recipes

Paloma Cocktail Recipe

Date: April 6, 2015
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: recipes, simple pleasures
We just got back from two wonderful weeks in Manzanillo, Mexico!
What a gorgeous place it is!
Much of the time we sat on the patio looking at this gorgeous view of the bay.
Thanks to the Sweetwater Brother and Sister-in-law who graciously share their condominium with us!
Now I bet you think that the the favorite cocktail in Mexico is a Margarita…..

Margaritas are very tasty…..and I love to order them when we are on the beach or at a restaurant….but they are seriously too sweet for me!

BUT THEN….I  discovered a new favorite that is much simpler to make at home!

And….(rumor has it that this is even more popular in Mexico than the Margarita)
The Paloma Cocktail
It’s similar to a margarita in that it contains tequila, lime juice, and ice.  However, what sets the paloma apart is one special ingredient: grapefruit.
Here is the recipe!
  • 2 oz. grapefruit juice
  • 1/4 tsp sugar
  • 2 oz. silver tequila
  • 2 oz. cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 oz. grapefruit soda
  • Ice
Mix everything together and enjoy!
The Sanpellegrino Grapefruit Soda is the best… and it is available in the grocery stores around here.
This drink is so simple and refreshing!
I am not much of a “daytime” drinker even on vacation….
When you leave out the tequila….the “virgin” version of this drink is every bit as tasty and refreshing!  
It is less than a month until it is time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo….hmmmm….I need to make sure I have plenty of the fixings for this cocktail on hand so that I can sit on the Sweetwater deck and enjoy!
I am hoping that by then there will be flowers blooming here at Sweetwater that will be as pretty as these Bougainvilla’s that surrounded us these last weeks!

Cheers!

Link Parties
Between Naps on the Couch  Boogie Board Cottage  Coastal Charm 
Stone Cottage Adventures   Funky Polka Dot Giraffe    Savvy Southern Style
Mila’s Little Things   

How Sweet It Is-DYI Sugar Scrub for Winter Skin!

Date: January 7, 2014
Author: sweetwaterstyle
Categories: 10 min. project, bathroom, DYI, goodwill, projects, recipes, thrifty, tips, use what you have
It isn’t surprising that at Sweetwater we like SWEET THINGS!

One of those is Homemade Sugar Scrub to slough off dry winter skin!
Before I share the recipe….take a look at the results of my search for all things sugar!
Sugar, ah, honey, honey
You are my candy girl
And you got me wanting you
Honey, ah, sugar, sugar
You are my candy girl
And you got me wanting you
Lyrics from the Archies hit Sugar Sugar
“How sweet it is!”
Tagline made famous by Jackie Gleason on his 1950’s television show.

 Sugar in the morning
Sugar in the evening
Sugar at suppertime
Be my little sugar
And love me all the time

Lyrics from the McGuire Sisters 1958 hit song “Sugartime”

Source
If you read this ad from the 1960’s…..you are sure to get on the sugar band wagon!

The “POLAR VORTEX” has taken a toll on my skin….there must be a Below 0 amount of moisture in the air!

 I came across this bag of  Turbinado Sugar in the freezer during one of my organizing frenzies….

There isn’t much else to do except organizing when you are stuck inside because of the “POLAR VORTEX”!

I decided to stop organizing and make some Sugar Scrub.

There are countless recipes out there for Sugar Scrubs…..but the basic idea is:

Some Sugar
A Carrier Oil
An optional Fragrance

Since we are in a “POLAR VORTEX”, I wasn’t going anywhere to buy ingredients for my Sugar Scrub.  Using one of the basic tenets of Sweetwater Style, I just used what I had!

I got out the VitaMix…..

This baby has sooo many interesting uses!

Since the Turbinado sugar is pretty rough….too rough for my tender skin….

Grinding it with the VitaMix made for a much smoother consistency!

 “What I HAD” for oil was some Baby Oil and some Coconut Oil.

I figured that a combination of these two would work fine…

I didn’t have any fragrance oils on hand and of course, the “POLAR VORTEX” kept me from going out to get any!

The sweet fragrance of the Baby Oil took care of the need for additional fragrance…

It was a simple process to mix the oil and sugar together…..

Then I got out the little $.49 jars I bought at GoodWill last week….

