One of my friends is from Spain and makes the best gazpacho! She served it at a cookout last weekend in chilled martini glasses, which were the perfect serving size and a great appetizer to eat while mingling.
Make any chilled summer soup look spectacular by serving it “up” in a martini glass. Chill the glasses in the freezer until you are ready to serve the soup for a nice frosty alternative to a bowl.
Try this eco-friendly alternative instead of buying fresh flowers for your next soiree. Display leftover fresh herbs -such as dill, parsley, basil, rosemary, cilantro, chives, thyme and lavender – in simple bud vases and use them as a centerpiece. Use a single sprig, a bunch of herbs or mix several different types together. Put the herbs in small vases, juice glasses or empty glass jars with the label removed (a great use for empty spice jars!) filled with a few inches of water. Group several herb-filled jars together in the center of your table for a more substantial centerpiece. Use jars that are different shapes, sizes and heights for visual interest.
Soak herbs in a bowl or sink full of cold water to clean and revive them. Spin the herbs dry in your salad spinner or secure stems with a rubber band and hang them upside down to dry. Be sure to dry the leaves completely to extend the life of the herbs. Most herbs, other than basil, last longer if store in the refrigerator and the leaves are loosely covered with an empty plastic bag.
It may not seem like spring is in the air, but daffodils are already in season. Celebrate the beginning of spring by picking up a bunch this weekend. Use them as a centerpiece for brunch or to perk up your dinner table. For about $3 per bunch, these recession-friendly flowers are sure to put a smile on your face.
Hip Tips:
You don’t have to go to a bakery to serve super cute cupcakes for your St. Patty’s Day Party. Bake a batch of your favorite homemade or boxed cupcakes and use some of the fun accessories below to make them party-worthy, no matter what style you are going for. Serve them for dessert, send them along with your kids to school or give them as favors by wrapping them in cello bags tied with a green ribbon or rafia.
Some of the cupcake liners would also be great for a modern baby shower, preppy bridal shower or a hip garden party. Many of the retailers listed offer lots of other beautiful cake and cupcake docorating goods so check out their selections.
Modern
Green Swirl Cupcake Liners – $2.15/30 from Sweetart
http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/product.aspx?T=1&productId=632615
Crafty
Clover Cupcake Wrapper - $13/ dozen from Paper Orchid Stationary
http://www.paperorchidstationery.com/modules/cart/products.php/nav_id/775/page/1/id/862/name/LuckyCupcakeWrapperGreen
Preppy
Green and White Polka Dot Cupcake Liners – $8.99/ 100 from Cup Cakery Supplies
http://www.acupcakery.com/green-polka-dot-cupcake-liners-100-p100.html
Retro
Shamrock Cupcake Liners – $2.95/ 50 from Plates and Napkins
http://www.platesandnapkins.com/Store_ViewProdDetail.asp?ProdID=16772
Shiny
Green Metallic Foil Cupcake Liners – $2.25/ 32 from Country Kitchen
http://www.countrykitchensa.com/catalog/product.aspx?CatId=530&ShopId=38&SubCatId=1089&T=1&productId=634507
Unusual
Folded Light Green Cupcake Liners – $5.50/ 40 from Fancy Flours
http://www.fancyflours.com/site/7100-CF-FGR-1.html
Fresh
Striped Green Greaseproof Cupcake Liners - $4/ 70 from Fancy Flours
http://www.fancyflours.com/muffin-cup-green-stripe.html
Simple
Green Glassine Cupcake Liners – $7.00/ 100 from Cupcakery Supplies
http://www.acupcakery.com/greenglassinecupcake-liners.html
Sweet
Sugar Shamrocks – $0.75 each from Sugar Craft By Rosie
http://www.sugarcraftbyrosie.com.au/catalog/item/5836485/6732835.htm
Festive
Shamrock Sprinkles – $2.99/ 2.5oz from Confectionary House
http://www.confectioneryhouse.com/product.php?productid=3477
Vintage
Clover Cake Topper Picks – $6/ 12 from BusyIzzyBakery
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20509862
Earthy
Irish Blarney Stones – $9.99/ 12 from Oriental Trading Company
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=96/1424&prodCatId=377604&mode=Browsing&erec=30&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=377604&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Irish+Blarney+Stones
Kitchy
Leprechaun Cupcake Picks – $1.99/ 12 from Fantes
http://www.fantes.com/st-patrick.html
You’ve done all your menu planning, stocked up on groceries and have started to prepare your Thanksgiving feast. As you start to set the table you realize you forgot to think about a centerpiece! Fear not. I have a super simple, festive centerpiece that can be assembled in 5 minutes with things you probably have on hand.
