Cocktail Party Ideas For Summer Cocktail Parties

Summer is under way and what isn't a better time than now to throw cocktail parties. Here are some cocktail party ideas that don't take much time to produce and won't break the bank!

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For starters, let's look at the cocktail party menu. Keep it light and simple. Slice chunks of various kinds of vegetables, skewer them, place the skewers in a simple marinade of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, season with salt and pepper if desired and then grill or roast the marinated skewers.

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Want to mix it up a bit? For outdoor cocktail parties, stick the finished skewered vegetables in a bed of wheat grass and there you have a grilled vegetable garden! Or place the finished vegetables on a platter and decorate the platter with loose flowers such as Cymbidium orchids or Gerber daisies.

I recently attended a cocktail party where the caterer created a great cocktail party menu that included Macadamia nut crusted chicken lollipops. Other menu items can include European cheeses with dates and figs, sliced toasts and crackers.

Have some fun serving your appetizers by using a shot glass at cocktail parties. Create a conversation piece by serving either skewered shrimp with a shot glass of cocktail sauce or soups such as gazpacho or cucumber served in a shot glass. Good old-fashioned milk and cookies where the tray includes shots of cold milk with a side of mini cookies is always fun too.

And since it is summertime, for your outdoor cocktail parties it's always fun to include tray-passed mini-burgers (can be beef, turkey or veggie) and of course the all-time favorite mini-hot dogs.

Other fun cocktail party ideas include creating an all white themed summer event with a white fabric gazebo. You can rent a 10' x 10' canopy and then use sheer fabric to swag the sides of the tent. You may need to bring in a tenting company to help with the small tent but you can buy the fabric yourself to create the swags.

Add some color to your white cocktail parties with colored glass décor items such as vases and marbles for your buffet display as seen in the first picture. Flowers too can be fun and colorful yet simple.

And for drinks, here are some cocktail party ideas that are refreshing and cool for the summer. One cocktail party menu idea is to make your own spa water. Just add any of the following to water and let sit for a bit:

• Fresh raspberries or strawberries
• Citrus such as lemons or oranges
• Cucumbers
• Herbs such as mint or basil

If you prefer serving alcoholic beverages for cocktail parties, think about adding to your beverage menu sangria, mohitos or flavored martinis such as lemon, cucumber or watermelon. (For some cocktail party martini recipes, look at pages 87 and 88 in Budget Bash.)

I hope you found these cocktail party ideas helpful for your summer cocktail parties. Keep your cocktail party menu fun and light and when throwing a cocktail party remember the Budget Bash mantra: make it simple, delicious, stylish, fun & economical to all!

Cocktail Party Ideas For Summer Cocktail Parties

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5 Cold Appetizer Recipes Great For Any Party

Gearing up for a party includes creating a menu of mouth-watering treats for your guests. Often the main dish will be inspired by the occasion. Turkey for Thanksgiving, Crown Roast for Easter, Burgers and dogs for the 4th of July. But what about those appetizers to keep your guests happy before the meal is served? This all important menu item is often overlooked in the mad dash to ensure all is ready. But, with a few simple ingredients you can serve your guests appetizers that will not only keep them happy and their fingers out of the pots until the meal is ready, they will spark conversation and set the mood for fun.

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What is an Appetizer? An Appetizer is a small serving of food or sometimes a beverage that is served before the main meal. It is intended to 'wet the appetite'. Digestion begins in the mouth. Saliva is generated when you begin to chew. This helps to begin breaking down the food for digestion. Ok, I know that may be too much information, but think about it this way. Not only will a good appetizer get your guests primed for that great meal, it may be the reason they don't stuff themselves. Most people know that it takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to send the signal to the brain that it is full. Eating an appetizer just before a meal is served may cause you to eat less. Now there's a bonus. Appetizers as a diet aide.

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Cold Appetizers:Some basics to keep on hand so you are ready at a moment's notice to serve up a tray of treats.
Cheese - several varieties are best but at least have a good cheddar Olives - black and green Anchovies Cream Cheese Mayonnaise Pimento Assorted Dried Fruit Crackers Nuts Sour Cream Party Franks Canned Shrimp Canned Oysters Canned Salmon Lemon and Lime juice Assorted spices including dried parsley

These are just a few of the things I keep on hand. With these I can almost always come up with a tray of treats as guests walk in the door. For Example:

