Summer Entertaining Tips

It's summer entertaining season, and here is the scoop on easy and delicious eats. Let's start with the cocktails. Waterloo Sparkling Waters ' nostalgia-inspired flavors include Orange Vanilla, Ginger Citrus Twist, Summer Berry, and their new limited-time-only Tropical Fruit flavor. Like all Waterloo flavors, these are free of sugar, calories, and sweeteners. They are great right out of the can or to make a yummy mocktail. Add some vodka, gin, rum, or tequila, and easily turn them into a cocktail. What makes Waterloo Sparkling Water so special is they are crafted by their in-house flavor artists, like fine wine, and are even used to elevate some dishes. They have partnered with Michelin-starred chef Curtis Stone to create Waterloo-infused recipes. You can find Waterloo at Target, Whole Foods, Kroger, Walmart, and Albertsons/Safeway -- to name a few. Check out these refreshing flavors and great recipes at drinkwaterloo.com . Of course, you need coffee creamers for your party, and Planet Oat makes some amazing ones, and super creamy. They come in decadent flavors like Coffee Cake, French Vanilla, Caramel, and Sweet Créme. The best part is that they are dairy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free. And great for everyone, plus packed with vitamins A, D, and calcium. Even more amazing -- you can make some fantastic things with the oatmilk. The Extra Creamy one is very versatile. One of our favorite recipes is a summer quinoa salad, a super easy summer crowd-pleaser. Make the quinoa, add cherry tomatoes, a little onion, and whatever cheese you like, such as feta or mozzarella. The creamy dressing uses ¼ cup of Planet Oat, olive oil, lemon, honey, salt, and pepper. We also made a fantastic apple crisp and a topping, using whipped coconut cream, ½ cup of Planet Oat, brown sugar, and vanilla. They have a ton of great summer recipes on their site too. Check them out at planetoat.com . You can find Planet Oat at most major retailers.