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The Best SoCal Winter Brunch Party

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We are now officially in March and only a few short weeks away from the beginning of spring (on the calendar anyway) so let’s say bon voyage to the winter that was with an epic end-of-the-season brunch—SoCal style.

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

My Friends Who Fete gals, Aida from Salt and Wind and Meg from This Mess Is Ours, and I have joined forces once again to bring you a party you are going to want to recreate. From the recipes to the florals we cover every aspect of our parties so you can make them at home. Remember last winter’s Italian Polenta Party? This winter we decided to celebrate the gorgeous produce of  the season with a brunch that highlights where we live and where it’s all grown!

Here in sunny Southern California we are surrounded by the bounty of produce that just begs to be shown off and especially now when we are bursting at the seams with blood oranges, clementines, kumquats, and strawberries.

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

We pulled together a menu that captures these beauties and presents them at their peek then decorated our table with California grown succulents and flowers in a gorgeous, but totally doable arrangement. Brunch never looked so good!

A So-Cal Winter Brunch Menu

Blood Orange Ginger Sangria || Salt & Wind

Tequila Brown Sugar Bacon

Winter Fruit Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing and Pistachios

Spinach and Onion Quiche with Hashbrown Crust || This Mess Is Ours

Almond Ricotta and Roasted Rosemary Grape Tartines || This Mess Is Ours

Pistachio Spiced Coconut Carrot Muffins || Salt & Wind

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

Blood Orange Ginger Sangria

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

Tequila Brown Sugar Bacon

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

Winter Fruit Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing and Pistachios

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

Spinach and Onion Quiche with Hashbrown Crust

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

Almond Ricotta and Roasted Rosemary Grape Tartines

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

Pistachio Spiced Coconut Carrot Muffins

Effortless Decor

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

We tapped into California’s bountiful flowers for this easy centerpiece of roses and succulents tucked into vintage vases, cups, and jars. We wanted a rustic but feminine feel to mimic a easy Sunday morning affair and mixed pastels with wood, gold-rimmed dinnerware and antique bone-handled silverware. Here’s some of our favorite pieces from the brunch with links on where to buy them:

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

How To Pull It All Off

The nice thing about this menu is that much of it can be made ahead, even the night before, giving you plenty of time in the morning to put the finishing touches on the table and food. But there’s lots more to love about this party than that, here are a few more things that make this winter brunch so special:

  • The quiche with it’s hashbrown crust is not only gluten-free but feeds a crowd and can be made the night before, just pop it in the oven to warm before serving.
  • The sangria not only can (and should) be made ahead but makes a big batch which keeps the party going without you having to keep fetching more drinks.
  • The bacon gets baked in the oven leaving your stovetop spatter-free and better yet, you don’t have to stand over it, flipping bacon pieces while your friends have a good time.
  • Do yourself a solid and set the table the night before. Plates, flowers, silverware—all of it can be done ahead of time so you’re not digging around for wine glasses while the quiche gets cold.
  • Get way ahead and make the muffins a few days in advance then freeze them. Rewarm from frozen right before serving.
  • Even the fruit salad can be made in advance, just don’t add the dressing or pistachios until you’re ready to eat. Cover the top of the salad with a damp paper towel, then cover all the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.
  • Add a few store-bought pastries, lovely jam or jelly, and if you want something even more; make layered yogurt parfaits like we did with plain Greek yogurt and jam.

If you need more inspiration, don’t forget to follow our Friends Who Fete Pinterest board for all kinds of ideas for your next brunch.

A SoCal Winter Brunch from the Friends Who Fete gals. We give you the everything you need to pull off this gorgeous brunch from Tequila-Brown Sugar Bacon to Blood Orange Ginger Sangria, plus flowers, decor, and more! #winterbrunch #brunch #brunchrecipes

FRIENDS WHO FETE

If you know anything about me, you know I love to get together with friends and family and celebrate for any reason…or no reason at all. That’s why every few months I join forces with Salt & Wind and This Mess Is Ours to throw a party and give you all the details so you can too! We call it Friends Who Fete and you can find all our fiestas here!

Many thanks to Salt & Wind and This Mess Is Ours for all the gorgeous photography.

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Fruit Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing

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This Winter Fruit Salad post is sponsored by California Grown. All opinions are my own. 

A winter fruit salad may, at face value, seem like an oxymoron. Winter, in most places, does not equal fresh fruit but January and February in Southern California comes with glorious sweet treasures that are at their peek this time of the year.

This winter fruit salad is a gorgeous combination of thinly sliced fennel, juicy strawberries, and floral clementines tossed in a lemon and honey dressing and sprinkled with roasted pistachios. #fruitsalad #brunchrecipe #fruitsaladrecipe

I am absolutely thrilled to be partnering with California Grown whose mission is to connect people with the California farmers who grow their food. With the help of California Grown us Friends Who Fete gals (Meg from This Mess Is Ours and Aida from Salt and Wind and myself) threw a gorgeous SoCal winter brunch to celebrate all the beautiful California produce grown this time of year. My fruity contribution to our brunch was this colorful salad with thin slices of crisp fennel, juicy strawberries, and floral wedges of clementines; all of which I picked up at my local Farmer’s market.

This winter fruit salad is a gorgeous combination of thinly sliced fennel, juicy strawberries, and floral clementines tossed in a lemon and honey dressing and sprinkled with roasted pistachios. #fruitsalad #brunchrecipe #fruitsaladrecipe

As a matter of fact, everything that went into this salad was either from a local farm or my own neighborhood. In our neck of the woods, overflowing boxes of lemons, oranges, grapefruit, and tangerines dot the sidewalks from neighbors whose trees are weighed heavy with the fruit. I picked up a few lemons to make this dressing, whisking the zest and juice with the local Ojai Pixie honey.

