Daily Party Dish : Food and Drink

Summer Backyard BBQ Watermelon Cutting Trick

I recently discovered this easy way to cut watermelon that I just needed to share with everyone! I usually cut my watermelon in chunks (which you eat with a fork) or big triangular slices (which oftentimes end up being way too big and messy). But this past weekend, I attended a backyard barbeque and brought watermelon which my cousin then chopped up into rectangular bite size squares that were great for guests to just grab and go. I never thought to cut watermelon like this, and the new, improved way just BLEW MY MIND!

While cutting watermelon might not be as life-changing for you as it was for me, a bite-size way to eat this summer snack will definitely make your buffet experience a little easier (and prettier)! Plus, this delicious treat would be great as an appetizer for a watermelon theme summer party, complete with coordinating Summer Watermelon Invitations and Party Favors. Check out my tutorial below to learn how, and don’t forget to take a peek at our other Backyard BBQ Party Ideas for more simple tips and tricks.

Materials

Baby watermelon (try to find in a smaller size if not at your grocery store)
Serrated knife
Cutting board

Directions

Start by thoroughly washing the watermelon in cold water. Wipe dry, and then cut the watermelon in half along its length with a serrated knife.
Put one half of the watermelon face down on a cutting board and cut vertical chunks about 1” wide.
Then, cut horizontally about 1” apart, creating a “grid”. Your watermelon bites should fall off as you’re going along. Repeat the process with the other half.
Afterwards, dispose of corners and edges that don’t have any red flesh. Stack watermelon in a white bowl for a colorful, classy look.

Enjoy eating your juicy watermelon, and make sure to follow more of our summer party advice at Party411.com:

Posted at 10:08 AM in Christine's Posts, Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (1)

Black and White Southern Bridal Shower Dessert Table

The highlight of the black and white theme bridal shower I threw for my sister-in-law Michele was the gorgeous dessert table! We had a variety of desserts, like key lime bites, pecan squares, Oreo cupcakes, and chocolate covered strawberries. Check out the details of the table below, and make sure to take a look at our other Bridal Shower Theme Ideas for more inspiration!

To add height and drama to the table, I placed two tall white iris arrangements behind the desserts. The blooms opened beautifully the morning of the shower and matched our black and white theme.

The pecan squares not only looked great, but they were delicious! Notice the white and black polka dotted dessert liners that matched the color scheme.

The other hostesses and I made sure to have a variety of desserts that would appeal to all guests. We had nuts (pecan squares), citrus (key lime bites), fruit (chocolate covered strawberries), and chocolate/cake (Oreo cupcakes).

We placed desserts on trays and stands of varying heights to give the table depth and dimension. We had two three-tiered trays, two cake stands, and two trays that laid flat on the table. We didn't forget a crisp white tablecloth and a gold striped runner to polish off the look.

Don't forget the matching napkins! These black and white dessert napkins coordinated with our theme and were the perfect final touch.

In the end, the dessert table gave the party that extra bit of class! I think I'll do one for most of my parties from now on. Get some more party advice from my other posts on this wedding shower as well as from Party411.com:

Posted at 08:02 AM in Christine's Posts, Food and Drink, Special Occasions | Permalink | Comments (1)

Summer White Sangria Party Recipe

My family makes this delicious white sangria for many of our summer parties (see some of our other awesome Summer Party Ideas, too), and I recently made it for my sister-in-law’s wedding shower. (It was a special request from the bride herself!) I love this recipe because it’s not only easy to make but also has a mouth-watering fruity flavor. It’s hard to have just one glass! Follow the simple recipe below to make this colorful sangria, and take a peek at our Backyard BBQ Party Ideas to help make your celebration a success.

Materials

1 750 ml bottle of white wine (the cheaper the better!)
¼ cup triple sec
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup frozen peaches
1 lemon sliced into rounds
4 cups ginger ale
Ice

Directions

**I tripled this recipe for a wedding shower with about 35 attendees.**

Mix the wine, triple sec, raspberries, peaches, and lemon in a pitcher or jar.
Refrigerate the mixture for 1-2 hours.
Before serving add the ginger ale, and serve with ice.

