COCKTAIL RECIPE: THE DOUBLE BUBBLE

If you are hosting the girls after work on Friday and you've got nothing in the house or you need a quick cocktail that will make all of your guests happy, just pick up some sparkling Italian soda  and Prosecco. You can find the Prosecco at any wine store and the sparkling soda at Target, Whole Foods, or World Market. I love the Target brand---and it is only $2.50 a bottle. It comes in several different flavors but I used the blood orange for this recipe. This is also a wonderful way to stretch your wedding budget. If you want to have a Champagne toast but don't have the budget, serve my Double Bubble cocktail instead. You'll pay less for the Prosecco and you will stretch it by adding the sparkling soda. Select a flavor that works well with your menu or select a color that matches your color palette.

A two-bubble cocktail: The Double Bubble. Use chilled Prosecco and chilled Italian Sparkling Soda.

The Double Bubble Cocktail

For 1

3 ounces sparkling Italian soda *use your favorite. I love the Blood Orange.

1-2 ounces Prosecco

ice

This refreshing cocktail is my spin on the traditional Mimosa but you serve it on the rocks. Fill your glasses with ice. Pour the sparkling Italian soda over the ice and float the Prosecco on top. Garnish with a twist or a slice of orange.

For a crowd, I add one bottle of Italian Sparkling soda and one bottle of Prosecco to a chilled glass pitcher right before serving so I don't lose my bubbles.

EASY CENTERPIECE: GLOBE OR CYLINDER WITH AN OCEAN OR BEACH THEME

Want an easy idea for a centerpiece for your next party? Check out this fish bowl idea. It's an easy and fun addition to your table. It was inexpensive but added a lot of impact and a little whimsy. I put the vase on a candle holder with a wide base and used mounting tape to secure it but it is equally pretty sitting on a table or on a glass block. I'd use a very stable base if you will have cocktails or children at the party.

Elegant and easy...  find a glass block or candle holder to serve as a pedestal for the globe.

All you have to do is to find a glass container. I used a round globe vase but you can also use a tall cylinder or square glass vase.

These guys almost look real but they are pretty, inexpensive glass fish that you might find at an aquarium store. I found these at Pier 1. Sit them on top of ocean colored sea glass for a lovely change to a flower centerpiece.

Add the sea glass in your party color to the bottom of the vase. This not only adds color, it also adds some weight to the arrangement and that helps with stability. If you don't have or can't find sea glass, you can always use sand or river rocks.

I found some pretty glass fish that I used in the arrangement. You could also add coral or anything else that fits your party theme.

Fish $5 each (Pier 1)

Round Vase: $6 (Wal-Mart)

Sea Glass $6 (Target)

TALL CYLINDER VASE AQUARIUM WITH LIVE FISH

I have also made beautiful tall aquariums with live fish for a party. You have to be sure the water is suitable for the fish and that you have a home for them to go to once the party is over. This one was for an oyster event so I used oyster shells and other seashells to the design. Make sure to add the sand first. Then add the water about 1/2 way up. Add your design elements; shells, coral, etc. Then fill the vase 1/3 from the top. Allow the sand to settle before you add the fish.

Sand, shells, fresh water and a few goldfish make a beautiful cylinder centerpiece. Just make sure you have a home for the fish after the party!

RECIPE: STRAWBERRY BUTTERMILK NO-COOK ICE CREAM

Growing up, making homemade ice cream in the summer with fresh fruit was one of our weekend traditions. I love making homemade ice cream for a little get-together but I don't always have the time to make and chill the custard. This is one of my very favorite ways to make homemade ice cream in a hurry since you don’t have to cook the custard. Fresh and delicious!

You can make ice cream without cooking a custard with this Strawberry Buttermilk no-cook recipe.

STRAWBERRY BUTTERMILK ICE CREAM    (NO COOK ICE CREAM)

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time: no cook but 10-15 minutes to spin the ice cream

INGREDIENTS

2 quarts fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 pinches kosher salt

3 cups buttermilk

3 cups heavy cream

¼ teaspoon fresh lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice and put them in a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the berries and let them sit until juicy, about 1 hour. Reserve ½ cup berries and set aside. Pour in buttermilk and cream. Add a ¼ teaspoon fresh lime juice. Use an immersion blender to puree. Add the reserved berries. Freeze according to the directions on your ice cream maker.