Events & Quick Fixes

Rites of Spring Wine Festival
Fredericksburg, VA
March 24-25, 2012

Montpelier Wine Festival
(on the grounds of James Madison's home)
Orange, VA
May 5-6, 2012

Front Royal Wine & Craft Festival
Main Street, Old Town Ft. Royal
May 19, 2012

Thunder for the Cause
Fredericksburg Fair Grounds
Fredericksburg, VA
May 25, 26 & 27, 2012

Summer Solstice Wine Festival
at Lazy Days Winery
Amherst, VA
June 23-24, 2012

Fredericksburg Wine Festival
Old Mill Park
Fredericksburg, VA
October 6-7, 201

Virginia Wine & Garlic Festival
at Rebec Winery
Amherst, VA
October 13-14, 2012


Look for Lighthouse Creations on

Event Lister

Great LHC dipping sauce combinations:

With mayonnaise in the Belgen tradition: French fries or chicken fingers:  Chipotle Ranch, Garlic Blue Cheese, Texas Wildfire Poppy Seed, Rio Grande, Bacon Praline, Madras

Sweet potato fries:  Texas Wildfire Poppy Seed, Jamaican Orange, Bombay, Bacon Praline

Ketchup for ADULTS:  (add mix to 2 C ketchup - Heinz recommended) Queen of Sheba, Bloody Mary, Rio Grande, Tortuga Bay; try these with fries, on hamburgers, as sauce for meatloaf or on home fries

Grilled sausages:  Wasabi Lemon, Wasabi Ginger

Shrimp (hot or cold):  Bloody Mary or Jamaican Orange cocktail sauce (for casual elegant presentation, dollop sauce in bottom of shot glass or mini-martini glass with shrimp on top, garnished with a small slice of lime)

Salmon (hot or chilled):  Ginger Sesame, Wasabi Lemon

Beef fondue:  White Cheddar Horseradish, Garlic Blue Cheese, Texas Wildfire Poppy Seed, Queen of Sheba, Bacon Praline

Chicken or shrimp fondue:  Mango Curry, Wasabi Lemon, Bombay, Madras

Fresh vegetables (like sugar snap peas, yellow squash, green beans, cauliflower or any favorites):  Chipotle Ranch, Ginger Sesame, Mango Curry, Lemon Pesto, Wasabi Ginger, Bombay, Rio Grande, Madram, Queen of Sheba

Home made hummus in exciting, different LHC flavors:

Lemon Pesto, Bombay, Rio Grande, Mango Curry, Bloody Mary, Jamaican Orange, Madras, Queen of Sheba, Roasted Garlic salsa mix

These can be made by combining drained & rinsed garbonzo beans, olive oil and one of our mixes in a food processor and pulsing until desired consistency is reached.  Usually needs about 1-2 T oil and the same amount of liquid (wine or water) and about half the mix for each 15 oz can of garbonzo beans.  Add oil, water or additional mix for the taste and texture you like.  Serve in a shallow bowl.  Garnish by using a spoon to create a hollow in the middle and filling with olive oil with a small amount of mix stirred in for an extra burst of flavor.

Baked dips:

Crabcake (serve with crackers), Artichoke (serve with baguette slices), Caliente Cheddar (serve with tortilla chips or crisped cornbread sticks)

Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes in shallow dish, or microwave dip on high for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to crock pot to keep warm.

Totally vegetarian dips:

Bombay, Queen of Sheba, Madras or Rio Grande: serve with chips, pita bread (fresh or baked as chips) or sliced veggie dippers

To prepare using already cooked/canned vegetables, follow directions on labels. 

NOTE:To prepare using fresh vegetables, wash, peel & pat veggies dry.  Drizzle with oil (olive or canola work best) and sprinkle with half of mix.  Roast uncovered in single layer at 400' and check after 25-30 minutes; this should be about the half way point.  Add oil as needed.  Turn veggies with spatula and continue cooking until veggies are tender & lightly browned, about another 25-30 minutes for denser veggies like pumpkin, bell peppers & potatoes, less for lighter veggies like tomatoes, squash & eggplant.  Mash roasted veggies with remaining mix and serve warm or at room temperature.  If prepared ahead, cover & chill until needed.  Reheat at 400 for about 20 minutes in shallow dish, or microwave dip on high for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to crock pot to keep warm if desired.  This isn't as quick, but it's easy, and the caramelized flavors from roasting combine with the seasoning to make this version just amazing!

Take sandwiches from ordinary to extraordinary:

Crab Cake sandwiches/sliders:  Chipotle Ranch or Jamaican Orange instead of tarter sauce or mayo

Turkey or ham sandwiches/sliders:  Bacon Praline, Maple Horseradish or Raspberry Horseradish instead of mayo; add sliced tomatoes for an even more heavenly taste.

Tuna salad sandwiches:  Ginger Sesame or Spicy Mango (dressing) replaces mayo for a totally updated sandwich.

Hamburgers/sliders:  Caliente Cheddar, White Cheddar Horseradish or Garlic Blue Cheese as normally prepared.  Rio Grande, Bloody Mary Queen of Sheba, Tortuga Bay or Texas Wildfire Poppy Seed blended with ketchup.  Awesome!

Make it special - sauce it up:

Butternut squash or mushroom ravioli in a sauce made from our Garlic Blue Cheese dip: combine mix and 2 cups of cream; stir slowly over medium heat until desired thickness (we use non-fat 1/2 & 1/2, but it takes a bit longer to thicken as it heats).  It's amazing!

Cream of Roasted Garlic & Thyme (single serve soup mix) makes a great sauce for baked chicken or as the sauce for a casserole.

Cream of Tomato Basil (single serve soup) makes a lovely, quick pasta sauce, especially with a splash of vodka.

Bread Pudding - A heritage dessert updated:

Apple Rum with Raisins, White Chocolate Amaretto with apricots, Pumpkin

This is really easy to make.  Start with 8 slices of bread sliced into about 1 inch cubes (cinnamon swirl is nice for the Apple Rum, Challah bread is lovely for the other two).  If using dehydrated fruit, soak about 5 minutes in boiling water to rehydrate, then drain.  Put bread in a greased 8" square baking pan and sprinkle fruit throughout.  Stir 3 cups of cream (we use non-fat 1/2 & 1/2), 3 eggs and the chosen mix until well combined.  Pour over bread, pushing the bread down into the cream sauce to make sure it evenly absorbs.  Soak for about 30 minutes (or over night, covered, in the fridge).  Toss gently before baking.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until puffy and slightly browned on the top.  Cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes to let pudding and flavors set.  Serve warm or cold. 

I usually put this in the oven just as we sit down to dinner so we can have it warm after a short break between dinner and dessert.  This is a lovely, light dessert when prepared with non fat 1/2 & 1/2.  If you splurge and use cream, it will be much more dense, but the consistency will be what you're used to from restaurants that really get the dessert.

All the mousse mixes work in this recipe.  Add fruit or nuts as desired (1/2 to 1 cup).  For a quick sauce, use heated syrup or warmed sundae topping.