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Come Party With Me: Wedding - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:28:31 -0700

The decor of your wedding is what sets the mood for the entire evening, so pay special attention to pretty details and eye catching accents. The color and theme - already seen in the invitation - should be reflected in everything from the tabletop to the ceiling. Elena's wedding will be decorated with an orange, pink, and wood color palette.

Start by covering the table with textured orange tablecloths. Slide pink napkins into wooden rings and place on top of wood chargers. Use the tines of a fork to neatly hold the placecards. Serve everything from beer to water in sleek wine glasses. Hang pink and orange lanterns in various sizes at different lengths from the ceiling. Multiple bloom pink and orange floral arrangements are chic and festive. Romantic lighting is essential to enhance the atmosphere, so light hundreds of white candles.

For more wedding ideas check out check out IDoSugar.

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Come Party With Me: Wedding - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:31:19 -0700

One of the biggest expenses at a wedding reception is the drinks. Hosting a full open bar is a costly option, and if you don't have an unlimited budget, I would not recommend doing it. Instead offer guests one signature cocktail and an assortment of beer and wine. Another option is to host a day reception, because people don't drink as much when the sun's out. Be sure to ask the wait staff not to pre-open wine bottles. If they do, you may be left with a bunch of open, full bottles.

Along with the signature cocktail at Elena and Sean's wedding, guests will have a choice of Champagne, red or white wine, or a selection of local beers. The cocktail is a refreshing, delish blend of rum, cointreau, and sparkling pomegranate. It has a glorious hue that matches the wedding's color scheme.

For more wonderful wedding ideas, check out IDoSugar. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Rum Pomegranate Cocktail
From Brides magazine

Ingredients

1½ oz. Bacardi White Rum
¼ oz. Cointreau (orange liqueur)
Splash of lime juice
2½ oz. Izze sparkling pomegranate juice
Colored sugar (for rim)

Directions

Dip rim of glass in water, then in colored sugar.
Combine rum, liqueur and juices with ice in the glass, and stir.

Serves 1.

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Come Party With Me: Wedding - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:08:33 -0700

Once you've decided which cake trend suits your wedding style, it's time to think about the flavor of the cake. Although many couples have differing tastes, you can compromise on a flavor that suits both of you. Each layer can be different, or you can offer a variety of smaller cakes.

Since Sean likes vanilla and Elena loves chocolate, they've decided to serve a marble cake at their reception. A marble cake is made with both chocolate and vanilla batters. The final cake is topped with with a swiss meringue buttercream.

For more wedding ideas, check out IDoSugar. To take a look at the recipe - it's a little complicated! - read more.

Marble Wedding Cake
From Martha Stewart Weddings

Ingredients

2 each 7 3/4-by-5 5/8-inch, 10 3/4-by-7 5/8-inch, 13-by-9 7/8-inch, and 16 1/2-by-12 3/8-inch oval layers chocolate and mocha Marble Cake, see below
4 pieces corresponding-size 3/16-inch thick foam board
2 recipes Swiss Meringue Buttercream, see below
12 pints rolled fondant
Cornstarch, for dusting
Gel-paste food coloring in pink and brown
1 oval cake board, 20 by 15 1/2 inches
28 wooden dowels, 1/4-inch diameter, 4 1/8 inches long
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
Modeling Chocolate, see below
1/2 recipe Royal Icing, see below
Caramel Sauce, (You will need nineteen batches of caramel sauce to serve 150 guests), see below
Fondant Amounts (Approximate): 7 3/4-inch tier, 2 pounds; 10 3/4-inch tier, 2 1/2 pounds; 13-inch tier, 3 1/2 pounds; 16 1/2- inch tier, 4 pounds

