Picnics Caprese Appetizers

Like all things caprese? Just grab a glass and make these great 'shooters.'  Mozzarella, tomato, some basil, and Caesar or Asiago cheese croutons with red wine vinaigrette.  A great marriage of flavors.  What better thing to serve at a wedding?  Cool, tasty, and easy to serve (and consume!)

If you're doing this outdoors consider using tiny plastic 'glasses' I used some tiny glasses I had at home but plastic is certainly doable. 

These are easy for your caterer (or Aunt Mary) to set up quickly, and don't have to be served but can be displayed on a picnic table with some crisp white napery showing off the colors and textures.

S'More Cups

Photo and recipe from Cookie Sheets and Cake Pans

OK, I don't know anyone who doesn't absolutely love the taste of S'Mores--do you?  So what could be more perfect for a sweet table at your wedding than these easy to make S'More Cups for Cookie Sheets and Cake Pans?  Previously posted from Pinterest and Texas Cottage believed to originally be from Pampered Chef's Recipes.

Photo from Pampered Chef Recipe Link

S'More Cups Recipe

7 whole graham crackers (1 cup finely crushed)

1/4 c powdered sugar

6 TBSP butter, melted

3 (1.55 oz) Hershey bars

12 large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350°. Crush graham crackers in plastic bag, and mix with powdered sugar and melted butter in small bowl.

Place 1 TBSP of crumb mixture into the bottom of mini muffin pans (makes enough for 24). Press crumbs down with back of measuring spoon to create a shallow cup. Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling.

In the meantime, break 2 of the Hershey bars into rectangles. Remove pan from oven and place one rectangle into each cup.

Cut large marshmallows in half crosswise using kitchen shears and dipping them in cold water. Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup. Return to oven for 1-2 minutes, or until marshmallows start to puff up.

Remove from oven to cooling rack. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then remove s'more cups from pan. Cool completely for 40-60 minutes.

Melt remaining Hershey bar in microwavable bowl (melt for about 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds). Dip tops of s'more cups in chocolate and allow to cool.

Makes 24.

Comments from the cook: It was less expensive to buy one jumbo Hershey bar, so that's what I used. I cut each rectangle in half, and used small squares in each s'more cup...and they didn't seem short on chocolate at all :) I also chose to flick the chocolate across the top instead of dipping them.

These were amazing right after baking/cooling, and were also pretty good the next day (after being rewarmed in the oven for a few minutes).



If you use the Pampered Chef Link it will take you to all the products necessary to make these bites of heaven if you can't find them at home or at your local store.

Wine At Your Wedding They'll Remember!

Photo courtesy of Jo-Lynne at Musings of a Housewife

Photos of PSMM  Cyber Monday Party

Looking for a great way to serve wine at your picnic wedding?  Try PDX Vineyards  vineyards.  They package 5 wines in a 'paint can' complete with a push button pour spout.  Paradox is run by physicians who've moved into the world of wine. 

Located in Chester County PA Paradocx presents wines without pretense to be enjoyed by everyone.  No corks to uncork, no fancy bottles and labels, just a simple paint can and a push button spout to prevent spillage.  Paradocx wines aren't your Boone's Farm level wine, rather it's premium wine (about 4.5 bottles of 3.5 liters in each paint can) in an easy serve container. 

For more information about Paradocx Vineyard, directions and operating hours, please visit their web site or call 610-255-5684.

Paradox was nice enough to provide some 'cans' of wine for the PSMM Cyber Monday party at Dave & Buster's last week that I attended. The Philly Social Media Moms, a.k.a. PSMM, are a highly influential group of women in the tri-state Philadelphia area who write blogs or have resource websites and who are active in a variety of forms of social media on both local and national levels. If you're looking for a way to promote your products these ladies have mastered the art of getting the word out.  These are women with power on the net!