Happy Hour Friday: Metropolitan

Happy Friday!  Here we go again….

This martini is another go-to favorite from our “Martini Guide” ranking system.  The recipe is basic and easy to mix, except Absolut Kurant can be difficult to come by.  Our local liquor shop carries it just for us, I think!  LOL

I like to mix this up in larger batches ahead of time and pop in the freezer until time to serve.  Makes a great cocktail for parties since you don’t have to slave away continuing to mix these up all night.  As any hostess knows, anything that can be made ahead of time is a party-friendly recipe

.

.

Peanut Butter & Jam Sandwich Cookies

A very dear friend asked me to help out with her daughter’s 6th birthday party.  Theme:  dress up tea party!  How could I say ‘no?’  This is going to be way too much fun, so I started brainstorming immediately.

 

Good Things…

Happy Friday, Dear Readers!

Having battled “the crud” for the past five days (cold/sinus infection/heart burn/acid reflux/indigestion), I’ve not been much into cooking…or doing anything, for that matter.  It’s been such a dreary, frustrating week; but I’m happy to report that I have returned to the land of the living!  I even felt well enough to attempt a simple but decadent treat yesterday in my kitchen.  I will be sharing that with you shortly.

But for now I want to unveil a new project I’ve been working on.  Since I couldn’t bear the sight or smell of food this week and have been pretty much quarantined at home, I decided to focus on a long-neglected home project:  organizing my craft room. {Yikes!}  It was pretty bad, I must say.  But instead of becoming overwhelmed by the immensity of the task, I was inspired!  Unfinished and forgotten projects have new life, mounds of supplies have been uncovered and categorized and a virtual craft room has been created!

Introducing my new blog:  1 Crafty Lane

{EEEEEEE!!!}  I am so excited about my new pet project that I want to share it with YOU!  There are Big things coming in the next few weeks.  GOOD things  I will be sharing my real life craft room transformation as well as participating in a few virtual parties.  All will be revealed in time.  And I want each and every one of you to join me.  Share your ideas, your crafts, your projects, your inspirations.  We will have fun together and learn a thing or two along the way.  ;)

Mad Tea Party

Welcome to a Mad Tea Party! Organized by aFancifulTwist and hosted here by myself. ☺ This is just one stop on a day-long feast of blogging delights! Go to aFancifulTwist for a full list of all participants and visit all the parties. They are sure to inspire a little magic, whimsy and imagination in your soul! ☺

Girls’ Game Night

A few girlfriends and I have started getting together once a month for a light-hearted, mildly competitive game night. The focus isn’t on the activity–which game, what rules or who wins–but on friendship, cocktails, food and gossip. ☺ We all thought that creating a monthly game night would give us a reason to set a standing date with each other so time wouldn’t keep slipping by without us all getting together to laugh, eat and catch up.
This month was my turn to play hostess, a role I very much enjoy.

A Curious Invitation to a Mad Celebration!

I have come to love Twitter. Something that seemed so pointless and time-wasting in the beginning has become an incredible way to connect to like-minded people (friends) all across the world. Where Facebook allows us to re-connect with friends of old and keep up with the minutiae of our loved ones’ lives, Twitter allows us to find kindred spirits who, otherwise, we never would have had the chance to meet! It has been a tremendous learning experience for me, and I am grateful for the friends I have made so far and absolutely giddy about the prospect of meeting more! ☺

Easter Brunch

With no particular plans for Easter Sunday (except to avoid any work whatsoever and try our best to relax), I woke up bright and early in a mood to cook! 6:30 this morning, coffee in hand I started rummaging through several of my cookbooks for inspiration. Funny enough, it was a fellow blogger that provided one of my key menu items. The Pastry Affair posted a flourless peanut butter cookie, and I knew I had to try it.