The Real Housewives of New Jersey #RHONJinsiders @BravoTV #RHONJ

Disclaimer:  I received a giftcard and and digital party materials complimentary through CrowdTap in order to review and share my opinions.  As always, my opinions are my own.

#RHONJinsiders  #RHONJ

I was recently selected to host a premiere party for the upcoming season of ‘The Real Housewives of New Jersey' SUNDAY, JUNE 2ND AT 8/7C ON BRAVO.  For my party I instructed everyone to dress up like a character from the show! All my guests had to wear something inspired by their favorite RHONJ family member.  Can you imagine how crazy we all looked?  There was A TON of makeup going on at my party this past Sunday.  Okay, so the guys didn't wear makeup but they looked hysterical.  Dan put in a ton of hair gel and wore a muscle shirt.  Gary and Jason looked totally the part as well. Lynn and Paola looked totally the parts in their outfits as well. Of course Glamamama fit in perfectly with a bright pink cocktail dress and lots of bright makeup.  Big hair of course.  Keep reading to hear more about our Housewives Party.

So just to get you up to speed with the show, Season 5 welcomes back the entire cast as Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Jacqueline Laurita, Caroline Manzo and Kathy Wakile pick up right where last season’s crazy and fun reunion left off. This season they are absolutely on a mission for redemption, scrambling to pick up the pieces of their severely fractured relationships. Are you surprised?  It was sad to see the Housewives shifting through rubble after Superstorm Sandy leaves much of the Jersey Shore in ruins, including some of their beach houses.  It was just devastation down there and it was amazing how it sparked some changes.  

A sense of communal rebuilding from Superstorm Sandy encourages Teresa to rise above the past drama with her brother and sister-in-law, Melissa, and mend her family for good. Jacqueline struggles to cope with her son’s autism diagnosis while tensions from her fallout with Teresa push her towards her breaking point. As Caroline fights to improve her reputation and Melissa strives to break free from the weight of her husband Joe’s family drama, Kathy attempts to step out of her husband’s shadow to find her own voice and launch her career.  You can only imagine what is coming next! You will have to watch it to find out...I am not spoiling the fun. It was a great show and I think this will be an interesting season.

I made a few little recipes for my Housewives Premiere Party which I will share for everyone to enjoy compliments of Teresa! They are all from Teresa’s “Skinny Italian” cookbook.  They actually turned out well. Some of them you can see I added my own little touches.

TERESA’S GORGEOUS GARLIC SHRIMP

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 pounds of large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

“Heat the oil and garlic together in a large skillet over med-high heat, stirring occasionally, until oil is hot & garlic is softened, about  1 to 2

minutes. “Add shrimp and season with the salt and pepper.” Continuously stir shrimp until it turns opaque (about four minutes). Sprinkle a little lemon juice, parsley and stir. T recommends serving over rice and steamed asparagus.

TERESA’S CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA

3 ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded & cut into 1/2-inch dice

1cup finely chopped onion

1 medium celery rib, cut into-inch dice

1/4cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan

2 garlic cloves, minced

teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1

pounds)

teaspoon salt

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450ºF. Lightly oil a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Combine the tomatoes, onion, celery,wine, parsley, oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Set aside while the oven is preheating,” Teresa instructs. Next, turn your culinary attention to the chicken. “One at a time, place a chicken breast half between 2 plastic storage bags. Using a flat meat pounder or a rolling pin, pound the chicken until it is 1/2 -inch thick. Season with the salt and black pepper.” Then simply distribute the tomato mixture evenly across the chicken breasts and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 450 degrees.

BERRY-RICOTTA TIRAMISU

Follow this recipe for Teresa’s heart-healthy take on an Italian classic. Healthy dessert has never tasted this good! I made a larger one and adapted the recipe a little instead of doing individual ones...it came out really nicely.

3/4 cup low fat ricotta cheese

3 tablespoons 1 percent milk

3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar, divided

1/4 up cold brewed French or Italian roast coffee

1 tablespoon dark or golden rum

8 savoiardi (dry ladyfingers) crushed into crumbs in a plastic

bag with a rolling pin

2//3 cup fresh raspberries, or about half of a 6-ounce container

1/2 ounce, or 1/2 square, semisweet chocolate

Set aside four 4-ounce parfait glasses (try a cocktail glass or custard cup), and then “mash the ricotta, milk and 2 tablespoons of confectioner’s sugar together in a small bowl with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth. Mix the coffee, rum, and remaining tablespoon confectioner’s sugar together in another small bowl.” In each glass or cup, “put the equivalent of one cookie, or about 2 tablespoons of crumbs, in the bottom of a parfait glass,” the New York Times Best Seller instructs. “Sprinkle with a scant 2 teaspoons of the coffee mixture. Top with a scant 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture. Repeat with

the cookie crumbs, coffee mixture, and ricotta mixture.”

We played a fun game based on all the one-liners and zingers the ladies threw out to one another from last season.  I challenged my guests to match the Housewife to the quote:

1) “Oh my god! Freakin’ Hekyll and Jyde!”

2)“I love everything about the Shore -- ripped bodies, coconuts. That just does it for me.”

3)“Maybe I’m just being a bitch... I’m going through menopause.”

4)“I wasted a good night that I could have been with my children at this trash party.”

5)“I lost a best friend tonight.

Paola was the big winner, she got 4/5 of them right.  Lynn was a close second....she got three right!  We had some fun with the game and everyone was laughing.

You can follow more of The Real Housewives of New Jersey on Facebook and on Twitter. Let me know what you think about the latest episode.  Season 5 Episode 1 is here.