Southern Protocol

What makes the summer heat more bearable, parties more festive & the beach more fun?  Drinks, of course!  With the heat beginning to rise & wedding season at full force, we can officially say summer has FINALLY arrived!  After doing some extensive fun research on Pinterest, I have found a few fun drinks to help stay cool this summer.  So whether entertaining or looking for something to take on the beach, fun drinks can always make the heat of the Southern summer a lot more tolerable(:

*Summer Sangria:

1 bottle of white wine
3 cans of Fresca
fresh cut fruit (grapes, peaches, strawberries)

If you are making larger quantities, just remember to add 3 cans of Fresca for every bottle of wine

*Peach Lemonade Coolers

2 medium sized, ripe peaches. peeled, halved, & pitted
1/2 cup lemonade
1 ounce vodka of choice

Puree the peaches & lemonade in a blender until smooth.

Aside from The New Girl and Lizz’s Seda France China Musk candle, we have a new obsession here at Southern Protocol, thanks to Sara Coming straight from Luxco in St. Louis (Sara’s hometown), Pearl WEDDING CAKE Vodka! How perfect.

We haven’t tried it yet, but, luckily, Sara’s Mom is bringing some to taste when she is town next week The flavor is yummy vanilla almond cake with hints of smooth, rich buttercream frosting — sounds absolutely amazing and perfect for any event leading up to the special day.

We will have to keep you posted on delicious it is…

A big thanks to Sara’s dad for sending us this awesome (and delicious) website! Who doesn’t love chocolate covered strawberries? Check out Shari’s Berries website, there are gourmet dipped berries, dipped sweets, bakery treats, and so much more- including hand dipped football berries! Since Superbowl Sunday is in a little over a week away, I thought these were the perfect treat to bring to wherever you plan on watching the big game. It’s $44.97 for 12 Hand-Dipped Football Berries and $69.97 for 24 Hand-Dipped Football Berries

Go Giants!

http://products.berries.com/chocolatestrawberry/12-HandDipped-Football-Berries-40952?ref=SSSorganicgglbrand_sherry%27s+berries&prid=sbseogb&viewpos=14&trackingpgroup=SHM

So February is just around the corner, can you believe that?! I feel like it was just yesterday that we were all drinking our bubbly at the fabulous end-of-the-year sweets and champagne party. And with February a week away, we are getting so close to our 2012 weddings to begin and one of the first holidays of the year…. Valentine’s Day! So to prepare for this loooovely holiday (hehe), and the fact it’s a Tuesday morning in the office, I have found some delectable drinks to share with you.

Ok so maybe I didn’t find these… Pinterest may have helped a little… but here we go:

Pink Champagne Cocktails

One bottle pink champagne

200 ml bottle Limoncello (suggested 120ml all up)

2 tblspns pink sugar

Place pink sugar on small plate.  Wet edges of champagne glasses under tap then dip in pink sugar.

Fill champagne flutes with 1/4 Limoncello then fill the rest with champagne.  Serves around 10.

White Sangria with Pomegranate

1 bottle white wine

3 cans 7up or sprite

Grand Marnier (just a few ounces)

Seeds of 1 pomegranate

Slices of 2 limes

Ice

Pour all the ingredients into a punch bowl and wait for the seeds to float- then enjoy!

First of all, excuse my french, s’il vous plait.

Second of all, have you guys seen these YouTube videos? I assure you we have been working very diligently in the office. However, in between furiously typing on the computer, making phone calls and eating all of Lizz’s FUDGE covered Ritz crackers (ummmm, holy yum) that aren’t helping the future bathing suit bod (TLI?), we find ourselves taking “bathroom” breaks (more like watching-youtube-videos-breaks) from drinking too much tea, coffee and diet coke.

If you haven’t watched them, the links are below, they are a must. The videos started with Graydon Sheppard. He started a twitter, tweeted some funny things girls say and then coerced his boyfriend to make videos with him. Hes the best.

Sh*t Girls Say is a video making fun of the things us girls say all the time like, “I can’t believe I just ate all that”, “SHUT.UP.” and “First of all, ew.”. We didn’t think it could get funnier than that, then Sh*t Girls Don’t Say came along.  We’re pretty sure its even more hilarious. Our faves are, “Can I get a copy of your Nickelback CD?”, “I am SO glad I ate 6 chalupas” and “Does anyone know how to make Papyrus my default font?”.

p.s. we are so turning in our iphones for boost mobiles…

Enjoy : )

We love R. Nichols here at Southern Protocol. Starting his tiny collection of stationary in his parent’s windowless basement and taking it to Barney’s, Neiman’s, and Gump’s only makes him someone to admire. And how adorable are these Holiday Bridge Note Cards from R. Nichols? They are blank inside but, not only will R. Nichols print a personalized greeting on the inside, but you can also have the cards personalized with your name or initials–very holiday-preppy might I add. Love the traveling cars topped with Christmas trees (you can picture it as a Griswold-esque National Lampoon’s Vacation or a picturesque White Christmas) and how perfect would it be to say the bridge being traveled is the one right here in Charleston? The Cooper River Bridge is,of course, what R. Nichols was trying to depict

Nothing is better than having an easy dinner recipe that you can go to again and again – one that looks impressive, and tastes even better! That’s what I’ve found in this DELICIOUS Linguine with Avocado and Arugula Pesto. What’s even better, is that the recipe makes so much of the pesto – meaning you can use it as a dip, a sandwich spread, or even on a toasted crostini (which we did for a girls’ night the other week. Just add some diced tomatoes on top! Festive!)