Directions

Prepare tiers: Trim layers. On corresponding-size foam boards, fill with buttercream to make 4-inch-high tiers. Coat thinly with buttercream to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Cover tiers: Roll fondant (see note above for amounts) into a small disk on clean work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch. Dip the end of a toothpick into pink food coloring, and press into fondant. Repeat to create a random pattern of pink marks on fondant. Fold edges toward center; knead 3 or 4 turns. Roll out fondant until 1/8 inch thick and large enough to cover largest tier (marbling will be visible). Drape fondant over a rolling pin; center and place it on the tier. Starting at the top, smooth fondant onto cake with your hands. Cut away excess with a pastry wheel. Repeat to cover remaining tiers.
Assemble tiers: Place largest tier on cake board. Insert 12 dowels, 10 in an oval about 2 1/2 inches from edge, and 2 evenly spaced in the center. Center and place 13-inch tier on top. Insert 10 dowels, 8 about 2 1/2 inches from edge and 2 evenly spaced in the center. Center and place 10 3/4-inch tier on top. Insert remaining 6 dowels in an oval about 2 1/2 inches from edge.
Decorate tiers: On a work surface dusted with cocoa powder, knead modeling chocolate until pliable. For each tier, roll a band about 2 1/2 inches wide and long enough to go halfway around tier. Using a pizza cutter, trim bottom edge to be straight. Trim top edge with a scallop cutter to make band 1 1/2 inches high at scallops' peaks (scraps can be reused). Use a damp pastry brush to moisten bottom edge of fondant-covered tier. Working quickly and carefully, lift band, and attach it to side of tier, placing cut ends at sides of cake. Repeat with more chocolate to make a band for other side. To make band for cake board, roll out another long band, and trim to be about 3/4 inch wide. Cut away top edge using scallop cutter. Use damp pastry brush to moisten area where cake board meets edge of bottom tier. Working quickly, lift prepared band and press it onto cake board.
Tint 1/2 cup royal icing brown; transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a coupler and an Ateco number 3 round tip. Pipe dots about 3/8 inch apart around tiers' bottom edges. Use dots of icing to attach desired brown ribbon to chocolate bands, and bows to ribbon (we wrapped 1/2-inch center-stitched brown grosgrain ribbon around chocolate bands, and used 7-millimeter brown silk ribbon for bows).
To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons caramel sauce onto each plate; top with a slice of cake.

Serves 150.

Marble Cake

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk, room temperature
1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup best-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder, for mocha layers
Batter for each 3-inch-deep pan: 7 3/4-inch-by-5 5/8-inch, 7 cups; 10 3/4-inch-by-7 5/8-inch, 10 1/2 cups; 13-inch-by- 9 7/8-inch, 14 cups; 16 1/2-inch-by-12 3/8-inch, 17 1/2 cups.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter pans; line with parchment paper. Butter lining; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Combine milk and cream in a small bowl; set aside. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time; mix well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with flour.
Combine cocoa and the boiling water in a medium bowl; for mocha cake, add espresso powder. Stir in 1 cup cake batter.
Fill prepared pans with spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate batter to form a checkerboard pattern. Run the tip of a paring knife or a wooden skewer through batter in a figure-eight motion to make swirls. Bake until tops are golden, and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cakes cool completely in pans on wire racks.

Makes 3 1/2 cups batter.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

12 large egg whites
3 cups sugar
2 pounds (8 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Put egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture registers 140 degrees on an instantâread thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer bowl to mixer; fit mixer with the whisk. Beat on high until mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 10 minutes.
Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter several tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, and mix until buttercream comes together, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and mix until buttercream is smooth and no air bubbles remain, about 2 minutes.

Makes 10 cups.

Modeling Chocolate

10 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate couverture, finely chopped
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 ounces cocoa butter, melted
Valrhona cocoa powder, for dusting

Place chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Melt to 110 degrees.to 115 degrees.
Place light corn syrup in small heavy-bottomed saucepan; heat to 95 degrees. and pour into melted chocolate. Add cocoa butter; stir well to combine. Set mixture aside in a cool, dry place, stirring occasionally until firm and pliable, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Wrap mixture tightly in plastic wrap. Shape into a flat disk, and chill until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer mixture to a clean work surface; knead to a smooth consistency. If modeling chocolate is sticky, sift a light layer of cocoa powder over work surface prior to rolling out. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 1 month.

Makes about 1 pound.

Royal Icing

1 pound confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons meringue powder

Put sugar and meringue powder in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add a scant 1/2 cup water; beat on low speed until think and fluffy, 7 to 8 minutes. If icing is too thick to pipe easily, add a few drops of water. Use icing immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Stir icing before using.

