The Hip Hostess

Menus, tips and ideas for hosting with style!

Football Cocoa Krisy Treats February 1, 2009

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They key to any super bowl dessert is to make it bite-size so it can be eaten without looking away from the game.  These krispy treats fit the bill.  Whip up a batch of these quick-cooking treats for your super bowl party tonight.  Serve them for dessert or wrap them individually in cello bags and give them as party favors.  These football treats are also great for a kids’ sports theme party.
 

Football Cocoa Krispy Treats

3 Tbs. unsalted butter

10 oz marshmallows

5-6 C. cocoa krispies

1 C. crushed cocoa krispies, reserved

Nonstick cooking spray

vanilla frosting in a piping bag or a tube* fitted with a pinpoint piping tip
 

1.  Melt butter is a large sauce pan over low heat.  Once butter is melted add in marshmallows and stir until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat.

2.  Add 5-6 cups of cocoa krispy treats to marshmallow mixture (until desired consistency), stirring to mix.

3.  Crush reserved cocoa krispies in the bowl of a mini food processor to form fine crumbs or crush by hand in a ziplock bag using a rolling pin.  Place crumbs on a plate.

4.  Coat hands with a few sprays of nonstick cookie spray and rub hands together to coat them with spray.  Grab about 3/4 C. of cocoa krispy mixture and form into the shape of a football.  Place bottom of the football on the counter and press down to create a flat side.  Reshape if necessary.  Roll football in crushed cocoa krispies to coat (you are creating a smoother surface to pipe the frosting lacing).  Repeat until you have used up all of the cocoa krispy mixture.  One recipe should make 10-12 footballs, depending on how large you make the footballs.

5.  Place footballs on a cookie sheet coated with waxed paper.  Using a fine piping tip, pipe a straight line lengthwise in the middle of the football.  Pipe arches along each tip of the football.  Let the frosting dry so the laces are easier to pipe.  Once the first frosting lines are dry, pipe short perpendicular lines across the middle line to create “laces” on the football.  If the edge of each lace is not completely even use the tip of a sharp knife to even them out (wipe the tip of the knife after each cut to remove extra frosting and prevent smudging).  Let frosting dry and serve.  You can make these up to 1 day in advance.
 

*Wilton makes vanilla frosting in a tube that is available at most grocery stores in the baking aisle.  Couplings and assorted tips are usually available in the same aisle, or pick them up at a cake decorating store, Joanna Fabrics or Michaels.

 

Chewy Molasses-Spice Cookies December 5, 2008

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I have several cookie recipes in my holiday-recipe arsenal that never disappoint and Martha Stewart’s Molasses-Spice Cookies are near the top of the list.  They are moist and chewy and have tons of flavor.  I like to make them into mini cookies (makes 64 mini cookies) using a small spring loaded scoop. 

 

Click here for the recipe:  http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chewy-molasses-spice-cookies?autonomy_kw=molasses%20spice%20cookies&rsc=header_17

 

These cookies are a great make-ahead dessert.  They will keep for 2-4 days in a air-tight container (I add in a piece of bread to keep them chewy), and they freeze beautifully.  To freeze them, prepared the dough and roll the balls in sugar.  Line the balls in rows on a cookie sheet.  Cover well with plastic wrap and freeze.  Once frozen solid, transfer the balls to a freezer bag and label with the oven temperature and cooking time (I cook the mini cookies at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, if frozen).

 

 For a wintery twist on the cookie sandwich, use two cooled cookies to sandwich a scoop of pumpkin, ginger or vanilla ice cream.  Freeze the sandwiches until ready to serve (individually wrap them in plastic if you will be leaving them in the freezer for more than a few hours.

 

These little cookies would also make a great party favor or homemade gift.  Wrap several of them in a cello bag or glass jar and tie with a ribbon or string. 

*Picture above is of raw cookies before I put them in the freezer

 

Rosh Hashana Favors September 24, 2008

A jar of honey is the perfect favor for Rosh Hashana.  Wish your guests a “sweet” new year by buying local jars of honey from your farmer’s market.  Attach a honey dipper to the bottle with a ribbon tied around the lid of the jar.  Add a homemade label, if you like, with the year (the Jewish New Year is 5769 for 2008) and a greeting.  These are also super practical favors, as your family and friends will have local honey to use throughout the year.

 

Honey dipper are available at many stores.  Crate and Barrel sells simple wooden honey dippers individually for under $2 each – http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=752&f=12956.

 

Fiesta September 8, 2008

Here are some pictures from the fiesta theme party the Hip Hostess threw to give you some ideas for your next hip fiesta.

