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Come Party With Me: Going Away Party - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:15:20 -0700

Tropical blue, festive navy, and lime green are great colors for an end-of-Summer going away party. In my case, the color scheme also matches the invitations. Start by covering the outdoor tables with a navy tablecloth. Transport food, ice, and other party supplies from the kitchen to the grill chicly and easily with a pretty, printed tray. Serve the dip in a clear green bowl and pile pita chips nearby on a matching plate. Plain white plates showcase the clam boil's fresh ingredients. Removing the fresh lobster meat is messy, so stock up on paper napkins. Select a versatile wine glass that can be used for the punch, beer, wine, or water. Place lit votives in vibrant, modern candleholders. A bouquet of green flowers is elegant and mood-enhancing. Make a going-away banner and hang from two trees, along a deck wall, or on the window.

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Come Party With Me: Going Away Party - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:15:14 -0700

The menu for the going away party is simple, classic, and comforting so serve a drink that embodies these qualities as well. A lemonade-inspired punch is refreshing and crowd-friendly. It's simple to make and delicious to drink. Make two batches - one alcoholic and one nonalcoholic. For the clambake offer guests a chilled white wine or light, fruity red. For those who prefer not to drink hard liquor or wine, stock up on beer, water, and sparkling juices. For the easy spiked lemonade recipe, read more.

Lemon Punch
From Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

Two 12-ounce bottles light-flavored beer, such as Corona
6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate
3/4 cup (6 ounces) vodka

Directions

In a large pitcher, combine the beer, frozen lemonade concentrate, and vodka.
Allow the foam to settle and pour the punch into chilled glasses.

Serves 8.

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Come Party With Me: Going Away Party - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:00:36 -0700

When a friend moves away, it's nice to let them know how much they'll be missed by hosting a bon voyage fiesta. Keep the theme of the menu - comforting food native to the honoree's new hometown - going with the dessert. Since Kara is moving to Boston, I'll be making this variation of Boston creme pie. These cream-filled cupcakes are perfect: they're crowd-pleasing, individual treats, and Kara can take home the leftovers! To look at the easy recipe that take helps from a cake mix, read more.

Boston Creme Cupcakes
From Sandra Lee

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups cold whole milk
1 (3.4-ounce) box vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
12 pre-made cupcakes baked from a cake mix
1 cup heavy cream
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

Combine milk, instant pudding mix, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Beat mixture with a hand mixer for 2 minutes, or until it thickens.
Place mixture in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a medium-size plain tip.
Fill cupcakes with vanilla pudding filling by inserting tip into top of cupcake and squeezing a couple of tablespoons of filling into each cupcake.
Heat cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat, add chocolate morsels to pan, and whisk until smooth. Spoon or drizzle glaze over cupcakes, or dunk the tops into the glaze.
Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour, before serving. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

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Come Party With Me: Going Away Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:00:02 -0700

When planning the menu for a going away party, there are several options. You can feature the honoree's favorite dishes, make the dishes that are native to the town she is leaving or the town she is moving to, or simply serve a delicious and comforting meal. In my case, I decided to combine these ideas.

Kara's favorite appetizer, artichoke dip with pita chips, will await the arrival of the guests. Grilled three cheese triangles, cooked on the outdoor grill, are classically nostalgic and so tasty guests will be begging for more.

The entree will be a New England favorite, a clam boil filled with seafood, corn, potatoes, and sausages. To take a look at these mouth-watering recipes, read more.

Three-Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

2 slices white bread
Grated Gruyère, fontina and mozzarella cheese
Butter

Directions

Top slices of white bread with a mix of grated Gruyère, fontina and mozzarella cheese. Close the sandwiches and lightly butter the outside of the bread.
Grill over low heat until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Cut into triangles and serve immediately.

Makes 4 triangles.

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Artichoke Dip
From Everyday Food magazine

Ingredients

2 cans (14 ounces each) artichoke hearts in water, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 scallion, minced, plus more for garnish
Crudites (such as raw pepper wedges) or whole-wheat pita chips, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. In a food processor, place half the artichokes, the mayonnaise, cup Parmesan, lemon juice, and garlic. Process until smooth.
Add scallion and remaining artichokes; pulse once to combine. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart baking dish. Top with remaining tablespoon Parmesan.
Bake until golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Garnish with scallion, and serve with crudites or pita chips.

Serves 8.