HALF AND HALF
You will need about 8 slices of your favorite bread. You could also use crackers for this instead. This will make about 16 crackers. Mix 1/2 cup drained and flaked salmon with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (you may substitute lemon pepper if you don't have juice). Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. TIP: I omit salt as I have friends and family on low salt diets, but it you think it needs salt and perhaps a little pepper, go ahead. Mash 1 avocado and mix in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons cream cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside. Using a large drinking glass cut each slice bread into rounds. You will be cutting off the crust, but don't toss it. I put the crusts in a zipper bag in the freezer to use for bread crumbs later. of Toast bread in the toaster or on a cookie sheet. Omit this step if using crackers. Spread toast lightly with butter or margarine. This helps keep it from getting soggy from the spreads. Spread 1/2 of each round with the salmon mixture and the other half with the avocado mixture. Garnish with pimento or olive slices.

This makes a tasty and welcome open sandwich to get the party started. The Salmon and avocado are a nice complement.

MOSAIC SANDWICHES
You will need 8 slices each or a light or white bread and a dark bread. I like using seedless rye and pumpernickel. Remove the crusts from the bread and set aside. Remember to add those crusts to your zipper bag in the freezer. You are going to have a great mixture for bread crumbs. Mix up some canapé' butters. You have a lot of choices. Cream 1 cup butter with any of the following additions: TIP: You can use cream cheese instead of butter. 1 cup cooked Minced shrimp, 1/4 teaspoon salt, dash of paprika and 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 can anchovies or 4 tablespoons anchovies paste, w teaspoons lemon juice, 4 drops of onion juice or 1/2 teaspoon finely minced onion. You can also substitute other canned fish like herring, smoked salmon, or sardines. 1/2 cup parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 2 tablespoons chili sauce, drained. Just be sure it is not too runny. 1/4 cup chopped olives and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice. Spread each slice of bread with one of the butters above. Stack the slices, alternating dark and light until you have stacked all 16 slices of bread. Slice the stack into 4. You want to have four stacks about the same size. Lay the stacks on the side. Spread one side of 1 stack with a different spread. You can use the same but adding a second spread makes it more fun. Take the next stack and turn it over so that the pattern of dark and light is reversed and place it on top of the first that has been covered with the spread. Repeat this process with the other two stacks. Do not put spread on the top of the last addition. Again slice the new tower into four slices. You can then cut each of those length wise to create 4 mini sandwich towers each. You should end up with about 16 appetizers.

These look impressive and although it sounds complicated it really isn't. You can make this in about 5 minutes.

DEVILED EGGS an old standby but one almost everyone loves. Here is a little twist.
Boil a dozen eggs and set aside to cool. When cool peel and prepare by slicing in half lengthwise and removing the yolk. To the yolk add sour cream and 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise. Use just enough sour cream to make the mixture creamy. Separate into two small bowls. To one bowl add 1 tablespoon chopped olives and 1/4 teaspoon pickle relish. To the other bowl add 2 tablespoons finely chopped ham. Put each mixture into a small zipper bag. Cut a corner off of the bag and use it to pipe the mixture into the cavity left by the yolk in each egg. Garnish with pimento or a small curl of ham, or a small triangle of ham placed into the yolk center.

These look as good as they taste and it only takes a minute or two to add a little surprise flair. You could also add chopped fresh tomato instead of olives, or chopped pepperoni instead of ham.

FRUIT KABOBS
You will need several varieties of fresh fruit, some maraschino cherries, and bamboo skewers.. Cut fruit in chunks. For apples, pears, and other similar fruit, dip in lemon juice or orange juice to reduce browning. Alternate chunks of fruit and cherries on the skewers. Be sure to leave about 4 inches at the end as a handle. Serve with Vanilla Yogurt mixed with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the cherry juice as a dipping sauce.

You can't get much quicker than this and it tastes great too.

DON'T FORGET THE CHEESE
1 pound brick of cheese, this may be the cheese of your choice, but a favorite is mild cheddar Crackers, a good buttery round or a whole wheat cracker is great for this. Try one of those new flat bread crackers too. Sliced Ham

Slice cheese into small slices that will fit on the crackers you have chosen. Slice the ham into strips and wrap around the middle of the cheese slice. Place on crackers. You may wish to garnish some or all of the crackers with a piece of pimento, and olive, a sprig of parsley, or even a small stem of celery. Those slender tips with a couple of small leaves remaining look good and are edible.

With a little advanced planning and less than an hour you can put out a tray of assorted crowd pleasers. I can prepare these 5 dishes in about half an hour, but I do them often. Once you have your ingredients ready, assembly is quick. If you have children in the house, encourage them to help. They will be proud to carry the trays of appetizers they helped make and urge every one to try a taste. Happy Entertaining.