This winter fruit salad is a gorgeous combination of thinly sliced fennel, juicy strawberries, and floral clementines tossed in a lemon and honey dressing and sprinkled with roasted pistachios. #fruitsalad #brunchrecipe #fruitsaladrecipe

Tips for a Winter Fruit Salad

  • The clementines in this recipe are supremed. If you have no idea what that means, check out this video for a play-by-play. Supreme the clementines over a small bowl to catch any juices then squeeze any remaining juice that’s left into the bowl as well. Use this juice to make the dressing.
  • Play around with whatever fruit/veggie combination is lucious and lovely where you live. For example, winter isn’t all about citrus, tropical fruits are also really sweet this time of year, mangos, pineapple, and papaya are other good options.
  • The lavender buds (picked from my front yard) on top are completely optional but are absolutely gorgeous and make the salad feel special and surprising.
This winter fruit salad is a gorgeous combination of thinly sliced fennel, juicy strawberries, and floral clementines tossed in a lemon and honey dressing and sprinkled with roasted pistachios. #fruitsalad #brunchrecipe #fruitsaladrecipe
This winter fruit salad is a gorgeous combination of thinly sliced fennel, juicy strawberries, and floral clementines tossed in a lemon and honey dressing and sprinkled with roasted pistachios. #fruitsalad #brunchrecipe #fruitsaladrecipe

Winter Fruit Salad with Honey-Lemon Dressing and Pistachios

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

This winter fruit salad is a gorgeous combination of thinly sliced fennel, juicy strawberries, and floral clementines tossed in a lemon and honey dressing and sprinkled with roasted pistachios.

Ingredients

  • 1 small bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced, reserve some fronds for garnish
  • 1 pound strawberries, cored and sliced
  • 4 clementines, peeled and sliced into segments
  • 2-3 tablespoons honey
  • zest and juice from 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted pistachios

Instructions

  1. Gently combine fennel, strawberries, and clementines in a shallow bowl.
  2. Whisk together honey, lemon zest, and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Taste and add more honey or lemon juice to your liking.
  3. Drizzle dressing over salad and gently toss to coat being careful not to break up the strawberry slices.
  4. Sprinkle pistachios and some chopped fennel fronds over the top and serve.

Notes

Salad can be made a few hours in advance keeping the dressing and pistachios separate. Cover salad with a damp paper towel then tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss with dressing and sprinkle with pistachios, enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kate Ramos

Many thanks to Salt & Wind and This Mess Is Ours for all the gorgeous photography.

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno and use the #holajalapeno hashtag so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

PIN IT FOR LATER!

This winter fruit salad is a gorgeous combination of thinly sliced fennel, juicy strawberries, and floral clementines tossed in a lemon and honey dressing and sprinkled with roasted pistachios. #strawberrysalad #fruitsalad #healthyfruitsalad #brunchsalad

How to Throw a Stress-Free Holiday Party

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The wonderful thing about the holidays is getting together with friends and family for Christmas dinner, a tamalada, Hanukkah, or my personal favorite–no reason at all. The holiday season allows us to gather at the drop of a hat, simply because. The downside of all this merry-making is it can be stressful if you find yourself with a houseful of guests and an empty fridge. But it doesn’t have to be that way, the Friends Who Fete crew are here to help!

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

As we do every so often, Meg from This Mess Is Ours, Aida from Salt and Wind and I gather together to throw a party, document every part of it, and share it with you so you can do the same thing with your friends! This time around we were also lucky enough to have Dennise from Le Petit Eats join us and we wanted to give you the tools you need to throw an elegant, but easy, party that can come together in an afternoon with the help of some store-bought ingredients, a few simple florals, and some items we’re pretty sure you already have in your pantry. We wanted to show you how to throw a stress-free holiday party.

Setting The Mood

Chances are you already have your Christmas tree lit and decorated and maybe a wreath or garland to brighten up the house, so you really need little more to make your place party ready. We picked up some greenery from the grocery store and placed a few flameless pillar candles on the table and bar to set the mood (check out how Meg created a festive holiday table centerpiece). A few strands of battery-powered string lights give the party a nice glow and look beautiful tucked inside mason jars or other containers.

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

The Bar

If you have the space, a bar cart or separate table away from the kitchen or food is ideal. This spreads everyone out and gets your guests mixing their own drinks. You know having a signature cocktail for the evening makes your life easier, this Cranberry Dark and Stormy that Meg whipped up is so good it will soon become your signature cocktail of the holiday season.

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

It is also nice to offer a non-alcoholic drink and we teamed up with Torani Syrup to create a Handcrafted Soda Bar that can go either way. With all their holiday-themed syrup flavors the options are virtually endless. Aida created an Eggnog Italian Soda, using the Torani Italian Eggnog Syrup and a Spiced Cranberry Cinnamon Italian Soda, using the Torani Cinnamon Syrup, that are delicious with or without alcohol.

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

The Menu

We opted to go with a app-heavy cocktail party instead of a sit down dinner. It’s a low maintenece (and easier clean up) way to entertain. Our menu focused on using high-quality store-bought ingredients, plus pantry staples to create recipes that can either be made in advance and have on-hand or made in under an hour.

