Deena's Blog

Welcome to my blog!

Welcome to my blog!
I am a party planner and caterer, but above all, a busy working mom who refuses to sacrifice quality cooking and entertaining for the sake of my career.

The focus of this blog is to bring some of that professional party planner jazz to your home. I will show you tips and tricks of the trade to make your home “party” or house “event” look like a pro stepped in and orchestrated it all.

Pesach Leftovers, aka Adult Popsicles

The end of Pesach in my home heralds the transition to spring. Soon as we put away the boxes of pesach dishes and pots and pack up the haggadot, it’s time to start planning to uncover the patio furniture and gas grill and welcome the spring. Just as the NY weather hovers even slightly above 60 degrees, I start thinking barbecues, pool parties, anything that lets us enjoy our friends and family AND the great outdoors.

So back to pesach leftovers…we end up with loads of opened bottles of wine. Sure, they will keep in the fridge indefinitely and are great for cooking, but here’s something fun you can do with all that “not so yummy to drink but a shame to throw away” merlot or Cabernet left after the holidays.

Red Wine Slushies
1 part dry red wine (such as merlot)
1 part unsweetened pomegranate juice
1/3 part simple syrup (boil equal parts sugar and water until slightly thick)
A handful of blueberries or pitted sweet cherries

Note: if you have sweet pesach wine, such as plum royale, you can use it here just omit the simple syrup

Mix it all together. Pour into plastic cups and freeze. For the adventurous and nimble, you can try this in one of those cool Popsicle makers.

As with any great gathering, the best way to welcome someone is to greet them with a snack or a drink passed around “butler style” on a pretty tray (or a plain plastic one with a flower or two on it to “dress it up”). So as your adult summer guests arrive for a barbecue, or just a lazy afternoon by the pool, walk around with these on a blingy tray and encourage your crowd to cool off with your leftover pesach wine turned party treat.

Bottoms up!