5 Cold Appetizer Recipes Great For Any Party

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Baby Shower Food Ideas for a Boy or a Girl

A baby shower is an event that marks the coming of a baby to the parents' lives. It is a day of celebration as families from both sides welcome the newborn child. The basic components of the baby shower are the theme, decorations, programs, and of course, the food.

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When it comes to coming up with baby shower food ideas, there are many directions you can go to. You can base the food from the theme so that the party will have a sense of continuity. You can also hire a catering service to prepare all the food and to handle service for the guests. With food choices, you can go with traditional meals or you try some outrageous and exotic dishes. There are so many things you can choose and one of them is to prepare food for a specific gender of a baby. The menu is more focused but you can still do a variety of things.

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First are suggestions if you are expecting a baby girl. Society has told people that the color that symbolizes the girl the most is the color pink. Taking the direction from there, you can prepare all your food literally bathing in pink. Traditional baby showers include a platter of vegetables with dip. A tray is composed of tomatoes, carrots, onions, asparagus, and other veggies. Creativity comes to play when you make the dip. Usual dips are based in cheese and all you need to do is to add food coloring to achieve a pinkish color.

The drinks for a girl baby shower should be easy enough since there are plenty of drinks that exhibit the color pink. Take your pick from a grapefruit juice, pink lemonade, or even a strawberry milkshake. These are easy to make and your guests will surely recognize them. Like the beverages, pink desserts are fairly easy to concoct. For one, a simple strawberry is already something to die for and could be an instant hit among the guests. You can be more creative when making pastries or cookies because you can use food coloring on the icing.

As for a boy,you should focus more on the color blue. As with pink, blue is different because a lot of people don't think that there are a lot dishes made with the color blue. Like preparing for a girl shower, you can also rely on food coloring. A blue dip will entice your guests into the buffet table and ask what the dip is made of. However, you can still be creative and not depend on food coloring. There are a lot of products in a market that have blue in them. For one, there are blue corn chips which can be used for appetizers. To go along with the chips is a blue cheese dressing. It may be a different color but it is still has the word blue in it. There are also blue potatoes which are perfect for making French fries or mashed potatoes. For dessert, you can always depend on a traditional blueberry pie to hit the mark. It's something everyone will surely like. The drinks in the party don't have to be alcoholic though there are a lot of blue vodka drinks out there. A blue punch or blue lemonade can be enjoyed by the guests.

Baby shower food ideas for either a boy or a girl are a chance for you to be creative. You can explore the colors of pink or blue to come with exciting dishes, drinks, and desserts.

Baby Shower Food Ideas for a Boy or a Girl

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Gift Ideas For Christmas - 5 Awesome Christmas Gift Basket Ideas

People really enjoy getting gift baskets. I guess it's because a gift basket is really a "goodie basket" that's filled with all sorts of items that make someone happy to receive it. Gift baskets have really evolved since the old days of the fruit basket. While fruit baskets are still popular (especially for the health conscience), there are a wide variety of things that is now acceptable to put into a gift basket.

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Today, gift baskets often have themes, meaning that the contents are narrowed down to a specific category. A food themed basket can contain anything from organic tea to wine and cheese. It can contain nostalgic candies or different kinds of brownies. The first thing you should do when deciding to give someone a gift basket is to pick out a theme that you think that person will like.

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Whether you make the gift basket yourself or buy it from a specialty store, you'll find that half the fun is deciding what type of basket to get. And, keep in mind that gift baskets aren't just for ladies anymore. A gift basket can be given to men and couples as well. If you decided to give everyone on your list a gift basket, it would make your Christmas gift giving really easy.

Here's some examples of themed gift baskets:

Chocolate Lover Basket - for anyone on your gift list who loves chocolate, this is a no-brainer. As a chocolate lover myself, I know my eyes would pop open if I received a basket filled with chocolate candy bars, chocolate fudge, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate truffles, chocolate malt balls, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered dried fruit and packets of cocoa hot chocolate.

Tailgate Party Basket - sports fans love to snack before and during a game. This basket can contain items like, snack chips, pretzels, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, cheese crackers, soda crackers, cheese dips, brownies, cookies, cheeses, salami and a colorful chip and dip tray.

Wine and Cheese Basket - if you know that someone enjoys wine, then this will be a gift basket that they'll love. Select two bottles of different wine from any vintage. You might select a bottle of Red, Merlot, Rose, Port, White Zinfandel or White wine. Then add several hard and soft cheeses, some nice crackers, wine stoppers and a corkscrew.