(I knew when I saw them that they would find an interesting use!)
I packed the Sugar Scrub in the jars!

And there I had it…..an almost free version of the spendy products that you can buy…but then again why would you buy something this simple to make!
Besides….because of the  “POLAR VORTEX”…the temperature in our house means that the shelf life of this will be reasonably long!

This homemade beauty product is a nice addition to the “Thrifty Homemade Bath Soak” that I use all of the time.

 Would you believe that the post with the recipe for this has had over 12,000 visits?  Go Figure!!!

You might also like to visit these links that have lots and lots of recipes for Sugar Scrubs…..maybe you will find a way to make one “Using What YOU Have”!

A Resource List for Sugar Scrub Recipes

The Dreaming Earth Botanical Recipes

14 Sugar Scrub Recipes from the Tip Junkie

 Are you as tired as I am hearing about the POLAR VORTEX?
The temps today are going to hit ZERO by noon!
I am going to get out of the house……it’s a HEAT WAVE….A Tropical Heat Wave!
Have a Great Day!
Link Parties

How Sweet It Is-DYI Sugar Scrub for Winter Skin!

Date: January 7, 2014
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: 10 min. project, bathroom, DYI, goodwill, projects, recipes, thrifty, tips, use what you have
It isn’t surprising that at Sweetwater we like SWEET THINGS!

One of those is Homemade Sugar Scrub to slough off dry winter skin!
Before I share the recipe….take a look at the results of my search for all things sugar!
Sugar, ah, honey, honey
You are my candy girl
And you got me wanting you
Honey, ah, sugar, sugar
You are my candy girl
And you got me wanting you
Lyrics from the Archies hit Sugar Sugar
“How sweet it is!”
Tagline made famous by Jackie Gleason on his 1950’s television show.

 Sugar in the morning
Sugar in the evening
Sugar at suppertime
Be my little sugar
And love me all the time

Lyrics from the McGuire Sisters 1958 hit song “Sugartime”

Source
If you read this ad from the 1960’s…..you are sure to get on the sugar band wagon!

The “POLAR VORTEX” has taken a toll on my skin….there must be a Below 0 amount of moisture in the air!

 I came across this bag of  Turbinado Sugar in the freezer during one of my organizing frenzies….

There isn’t much else to do except organizing when you are stuck inside because of the “POLAR VORTEX”!

I decided to stop organizing and make some Sugar Scrub.

There are countless recipes out there for Sugar Scrubs…..but the basic idea is:

Some Sugar
A Carrier Oil
An optional Fragrance

Since we are in a “POLAR VORTEX”, I wasn’t going anywhere to buy ingredients for my Sugar Scrub.  Using one of the basic tenets of Sweetwater Style, I just used what I had!

I got out the VitaMix…..

This baby has sooo many interesting uses!

Since the Turbinado sugar is pretty rough….too rough for my tender skin….

Grinding it with the VitaMix made for a much smoother consistency!

 “What I HAD” for oil was some Baby Oil and some Coconut Oil.

I figured that a combination of these two would work fine…

I didn’t have any fragrance oils on hand and of course, the “POLAR VORTEX” kept me from going out to get any!

The sweet fragrance of the Baby Oil took care of the need for additional fragrance…

It was a simple process to mix the oil and sugar together…..

Then I got out the little $.49 jars I bought at GoodWill last week….

(I knew when I saw them that they would find an interesting use!)
I packed the Sugar Scrub in the jars!

And there I had it…..an almost free version of the spendy products that you can buy…but then again why would you buy something this simple to make!
Besides….because of the  “POLAR VORTEX”…the temperature in our house means that the shelf life of this will be reasonably long!

This homemade beauty product is a nice addition to the “Thrifty Homemade Bath Soak” that I use all of the time.

 Would you believe that the post with the recipe for this has had over 12,000 visits?  Go Figure!!!

You might also like to visit these links that have lots and lots of recipes for Sugar Scrubs…..maybe you will find a way to make one “Using What YOU Have”!

A Resource List for Sugar Scrub Recipes

The Dreaming Earth Botanical Recipes

14 Sugar Scrub Recipes from the Tip Junkie

 Are you as tired as I am hearing about the POLAR VORTEX?
The temps today are going to hit ZERO by noon!
I am going to get out of the house……it’s a HEAT WAVE….A Tropical Heat Wave!
Have a Great Day!
Link Parties

Pasta Bar For a Crowd!

