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Come Party With Me: High School Graduation - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:15:08 -0700

Use the guest of honor's high school colors to decorate the location of your graduation party. Cover the tables with nice tablecloths and fill scalloped white serving trays with the food. Stack paper napkins near the buffet.

Set out pitchers of water and pomegranate soda. Sprinkle graduation hat confetti on the tables and tie several metallic balloons to the mailbox or front door. Place vases filled with fresh flowers in between the serving platters.

If you have any sporty games, like ping pong or shuffleboard, bring out the supplies and get everyone involved in a tournament.

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Come Party With Me: High School Graduation - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:50:52 -0700

At a party like a high school graduation that celebrates someone underage, be sure to have a plethora of nonalcoholic drinks on ice. Fill large buckets with canned or bottled sodas, and place pitchers of water - flavored with citrus, cucumber, or mint - on the tables.

Instead of juice, make pomegranate sodas. Their rosy hue and bubbly texture is festive and fun. The recipe calls for a maraschino cherry garnish, but since cherries are in season, set out a bowl of fresh cherries and let guests embellish the sodas themselves. For the recipe, read more.

Pomegranate Soda
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
Club soda, for serving
Maraschino cherries, for garnish (optional)

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and juice; bring to a boil over high, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Reduce to a simmer; cook, without stirring, until mixture is syrupy, about 2 minutes. (To store, refrigerate syrup up to 1 week; adjust consistency with water, if necessary.)
To serve: Fill 8 glasses with ice. Pour 2 tablespoons syrup in each glass, and top with club soda. Garnish with cherries, if desired.

Serves 8.

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Come Party With Me: High School Graduation - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:30:27 -0700

Nothing says high school graduation like a classic sheet cake with "Congratulations Class of 2009" scrolled across the top in loopy, frosted letters. While you could order an insanely sugary cake with too-sweet frosting from Costco or Safeway, why not take the time to make your grad a homemade confection? This recipe for a rich, dense chocolate cake is simple, straightforward, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser. It calls for a fudge-like frosting, but if you have another icing you prefer, use that instead. Get the luscious recipe when you read more.

Black Chocolate Cake With Fudge Icing
From Saveur

Ingredients

For the cake:
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
5 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
For the frosting:
2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
5 tbsp. cocoa
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
5 tbsp. hot freshly brewed coffee
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a small pot of gently simmering water over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove bowl from heat and set aside until chocolate is cool.
Meanwhile, grease an 8" square cake pan with 1 tsp. of the butter and set aside.
Sift flour and salt together in a small bowl and set aside. Stir baking soda into buttermilk in another small bowl and set aside.
Beat sugar and the remaining 5 tbsp. butter together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, then add melted chocolate and beat until thoroughly combined.
Add one third of the flour mixture, then one third of the buttermilk mixture, beating well after each addition. Repeat process to use all of both mixtures, then pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 40–50 minutes. Transfer cake to a rack to cool in pan, then invert onto a cake plate.
For the frosting: Sift confectioners' sugar and cocoa together in a medium bowl. Stir in butter, then coffee, then vanilla, mixing well with a wooden spoon after each addition, until frosting is smooth.
Ice top and sides of cake with frosting.

Makes one 8-inch cake.

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Come Party With Me: High School Graduation - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:15:13 -0700

This week I'm planning the ultimate high school graduation party. Most high schools host a grad night after the ceremony where students get to celebrate together one last time. To ensure that they won't miss the festivities at either the grad night or their family's gathering, throw the personal party in the days following the graduation. The majority of graduates will have some sort of get together, and guests may be party-hopping, so take that into consideration when selecting a menu. Instead of offering a formal, sit-down dinner, opt for heavy appetizers or a casual, make-ahead buffet. This menu consists of comforting, simple, kid-friendly party food.

You can't go wrong with classics like seven-layer dip with tortilla chips and ranch dip with crudites. Pressed mozzarella and tomato sandwiches get more flavorful over time, and beef sliders with cheese and spicy mayonnaise are hearty enough to satiate the football players. For these crowd-pleasing recipes, read more.

