Cooks With Cocktails

Share worthy food and cocktail recipes for stress free entertaining.

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Cheese Tart with Tomatoes & a Herb and Cheddar Crust

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This savory cheese tart is made with three kinds of cheese, fresh baby tomatoes, caramelized shallots and an easy herb and cheddar pastry crust.  An excellent tart to share with friends!  It can be made as a larger tart or smaller individual tarts. These tomato and cheese tarts are also a great way to use up any tomatoes from your garden.  They taste amazing with garden fresh tomatoes! What are the ingredients in the cheese tart? Here is a list of the ingredients in our cheese tart recipe. boursin cheese cheddar cheese parmesan cheese baby tomatoes caramelized shallots lemon zest… Read More

Get Your Home Ready for Easy Holiday Entertaining ~ a plan to get ahead of the game!

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The holiday entertaining season can be a lot of fun, or it can stress you out to no end!  We’ve got a plan and some great tips to get you organized so you can get ahead of the game and enjoy your time with friends and family this season. The name of the game is work smarter not harder.  The whole point is to spend time with your friends and family, not scurry around the whole time “doing” things.  Plus you don’t want every time you invite friends over to be super stressful and overwhelming, you want to effortlessly have… Read More

Cheesy Stuffed Zucchini Boats Wrapped in Prosciutto

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These stuffed zucchini boats will make even the pickiest eaters fall in love with zucchini and are a great option for using up all that garden fresh zucchini! Stuffed zucchini boats are a really easy side dish that take very little time and effort to make, but will wow everyone at the table both with looks and taste.  The zucchini boats are basically just a vehicle for the melty cheese and crispy prosciutto.  Together they make an impressive side dish for any meal. Try them for thanksgiving dinner or a backyard bbq in the summer. How do you make zucchini… Read More

Planters Punch Cocktail ~ a Caribbean Rum Punch with Hibiscus Syrup & Sparkling Wine

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Planters Punch is a world famous rum punch cocktail with delicious tropical flavors.  This is our planters punch recipe with a crazy good bubbly twist and tips on how to easily make it for a party! Planters Punch is one of the worlds most famous cocktails.  The first time I had a planters punch was at a roof top bar at the Hilton hotel in Nairobi, kenya.  I had a few more that trip, on Diani beach, at the Lepoard hotel just outside of Mombassa.  Since then I have had them all over the Caribbean and Mexico, but they are… Read More

No Mayo Potato Salad Recipe with Dill Dressing

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You won’t even miss the mayo in this no mayo potato salad recipe.  Instead the dressing is a very flavorful blend of spices and oil instead of mayo.  Its a little lighter and the ingredients of the salad really shine through. What goes into a no mayo potato salad dressing? Basically this potato salad recipe is made with a vinaigrette instead of a creamy dressing.  The base is an oil and then its flavored with mustard, salt, dill, garlic, vinegar and honey. The type of oil you choose for your dressing matters.  These are our favorite oils for making this… Read More

Hot Onion and Gruyere Dip

Hot Cheese Dip with Onion and Gruyere ~ An Oktoberfest Appetizer

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This hot cheese dip with onion and gruyere dip is one of our favorite appetizers! Melted gruyere, mixed with salty prosciutto, and savory onions. It’s really easy to make and absolutely over the top good!  A great addition to your Oktoberfest party menu! To help you celebrate Oktoberfest, we, and 9 other talented bloggers, are giving away a case of Marzen beer from Prost Brewing!  See below for the details and links to other Oktoberfest recipes.  They are fabulous! The Marzen beer would go perfect with this dip.   Just sayin… Let me introduce you to this hot cheese dip with onion… Read More

Halibut Ceviche with Pineapple & Avocado

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Light and fresh halibut ceviche is so full of flavor, easy to make and a great appetizer or meal option in the summer time because no heat is required!  Our ceviche is mixed with pineapple, red onions, jalapeno and avocado for a tropical taste.  Just like one that I had on the beach in Costa Rica! What is ceviche anyways? Basically ceviche is slices or chunks of raw fish, or shellfish, tossed with an acidic marinade, usually plain citrus juice like lime, lemon, or orange juice and then mixed with flavorings. Is ceviche “cooked”? Its not exactly cooked as cooking… Read More

Taco Salad Recipe with Tequila Lime Chicken & Homemade Ranch Dressing

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This taco salad recipe is a go to salad for both of our families in the summer.  It’s easy to make, super fresh tasting, full of veggies and packs a big punch in the flavor department.  Great for those hot summer nights where you don’t want to be standing over a stove or for when you need a quick, healthy, but also delicious dinner for your family. Kevin and I have this salad for dinner at least once a week during the summer.  At least…  And I know Debbie and Mark eat a lot of it too.   The boys love… Read More

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