A Screaming Good Halloween Party

Last year, for the first time, I decided that my 11 year old daughter and her friend could throw a Halloween Party. I was scared for many reason, none having to do with Halloween. She and her friend originally wanted to invite 35 of there closest friends. I vetoed that idea. I felt that 35, 6th graders, in my house, would be a disaster. So over much crying, whining and complaining (on my part), I agreed to 20 guests. In the end it turned out great, but to save you any headaches, I will share my knowledge.

As you can see I designed two different designs for Halloween Invitations (as always on my website).

The girls decided that it would be a costume party. Truly I like nothing better than to dress up for Halloween. Much to my children's chagrin. Oh well, embarrassing your children is part of a parents job.

Evidence marked Exhibit A:

The girls wanted pizza but besides the expense and trouble going and getting it, I wanted something that looked kind of gross. So I made spaghetti and put it in a big plastic cauldron. I lined the cauldron with aluminum foil just in case there was some kind of crack in it. I also made a Punch. One girls complained that it looked gross. I said "Thank you. I obviously did it correctly because it's Halloween, it's supposed to be gross". Of course that was the same girl that once she tried it, couldn't stop drinking it. Bunny, the other Mom participating in the party made fantastic gross food.

Here are just a few of her "gross" creations.

Finger Cookies

Rice Krispies Eye Ball

I had lots of fun decorations. I bought a drop down spider that was sound activated. I put it above the toilet tank. Whenever someone went to the bathroom we would all hear a scream. I don't think my 58 year old brother has gotten over it to this day. I had a motorized rat that I had run across the floor while everyone was eating dinner. I had a "Screaming Skeleton" that I put at the bottom of a flight of stairs. As soon as the kids got to the landing it light up and starting moaning. My genius moment came when I found my old fish tank. I filled it with water and some red food dye and then put in a mask (bought at the dollar store) and other body parts. It takes a minute for people to figure out what is in there but then . . .

As for party games, we had Twister and we also did a Mummy Wrap. A big hit as always.

The winner of the Mummy Wrap contest.

To end the night I let the kids roast marshmallows to make S'mores using our fireplace.

So, all in all, it was a big hit. Hope this helps you do your own Halloween party.

Elizabeth

Wine Novices have no fear, Gary from Wine Library TV is here

While surfing the web, I can across this fantastic (and slightly bizarre) blog by Gary Vaynerchuk at WineLibraryTV. For the wine novice like me, his information is invaluable. There is nothing worse than being at a liquor store before a party and not knowing what wine to buy. I start wandering the aisles looking at all the pretty labels. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think you're suppose to pick a good wine by its pretty label. Anyway, hopefully this will help you (and me) to choose the right wine for your next party.

Elizabeth

The Most Perfect Lemony Lemon Cake - Ever!!

As I’ve stated previously, I don’t particularly like baking. People think I’m good at it because I have just a few really good (and easy) recipes. This is one of them. This is the most perfect Lemon Cake, ever. It is very lemony and really light (not in calories). The thing about this cake is, you really need to beat it. I know, it goes against the grain of baking philosophy. So put the mixer on and walk away and do something else. I beat usually about 5 minutes or more between adding ingredients.

2 lemons
8 tablespoons (1 stick), salted butter
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons sugar, for lemon syrup topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line an 8 inch loaf pan with parchment or wax paper.

Grate the lemon rinds and set aside. Combine the juice of 1 lemon with 3 tablespoons sugar in a bowl and set in a warm place until the sugar dissolves and forms syrup with the juice. (This makes it seem more complicated that it is. I just combine the sugar and lemon juice and put the bowl on top of the stove. The heat from the oven does the rest)

Cream the butter and the rest of the sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the grated lemon rid and flour; beat again thoroughly (the longer you beat, the softer the cake). Add the milk and beat again.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour; the cake should spring back when pressed gently in the center. Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven, prick the top with a long-tined fork (I make rows of holes so the syrup really gets into the cake) and pour the lemon juice/sugar syrup all over the top until completely covered. Cool in the pan to allow the syrup to be soaked up and create a moist tangy cake.

When you are ready to serve, sprinkle powdered sugar on top. I like to decorate the top with fresh berries.

Hope it helps,

Elizabeth

Bridal Showers with a Twist

My name is Elizabeth, and I’m a “theme-aholic”. I love to theme parties. Now that that has been said, let’s move on.

Some of my friends are now thinking about getting remarried and some are older and thinking about marriage for the first time. The have everything they need and more for a new "blended" house. So why not put an interesting twist on the old Shower.