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!
How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!
How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

The Plan

The idea behind this party is that you should be able to throw it at the drop of a hat because you will have already have your cupboards and freezer stocked with a few essentials. Here are the things you should have on hand:

Tableware

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

Food/Drink

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

How To Prep

The next step is to go shopping for the perishable items to round out the menu and pick up some flowers for decorating, then head to the kitchen and get prepping.

Up to 3 days in advance:

  • Butternut Squash Hummus

Night Before:

  • Fry the sage
  • Make the sauces for the meatballs
  • Bake the cupcakes
  • Make the hot honey and balsamic glaze
  • Arrange flowers
  • Set up bar
  • Set up buffet

An Hour Before

  • Bake Tartlets
  • Wrap Persimmons
  • Bake Brazi Bites
  • Arrange Cheese Board
  • Warm sauces for meatballs

As Guests Arrive

  • Bake meatballs and toss in sauce
  • Set food out on buffet

We hope this party inspires you to entertain and if it still seems too daunting, do what we did and invite friends over to help or instead of making the whole menu yourself share the duties among a few of your guests. Most importantly, have fun and we wish you a very happy holidays!

How to throw a stress-free holiday party that can come together in an afternoon with a full menu, drinks, and decorating ideas for a last-minute party!

A big THANK YOU to This Mess Is Ours and Salt & Wind for all the photography!

Friends Who Fete are three gals (¡Hola! Jalapeño, Salt & Wind, and This Mess Is Ours) who love to throw parties big and small. Every season we do something new–find them all here!

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Mango Habanero Cocktail Meatballs

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In my pre-dinner repertoire meatballs play a very small role. I often forget about their sweet, spicy, hearty existence in favor of some dip or salsa or hunk of delicious cheese. It’s strange that that they go forgotten, especially when I think about every Christmas party I attended as a child and remember the bubbling crockpot of meatballs at the center of the buffet table. They were the centerpiece and with good reason; in a sea of less filling options the meatballs were the main course, so to speak, at every cocktail party.

Mango Habanero Cocktail Meatballs make the easiest party appetizer, just spruce up store-bought meatballs with a sweet and spicy mango habanero sauce.

For our Friends Who Fete Holiday Party I made cocktail meatballs in the easiest way I knew how—without having to even make the meatballs in the first place. The idea for our party was to throw one that was absolutely doable, even at the last minute, therefore I went on the hunt for the BEST frozen meatballs I could find.

Mango Habanero Cocktail Meatballs make the easiest party appetizer, just spruce up store-bought meatballs with a sweet and spicy mango habanero sauce.

After dedicated research, my favorite meatballs were the Nature’s Ranch Angus Beef Meatballs from Whole Food’s. They had dense, meaty texture and rich flavor without too much overpowering seasoning, allowing me to slather them in any sauce I please.

Mango Habanero Cocktail Meatballs make the easiest party appetizer, just spruce up store-bought meatballs with a sweet and spicy mango habanero sauce.

These mango habanero cocktail meatballs are made with a very simple sauce that uses another one of my favorite store-bought products, Mrs. G’s Mango Ginger Habanero Jelly. This jelly, made and sourced in Southern California, has a telltale kick from the chiles but isn’t so overpowering that you can’t taste the mango or ginger, all ingredients come through clearly. In Southern California you can find this jelly in many grocery stores like Whole Food’s but you can also order it online. If you can’t find this particular habanero jelly, any brand of spicy jelly will do.

Mango Habanero Cocktail Meatballs

Mango Habanero Cocktail Meatballs

Yield: 8 serving
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Mango Habanero Cocktail Meatballs make the easiest party appetizer, just spruce up store-bought meatballs with a sweet and spicy mango habanero sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound 6 ounces frozen mini meatballs
  • 8 ounces habanero jelly
  • 2 tablespoons chopped ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons mango juice

Instructions

  1. Bake meatballs according to package instructions.
  2. Meanwhile combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Toss hot meatballs in sauce and serve.

Notes

Serve meatballs in a slow cooker to keep warm.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kate Ramos

A big THANK YOU to This Mess Is Ours and Salt & Wind for all the photography!

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Honey Chipotle Cocktail Meatballs

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As far as store-bought, frozen meatballs go, there is a big difference between the good and the bad. Too often frozen meatballs are spongy, flavorless orbs with very little similarity to their homemade cousins and I should know because I tried just about every brand at my local grocery stores to find the very best one.

These Honey Chipotle Cocktail Meatballs make a stunningly simple party appetizer with just three ingredients, they are made as fast as they disappear.

When us Friends Who Fete gals decided to throw a holiday party we decided to make it as easy as possible to replicate because if there is a time of year when we all wind up having people over it is now, and we wanted to give you the tools to do it as effortlessly as possible.

These Honey Chipotle Cocktail Meatballs make a stunningly simple party appetizer with just three ingredients, they are made as fast as they disappear.

We came up with a menu that spruced up our favorite store-bought ingredients for a last-minute celebration you can pull together in an afternoon and my assignment: meatballs. I came up with two different sauce recipes, honey-chipotle and mango-habanero, both requiring little more than a turn in a bowl.

These Honey Chipotle Cocktail Meatballs make a stunningly simple party appetizer with just three ingredients, they are made as fast as they disappear.

So what are your favorite purchased meatballs you ask? Well, after trying waaayyyy too many, my favorites were Nature’s Ranch Angus Beef Meatballs from Whole Food’s. They have great meaty texture and rich, beef-forward flavor that isn’t bogged down with too many seasoning allowing me to bathe them in whatever sauce I choose.

