Tip Tuesday: Plan Your Playlist

Tip # 12: Plan your playlist ahead of time

One of the key things to a great dinner party is the music you choose to play. Music helps set the mood and can also be a great conversation starter for many of your guests. The type of music you play should be determined by the kind of party you are looking to have. A simple quite dinner party can be accompanied by softer music , paired with something more up beat after dessert is served. I usually start planning my play list a week in advance. This way I can take my time and tweak what songs I have chosen. To add in something more personalized, try picking your favorite song and have it play at every party you have ! It gives a more personal feel to your guest when they start to notice after attending a few of your parties!

What song would you choose as your personal song?

April Fools Dessert

I love the idea of disguising food and making it look like something it's not. For April Fools day I thought it would be fun to make a dessert that is quick, easy and funny to look at!
To be honest, I used this project as more of a fun activity, so I have to admit not everything is home made! But, still very delicious.

What you will need for this project:
One package of Jell-O chocolate pudding
35% Whipping cream (optional)
One package of Oreo cookies
Gummy Worms
Plastic cups
Small flower pots ( bought at The Dollar Store)

Note: make the pudding and whipped cream before you start step 1. You don't have to make Whipped cream for this project ,you can use Miracle Whip or bypass it all together. One Package of Jell-O makes approx 6 desserts.

Step 1: Once your Jell-O and Whipped cream is done, put Oreo cookies in a plastic Ziploc bag and crumble with a meat hammer or rolling pin, and set aside.

Step 2: Combine pudding and about 2 cups of whipped cream with 1 cup of Oreo cookie crumbs. You can add more of each item depending on your taste.

Step 3: Place your plastic cup inside the pot and cut enough so that it does not stick out the top. A tip for this step, depending on the type of plastic you use be careful that it does not crack and leave a jagged edge.

Step 4: Place a thin layer of Oreo crumbs at the bottom of the glass.

Step 5: Fill the cup half way with your chocolate pudding mixture.

Step 6: For an added surprise put 2 gummy worms on top of the chocolate pudding.

Step 7: Repeat step 4, 5 and 6. Make sure you place the crumbled Oreo so that it covers all of the pudding and a little bit of the worm, so it looks like the worm is coming out of the dirt!

The Finished Project!

P.S. Happy April fools day!

Tip Tuesday : Have A Plan B

Tip # 11

Loyal readers of my blog and many of my family and friends know that when it comes to party planning, I try and make sure that everything goes exactly to plan(ahh the life of a perfectionist). BUT... there are times when I am in a situation where my plan just won't work. The most obvious example would be, having a party outside. Having a plan b for rain is a must when having a party outside. But , what about the parties where the dish you make doesn't come out properly? Having another recipe handy or a few extra appetizer in the freezer is a great way to stay on track and not have to scramble at the last minute.

Candy Tree

A few weeks ago I did this post and showed you some great shots from my cousin Rachel's candy themed party. The candy tree was one of my favorite things to make. Its such a cute, bright and colorful idea and it is very easy to make. Check it out below!

What you will need for this project:
Foam Ball
Tooth picks
BBQ skewers
Jube Jubes
Smarties
Vase
Foam Brick ( I purchased mine in the gardening section at Michael's)
Ribbon*
Scissors*

*Items not shown

Step 1: Take your tooth picks and cut in half. The flat end of the tooth pick should be used to puncture the Jube Jube, leaving the pointy edge sticking out.

Step 2: Take your Jube Jube and puncture the foam ball with the sharp end of the tooth pick. Continue this step until the entire ball is covered. It's okay if you can see some of the ball between the candy, most people won't notice it!

Step 3: I made the stem of the tree of out a few BBQ skewers that I wrapped in green ribbon. I would also suggest going to home depot or a store that sells wood and getting a thicker piece of round wood. The skewers were a bit flimsy .

Step 4: Using the vase , press the top gently on to the foam brick so that it makes an indent and then cut out the shape. Make sure you cut the foam a little smaller than the container so you have room to cover it with candy. Tip, you might need to use a glue gun to hold down the foam so it doesn't move around.

Step 5: Fill the space between the foam and vase with your choice of candy. I chose Smarties but you can pick anything you want!

The Finished Project !

When I made this I thought it would be a great decoration, but it also ended up being a yummy snack for the girls at the party. Using the tooth picks instead of glue was a great idea and I didn't have to worry about what to do with the candy later because it was all gone!

Mini Leprechaun Bites

Im baaaacccckkk!
I know, I know...I feel terrible about abandoning my blog BUT I will never leave you again!!
With St. Pattys Day coming up I thought I would turn one of my favorite snacks, the Rice Krispie square, into a green Irish treat!

What you will need for this project:
1 box of Rice Krispies
2 Bags of Regular sized marshmallows
2 Cups of smooth peanut butter
1/4 Cup of Bailey's Irish Cream
Green Food Coloring
1 Cup Butter ( not shown)

Step 1: In a large pot combine 1 cup of butter and 2 bags of marshmallows on low heat. Stir the marshmallows and butter until they are completely melted.

Step 2: Once the marshmallows are melted add 1/4 cup of Baileys Irish Cream and mix until combined. Feel free to taste the mixture and add more cream!!

Step 3: Add 15 drops of green food coloring to the mixture. If necessary add more drops until you are satisfied with color. A tip for this step, unless you use the entire bottle the green will never be as dark as one concentrated dot. I would not suggest using that much coloring as it will alter the taste.

Step 4: Slowly add the box of Rice Krispies to the mixture and stir until all of the cereal is coated.

Step 5: Take half of the batter and spread it out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
For this step it helps if you have a spatula and a cup of warm water handy. Any time the Rice Krispies get sticky, dip the spatula in water and continue to spread it out until it is an even layer.

Step 6: Take two cups of smooth peanut butter and put it in the microwave for 1 minute or until melted. Then, pour over the Rice Krispies. Once the peanut butter is evenly spread out put in the fridge until cool. You can skip this step if you would rather just spread the pb from the jar. I like to melt it so its evenly coated.

Step 7: Once the bottom half has cooled add the remainder of the Rice Krispies and repeat step 5. Let the top layer cool and cut into small cubes.

The Finished Project!

I would suggest keeping these in the fridge and taking them out an hour before you want to serve them so that the peanut butter does melt

Tip Tuesday

Tip # 10: Be a good guest

First, I feel terrible for my lack of posts this past week. I have been traveling and unable to get to a computer . Next week will be filled with fun and creative post so don't give up on me yet!

Now on to the tip. Most of my Tip Tuesdays are filled with entertaining ideas for the host of a party, so today I thought I would focus on the guests. Being a good guest can mean many things, help to cleaning up, minding your manners at the table or trying to eat a meal even if you don't like the food . But, one of the things I was taught at a young age was , never go to a house empty handed. Brining something to your host is a nice gesture and a great way to show your appreciation for the fact that they spent hours or even days, preparing. Flowers and wine are always a sure bet, but if you want to be creative bring something home made and personalized!