Take several clear glass vases – varying sizes and shapes are fine - and fill them with water. Pour fresh cranberries into each vase. The cranberries will float to the top and create a pretty, colorful display. Surround the vases with tea lights, candle sticks or a combination of both. If you want to jazz it up even more you can add pine cones, mini pumpkins, gourds, apples or pears* to the display. Center them in a group in the middle of the table or spread them out along a long rectangular table (especially if they are all the same height, like the cylinders shown). Put them straight on the tablecloth or along a runner or plank of wood. In less than 5 minutes you’ll have a party-worthy centerpiece that has both color and sparkle. Phew. Now you have something to be thankful for!
This centerpiece can also be used for other winter holidays. Add clippings from your tree to the display, as shown above, and it’s Christmas-ready.
*If you have restless little helpers around you can get help bedazzling ordinary items. Set them up in the garage or outside with a can of gold spray paint (lay some newspaper down first) to coat your pine cones, apples or whatever additions you want to add to your centerpiece. They’ll dry quickly and add a professional look to your table.
Buying holiday-specific party goods isn’t generally a great idea unless you have lots of extra storage space. But purchasing a few small, festive pieces that can be used for other occasions will help you set a festive scene. Take, for example, this skull and bones cocktail shaker. It doesn’t scream “Halloween” but it’s definitely perfect for the occasion. Not only will it “shake-up” your Halloween bar, but you can easily use this kitchy piece year-round.
This cocktail shaker is availble at Target (seasonal), for $14.99.
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.
Whether you’re inviting friends to your beach house or throwing a beach theme party on your rooftop, seashell candle holders will add an authentic flare to your beach party decore. Use real seashells and place a votive candle or tea light (removed from the tin holder) in the open side of the shell. If you have any lying around, sprinkle tiny little shells inside the candle and watch them float in the wax as the candle melts. If you aren’t on an actual beach, fill a shallow bowl or plate with sand and nestle the seashells in the sand before lighting them. A fun use for those shells you collected on vacation, and a great way to create ambiance for your beach party.
Everything looks more impressive when served on an elevated stand. It’s one of the easiest presentation tricks that will instantaneously make anything look more exciting. Take, for example, store-bought cupcakes. Serving them on a flat plate is fine, but put them on a footed cake stand and you have yourself a festive dessert.
Use a cake stand when serving savory foods too. I serve mini quiches, crostinis and tea sandwiches on cake stands and they always look great. A cake stand is particularly useful when you’re setting up a buffet because the varying height adds visual interest to your spread. It’s an easy trick that will literally elevate the appearance of whatever you’re serving.
Living in NYC I can appreciate the lack of space city dwellers have for unnecessary things. That being said, a simple cake stand (glass, crystal or white) is an essential. You don’t even need to take up any precious cupboard space when it’s not in use: Put a cake stand on top of your refrigerator and use it to corral vitamins and other pill bottles; place it on the counter in your kitchen and use it instead of a fruit bowl; or use it on your dresser for perfume bottles (just be sure to wash it really well before you use it for edible displays).
You can still host a great get-together even if cooking isn’t your idea of a good time. By ordering some gourmet pizzas you can save yourself from cooking and still please the crowd. Here are some tips for hosting a hip pizza party.
If you can find a place with wood burning or brick ovens order your pizza there. Their pizzas will generally have a crispy, thin crust with lots of flavor. Another option is to order from a pizza place that offers lots of different toppings so you can create your own flavor combinations.
A few of my favorite combinations are:
If you are ordering from a basic pizza place that doesn’t have an extensive topping selection, pick up a bunch of fresh basil and sprinkle chopped or torn basil over a traditional margarita pizza to add a dash of fresh flavor and bright color.
A few presentation ideas: serve pizza on a wooden pizza peel, a large cutting board, or a plain cake stand.
To round out the meal, serve pizza with a simple salad with homemade vinaigrette (balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Dijon mustard, fresh basil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice).
Sliced tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella drizzled with olive oil would be a good appetizer.
Dessert can be anything from tiramisu or gelato (for an Italian-inspired theme) to a seasonal fruit pie (to stick with the pizza “pie” theme).
Pick up a few menus on your way home tonight and invite some people over. You don’t even need to turn on the oven!
