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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:15:01 -0700

Theme parties are my favorite to decorate because it's so easy to create a festive look. For Ronda and James's Latin-themed engagement party, complete with salsa dancing class, the look will be fun and fabulous.

Set a folding table or console in an area that is far away from the dance floor. Run a printed table runner down the middle. Place the empanadas and chicken with mango salsa on dark blue serving platters. Serve the Mexican seafood cocktail in stemless martini glasses.

Stack red cocktail napkins near the pitchers of mojitos and arrange the glasses next to them. Geometric candles cast an inviting glow and a beautiful bouquet of yellow flowers adds a pop of color.

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:50:07 -0700

While some parties - like a bedazzle bonanza - require nothing more than a neverending flow of bubbly, others - like a Latin-themed engagement - scream signature cocktail. When selecting a signature cocktail, be it for your engagement or wedding, it's best to choose a drink that's easy to make in batches, matches your theme, and represents your personality as a couple.

When I was planning Ronda and James's engagement, sangria was the first drink that popped into my head. However, I came across this recipe for pomelo-mint mojitos. Although it makes one drink, I will increase the proportions to make a big pitcher.

To look at the refreshing recipe, read more.

Pomelo-Mint Mojito
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

4 peeled sections of pomelo or grapefruit, chopped
6 mint leaves
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate or orange sorbet
1 1/2 ounces white rum
Ice
Club soda
1 lime wedge

Directions

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the pomelo with the mint and orange juice concentrate.
Add the rum and ice and shake well.
Pour into a highball glass. Top with club soda and garnish with the lime wedge.

Makes 1 drink.

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:30:35 -0700

Since the cake is a huge part of your wedding day, when planning the engagement party, select a dessert that is not cake based and totally different from what you want to serve on the big day.

For Ronda and James's Latin-inspired affair, I'm making caramel-coconut shortbread. Cut into rectangles or squares, it's ideal because no utensils are necessary. Although this dessert has several components, it's far from intimidating and comes together quickly. Get the easy recipe when you, read more.

Caramel-Coconut Shortbread
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 ounces soft caramel candies
5 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups shredded coconut, toasted
1 cup chocolate chips, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then add to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together.
Press evenly into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Using a fork, prick the dough at 1-inch intervals. Bake until golden, 20 to 22 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, melt the caramels with the cream and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over medium heat. Stir in the coconut, then spread over the shortbread.
Using a spoon, drizzle the chocolate on top. Let cool completely before slicing.

Makes 24.

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Tips For the Perfect Engagement Party

partysugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:50:52 -0700

If you were recently engaged: congratulations! While the weeks after he proposed can be overwhelming, they are also very exciting. First things first: you'll want to properly announce the engagement. One way to do so is by hosting an engagement party. To find out my tips for planning the perfect engagement party, read more.

Host the party soon after you are engaged. The engagement party should always take place before the save the date cards are sent.
Select your guests wisely. Everyone who attends will expect to be invited to the wedding. However, there are circumstances - if your big day is a small destination event - where you may want to host a party for those who won't be attending the wedding.
Be creative! The party should reflect you and your fiancé's style. It can be anything from a private dinner at your favorite restaurant to a backyard barbecue to a salsa dance class followed by a buffet.
Traditionally, the engagement party is hosted by the bride's parents, but it's 2009, and really anyone, from the bride's best friend to the groom's brother, can throw your engagement party.
Whoever ends up hosting the party, thank them afterward with a nice note, tickets to a show or sporting event, or a cool coffee table book.
You don't want to upstage the wedding, so choose a theme and style that is different from the one you envision for the big day.
After a round of toasts, don't forget to thank your friends and family for joining you.
Promote mingling: an engagement party is a time for the two families to come together and get to know each other.
Gifts are not customary at an engagement, but some people may choose to bring them, so set up your registry.

What was your engagement party like? Please share your stories below!

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:50:25 -0700

Two weeks ago, I was starting to panic. Wedding season was nearly upon us and I had no bride and groom. Luckily I got a call from one of my oldest friends announcing her engagement! Giddy and excited, Ronda agreed to be my featured bride. Never one to procrastinate, Ronda and her fiance, James, are ready to celebrate with an informal engagement party. They're enthusiastic dancers, so the party will revolve around a salsa dance class. Everyone will be invited to join; after the class we'll toast the couple and enjoy a buffet of spicy Latin food. The menu will be a mix of homemade and store-bought items.

Bowls of purchased guacamole and a variety of salsas are perfect for dipping when paired with crunchy tortilla chips. Beef empanadas are filling and can be mass produced in advance. Plantain chips with chicken and mojito mango salsa are festive and delicious. A Mexican seafood cocktail packed with crab and shrimp finishes up the menu. For these recipes, read more.