Date: December 30, 2013
Author: sweetwaterstyle
Categories: entertaining, friends, gathering, holiday, kitchen, recipes, tips
Four Parties in Six Days!
What was I thinking?
Yep….counting:
 Christmas Eve…. 
Christmas Day….
A Cocktail/Fondue Party…
 and finally a Pasta Buffet yesterday…
There was lots of celebrating here at Sweetwater!
We had lots of fun through it all….
(but I do have to admit that I am a bit tired of cooking)
I had never attempted a pasta buffet before…. 
there were some moments when I wasn’t sure it was going to work….
but we were pleasantly surprised at how smoothly it all went.
In fact….this might just become a go to menu for future gatherings!
The menu was simple:
Kale Salad
Caesar Salad
French Bread
Spaghetti Sauce Bolognese
Swedish Meatballs in Gravy
Alfredo Sauce w/chicken-broccoli-roasted peppers
Fettucini and Wide Pasta Noodles
 Various Desserts and Sweets contributed by the guests
Swedish Rice Pudding w/Lingonberries


Recipes Tricks and Tips

  • Best recipe for chicken strips for the Pasta:  Buy them…..Already cooked….in a package….  The texture and taste of the already prepared chicken strips from CostCo were more than acceptable when covered with sauce!

  • DON’T blanch your broccoli ahead of time….I thought this was smart and did it to save time….except I left it in the pan with the cover on and ended up with mushy over cooked vegetables….won’t do THAT again!
  • Cook the pasta ahead of time and keep it in the oven with the absolute lowest temp….in fact…I kept turning the oven off to just have the tiniest bit of heat.  The pasta was in those aluminum catering trays.   A little pasta water poured over the pre-cooked noodles brought them “back to life” when it was time to put the pasta on the table.  (a warming tray kept the temp “lukewarm”)  This also allowed an easy replenishing of the pasta when needed.





This Sweet Kale Salad from CostCo is a new favorite at Sweetwater.  It comes with all the fixings. Just pour into a bowl…add the dressing and “stuff” that is included and enjoy!  It was simple enough to make a second batch when it ran low during the party….maybe people thought a little crunchy greens would make for something “healthy” given the decadence of all the pasta!



  • The Bolognese sauce was “almost homemade” by using prepared Spaghetti sauce with meat and spices added.  I really made this for the kids….but the “big” kids seemed to enjoy it too!
  • I sort of stressed out about finding the “perfect” Alfredo Sauce that could be made ahead!  This recipe worked very well….in fact the teenage boys at the party told me they thought this would be great for their own sports “Pasta/Carbo loading parties….which I took as a “high compliment”

Do Ahead Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup real butter
3 TBSP Cream Cheese *nuefantel worked fine
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup grated Parmesan  (store brand cheap stuff worked fine)
Melt the butter, cream cheese and cream in a saucepan,
Add the cheese and stir until it is completely incorporated.
Cool and keep until you are ready to heat it up in the microwave and put in the crockpot to serve.
YES….it is that simple!
Simple….but rich, rich, rich and YUMMY!
This sauce stood the test of sitting for more than 4 hours on the buffet without losing texture or taste!
It is definitely a KEEPER!

  • Mr. S decided that pouring frozen bags of prepared meatballs and adding mushroom soup and beef broth would NOT do for this buffet.  He painstakingly prepared meatballs from SCRATCH using a recipe from his mom’s Swedish Woman’s Cookbook!  I have to say they were delicious!  (maybe I can convince him to write a guest post and share the recipe with you some day!)

  • Add some crusty sliced bread and butter…..A bowl of nice Parmesan Cheese and you are DONE!
The party was lots of fun and there were plenty of entertaining activities!
….the Vikings WON the final game in the Metrodome….Surprise!
….The Packers pulled off a last minute victory…..amazing!
….the slide show on the computer of hundreds of digitized slides of the family history going back 50 years made for some wonderful trips down memory lane!
Now…..I am going to heat up some of the leftover Cider…..start a fire…..and read a good book….
ALL DAY…..since it is 10 below zero outside and I don’t have anywhere to be!
Have a Great Day!