This is such a simple recipe that I hope you will also consider it for busy weeknight meals as well. Served with steamed rice and some veg I can see these meatballs taking center stage on a snowy December night.

These Honey Chipotle Cocktail Meatballs make a stunningly simple party appetizer with just three ingredients, they are made as fast as they disappear.

Honey Chipotle Cocktail Meatballs

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

These Honey Chipotle Cocktail Meatballs make a stunningly simple party appetizer with just three ingredients, they are made as fast as they disappear.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound 6 ounces frozen mini meatballs
  • 2 chipotles en adobo, minced
  • 1/3 cup honey

Instructions

  1. Bake meatballs according to package instructions
  2. Mix chipotles and honey together in a large bowl.
  3. Add hot meatballs to sauce and stir to coat, serve immediately.

Notes

Serve meatballs in a slow cooker to keep warm.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kate Ramos

A big THANK YOU to This Mess Is Ours and Salt & Wind for all the photography!

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

20 Essentials For A One-of-a-Kind Ice Cream Social

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As summer draws to a close my merriment-making crew, Friends Who Fete—Aida of Salt & Wind and Meg of This Mess Is Ours—were dying to get together one last time and celebrate with the whole family. An ice cream social seemed like the perfect excuse to soak in the summer sun, play games, eat ice cream until our bellies burst, and give one last hurrah before the kiddos head back to school and life gets busy again. Here’s how we made it happen!

1.No-Churn Vanilla Cream Cheese Ice Cream: There is nothing more essential to an Ice Cream Social than vanilla ice cream. This homemade version requires no fancy ice cream machine and is extra tangy and rich thanks to the addition of cream cheese.

2. Chocolate Chocolate Ice Cream: Aida mixed up a batch of decadent homemade chocolate ice cream to satisfy the chocolate lovers in the crowd. Perfect for topping with a s’more—you know how we do.

3. No-Churn Churros Con Chocolate Ice Cream: I took my No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream base and add a swirl of Mexican Hot Chocolate Sauce and churros, no biggie.

4. Chocolate Almond Butter Cup Ice Cream with Almond Butter Swirl: Aida recreated her sister’s childhood obsession with this decadent combo. She took her extra chocolatey ice cream and swirled in a ribbon of almond butter then added miniature almond butter cups.

5. No-Churn Blueberry Mezcal Swirl Ice Cream: I felt it very important that the adults didn’t feel left out. Rich vanilla no-churn with a ripple of mescal-infused blueberry sauce; warning, this ice cream will make you swoon.

6. Hazelnut Chocolate “Baci” Ice Cream: This luxurious ice cream was inspired by Aida’s love for Baci Perugina, the Italian chocolate-hazelnut truffles.

7. Strawberry Aperol Spritz Poptails: These grown-up boozy pops are Meg’s ode to Italy’s signature summer cocktail, but with fresh strawberries added for an extra fruity kick.

8. Mexican Hot Chocolate Sauce: Impromptu sundae making calls for chocolate sauce. This is the sauce (with a touch of almond and cinnamon) that I swirled into my churros ice cream. I made a double batch so we’d have extra to drizzle on  top.

9. Coffee Salted Caramel Sauce: No ice cream party is complete without caramel sauce. Aida upped the ante with this topper. Rich caramel gets a boost from a shot of dark espresso for a sauce you will want to drizzle on everything.

10. Homemade Waffle Cones: Meg made these sweet cones in chocolate and vanilla. They were the perfect size for little hands—and gluten-free!

11. Toppings: You really can’t have too many toppings. Sprinkles are obviously a must, but we also lined the table with rainbow marshmallows, chocolate-covered candies, mini stroopwafels, macarons, graham crackers, and more!

12. Metal Ice Bins: Unless you want to be running back and forth from the freezer every five seconds you should have a plan on how to keep the ice cream as cold as possible. A metal bin filled with ice worked well for us, even in the LA heat.

13. Ice Cream Pints and Ice Cream Cups: We packed our homemade ice cream in these cute paper pint-sized containers (which, by the way, makes leftovers really easy to take home) and used colorful cups for sundaes.

14. Ice Cream Scoops: Invest in more than one ice cream scoop so multiple hands can be scooping at once. Sturdy scoops like this stainless steel one are my favorite but the spring-loaded scoops work well too.

15. Colorful Candy: Okay, I’ll admit having candy at an ice cream social is a little overkill…but its so pretty!! Try Twisty Rainbow Candy Lollipops, Swirl Pops, or Candy Ice Cream Cones.

16. Garland, Tassels, and Honeycombs–Oh My!: Colorful decorations are a must at any ice cream social but you don’t have to be a crafter to create a IG-worthy background. We used vibrant Tassel Garland and Honeycomb Balls from Sweet Lulu to set the scene. But PS, they also have Honeycomb Ice Cream Cones which are ohmygod so cute!

17. Punch Balloons: Let’s face it, kids who are eating tons of sugar need somewhere to put their energies, punch balloons to the rescue! Plus, they look really sweet too.

18. DIY Tattoos: Partying with uber-creatives like Meg and Todd has it’s perks. Like getting a full sleeve of handmade temporary ice cream tattoos. Click the link for instructions on how to make your own!

19. Ice Cream Cone Piñata: Word to the wise, filling the piñata with confetti makes the moment of explosion extra special.

20. Pin the Cherry on the Ice Cream Cone: This was a cute game that Meg and Todd came up with and the kids just loved.

A big THANK YOU to This Mess Is Ours and Salt & Wind for all the photography!

