Recipe Review: Bon Appetit's Lemon Oregano Aioli

I love to cook but I really only get the chance to take on new recipes on the weekends. With my husband away on business tonight, it gave me the perfect chance to whip up something I've had my eye on for a few days.

Bon Appetit's June issue has an amazing feature on mix-and-match summer entertaining menus. It's full of great ideas but the one I wanted to test first was the Roasted Asparagus and Baby Artichokes with Lemon-Oregano Aioli. (I opted to nix the asparagus.)

Aioli is a creamy, garlicky mayonnaise and one of my favorite dips. I love how this recipe added fresh oregano and lemon juice into the mix. Somehow cooking with fresh ingredients just makes everything taste better and brighter and this one certainly did.

If you try this recipe, and I highly recommend you do so for your next summer dinner party or girls lunch, I would cut back to maybe 3/4 cup of mayo instead of just one. This had a little too much mayo for me. And be sure to taste it as you whisk the aioli, you may want more lemon juice, salt, pepper, etc. And finally, you must use fresh oregano...dried just won't do here!

Click here for the full recipe...enjoy!

Party Plan: Memorial Day Chill-Out

After a super-busy week (sorry about the lack of posting) I am finally ready to embrace this long 3-day weekend!

Sure, Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kick-off to summer. But this year, rather than a big blow-out bash, I'd prefer a relaxed weekend full of quiet, delicious moments. Here is my Party Plan for a Memorial Day Chill-Out:

1. Drink: Sangria. Not just any sangria, Cava Sangria. A little fancy but this recipe from Bobby Flay piqued my interest. We drank Cava (a Spanish champagne) with friends on New Year's Eve this year and it was amazing!

Photo from FoodNetwork.com

2. Menu: Burgers. If you're hoping to not overindulge too much, try sliders instead. Make your burgers to the size of a meatball, flatten and throw them on the grill. Top them off with a bit of cheese, a pickle and place inside a dinner roll. Delicious.

3. Dessert: Whoopie Pies. Bake off a batch of devils food cake mix in the size of large cookies, then sandwich a generous helping of whipped topping in between two of them and chill for 15 minutes. Yum.

Photo from NYTimes.com

4. Decor: Keep it simple. Pick up packs of stars-and-stripes plates or buy solid paper goods in red, white and blue! Bonus: you can use any leftovers for Fourth of July!

Modern Stars and Stripes dinner plates, $5.50 for 8, from plumparty.com

5. Music: So glad you asked...I just created a "Summer Songs Playlist" over at Celebrations.com. I had a blast mixing tunes from Dave Matthews, Madonna, The Go-Go's and Lady Gaga. Let me know what you think!

Have a fabulous three-day weekend everyone!!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Photo from Celebrations.com

For me, there really never has to be an excuse to celebrate. So in honor of this festive day, here is today's Party Plan:

1. Cocktail: SkinnyGirl Margarita
Bethenny Frankel, celebrity natural food chef, author, entrepreneur and star of Bravo TV's "The Real Houswives of NYC." created this delicious cocktail. I was lucky enough to meet Bethenny at an event in NYC last spring and she is, in a word--amazing.

2. Main Menu: Taco Bar with Fresh Salsa
How fun is it to build your own taco? And please, whatever you do, make sure the salsa is FRESH! Nothing beats it. I suggest making it yourself or if you must buy it pre-made, the Trader Joe's brand really is delicious.

3. Dessert: I adore the Mexican Chocolate Pudding at my favorite restaurant in town, Besito. So decadent and delicious and so easy to re-create. Simply mix-in a generous amount of cinnamon to your favorite chocolate pudding (I suggest dark chocolate!)

4. Decorations: Tissue Paper Flowers
Yep, just like the kind you made in kindergarten. For an easy how-to, click here. Then, hang them up all around the house, tie them to the back of your dining chairs or plop a whole bunch into a vase.

5. Music: Set the mood with a festive playlist. I love this one from Celebrations.com.

How are you planning to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?