Hostess Jo

The Super Cherry

I'm so happy cherries are now in season!  I love them, especially the tart ones.  I don't even mind working around the pit they are so good.  Recently I was reading more about them and discovered they are truly one of the best fruits you can eat!  They are also referred to as a Super Fruit which means they are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients.  They can help protect you against heart disease and inflammation among many other things.  I'm sold.  

In honor of the cherry and since its Friday, here are a few cherry cocktails to try!

Red Eye Mojito

 

Ingredients Per Cocktail

• 2-1/2 teaspoons superfine granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons tart cherry juice
• 12 mint leaves
• Squeeze of fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce white rum
• 1/2 cup club soda
• Ice
   

Preparation Place 6 mint leaves in a tall glass. Crush mint leaves with a muddler, or with the back of a spoon.  Add sugar, tart cherry juice, lime juice, white rum and ice. Mix well. Finish the drink with club soda and remaining mint leaves. Stir to combine and serve.   Red Alert   Ingredients per cocktail 2 ounces tart cherry juice 4 ounces coconut water (such as O.N.E. or Zico) 2 ounces club soda 1 ounce vodka Preparation Pour ingredients into one 8-ounce glass. Stir to combine and serve.  Ok, so these next two technically don't have cherry juice but they still sound great. Cherry Punch   Ingredients per cocktail 1 oz. cherry vodka 1 oz. triple sec Splash of Rose's grenadine Splash of cranberry juice Shake together all ingredients but cranberry juice with ice. Pour into glass and top with cranberry juice. Garnish with a fresh cherry. Cherry Cosmo   Ingredients per cocktail

• 2 oz. Smirnoff Black Cherry vodka
• 1 oz. white cranberry juice
• 3/4 oz. Cointreau
• Splash of fresh lime juice

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker, and add ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Garnish with fresh or dried cherries

(top two photos and recipes from thenibble.com, second two from cosmopolitan.com)

Not Just for the Birds

Check out this cool idea for displaying your drinks in the Summer heat!

 

Most of us already have a bird bath.  Just clean it out and cover the inside with plastic wrap.  Fill with ice and insert your punch, soft drinks, wine and water.  They also decorated this one with blooms.  This would be lovely for an outdoor reception or bridal shower.

(photo from bhg.com)

A Little Reminder

Our Summer Sale is going to be wrapping up soon at Hostess Jo!  We've still got a few things left so get them while ITS hot!

New Sponsor

I'd like to take a second and introduce you to our new sponsor-Tiny Prints.  Many of you probably already know them for their adorable birth announcements and stylish invitations.

Now they have a new line called Studio Basics which is an affordable line of unique invitations designed by Tiny Print designers.  Check out these great prices on their birthday invitations!

As if that wasn't enough they also offer address labels, gif tags and party favors.

 

So, the next time you have a special announcement or occasion, check out Tiny Prints!

Crudite Centerpiece

I just love this centerpiece idea from Martha!  BONUS-it doubles as your appetizer server.  So easy to do and looks great too.

 

How-To:

Buy a large deep galvanized metal planter at your local hardware store.  Fill the bottom with sprouts (alfalfa maybe) and pour in enough water just to moisten them.  Arrange your favorite veggies and serve with a light dip.  Voila!

(photo from marthastewart.com)

Cool and Spicy Salad

There's nothing better to have on a hot summer evening than a cool salad.  This salad looks delicious with its spicy seasonings and its cool sour cream dressing.  YUM.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

 

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 2 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 1/3  cup  chopped fresh cilantro
• 2/3  cup  light sour cream
• 1  tablespoon  minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1  teaspoon  chili powder
• 4  teaspoons  fresh lime juice
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 
  Salad:
• 4  cups  shredded romaine lettuce
• 2  cups  chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
• 1  cup  cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2  cup  diced peeled avocado
• 1/3  cup  thinly vertically sliced red onion
• 1  (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained

Preparation

To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well.

To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

(photo and recipe from myrecipes.com)

Sweet Pea Shower

Well the Sweet Pea shower was a success!  This theme was a lot of fun to work with and pretty easy too.  This shower was done on a budget and in a short amount of time but I think it turned out pretty well. The mom-to-be loved it, and that is most important :)  

The mom-to-be does not know the sex of the baby but said she loved the color green.  I wanted to go with a bright green instead of a muted green and I really found a lot more decorations in the brighter green to my delight.

Here is the dessert table with the "pea" filled baby bottle favors (everyone loved).  The petit fours have peas in a pod on them.  I found the Baby Love green bag at Hallmark and fell in love with it.  It went so well with the colors.  I used it to give the mom-to-be a few items to take home. The coordinating paper ware is from Hostess Jo.

 

I also used the bottles as part of the table decorations.

 

One of the centerpieces.  I used real peas!  The outer vase is larger than the center one.  I inserted the flowers in the smaller one then into the larger one and filled with peas. 

 

The cute circle paper is actually a gift bag I cut into squares.  I thought it was really fun and colorful.

 

 

I also scattered green glass gems on the table that I brought from home.

 

My pea in a pod creation.  I used felt and spray painted styrofoam balls.

 

The ladies munched on mini bbq sandwiches and 7 layer salad with peas.  

 

These are the candles I used on the food table.  White unscented candles surrounded by peas!

 

Even the 7 layer salad fit into the decor!

 

Hope this gives you inspiration for your next Sweet Pea shower!  This theme works great with twins or triplets too.

If you'd like to see more pics from the shower head on over to our Facebook page. 

DIY Rustic Table

Have I told you lately how much I love anything BIRCH?  I love adding little touches of it all over my house.  This rustic table is so easy and budget friendly!  Now I just need to visit somewhere Birch trees grow!

 

21 logs, 19" tall and 3" to 4" in diameter

Paper-covered wire (available at garden stores)

Wire cutters • 36" glass tabletop

1. Stand the logs in a cluster in front of the sofa.
2. Starting about 7" from the top, wrap the cluster tightly with the covered wire, encircling it six times. Repeat approximately 5" from the bottom.
3. Place glass on top

(photo from allyou.com)

Facebook Giveaway

Are you Hostess Jo's friend on Facebook?  If you are, you could win this cute, functional BBQ condiment server.  Perfect for lettuce, tomatoes, and onions maybe...

Once we have 175 fans on Facebook I'm going to give it away!  Please help us spread the word.

Sneak "Pea"k

Here is a pic of the favors I'm doing for the Sweet Pea shower this weekend.  I ordered the bottles and personalized stickers from here.  I filled them with Sour Apple Jelly Bellies to look like peas.  Check back next week for more pics from the shower!