Makes 2 cups.

Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, salt, and the water. Cook over medium heat until sugar is a medium amber color, about 7 minutes; wash sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Remove from heat. Stir in heavy cream; add butter, and stir until combined. Let cool to room temperature; stir in vanilla. Sauce can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Reheat gently; serve at room temperature.

Makes about 1 cup.

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Come Party With Me: Wedding - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:18:11 -0700

When planning the menu for your wedding, it's important to remember what time of year the ceremony will take place in. It's tempting to want to incorporate Spring's asparagus and strawberries into the menu, but Elena's wedding will take place in October, a time when neither asparagus or strawberries are in season.

Thus this menu features seasonal twists on classic, yet sophisticated dishes that highlight some of Sean and Elena's favorite foods. A mixture of meat and vegetarian appetizers will start off the evening. Since the couple is originally from Buffalo, NY, spicy buffalo wing bites are a must. Double mushroom pizza is a nice vegetarian alternative.

Elena loves beets, so a roasted beet and goat cheese salad makes a lovely first course. For the entrée, guests have a choice of halibut with Fall vegetables or steak with blue cheese potatoes. Both main dishes are decadent and delicious.

For more wedding planning mania, check out IDoSugar. To look at these recipes, read more.

Buffalo Popcorn Chicken Bites
From Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

Vegetable oil (1 1/2 quarts), for frying
2 1/2 cups plain pancake mix
1 1/4 cups water
8 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 1/4 pounds chicken tenders or skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
Salt
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper (one-third palmful)
1 cup good-quality refrigerated blue cheese dressing, such as Marie's brand
Store-bought celery sticks

Directions

In a deep skillet, heat 1 1/2 inches of oil over medium heat.
While the oil is heating, make the batter: In a wide mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the pancake mix, the water and 6 teaspoons of hot sauce.
Place the remaining 1/2 cup of pancake mix in another wide mixing bowl. Arrange the batter and the bowl of pancake mix near the stove. Line a plate with a few paper towels and keep within reach.
Once the oil is heated, toss the chicken pieces with the remaining 2 teaspoons of hot sauce, then toss them in the dry pancake mix, coat evenly and shake off the excess. (The dry pancake mix will help the batter stick to the chicken pieces.)
Add some of the chicken to the batter (you're going to batter and fry in 3 to 4 batches) and toss with your fingers or a fork. Remove the first batch from the batter, shaking off the excess, and carefully add the chicken to the hot oil.
Fry the chicken for 2 minutes on each side, flipping once, until deep golden brown. Remove the fried chicken from the oil and drain on the paper towel-lined plate, then season with salt. Repeat until all the popcorn chicken bites are fried.
Stir the chopped scallions and pepper into the blue cheese dressing. Serve the chicken immediately with the dressing on the side. Garnish the platter with the celery sticks.

Serves 4.

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Shiitake and Chanterelle Pizzas with Goat Cheese
From Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

Dough
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour or bread flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour or bread flour
3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten flour or bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Additional unbleached all purpose flour (for kneading and shaping)
Topping
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, thinly sliced
6 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup (packed) coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 ounces chilled soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
2 tablespoons sliced fresh chives

Directions

For dough: combine all flours, coarse salt, and sugar in processor. Stir 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water and yeast in 2-cup measuring cup. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.
Stir in 3 tablespoons oil. With machine running, pour yeast-oil mixture through feed tube. Blend until ball of slightly sticky dough forms, about 1 minute.
Transfer dough to lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if very sticky, about 5 minutes. Rub with 1/2 tablespoon oil; place in resealable 1-gallon plastic bag. Seal bag. Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled, about 2 hours.
Open bag; punch down dough in bag. Reseal. Chill overnight, punching down occasionally. Divide into thirds. Do ahead: Wrap pieces separately; freeze up to 1 week. Thaw 2 pieces in refrigerator before continuing. Let 2 wrapped pieces stand at room temperature 1 hour before shaping.
For topping: heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sprinkle with salt. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.
Sprinkle 2 large sheets of parchment with flour. Roll out 2 dough pieces, each on separate parchment sheet, to 10-inch rounds, letting dough rest a few minutes if springing back.
Brush with oil; sprinkle each with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan.
Top with mushrooms, then dot with goat cheese. DO AHEAD Slide pizzas on parchment onto baking sheets; cover with plastic. Chill up to 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Position 1 rack in bottom third and1 rack in top third of oven; place heavy baking sheet on each and preheat oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes.
Slide 1 pizza on parchment onto each hot baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes; reverse sheets. Bake pizzas until crusts are brown at edges and on bottom, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chives.

