors for the main course. This gives the illusion of more space as well as allowing you to have each unique space decorated and set-up in advance. That gives you more time to spend with your guests. You can clean up the outdoor space later too! You can even serve coffee and dessert in the Living Room for yet another change of venue. These tips can extend your small space, give the illusion of a much larger space and give you more time to mingle. ENJOY!

New York Giants Gameday Guacamole

New York Giants Gameday Guacamole ~ Your Produce Man's Undeniable BEST Original Guacamole in the World. We LOVE the original NFL Team Guacamole recipies featured by The Produce Man. We are featuring the New York Giants special recipe for this years Super Bowl Party! Bon Appetite!

Ingredients
- 2 ea Ripe Hass Avocados (peeled, seeded, and coarsely mashed)
- 1 TBS Lemon juice (fresh)
- 10 drops Red pepper sauce
- 2 ea Garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 can (2 1/4oz.) Sliced black olives, drained
- 3 TBS Red Bell (roasted, finely chopped) Instructions

In medium bowl, combine avocados, lemon juice, red pepper sauce, garlic and slat. Stir in olives and bell pepper.
Serve with toasted bagel chips.

Kicked Up Pimento and Tuna Deviled Eggs~Great Super Bowl Recipe Idea

Kicked Up Pimento and Tuna Deviled Eggs
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

This recipe was featured on The Emeril Live Show in 2006. We tried it ~ and WOW ~ it's now a favorite of ours at The Perfect Party Press! Try it for your Super Bowl Party. It's sure to be a hit ~ BAM!

Ingredients:
8 hardboiled eggs, peeled and cut in 1/2 lengthwise, yolks removed and reserved separately
1/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped black or green olives
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped pimento, plus thin strips for garnish, if desired
2 teaspoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon nonpareil capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot paprika, plus more for sprinkling on top for garnish
3 tablespoons drained and flaked light tuna packed in olive oil, preferably Italian

Directions:
In a small mixing bowl mash the egg yolks with the back of a fork. Add the mayonnaise and olive oil and mix until smooth. Add the olives, onion, pimento, parsley, capers, vinegar, salt and hot paprika and mix well to combine. Add the flaked tuna and fold gently to combine, trying to keep the tuna flakes intact. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Using a small spoon, divide the filling evenly among the wells of the cooked egg whites and garnish the top of each filled egg with 1 or 2 small strips of pimento, if desired. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for up to overnight before serving.
(Note: if refrigerating overnight, sprinkle with the paprika just before serving.)

Hot Spinach Dip~Super Bowl Party Recipe

A great dip idea for your Super Bowl Party is a Hot Spinach Dip. Perfect for about 6 people. Adjust your recipe if you have a bigger crowd! Warm and satisfying, this cheesy spinach dip will be a big hit. Go Pats!!

Ingredients:
1cup colby jack cheese
1 cup Swiss cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
1 10 ounces spinach - frozen, chopped, thawed, squeezed dry
2 ounces tomato - finely chopped
1/2 cup onion - chopped
1/3 cup half-n-half
1 tablespoon jalapeño - finely chopped
2 teaspoons seasoning salt

PITA TOASTS:
6 pita bread - cut into small wedges
2 teaspoons seasoning salt
1 teaspoon cumin
non-stick cooking spray

Directions
In large mixing bowl combine cheeses, spinach, tomatoes, onions, half-n-half, peppers and salt.
Pour into a butter baking dish.
Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with pita toasts.

Pita Toasts:
Lay small wedges out on a large baking sheet in a single layer.
Spray tops with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and cumin.
Place in the oven at 400°F for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Valentine's Day Menu Idea~Strawberry Avacado Salad

Planning a romantic dinner for two this Valentine's Day? This Strawberry Avacado Salad is the perfect salad choice to serve before your entree. Strawberries and avacados are known for their sensual appeal and are sure to heat up the romance this Valentine's Day!! Don't forget the champagne!

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups torn salad greens
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and sliced
10 strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, olive oil, honey, vinegar, and lemon juice. Set aside.
Place the salad greens in a pretty bowl, and top with sliced avocado and strawberries. Drizzle dressing over everything, then sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving, or serve immediately.

Valentine's Day Aphrodisiac~Strawberries Dipped In Chocolate

This food is known for it's sensuous appeal. A perfect Valentine's Day dessert for two! Easy to make and sure to please! Don't forget the champagne!

INGREDIENTS

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 pint fresh strawberries with leaves

DIRECTIONS

In a microwave-safe bowl, or in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, cook chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth. Holding berries by the stem, dip each one in molten chocolate, about three-quarters of the way to the stem. Place, stem side down, on wire rack and chill in refrigerator until hardened.