Friends Who Fete are three gals (¡Hola! Jalapeño, Salt & Wind, and This Mess Is Ours) who love to throw parties big and small. Every season we do something new–find them all here!

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

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No-Churn Cream Cheese Ice Cream Recipe

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Truly the BEST recipe for Cream Cheese Ice Cream made with cream cheese, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. This can be made completely in a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, no ice cream machine needed! A delicious ice cream recipe that is super rich and creamy. Gluten-free!

A simple recipe for Cream Cheese Ice Cream – creamy, cold, and requires no ice cream maker! Just what the doctor ordered on hot summer days.

Homemade ice cream can be finicky, it can curdle, scald, or be too icy.

Then there’s the whole ice cream machine thing.

You have to freeze the base way in advance in order for it to get cold enough and sometimes even if the base is cold, the machine still doesn’t get the ice cream frozen fast enough resulting in super dense or worse, over-churned ice cream.

For all these reasons I’ve been really intrigued by this very popular no-churn method.

Essentially you combine sweetened condensed milk with whipped cream and freeze.

So super easy!

But when I made it I also found the result to be so super sweet.

A cardboard pint container full of ice cream sitting in a tub of ice with two other containers behind it.

To combat the one-dimensional sweetness I added a Jeni’s trick–softened cream cheese.

At first, just a little, but the more I added, the richer, creamier, and more complex the ice cream became until before I knew it, I had added the entire eight-ounce block—without a hint of regret I might add.

Indulgent and tangy this ice cream scoops up in big, milky scoops and is full of luxurious vanilla flavor.

how to make cheese ice cream

The lovely thing about no-churn ice cream is there’s no egg yolks which means, no cooking! No churning, no cooking, this ice cream is just too easy.

The only thing to keep in mind is you still have to give it time to freeze. So make sure to start this recipe at least 6 hours before serving, or even better, overnight.

The first step is to make the cream mixture. Beat the cream cheese until it is light and fluffy—the cream and milk get added in a minute.

Once the cream cheese is whipped and airy, add the vanilla, sweetened condensed milk and salt and beat until combined. Scrape this into a large bowl.

Next, whip the cream until it is big, buoyant peaks. Fold the cream into the cream cheese custard in two batches.

Transfer to a freezer-safe container. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of custard and freeze. That’s it!

variations

The classic vanilla is excellent on its own or topped with sundae essentials like chocolate sauce and M&M’s but I also easily turned this basic ice cream into two other flavors for our Friends Who Fete ice cream social last weekend.

The first got a boozy swirl of blueberries and mezcal and the second got a one-two punch of Mexican Hot Chocolate Sauce and crispy churro bites. But really, the options are endless.

You could also swap the cream cheese for goat cheese for a rich, tangy treat.

Other easy mix-ins could be basic childhood favorites like Oreo cookies or chocolate chips or more sophisticated types might like brandied cherries or chopped chocolate truffles or what about both of those at the same time.

Oo. La. La.

A boy sitting at a table with a cup of ice cream in front of him. A blue checkered table cloth is on the table.

more summer dessert recipes to try!

because who doesn’t love ice cream?

Seriously though, this creamy cream cheese ice cream is so good and so easy, it’s pretty impossible not to love. Try the recipe, and let me know how you like it, OK? Share a photo and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so that we can see your scoops or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

No-Churn Vanilla Cream Cheese Ice Cream

No-Churn Vanilla Cream Cheese Ice Cream

Yield: 1 quart
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Truly the BEST recipe for Cream Cheese Ice Cream made with cream cheese, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. This can be made completely in a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, no ice cream machine needed! A delicious ice cream recipe that is super rich and creamy. Gluten-free!

Ingredients

Instructions

Beat cream cheese. Place cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium for 1 minute until smooth.

Add milk and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and salt and continue beating until combined and smooth. Scrape this mixture into a large bowl.

Whip cream. Add cream to the stand mixer bowl (no need to clean it out) and using the whisk attachment, whip the cream to stiff peaks, about 3 minutes.

Fold in cream and freeze. Add a third of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold to combine. Add remaining cream and gently fold until completely incorporated. Scrape into a freezer-safe container with a tight lid and freeze at least 4 hours.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kate Ramos
Cuisine: American

All photos courtesy of This Mess Is Ours

In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you for reading!

How to Throw a Whimsical Bridal Shower

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How do you throw the perfect bridal shower for the girl who’s been everywhere, seen everything, and oh yeah….already eloped?

Well that is just what my dear friend Meg (from This Mess Is Ours) and I set out to do a couple weeks ago for our friend and partner in party-making, Aida Mollenkamp (from Salt & Wind). Aida is so fabulously sophisticated it was no easy task. We had to find the choicest of locations, put together the most elegant of menus, and of course some sort of fancy cocktail situation. Not to toot my own horn; but I think we nailed it! Let’s take a peek.

THE MENU

Aida is the queen of travel so we wanted to create a menu that reflected her worldly view with flavors from around the globe. Instead of a sit-down lunch, we opted for finger foods offered up buffet style so everyone could not only help themselves but mingle and talk while they nibbled.

