Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We popped into Cafe Crevier downtown and I finally got to try one of their burgers. It was thick and juicy and cooked to perfection. Love that the lettuce was shredded, and that the bun was toasted and slightly crispy. If you’re local, pop in and give them a try - don’t miss the fries!
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Press
  • Writing
  • Contact

Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Pomegranate Martinis (Weight Watchers Friendly)

March 2, 2010 · Narrative

Pomegranate Martinis

I received an email awhile back from a marketing rep at POM Wonderful, offering to send me a case of their juice to try out.  Is it a bad that the first thing I thought of to make with the juice was a Pomegranate Martini?  Nah.  Didn’t think so.  I spied the recipe in a recent issue of Weight Watchers magazine and figured, hey, filled with antioxidants, ingredients on hand already … win, win.

Two things about me and drinks.  1 – I am a total lightweight.  I just don’t drink often enough to have any sort of heavy tolerance.  Theoretically that could be a good thing, and it certainly makes me a cheap date, but it also means a drink with vodka has its effect.  And quick.  This one was no exception.  2 – I like the girlie drinks, and I have no problem admitting it.  I like drinks that don’t taste of alcohol, so I often go for the fruity ones.   That being said, in this drink, you can definitely taste the vodka, but not so much that it turned me off.  It went down nice and easy.  But also, half a drink in and I’m feeling a nice, very nice buzz, so just a fair warning in case you happen to be the teensiest bit like me.  This one will hit you.

A friend said that I made this one so often that it is now my signature drink.  I wouldn’t go quite that far, but it definitely became the signature drink of February.  And with it’s deep red hue, why the heck not?  Bottoms up!

P.S.  If YOU want to use YOUR pomegranate juice for something other than a martini, check out POM Wonderful’s recipe section – you’ll find tons of recipes to choose from, each picture more gorgeous than the next.  These POM Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are a great way to start (love the jeweled bits on the top!), as would be these Grilled Portobellos with POM Mustard Vinaigrette.  Yum.  Although I must admit, this Pomegranate Granita is calling my name too.  Mightily.

Project 365
March 2, 2010, Photo #57

Tomato Love

The kids, particularly Madeline, are crazy for tomatoes. I cannot wait until farmer’s market season and when Jersey tomatoes are back with their luscious goodness. Tonight, I was slicing up a few tomatoes for them to include with our dinner. I turned around to get something, and half a tomato was gone. Madeline eats them like you would eat an apple. Tonight’s picture was taken by Nick. I had to protect the rest of the tomatoes.

Pomegranate Martinis
Recipe courtesy of Weight Watchers

Serves 2

1 cup crushed ice
½ cup pomegranate juice
6 Tablespoons chilled vodka (can also use lemon or orange-flavored vodka)
3 Tablespoons Grand Marnier (orange-flavored liqueur) (I used Cointreau)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 (2 inch) pieces fresh orange rind strips

Place crushed ice in a martini shaker. Add pomegranate juice and next 3 ingredients. Shake well; strain into 2 martini glasses. Rub rim of each martini glass with inside of orange rind. Garnish with orange rind strips. Serve immediately.

Make 2 servings (about 2/3 cup each)
Four points per serving

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPRINT

Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Pomegranate Martinis, Project 365, Weight Watchers

Comments

  1. 5 Star Foodie says

    March 3, 2010 at 12:14 am

    A lovely refreshing drink with POM!

    Reply
  2. Kristi says

    March 3, 2010 at 12:45 am

    Yumm-O!! Weight watchers friendly? I’m totally down. That sounds wonderful, I know I’ve had something similar that definitely was NOT WW. I’ll be trying this, I even have some pomegranate juice in the fridge. Thanks again, you rock lady! ;)

    Reply
  3. Joanne says

    March 3, 2010 at 7:10 am

    My brother used to do that with tomatoes also when he was little. And I do it now that my tastes have evolved to actually like them. I can’t wait for summer. These crappy winter tomatoes are just not cutting it.

    The martini looks fabulous. I might outcompete you on the lightweight scale. It makes going out in NYC infinitely cheaper though so I am more grateful than anything else!

    Reply
  4. MariaV says

    March 3, 2010 at 7:36 am

    I’m with Madeline. I have a difficult time getting the tomatoes into dinner.

    Reply
  5. Laura says

    March 3, 2010 at 10:49 am

    wow…yummy!

    Reply
  6. Diana's Cocina says

    March 3, 2010 at 11:21 am

    This drink is delish! I’ve had it several times :).

    I agree with the tomatoes. I’m ready to get my garden ready! My son wil eat his weight in tomatoes.

    Have a great day.

    Reply
  7. Ramona says

    March 3, 2010 at 12:16 pm

    That’s great that she loves tomatoes like that. Your martini sounds good. I love pomegranites.

    Reply
  8. Jen says

    March 3, 2010 at 5:35 pm

    A true Jersey girl after my own heart! I can’t wait for fresh Jersey tomatoes!

    Reply
  9. Josie says

    March 3, 2010 at 9:54 pm

    I eat tomatoes like that. I am counting down the days til tomato-season.

    Reply
  10. grace says

    March 4, 2010 at 9:30 am

    should i admit that i often eat tomatoes like apples as well? i do require salt, though, so i’m not a total barbarian. :)
    lovely beverage, cate–i think the combination of pomegranate and orange must be really delicious!

    Reply
  11. Mandy says

    March 5, 2010 at 2:33 pm

    Sounds like a perfect spring drink to me!

    Reply
  12. Cynthia Carpenter says

    August 4, 2010 at 10:22 am

    You are on the mark, I like the idea of a POM martini. Alcohol may have a bunch of calories but for a lightweight its not going to matter that much. I was checking out your site and enjoy the recipes I am finding, perhaps you will cyber share some with my clients?
    Wishing you wealth and wellness
    Cynthia at fittvo.com

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Storytelling…
Through photos.
Words. And recipes.

Archives

Categories

Instagram

Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef

Pinterest

Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We Lunch date with one of my favorite people. 😍 We popped into Cafe Crevier downtown and I finally got to try one of their burgers. It was thick and juicy and cooked to perfection. Love that the lettuce was shredded, and that the bun was toasted and slightly crispy. If you’re local, pop in and give them a try - don’t miss the fries!

Copyright © 2023 Sweetnicks · Theme by Vicki Harrison Design