Enjoy planning your summer party, and don’t forget to follow some of our tips and tricks over at Party411.com:

Posted at 10:54 AM in Christine's Posts, Food and Drink, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (1)

Southern Theme Wedding Shower Buffet and Recipes

For the southern theme wedding shower I hosted for my sister-in-law, the hostesses and I wanted to make sure our buffet menu included all sorts of classic southern recipes along with some family party favorites! We all pitched in and created an overflowing buffet that guests loved. They kept asking me for recipes, and I thought it might be a good idea to share a few for you here. Below are the drink, buffet, and dessert menus along with my reasoning (and some recipes!) behind these choices. Don’t forget to take a look at our other Bridal Shower Theme Ideas to help make your planning process easy!

When we designed our drink table we wanted to give guests lots of choices while also making drinks easily accessible. We used simple powdered sweet tea and lemonade and made several batches of white sangria from scratch. Don't forget the personalized bridal shower water bottle labels we made beforehand!

Drink Menu

Sweet Tea
Lemonade
White Sangria
Water bottles with personalized labels (see pictures here)

We combined family favorite recipes and southern classics for our buffet menu. From the traditional buttermilk biscuits (made from a Charleston recipe) to the baked peaches, guests had a variety of delicious dishes from which to choose. We made sure to have egg, meat, fruit, dairy, and starch dishes to appeal to our guests' tastes.

Buffet Menu

Scrambled Egg Bake (Bacon, Sausage, and Vegetable - see my grandma's recipe below)
Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole from Allrecipes.com
Baked Peaches (see my recipe below)
Glazed Ham
Yogurt Bar (with organic vanilla yogurt, granola, blueberries, and raspberries)
Fruit Skewers (made with watermelon, cantalope, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple)
Buttermilk Biscuits (I used a recipe from Poogan’s Porch, a great restaurant in Charleston, SC.)
Cornbread Muffins

Baked Peaches Recipe (makes one 9x13 dish, serves about 15-20 people)

6-7 cup sliced peaches (used about 10-12 peaches)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
Cooking spray
Aluminium foil

Preheat your oven to 375° F. Mix the peaches, brown sugar, lemon juice, flower, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Place peaches in a greased 9x13 glass baking dish.
Bake covered (I used alumnium foil) for 35-45 minutes or until peaches are soft. Enjoy!

Scrambled Egg Bake (see picture above)

1 lb sausage or 1 lb bacon, browned
8 eggs
8 slices white bread
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups milk

Beat eggs. Add milk, cheese, bread (broken into pieces), salt, pepper and meat.
Pour into ungreased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 325° F, and then bake uncovered for 1 1/4 hours. Enjoy!

The crowning glory of the party was our beautiful dessert table! Each hostess made a different dessert, and we placed bite size portions in paper liners and placed them on trays. We made sure to include a variety of desserts as well; we had nuts, fruit, citrus, chocolate, and cake options! I've written a full post on the dessert table, so check it out.

Dessert Menu

Sweet and Salty Pecans
Pecan Bars
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Key Lime Squares
Oreo Cupcakes

Take a look at my other posts on this southern theme bridal shower, and don't forget to follow our other tips an tricks to throw an unforgettable event:

Posted at 09:28 AM in Christine's Posts, Food and Drink, Recipes, Special Occasions | Permalink | Comments (1)

Patriotic Theme Buffet Toothpicks

I made these simple patriotic theme toothpicks to match the party banner I created as one of this year’s 4th of July Party Ideas. I love the easy red, white and blue color scheme that will go with some of the store bought decorations I already have. All in all, this little frilly detail will make my buffet and drink station pop, while also adding a handmade touch to my party. Make sure to follow my tutorial below, and check out our other Summer Party Ideas to see more of what I plan to do at my patriotic theme bash!

Materials

Tissue paper (red, white, and blue)
Sandwich toothpicks (can be purchased at your local GFS)
Clear tape
Scissors

Directions

Cut a rectangle from the tissue paper and fold it in half. Make sure it is about 2-3 inches tall (depending how long of a fringe you want), and about 3 inches long.
With scissors, cut very thin fringes perpendicular to the fold. Leave about ½ inch between the end of each cut and the fold.
Wrap the end of the fringe around the toothpick, securing with tape. Then, continue wrapping the tissue completely around the toothpick and again secure the end with tape.

Don’t forget take a look at our other tips and tricks for hosting an unforgettable summer party!