Makes two 10 inch pizzas.

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Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad
From Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium beets, cooked and quartered
6 cups fresh arugula
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Directions

Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.
Toss the arugula, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.

Serves 4.

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Halibut and Fall Harvest Sauté
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, coarsely chopped
1 large garlic clove, coarsely chopped
6 ounces peeled butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium parsnip, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 small turnip, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 thyme sprigs, plus thyme leaves for garnish
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds skinless halibut fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the chopped shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the squash, parsnip and turnip and cook over moderately high heat until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the wine, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and cook until the wine reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock, cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Season the halibut pieces with salt and pepper and dust them lightly with the flour. Add the halibut to the hot skillet and cook over moderately high heat until light golden, about 2 minutes per side.
Add the fish to the vegetables and simmer for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish and vegetables to shallow bowls.
Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Swirl the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the broth. Season with salt and pepper and spoon over the stew. Garnish with the thyme leaves and serve.

Serves 4.

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Grilled Steak with Blue Cheese Potatoes
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for garnish
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Freshly ground pepper
1 3/4 pounds skirt steak
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
Coarse salt
3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions

Preheat grill to high. Stir garlic, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, and oil in a nonreactive dish; season with pepper.
Place steak in dish, cutting to fit if necessary; coat both sides with marinade. Marinate, turning once, 15 minutes, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Cover potatoes with cold water in a medium saucepan; add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; let cool slightly. Slice potatoes in half, and brush lightly with oil; season with salt and pepper.
Grill steak, turning once, to desired doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Set aside. Meanwhile, grill potatoes, turning once, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Immediately sprinkle with cheese. Thinly slice steak against grain. Divide steak and potatoes among 4 plates. Serve, garnished with rosemary sprigs.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: Wedding - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:28:33 -0700

A couple of weeks ago I planned an engagement party for my friend Elena, and this week, the saga continues with her wedding. During the process, I'll feature my tips and ideas on how to host a fabulous wedding, so interpret them to your own liking. Elena and her fiancé are hosting a destination wedding in Lake Tahoe. Both the ceremony and reception will take place at a friend's house that overlooks the lake. The wedding isn't until October '09, so we have plenty of time to make and send the invitations. Elena's colors are orange and fuchsia with wood and khaki accents. To see how I made these earthy, elegant invites, read more.

You will need the following supplies to make similar invites:

Three envelopes of the same size
cardstock in two different colors
decorative paper
colored printer paper
glue stick
scissors - regular and scalloped edged
ribbon
branch-shaped hole punch
computer and printer

To assemble the invite:

Create a new document in Microsoft Word. Write out the details of the wedding. The wording on an invite is very important. Since Elena and Sean are hosting the wedding themselves, their parents' names are not included in the text. I used Edwardian Script ITC in size 16 to write the following message:

Elena Rebecca Osterreicher
And
Sean Gary Trapp
Invite you to join them at a ceremony that celebrates love and joy.
The exchange of their wedding vows.

Saturday, the 11^th of October, 2009
At 4:00 in the afternoon.

The Carousel Estate
West Shore, Lake Tahoe, California

Dinner and dancing to follow.

Print out on plain paper and check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Make sure the bride approves of the text. Print out on the colored paper and set aside.

Since the wedding is a destination wedding, the invite includes information on where to stay and a schedule of possible activities to attend during the big weekend. A map explaining the exact location of the wedding is also important. Write the details out as clearly as possible. Here's what mine say:

Places to Sleep

The Sunnyside Resort
(530) 583-7200
http://www.sunnysideresort.com

Plumpjack Inn
530-583-1576
http://www.plumpjacksquawvalleyinn.com

Granlibakken Resort
877-552-6301
http://www.granlibakken.com/

Please join us at one or all of these events!

