GET YOUR BAR CARTS READY FOR A VERY IMPORTANT MONTH!

May is going to be a big month, so get those bar carts stocked and ready. (I know mine is!)  

• Cinco De Mayo Margaritas? ✓
• Mother's Day Mojitos? ✓ 
• Memorial Day Greyhounds? ✓

All hosts should be prepared to serve a proper holiday-inspired sneeky on command, so I've made it a little bit easier by hand selecting some of my favorite bar carts and accessories here http://lulupowers.com/shop/

And speaking of sneeky's, take a look at the cocktail guide below.  Now you're just a few invites short from a great party. Cheers!

Happy Cinco de Mayo: The biggest Sneeky Day of the year!

This is the biggest Sneeky Day of the year.  I love all of these recipes!  It’s a simple way to treat your friends to a Cinco de Mayo Fiesta. You can't have a fiesta without the proper table attire, so I've put together this quick list of Cinco ready decor to make it easy for you! [show_shopthepost_widget id="30664"] Guacamole (makes 3 cups)

• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 3 avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro and jalapeno. With fork coarsely mash avocado; add to tomato mixture. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place plastic wrap directly on surface until ready to serve.

Taco-shot_sm

SWEET AND SPICY TACO MEAT

• 1 MEDIUM RED ONION, FINELY CHOPPED
• 5 CLOVES MINCED GARLIC
• 2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL OR BUTTER
• 2 LBS GROUND TURKEY
• 1 POUND GROUND BEEF
• 1 PACKAGE SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGES
• 2 BUNCHES SCALLIONS, THINLY SLICED
• 1 BUNCH CILANTRO, FINELY CHOPPED
• 3 TABLESPOONS CUMIN
• 2 TABLESPPONS LAWRY’S SALT
• 1 TABLESPPON GROUND PEPPER
• 1 TABLESPPON TOBASCCO
• 1 TABLESPOON CAYENNE
• 1 JALAPENO, FINELY CHOPPED
• 2 CUPS ORANGE JUICE

IN A LARGE SKILLET SAUTE ONION AND GARLIC IN 2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL OR BUTTER, OVER MEDIUM HEAT, FOR ABOUT 3-5 MINUTES, STIRRING FREQUENTLY. ADD GROUND TURKEY, BEEF, SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGES AND COOK STIRRING UNTIL BROWNED. ADD SCALLIONS, CILANTRO, CUMIN, SALT, GROUND PEPPER, TOBASCCO, CAYENNE, JALAPENO, ORANGE JUICE AND COOK UNTIL LIQUID EVAPORATED. REMOVE SKILLET FROM THE HEAT.

p_102080515

Infante -  sshhhhhh! (pictured above)

•  2oz reposado tequila
• 1/4oz orgeat
• 1/2oz fresh lime juice

Shake and strain over fresh ice. Spritz with rose water. Grate fresh nutmeg on top.

p_102080505

p_102080502

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I know for many Cinco de Mayo is the perfect excuse to enjoy a tall margarita but I thought today I would switch it up. Don't get me wrong, I'll definitely be breaking out the tequila for an ice cold margarita but I wanted to share a more unique recipe with Mexican roots to honor the holiday. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lulu’s Salty Caramel Banana Coconut Flan

Serves: 4-5

Preparation time: 20 minutes active, 1 ½ hours baking

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

3 eggs

1 egg yolk

¾ cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick, or ¼ tsp of ground cinnamon

1 large piece of lemon zest

1 tablespoon rum

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Preparation:

Start by infusing some flavor into the milk. Put the milk in a medium saucepan with the lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and rum.

Slowly bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Once done, set aside to cool (this is important).

You will need some custard cups suitable for the oven. You don’t necessarily need flan cups, but you need something about 3” wide by about 2” tall.

In a small non-stick skillet, spread out ¼ cup of the sugar. We are going to create the caramel to go in the custard cup.

Heat the sugar carefully and it will start to melt. Stir until you get a nice golden brown color.

Pour about ½ tablespoon into each cup and tilt the cup to spread the caramel to cover the bottom of each cup.

You need to work fast as the caramel will harden quickly!

Go ahead and preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Now in a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, ½ cup of sugar, and vanilla. Beat until foamy.

Pour in the milk (it has cooled, right?) through the strainer to remove the extra bits.

Mix the milk and eggs well.

Pour the mixture into each cup as near to the top as you can. Place the cups (not touching each other) in a deep baking pan or dish.

Pour boiling water into pan around the cups so that you have about an inch of water in the pan. This creates a water bath for the custard.

Bake now for 1 ½ hours. Check the custard with a thin knife in the center of one of the flans.

Remove from the oven when done and remove the cups from the bath to cool.

Can be served at room temperature or cooled.

Remove from the cup by sliding a think knife around the edge of the cup. Enjoy!

Lulu's Cinco de Mayo Margarita

• 2 oz. Tequila
• 2 oz. Clementine juice (You can also use orange or grapefruit. Whatever is in season)
• 1 Freshly squeezed lime
• 1/2 oz. Cointreau

Shake, shake, shake. Pour over ice. Adorn with mint, clementine slice or slice of cucumber.