Posted at 10:54 AM in Christine's Posts, Decorations, Food and Drink, Holidays | Permalink | Comments (0)

Easy Summer Party Smore Cup Desserts

Your guests won’t be able to stay away from these easy smore cup desserts, a fun twist on a classic favorite. These cups are a great option if you don’t have a fire pit to make traditional smores, and they can be made in advance, which is a huge bonus if you’re hosting a large party. Follow my recipe below to make these treats (which my family loved at our last barbeque), and check out our other Backyard BBQ Party Ideas for more inspiration!

Materials (makes 1 dozen)

Mini marshmallows
Chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
6-7 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup white sugar
Cooking spray
Cupcake tin

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375° F, and coat your cupcake tin lightly with cooking spray.
Mix the crushed graham crackers, butter, and sugar in a bowl. Take 2-3 tbsp of the mixture, and put it in each cupcake tin. Mold the graham cracker crust into a cup with your fingers.
Bake the cups for about 5 minutes, and pull them out of the oven to cool.
Add about 8 marshmallows to each, and top with chocolate chips.
Bake again for about 5 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden brown. Allow the cups to cool before carefully removing them from the pan.

Enjoy snacking down on these fun treats with your family and friends, and don't forget to save a few for the Party Girl! Try some of these other Summer Party Ideas, too:

Posted at 07:26 AM in Christine's Posts, Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Summer Pasta Salad Party Recipe

A summer party is not complete without a delicious bowl of freshly made pasta salad! Pasta salad is my absolute favorite party staple, and over the years, I’ve developed a recipe that has become a party must-have. I’ve included my recipe below as well as a few mouthwatering photos. After trying my recipe, make sure to check out our other Summer Party Ideas for more tips on how to throw an unforgettable event!

McCormick's Salad Supreme is the essential ingredient for this pasta salad!

Don't make this recipe without it! :D

Ingredients

1 lb box of rotini pasta
1 bottle Wishbone Light Italian Dressing
3-4 tbsp McCormick's Salad Supreme
1 lb block of colby cheese
1 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1/4 lb of sandwich pepperoni
1/2 head of cauliflower
1 cucumber

Directions

Cook the pasta, rinse, and drain. Place the pasta off to the side until it reaches room temperature.
Rinse the cauliflower, cucumber, and peppers. Cut each into small chunks, mix, and set aside in a large bowl.
Cut the cheese into chunks, and the pepperoni into 1/2 inch squares. Set aside.
Layer half the pasta, veggies, cheese and pepperoni into a large bowl. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of Salad Supreme spice onto the pasta and add half of the dressing. Mix thoroughly, and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Allow the pasta salad to cool overnight before serving.

Take a peek at our other awesome summer party tips, too:

Posted at 09:01 AM in Christine's Posts, Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Graduation Party Dessert Table Ideas

Surprise your guests at your next graduation party by filling a dessert table with ready-to-go treats that friends and family won’t be able to keep their hands off of! Below are five themed desserts that will be immediate favorites at any grad party. After planning your dessert table (and using some of my tips below), make sure to take a look at our other Graduation Theme Party Ideas and Personalized Graduation Party Supplies for more inspiration!

5 Graduation Dessert Table Ideas

Smartie-Pants: Fill a bowl with Smarties, the traditional candy favorite, and make a sign that says, “Congratulations, Smartie Pants! You did it!” Guests will love filling favors bags with this delicious (and themed!) treat.
Diploma Ho-Hos: This no hassle dessert looks great unwrapped and tied in a paper ribbon in the grad’s school colors. Your guests won’t be able to keep their hands off of these mini “diplomas”!
Graduation Cap Reese’s Suckers: Stick a mini Resee’s cup onto a sucker stick, and then attach a square of milk chocolate on top with piped melted chocolate. Add a “tassle” to the top of the cap with a 1-inch piece of Pull-N-Peel Twizzlers and a dot of melted chocolate. These easy suckers look wonderful displayed upright in Styrofoam.
Class Ring Pops: Another no hassle treat, fill a glass jar with individually wrapped ring pops (a favorite with the kids)! Make a sign to go with this dessert that says, “Don’t forget your Class Ring Pop!”
Smart Cookies: Show your graduate that they’re a “smart cookie” by serving a variety of family favorites, like peanut butter, chocolate chip chunk, and oatmeal raisin. Make your dessert table all about cookies by making it a potluck; ask family and friends to each bring a couple dozen of their favorite. As favors, guests can fill personalized graduation favor bags to take home, too! Party411 even has a Graduation Photo Custom Cookie that you can personalize with the grad’s photo along with a message! Don’t forget to add a sign, too. Something like “Christine is one smart cookie!” would be great.