"Stock the Garage" Bridal Shower
Invitations – I think this is the perfect invitation. It clearly defines the party. As with all the invitations on my blog, they can be purchased at www.invitetheparty.com

Decorations – How about tarps as tablecloths. Paint cans can hold a flower arrangement. Or better yet, if it’s a spring or summer shower, how about plants they can put in their garden later. Buy a few boxes of nails and screws and nuts. Not only will they look great sprinkled around the table, but can be used by the couple later. You can get some paint sticks for free so why not put those on the table too as a decoration. If you don’t want to use china, how about something fun like Bob the Builder paper plates.

Food: This is a totally casual party. How about barbecue ,6 foot hoagies or even pizza.

Favors: Why not give out a variety pack of picture holders. They are inexpensive and useful. How many times have you received a favor that you just didn’t know what to do with and had to throw away. You could wrap each favor with the color of the day or if you go with the Bob the Builder plates, use Bob the Builder wrapping paper and a pretty ribbon to wrap the favors.

Something for the Couple to Remember the Party – How about having everyone sign a Home Depot or Lowes Apron. What a fun way to remember all the guests who came.

"Stock the Bar" Bridal Shower

Invitations –I designed the above invitations to capture the spirit of the party.

Decorations – This kind of party speaks for itself. Decorations would be what you usually do for a cocktail or dinner party. If you wanted something a little different, what about a “Retro” theme. Pictures of the Rat Pack, Retro decorations, lounge music.

Food – You can really go two ways. Either hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, or a full out meal. It’s up to you and your budget. It would be fun to set up different stations with different kinds of drinks. If you are going “Retro”, find recipes from the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s.

Favors – How about a cork screw, bottle of cocktail olives, swizzle sticks.

Something for the Couple to Remember the Party - You can buy a platter that everyone can sign. There are pens that you can purchase at the craft store that are made just for this. They can use it at their next cocktail party. Or people could sign cocktail glasses. Either one would be fun to look back on.


"The Wine Enthusiasts" Bridal Shower
Invitations – I designed the above invitations to capture the spirit of the party.

Decorations – Again, this kind of party speaks for itself. Decorations would be what you usually do for a cocktail or dinner party.

Food – There are a few ways you could do this. One would be a wine tasting party. These can be set up from companies in your area. They usually supply the wine and an appetizer. You could also serve you own wine and hors d’oeuvres. Lastly a full out meal. Basically it depends on your budget and how many people.

Favors – How about wine bottles from a local vineyard with a label with the event on them. You could do a corkscrew or a wine glass filled with candy.

Something for the Couple to Remember the Party - Wine Glasses signed by all the guests. . There are pens that you can purchase at the craft store that are made just for this.

I think any of these theme would be fun, but please remember never mix the “Stock the Garage” Party and”Stock the Bar, power tools and liquor never mix. LOL.

Hope this helps,

Elizabeth

Fresh From The Garden Pesto

What do you do when you have a scary, hip high, basil plant and a tomato plant with lots of cherry tomatoes? Make Pesto, of course. As you can see I have a rather enormous basil plant. I took this picture after I made pesto so it was missing quite a few leaves. You can also see my tomato plant. Sadly I used all the tomatoes for this dish, but there are plenty more in the very near future. Of course that’s if the deer don’t get them, again. I used pumpkin seeds instead of pine nuts, because my son has a nut allergy. I had never tried this before, but it turned about wonderfully.

Before I give out this recipe, I just want to remind everyone that I don’t cook with exact measurements. Taste it, smell it, see what’s good for you.

3 cups basil leaves
4 cloves garlic (less if you don’t like garlic)
1/3 cup of Romano cheese
1 cup pumpkin seeds (see how you like the consistency)
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (enough to make it paste like.)

Pasta of your choice
1 cup cherry tomatoes (give or take or not)

Put on the pot of water for your pasta. While that’s getting ready to boil, put all the ingredients in the food process. Chop into a paste like consistency. Put half in a large bowl. Make pasta. When pasta is ready and drained, put it in the bowl. Put the other half of the pesto on top, the tomatoes and then mix it all together. That’s it. Enjoy the time with you family and friends and not slaving in the kitchen.

If you are looking for other interesting pasta recipes, check out http://onceuponafeast.blogspot.com/2007/04/presto-pasta-night-roundups.html. This blog has it's readers send in their favorite pasta recipes.

Hope this helps,

Elizabeth

Roaring Good Dinosaur Birthday Party

I was looking through some pictures and found my son’s Dinosaur Birthday Party. So it inspired me to write about it.

Invitations:

As you can see, these are the invitations and thank you cards I used.

Crafts:

They decorated there own goody bags with dinosaur stickers, dinosaur stamps and drawing their own dinosaur scenes. The kids love being little Picasso’s.

Games:

Dinosaur Dig. I had an old kiddy pool and I filled it with sand. You can use a large box or plastic bin. I bought dinosaur eggs at www.orientaltrading.com.

