The party: a Kegerator chill get together at Will and Ellie's.
We'll be posting food pics soon! Check back in a few!
The food: Homemade pizza rolls and Scotcheroo Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
We wanted to make some snacks to take over to Will and Ellie's and we decided our favorite party standby was in order. We got the recipe for our homemade pizza rolls from our good friend, Erin Hayne. She made them when we went to Keeneland with her last fall. They're a great party snack or tailgate food. Here's the recipe:
2 or 3 cans of crescent rolls
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package turkey pepperoni
1 can/jar of pizza sauce
Separate crescent rolls. Top each crescent with three to four pieces of turkey pepperoni and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up as you would a regular crescent roll. Bake according to package directions. Serve with pizza sauce for dipping. Enjoy complements on your mad skills.
We wanted to put a twist on traditional Rice Krispie treats. We added chocolate and butterscotch create a fun and different dessert. Here's what we did:
Make one batch of traditional Rice Krispie treats (see box or www.ricekrispies.com). Make a batch with Cocoa Krispies as well. Press regular Rice Krispie treats into a greased 9x13 pan. Melt a bag of butterscotch chips in the microwave and spread over Rice Krispie treats. Press Cooca Krispies layer over the melted chips. Let cool and cut and serve. Special thanks to Baker for letting us spray her with Pam and for her help in pressing the treats into the pan! Way to go Bakes!
The party was a great way to spend a Saturday night chatting and catching up with friends new and old. Thanks to Wellie for hosting!
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Saturday Afternoon
We started off our Saturday with a fifteen mile bike ride on the Monon. In the rain. It seemed like a great idea when it was just misting. At around mile twelve, we were rethinking our "awesome idea." We got back home just in time to see our great friend, Amy Baker Hale.
Baker brought us some delicious zucchini muffins she had made, as well as zucchinis, squash, green beans, and sweet corn from her dad's garden. Thanks, Old Kev!
We changed out of our very damp biking attire and headed to our favorite ethnic restaurant, India Garden, for the lunch buffet. The buffet was amazing, as usual. There was one dish we could not identify called "Hot Chat." After Googling, Hot Chat appears not to be phone based dating service, but rather a from of chutney. We ate to the point of discomfort.
Post-India Garden, we went to Marsh to stock up on supplies for party foods. More on that later. Post-Marsh, we spent some quality time on the couch watching TV and resting up for the night ahead.
Before we started cooking, we made a quick detour to the Happiest Place on Earth... Fresh Market! We had to get some Jordan Almonds for Kelsie, since we ate all of hers. Oops!
Baker brought us some delicious zucchini muffins she had made, as well as zucchinis, squash, green beans, and sweet corn from her dad's garden. Thanks, Old Kev!
We changed out of our very damp biking attire and headed to our favorite ethnic restaurant, India Garden, for the lunch buffet. The buffet was amazing, as usual. There was one dish we could not identify called "Hot Chat." After Googling, Hot Chat appears not to be phone based dating service, but rather a from of chutney. We ate to the point of discomfort.
Post-India Garden, we went to Marsh to stock up on supplies for party foods. More on that later. Post-Marsh, we spent some quality time on the couch watching TV and resting up for the night ahead.
Before we started cooking, we made a quick detour to the Happiest Place on Earth... Fresh Market! We had to get some Jordan Almonds for Kelsie, since we ate all of hers. Oops!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Rainy Day Pasta Lunch
The weather is unbearable today. I (Maggie) was very bored and it was approaching noon-ish, so I decided to cook something. I was not into the idea of going to the store, so I dug through the cabinets for something to make. I ran across a half box of pasta and then found a jar of pasta sauce I had picked up for theme night last week, but didn't end up using. Could I have made plain spaghetti? Sure. Did I? Hell to the no.
Here's my recipe for a rustic, pseudo-homemade pasta that's perfect rainy day comfort food.