Arrival Dinner
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Moody’s Bistro and Lounge
8:00 p.m.

Boating Barbeque
Friday, October 10, 2008
Disembarks at 11a.m.
From the West Shore dock

Rehearsal Dinner
Friday, October 10, 2008
The Carousel Estate
7:00 p.m.

Day-After Brunch
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Plumpjack Inn
10:30 a.m.

I will attend: __ Arrival Dinner __ Boating Barbeque
__ Rehearsal Dinner __ Day After Brunch
__ Wedding Ceremony
Carnivore or Vegetarian?

Print out on plain paper and check for errors. When satisfied with the wording, print out on the colored paper. Set aside.
Carefully, remove the upper half of two of the envelopes to make a sleeve.

Seal the third envelope and cover with the decorative paper. Line the inside of the side panels with the decorative paper and set aside. Turn over the sealed and covered envelope and glue the top flaps of the two other envelopes to the back. You are creating a three-piece folding panel.
Cut the cardstock down to 1/4 of an inch smaller than the folded-closed invite. You need three pieces. One for the center and two for the sides. To add depth I used pink cardstock for the outer panels and orange for the main center panel.

With the scalloped scissors, cut the text pages out. These should be roughly 1/4 of an inch smaller than the colored-cardstock pieces.
Mount the text on to the colored cardstock with the glue. Set aside to dry.

With the branch-shaped hole punch, punch out a bunch of branches on the remaining colored cardstock. Open the hole puncher and empty the cut-out branches onto your work space.

Glue to the text/cardstock in an attractive pattern. I put them on the edges of each part of the invite.
Glue the center text cardstock to the middle panel of the invite. Slide the map and schedule cardstock into the side sleeves. Fold to close.
Glue a few more branches to the front, if desired. Tie closed with the ribbon, forming a pretty bow. Set aside.

Line the inside of another envelope with decorative paper. Slide the folded invite inside and send addressed in your best handwriting.

For more fabulous wedding ideas check out IDoSugar!

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Come Party With Me: Bridal Shower - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 08:00:31 -0700

A bridal shower is normally a female only event so plan a menu that is light with plenty of vegetarian options. Instead of serving a full meal or sit down salad at Elena's bridal shower, we'll offer guests an assortment of delectable crostini. Crostini - which means little toasts in Italian - can be topped with an endless amount of toppings. For Elena's shower guests will choose from mushroom ragu on chevre crostini, artichoke-parmesan crostini, eggplant caponata crostini, and roman style crostini. The crostini toppings and toasts can be made in advance and assembled the day of. To take a look at these amazing crostini recipes, read more.

Mushroom Ragu on Chevre Crostini
From Whole Foods

Ingredients

For the Crostini
8 thin slices baguette
1 tablespoon butter, melted
sea salt, to taste
4 ounces soft chèvre
For the Ragu
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, julienned
sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/4 cup sherry wine
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon crème fraiche

Directions

For the Crostini, preheat oven to 350°F. Brush baguette slices lightly with butter.
Bake until toasted and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Lightly season with salt and spread with chèvre.
For the Ragu, heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot and cook until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let the garlic brown.
Add half the thyme and all of the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Let the mushrooms cook over medium-high heat without excessive stirring so they will brown.
Once mushrooms are browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes, add sherry vinegar and reduce until the pan is dry. Combine the cornstarch in the sherry wine until dissolved and add to the pan. Cook until reduced and there is almost no liquid left in the pan.
Remove from heat and stir in crème fraiche. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Place a tablespoon of ragu on each crostini and spread to cover the entire toast. Garnish with remaining chopped thyme and serve warm.

Serves 8.

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Artichoke-Parmesan Crostini
From Everyday Food magazine

Ingredients

8 (1/4 inch thick) baguette
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 (6.5 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make crostini: Brush baguette slices on both sides with a total of 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and bake, turning over once, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.
Meanwhile, make topping: Finely chop artichokes, and combine in a bowl with Parmesan, parsley, and remaining tablespoon oil.
Dividing evenly, spoon topping onto crostini, and garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 8.

