July 29-Aug 4, 2022, New In “Cocktail Hour Buzz,” CooksSalon

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz 

sundowner snacks, drinks, chat, and . . .

whenever I can, related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

{links within my items go to the sources shown in red – any links underneath items take you to Amazon unless otherwise indicated, and then only ones with the lock icon}

♦♦♦  Oh how welcome are these No-Cook Dip Recipes, so perfect for cooled-off evenings on the porch or patio or, OK, tucked deep inside the a/c. And it looks like many of the ingredients just may already be resident in your pantry or fridge. Here’s the one I chose – and while I generally like avocados pretty much pure, this fabulous creamy avocado dip is velvety, flavorful and a ready companion for so many other goodies. The prep suggests tortilla or pita chips and crudities, but also calls it into service as a topping for tacos, burgers, and sandwiches. Or, hmmmm, how yum as one of the tiers in 7-layer dip?  Southern Living

For the avocado dip, may want to start with a bit less salt.

Creamy Avocado Dip    7-Layer Dip recipes on google

No-Cook Sauces, Dressings, Dips & Spreads recipe book {vegan}

♦♦♦  Missed it again! {and for the Get Smart fans, “by that much”}. No matter, we can opt to make any day we want our own Tequila Day {the national one was July 22}. And the really good news is a whole bunch of Tequila Cocktails for you to consider, each as summery as can be, hitting that refreshment vibe with strawberries, citrus, coconut, cucumber, pineapple, soda, tonic, or sparkling mineral water, and more.  Patron

Tequila-loving snacks on google

♦♦♦  This recipe, first featured in our 04.27.18 Salon, seemed like a perfect follow-up to last week’s No-bake desserts item. Even with just two words, the title may evoke a whaaaaaaat? Yep, it’s Miso Fudge, and it defies all expectations.

In a word, it’s good. In more words, it’s chocolately, creamy, soft, and indulgent. Gluten free too. And you don’t have to stop there.

This recipe is actually for Miso Fudge Brownies, where the fudge is spread atop the baked brownies along with candied miso almonds. If you want to make just the fudge, as I did, you only need to do step 10, and then let it chill out in the fridge.  Tasting Table

Other miso recipes on google

♦♦♦  Cocktail chat. Do your own sips or the drinks you serve perhaps have a star pedigree? Could that wine or spirit have a connection to, say, George Clooney, Bryan Cranston, Kate Hudson, Sammy Hagar, Blake Shelton? The story “24 Alcohol Brands You Didn’t Realize Were Owned by CelebritieS” tells all. And nice, flavor profiles accompany each and every one.  insider.com

And TheRecipe unveils 20 celeb-owned food brands

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April 29-May 5, 2022, “Cocktail Hour Buzz,” Brunch, CooksSalon

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz

 🌸🌹🌺   Mother’s Day Brunch Edition 🌻🌼🌷

When Happy Hour goes early with snacks, drinks and chat

and maybe related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

{links within my items go to the sources shown in red – any links underneath items take you to Amazon unless otherwise indicated, and then only ones with the lock icon}

♦♦♦  I was so happy to find Molly Yeh’s technique for filling roll-ups that makes the process so much easier. By spreading the ingredients on dough and then cutting wedges to be rolled, all the filling is done at once and distributed evenly vs parceling out individually for each piece. In her prep & demo, which we featured in our 03.25.22 Salon, the roll-up was spinach and feta on pie dough. We decided to go brunchy {and no-cook} with smoked salmon, onion & chive cream cheese, red onion, capers, and a sprinkling of dillweed on a slightly softened burrito size tortilla.  CS

Tip: It’s a good idea to do this as close as possible to service so the tortilla stays dry