A Taste of Italy Basket - many people love Italian food so this is a nice idea and something a little different. This basket could include items like: all natural dried pasta (regular, whole wheat, spinach, etc.), extra virgin olive oil, two jars of premium pasta sauce, a jar of sun dried tomatoes, cheese straws, balsamic vinegar, garlic bread sticks and grated Parmesan cheese.

Spa Day Basket - many people could use a relaxing break but can't get away to a real spa. This basket will provide them with everything they need to enjoy a relaxing homemade spa vacation. It can include items like: bubble bath, bath salts, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, high quality skin moisturizer, back scrubber, plush towel, plush slippers, scented candles and a relaxing music DVD.

Gift Ideas For Christmas - 5 Awesome Christmas Gift Basket Ideas

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Celebrate the Fifties by Dining in Style

If the fifties are the new forties then this is a cause for celebration menu. People are living longer and those years of their fifties are full and vibrant. Why not throw a party as vibrant as those who are enjoying the years of being in their fifties?

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To enjoy a fifties celebration make sure to invite all the close friends of the loved one and serve them fantastic food. This would include members of their retired friends, former co-workers and members of the Red Hat Society that they may belong to. Also many people are still working into their fifties and if that's the case make sure to invite their present co-workers as well.

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A fun menu for a fifties party would be to have AARP artichoke dip, IRA Martinis, Over the Hill stuffed Olives and good old fashioned prune juice. If serving a daring crowd dig up a recipe for a prune martini.

To create this AARP artichoke dip recipe for the fifties gathering compile the following ingredients: 1 large container of sour cream, 1 box frozen chopped spinach, 1 jar artichoke (puree), 1 envelope savory herbs with garlic, 1 bag shredded Italian cheese, and 2 fresh baked White Mountain breads. In a medium to large saucepan, heat the sour cream add the frozen spinach (does not need to be thawed). When both are heated and mix well add the jar of pureed artichoke, mix well add 1 envelope of Savory Herbs with Garlic; mix well. Add the whole bag of shredded cheese and mix well. When the cheese is melted and well blended, remove from heat. Take one of the White Mountain Breads, and remove most of the center, creating a bowl-like interior. Pour spinach dip into center. Cut the removed section and the second bread into small pieces and place on tray around bread-bowl.

Being in your fifties is an enjoyable time, so honor the silver foxes in your circle with a fifties party menu.

Celebrate the Fifties by Dining in Style

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Food Safety!

It is so very important for the health of your health, and that of your friends and family, to store and handle perishable foods properly. Proper handling will allow you to enjoy foods at their best and it will dramatically reduce the possibility of food poisoning.

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You should always buy from a reputable retailer. Remember that first impressions mean a lot. If the market where you are shopping appears to be "cleanliness challenged" in the areas that you can see, imagine what the areas you can't see might look like. Once you are comfortable with your market, and you have decided that it is the place for your needs, still remember to check the expiration dates on all of your selections before purchasing. Fresh foods should be taken promptly home and stored properly.

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In the kitchen work surfaces utensils and your hand must be kept clean by washing frequently with hot water and soap. You should designate separate cutting boards for raw and cooked foods, as well as separate boards for meats and produce. If this isn't possible, cutting boards must be washed thoroughly between each use.

Finally, I can't say this enough, but "Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands!" These rules may seem like common sense, but applying them in your kitchen may save someone you love the misery of food poisoning.

Some foods require special attention above and beyond the normal care I have just outlined.

Cheese: Some cheeses are made with unpasteurized milk, especially soft cheeses, and "blue" cheeses such as Stilton or Roquefort cheeses should not be eaten by infants, young children, the elderly, the infirm, or pregnant women. These people are at a much higher susceptibility to infection caused by the listeria bacteria, which may be present in these cheeses.

Eggs: Always purchase the freshest eggs possibly by checking the expiration dates stamped on the carton. This way you will also know just how long you can safely store them. Look for shells that are clean and un-cracked. Look for shells that are dull in appearance; avoid shiny shells. Store eggs in the refrigerator with the pointed ends down, and away from foods with strong odors. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after handling raw eggs. If an egg is contaminated with the salmonella virus, the rick of contracting salmonella poisoning is much higher if the egg is served raw, had a runny yolk, or is soft set. Infants, young children, the elderly, the infirm, or pregnant women should not consume eggs prepared in these manners. In order to destroy the salmonella bacteria, eggs must be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 degrees Celsius.)

