Taxi Cab Birthday Party-Part 2-Food and Beverages

Planning the food and beverage of a party is one of my favorite parts! I love to incorporate the colors and theme into the food. For J's party, I decided to keep the food New York themed. For the "main course" we had a hot dog bar, catered by our local favorite, Papaya King. They were wonderful to work with (Thanks Wayne!) and the price can't be beat. We asked for ALL the topping and our guests enjoyed fixing their dogs up the way they liked them. (Choices included chili, nacho cheese, shredded cheese, tomato onions (their specialty), sauerkraut, relish, Sneaky Pete's sauce, different types of mustard, mango relish, and raw onions.) One of J's favorite foods are hot dogs, so it really was the perfect choice for his 2nd birthday party.

We ate leftover hot dogs for dinner! Yum!

I kept the other foods simple and mostly kid friendly with New York cheddar (complete with NYC toothpicks from etsy seller Senorpicklesworth), yellow peppers, black olives, New York's Red Jacket Orchard apple slices, New York's North Fork Potato Chips (with onion dip), taxi cookies, traditional NYC Black and White cookies from Fresh Direct, Ella's Kitchen "the yellow one," and yellow bananas. I also made NY pretzels with yellow wilton chocolate and black sprinkles. J and I had a blast making those together and they were a hit with guests.

I had to use every inch of space in our tiny apartment!

I wish I had taken some pictures with the blinds closed, so many of them did not turn out. Oh well, I was kinda busy!

J's "tradition" is a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting from Two Little Red Hens. He had one for his 1/2 birthday, his 1st birthday and now his 2nd birthday! If you are ever in NYC, you have to stop by and try their red velvet, it's the best I've ever had! As an extra treat, my blogger friend Summer made J the most beautiful taxi chocolate cupcakes complete with taxi fondant decorations with his initial. If the cupcakes weren't cute enough, they have to be the best tasting I've ever had! WOW! You can see pictures on her cake website here. She is amazing and I can't recommend her enough to all of you local New Yorkers!

And just because I know you were wondering if J decided on a cupcake or a piece of his cake....he had both! You are only 2 once!

Oh, and a black and white cookie! 

 Drinks for J's party included Adam and Eve apple juice, New York's Fizzy Lizzy, Yellow Taxi Punch (with a little champagne on the side to spike your own punch if you so choose), New York Beer from Brooklyn Brewery. We also had New York Water (straight from the tap!) with sliced lemons in our new fruit infusion pitcher. And my personal favorite...what taxi cab party is complete without a couple of bottles of Big Yellow Cab wine! I'm so proud of myself for finding that! For the record, there is Taxi Cab beer, but it is only sold in kegs. I had to draw the line somewhere, right? =)

 Wish you had been there to celebrate and have a cold one with us a slice of red velvet cake! Stay tuned tomorrow for details on the invitations and paper products!

Dip Recipes

A friend of mine compiled a lot of our favorite dip recipes and emailed it to us awhile back. I've been sharing the email today with some of my twitter friends and since I've had so many requests, I figured I would just post it here. I hope you enjoy these great recipes! Happy New Year and Happy Dipping!

Buffalo Chicken Dip #1:

reg. size casserole dish (9 X 13)
here goes:

ingredients:
3-4 boneless chicken breast
1 bottle (16 oz.) of buffalo hot sauce (there are several brands)
1 bottle (16 oz.) of ranch dressing
1 bag of Mexican cheese
1 block of cream cheese
1 bag of corn chips (Fritos)

directions:
bring chicken to a boil until done (10-20 mins.- depending) heat and mix package of cream cheese and ranch dressing strip chicken into bite-size pieces and spread in casserole dish pour buffalo hot sauce over chicken pour cream cheese and ranch mixture over chicken and hot sauce sprinkle package of Mexican cheese **may add jalapenos, etc. for extra taste and/or appearance serve with Fritos (corn chips)

Buffalo Chicken Dip #2:

Ingredients:

2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing

3/4 cup hot sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot® wing sauce)

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces

Directions:

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through.  Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm.  Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly.  Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

Hot Artichoke, Crab & Chicken Dip:

Ingredients:

2- 8oz. packages of cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. mayonnaise

2 T. lemon juice

1 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 T. parsley

16 oz. crab meat (can be artificial)

1 c. Kraft Italian Style Five-Cheese Shredded Cheese

1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese

1c. shredded Romano cheese

2 cans artichoke hearts (in water, not marinated)

1 can diced water chestnuts

2 lbs. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained

Directions:

In a large bowl, whip cream cheese until smooth. Add all other ingredients, and transfer to 3 qt. crock pot.
Heat on high 1-2 hours, until hot. When ready to serve, sprinkle extra cheese on top, and garnish if desired. This is good for hours! Just turn down crock pot to low setting.