Empanadas
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

For the filling:
2 pounds ground pork or beef
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 jalapeno chiles, minced (ribs and seeds removed for less heat, if desired)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes, diced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
For the dough
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup cold water
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water (do not beat until ready to bake)

Directions

Make the filling: In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, cook meat until no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add onion and jalapenos; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and tomatoes. Cook over medium until mixture has thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in cilantro. Let cool.
Make the dough: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingers, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add just enough cold water so dough comes together.
Form empanadas: Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide in half. Knead each half 2 or 3 times to form smooth balls. Cut each ball into four equal pieces. Cover with plastic; let stand until slightly risen, 20 minutes. Shape into balls.
On floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into an 8-inch round. Divide filling evenly among rounds, spreading it over half of each and leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Brush border of bottom halves with water; fold top halves over filling to enclose completely. Press edges to seal with your fingertips, then crimp firmly with a fork. If desired, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, 2 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic; freeze in plastic bags.
To bake fresh or frozen empanadas, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash, avoiding crimped edges. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves 8.

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Plantain Chips With Chicken and Mojito Mango Salsa
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large ripe mango, finely diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons Telluride Mojito, without club soda (recipe below)
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
4 dozen large plantain chips

Directions

In a medium skillet, heat the oil until shimmering.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook over moderate heat until browned on the second side and cooked through, about 6 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the mango with the onion, Telluride Mojito, jalapeño, mint and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the plantain chips on a large tray. Halve the chicken breasts lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Put a piece of chicken on each plantain chip, spoon the salsa on top and serve.

Makes 4 dozen appetizers.

Telluride Mojito

16 small fresh mint sprigs, plus 4 more for garnish
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup white or gold rum
8 dashes bitters
2 cups club soda

In a bowl, using a wooden spoon, crush the mint with the sugar until the mint is coarsely chopped and the sugar is pale green. Add the lime juice, rum and bitters and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Strain the mixture through a coarse strainer into a small pitcher. Pour into tall glasses over ice and top each drink with 1/2 cup of the club soda. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

Makes 4 drinks.

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Mexican Seafood Cocktail
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chilled Clamato juice, or 1 cup tomato juice and 1/2 cup bottled clam juice
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce such as Tabasco
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 firm-ripe California avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into small chunks
1/2 lb fresh lump crabmeat (1 cup), picked over
1/4 lb cooked baby shrimp
oyster crackers or saltines, optional for serving

Directions
Stir together Clamato juice, ketchup, lime juice, hot sauce, salt, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl, then gently stir in avocado, crabmeat, and shrimp. Spoon into 6- or 8-ounce glasses or cups.

Makes 4 to 6 first-course or light main-course servings.

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:28:31 -0700

My gal pal Elena has already chosen burnt orange and fuchsia with wood or bamboo accents to be the colors of her wedding. These colors were in the invite to her engagement party, so naturally I will include the colors in the decor of the soirée. Start by covering the tables with a white tablecloth. This will act as a background and make the colors pop. Cover the table with a wooden runner. Serve the food in rattan serving bowls and on wooden platters. Stack orange appetizer plates near the hors d'oeurves so guests can help themselves.

Splurge on festive napkins that say the couple's names - after the party, give the extra to the couple as an engagement gift. For an elegant look pour the champagne and drinks in simple flutes. Light candles in clear votives to create a glowing, seductive atmosphere. Arrange pink and orange flowers in luscious bouquets and place around the event space. Tie pink satin ribbon onto chairs or banisters for a pretty finishing touch.

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:29:51 -0700

What should you serve guests at a Champagne cocktail engagement party? Champagne of course! Stock up on bottles of your favorite bubbly before the event. Have sparkling water, sodas, and juice for guests who don't drink. Fill a cooler with artisan beers for the men who dislike sparkling wine.

For something more festive, offer guests the option of a Champagne cocktail. This pretty lemon-raspberry fizz pairs perfectly with the savory finger foods and the raspberry angel-food cupcakes. For more of our wedding ideas, check out IDoSugar.

To see the recipe for the limencello cocktail, read more.

Lemon Raspberry Fizz
From Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1 cup Champagne or sparkling water
1/4 cup limoncello liqueur
Crushed ice
2 tablespoons fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries, thawed

Directions

In a small pitcher, combine the Champagne and limoncello.
Place a spoonful of crushed ice into each of 2 Champagne glasses and top with raspberries.
Pour the Champagne mixture over the ice and raspberries. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:12:57 -0700

Besides serving savory nibbles at a champagne cocktail engagement party, offer guests a couple of sweet treats too. Fill bowls with chocolate candies and make one delicious dessert for guests to enjoy.

Cupcakes are classic and quintessential. They look pretty, can be prepared in advance, and are universally loved. This recipe features raspberry filled angel food cupcakes with a simple powdered sugar glaze.

For more fabulous wedding ideas, check out IDoSugar. And to see the recipe, read more.

