Construction Themed Birthday CakeMy son recently celebrated his 6th birthday and really wanted to have a construction themed party. The cake was simply decorated with construction orange icing, had a caution tape border around the top, and was finished off with grass and a crushed Oreo cookie "dirt road". I then placed a brand new front loader toy on top and filled its bucket with more crushed up cookie.
Ferrero Rocher Golden Snitch (Harry Potter)My son had a Harry Potter themed birthday party. One of the treats I made were these Ferrero Rocher Golden Snitches. They were the perfect pairing to go with the red and gold Gryffindor cupcakes that we had.
Pre Scoop Ice Cream for PartiesHere is a way to make it much easier on your hands when scooping ice cream. It also helps when having a party to have the scoops ready. Simply thaw out the ice cream then easily scoop ice cream balls. Store in freezer until ready.
Goldfish Themed Party SnacksOur son had a 'Sharky' Goldfish themed 3rd birthday party. Here are some of the snacks that we had for it.
Seahawks Super Bowl TreatsOur son had a lot of fun making a treat table for the Super Bowl this year. We are Seahawks fans so he used Skittles and Costco cupcakes that were decorated in our team colors. He also had chips and slider burgers for people to enjoy. I just thought his set up was fun and wanted to share it. :)
Winter Party Chili BarSetting up a chili bar for our son's birthday was a great way to warm up our guests. We offered a number of different kinds with various toppings.
Hot Chocolate Bar for PartiesAt your next holiday, why not warm up your guests by having a hot chocolate bar. It was a big hit at our son's birthday party, especially for the kids! We had both a large crockpot with a ladle and an electric kettle for hot water.
Entertaining Menu ChecklistThere is nothing more frustrating than opening your refrigerator after a party and seeing a dish you forgot to serve. To avoid this, several days before an event, I make a list of the menu. I list all the items, and any foods or utensils that will be used with it.
Cookie Cutter Ice Cream ShapesSpread ice-cream into a rectangular cake pan. Using a cookie cutter cut into your desired shapes. Place in a Tupperware type container. Put the a sealed Tupperware container into the freezer.
Ice Balloons To Keep Wine CoolI pinched this tip from my lovely cousin Dawn. Freezing ice balloons for coolers at parties-very festive and much less drippy than ice! Genius!
Use Your Washer To Keep Drinks ColdI was at a friends house for a party. She had filled her washer full of cold water and ice to hold the drinks in. I thought it was a great idea.
Using Leftover Party FoodNormally I make sure I take an extra box of resealable plastic bags to family events. I choose between sandwich and quart size. There are always a lot of left-overs and the family that prepares the food usually has enough saved.
Host a "Pancake Palooza"Several times throughout the summer, we have a "Pancake Palooza". We set up a food station with one or two electric griddles, the fixings for the pancakes, a crock pot with pre-browned, cooked sausages, a cooler with either little bottles or a pitcher of juice, and coffee.
Annual Midwinter Soup PartyEach midwinter I have a soup party for family and friends. I make several different kinds of soup. I might have potato soup, pea soup, bean soup, chicken or Turkey vegetable; whatever I happen to have on hand.
Store Party Drinks in Your WasherIf you need to keep a large amount of canned beverages cold for a party, use your top load washing machine. Fill the top load washer with ice and your canned beverages. Keep the lid closed.
Use Contractor Tubs For Summer Party FoodFor summer parties, some people use a kids swimming pool to put ice in to keep food cold. I found that by the end of the afternoon on a warm day, the food is literally "swimming" in water as the ice melts, creating a mess and watered down food in some cases.
Use Wading Pools to Keep Food ColdI want to share how our family utilized a small place to set out food at our family reunion! We used 2 children's small swimming pools that we purchased at Walmart, I think it was $4.88 each.
Tim Tam Car for Kids Party FoodFor childrens' party food, dig a small hole in the centre of a Timtam. With icing or chocolate, set a tiny teddy in the hole. Then stick 4 small marshmallows on the bottom for wheels. Great for kids and adults alike.
Prepare Dishes in Advance for a Communion PartyMake dishes ahead of time in the chafing pan inserts. Give the dish to a friend that will not be at the church and ask them to bake the item before the party starts and to bring to the party when they arrive.
Food Amounts for a CrowdNeed to know how much food for your wedding, your party or picnic? Here's a table that gives you lots of food quantity information for a large group from a dozen to 48.
Label Buffet OfferingsEveryone is either on a strict diet or allergic to various edibles these days! If you're having a buffet meal, indoors or out, you can avoid answering the question,"Can you tell me what's in this?" over and over again.
Mexican Fiesta BuffetI had the cheapest dinner party ever. I threw a Mexican Fiesta Buffet. I used my own dishes, didn't buy disposables, borrowed wine glasses for my delightful Sangria. Here is what I bought:
Serving Ice Cream at PartiesIf you are serving cake or pie with ice cream, save time by preparing the ice cream scoops before the party. Just scoop ice cream into large muffin tins with cupcake liners.