Molly Yeh’s “Girl Meets Farm” show on Food Network

Molly Yeh cookbooks

♦♦♦   That sunshiny brightness, the tongue-tickling bubbles, the graceful glasses, all make Champagne and orange juice a pluperfect brunch choice. But turns out even here, pairing counts. Or at least that’s the premise of this guide to “9 Champagnes That Are Perfect for Mimosas.” Mixing tips too. And if someone wants to skip the juice? Says here these sparklers are ready to step up to that job too.  F&W The Wine List

MyRecipes tests grocery store orange juices

♦♦♦  You probably want to set out hand wipes for this one. It’s Bobby Flay’s  Pecan Pie Monkey Bread. The  classic pull-apart sweet treat is smacked with the famed Flay favor punch, here taking shape as rich caramel and chopped pecans over and between a double layer of sugary, cinnamon-y homemade rolls.   Food Network via Alexa

Bobby Flay’s show on Food Network

Flay’s cookbooks

While “from scratch” is always so good, Pillsbury offers this refrigerated biscuit version . . .

“Grands™ Monkey Bread,” a caramel-y pull-apart with walnuts & raisins, shown here

♦♦♦  You just never know where you might come across a recipe, let alone one with a past – in this case giving us the opportunity to dress up our brunch table with a famous salad. The source here is Sharon Gless’ memoir, an Amazon Editors’ Pick, where among other revelations we discover that her maternal grandfather, Neil McCarthy, a high-powered entertainment attorney for top Hollywood luminaries of the times {think Howard Hughes, Lana Turner, Katherine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, et al}, had a salad named after him at the Polo Lounge, a sort of re-imagined Cobb, where it remains on the menu to this day. Heck of a conversation piece.  Amazon

For these individual servings you’ll want to dice everything extra small – also you can either layer the foods as shown on the right, or blend them, left, as is often done with Cobbs, either one then with levels of dressing. 

The Polo Lounge is in the Beverly Hills Hotel, part of the Dorchester Collection

Authentic McCarthy Salad Recipe {& some backstory} from the Dorchester website

Google offers these choices for Brown Derby’s Classic Cobb Salad recipe

“Apparently There Were Complaints” by Sharon Gless

Next week, how Gless’ maternal grandmother made her own mark in the culinary world

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April 22-April 28, 2022, “Cocktail Hour Buzz,” CooksSalon

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz

sundowner snacks, drinks, chat, and . . .

whenever I can, related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

{links within my items go to the sources shown in red – any links underneath items take you to Amazon unless otherwise indicated, and then only ones with the lock icon}

♦♦♦  So, here we have a creative cook’s shortcut turning into a crowd favorite. Instead of individual poppers, all the goodies join forces in “Ryan’s Reverse Popper Dip.” Wowsie, this is good. And I personally applaud a prep that calls for even more garlic than onion. The recipe did not mention a tomato garnish, but since the pic seems to show that I added it too.  AllRecipes

Want to make actual poppers instead? Google has you covered

♦♦♦   With Cinco de Mayo in sight, what a great time to look into some tasty ways to serve up the day’s classic libation. I’m especially intrigued by the spicy black grape, the grilled citrus, and foam-topped salt air versions in the iconic mag’s offering of their “Best Margarita Recipes.” And we agree that it’s a “perfect drink to make at home.”  Food & Wine

Good Housekeeping’s easy “25 Appetizers for Cinco de Mayo”

Rather play with tequila’s cousin? – see right below

♦♦♦  Mai Tai to Tia Mia,  Wicked Games of pear & pineapple, Smoky Fig Sour, gingery Ginger’s Lost Island, Cucumber, Salt & Smoke. What do they have in common? All are part of “12 Mezcal Cocktails for Warm Weather Inspiration.” What else these drinks have in common, according to the story, is their talent to “bring out the best made with the smoky, agave-based spirit.”  Food & Wine

One per drink? What a taste test that would be . . .

The 12 Best Mezcals to drink in 2022 – from Liquor.com

Want to dress the part? Amazon has the answer . . .

