YumSugar

Download Our Free Holiday Invites!

partysugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:15:14 -0800

OK, so you're not throwing an ugly sweater party this holiday season, but what about a holiday party? A festive cocktail, a delicious dessert soiree, or a laid-back brunch are great ways to gather friends together. Set the tone by mailing them a red and green themed invite. We've created two free, downloadable invites that celebrate the season. One features a girl and a Christmas tree and the other has an ornament theme. Start by clicking on the links above to download them. Next print, fill out, and send. So what are you waiting for? Go get your holiday party on!

Download Our Free Ugly Sweater Invite!

partysugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:45:18 -0800

This year instead of hosting a swanky (and expensive) holiday cocktail party, consider throwing an ugly sweater party! The theme is informal and fun, yet totally festive. It's an ideal party for introducing new groups of friends because the ugly sweaters break the ice and create easy conversation. To help you get your holiday party on, we've created a free downloadable, ugly sweater party invite! All you have to do is download, print, fill out, and send. Voila - instant holiday party. Don't forget to carry the kitschy theme to the menu by serving cheese balls, Chex mix, and slippery Santa shots. Happy hosting!

PartySugar Behind The Bash: The Sugar Holiday Party

partysugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:45:19 -0800

Last night was our holiday party, and like everything Sugar, it was fabulous! It wasn't your average, boring old event, it was a bowling extravaganza. The party was expertly planned by LilPeaPod and held at the Presidio Bowling Center.

Hosting an event at a bowling alley is lots of fun - especially if you have a large group of people - because the activity unites party-goers. This type of party is wonderfully easy on the host as the cooking and cleaning is done by the bowling alley staff. For my tips on hosting a party at a bowling alley, plus a gallery of pics from the Sugar party, read more.

Start planning early. Call the bowling alley at least two months before the party. This will ensure that you reserve the day and time you want. LilPeaPod called a month in advance and had to compromise by selecting a day that wasn't her desired night.
Once you have the date reserved, go to the bowling alley and speak with the owners. Find out if you can bring decorations and what areas of the alley are off limits.
If you want to have an open bar, work out the details. Every place is run differently, but the easiest way to host an open bar is to have the bartenders tally up drinks. When the night is over, they will tell you how much beer and wine was consumed, and how much you owe. You may also consider giving each guest drink tickets, and having the bartenders tally up how many tickets they were given.

Make the food accessible. Print out a bunch of menus with the food listed. Provide pencils, have guests circle what they would like to eat, and give to the food staff. When their order is ready call their name over the bowling alley's loudspeaker. Alternatively, if you are on a budget, you can have your guests order and pay for their own food. Or provide a select amount of snacks from the menu. You may even consider food tickets.

Have a tournament! Nothing gets a party going like a good competition. To encourage guests to participate, have prizes. Gift cards to Starbucks, Sephora, or Bloomingdale's make wonderful prizes.

If gifts are involved - like our Secret Santa exchange - set up a gift station for guests to leave their gifts.
Bring lots of quarters to enjoy the video games, candy vending machines, jukeboxes and Dance, Dance, Revolution.
Remember to have fun! It's a party!

Come Party With Me: Holiday Cocktail - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 07:27:10 -0800

It's the most wonderful time of the year! December has arrived and with it a flurry of fabulous parties. Every year my sister and I host a holiday cocktail party and this year I'm inviting you to the spectacular soirée. I'll share my party plan with you here and you can adjust my ideas to suit your own holiday needs. Let's start with the invitations.

If you are busy, download, print, and fill out our chic holiday party invite. If you have the time, get crafty and make your own version like I did here. To see how I did it, read more

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

colored cardstock
festive ribbon
scissors
glue
computer and printer

To assemble the invite:

Start by creating a new Word document. Write out the details of your cocktail party. I used the fun font, Mistral in size 16, to write out the following message,

It’s the most wonderful time of the year
Let’s get together and make some holiday cheer!

Cocktails & Appetizers
Saturday, December 15, 2007
7:00 pm

Casa de PartySugar, San Francisco
Regrets only: 415.555.5555

Print out and check the text for grammar or spelling mistakes. Once satisfied with the info, print out on the cardstock.

Cut down to size. I used special edged scissors on mine.

Cut another piece of cardstock into a square about 9 inches by 9 inches. Make sure that the invite fits inside of the square.

Fold in each of the four corners to enclose the invitation.

