Art Party

My daughter Tasha is heading off to college to study graphic design. Her high school graduation party was a perfect place to showcase her own artwork as well as the artistic elements of “let it be done”. Yes, we make and bake food and desserts, but what we really enjoy is putting together the presentation and making it personal.

A welcome wreath decorated with bright colored artist tools

Some of Tasha’s artwork…

Kellee and Laura’s artwork

 

The Menu

A Take Home treat

She is ready for Concordia, Nebraska!

I have been thinking about this lately. She just beat me to the writing about it part!

 

It seems like everything I have looked at lately has a great outdoor party all centered around a piece of indoor furniture just taken outside.  Here are some of the better pictures in this post from Celebrations at Home: Trend Alert - Bring The Inside, Out!

Rocky Party People

 

So here is how the invitation read.

“YO HOW YOU DOIN”? THE CHAMP WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOUS TO CELEBRATE SCOTT’S 40^th BIRTHDAY SATURDAY NIGHT MAY15^th, 2010  STARTING AT 4:00P.M.

DON'T BE NO BUM; COME DRESSED IN YOUR BEST "ROCKY BALBOA" ATTIRE & BE READY TO ENJOY A KNOCK-OUT BIRTHDAY PARTY! WE'LL PROBABLY PLAY GAMES OR SOMETHIN' LIKE THAT YOU KNOW 'CAUSE I CAN'T SING OR DANCE.   BUT I THINK WE'LL MAKE A REAL SHARP COUPLE OF COCONUTS ANYWAY.

WHADDAYA THINK HUH? IT'LL BE FUN YOU KNOW?  

MICK SAYS WE NEED TO EAT LIGHTINING BUT I JUS' WANT TO LET YA KNOW THAT WE'LL EAT PHILLY SANDWICHES INSTEAD YOU KNOW SINCE THE ITALIAN STALLION IS FROM PHILADELPHIA & EVERYTHING. HOPE YOUS CAN COME!

 

And here are the best dressed guests!

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YO! It’s a Rocky Party!

My husband celebrated his 40th birthday on May 19 and since he is  a big fan of the Rocky movies, I decided that a Rocky themed party was in order.  Everyone was invited to come in their best Rocky attire to eat Philly Cheese steaks and celebrate in style. I think I even heard a few people holler “YO, ADRIANE”  before the night was over. After several trips to Home Depot and Hobby Lobby,  here is the what we came up with for food and decorations.  People pics to be posted later. Thanks to Tasha (again) for being my personal photographer!

We had Philly Cheese steaks to eat and everyone liked them so much, that I didn’t even get a picture and there was not a single sandwich left.  But here is the recipe if you would like to try them at home.  It is from the Make it Fast, Cook it Slow cook book I got for Christmas.  Thanks Mom!

The Ingredients:

1 pound sliced tri-tip

1/2 sliced onion

1 red, green, yellow or orange bell pepper

1/4 cup of white wine

1 T Worcestershire sauce

favorite cheese

The Directions:

dump sliced meat into stoneware

put sliced pepper and onion in too

add white wine and worcestershire sauce

Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-6.

Spoon meat onto sliced french rolls or other favorite bread-item. Top with cheese.  (I used provolone. ) Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until cheese is nice and melty.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Bar Cookies are great for Parties!

If you are planning more than one party at a time…(we know a little about that), or planning a party that requires travel of food…(one hour away or in the mail; we know about this too!), or if you need to make food a couple of weeks before the party…(because you have too many other things to do)…a Bar Cookie is the perfect dessert! Two of our favorite recipes did double duty this past month.
The French Caramel Pecan Bars is a recipe that I cut out of a newspaper YEARS ago. It is easy to make and freezes well. The Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars is a Taste of Home recipe I found while looking for something “very chocolate”. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks!

French Caramel Pecan Bars surrounded by Brownie Pops at Tasha’s Graduation Party



Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars featured with Mini Pies at Shelby’s graduation Party



Both are served along with Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and Frosted Brownies at Dick & Cindy’s Wedding Reception

Recipes:

French Caramel Pecan Bars

¾ cup butter, melted
1 pkg Moist Supreme French Vanilla Cake Mix
1 egg
2 ½ cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 can coconut pecan frosting
1 (12 oz) pkg (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans
Heat oven to 350⁰ F. Spray a 15x10x1 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Place melted butter in large bowl. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the cake mix; set aside.
Add remaining cake mix to the butter; blend well. Add egg; mix well. Stir in oats.
Press 2/3 of cake mix mixture (about 2 ½ cups) in bottom of sprayed pan.
Place frosting in medium microwave bowl; microwave on high for 1 minute. Add reserved 3 tablespoons cake mix; stir until large lumps disappear.
Drizzle half of frosting mixture over cake mix mixture in pan; spread evenly.
Sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans. Drizzle with remaining frosting mixture.
Crumble remaining cake mix mixture over frosting mixture.
Bake at 350⁰ F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and edges are bubbly. Cool completely.
Cut into bars. Makes 48 bars.

Deluxe Chocolate Marshmallow Bars

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 
  TOPPING:
• 1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups crisp rice cereal

Directions

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.
• Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes. Sprinkle with marshmallows; bake 2-3 minutes longer. Remove to a wire rack. Using a knife dipped in water, spread the melted marshmallows evenly over top. Cool completely.
• For topping, combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until blended. Remove from the heat; stir in cereal. Spread over bars immediately. Chill. Yield: about 3 dozen.

The Art of Roasting Marshmallows

 

So immediately following the multiple graduation parties, my mom and the three little girls and I  hopped in the car and headed for Iowa.  We had a wonderful time on the farm eating pork burgers, roasting marshmallows, sifting through family heirlooms and just enjoying being at home. 

I am pretty sure that marshmallow roasting is the very best part of summer.  To make it even better, my mom had this great package of marshmallows. 

Giant Roasters Campfire Premium Quality Marshmallows

 

And here is what they look like toasted

And boy did they ever hit the spot. 

My roasting technique  consists of getting the marshmallow  nice and golden brown  and then pulling off that toasted outer layer and eating it while toasting the remaining insides of the marshmallow.  And it is even better with a GIANT marshmallow!

We did turn some of them into smores and this is what happened.

 

What a great start to summer. 

It’s Party Central Around Here

 

We have obviously not mastered the art of blogging on a regular basis but I think we have a pretty good excuse as to why! 

Let’s see, this Saturday is Scott’s birthday party.  Today he informed me that since it has a Mexican theme not only do we need ice cold Coronas, but also a piñata.  Uh, ok. I will add it to my list.  

Next week my little sister graduates, again.  Her party got boxed up and shipped off over a week ago but there are still a few finishing touches to get in the mail this week.  We will have to have her do a guest post for us since we are not able to attend the party. Boo. Hoo.

After that, it is just graduation after graduation!  Lizzy’s, Tasha’s and Shelby’s to get ready for not to mention the ones we just get to attend!  And  add some visiting parents to the mix and that is our month of May! 

Stay tuned, party details to follow.   But for now, off to bed!