Mezcal themed t-shirts

♦♦♦  And for a sweet finale, how about some pretty Strawberry Mousse Bars? A graham cracker crust hosts a rich strawberry and cream cheese layer, topped off with even more fresh strawberries. Yum.  FoodTalkDaily

And maybe a dessert wine to keep it company?

TasteAtlas says these are the 10 most popular ones in the world

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April 8-April 14, 2022, “Cocktail Hour Buzz,” CooksSalon

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz 

sundowner snacks, drinks, chat, and . . .

whenever I can, related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

{links within the my items go to the sources shown in red – any links underneath take you to Amazon unless otherwise indicated, and then only ones with the lock icon}

♦♦♦  From the number of times I’m coming across this dish, it just might be an exploding trend {sorry,  sorry, sorry}. It’s food volcanos {some really do erupt}. How fun would that be on either the brunch or happy hour table. Lots of festive volcano variations on these google pages . . .  🌋

May I suggest that you take a look at the directions from start to finish before any preparation. Also might want to tap into the Misc page, as the pix before the recipe list shows some interesting ways you can decorate or even landscape your volcano.

Want just the shape? And note these items likely have uses beyond the title words.

Volcano chocolate molds

Princess doll cake pans with & without the center stem

♦♦♦  How about this for perfect timing? Volcanic Wines! The grapes are literally grown on the slopes of volcanos. Why, and do the workers collect hazard pay? The answer to the first part, as the story says, is that “volcanic soils seem to help impart a distinctive character to wine, both red and white, not found in other places.” There’s more to the tale, including the flavors these grapes yield and the best ones to buy now. Nothing about pairing but guess we could figure this out from the profiles shown for each selection. Just maybe something perfect to create a tasty Volcanic duo.  Food & Wine

Photo by Volcano Winery, Big Island, Hawaii

Want to see for yourself?

National Geographic reveals here 9 volcanic vineyards you can visit

Book – “Volcanoes & Wine: From Pompeii to Napa”

♦♦♦   Pizza + Slider = Boffo cocktail companion. It starts with slider rolls, or parker house rolls, or any small rolls that pull apart, which are then sliced horizontally while remaining intact. In goes pepperoni, of course, plus sauce, cheeses, and seasonings. Did we mention garlic butter all over the place? In the oven, out of the oven, and voila! Pepperoni Pizza Sliders! Slice along the handy guidelines and serve. Really good and a definite crowd pleaser!  Southern Living

Pizza fan? Take a look at our these fun CS- designed, Zazzle-produced items . . .

“Yay! It’s Pizza O’Clock” tee    “Yay! It’s Pizza O’Clock” mug

♦♦♦  Here’s a bit of food-related chat for your next get-together. We’re all going to have the chance to discover the origin of Pop-Tarts. Yay? Well the real news about this movie, which will presumably reveal all, is its origin, its star, director, producer, and co-writer – Jerry Seinfeld! Called “Unfrosted,” it has, as quoted in the story, “pure silliness . . . a giant, crazy, comedy movie.”  Food & Wine

And Eat This, Not That treats us to . . .

35 Funniest Food Moments from “Seinfeld”

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Zazzle

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Frambled Eggs Are Like Scrambled with More Attitude Recipe | MyRecipes

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April 1-April 7, 2022, Cocktail Hour Buzz,” CooksSalon

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz   

🎈🎈  Brunch Edition  🎉 🎉

When Happy Hour goes early with snacks, drinks and chat

and maybe related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

{links within my items go to the sources shown in red – any links underneath items take you to Amazon unless otherwise indicated, and then only ones with the lock icon}

♦♦♦  In a recent episode of The Kitchen, Broadway actor Daniel Breaker prepared a Baked Egg Bar. What an easy way to make multiple servings that are also fun and colorful. On the show, and in the linked recipe, delectable toppings are added to eggs and cream in ramekins before the whole panful is baked. The recipe notes that you can also have guests add their own to the unbaked dishes. Just thinking, what if you added, say, just some colorful chives and cheddar before baking, and then after baking have the guests top off as they wish from a “bar.” Whichever way, just a great idea.  Food Network