Angel Food Cupcakes with Raspberry Swirl
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

Filling
3 cups raspberries (3/4 pound)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 4 teaspoons of water
Cupcakes:
1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
10 large egg whites (1 1/4 cups), at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 plump vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 tablespoons water
Pinch of salt

Directions

Make the filling: in a medium saucepan, combine 2 1/2 cups of the raspberries with the granulated sugar and cook over moderately high heat, crushing the berries, until very soft and broken down, about 5 minutes.
Strain the raspberry puree into a small bowl and discard the seeds.
Return the puree to the saucepan. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of raspberries and the dissolved cornstarch and bring to a boil. Cook, gently crushing the berries, until the filling is glossy and thickened, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile make the cupcakes: preheat the oven to 325°. Set 18 foil muffin cups on a rimmed baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the cake flour with the confectioners' sugar.
In a large bowl, combine the egg whites with the salt, vanilla seeds and cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the whites are firm and glossy.
Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites in 2 additions, folding gently until incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, shifting the pan from front to back, until the cupcakes are springy and golden. Transfer the cupcakes to a rack to cool.
Using a wooden skewer, poke a 1/4-inch-wide hole in the top of each of the cupcakes. Using a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4-inch tip, pipe about 1 tablespoon of the filling into each cupcake.
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients. Spoon a small bit of the glaze over the raspberry hole and let set, about 5 minutes.
Drizzle and spread the remaining glaze over the cupcakes and let set, about 10 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a platter and serve.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:48:13 -0700

Wedding Season kicked off today and to get things started I'm planning an engagement party. One of my best college friends was recently engaged and I'm throwing her and her sweetie a cocktail party to toast their engagement. My party will be savory nibbles and champagne, but if you prefer to host an after dinner dessert extravaganza that would be a great option as well.

Offer guests an assortment of easy, but elegant appetizers. Cut leek and olive tarts into small, square slices. Serve shrimp butter on triangular toast points. Create a beautiful antipasta platter with marinated asparagus, buffalo mozzarella, olives, bread, and more. To take a look at these recipes, read more.

Leek and Olive Tart with Two Cheeses
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

15 to 20 baby leeks or 3 large leeks, white and pale-green parts only
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 box (14 ounces) frozen puff pastry, such as Dufour, thawed
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Scant 1/4 cup Nicoise olives, pitted
4 ounces Pave d'Affinois or other soft-ripened cheese (such as Camembert or Perail), thinly sliced

Directions

If using baby leeks, halve lengthwise and trim to about 3 inches long. If using regular leeks, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces; halve each piece lengthwise, then cut into 3/8-inch-thick strips (about 5 cups). Rinse well, and drain; set aside.
Melt butter with oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add leeks and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender but not browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in thyme. Leeks can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before assembling tart.
Cut or roll out pastry to a 6-by-14-inch rectangle; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (reserve remaining pastry for another use). Score a 3/4-inch border. Brush with egg wash; sprinkle with Parmesan. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375. Bake pastry until golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from oven, and press center area with a metal spatula. Arrange leeks end to end in rows within border of pastry. Scatter olives over leeks. Bake until crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes. If bottom is soft, bake 3 to 5 minutes more.
Remove tart from oven, and arrange soft cheese over top. Using an offset spatula, slide tart onto a wire rack; let cool slightly. Cut into pieces; serve warm or at room temperature (tart can stand at room temperature up to 1 hour).

Serves 4.

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Shrimp Butter Toasts
From Gourmet magazine

Ingredients

For shrimp butter
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup minced onion
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
For toast points
10 slices firm white sandwich bread, crusts discarded and each slice cut to form 4 triangles
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
whole cooked shrimp, optional for garnish

Directions

Make shrimp butter: heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shrimp with salt and black pepper, stirring, until just cooked through, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp with a slotted spoon to a food processor, reserving skillet (do not clean).
Cook onion in 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape onions into processor and cool mixture to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
Add lemon juice, cayenne, and remaining 9 tablespoons butter and pulse until shrimp are finely chopped. Pack shrimp butter into a 2-cup ramekin or serving bowl and chill, its surface covered with plastic wrap, at least 6 hours (to allow flavors to develop). Bring to room temperature 45 minutes before serving.
Make toast points: put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
Brush 1 side of bread triangles lightly with melted butter and toast, buttered sides up, in a large shallow baking pan until golden around edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve toast points with shrimp butter.

Makes 10.

Make Ahead: Shrimp butter can be chilled up to 2 days. Toast points can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container.

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Antipasta Platters
From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1/2 pound asparagus, grilled and marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and thyme
1/2 pound buffalo mozzarella
1/2 cup picholine olives
1/2 pound proscuitto
1/2 cup Gaeta olives
1 loaf Italian bread
1/4 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 pound grilled eggplant, sliced 1/4-inch thick and drizzled with olive oil
8 white anchovies
2 large portobello mushrooms grilled and marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and basil
1 head roasted garlic
Toasted French bread slices

Directions
Arrange all ingredients on a large platter and serve at room temperature.

Serves 16.

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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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