The fresh, creamy avocado paired with the spicy bite of arugula is amazing, and good for you, too!

Linguine with Avocado and Arugula Pesto (courtesy of Giada diLaurentiis, serves 4)

1 pound linguine pasta
2 medium avocados, halved, peeled and seeded
3 cups baby arugula (you can always use baby spinach, too!)
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Big drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

To toast the almonds: arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and toast for 6-8 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool before using.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Place in a serving bowl.

Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh of the avocados and place in a food processor. Add the arugula,basil, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

Pour the pesto over the pasta and toss together. Add the cheese and almonds and toss together until coated, adding pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.

Enjoy!

My roommate and I both love cooking – which means at least once a week there’s something (hopefully) fabulous going on in our kitchen. Especially this time of year, with ingredients so fresh and perfect, there are millions of healthy recipes that we’re dying to try out. A great example? This salmon en papillote with a papaya, mango and avocado salad! While the original intention of eating fish last night was to use some of our rapidly-growing dill plant (I really have never seen an herb plant so gargantuan), the second I stumbled upon this recipe on Food Network’s website, I couldn’t turn back.

Cooking fish “in paper” (en papillote) is one of the healthiest, easiest, freshest ways to eat fish year round. Toss in whatever fish you love, some veggies, olive oil, and even some orzo, and it’s a meal in a big – which also means easy cleanup! Pairing the citrus-sweet papaya and mango (with the creaminess of avocados) under the salmon in this dish is a flavor combo to die for. Definitely something we’ll be trying out again!

Salmon en Papillote (yields 3 servings)
-3 salmon filets
-Zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus juice of 1 lemon for dressing
-Zest and juice of 1 lime
-Kosher salt, to taste
-2 Anaheim pepper, finely chopped, divided
-1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
-2 cups mixed greens
-1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and cubed
-1 small papaya, peeled, pitted and cubed
-1 mango, peeled, pitted and cubed
-1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon sesame seeds
-1 tablespoon poppy seeds
-Parchment Paper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut a large piece of parchment paper; fold in the center, and cut half of a heart (just like kindergarten arts and crafts on Valentines Day! How romantic!). Repeat two more times for other two filets.*

In a large bowl, gently toss the salmon filets with the zest and juice of the lemon, zest and juice of the lime, and a pinch of salt. Place 1 salmon filet on one side of the opened parchment heart. Top each filet with equal parts chopped pepper and cilantro; drizzle with olive oil and salt. Roll the edges of the parchment closed, enclosing the salmon into a pocket. Place the packages onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to assemble the salad: in a large bowl, combine the mixed greens, avocado, papaya, mango, and fennel. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, remaining lemon juice, remaining peppers, poppy seeds and sesame seeds. Season the salad with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the dressing over the fruit and greens and toss to coat.

Remove the salmon filets from the parchment and place on top of salad – preferably right after the salmon is done cooking.

Enjoy!

*As you can see, the picture for this recipe has a different folding method for enclosing the fish en papillote; I’ve found that the heart-shaped route is much easier, but you’re welcome to try the twisting option!

It’s amazing how vast and varied the blog world is today. I was just talking with a friend about how even three years ago, when we both lived in London for the summer, no one even thought about keeping a blog to let friends and family know how things were going on the other side of the pond; now everyone that I know makes daily entries about their worldly travels.

Naturally that means there’s a lot of low quality “journalism” out there, which is why I LOVE when friends introduce me to blogs that are just fabulous! Yesterday a foodie friend from Chicago clued me into Love and Olive Oil - an amazing, wonderful, makes-you-hungry-even-if-you-just-ate food blog written by a lovely Nashville-based husband and wife team. They love to cook, and love to try out new recipes; what’s better, they’re always cost-and health-conscious. I think it’s so great that food blogs end up giving you so much more than recipes… you seriously feel like you know Lindsay and Taylor even after reading just a few entries (how precious is this picture, above, from their wedding!?).

Pictured above is their quesadillas with onion-cranberry salsa, that I may or may not be making for dinner tonight Check out the blog today, and I guarantee you’ll print out tons of new additions for your recipe books!

I’m sure many of you are skipping over this paragraph right now, just to get to the actual recipe for this cocktail as fast as you can – at least that’s what I’d be doing! How good does it sound?! The other month I bought a basil plant at the farmer’s market in Marion Square, and it is absolutely ginormous now… but even for someone who adores basil as much as I do, it’s a LOT of basil to handle! So I started researching cocktails as well as recipes, and stumbled upon this fantastic one from (who else?) Martha Stewart. Enjoy!

