Totally Tiki

Leis and grass skirts on guests (and furniture) and tropical fruits and flowers in cakes and cocktails. Now that’s some Hawaiian punch!

Party Plan

• Menu :grilled pork chops, Peach Swirl Cupcakes, Pineapple Upside Down Cake

• Stage Setter: grass skirts and leis

• Finishing Touch: food-safe tropical flowers

HULA HIGHLIGHTS.

Okay, so the traditional suckling pig centerpiece may be a little too much trouble. Keep things simple, but in the family, with grilled pork chops, topped with Corn and Two-Pepper Relish: In a bowl, toss together 1 can corn kernels (11 ounces, drained), 1⁄2 cup chopped roasted red pepper, 1 tablespoon diced pickled jalapeño, 2 chopped scallions, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Who says grass skirts are just for wearing? Use them as decorative additions to your flowers and greenery.

Peach Swirl Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

• 1 box white cake mix

• 3⁄4 cup peach sorbet, melted

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 eggs

• 3⁄4 cup raspberry sorbet, melted

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) butter, at room temperature

• 1 box (16 ounces) powdered sugar

• 3 tablespoons Sandra Lee Cocktail Time® Key Lime Margarita

• Peach gel or paste food coloring

• Pink gel or paste food coloring

• 24 thin peach slices

• 24 raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Divide cake mix between 2 bowls. To one bowl, add peach sorbet, 2 table- spoons oil, and 1 egg. Beat until smooth.
3. To second bowl, add melted raspberry sorbet, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining egg. Beat until smooth.
4. Divide peach and raspberry batters evenly among cups. Use a butter knife to lightly swirl batters. Bake for 18 to 21 minutes, or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in pan, then transfer out to cool completely.
5. In a bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Add margarita and beat until light and fluffy.
6. Divide frosting between 2 bowls. Tint one with peach food coloring, the other with pink. Hold a pastry bag parallel to your hand. Fill half of it with peach frosting. Turn it over; fill other half with pink frosting. Fit the bag with a large star tip.
Pipe cupcakes in a circular motion to create a two-color swirl.
7. Top each cupcake with a peach slice and a raspberry. Serve immediately.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Makes 12 servings

• 1 1⁄4 cups Sandra Lee Cocktail Time® Key Lime Margarita

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1 can (20 ounces) juice-packed pineapple rings, drained

• 1 jar (6 ounces) maraschino cherries without stems, drained

• 1 box yellow cake mix

• 1∕3 cup vegetable oil

• 3 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a 9 x 13- inch baking pan, stir together 1⁄4 cup margarita and brown sugar. Spread mixture over bottom. Arrange pineapple on top of sugar mixture. Place a cherry in center of each pineapple ring. Arrange remaining cherries between rings.
2. In a large bowl, beat together cake mix, remaining 1 cup margarita, oil, and eggs until smooth. Carefully pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
3. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Run a sharp knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Place a platter upside down on top of baking pan. Carefully turn platter and pan over. Allow pan to sit over cake for 5 minutes so the brown sugar topping can drip over cake. Remove pan and cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Tiki Cocktail

Makes 1 cocktail

• Ice cubes

• 2 ounces Sandra Lee Cocktail Time® Strawberry Margarita

• 3 ounces pineapple juice

• 2 ounces orange juice

• 1 ounce Captain Morgan® Original Spiced Rum

1. Fill a hurricane glass with ice. Pour strawberry margarita over ice.
2. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add pineapple juice, orange juice, and rum. Cover and shake vigorously. Strain over margarita.