1/2 box of angel hair pasta (I used Barilla Whole Grain Angel Hair)
1 Jar of pasta sauce (I used basil and mushroom sauce)
1/2 c onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-1 1/2 c spinach
red pepper flakes to taste
Boil water in a large pot. Some people choose to salt it, I think it's fine without. While you're waiting for your pasta to cook (the multigrain or whole wheat kinds usually take around 7 minutes to be al dente), spray a sauce pan or skillet (with high sides) with Pam or heat a table spoon of olive oil.
Saute onions and garlic. Add spinach. I use Kroger Recipe Starters frozen chopped onions and spinach. They are awesome! No tears from cutting up onions AND they're almost always on the 10 for $10 sale at Kroger.
When spinach is heated through, add red pepper flakes. I probably use about of a tablespoon, because I like some heat!
Add jar of sauce. It's okay to use the whole jar because the left over sauce will freeze. Stir gently over medium heat until the sauce bubbles slightly. Give the ingredients time to mix together and blend flavors.
Drain pasta and place back in the large pot, removed from the heat. Pour in about half the sauce. Toss with pasta. Serve immediately with fresh grated parmesean.
Freeze remaining sauce for next time!
Serves 3-4 for lunch.
Here's my recipe for a rustic, pseudo-homemade pasta that's perfect rainy day comfort food.
1/2 box of angel hair pasta (I used Barilla Whole Grain Angel Hair)
1 Jar of pasta sauce (I used basil and mushroom sauce)
1/2 c onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-1 1/2 c spinach
red pepper flakes to taste
Boil water in a large pot. Some people choose to salt it, I think it's fine without. While you're waiting for your pasta to cook (the multigrain or whole wheat kinds usually take around 7 minutes to be al dente), spray a sauce pan or skillet (with high sides) with Pam or heat a table spoon of olive oil.
Saute onions and garlic. Add spinach. I use Kroger Recipe Starters frozen chopped onions and spinach. They are awesome! No tears from cutting up onions AND they're almost always on the 10 for $10 sale at Kroger.
When spinach is heated through, add red pepper flakes. I probably use about of a tablespoon, because I like some heat!
Add jar of sauce. It's okay to use the whole jar because the left over sauce will freeze. Stir gently over medium heat until the sauce bubbles slightly. Give the ingredients time to mix together and blend flavors.
Drain pasta and place back in the large pot, removed from the heat. Pour in about half the sauce. Toss with pasta. Serve immediately with fresh grated parmesean.
Freeze remaining sauce for next time!
Serves 3-4 for lunch.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Zoe's Yogurt Village
Visited a Maggie and Meghan Broad Ripple obsession tonight with Kelsie. Zoe's Yogurt Village is at 916 Westfield Blvd. We walked down with the dogs, Lucy and Izzy.
This place is awesome... their yogurt is far lower in calories than ice cream. It's still rich-tasting, though, and they have a rotation of great flavors. Tart and Tangy, Cheesecake, and Espresso are recent delights. They also have amazing toppings like Coco and Fruity Pebbles, waffle cone, Cap'n Crunch, cookie crumbs, and fruit. The yogurt and toppings are sold by the ounce and the total cost is MUCH less than Red Mango, the other new yogurt chain in Broad Ripple. The small espresso with waffle cone topping was under three bucks!
Zoe's shares its space and backs up to Gourmet Franks, a hot dog restaurant. Haven't tried that yet, but as soon as we're James-ing for a Chicago style frank, we'll know where to head.
We've got a frequent buyer's card and we're six stamps away from a free dessert! Our only beef: they don't have a website for us to plug! What's up, Zoe's?
This place is awesome... their yogurt is far lower in calories than ice cream. It's still rich-tasting, though, and they have a rotation of great flavors. Tart and Tangy, Cheesecake, and Espresso are recent delights. They also have amazing toppings like Coco and Fruity Pebbles, waffle cone, Cap'n Crunch, cookie crumbs, and fruit. The yogurt and toppings are sold by the ounce and the total cost is MUCH less than Red Mango, the other new yogurt chain in Broad Ripple. The small espresso with waffle cone topping was under three bucks!
Zoe's shares its space and backs up to Gourmet Franks, a hot dog restaurant. Haven't tried that yet, but as soon as we're James-ing for a Chicago style frank, we'll know where to head.