Pasta Bar For a Crowd!

Date: December 30, 2013
Author: Sweetwater Style
Categories: entertaining, friends, gathering, holiday, kitchen, recipes, tips
Four Parties in Six Days!
What was I thinking?
Yep….counting:
 Christmas Eve…. 
Christmas Day….
A Cocktail/Fondue Party…
 and finally a Pasta Buffet yesterday…
There was lots of celebrating here at Sweetwater!
We had lots of fun through it all….
(but I do have to admit that I am a bit tired of cooking)
I had never attempted a pasta buffet before…. 
there were some moments when I wasn’t sure it was going to work….
but we were pleasantly surprised at how smoothly it all went.
In fact….this might just become a go to menu for future gatherings!
The menu was simple:
Kale Salad
Caesar Salad
French Bread
Spaghetti Sauce Bolognese
Swedish Meatballs in Gravy
Alfredo Sauce w/chicken-broccoli-roasted peppers
Fettucini and Wide Pasta Noodles
 Various Desserts and Sweets contributed by the guests
Swedish Rice Pudding w/Lingonberries


Recipes Tricks and Tips

  • Best recipe for chicken strips for the Pasta:  Buy them…..Already cooked….in a package….  The texture and taste of the already prepared chicken strips from CostCo were more than acceptable when covered with sauce!

  • DON’T blanch your broccoli ahead of time….I thought this was smart and did it to save time….except I left it in the pan with the cover on and ended up with mushy over cooked vegetables….won’t do THAT again!
  • Cook the pasta ahead of time and keep it in the oven with the absolute lowest temp….in fact…I kept turning the oven off to just have the tiniest bit of heat.  The pasta was in those aluminum catering trays.   A little pasta water poured over the pre-cooked noodles brought them “back to life” when it was time to put the pasta on the table.  (a warming tray kept the temp “lukewarm”)  This also allowed an easy replenishing of the pasta when needed.





This Sweet Kale Salad from CostCo is a new favorite at Sweetwater.  It comes with all the fixings. Just pour into a bowl…add the dressing and “stuff” that is included and enjoy!  It was simple enough to make a second batch when it ran low during the party….maybe people thought a little crunchy greens would make for something “healthy” given the decadence of all the pasta!



  • The Bolognese sauce was “almost homemade” by using prepared Spaghetti sauce with meat and spices added.  I really made this for the kids….but the “big” kids seemed to enjoy it too!
  • I sort of stressed out about finding the “perfect” Alfredo Sauce that could be made ahead!  This recipe worked very well….in fact the teenage boys at the party told me they thought this would be great for their own sports “Pasta/Carbo loading parties….which I took as a “high compliment”

Do Ahead Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup real butter
3 TBSP Cream Cheese *nuefantel worked fine
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup grated Parmesan  (store brand cheap stuff worked fine)
Melt the butter, cream cheese and cream in a saucepan,
Add the cheese and stir until it is completely incorporated.
Cool and keep until you are ready to heat it up in the microwave and put in the crockpot to serve.
YES….it is that simple!
Simple….but rich, rich, rich and YUMMY!
This sauce stood the test of sitting for more than 4 hours on the buffet without losing texture or taste!
It is definitely a KEEPER!

  • Mr. S decided that pouring frozen bags of prepared meatballs and adding mushroom soup and beef broth would NOT do for this buffet.  He painstakingly prepared meatballs from SCRATCH using a recipe from his mom’s Swedish Woman’s Cookbook!  I have to say they were delicious!  (maybe I can convince him to write a guest post and share the recipe with you some day!)

  • Add some crusty sliced bread and butter…..A bowl of nice Parmesan Cheese and you are DONE!
The party was lots of fun and there were plenty of entertaining activities!
….the Vikings WON the final game in the Metrodome….Surprise!
….The Packers pulled off a last minute victory…..amazing!
….the slide show on the computer of hundreds of digitized slides of the family history going back 50 years made for some wonderful trips down memory lane!
Now…..I am going to heat up some of the leftover Cider…..start a fire…..and read a good book….
ALL DAY…..since it is 10 below zero outside and I don’t have anywhere to be!
Have a Great Day!