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Summer Clambake
From Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

For herb and garlic butter:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
For vegetables, sausages, and seafood:
6 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 celery stalks, cut crosswise in half
6 large fresh parsley sprigs
6 fresh thyme sprigs
2 small dried bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 1 1/2-pound live lobsters
12 small (about 2-inch-diameter) red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
6 small onions, peeled
1 1/2 pounds fully cooked smoked sausages (such as kielbasa or andouille sausage), cut into 6 portions
6 ears of corn, husked
Chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges

Directions

Make herb and garlic butter: blend all ingredients in bowl. Season butter with salt and pepper. Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Make vegetables, sausages, and seafood: place clams and cornmeal (to help purge clams of sand) in very large bowl or pot; fill with enough cold salted water to cover clams. Set aside at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Place 12-inch square of cheesecloth on work surface. Place celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns in center. Roll up and tie with string. Place bouquet garni in large (at least 18-quart) pot. Half-fill pot with cold water and bring to boil over high heat. Add 1 lobster headfirst; cover pot. Boil until lobster is almost cooked through and shell turns bright red, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer lobster to bowl. Repeat with remaining lobsters.
Add potatoes and onions to pot.
Ladle off cooking liquid into large bowl, leaving enough to cover vegetables; reserve liquid in bowl. Bring liquid in pot to boil. Cover; cook potatoes and onions 10 minutes. Layer sausages and corn atop vegetables. Cover; cook until potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes.
Rinse clams thoroughly. Arrange clams atop corn and sausages. Place lobsters atop clams. Cover pot tightly with lid or, if necessary, cover tightly with overlapping large sheets of foil. Boil until clams open, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
Transfer lobsters to work surface, shell side down. Place tip of large knife in center of 1 lobster. Cut lobster lengthwise in half from center to end of head (knife might not cut through shell), then cut lobster in half from center to end of tail. If necessary, use kitchen shears to cut through shell. Repeat with remaining lobsters.
Mound clams (discarding any that did not open), lobsters and sausages on large platter; reserve cooking broth in pot. Surround seafood with corn, potatoes and, if desired, onions.
Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley; garnish with lemon wedges. Cover with foil to keep warm.
Melt seasoned butter in saucepan; divide among 6 ramekins. Discard bouquet garni from pot. Taste broth; season with pepper. Add some of reserved lobster cooking liquid if broth is too salty. Bring broth to boil; divide among 6 soup cups. Serve seasoned butter and broth alongside vegetables, sausages, and seafood.

Serves 6.

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Come Party With Me: Going Away Party - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:20:25 -0700

For many the end of Summer is a crossroads. Vacations terminate, goodbyes are said, and new beginnings - jobs, school, etc. - start. Next week my friend Kara leaves for Boston to enter grad school. To properly send her off, I'm helping plan a "Thank God Kara Is Leaving 08" barbecue. Kara's known for being incredibly sarcastic, so the theme fits her perfectly. However, if your honoree is more sensitive, host a "We'll Miss You" or "Good Luck" themed going-away party. Before recipes can be selected for the menu, invitations have to be made and sent. To see how I made the ones shown here, read more.

The following supplies are needed to make a similar invite:

a map of Massachusetts (or the new home of your honoree)
two different colors of cardstock
scissors
glue
computer and printer

To assemble the invite:

Cut out the map. Set aside.
Start by creating a new document in Microsoft Word. Write out the details of the barbecue. I used the font Bookman Old Style in size 10 to write this message:

Please join me in wishing Kara a safe and happy trip because
She’s off to make a new life in Boston!

Saturday, August 23, 2008
3:00 pm in the afternoon

Gabe’s Backyard Petaluma, CA
RSVP to PartySugar at 415.555.5555

Be prepared to share your favorite memories of Kara with the crowd!

Print out on plain white paper. Make sure that the text can fit inside the shape of your state/country. Check for grammar or spelling mistakes. Once satisfied with the text, print out on the colored cardstock. Set aside.

Open another Word document and type the message that will be the front of the folded invitation. I wrote: "Thank God Kara Is Leaving 08", but "Bon Voyage" or "We will miss you!" are nice alternatives. Center to the left on the bottom of the page. Print out on plain white paper. Fold the top over and make sure there is enough room for the map/state/country to fit inside the invite.
Print out on the colored cardstock, fold over, and cut off excess text.

Trace the outline of the map onto the text sheet.
Cut down to size.

Glue the map/text into the inside of the invite.
Cut the invite down to size more, if necessary.
Slide into an envelope and send.

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Kelsey Nixon's Still Cooking Up a Storm

partysugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:23:17 -0700

When I first saw Kelsey Nixon compete on the Next Food Network Star last season, I knew there was something special about the perky blonde from Utah. Now, a year after she was kicked off the show, Kelsey is blazing a trail for herself in the food industry. Recently, I had the chance to chat with Kelsey and I was surprised to learn that while spirited, she's not overly hyper. Besides cooking with Spike Mendelsohn on her Food2 show, Kelsey's working as a kitchen consultant in New York City and is Pyrex's new spokeswoman. To find out what Kelsey thinks of Spike and see her impressions of the current cast of NFNS, keep reading

Taste Test: Président Brie Log

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:00:19 -0800

Cheese is one of my favorite foods. I've honestly never met a cheese I didn't like! So when I received one of Président's new brie logs, I couldn't wait to give it a try. The brie log could be likened to the mildest of brie cheeses in flavor; there was little, if any, sharpness. The cheese - described by its makers as "deliciously buttery . . . with subtle mushroom flavors" - tasted exactly like the brand's popular brie wedge. It did, however, have certain differences; to learn what two characteristics set this cheese apart from the rest, read more.