We've got a frequent buyer's card and we're six stamps away from a free dessert! Our only beef: they don't have a website for us to plug! What's up, Zoe's?
Fun with a Sunday
After the previous night's festivities, these moi's had trouble getting up and at'em. However, after some quality time on the couch and E! News (Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo broke up?!? On her birthday?! WHA?) we were ready to move in the form of a nice long bike ride on the Monon. (Check out the free bike parking for the Indiana State Fair this year)
With our ride cut slightly short by rain, we opted to bookend our weekend with a visit to the Marsh salad bar. A word on salad bars - they can be dicey. I've seen some Marsh salad bars I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole (ahem...Nora Marsh..ahem) but the Marsh off Keystone Ave. is awesome. Lots of good options on the veggie side, along with chopped turkey, beans and...wait for...Craisens! Love them. Our salads lasted us through about 3 lunches!
One thing these Party Girls like to make clear - we have some great times and that includes some great food and bevs. However - we are also two of the more health conscious people you'll meet! We're both very active and normally - as you'll see- eat very healthy food! So eat, drink and be merry (preferably with us!!) but remember - a big part of being the life of the party is being healthy!
A great site for healthy food suggestions and recipes is www.hungry-girl.com
With our ride cut slightly short by rain, we opted to bookend our weekend with a visit to the Marsh salad bar. A word on salad bars - they can be dicey. I've seen some Marsh salad bars I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole (ahem...Nora Marsh..ahem) but the Marsh off Keystone Ave. is awesome. Lots of good options on the veggie side, along with chopped turkey, beans and...wait for...Craisens! Love them. Our salads lasted us through about 3 lunches!
One thing these Party Girls like to make clear - we have some great times and that includes some great food and bevs. However - we are also two of the more health conscious people you'll meet! We're both very active and normally - as you'll see- eat very healthy food! So eat, drink and be merry (preferably with us!!) but remember - a big part of being the life of the party is being healthy!
A great site for healthy food suggestions and recipes is www.hungry-girl.com
Gift Idea!
Hey Party Girls fans, Maggie here. My fabulous sister-in-law, Ellie, had her birthday on Friday. My brother shared with me that she was interested in learning to make sushi. Thanks for that great tip, Will!
I headed to Sakura Mart (2450 E 71st, Indnpls). Sakura Mart is a.ma.zing! It's like a blast from my childhood in Japan... it's overwhelming and packed with TONS of Japanese products you can't find anywhere else.
I asked for a sushi making kit, but they don't sell them because people didn't want everything that was in the kit, so the items can be purchased a la carte. Here's what I got:
- A cook book Making Sushi at Home.
- A sushi rolling mat
- A rice mold for nigiri
- A tube of wasabi paste
- A jar of pickled ginger
- A package of nori (seaweed)
There are LOTS more great items that would be great gifts for sushi lovers... Will and Ellie already have a rice cooker for sticky rice, but the proper kind of sushi rice would be a nice addition. Rice vinegar or some sashimi grade tuna would be a good touch, too. Even some fancy chopsticks to wrap things up!
Happy Birthday, Elle! :) Can't wait to come over for sushi night!
I headed to Sakura Mart (2450 E 71st, Indnpls). Sakura Mart is a.ma.zing! It's like a blast from my childhood in Japan... it's overwhelming and packed with TONS of Japanese products you can't find anywhere else.
I asked for a sushi making kit, but they don't sell them because people didn't want everything that was in the kit, so the items can be purchased a la carte. Here's what I got:
- A cook book Making Sushi at Home.
- A sushi rolling mat
- A rice mold for nigiri
- A tube of wasabi paste
- A jar of pickled ginger
- A package of nori (seaweed)
There are LOTS more great items that would be great gifts for sushi lovers... Will and Ellie already have a rice cooker for sticky rice, but the proper kind of sushi rice would be a nice addition. Rice vinegar or some sashimi grade tuna would be a good touch, too. Even some fancy chopsticks to wrap things up!
