Snowflakes, twinkle lights, lace, and evergreen garland all come to mind when I begin to think of a winter wedding. But more importantly what comes to mind are the flavors that accompany the winter season. Thoughts of mint, cocoa, butterscotch, pumpkin, and sugared cranberries are whirling through my mind at this very minute. Embrace these flavors at your wedding and add a few personal touches to keep your guests oohing and ahhing all night long. Welcome As your guests arrive, welcome them in from the cold with a Hot Chocolate Bar. Hot Chocolate can be made alcoholic by adding vanilla vodka or crème de la mint or as a traditional non-alcoholic drink. Offer add- ins such as marshmallows, whipped cream, and mint stir sticks displayed in beautiful glass jars. Some Great Homemade Hot … [Read more...]
Festive Fourth of July Recipes
The Fourth of July is the perfect reason to bring together friends and family for a good old-fashioned backyard barbecue. Celebrating our independence is a pretty good reason to gather 'round the picnic table, too! Today I'm going to give you eleven recipes {or how-to's} that are as delicious as they are beautiful. Let's start with a few beautiful appetizers. /1/ Patriotic Dip - Turn your ordinary dip dish into a festive masterpiece with just a few simple steps. /2/ Summer Fruit Wands - While your guests wait on their juicy cheeseburger to come off of the grill serve them these super fun Fruit Wands! /3/ Cheesy Star Chips - These are easy and cute! Add a dish of salsa for dipping to complete this appetizer. Moving on to the main course, shall we? /4/ Aloha Burgers - … [Read more...]
Graduation Party Appetizers, Finger Foods and Desserts
Graduation season is upon us and if you want to do something special for your graduate at their party celebration check out these amazing graduation party recipes. Some of these are simple, some are more complex, all are sure to please and catch the eye at a graduation celebration! Diploma Sandwiches from Taste of Home - What a clever way to serve a traditional sandwich platter with a graduation twist. Fun! Graduation Fondant Cupcakes from Glorious Treats - This DIY will show you the step-by-step process of making these adorable fondant cupcake toppers for your graduation party. [sc:adsense ] How to Make Graduation Cookies by Sweet Sugar Belle - This in-depth tutorial tells you how to do the icing on both a diploma cookie and a graduation hat cookie. Perfect for … [Read more...]
Flan {Cinco de Mayo}
Cinco de Mayo is in just a few days! Let's celebrate! All throughout my schooling, I took Spanish. Every year all of us kids would look forward to Cinco de Mayo parties. There would be loads of tacos, burritos, virgin margaritas, fried ice cream, and of course, flan! Never before in my life did I like flan. I tried it once back when I was little and decided I didn't like it...never trying it again. I'm so glad, despite my preconceived notion that flan was gross, that I tried this recipe. I love the creamy texture and sweetness! If you've never had it before, or think that you don't like it like I did, give it a try. It's a good blend between a cheesecake and pudding. Smooth and delicious! Plus, it helps that this recipe is a little 'lighter' in fat and calories. … [Read more...]
Bird’s Nest Cake for Easter
Easter is right around the corner! It's time to start thinking about what decadent and precious dessert you'll be whipping up for your friends and family. If you ask me, you should make this lovely little cake. It's the kind of super chocolatey that screams for a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt. In addition to being absolutely delicious, it's also too cute! You'll have all of the women oo-ing and ah-ing over it! Trust me. I did! Plus, they'll be in for a surprise when you cut the cake to reveal a vanilla chocolate chip frosting inside! Happy Easter and Happy Baking! Bird's Nest Cake adapted from Martha Stewart Ingredients canola oil spray 1/2 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder + some for dusting 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 tablespoon instant espresso … [Read more...]
Eggcellent Dyed Deviled Eggs for Easter!
Hoppy Easter, ya'll! I am so excited for this time of year to be here already. I love all the beautiful spring colors all around, the lovely flowers in bloom and not to mention lots and lots of candy to be eaten! When I am not dreaming of chocolate, I am doing my best to consider other food groups that can be delicious, as well for a fun time with family and friends. One of my favorite party dishes is deviled eggs. Not only are the pretty quick to whip up, they are also usually guaranteed to please any crowd. I am positive that all your guests will absolutely love this fun finger food and keep coming back for more! For this dyed deviled egg recipe, I want to put a spin on your traditional ingredients as well as make the Easter bunny proud with some fun colors. They are all the fun of … [Read more...]