Seven-Layer Bean Dip
From Better Crocker

Ingredients

1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 package (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1 cup chunky salsa
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded Cheddar or Mexican cheese blend
1 can (2.25 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 medium tomato, diced (3/4 cup)
Tortilla chips, if desired

Directions

In medium bowl, mix refried beans and taco seasoning mix. Spread mixture on large platter.
In another medium bowl, mix cream cheese and chiles. Carefully spread over bean mixture.
Top with salsa, lettuce, cheese, olives and tomato. Refrigerate until serving time. Serve with tortilla chips.

Serves 16.

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Ranch Dip with Vegetables
From Sara Moulton

Ingredients

3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 carrots, cut into sticks
6 celery ribs, cut into sticks
1 seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped), cut into sticks
1 small jicama, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into sticks
1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes (9 ounces)
thick cut, crinkle potato chips (optional for serving)

Directions

Stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, chives, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl until combined well. Chill dip, covered, until slightly thickened, at least 1 hour (for flavors to develop).
Serve dip with vegetables and potato chips.

Serves 12.

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Sliders with Chipotle Mayonnaise
From Bobby Flay

Ingredients

Chipotle Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1/2 lime, juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sliders:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck, 80/20
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cheese slices, your choice
Mini burger buns
Pickles, Red onion slices, tomatoes, lettuce, optional for topping

Directions

Make the Chipotle Mayonnaise: Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Make the Sliders: Preheat grill over medium-high heat.
Form the meat into 2 to 3-ounce portions, packed tightly. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the sliders on the grill. Wait until they are nice and crusty on the first side, about 4 to 5 minutes and then flip and cook another 4 minutes. When the sliders are about done, top with desired cheese and close the grill, allowing the cheese to melt.
Place the slider on mini burger buns and top with chipotle mayonnaise and any other desired toppings.

Serves 6-8.

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Pressed Mozzarella and Tomato Sandwich
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, reserving 1 tablespoon oil
1/2 loaf ciabatta bread (about 5 ounces), split horizontally and hollowed out
Romaine lettuce leaves
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together mustard and oil until thick; spread on bread.
Layer bottom half of bread with some of the lettuce, then cheese, tomatoes, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining lettuce and bread.
Wrap sandwich tightly in plastic; place on a baking sheet. Top with another sheet, and weight down with canned goods or a heavy skillet.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight to meld flavors. Cut in half, and serve.

Serves 2.

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Come Party With Me: Graduation - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:15:26 -0700

When creating the look for your graduation party, start by choosing a color scheme. The graduate's favorite colors or the school's colors make perfect selections. Cover the tables in pretty, printed tablecloths.

Make a "Congratulations" banner and hang in a visible location. Tie balloons to your mailbox, so guests know where the party is. Serve the pasta in modern serving bowls. Stack plain white plates nearby. Write the name of each dish on a small card, place in a place card holder, and set near the serving bowls. On the bar, line the glasses up next to the ice bucket and lemonade and iced tea pitchers.

Finally, don't forget fabulous flowers. A green and white bouquet is fresh and elegant.

Come Party With Me: Graduation - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:15:54 -0700

At a graduation party make things feel festive and celebratory by setting up a small bar buffet that allows guests to mix their own drinks. Since the graduate is underage, the bar will have no alcohol. Instead stock the buffet with the fixings for jazzed-up Arnold Palmers! Pitchers of lemonade and iced tea, lemon wedges, sparkling water, grenadine, and fresh berries will sit next to an ice bucket and rows of glasses.

For the adults fill coolers with beer, white wine, and water. To check out the lemonade and iced tea recipes, read more.

Lemonade
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

3 cups lemon or lime juice, about 20 lemons or 25 limes freshly squeezed
2 cups superfine sugar
4 cups cold water
4 cups ice
2 lemons or limes, thinly sliced for garnish

Directions

Into a large serving container, strain the citrus juice, mix it with sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add 4 cups cold water and stir again until well combined. Add ice to fill and a few lemon or lime slices.