So many great looking ramekins on Amazon

♦♦♦  Wow, was I happy to find this recipe for Baked Pancake with Pancake Mix. I used to buy the store brand that had a good version on the box, but that is no longer available. Even better, this prep shows a preference for the brand sitting right on my pantry shelf. So much good going on here. First, and as usual foremost, the taste is phenomenal, and would be even without the chocolate chips I added. Now just look at the photo and you can see how tender this is, the way it curves onto its platemate. And because it bakes in a 9×13, you can feed a lot or freeze a lot.  The Seasoned Mom

Also to note in the photo – the top of the pancake {left} does not brown in the oven. but the bottom does. So just flip over and you’ll be serving the golden one on the right.

For another oven-to table brunch dish, go back right here to our March 18, 2022, Salon for Cheesy Bacon Bread Pudding

♦♦♦  One of the great things about brunch is the option to set out little bites of good stuff, often with a breakfast vibe. Sort of like an early cocktail hour. And wowsie does this dish fit the bill. Mini Cinnamon Roll Bites. Easy! Starts with a refrigerated pie crust. Butter it up, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, roll it up and bake. A simple glaze prep in also included, which is presented as a dip but seems it could also be a drizzle. Demo too. Add a cup of coffee and it’s the perfect brunch finale.  Tasty

I haven’t made this yet, but would be inclined to use the whole crust, even if a few of the rolls ended up less than uniform. My mom used to create a few of these from the dough scraps whenever she made a pie. Just one of the ways she was my role model in finding ways to not waste food.

♦♦♦   What can make a classic brunch beverage take on such additional traits as fun, festive, tasty, colorful, clever. Answer – the easy technique for making these Rainbow Mimosas. What’s so appealing about these glassfuls is their multiple flavors since they’re created mostly with natural juices – cranberry, carrot, mango, matcha lemonade, blue curacao, butterfly pea flower tea – topped off with Prosecco or Champagne. Wondering if  blueberry juice instead of curacao and grape juice instead of pea flower could work. There’s always of course food coloring, and as well you certainly don’t have to make all 6 colors.  Food Network

Other mimosa recipes on Google

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Zazzle

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Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS    Food Lover Mug page here on CS

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Want to be among the first to know about new Salons?

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Use Search, Archives, Categories OR email me at the same link above with “CooksSalon” in the Subject line

Note

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Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

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March 11-March 17, 2022

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz 

sundowner snacks, drinks, chat, and . . .

whenever I can, related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

{any links under these items take you right to Amazon unless otherwise indicated – and then only ones with the lock icon}

♦♦♦  This magazine world guru has spoken. And the word is, these are the “Best Pinot Grigios and Pinot Gris to Buy Right Now.” Happily the story goes even beyond the recommendations to talk about the fact that though both come from the same grape and have similarities, there are also some nuanced differences in style. Pairing ideas too for each.  Food & Wine

♦♦♦  These bars not only stand up to being cut up into candy size pieces – they pretty much are candy. Favorite Chocolate Caramel Nut Bars. The fact that it starts with German Chocolate cake mix sure doesn’t hurt. Commenters loved the taste, ease of prep, and travel-worthiness, adding up a 5-star rating. All in all, a great, and likely very welcome, addition to the sweet side of the snack table.  Kraft Foods

{photo from Kraft site}

More good stuff from Kraft

♦♦♦   If you like sauerkraut and corned beef, just wait till you see how they come together in an Irish-esque appetizer. The title ingredients cozy up to sour cream, garlic, and a whole bunch of tasty seasonings in this Sauerkraut Corned Beef Dip. Serve with rye or pumpernickel cocktail bread of crackers, maybe rye crackers. Commenters are pretty uniform in praise of, easy recipe, great taste, also noting the rapid disappearing act it seems to perform every time. The recipe is credited to Betty Bowdren.  Food Network via Alexa