Sausage Dip:

1 tube sausage

1 can green chilies - drained

1 package cream cheese

1 package shredded cheese

1 bread bowl

brown the sausage, drain

add the chilies and cream cheese in the pan

stick mixture in the bread bowl and bake until warm - add the pieces of bread from middle of bowl to pan last few min to get them crispy for dipping

Corn/Black Bean Dip:

2 cans black beans – drain and rinse
2 cans white shoepeg corn – drain and rinse
1 bunch of green onions
1 tub of feta cheese
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
a couple of packs of Splenda- add them until you like it!
salt and pepper

Serve with Fritos

 Apple Dip

1 pkg cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 bag Heath Bits of Brickle   

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

  

Put the cream cheese in the microwave just long enough to soften it.  Mix everything together and let it get cold before serving. 

If you are slicing the apples to serve at a later time, you may want to put in pineapple juice to keep them from turning.  

Spinach Balls:

2 packages of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 stick of light butter, softened

2 cups of Pepperidge Farm herb-seasoning stuffing

1t garlic salt

1/2 cup of grated parmesan

1 small onion, grated in food processor

1T of olive oil

8 oz feta cheese

combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. stir well. roll mixture into 1-2 inch balls and place on a lightly greased cooking sheet. bake for 20 minutes.

Cocktail Swirls

3 ounce package Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
2 teaspoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon milk
8 ounce can Pillsbury Quick Crescent Dinner Rolls
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat oven to 375. Combine cream cheese, bacon, chopped onion and milk.  Separate crescent dough into four triangles, press perforations to seal.  Spread about 1 and a ½ tablespoons of cheese mixture on each triangle.  Starting at long side, roll up and seal.  Cut each roll into 8 pieces.  Place pieces cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.  Lightly sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 375 for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.  This recipe makes 32 appetizers.

This recipe can be made ahead and refrigerated up t o two hours before baking.

Captain Rodney's Cheese Bake

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz. cream cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped (optional)
8 crushed Ritz crackers

Mix the above four ingredients and place in a greased quiche or tart pan or anything made for baked dips. Top with the crushed crackers and bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

8 slices of crispy cooked bacon, chopped.
1/2 cup Captain Rodney's glaze (Boucan glaze is the same as Mango Pepper glaze) (You can buy Captain Rodney's Boucan Glaze at Whole Foods)

Top baked cheese with crumbled bacon and drizzle the 1/2 cup glaze over the top. Serve with crackers or any chip you prefer.

Spinach Casserole:

4 packages of creamed spinach

About 2 cups of mozzarella shredded cheese

Defrost spinach, add cheese, microwave

1 package of filo dough.  Make sure it is completely defrosted.

Melt butter into a cup

Spray Pam in casserole dish (large)

Place 3 layers of filo dough, brushing butter between each layer

Add layer of spinach mixture

Place 3 layers of filo dough, brushing butter between each layer

Continue until spinach mixture is all gone

Place final layer of filo dough

Cook at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until top layer browns and looks crispy. 

Ribs:

place the rack of ribs in tinfoil - might want to do 2 sheets of tinfoil to double wrap them

pour a 1/2 cup of water right on the ribs and sprinkle whatever seasoning you want on them - salt/pepper/whatever

wrap them up and bake the ribs for 2 hours on 350

take the ribs out and pour bbq sauce on them

then wrap them back up and stick them back in the oven for about 5 min or so

they are so tender and just fall off the bone w/out any effort!!! enjoy!!!

WW Recipe-Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

This recipe is surprisingly good! Enjoy you Southern lovin' skinny thangs!

1/2 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 cup cornflakes, crushed
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 lbs of chicken (recipes says parts...I used breasts)
4 teaspoons canola oil

1. Preheat Oven to 400F;spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Pour the buttermilk into a large shallow bowl. On a sheet of wax paper, combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet; drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes, then turn chicken over. Bake until cooked through, 15-20 minutes longer.

Per serving (about 2 pieces if using parts): 229 Cal, 10g Fat, 2g Sat Fat, 0g Trans Fat

Recipe found in Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook.

Weight Watchers Crock Pot Recipe-Lasagna

Made this the other night. It's very good and we had TONS of leftovers!

POINTS® value

8
Servings
6
Preparation Time
20 min
Cooking Time
360 min
Level of Difficulty
Easy


No need to cook the noodles first or stay home while it bakes. Just let it sit a few minutes before serving so it can firm up a bit.



Ingredients

* 1 pound(s) uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)

* 1 small onion(s), chopped

* 1 medium garlic clove(s), minced

* 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes

* 15 oz canned tomato sauce

* 1 tsp table salt

* 1 tsp dried oregano

* 1/2 tsp dried basil

* 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

* 1 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese

* 1 1/2 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

* 6 item(s) dry lasagna noodles, no-cook

* 1/2 cup(s) shredded Parmesan cheese, strong-flavored like Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano



Instructions
* Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes; simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
* Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta cheese and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.