Makes 10 cups.

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Iced Tea
Modified from Tassimo

Ingredients

4-5 bags your favorite tea
Lemon juice (optional)
Sugar (optional)
Ice cubes

Directions

Prepare tea by brewing the bags in boiling water. Add lemon juice and sugar to taste; cool completely. Or, refrigerate until ready to serve.
Pour over ice cubes in two tall glasses. Sit back and relax on a hot day.

Makes half a pitcher.

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Come Party With Me: Graduation - Desserts

partysugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:00:41 -0700

A sheet cake is the standard dessert for most graduation parties. However, my party is all about pleasing the eighth-grade graduate, so we're serving ice cream sandwiches! The handheld, frozen treat is perfect for the party because everyone loves them and they have to be made in advance. A variety of ice cream flavors can be used for the filling. Let guests select their favorite.

Wrapped in wax paper, these sandwich resemble fabulous, little gift packages. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Ice Cream Sandwiches
From Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 quarts ice cream (any flavor), softened

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-by-16-inch jelly-roll pan or rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, tucking the foil around the edges of the pan. Butter the foil.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Add the eggs, 1 at a time, stirring after each addition. Add the flour and salt and stir until smooth.
Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth into an even 1/8-inch-thick layer.
Bake until the surface feels dry, about 10 minutes (the brownie should be soft). Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the pan to release the brownie and carefully remove the foil. Using the pan, press down firmly on the brownie to flatten. Let cool 30 minutes, pressing occasionally to flatten.
Cut the brownie into 2-by-4-inch rectangles, discarding the tough edges.
Working quickly, spread a 1-inch layer of the softened ice cream onto a brownie, top with a second brownie, wrap in parchment paper and freeze immediately. Repeat with the remaining brownies.

Makes 8 sandwiches.

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Come Party With Me: Graduation - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 07:45:33 -0700

Since my cousin's graduation party is an informal, open house, we'll be serving crowd-pleasing, comforting dishes. The party should be all about the graduate, so choose an easy, Italian menu that will appeal to an 8th grader and her friends.

Pizza squares make an excellent appetizer because no forks are necessary. For the main course, set up a pasta bar: make a huge batch of pasta and invite guests to choose from three - pesto, tomato, or gorgonzola - pasta sauces. The classic Caesar salad side gets a contemporary update when made with spinach instead of romaine lettuce.

To look at these delicious recipes, read more.

Three-Cheese and Herb Pizzettas
From Better Homes and Garden magazine

Ingredients

1 10-ounce package refrigerated pizza dough
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
3/4 cup shredded Gouda or fontina cheese (3 ounces)
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
Freshly ground pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons snipped fresh herbs

Directions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Unroll the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 13-1/2x9-inch rectangle. Cut dough into six 4-1/2-inch squares.
Place squares about 1 inch apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
If desired, press the edges of each piece with a fork. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Sprinkle each square with mozzarella, Gouda, or fontina cheese, blue cheese, and pepper.
Bake 5 to 6 minutes more or until cheeses melt. Remove from oven and sprinkle with herbs.

Serves 12.

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Pasta Bar with Three Sauces
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