 

The Serving Pieces:

Festive reds, blues and bright stripes coordinate to make these pieces fiesta ready.


The Utencils:

Utencils wrapped in cloth napkins and tied with rafia makes it easier to grab everything all at once. 


The Flowers:

Bright lime green and muted pink and orange flowers coordinate with the stripes in the napkins and the color on the plates without being too matchy-matchy.

 

The Favors:

Homemade spiced pepitas (green pumpkin seeds frequently used in Mexican cuisine) wrapped in clear cello bags and tied with rafia are a salty treat that go well with margaritas and make a great favor for friends to take home.

 

Chocolate Wedding/ Bridal Shower Favors July 8, 2008

I know I may seem a little obsessed with the mini version of wedding cakes (see prior post on mini wedding cake candles), but Godiva’s delectable little version is noteworthy.  The ”Couture Favors” come individually wrapped in an ivory box.  The mini cakes will appeal to both milk and dark chocolate lovers alike – they are made of milk chocolate and filled with dark chocolate ganache.   

 

The chocolates are not inexpensive, but they would make a great favor for an intimate bridal shower or wedding if your budget permits.

 

Godiva’s Chocolate Couture Favors come in sets of 4 individually wrapped favors for $38 ($9.50 each).
Available at:  http://www.godiva.com/catalog/product.aspx?id=1303&SE_Section=Shop&SE_Category=43

 

Easter Favors – Mini Jelly Bean Jars March 21, 2008

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Who needs a whole basket full of candy?  Give your guests a small sweet treat with these mini jellybean jars.  They make great favors for kids and adults.  They are great for any time of year (you can vary the colors of the jellybeans to coordinate with your party colors) but are especially fun for Easter.  They also give your table a great festive look when you place one at each setting or line them up at the end of a buffet table. 
 

I used mini glass jars from Joann Fabrics (check Michaels or other craft stores for similar jars), filled them with jellybeans from Williams-Sonoma (key lime, grapefruit and guava flavors) and tied rafia ribbon into a bow around the lid. 

 

Go Nuts For Maple Spiced Nuts March 6, 2008

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Treat your friends to something they wouldn’t normally make for themselves – homemade spiced nuts.  These maple spiced nuts have that great sweet & salty combination, and are the perfect make-ahead snack.  Serve them at a cocktail party in a silver candy dish, or in a plain glass bowl when you’re just kicking back and watching the game.  These nuts are deliciously addictive and will definitely spice things up!


Maple Spiced Nuts
 

 

2 C. raw nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds, pecans)

2 Tbs. pure maple syrup

½ tsp. sweet paprika

1 tsp. chili powder (add an additional ½ tsp. for more spice)

1 tsp. kosher or sea salt 


 

 

1.       Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine nuts with syrup, spices and salt.  Using a pair of tongs, toss nut mixture until nuts are well coated.  Spread nuts in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. 


 

 

2.       Bake nuts in the center of the oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and toss nuts, breaking up any clumps that have formed.  Lower the heat to 250 degrees and bake nuts for an additional 10 minutes, or until slightly golden. 


 

 

3.       Remove nuts from oven and again toss nuts and break up any clumps.  Leave nuts on baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool.  Nuts will be slightly soft when they are warm but will crisp as they cool.  Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

 


Makes 2 cups

  • A mixture of 2/3 C. each of walnuts, cashews and almonds is shown in the picture above
  • Walnuts and pecans work especially well in this recipe because the spices get caught in their crevices
  • You may substitute roasted unsalted nuts for the raw nuts if you prefer.  If you use salted nuts, omit the salt from the recipe or your nuts will be overly salty
 

Urban Baby Shower February 26, 2008

Hosting a baby shower for an urban mom?  Here are some ideas for invitations, favors and flowers from a baby shower the Hip Hostess recently threw for a very hip New York City mom.
 

The Invitations:Baby Bottle FavorsBaby Bottle Favors

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“Madison Avenue Mom” by Bonnie’s Style Press

$25 for 25 fill-in invitations

www.bonniestylepress.com


The Favors:
 

Baby Bottle Favors

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Baby Bottle Favors by Little Tree Gifts

Glass baby bottles filled with hot cocoa mix and gift tags coordinating with the invitations (directions for making the cocoa on the back)

$8 each (including customized gift tags)

www.littletreegifts.com


The Flowers:

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White Calla Lilies


The Cake (cupcakes):

Baby Cupcakes

Vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting (chocolate and vanilla) and teddy graham bears, served on stacked cake stands

 

 
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