Happy Birthday, Elle! :) Can't wait to come over for sushi night!
After the party, it's the after party...
After our fabulous Brewfest experience, we hit Plump's Last Shot on the Monon. We LOVE Plump's! It's owned by Bobby Plump, who hit the last shot for Milan in the famous 1954 Indiana State basketball championship ("Hoosiers" is based on this true story)!
We had a great time. The hummus at Plump's is a surprise find! It's served warm with warm pitas and cucumbers. Beautiful! We both had grilled cheese sandwiches and fries and pitchers of Oberon. Allison joined us and it was so fun to hang out, since she hadn't been able to make it to Brewfest.
Our pal Ryan got a breaded tenderloin and it was outrageous. He was a champ and folded it in half, but it still barely fit on the bun. Neither of us are big meat eaters... but the tenderloin actually looked pretty delicious.
The one downside of Plump's is that they don't serve dessert... Maybe s'mores would be a good addition to their menu? The upside, however, is that you can take your dog and the people/canine watching is peerless!
After Plump's we met some friends at Broad Ripple Tavern. We hadn't been there in quite a while, but the crowd we were with was super fun! Our friends Kelsie and two Mollys had been at a white party and showed up looking angelic. Ryan's work friends from Germany added some international flair. We had Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy... a beer/lemonade mix of bliss that they've got on tap during the summer. It was on special and was refreshing.
After the Tavern, we hit the Red Room, which defies explanation... A good time was had by all.
The night was capped off by cheese bread, bread sticks, and new friends at Hot Box Pizza. What a weekend! Party on.
We had a great time. The hummus at Plump's is a surprise find! It's served warm with warm pitas and cucumbers. Beautiful! We both had grilled cheese sandwiches and fries and pitchers of Oberon. Allison joined us and it was so fun to hang out, since she hadn't been able to make it to Brewfest.
Our pal Ryan got a breaded tenderloin and it was outrageous. He was a champ and folded it in half, but it still barely fit on the bun. Neither of us are big meat eaters... but the tenderloin actually looked pretty delicious.
The one downside of Plump's is that they don't serve dessert... Maybe s'mores would be a good addition to their menu? The upside, however, is that you can take your dog and the people/canine watching is peerless!
After Plump's we met some friends at Broad Ripple Tavern. We hadn't been there in quite a while, but the crowd we were with was super fun! Our friends Kelsie and two Mollys had been at a white party and showed up looking angelic. Ryan's work friends from Germany added some international flair. We had Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy... a beer/lemonade mix of bliss that they've got on tap during the summer. It was on special and was refreshing.
After the Tavern, we hit the Red Room, which defies explanation... A good time was had by all.
The night was capped off by cheese bread, bread sticks, and new friends at Hot Box Pizza. What a weekend! Party on.
Saturday Frat-urday: BREWFEST
This past Saturday, the Party Girls and friends attended the 14th Annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival. We had a great time... we may have some pics. We'll post those when we find them!
It was a gorgeous day. The high temp was only around 70 and it was gorgeous.
There were lots of great beers represented. Boulevard from KC was present- it's a Maggie favorite that's not available in Indy, but the Regulator brings a case when he comes to visit.
Other faves:
-Upland (a Hoosier Original!)... the pale was excellent.
-Bell's Oberon, which is our go-to in the basement of Corner Wine Bar on Fridays. We also got Oberon temporary tattoos. A classy fashion statement!
-FAT TIRE! We're so excited to have this in Indiana now. Our DePauw pal, Mike Emrie, is the Indiana rep for New Belgium Brewery, so he gave us the hook up and the history of the beer! Thanks, Mike! We also met his wife, Beth, who was awesome. Our friend AJ also helped serve and made sure our glasses weren't empty.
Overall, the day was fantastic. The food selection wasn't great, but the Marco's Pizza made sure we had a good base down for beer tasting! The port-a-potties weren't a highlight, but none tipped over!
It was a gorgeous day. The high temp was only around 70 and it was gorgeous.