Moroccan Passionfruit Minimalist Iced Tea || Salt & Wind

Spring Asparagus and New Potatoes with Harissa Goat Cheese Dip

  Gougeres Tea Sandwiches with Moroccan Chicken || Salt & Wind

Gougeres Tea Sandwiches with Mint, Date Paste, and Goat Cheese || Salt & Wind

Gougeres Tea Sandwiches with Spiced Carrots, Tapenade, and Ricotta || Salt & Wind

Avocado Deviled Eggs with Dukkah

Spicy Papaya Lime Shrimp Skewers

Easy Watermelon Canapés || This Mess Is Ours

Individual Pistachio Pavlovas with Strawberries || This Mess Is Ours

 

THE ULTIMATE CHAMPAGNE BAR

Nothing is more festive than champagne so we needed bubbles….and lots of them. Meg put together a DIY bar with homemade syrups, fruits, and edible flowers to really knock it out of the park.

How to Build the Ultimate Champagne Bar || This Mess Is Ours

Vanilla Bean and Plum Syrup || This Mess Is Ours

Apricot and Orange Blossom Syrup || This Mess Is Ours

Hibiscus Syrup

 

SETTING THE SCENE WITH THE HUNTED FOX

We needed to find a space that echoed Aida’s luxurious and colorful flare. The Hunted Fox studio in downtown LA brought our dream to life. With their bright, airy space and rich textiles, our intimate gathering celebrated the bride in style. Their handmade ottomans, pillows, and linens added unique elements to the party making it feel cozy and charming. If you want to read more about The Hunted Fox check out Meg’s shopping guide!

 

THE FLORALS

Meredith Ambruso mimicked the party’s whimsical feel with arrangements of edibles like button chamomile and dill flowers along with roses and olive leaf. A long table runner of flowers, herbs, and fresh fruits from Melissa’s Produce adorned the buffet.

She also created a stunning floral wreath, similar to the individual ones she created for our Italian Polenta Party. The wreath, made of Willow Eucalyptus, Spray Roses, Fern, and Statice, all of which she dried and reshaped and gave to Aida as a keepsake for her front door.

 

WATERCOLOR WHIMSY

This delightful watercolor menu filled with elements from the buffet was created by artist Jessica Weymouth.

SHOWER GIFTS….AND A SURPRISE

To be completely honest, I’m a little bit jealous of Aida’s fabulous bridal shower gifts. She received one of the brand spanking new, recently released miniature Kitchen Aid Mixers, a beautiful selection of cookbooks, and a handmade Hunted Fox pillow which are all wonderful presents to start a new home. Not to mention a gorgeous 5 1/2 quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven, a hand-painted card, and an artisan foods gift basket from Melissa’s Produce.

Now for the truly exciting part: I might not be able to have these gifts but guess what? YOU CAN!! As part of our bridal shower celebration we wanted you to be part of the fun too! Whether you need gifts for an upcoming wedding or want to keep them for yourself, we are giving away all these gifts to one lucky winner, a prize package valued at over $1000!

ENTER NOW!

Click here to view this promotion.

FRIENDS WHO FETE

If you know anything about me, you know I love to get together with friends and family and celebrate for any reason…or no reason at all. That’s why every few months I join forces with Salt & Wind and This Mess Is Ours to throw a party and give you all the details so you can too! We call it Friends Who Fete and you can find all our fiestas here!

SOURCES

Many thanks to Salt & Wind and This Mess Is Ours for all the gorgeous photography and Melissa’s Produce for the beautiful fruits and vegetables.

And a big thank you to our giveaway sponsors: Le Creuset, Kitchen Aid, Melissa’s Produce, The Hunted Fox, and Jessica Weymouth.

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Asparagus & Potatoes with Harissa Goat Cheese Dip

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It always intrigues me how cuisines from one culture can be worlds apart physically yet be exact replicas in almost every other way. The Tunisian spice paste harissa and the mole pastes of Mexico are a perfect example.

I hadn’t really thought too much about their similarities until last week when I decided to make harissa from scratch for the first time. Dried chiles got toasted and soaked, whole spices were warmed filling the entire house with their fragrance, vegetables were charred under an open flame until their skins crackled and blackened. The entire process felt like second nature, incredibly familiar to one I’ve done many times making homemade mole sauces and ground chile salsas.

My inclinations probably gave my harissa more of a Mexican flavor than is traditional—smoked morita chiles and charred tomatoes I don’t think are authentic. But it made a lovely dip on it’s own and when mixed with soft chèvre goat cheese and a little bit of cream cheese to ensure lusciousness in a harissa goat cheese dip.

I made this creepingly spicy dip for gently blanched asparagus and new potatoes; a very special seasonal crudite-style platter I brought to the Friends Who Fete Bridal Shower Meg and I threw for Aida over Memorial Day weekend.  Any leftover harissa goat cheese dip was quickly consumed with tortilla chips and as a drizzle over a big plate of carne asada, grilled vegetables, and rice.

All the party details will be coming out this week so make sure you follow along the #FriendsWhoFete hashtag for lots of effortlessly elegant party tips!

Spring Asparagus and New Potatoes with Harissa Goat Cheese Dip

Spring Asparagus and New Potatoes with Harissa Goat Cheese Dip

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Harissa:

  • 4 dried morita chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 3 dried arbol chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, halved, and seeded
  • 1 serrano chile
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seed
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Dip:

  • 8 ounces soft goat cheese (chèvre)
  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • Juice of 1 lemon

For the Veggies:

  • 1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed
  • 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed

Instructions

To Make the Harissa:

  1. Heat broiler to high. Place dried chiles, red bell pepper, serrano chile, and cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet.
  2. Place baking sheet directly under the broiler and char the vegetables. Watch the dried chiles carefully as they will toast first, turn them occasionally until they are darkened on all sides, then remove and let the remaining vegetables broil.
  3. Remove the vegetables from the baking sheet as their skins char on all sides, the cherry tomatoes will be done next followed by the serrano and red bell pepper which could take up to 10 minutes.
  4. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the toasted dried chiles and let soak at least 15 minutes.
  5. Combine cumin, coriander, and caraway in a small frying pan and toast, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until fragrant and starting to brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, let cool, then grind into a powder. This can also be done in a clean coffee grinder.
  6. Once the charred veggies are cool enough to handle, remove all charred skin and the stem of the serrano chile. Remove the serrano seeds too if you don't want it very spicy.
  7. Drain the dried chiles and combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until very smooth. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt if needed. Harissa can be made up to 3 days in advance. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. Makes 1 1/2 cups of sauce.