Have fun making desserts for your graduation dessert table, and congratulations to the graduate from everyone here at Party411.com!

Posted at 07:52 AM in Christine's Posts, Food and Drink, Special Occasions | Permalink | Comments (0)

Peter Rabbit Garden Theme Baby Shower Dessert Table

I recently hosted a Peter Rabbit garden theme baby shower for my sister Kathleen (check out the Peter Rabbit Shower Decorations post). One of the highlights of the event was the overflowing dessert table which was placed in the center of the buffet. We filled it with a variety of garden-inspired desserts as well as some family favorite pastries. The dessert table was so popular the guests went back for seconds, thirds, and even fourths! Make sure to check out our other Baby Shower Ideas to help you decide what will be the highlight of your event – it may be the games, menu, or table centerpieces! You decide!

In order to make the dessert items stand out, I spent some time gathering platters and trays of varying heights and colors on which to display the yummy goodies. We used two three-tier stands on either end of the table along with two raised cake stands. We also had several circular trays made of pastel depression era glass, which coordinated perfectly with the themes colors and added depth to the display.

Two tall pillar vases filled with blue iris not only added height to the dessert table but also gave it a punch of color that drew the eye.

By mixing desserts on each tray, we gave the table a more relaxed feel (and it looked beautiful!). Plus, it was much easier to refill desserts as the event progressed.

We made sure to include a variety of desserts in order to appeal to every guest. Make sure to include one dessert of each of the following: citrus, fruit, chocolate, and nut Key lime tarts (citrus), blueberry cream cheese cupcakes (fruit), chocolate covered strawberries (chocolate), and walnut tassies (nut) were among the favorites with our guests! Good luck choosing the desserts for your event, and don't forget to save a cupcake for the Party Girl!

Posted at 07:45 AM in Christine's Posts, Food and Drink, Special Occasions, Theme Parties | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hollywood Oscar Champagne Glass Tags or Markers

If you need some classy 2014 Oscar Party Ideas for this year’s Hollywood theme get-together, look no further! I created these easy wine and champagne glass tags to help guests easily find their drinks in a crowded room. Plus, these glitzy tags are based on Oscar categories, and there are even tags with the names of films that are up for awards. All you have to do is print my free downloadable PDF of the tags, and you’re halfway done. Good luck including flashy, star-worthy details at your Academy Awards viewing party, and make sure to take a look at our other Hollywood Party Supplies to make your party even more glam!

Materials (makes 24 tags)

Black cord/ribbon
1 sheet clear full sheet label (8 ½ x 11”)
2 sheets 12x12 gold glitter paper
PDF Oscar Glass Tags
Hole punch

Directions

Print the free PDF Oscar Glass Tags, and print onto a clear full sheet of labels (make sure the labels have an adhesive side).
Peel off the labels, and attach them to a 12x12 sheet of gold glitter paper.
Use scissors to cut out the labels, and punch a hole in the top of each one.
Finally, add a length of black cord or ribbon to each label, which the guests can use to tie around their glasses.

Posted at 07:37 AM in Christine's Posts, Decorations, Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (0)

Daily Party Dish

Party Basics

Posts categorized "Food and Drink"

July 10, 2014

Summer Backyard BBQ Watermelon Cutting Trick

July 05, 2014

Black and White Southern Bridal Shower Dessert Table

July 03, 2014

Summer White Sangria Party Recipe

July 01, 2014

Southern Theme Wedding Shower Buffet and Recipes

June 16, 2014

Patriotic Theme Buffet Toothpicks

June 10, 2014

Easy Summer Party Smore Cup Desserts

June 04, 2014

Summer Pasta Salad Party Recipe

March 31, 2014

Graduation Party Dessert Table Ideas

March 19, 2014

Peter Rabbit Garden Theme Baby Shower Dessert Table

February 22, 2014

Hollywood Oscar Champagne Glass Tags or Markers

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