Glue decorative ribbon to back of outside of the envelope.

Tie ribbon decoratively.

Slide into an envelope and send.

View 27 Photos ›

Come Party With Me: Holiday Cocktail - Menu (Sweets)

partysugar — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:13:31 -0800

When planning a holiday cocktail party, don't forget the desserts! Since some guests are bound to have a sweet tooth, set up a small buffet of sweet treats when you set up the savory appetizers. Guests can nibble on cheese and chocolate. Fill bowls with Christmas M&M's or Hershey's kisses.

Don't serve a cake or pie because slicing and plating it is more work for you. Instead, offer one-bite sweets that guests can help themselves to. Mini black bottom cheesecakes are decadent and delicious. The raspberry jam adds a punch of festive color. Homemade chocolate truffles are easily prepared in advance. For the recipes to these delectable desserts, please read more

Mini Black-Bottom Cheesecakes
From Food and Wine magazine

Vegetable oil spray
24 plain chocolate wafer cookies, preferably Nabisco
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup fromage blanc (6 oz.), at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves, warmed

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with foil-baking cups and spray the cups with vegetable oil spray.
In a food processor, crush the chocolate wafer cookies. Add the butter and process until fine crumbs form. Spoon the chocolate cookie crumbs into the prepared baking cups and press with the bottom of a glass to compact.
Bake for 5 minutes, or until almost set. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the fromage blanc, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Pour the cheesecake batter into the baking cups, filling them three-quarters full.
Bake the cheesecakes for 15 minutes, or until slightly jiggly in the center. Remove from the oven and spread 1 tsp. of the warmed raspberry preserves on top of each cheesecake. Transfer the muffin tin to the freezer and chill the cheesecakes until set, about 15 minutes.
Remove the cheesecakes from the pan and peel off the foil baking cups. Transfer the cheesecakes to a platter and serve.

Makes 12.

Make ahead: the mini black-bottom cheesecakes can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Substitution: Instead of the fromage blanc use crème fraîche, goat cheese, lebneh, or quark.

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Chocolate Truffles
From Martha Stewart

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. heavy cream
8 ounces best-quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
Five strips 1-inch-wide orange peel, pith removed
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup sifted cocoa powder
1/2 cup finely chopped assorted nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, and pistachios

In a small saucepan, whisk together cream and cardamom. Add orange peel; bring just to a boil. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes.
Line a baking pan with parchment; set it and another pan aside.
Return cream mixture to heat; bring to a boil. Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Remove cream mixture from heat. Pour through a sieve set over chocolate; discard solids.
Stir until melted and smooth.
Pour chocolate mixture onto the unlined baking pan, and spread in an even layer with an offset spatula. Transfer baking pan to freezer; chill chocolate until hardened but malleable, 15 to 20 minutes.
Using a tablespoon, scrape enough chocolate from pan to form a roughly shaped 1-in. ball, being careful not to press too hard against baking pan. Repeat. Transfer balls to the parchment-lined pan; chill truffles in the refrigerator 10 minutes.
Place the confectioners' sugar, the cocoa powder, and the chopped nuts in three separate bowls. Roll the truffles in desired coatings.

Makes 12.

Make ahead: uncoated truffles can be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, for one week.

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How Many Holiday Parties Are You Attending This Year?

YumSugar — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:30:08 -0800

Since corporate holiday parties are at an all-time low, I thought I'd take an unofficial poll to find out how many parties you'll be attending this season, if any. This count includes company-sponsored functions, house parties, tree trimmings, and Christmas Eve dinners, or any other holiday-related events. Did you still throw a party of your own? Did you and your friends party less this year?

Source

YumSugar Preview: Come Party With Me - Holiday Cocktail

YumSugar — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 11:22:40 -0800

The holidays are just around the corner and we're happy to announce that YumSugar.com will be here just in time. Starting this Friday, YumSugar.com will be your go to place for delicious recipes, entertaining tips and festive cocktails. See below for a sneak peek:

This week why not plan a cocktail party for you and your friends? The perfect event where ready made meets homemade, a quick, easy holiday themed get together can be thrown any night of the week. For all of the details (invite ideas, serving suggestions, decorations schemes, musical playlists, divine drinks) on how to host this party, see below.

