Here's an easy way to dress up the food that you serve to guests—put it in stemmed glassware. You can use any kind of beverage glasses with stems, such as wine, Martini and Margarita glasses or ice cream sundae or parfait glasses.

I like to make breakfast parfaits using yogurt, granola cereal and fresh fruit. The photo shows some breakfast parfaits that I made for friends who spent the weekend at our cabin. Here is a recipe for Strawberry-Banana Parfaits.

My friend Pat made these delicious appetizer Shrimp and Avocado Martinis below.

Avocado Relish
1 ripe avocado, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon finely diced red onion
1 tablespoon minced jalapeño chile
1 tablespoon minced red pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients.

Tequila Vinaigrette
1 lemon, juiced
1 orange, juiced
1 tablespoons tequila
1 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For each serving
3 cooked shrimp
Garnishes: tortilla strips, fresh parsley sprig, lemon slice

In small saucepan, combine juices, tequila and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Transfer to small bowl. Add vinegar.

Drizzle oil into vinegar mixture in steady stream, stirring constantly with wire whisk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place heaping tablespoonful of the Avocado Relilsh into each glass. Top with 3 cooked shrimp. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the Tequila Vinaigrette over top. Garnish with, tortillas strips, parsley and lemon slice.

10 servings

Tip: Pat told me that the next time she made these, she would add more avocado and use less dressing.