* Spoon 1/3 of beef mixture into a 5-quart slow cooker. Break 3 lasagna sheets in half and arrange over beef mixture; top with half of ricotta mixture. Repeat with another layer and finish with remaining 1/3 of beef mixture.
* Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours. Remove cover; turn off heat and season to taste, if desired.
* In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese; sprinkle over beef mixture. Cover and set aside until cheese melts and lasagna firms up, about 10 minutes. Yields 1/6th of dish per serving.


Notes
To boost your vegetable intake, add a can of zucchini in tomato sauce to the meat mixture. You can also add 2 cups of sliced shiitake mushrooms to the beef mixture.

Easy and Yummy Crock Pot Recipe-Cream Cheese and Black Bean Chicken

My friend Sarah sent me this crock pot recipe. It was WONDERFUL! We both made it the same night and both of our husband's went for seconds!

Cream Cheese and Black Bean Chicken


4-5 chicken breasts

2 cans of rinsed and drained black beans

4 oz cream cheese (I used reduced fat)

2 cups salsa (I used spicy)

Spice Options:  taco seasoning, chili pepper, garlic powder, crushed red peppers

Throw salsa, chicken and beans into crock pot for 6-8 hours until chicken is falling apart. At the very end, add cream cheese until it melts. Stir. Serve.

We served ours plain, but you could use it as a filling in a tortilla or over rice. I counted the Weight Watchers points to be about 7 (with reduced fat cream cheese and 4 chicken breasts). GREAT MEAL!



Have you signed up for my sippy cup label giveaway? See below for details or click here to sign up!

Weight Watchers Recipe-Orange Chicken with Broccoli

I made this Weight Watcher's recipe last night and it was easy and yummy! We served it with brown rice for an extra 2 pts.

Orange Chicken with Broccoli
(makes 4 servings)

4 teaspoons of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of minced peeled fresh ginger
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstartch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water
1 orange, peeled and sectioned

1. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the giner and saute, stirring often, 2 minutes. Transfer to a small plate with a slotted spoon.

2. In the same skillet, saute the chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to another plate. In the skillet, combine the broccoli and water, stirring to scrape up the browned bits fromt he bottom of the pan; cook, covered, until tender-crisp, 3-4 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet; stir in the broth, orange juice, and soy sauce. Add the dissolved cornstarch; cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils and thickens slightly. Add the orange; heat through. Top with the ginger and serve.

Point Value=4

YUM, YUM!

Also, be sure to check out the kid's clothes sale at My Messy Monkey. I bought a ton this morning!

Yummy Weight Watchers Quiche

This is REALLY good, we made it the other night and I added a little ham to make it a little more hearty!

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche

POINTS® value | 5 Servings | 8 Preparation Time | 20 min Cooking Time | 45 min Level of Difficulty | Easy main meals | Who says real men don't eat quiche? It's really just an omelet in a pie crust. Make it for the whole family.

Ingredients

• 6 oz pie crust, 9-inch, refrigerated
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped
• 1 1/4 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 large egg(s)
• 2 large egg white(s)
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or more to taste
• 10 oz frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well-drained
• 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375ºF. Press pie crust into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch, removable-bottom tart pan or a 9-inch pie pan; refrigerate until ready to use.
  
  
• To make filling, heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion to a large bowl and add ricotta cheese, cheddar cheese, egg, egg whites, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper; mix well and fold in broccoli. Spoon mixture into prepared crust and level surface with a wooden spoon; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  
  
• Bake until a knife inserted near center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Notes

Not a broccoli fan? Substitute spinach in its place.

Spicy Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe from Fresh Direct and made this the other night! Very yummy!

************************************************************************************

Spicy Tortilla Soup
From "Real Simple® magazine"
Among hot peppers, jalapeños fall in the medium-spicy range. If you prefer something certifiably hot, substitute Serrano peppers.

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes

Makes 4 servings
1 store-bought rotisserie chicken
2 32-ounce containers low-sodium chicken broth
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
1 cup corn kernels, thawed if frozen, or fresh (from 2 ears)
A couple of handfuls of tortilla chips
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 ripe avocado, roughly chopped
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled Feta
1 lime, cut into wedges
Click here to buy!



Remove and discard the skin from the chicken. Place the entire chicken and the broth in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool. Strain the broth into another saucepan. Shred the chicken meat and add it to the broth, along with the onion, jalapeños, and tomatoes and their juices. Place over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add the corn and heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Place some of the tortilla chips in each bowl. Ladle in the soup and top with the cilantro, avocado, Feta, and the remaining chips. Serve the lime wedges on the side.