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Eggplant Caponata Crostini
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

One 1 1/2-pound eggplant
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 tablespoon chopped kalamata olives
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup tomato sauce or puree
Freshly ground pepper
40 thin toasted slices of baguette, for serving
1 tablespoon chopped basil

Directions

Quarter the eggplant lengthwise. Scoop out the very seedy parts and discard. Cut the remaining eggplant into 1/2-inch dice.
In a colander set in the sink, lightly salt the eggplant cubes and toss well. Top with a sturdy plate weighed down with a heavy can and let drain for 1 hour. Rinse the eggplant cubes and pat dry.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the eggplant and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl.
Add the onion and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and cook over moderately low heat until the onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Return the eggplant to the skillet.
Stir in the capers, olives and balsamic vinegar and cook until the vinegar has evaporated.
Add the tomato sauce and cook over low heat, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl to cool.
Shortly before serving, spread the caponata on the baguette toasts and garnish with the basil.

Makes 40 crostini.

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Roman Style Crostini
From Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

12 1/2-inch thick slices ciabatta bread
12 slices thinly sliced prosciutto (about 6 ounces)
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices
3 tablespoons butter
6 sage leaves
Pinch salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the slices of ciabatta on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden around the edges, about 8 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven.
Place the prosciutto slices and mozzarella on the crostini toast and return to the oven to melt the cheese, about 8 more minutes.
Meanwhile combine the butter and the sage leaves in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted and starting to brown in spots and the sage leaves are crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Transfer the crostini to a serving plate. Drizzle the crostini with the sage butter and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:28:31 -0700

My best friend from college just got engaged! It's a very busy and exciting time in her life, so I offered to plan her engagement party. Since many of you are brides-to-be or know someone who was recently engaged, I'll be sharing my party ideas with you. Use them to create your own fabulous engagement party.

Traditionally an engagement party is hosted by someone other than the bride, but if you want to have your own party, go ahead. Be sure to have the party well before the wedding. Remember that all of the people you invite to your engagement party should also be invited to your wedding. Once you have a guest list, send invites announcing the engagement and the party.

If you have an idea of the wedding's theme and colors, incorporate them into the engagement party invite. That's what I did here when I made Elena's invite. To see what I did, read more.

To make an invite similar to the one seen here you will need the following supplies:

cardstock
decorative paper
colored ribbon
scissors
glue
computer and printer

To assemble the invite:

Start by creating a new document in Microsoft Word. Write out the details of the engagement and the party. For mine I used the font Lucida Calligraphy in Size 12 to write the following message:

Sean and Elena
are happy to announce
that they’re tying the knot!

To celebrate their engagement, please join me in
toasting the happy couple.

Saturday, April 5, 2008
Champagne and Nibbles
6:00 in the evening

PartySugar’s House
San Francisco, CA

please rsvp
415.555.5555

Center to the right side of the page. Print out on plain white paper and check for spelling or grammar errors. Once happy with the text and design, print out on the cardstock.

Cut the cardstock down to size and fold the page in half so that the text side is covered.

Glue the outside of the invite to the decorative paper and cut down to size.

Cut two long pieces of ribbon. Tie together to form a knot. Place on the front of the invite. Wrap around to the inside of invite and tie closed, forming another knot. Repeat with the other ribbon.

Slide into an envelope and send.

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Come Party With Me: Bachelorette - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:15:40 -0700

Having a fabulous selection of alcoholic beverages at your bachelorette party is as important as having delicious food. Drinks will help unacquainted guests mingle more freely and will allow the entire group to loosen up.

For Elena's lingerie shower in my Vegas hotel room, I'll have an unlimited supply of her favorite Champagne, Sofia Blanc de Blancs. To get guests in a wild mood, I'll set shots of kamikaze on ice around the room. Plenty of chilled bottled water is also a must. For more wedding ideas, go to IDoSugar. To check out the the kamikaze recipe, read more.

Kamikaze
From Better Homes and Garden magazine

Ingredients

2 ounces vodka
2 ounces lime juice
1 ounce orange liqueur
Lime wedge

Directions

In a cocktail shaker combine vodka, lime juice, and orange liqueur.
Add ice cubes; cover and shake until very cold. Strain liquid into vodka glasses set in a bowl of ice or, if desired, into a glass filled with additional ice cubes. Garnish with lime wedge.