I love this store for party items. I blindfolded the kids and had them dig for the eggs. I did it one child at a time and gave them a minute to dig. They loved it! Whatever eggs were left over, I put in the goody bags at the end of the party.

Pin the Horn on the Triceratops- I made my own. I found a picture of a Triceratops and enlarged it. I then cut off the horn and made enough copies for the kids. I had the kids write their names on them so we would know who won. I placed the enlarged picture on a poster board. You can give any dinosaur prize to the kids. I happened to have found dinosaur puzzles at the Dollar Store. This game is always new and different because you change the theme with each party.

Dinosaur Mask – I bought dinosaur masks and had the kid’s act the way the dinosaur would. Please note: WEAR EAR PLUGS! By the way, the dinosaur masks also make great table decorations.

Piñata – A Dinosaur Piñata filled with candy is always the perfect way to end the party.

Cake:

I just bought a simple sheet cake and decorated it with dinosaur figures that my son already had.

Decorations:

For table decorations I again used dinosaur’s my son already had. It certainly saved on cost. Another fun thing you can do is lead your guest to the the party with cut outs of dinosaur prints. Start at the driveway and take them all the way to the front door.

Goody Bags:

After the kids have decorated their bags and put their names on them (very important for your sanity), I put them aside until they need them. I have them at the dinosaur dig to collect their eggs. I also make sure they have them for the piñata. After that I place a personalized party candy bar in their goody bag along with the mask they had.

This is one the most inexpensive birthday parties. There are so many inexpensive dinosaur toys around. I started at my local dollar store and of course Oriental Trading. (Note to self, check to see if Oriental Trading has an affiliate program, since you mention them so often. There has got to be something in it for me. LOL).

Hope it helps,

Elizabeth

Grocery Shopping at Amazon.com

So I decided to become an affiliate member of Amazon. I figured that I buy books from them anyway, so why not try to compensate what I spend with what you, my readers, might buy. Anyway, lo and behold I found that they now sell groceries. From what I can see, the prices are cheaper than my local grocery store. Also, you get free shipping. How cool is that. So instead of me describing what they do, I cut and pasted their description. If you click on the Amazon Grocery icon, you can see what kind of grocery items they have. If anyone has tried this, I would love to hear what it was like. I’m definitely going to try and then I’ll tell you my experience.

Shop Amazon Grocery Today

• We offer more than 22,000 non-perishable grocery items--and our selection is growing every day


• We can ship all products for free, via Super Saver Shipping, Amazon Prime, or free standard shipping


• We have great everyday prices plus special offers on your favorite brands


• We make it exceptionally easy to find products you buy routinely, or to discover new items we think you'll like

As an Amazon customer, you expect to find an unparalleled combination of selection and value, no matter what type of product you seek. That's exactly the premise we started with in building Amazon Grocery. To that foundation, we added features that would create a new kind of shopping experience, one where it's easy to keep track of the groceries you want and easy to discover new favorites, and then have them delivered to your door free.

SelectionAt Amazon Grocery, you'll find longtime staples, from Kellogg's to Jiffy Pop. You'll find new entries, such as Kashi cereals and Kraft Easy Mac microwavable snack packets. And when we carry a brand, we'll try to carry every flavor available: For example, you'll find all varieties and flavors of Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn, from Smart Pop to Pour Over Cheddar. We're also making regional favorites like El Sabroso available nationwide, and making hard-to-find specialties like Zico Pure Coconut Water a standard part of our mix.

We also have an extensive selection of natural and organic products. If you haven't heard of Immaculate Baking Company or Bear Naked, let us be the first to introduce you to these earth-friendly brands and their fantastic products.

ValueOur goal at Amazon Grocery is to make sure you find the products you want, available at a competitive price. To do this, we're working with our manufacturers on ways to keep per-unit costs low. For example, items you purchase might come in larger packs than you see at a traditional grocery store, and we might ship a product in a manufacturer's original case.

All products offered in Amazon Grocery are eligible for some form of free shipping. Most are eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping and Amazon Prime. Some exceptionally heavy or bulky items, such as paper towels, have been excluded from these programs to avoid inefficient air transportation. For these items, we offer free standard shipping, so you will receive them within three to five days of ordering.

Because we only carry products when we can offer great prices and free shipping, we don't carry everything (yet!). For example, we don't currently offer perishable items such as milk, fresh meat, or peaches, because we can't ship these for free. But, we work on improving our selection every day, so check back often to see what we've added.

A New Way to Shop

long with this new category of products, we're highlighting a feature we call Your Shopping List, which you'll find under the "Your Lists" link on the top of every page. Your Shopping List makes it easier to locate and keep track of items you purchase routinely--products such as coffee and tea, cereal, paper towels, and cookies. You can order one or all of the products directly from your list, and you can add and delete items with the click of a button