Feta Chicken with Zucchini Recipe

I got this recipe from FreshDirect and made it the other night. Quite yummy! Feta Chicken with Zucchini From "Real Simple® magazine" For an almost effortless side dish that can cook while the chicken is in the oven, try boiled new potatoes, white rice, or couscous. Hands-on time: 20 minutes Total time: 45 minutes Makes 4 servings 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds) * 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 2 medium zucchini 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/3 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled Feta *FreshDirect Note: Our boneless, skinless chicken breasts run large. We've included two whole breasts, which will provide four breast halves for this recipe.

Click here to buy!

Heat oven to 400°F. Drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a roasting pan. Remove the zest from the lemon in thin strips; set aside. Thinly slice the lemon. Place half the slices in the pan. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Place it on top of the lemon slices and season with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt. Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice each half into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. In a bowl, combine the zucchini, parsley, pepper, and the remaining oil, lemon slices, and salt; toss. Spread the zucchini mixture around the chicken and sprinkle the Feta over the top. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer it to a cutting board and cut each piece into thirds. Divide the chicken, zucchini mixture, and lemons among individual plates and sprinkle with the zest. NUTRITION PER SERVING CALORIES 270(27% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 3g); SUGAR 3g; PROTEIN 42g; CHOLESTEROL 110mg; SODIUM 378mg; FIBER 2g; CARBOHYDRATE 5g Copyright 2009 Time Inc. Real Simple is a trademark of Time Inc. Used under license.

Click here to view this recipe at FreshDirect.com

Mango Grilled Chicken Recipe

I made this the other night and it is REALLY yummy! I got the recipe from Fresh Direct (where I order my groceries.) It is a great summer recipe. Enjoy! Mango Grilled Chicken From "BBQ USA" by Steven Raichlen Method: Direct grilling Advance preparation: 30 minutes to 1 hour for marinating the chicken Serves 4 2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts (each 12 to 16 ounces), or 4 half breasts (each 6 to 8 ounces) Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and cracked black peppercorns 1 mango, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2 cups) 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice 1/2 cup diced red onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint, plus 4 mint sprigs for garnish 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

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1. If using whole breasts, cut each breast in half. Trim any sinews or excess fat off the chicken breasts and discard. Rinse the chicken breasts under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Generously season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the breasts in a nonreactive baking dish. 2. Combine the mango, cucumber, onion, garlic, and chopped mint in a nonreactive mixing bowl and stir to mix. Stir in the lime juice and olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste; the mango mixture should be highly seasoned. Pour half of the mango mixture over the chicken breasts, turning to coat both sides. Let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator, covered, turning the breasts once or twice so that they marinate evenly. Refrigerate the remaining mango mixture, covered; you'll use it as the salsa. 3. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. 4. When ready to cook, drain the marinade from the chicken breasts and discard the marinade. Brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the chicken breasts on the hot grate, placing them on a diagonal to the bars. Grill the chicken breasts until cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes per side. To test for doneness, poke a breast in the thickest part with your finger; it should feel firm to the touch. 5. Transfer the grilled chicken breasts to a platter or plates. Spoon the mango salsa over them and garnish with the mint sprigs. Serve at once. Excerpted from BBQ USA copyright © 2003 Steven Raichlen. Reprinted with the permission of Workman Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Click here to view this recipe at FreshDirect.com

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Perfect Preppy Hostess Gift

This summer you will probably be invited either to a fabulous dinner at a friend's house, a weekend stay at a friend's beach or lake house, or maybe you'll just go visit an old friend (or future mother-in-law) in their hometown. For any of these type of occasions, I was always taught to bring a "little something" for your hostess. This preppy pink and green recipe card and mat set is a perfect option for that "little something." For $23.50 you get 8 reversible paper place mats and 25 matching recipe cards. It's the perfect combo.

Gift set available at Whitney Caroline Gifts.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

In honor of Grove Gal's call for easy recipes here is one that I made when my sister was in town! It is so good. I used goat cheese instead of feta, but we are definitely going to try the feta next time.


Feta-Stuffed Chicken

From "Monday-to-Friday Chicken" by Michèle Urvater. This dish has an "ugly duckling" look but a real "swan" taste. The garnish of fresh herbs helps, but if you don't have any, don't worry. The flavor of the dish will be just as marvelous without them.

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 10 minutes preparation, 45 minutes no-work baking time

8 ounces feta, mild goat cheese, or Boursin cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 whole bone-in chicken breasts, skin on, split in half
1/4 cup (packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves or fresh dill (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Combine the cheese, oregano, butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Loosen the chicken skin from the flesh without completely detaching it, and stuff as much of the cheese mixture under the skin as possible. Spread the remaining mixture over the skin. Place in a baking pan and bake for 30 minutes. Raise the heat to 450° F and bake until the chicken breasts are cooked through and slightly golden on top, 15 minutes longer.
4.While the chicken is baking, chop the parsley. Remove the chicken from the oven, sprinkle it with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.