To Make the Dip:

  1. Combine harissa, goat cheese, cream cheese, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend until smooth and well combined. Taste and add salt as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl. Dip can be made up to a day in advance, covered in the refrigerator.

To prepare the Veggies:

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes, whole and cook at a gentle boil until just tender when poked with the tip of a knife. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.
  2. Add asparagus to the boiling water and cook until vibrant green and just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and submerge in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
  3. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half or quarters if they are big.
  4. Arrange the vegetables on a tray with the dip and serve.

Notes

Substitute store-bought harissa for the homemade if you'd like; you will need 1 1/2 cups for this recipe but don't add it all at once. Because the flavor of store-bought will be different you might need more or less depending on the brand and how spicy it is.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kate Ramos

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

A big thanks goes out to Salt & Wind and This Mess Is Ours for the beautiful photography and to Melissa’s for supplying the fresh produce!

Spicy Papaya Lime Shrimp Skewers

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The girls and I got together again. You know how we do every few months. Throw a fabulous party, take a bunch of pictures, tell you all about it. Follow #friendswhofete for all the details.

This time it was to celebrate Aida’s elopement and future wedded bliss in an effortlessly elegant bridal shower. We got together at my friend Moana’s studio, drank champagne cocktails, and nibbled on finger foods. It was all kinds of fancy and I’ll be sharing lots of photos and recipes and party tips with you over the next week or so because I know there are at least one or two of you who will be hosting a bridal or baby shower this summer.

One of my contributions were these shrimp and papaya skewers that I had marinated, and skewered in advance and then grilled right before we ate. Which p.s. means they can absolutely be made in advance and are excellent party food.

Let’s talk shrimp

I am a gal who prefers super fresh local shrimp with the heads and shells left on. I was able to get some at the local fish market on the harbor in Santa Barbara. That being said (knowing full well you are probably in mid eye roll right now) this recipe will work perfectly perfect with headless, peeled and deveined shrimp. But if you have access to local shrimp and can get those bad boys with the head on–do it!

The shrimp gets marinated in loads of lime zest, fresh squeeze lime juice, ground California chili powder (or whichever chili powder you prefer) and sugar. In this instance it is a marinade but there is no reason this would not make an amazing dip for spring rolls or pot stickers, so keep that in mind next time you want to doctor up a bag of Trader Joe’s gyoza.

Because these are supposed to be dainty bites I skewered one shrimp between two papaya wedges but if you are serving them as more of a main course situation you can add as many to the skewer as you’d like.

Let’s talk papaya

For this recipe you want a ripe, sweet papaya…but not too ripe. If the papaya is like super duper, kinda starting to mold on the outside ripe, it will fall apart the second you try to skewer it. Look for one that is almost to that stage, but not quite.

Peeling a papaya is best done with a y-peeler. If you don’t have one—what the heck are you waiting for?!! They cost like two cents and perform miracles. Peel it, cut it in half and scoop out the creepy looking black seeds–eat them if you want, they taste like pepper.

The final touch for these skewers was a sprinkle of Jacobsen Salt Company’s habanero salt, just to add a touch of heat. By the way, they are not paying me to say this, but I really do love their salts, and honeys, and oh my god their salty candies which basically taste like the best salt water taffy you’ve ever had. But for these skewers the habanero salt is where its at. If you are not that into spicy, just leave it off but it does give the skewers that perfect je ne sais quoi.

Spicy Papaya Lime Shrimp Skewers

Spicy Papaya Lime Shrimp Skewers

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 24 bamboo or metal skewers
  • 2 tablespoons lime zest
  • 6 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground California chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pound shrimp, preferably head-on with shells
  • 2 pounds ripe papaya, peeled, seeded and cut into wedges
  • Habanero salt, for garnish (optional)
  • Lime wedges, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. If using bamboo or wooden skewers, cover with water and let soak for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Combine lime zest, lime juice, sugar, oil, chili powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk to dissolve sugar.
  3. I like to use head-on shrimp as I find they have more flavor. I leave the heads and shells on and rinse them well in cold water. If you'd rather get headless shrimp that's fine too. Peel and devein the shrimp if you'd like, either way works. Toss shrimp in marinade, cover, and refrigerate for an hour.
  4. Start the grill and let it heat to medium-high.
  5. Drain the skewers if soaking and thread papaya and shrimp (1 shrimp and 2 papaya pieces per skewer for appetizer bites and more for meal-sized portions) on the skewers. Saving any leftover marinade for brushing.
  6. Grill skewers, brushing with marinade occasionally until shrimp are pink, firm, and cooked through. The timing on these will depend on how hot your grill is. Mine was pretty cool, so they took about 10 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle skewers with a little habanero salt if you'd like and serve with lime wedges.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kate Ramos

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

A big thanks goes out to Salt & Wind and This Mess Is Ours for the beautiful photography and to Melissa’s for supplying the fresh produce!