Dried Legumes: Peas and Beans, especially kidney beans, may contain potentially dangerous toxins that can cause food poisoning. When preparing legumes, quickly bring to a rapid boil for a full 10 minutes before draining, rinsing, and beginning again in fresh water.

Meat: Always by the freshest cuts of meat available and refrigerate as quickly as possible. All meats should be removed from the store packaging, discarding the wrapper, absorbent packing, and tray. The meat should then be placed in shallow trays or plates, covered, and stored in the bottom of the refrigerator to avoid the possibility of dripping on other foods. Cooked and uncooked meats must be stored separately and never handled together. Wash your hands, counter and utensils before during and after handling meats. If meats are frozen they should be thawed completely before cooking. Any liquids produced during thawing must be discarded. Raw meats should not be re-frozen. When reheating meat dishes, they should be heated to boiling or above 170 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius.)

Clams and Mussels: Always buy live clams and mussels and cook them on the day you purchase them. Before cooking, dispose of any with cracked or broken shells or with open shells that do not close when tapped. After cooking, discard any that have not opened during cooking.

Potatoes: Potatoes should always be stored in a cool dark place as soon as possible after purchasing. Potatoes that have been exposed to light during storage may develop green patches. These small green patches can be cut out with a knife or vegetable peeler, but if the green covers a large area of the potato it should be discarded. This "greening" can cause gastrointestinal distress.

Poultry: Poultry is potentially the most hazardous as it is especially susceptible to salmonella contamination. Whole birds should be refrigerated as quickly as possible after purchase. Remove all wrappings and any giblets and packaging from the cavity of the bird. It should then by placed on a shallow try or plate, covered loosely and stored in the bottom of the refrigerator. Giblets should be stored covered in a separate bowl. Work surfaces, utensils, and your hands should be washed before and after handling. Poultry should be completely thawed before cooking and should not be re-frozen. Poultry should not be stuffed until immediately before cooking. The stuffing should be cold and should be stuffed loosely in the neck only, not in the cavity. Cook thoroughly. The temperature on a meat thermometer should read at least 185 degrees Fahrenheit (85 degrees Celsius.)

Cooked Rice: Bacteria, which can cause gastrointestinal problems can develop in cooked rice if not stored properly. Always store cooked rice tightly covered in the refrigerator below 39 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius.)

Food Safety!

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Kids Cake Decorating Ideas

Kids cake decorating ideas should be based on what will inspire and entertain your child. Every parent knows what their kids' favorite toys, favorite movies and favorite cartoon characters are. You can use this knowledge to bake and decorate a memorable cake. This article will provide some hints and suggestions to help get you started. These ideas cover cake decorations that will appeal to a wide range of children.

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The Fire Truck

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There are few little boys who don't love big red fire trucks. If your son's favorite toy is a fire truck, this method of decorating a cake is a simple way to get a great reaction. There are levels of complexity when it comes to making a fire truck - you can do a simple, rectangular cake with red icing and 'draw' on extra features with an icing bag. This cake would be a 'side-on' or two-dimensional view of the truck.

For something more complicated and impressive, you can bake a 3-D fire truck. You'll need a deeper baking tray to create the correct shape. Icing the cake would again require lots of red icing and some white and brown icing from a bag for the finer details. You can also make the siren lights out of icing or use a plastic add-on.

Animal Cakes

Animal cakes are another great idea - chances are you have a family pet or your child has picked out a favorite animal from a trip to the zoo. A cat, dog or fish shaped cake is fairly simple to prepare with some basic baking trays. These are also fairly simple to decorate with icing, as often only one or two colors will be needed. For something more challenging consider an animal like a monkey with bendy arms and tail, or a striped tiger cake.

Number Cakes

An old favorite for birthday cakes is to bake the cake in the shape of the number of the child's new age. To achieve this you can either buy a baking tray in the right shape, or simply bake a round or rectangular cake in a normal cake pan and then cut out the shape of the number. As far as icing and decorations, you can get creative and add in figurines or iced images signifying important events from the child's year just gone, or the year to come (starting school, for example).

Cartoon Cakes

There are a variety of ways to make use of a kid's favorite cartoon character for a cake. You can do a whole-body cake or just the face to make the task easier. Alternatively, you can bake a simple round or rectanglular cake and buy an edible press-on to go on top of the icing.

Cakes That Look Like Other Food

For some more fun ideas for different cake decorations, consider trying to decorate a cake to look like a pizza or a hamburger. You can use candy and icing to replace vegetables, cheese and meat toppings.

Kids Cake Decorating Ideas

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