Browse all Amazon Echo styles right here

♦♦♦  On Food Network, Giada just mentioned how much she loves having a party in the kitchen, which made me recall how many times my get-togethers indeed ended up right there. Yours too? Now I already have decorations in the kitchen, colorful trivets, a small poster, a large artsy cookbook atop the fridge, a “Barbara’s Kitchen” sign. But wowsie, wait till you see the fabulous kitchen decor, 4 star & up we all could add. Prints, plaques, painted cutting boards, hanging baskets, key holders, themed clocks, sculptures, fanciful wall decor galore. I particularly like these pretty Mason jar sconces.  Amazon

All kitchen decor on Amazon

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Amazon

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Browse Amazon Echo styles right here – all a foodster’s dream resource 

Zazzle

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Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS    Food Lover Mug page here on CS

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Want to be among the first to know about new Salons?

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Use Search, Archives, Categories OR email me at the same link above with “CooksSalon” in the Subject line

Note

All transactions are solely between the buyer and linked supplier

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

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“Cocktail Hour Buzz,” March 4-March 10, 2022

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz 

sundowner snacks, drinks, chat, and . . .

whenever I can, related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

{any links under these items take you right to Amazon unless otherwise indicated – and then only ones with the lock icon}

♦♦♦  Move over cheeseboard. Well, as it turns out, not entirely. But the thing is, mushrooms are the star of this show. They repose in a tasty marinade center stage, go all season-y atop goat cheese crostini, and join some colorful veggies on skewers. Filling out this Mushroom Grazing Board are olives, deli meats, hummus, cukes, crackers and, yes, cheese. As always, of course, you can add your own creative touch to the mix. More tasty ideas linked below  Mushroom Council

More mushroom appetizers from the Council

Meanwhile, AllRecipes guides us on cleaning, prepping & storing mushrooms in this video

♦♦♦  How many ways could you serve these guys? Pretzel Shortbread Sticks! Dip in hot fudge, caramel, fruit preserves. Or, skip the chocolate tipping & go savory with peanut butter, hummus, beer & cheese dip. Demerara sugar is a sprinkle option, and in an alternate recipe it was listed instead of brown sugar in the main mix. The raw sugars just seem to have a richer taste – if you want to go to “class” on this interesting sweet stuff, see the link below. Food Network

Free online demerara sugar MasterClass

Beer & Cheese Dips on AllRecipes

♦♦♦  Do you know how to make a Golden Margarita? No? Well, here you go. And just how good does this description sound – “These cocktails are smooth, with sweet and sour flavors in perfect balance.” It uses all fresh ingredients which led to this addendum to the recipe – “Seriously, step away from the mix and give this drink a try. You’ll never go back.”  FoodTalkDaily

Did you know this? Patron has introduced a Chairman’s Reserve, 100% Extra Añejo, and note that it comes with some purchasing requirements

And for that you’re going to want to know from liquor.com . . .

What is an NFT?

♦♦♦   Well here’s a yummy for the snack table. And more good news, it calls for 15 min prep time & 5 min cook time . . . and your kitchen likely already has the ingredients. What is it? Popcorn Shrimp ! And the commenters give it a solid 5 🍤🍤🍤🍤🍤 {OK,  stars}.  AllRecipes

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Appreciate anytime you can visit affiliate partners, linked below or in features above

Amazon

Click link above for Amazon homepage, Below for Echo Show, Echo Dots, Echo Studio, Especially for Kids – 

Browse Amazon Echo styles right here – all a foodster’s dream resource 

Zazzle

Click link above for Zazzle homepage, Below for CS-Designed, Zazzle-Crafted Items {direct Zazzle links on these pages}

Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS    Food Lover Mug page here on CS

ETC

Want to be among the first to know about new Salons?