Avocado Deviled Eggs with Dukkah

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If you are going to have one thing on your summer rotation these deviled eggs should be it. I say this with complete confidence because I made them for last weekend’s Friends Who Fete Bridal Shower (lots more on that to come) and they were a huge hit.

They are like Mexican deviled eggs with an Egyptian twist. What does that even mean? I don’t know. All I know is they are damn good and you’re about to eat a dozen by yourself in one sitting. Trust.

First things first: What the heck is dukkah?

These irresistible avocado deviled eggs are use fresh, ripe avocado instead of mayonnaise. The Egyptian spice blend, dukkah gives them a nutty finish. #avocado #avocadorecipe #deviledeggs #healthymexican

Okay, so dukkah is kind of like sprinkling heaven on your food. If you are a nut-enthusiast like I am than you will be putting this Egyptian spice blend on just about errrything. You can buy dukkah already made, Trader Joe’s used to sell a good mix but they have since discontinued selling it–err.  But you can find plenty of options online or in the spice section of your grocery store.

I, however, like to make my own because this allows me to control the flavor profile and salt level. For example, dukkah’s main ingredient is typically hazelnuts but I wanted to go with something less assertive to let the flavor of the deviled eggs shine through so I used almonds in this recipe instead.

These irresistible avocado deviled eggs are use fresh, ripe avocado instead of mayonnaise. The Egyptian spice blend, dukkah gives them a nutty finish. #avocado #avocadorecipe #deviledeggs #healthymexican

Any leftover dukkah can be used to coat fish before roasting, mixed with olive oil for a quick dip for flatbread or, how I use it most often: For lunch, sprinkled over a bowl of quickly fried rice and sliced avocado.

Second things First: What the heck are avocado deviled eggs?

A while back I made these guacamole deviled eggs where I substituted ripe avocado for the mayonnaise. They were one of those easy Mexican recipes that were so good I decided to go with that little maneuver from now on. The avocado makes the deviled eggs just creamy enough without being heavy and if you hate mayonnaise (which I don’t, but a lot of people do) than you can have your deviled egg and eat it too!

On a kind of related, kind of completely unrelated note; the results from our first ever ¡Hola! Jalapeño Reader Survey are coming in (if you haven’t taken it yet, please take a few minutes to give your feedback). I am pleasantly surprised to see you guys want more entertaining ideas! Which is YAY!! Because Meg (from This Mess Is Ours) and Aida (from Salt and Wind) and I got together last weekend to celebrate Aida’s recent elopement with a Friends Who Fete Bridal Shower. I’ll be sharing all the details with you over the next couple weeks but it was an effortlessly elegant party and I know one you are going to want to recreate this time of year with all the weddings and baby showers and such going on so I’ve got all the details from the recipes down to the decorations to make your next party absolutely perfect!

So there you go, your wish is my command. Now go make yourself some deviled eggs!

These irresistible avocado deviled eggs are use fresh, ripe avocado instead of mayonnaise. The Egyptian spice blend, dukkah gives them a nutty finish. #avocado #avocadorecipe #deviledeggs #healthymexican
Avocado Deviled Eggs with Dukkah

Avocado Deviled Eggs with Dukkah

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

These irresistible avocado deviled eggs are use fresh, ripe avocado instead of mayonnaise. The Egyptian spice blend, dukkah gives them a nutty finish.

Ingredients

For the Dukkah:

  • 3/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

For the Deviled Eggs:

  • 12 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the eggs
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • Thinly sliced scallion for garnish, optional

Instructions

To make the Dukkah:

  1. Place almonds in a medium frying pan and place over medium heat. Toast until fragrant and golden, about 4 minutes. Remove to a plate to let cool.
  2. Toast pumpkin seeds in the same pan over medium heat until starting to brown and pop, about 2 minutes. Remove to the plate with the almonds.
  3. Toast sesame seeds in the same pan over medium heat, stirring continuously until golden, about a minute or two. Remove to a separate plate to cool.
  4. Add fennel seeds, peppercorns, caraway, cumin, and coriander to the pan to toast until they are fragrant, stirring frequently, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the almonds and let cool.
  5. Once all the almonds, pumpkin seeds, and spices are cool, grind them in a mortar and pestle or food processor until finely chopped, but not a paste.
  6. Place in a medium bowl and add sesame seeds, salt, and marjoram and stir to combine. Dukkah can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month or up to 6 months in the freezer. Makes 1 cup.

For the Deviled Eggs:

  1. Place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Pour a generous amount of salt into the water (about a handful) and place over medium-high heat.
  2. Bring the water to a boil then cover and remove from heat. Let eggs sit covered for 8 minutes. Drain and chill with ice water.
  3. Once cool enough to handle, peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a food processor.
  4. Add the flesh of the avocado, cilantro, dill, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Blend until smooth. Taste to see if it needs more salt or lemon juice.
  5. Spoon filling back into the eggs and sprinkle a pinch of dukkah over each egg and a few slices of scallion if you'd like. Enjoy!

Notes

Eggs can be made and filled up to 3-4 hours in advance. Sprinkle with dukkah just before serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Kate Ramos

One More Thing

Did you love this post? I want to know! Leave me a comment and snap a photo for Instagram. Tag @holajalapeno so I can see your beautiful creation! Your feedback is super important to me. If you run into trouble shoot me a message on Instagram and I’ll walk you through it.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

A big thanks goes out to Salt & Wind and This Mess Is Ours for the beautiful photography and to Melissa’s for supplying the fresh produce!

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