There were lots of great beers represented. Boulevard from KC was present- it's a Maggie favorite that's not available in Indy, but the Regulator brings a case when he comes to visit.
Other faves:
-Upland (a Hoosier Original!)... the pale was excellent.
-Bell's Oberon, which is our go-to in the basement of Corner Wine Bar on Fridays. We also got Oberon temporary tattoos. A classy fashion statement!
-FAT TIRE! We're so excited to have this in Indiana now. Our DePauw pal, Mike Emrie, is the Indiana rep for New Belgium Brewery, so he gave us the hook up and the history of the beer! Thanks, Mike! We also met his wife, Beth, who was awesome. Our friend AJ also helped serve and made sure our glasses weren't empty.
Overall, the day was fantastic. The food selection wasn't great, but the Marco's Pizza made sure we had a good base down for beer tasting! The port-a-potties weren't a highlight, but none tipped over!
Thanks to Miss Amber Kelly for this photos of the girls at Brewfest!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Tomorrow's Party
Don't fret over tonight faithful readers. Tomorrow the Party Girls have a big day. We're going to the Broadripple Brewfest with a group of super fun people...and half of Indianapolis. The weather will be ideal...and while the menu will be locally brewed beer...expect a fun - if brew infused - post tomorrow night. And it may involve the culinary masterminds of Qdoba. Don't judge.
Tonight's Party: Staying IN
Yes, it's Friday night. Yes, we are the Party Girls. And yet, even Party Girls need a break. So tonight, we decided to stay in.
The menu: sushi, salad, and wine from Fresh Market.
Sushi- brown rice tuna rolls, raw California rolls
Salad- tortellini with peas, red onions, broccoli, and tomatoes
Wines- Pillar Box Red, Castano Monastrell
The sushi-salad combo is admittedly strange, but places like the Fresh Market deli are great places to get ideas. The tortellini salad would be an easy side dish to replicate and take to a cook out:
cook some cheese tortellini, cool and toss with Italian dressing and some veggies. Chill and take it with you! Impressive and easy.
Our entertainment: canines Izzy and Lucy. And, "Mental" on FOX. Yes, it's on Friday night, but set the DVR. Worth it.
The menu: sushi, salad, and wine from Fresh Market.
Sushi- brown rice tuna rolls, raw California rolls
Salad- tortellini with peas, red onions, broccoli, and tomatoes
Wines- Pillar Box Red, Castano Monastrell
The sushi-salad combo is admittedly strange, but places like the Fresh Market deli are great places to get ideas. The tortellini salad would be an easy side dish to replicate and take to a cook out:
cook some cheese tortellini, cool and toss with Italian dressing and some veggies. Chill and take it with you! Impressive and easy.
Our entertainment: canines Izzy and Lucy. And, "Mental" on FOX. Yes, it's on Friday night, but set the DVR. Worth it.
Welcome to our blog...
Welcome to the blog of the Party Girls!
Here's the deal... we are Maggie and Meghan. We get invited to a lot of parties, which has left us with the continual dilemma of what to bring to each party. Maggie cooks a little. Meghan owns a single pot. Since we graduated from college, we have taken our culinary education into our own hands. We've learned a lot from our friends, family, and Paula Deen (we don't use quite as much butter!).
We both love to entertain and we want to help you out with your next party and share some of our legendary shenanigans with you!
We hope our blog gives you some ideas, helps you out a bit, and you can live vicariously through our fun... maybe you'll even have some of your own!
Thanks for visiting!
Maggie and Meghan
Here's the deal... we are Maggie and Meghan. We get invited to a lot of parties, which has left us with the continual dilemma of what to bring to each party. Maggie cooks a little. Meghan owns a single pot. Since we graduated from college, we have taken our culinary education into our own hands. We've learned a lot from our friends, family, and Paula Deen (we don't use quite as much butter!).
We both love to entertain and we want to help you out with your next party and share some of our legendary shenanigans with you!
We hope our blog gives you some ideas, helps you out a bit, and you can live vicariously through our fun... maybe you'll even have some of your own!
Thanks for visiting!
Maggie and Meghan
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