Easy! Just put “Preview List”  in the Subject line, and email me at the link shown above for comments & questions

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search, Archives, Categories OR email me at the same link above with “CooksSalon” in the Subject line

Note

All transactions are solely between the buyer and linked supplier

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

All pages ©2022 CooksSalon.com

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“Cocktail Hour Buzz,” Feb 25-March 3, 2022

®

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz 

sundowner snacks, drinks, chat, and . . .

whenever I can, related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

{any links under these items take you right to Amazon unless otherwise indicated}

♦♦♦   So, last week {02.18.22 Salon, recipe included} we referred to a cocktail called Izzy Bizzy that was featured in both Food & Wine and Food Network Magazine , and both gave a nod to its creator Tom Bullock, active in the “spirits” world in the early 1900s. As bartender at the St. Louis Country Club, a fave of local notables, he created other drinks as well, eventually gathered into the 1917 book, “The Ideal Bartender,” available in reprint in hardcover, paperback and Kindle, 4+ stars, Prime eligible.  Amazon

Other books of vintage cocktails on Amazon

♦♦♦  How cool is this. Wine  classes you can attend from the comfort of home. You’ll even find some that  guide you through a virtual tasting party. Some are free, some have a fee, some require memberships, and you’ll find choices for different aspects of this juicy subject. Online wine classes. Google

Or go directly to . . .

Top Ten Free Online Wine Classes

♦♦♦  When brunch is on the agenda, cocktail hour moves up the clock. The food offerings span the gap between the traditional first and and second meals of the day, and also likely evolve into something a little hardier. Just imagine how a nice icy glass of Champagne would pair with this sweet treat with a breakfast-y vibe. Nutella®-Filled Donut Muffins! Donut texture, baked in a muffin tin, with a nutty surprise inside.  AllRecipes

So, quite sure I’ll make these sometime, but meanwhile I had a package of jumbo biscuits loitering in the fridge and used these to make a version of those ^. Baked according to directions, sliced off most of the top, cut out the center of the top as you see here. Then sliced off most of the bottom of the removed piece, leaving just a thin piece of the golden top. Placed the ring back on the bottom, filled the center with Nutella, and then replaced the cap. You could also just leave the caps off and use them separately as mini biscuits. Really good lightly warmed.

Also, I used chocolate Nutella®, in your market, or here on Amazon, singles & packs

♦♦♦  Everybody party! Sure you can offer your non-drinking friends water, soda, iced tea, etc etc etc. But why not let them also enjoy the flavors and aromas and nuances of vino with 2022’s “10 Best Non-Alcoholic Wines.” You’ll find in this list all the usual suspects, Rose, Cabarnet, Chardonnay and more. Cheers!  Liquor.com

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Amazon

Click link above for Amazon homepage, Below for Echo Show, Echo Dots, Echo Studio, Especially for Kids – 

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Zazzle

Click link above for Zazzle homepage, Below for CS-Designed, Zazzle-Crafted Items {direct Zazzle links on these pages}

Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS  ♦  Food Lover Mug page here on CS

ETC

Want to be among the first to know about new Salons?

Easy! Just put “Preview List”  in the Subject line, and email me at the link shown above for comments & questions

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search, Archives, Categories OR email me at the same link above with “CooksSalon” in the Subject line

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Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

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New “Cocktail Hour Buzz,” CooksSalon, Feb 18-Feb 24, 2022

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz

sundowner snacks, drinks, chat, and . . .

whenever I can, related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

♦♦♦  Does it make you kind of want to head for the kitchen just hearing about a recipe for Pizza Tots??? This one starts with 3 1/2 cups hash browns, seasoned, and eggy-ed up to create a moldable consistency. Small handfuls are then shaped around mozzarella and pepperoni, briefly frozen, then fried and served with marinara of your choice. Yum. Demo too.  Tasty

I found online that 3 1/2 c = 1 lb hash browns, but all the packages I saw were larger than that. No worries about leftover taters though . . .