Invites: Make simple invites by cutting out the shape of an ornament (or use this template) on metallic card stock or colored wrapping paper. Write out the super important details of your party-date, time, location, formality-on the back. Slide into an envelope and send. Too busy to send out formal invites? Decided you want to throw this party in three hours? Have no fear: write a text-invitation and send it to all of your friends.

Menu: Don't worry even if you aren't a kitchen goddess, you can still host a fabulous cocktail party by using mostly store bought items. Make one simple yet super tasty tiny bite or decadent dip and assemble the rest of your menu. Assemble a cheese platter: purchase one each of your favorite types of hard, semi soft, and soft cheese. Plate with crackers, baguette toasts, grapes, and bread sticks. Lay out slices of salami, prosciutto, and honeyed turkey on another plate. Fill bowls with mixed nuts, olives, and pretzels. For a sweet treat purchase Christmas themed cookies from your local bakery. Or fill silver bowls with red and green M&Ms, Hershey kisses, and candy canes.

For Decorations, Music and Drinks, read more

Decorations: Decorations are a no brainer! If you are anything like me your house will be merrily decorated for the Christmas holidays. With that said here's your decorating checklist: Plug in the Christmas tree lights. Check. Light some candles. Check. Make a fire in the fireplace. Check. Decorations? Done.

Music: Seriously girlies this party could not get any easier because everything is already done for you. Put your most played Christmas Cds (my picks: Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, the Beach Boys, and The Carpenters) on random and hit play.

Drinks: For a pro-hostess tip from the party master, don't offer an open bar. You will not enjoy your party. Instead make a big bowl of egg nog or cranberry Christmas punch. Offer beer, wine, and champagne for those who prefer something other than hard alcohol. For a nonalcoholic option serve a chilled apple cider and sparkling water flavored with orange and vanilla bean.

YumSugar is coming soon. Sign up to receive an email notification as soon as we launch!

Come Party With Me: Holiday Cocktail - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:39:19 -0800

If you already decorate your house with festive Christmas decor - light, tree, stockings, and more - you won't need to do much for a stylish and fun holiday cocktail party look. Cover the tables with red satin runners. Place the appetizers on shiny red chargers and stack gold houndstooth napkins next to the alcohol. Choose a simple, small old-fashioned glass that works well with both egg nog and champagne punch. Fragrant wreathes and fresh poinsettias add lushness to the room. A fire in the fireplace makes the room cozy and inviting. Light candles for a glowing atmosphere. Lastly, hang mistletoe in several prominent walkways for a little extra excitement.

Source

Come Party With Me: Almost Meatless Thanksgiving - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:31 -0800

When done properly, a table runner and tablecloth can both be used to create a harmonious and gorgeous table setting. Think of it like you would clothing: if one is patterned and textured, the other should be simple and plain. Here, a rich brown-velvet runner is placed on top of an elegant white cloth. Golden beaded chargers serve as accents and white serving ware - plates and bowls - let the food be the focal point. Fill glass bottles with the orange wine and fresh water. Candles and flowers are essential to achieve a festive and celebratory mood.

How do you plan on decorating your Thanksgiving table? Share your ideas below!

Come Party With Me: Almost Meatless Thanksgiving - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:06 -0800

Kick-start your Thanksgiving meal with a refreshing sangria-style glass of white wine. Made a day in advance, this wine is infused with oranges, Grand Marnier, and Pernod. Bay leaves and whole cloves give it an herbaceous, aromatic appeal that's sure to pair perfectly with baked brie and walnuts.

For the main course, select a versatile wine varietal that can support a lot of flavors. An affordable Chardonnay or light red are great options. Chat with your local wine shop owner for more suggestions. Tell him what you plan on serving and your budget, and he's sure to provide you with lots of ideas. For the orange wine recipe - this would also make a great Thanksgiving hostess gift! - read more.

Spiced Orange Wine
From Gourmet

Ingredients

2 (750-ml) bottles dry white wine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier
1/4 cup Pernod
2 whole cloves
4 Turkish or 2 California bay leaves
2 navel oranges

Directions

Bring all ingredients except oranges to a boil (reserve wine bottles and corks), stirring until sugar has dissolved.
Remove zest from oranges in a continuous spiral using a vegetable peeler and cut off any white pith with a paring knife. Reserve oranges for another use and divide zest between empty wine bottles.
Fill bottles with orange wine and cool, uncorked, 1 hour.
Cork bottles, then chill at least 4 hours.

Makes 2 (750-ml) bottles.

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