First, the brie's shape is convenient for cutting and placing on top of crackers; the log formation guarantees an equal, mess-free slice every time. Second, and perhaps more important, the cheese's rind is noticeably thinner, making it more pleasant to eat. While both PartySugar and I typically don't eat the rind on brie, we found the rind on this cheese to be tolerable, as it didn't take away the overall creaminess and flavor of the cheese.

At first, I didn't think this brie was anything special, but in the end, I was pleasantly surprised by its consistent texture, mild flavor, and extremely convenient packaging. Next time I go on a picnic with crackers, I'll definitely be picking up one of these.

Have you tried the Président Brie Log? If so, what did you think of it?

Trend Alert: The Casserole's Back

YumSugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:00:55 -0800

Casserole has long had a bad rap, but after many years, it appears to be shedding its negative image and staging a comeback.

These hot entrées hit their pinnacle of popularity in the 1960s, when housewives relied on the easy formula to put dinner on the table. Over the years, however, people grew to associate the word casserole with unappetizing mixtures of mystery meats and canned soups, and casseroles went the way of the tape player. Enter the current economic crisis, and casserole dishes have been reappearing everywhere. To see why, read more.

On Nov. 10, one passionate casserole chef, Emily Farris, will organize her fourth annual casserole party, a showdown between the best casserole dishes. She's also just released a much-discussed cookbook, Casserole Crazy, with non-traditional recipes from star chefs like Paula Deen and Donatella Arpaia.

Today Kraft Foods announced a casserole competition, challenging five bloggers to create an original casserole recipe using its Velveeta cheese product that costs under $10 and feeds a family of four for two meals. And Campbell's even has an entire site dedicated to the creation of casseroles.

One thing's for sure: Casserole's not going away anytime soon, regardless of your feelings for it. Are you excited to see more of it?

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PartySugar Behind The Bash: Gen Arts @ SF Fashion Week

partysugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 08:08:31 -0700

During San Francisco Fashion Week, I was lucky enough to attend Gen Art's premiere show Fresh Faces In Fashion. Gen Art is all about supporting and promoting upcoming talents in the fashion, film, music, and art worlds, and their fashion show is always a hot ticket. The room was packed, the decor was lush, and the drinks were flowing at both the pre and post show parties.

Two days before the show, I was lucky enough to speak with event producer Dana Castro. Despite having been up since 3 am, she was friendly, fresh faced, and focused.

PartySugar: What is your outlook when you plan a party?
Dana Castro: It depends. The first thing I always do is book the venue right away. I started planning this show at the beginning of June. I outline the show, outline the party and think of the elements of the party. I find the people to sponsor and the designers for the lounges. This year I've contracted SillaPere, who I've worked with in the past, to create a lounge and do the flowers. It's all about Spring 08 fashion with an all white background.

PS: What trends are emerging in event planning?
DS: Going green. Eco-events. For example, in weddings people are doing invites on seed paper. It may put them over their budget, but people are doing it.

To see what else she had to say about planning a party this size, plus pictures of the event, read more

PS: What do you like about event planning?
DS: I used to be a film producer, so I really like the immediate outcome of event planning. I have a template formula that I follow for most of my events and after two and a half months of planning, the final product is there.

PS: What's the most important part of an event?
DS: The flow is very important. You have to make sure everyone checks in and gets to their seats. You have to figure out how to get 1000 people all to their seats at the same time. You ask yourself, how long will this take? How many seats? And plan accordingly.

PS: How do you set up for an event?
DS: We set up the day before. We build the runway and back drops. The lounges for the parties are installed the day of. Everything is built and we roll it in on wheels. I have the entire day scheduled out minute by minute, so I know where everyone and everything should be going.

PS: What was your most memorable party?
DS: An Ignite event I threw a few years ago. It was an multi-media art exhibit and the Fire Marshall came in and told me I couldn't have the party inside, so I had to take the entire event and set it up in an parking lot next to the original venue. It was Burning Man style - I worked with what I had and made it work.

PS:What's your advice to the everyday hostess?
DS: Keep it simple, less is more. You need to be able to socialize with guests. Make everything the day before or get it catered.

PS: What is your favorite flower?
DS: Big fluffy French roses. I can't remember their name right now. Those and dahlias.

PS: What is your guilty pleasure food?
DS: Potato chips.

PS: A successful party is…
DS: Where everyone has fun.

PS: What are you inspired by?
DS: People's reactions to what you do.

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What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 09:30:31 -0700

PartySugar helps harvest San Francisco's public victory garden.
Check out our firsthand account of tasting food on the trippy new miracle berry.
Hitting bookstores soon: A Rachael Ray parody.
Can you match the Olympians to the foods they can't live without?
Throw this going away party, and people won't want to leave.
Even leftover haters will love these five dinners that improve with time.
Why you'll thank yourself for drinking organic booze.
This Ferrero Rocher frozen pie made us weak in the knees.
Try just one pisco sour, and you'll understand why it's worth fighting over.