Recipes using hash browns as an ingredient on AllRecipes

♦♦♦  Here’s another dessert bar that’s sturdy enough to be cut to candy-size, especially if right out of the fridge. These Apple & Brown Butter Blondies can add a nice, sweet touch to the Happy Hour table. The mixer does most of the work, with the apple cutting being the only part that needs a bit of time – may experiment next time with apple pie filling or something else I found called fried apples. Meanwhile, may I add, these are really good.  AllRecipes

So, the recipe I used was is the AR magazine, but the link shown on their page {and now above} went to a slightly different title, and slightly different prep, with the most notable changes being the handling of the butter & the number of apples. I’ve posted the mag version on our Recipe Page.

CS Recipe Page

♦♦♦  The good news – cocktail kits abound. The bad news – cocktail kits abound. There are soooooo many of them available, but good news checks in again because you can filter the results by price, rating, discounts and more. Btw, the link above takes you to just the 4-star and up selections. Meanwhile, the kits variously include prep items, glasses, recipe books, mixes, plus some designed for drinks on the go, and two things new to me, whiskey stones and smoking tools.  Amazon

See all the their cocktail kits

♦♦♦  Lots of folks want their bourbon straight, some possibly inviting in a few ice cubes. But it can also be neat {sorry} to mix that spirit into tasty cocktails. Let’s not though take seriously “26 Bourbon Cocktails to Make Tonight” starting instead perhaps with one or two. Maybe the Maple bourbon smash, Banana Rum Old Fashioned {interloper!}, or the fun-named one with ginger oil & baking spices, Hello Friday.  Food & Wine

What a co-ink-a-dink, one of those bourbon cocktails is the Bizzy Izzy {new to me}

. . . and the current issue of Food Network Magazine features it too with this recipe

More on this next week, interesting stuff

The 9 Best Bourbons to Start Your Collection, also from F&W

♦♦♦   What a nice surprise this would be at Happy Hour for folks that need to avoid gluten. Not just snacks they can have, but ones that sound every bit as tasty as their gluten-y cousins. Among the recipes in this listing of Gluten Free Snacks – Caramel & carrot snack cake, Spicy cheese crackers, No-bake honey peanut butter bars, Blooming onion with bacon chipotle dip {shown}, Cinnamon twists with vanilla glaze, and Italian Chex mix, and in fact a number of them offer the flavorful head start of g/f Chex Mix. Even, btw, stuff for puppyBetty Crocker

{Pic from Betty Crocker site}

Rather buy them? – Check out these tasty g/f treats on Amazon

Are you a doggie mom or dad? – might like to see our special tees & mugs

Want to join the Buzz? Enter “Buzz” in the Subject line – sign whatever way you want to be identified

Click here to email your comments, questions, links to fave recipes, or?

STUFF FOR COOKS

Find t-shirts, mugs, dvds, gift collections, plus top chef items, cookbooks    CS Marketplace Directory

♦  ♦  ♦

Appreciate anytime you can visit affiliate partners, linked below or in features above

Amazon

Click link above for Amazon homepage, Below for Echo Show, Echo Dots, Echo Studio, Especially for Kids – 

Browse Amazon Echo styles right here – all a foodster’s dream resource 

Zazzle

Click link above for Zazzle homepage, Below for CS-Designed, Zazzle-Crafted Items {direct Zazzle links on these pages}

Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS    Food Lover Mug page here on CS

ETC

Want to be among the first to know about new Salons?