Makes 1 shot.

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Come Party With Me: Bachelorette - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:45:15 -0700

When hosting a destination bachelorette party in a glamorous location like Vegas, set aside plenty of time to plan the party. Being organized with a schedule of events, set dinner reservations, and selected club locations will aid in making the event fabulously seamless. Let guests know what's up in advance, so they can pack appropriate clothing.

For my friend Elena's bachelorette party in Las Vegas, all of the meals will be eaten out. However, one of the nights before we go out, everyone will gather in my room for a lingerie shower. I've ordered a trio of appetizers - white bean hummus with kalamata relish, Bloody Mary cocktail meatballs, and spinach gruyere pinwheels - from the hotel, so everyone can sip Champagne and have a snack.

For more wedding coverage head over to IDoSugar. To take a look at these recipes, read more.

White Bean Hummus with Kalamata Relish
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
One 4-inch sprig fresh rosemary
Two 15-ounce cans white beans, such as cannellini
2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 pita breads, warmed and cut into triangles
Kalamata Relish, recipe below

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook until onions are translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.
Add beans with their liquid, 1 cup of water, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and bring to a simmer. Cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove thyme and rosemary sprigs; discard.
Carefully transfer mixture to the bowl of a food processor, add the tahini and lemon, and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl, let cool.
Top with Kalamata relish and drizzle with olive oil before serving. Serve with pita triangles.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

Kalamata Relish

1 plum tomato, seeded and very finely chopped
2 tablespoons pitted Kalamata olives, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, stir together the tomato, olives, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice and zest until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

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Bloody Mary Cocktail Meatballs
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 small tender celery rib with leaves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 slice white sandwich breadsoaked in warm water, squeezed dry and crumbled into pieces
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup Three-Pepper Bloody Mary, recipe below

Directions

In a bowl, combine the beef and pork with the celery, horseradish, egg, bread, hot sauce, salt and pepper and knead well. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls.
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet until shimmering. Add the meatballs and cook over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 5 minutes.
Add the Three-Pepper Bloody Mary and simmer over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced by half and the meatballs are glazed, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes 32 meatballs.

Three-Pepper Bloody Mary

1 cup vodka
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 small garlic clove, smashed
1 small jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce, preferably habanero
2 1/2 cups tomato juice
4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Lime wedges and celery ribs, for serving

In a blender, combine the vodka with the onion, garlic, jalapeño, lemon juice and hot sauce and puree until smooth.
Add the tomato juice, horseradish, celery salt and pepper and blend.
Strain into tall glasses over ice and serve with lime wedges and celery ribs.

Makes about 4 cups.

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Spinach Gruyere Pinwheels
From Paula Deen

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
1 (17 1/2-ounce) package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Drain spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, for 5 minutes.
Stir together spinach, mushrooms and cheese; set aside.
Roll 1 pastry sheet into a 13 by 11-inch rectangle.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Brush 1/2 melted butter over pastry. Spread 1/2 spinach mixture over butter.
Roll-up, jellyroll fashion, starting with the long side. Repeat procedure with remaining pastry sheet, butter, and spinach mixture.
Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days, if desired. Cut rolls into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serves 12-15.

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Come Party With Me: Bridal Shower - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:15:16 -0700

Keep the look to your bridal shower chic and elegant with springtime colors and white accents. Instead of covering the table with a cloth, place a pretty runner down the middle. Set clear vases filled with bunches of tulips on top of the runner.

Arrange large platters with assorted crostini around the runner. Stack different colored appetizer plates in unique shapes at one end of the table. Neatly place folded cotton napkins near the appetizer plates. Serve the mini lemon meringue pies on a tiered cake stand. Alternate layers of the pie with chocolate truffles.

Set the fruit spritzer buffet on a banquet in another area of the room. Line glasses in a row next to an ice bowl, the fruit purees, and mixers. Near the door organize a bunch of pretty nail polish in varying colors. Invite guests to take one as a favor when they leave.

For more wedding planning mania, check out IDoSugar.