Watermelon Basil Margaritas
7.5 pounds seedless watermelon, rind removed, fruit cut into 1-inch cubes
4 teaspoons superfine sugar
6 ounces (3/4 cup) silver tequila
24 basil leaves, plus a few extra sprigs for garnish
3 ounces (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) triple sec
6 cups small ice cubes

Place 24 watermelon cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover and freeze for at least one hour (up to 2 days).

Puree remaining watermelon and the sugar in a blender until smooth. Pass through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a bowl (you should have about three cups).

Place tequila and basil in a glass pitcher, and crush with a wooden spoon. Stir in watermelon juice and triple sec.

Place watermelon cubes in glasses. Using a cocktail shaker, mix 3/4 cup margarita with 1 cup ice. Strain into a glass. Repeat. Garnish with sprig of basil.

‘Tis the wedding season! We are full throttle with weddings and about to kick off into the oh-so-great Charleston summer. What a better way to take a break from the chaos and kick back with a delish cucumber-lemonade cocktail. This beverage is perfect to sip on by the pool, on the front porch, or at your wedding!

Cucumber-Lemonade Chiller (serves 4)
:

3 large cucumbers

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus a few to garnish

1 cup water

6 oz. gin

1/2 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons agave syrup

Cut 12 thin slices of cucumber for garnish. Peel and chop the rest of the cucumber; transfer to a food processor, add rosemary, and puree. Pour the puree through a fine mesh strainer and set over a medium bowl. Press on the solids to extract all the juice. Add water, gin, lemon juice, and agave syrup to the cucumber juice; stir until the agave is dissolved.

Garnish with rosemary and cucumber and enjoy!

It’s been awhile since we’ve posted about a new fave drink obsession on the Southern Protocol blog… and this is the perfect jump back into it! Just in time for Easter festivities this weekend, I present to you: The Peep Martini.

I literally squealed out loud when I saw Kathie Lee and Hoda drinking these this morning – and I don’t even LIKE Peeps! Too mushy – but absolutely adorable as a garnish on this pink cocktail. Switch it up from the typical brunch mimosa this weekend… you’ll be the most fashionable bruncher around.

Peep Martini (Yields 1 drink)
Ice
1.5 ounce vodka
1.5 ounce pink vodka-fruit fusion liqueur
Splash of triple-sec
1 ounce cranberry juice
Pink Peep

Fill a martini shaker about halfway with ice. Add ingredients 2-4 (through cranberry juice) to shaker. Shake for 30 seconds.

Pour the drink (no ice) into the martini glass. Garnish with the pink Peep, placing it on the rim of the glass so the bunny is “standing up”. Cheers!

Yesterday on the Food Network they kept having commercials with the (somewhat annoying) Neelys talking about what comfort food meant to them. After hearing the commercials enough times, I started thinking about the meals I consistently wanted when I was little, and while a TON of things came to mind, I immediately wanted Santa Bundles. That’s right – Santa Bundles (cue my mom cringing, as she’s one of the world’s best cooks, and this is what I remember from my childhood).

These easy-as-anything crescent bundles were actually a recipe in a children’s cooking class I took. So for all your parents out there looking for a fun way to get your kids in on cooking dinner, this is a great way to go. The original recipe calls for plain hot dogs and slices of cheddar cheese, but seeing as how I’m now a self-sufficient adult, I figured I’d try to gourmet it up a little bit. Enjoy!

Grown Up Santa Bundles (yields 4 per 1 package of crescent rolls)
1 package crescent rolls (I used reduced fat, to make myself feel a little better)
1 apple chicken sausage, sliced
Fresh, grated cheddar cheese
Mushrooms (whatever kind you love; I used gourmet stirfry)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, or whatever the crescent roll package suggests.

Brown the sausage in a pan, then slice into thin pieces. Connect two of the crescent roll dough triangles in the center, making a large square. Repeat with all the dough you have. Spray a muffin tin so the bundles will come out easily, then press each dough square into the pan.

Fill with sausage, mushrooms, cheese (and whatever else you’d like!). Close the bundle by twisting all four corners up (to look like “santa’s bundle”). Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Let cool, then enjoy!

I’m a firm believer that your taste buds change every few years, because I used to be really put off by guacamole, and now I love it! I especially love this version a friend always makes; every party we have she’s assigned to make it. Mainly because I crave it…

The big twist? There’s fruit in it! Grapes! Pears! Pomegranates! Let me tell you, it’s a wonderful twist.

Winter Guacamole (but please make it all year round!)
~4 avocados, chopped (or more, depending on the amount of guacamole you want)
1/2 red onion, chopped
Red grapes, halved, to taste
Pomegranates (pre-cut from produce departments are the best)
1 white pear, chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
Sea salt, to taste
Cilantro, to taste
Fresh lime juice of one lime

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!