2 pounds penne rigate pasta
Parsley Pesto:
2 cups Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 (3-ounce) jar or 1/4 cup pignoli nuts
1 clove garlic, cracked away from skin
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Tomato-Basil Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes,
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper
20 leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded
Gorgonzola Cheese Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup cream
2 tablespoons chopped sage leaves
3/4 pound gorgonzola cheese, cut into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Put large pot of water on to boil for penne. Salt boiling water and cook penne to al dente.
In food processor, combine parsley, pignoli, garlic. Process and stream in about 1/4 cup olive oil. Remove parsley paste to a large serving bowl. Stir in pepper and grated cheese. Add remaining olive oil, stir to combine.
Heat a medium pot on stove top over medium low to medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and onion for the tomato basil sauce.
Let onions cook with garlic slowly over 15 minutes, be careful not to brown onions -- just keep an eye on them and stir the onions frequently.
After 15 minutes, stir in tomatoes and raise heat to warm tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in basil and wilt it into the sauce. Remove sauce from heat. When ready to serve, place sauce in the bottom of a large serving bowl to toss with hot pasta.
In a second medium pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in wine, reduce 15 to 20 seconds.
Whisk in stock, then cream. Add sage, then pieces of cheese. Stir until cheese melts into sauce. Simmer over low heat until ready to serve. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place 1/3 drained pasta in bowl with pesto, 1/3 with tomato basil sauce and 1/3 in another serving dish. Combine pasta with pesto, then coat and toss the second bowl of pasta with red sauce, to the last bowl, pour the gorgonzola sauce down over the pasta and toss.
Serve the three pastas family style or buffet style, immediately.

Serves 6-8.

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Spinach Caesar Salad
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

1 large egg
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, 1 minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces Parmesan cheese, 3 ounces finely grated and 7 ounces coarsely shredded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 pound baby spinach (8 cups)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the egg and cook for 5 minutes, until soft-boiled. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and crack it into a blender, using a small spoon to scoop out all of the egg yolk and white.
Add the anchovies, lemon juice, whole garlic clove and mustard and blend until smooth.
With the machine on, add 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a thin stream. Add two thirds of the finely grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, toss the baguette cubes with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the remaining finely grated Parmesan along with the paprika and minced garlic and toss to coat.
Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes, until crisp and golden. Let cool slightly.
In the same large bowl, toss the spinach with the dressing, croutons and the shredded Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to plates and serve.

Serves 6.

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Come Party With Me: Graduation - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:15:09 -0700

This week my cousin is graduating from eighth grade. I'm super excited for her and have been helping her mom prepare the party. Although graduating from eighth grade isn't as monumental as graduating from high school or college, all of my ideas and tips can be modified to suit any commencement ceremony. It's typical to send a paper invitation for graduation receptions. The invite not only lets people know about the party, but it also announces the important milestone. To check out how I made the invitation see here, read more.

To make a similar invitation you will need the following supplies:

cardstock in two colors
glue
scissors
pretty ribbon
tape
computer and printer

To assemble the invite:

Start by creating a new document in Microsoft Word. Write out the details to the party. For my invite I used the font Baar Sophia in size 18. I changed the text color from black to purple and wrote the following message:

You’re Invited
to an open house in honor of graduate
Caroline Desler

Saturday the 7th of June, 2008
2 pm – 6 pm
1412 Main Street, Piedmont, CA

Hosted by Peggy and Mike Desler

Please RSVP
415.555.5555

If desired, enclose the text inside a polka dot border. Print out on plain white paper and check for grammar or spelling errors. Once satisfied with the text, print out on nice paper.
Cut down to size.

Place inside the colored cardstock, centering on the middle of the page. Fold both sides of the cardstock inwards, to meet in the middle, and cover the text.

Glue the decorative ribbon to the inside back of the invite.
Tape the text square on top of the ribbon.

Fold to close. Tie the ribbon around the center of the folded invite, creating a little bow.
Slide into an envelope and send.

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Come Party With Me: Graduation - Music

partysugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 07:11:18 -0700

No graduation party is complete without a playlist of sappy songs with lyrics that discuss lost innocence, having the time of your life, and parting ways with old friends. At my sister's graduation party, I'll be serving up her favorite foods (empanadas and a frozen chocolate peanut butter dessert) amongst her school colors while Green Day's "Good Riddance" plays softly in the background. Compile a playlist of old and new songs to please the wide range of ages that will be in attendance at your backyard bash. Throw in the grad's favorite songs and my dear fabulous friend BuzzSugar's graduation playlist and you'll have several hours of music for the soundtrack of your party. Got a great grad song? Tell me below so I can add it to my playlist!