Easy! Just put “Preview List”  in the Subject line, and email me at the link shown above for comments & questions

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search, Archives, Categories OR email me at the same link above with “CooksSalon” in the Subject line

Note

All transactions are solely between the buyer and linked supplier

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

All pages ©2022 CooksSalon.com

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This week’s Cocktail Hour Buzz in CooksSalon, Feb 11-Feb 17, 2022

New Salon every Friday – and you’re invited

C’mon in and help yourself to tasty resources

Hosted by Barbara J Nosek

 Cocktail Hour Buzz

sundowner snacks, drinks, chat, and . . .

whenever I can, related resources & goodies on Amazon

whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

♦♦♦  Will you be clinking glasses this Valentine’s Day? How about something extra special in those glasses. Say, like one of these Champagne Cocktails. Fresh fruit, citrus, bitters, spices, syrups, liquors & liqueurs bring their own special enchantments to this bubbly party.  Food & Wine

All About Champagne from Whole Foods

And then along came this one . . .

Ina Garten’s strawberry/raspberry champagne cocktail

♦♦♦   For the chocolate component of that special day, we’re bringing back into the spotlight a CS favorite – Chocolate-Filled Chocolate Chip Sandwich Bars. Depending on how much is on the Happy Hour table, you can leave them normal size as shown here, or cut them into candy-size pieces. These are really, really, good.  Food & Wine

More information in the original o4.26.19 Salon

♦♦♦  Prepping a game day table? Here’s an idea  – how about letting the crockpot take over some of the work. If you have more than one, even better. Because may we present for your tasting pleasure, 40 Big Game Crockpot Appetizers. Get ready to scoop out, e.g., Peach & whiskey wings, Cheesy pizza fondue, Peppered meatballs, Hot crab or ham & cheese dip, Party mix or party nuts, Buffalo chicken dip, sliders or egg rolls.  Taste of Home

Are slow cookers safe? Yes if . . . says Univ of Minn Ext

Top rated slow cooker cookbooks on Amazon

♦♦♦  Planning to start the party early? How about Bloody Marys. Or better, a Bloody Mary Bar. Whichever, the beverage can turn into a conversation piece with this Bloody Mary Backstory about its origins in Paris, theories about the name with one involving Hemingway and also why he wanted tomato juice, and the essential ingredients.  Food & Wine

Google page of “best bloody mary” recipes    Top rated bloody mary mixes on Amazon    Bloody Mary Bar in our 08.06.19 Salon

♦♦♦  Woohoo for Iowa State University for giving us all this – “a first-of-its-kind large scale analysis that connects specific foods to later-in-life cognitive acuity.” But the thank you is in the results. Cheese best by a long shot – and alcohol {specifically red wine} was related to actual improvements. You can find all the details here in this story on the U site, that also btw mentions a couple of other findings. We also have to thank a top tier food read for pointing us to the study.  Food Network Magazine

Top rated Wine & Cheese pairing books

{The Swatchbook one is particularly clever}

Want to join the Buzz? Enter “Buzz” in the Subject line – sign whatever way you want to be identified

Click here to email your comments, questions, links to fave recipes, or?

STUFF FOR COOKS

Find t-shirts, mugs, dvds, gift collections, plus top chef items including cookbooks    CS Marketplace Directory

♦  ♦  ♦

Appreciate anytime you can visit affiliate partners, linked below or in features above

Amazon

Click link above for Amazon homepage, Below for Echo Show, Echo Dots, Echo Studio, Especially for Kids – 

Browse Amazon Echo styles right here – all a foodster’s dream resource 

Zazzle

Click link above for Zazzle homepage, Below for CS-Designed, Zazzle-Crafted Items {direct Zazzle links on these pages}

Food Lovers T-Shirts page here on CS    Food Lover Mug page here on CS

ETC

Want to be among the first to know about new Salons?

Easy! Just put “Preview List”  in the Subject line, and email me at the link shown above for comments & questions

Looking for something in CS?

Use Search, Archives, Categories OR email me at the same link above with “CooksSalon” in the Subject line

Note

All transactions are solely between the buyer and linked supplier

Cook with passion and a party spirit, whether for a crew, or for two, or just for you

All pages ©2022 CooksSalon.com

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