Christmas

My favourite time of year is here!  Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones - visit Party Ideas Page for some inspiration.

Happy Thanksgiving America!

Two more days until the U.S. celebrates Thanksgiving.  Enjoy your family, food, and fun!!

~ With Love,
    Canada :)

Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving just one week away, it's time to start planning for your festive family get-together. Using a collection of information and collages, I have offered suggestions and opinions on various decor, table setting, food, dessert, drink, craft, and game ideas.  Come visit Party Ideas Page for all things Thanksgiving!

Vesna ♥

Canada Day Party

Canada Day is pretty special to me as I was born and raised in this amazing country.  I feel so lucky that my parents moved here almost 50 years ago.  So here's a little something on Party Ideas Page I put together to help you celebrate your love and support for Canada, The True North Strong and Free.  

Father's Day Celebration

Father's Day is a week away, it's time to start planning for your family get-together.  Food, drinks, games and party decorating are now available at Party Ideas Page.  Here's a little teaser...

Playground Birthday Party

Summer is quickly approaching, so if your child is having a birthday coming up, plan a Playground Party.  It's inexpensive, easy to prepare, and most important, fun!  Here'a little preview of the newest party addition at Party Ideas Page...

Outdoor Princess Party

If your little girl is interested in having a princess party, why not celebrate outdoors?  This time of year is short-lived for some (especially where I live), so get the most of it by planning an Outdoor Princess Party - it's now available to view at Party Ideas Page.  Here's a glimpse:

See you there!

  

Party Ideas Page Update

Exciting news!!!  Party Ideas Page has been undergoing some new and improved changes.  The site has been providing ideas and images, primarily about holiday parties, for the last 3 years, but is now branching off to birthday party ideas.  I blogged about birthday parties in the past but am now including them (with more detail) on the website.  It features photos/ideas I have researched on the internet, as well as my own.  There will be larger, high quality images to help really visualize the party as well.  Hope you like it!!!

  

St. Patrick's Day Drinks

Soon, it'll be time to party like you're Irish!!  Check out some fun cocktails for your St. Patrick's Day get-togethers!

LUCKY LEPRECHAUN

food.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 fluid ounce Southern Comfort

1/2 fluid ounce Midori melon liqueur

1/2 fluid ounce Malibu rum

6 fluid ounces pineapple juice

1 dash blue curacao

lime wedge, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix ingredients in a glass or shaker.

2. Pour over ice in a hurricane glass.

3. Garnish with a lime wedge.

WHISKEY COCKTAIL

natureinsider.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz whiskey, 30 ml

1 oz Crème de Menthe, 30 ml

ice cubes

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add ice to glasses

2. Pour the whiskey

3. Add Green Crème de Menthe

4. Stir well and serve :)

KISS ME I'M IRISH

4cocktails.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 part(s) Hornitos Plata Tequila 

1 part(s) DeKuyper Pucker Island Blue Schnapps 

1 part(s) Pineapple Juice

1 part(s) Mango Juice

DIRECTIONS:

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.

GREEN FIN 

lifelovebeauty.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ oz Finlandia 

1 oz Green apple liqueur

Green apple peel

DIRECTIONS:

1. Shake and strain into cocktail glass. 

2. Garnish with green apple peel. 

CRèME de MENTHE COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz Crème de Menthe, 30 ml

3 oz coconut milk, 90 ml

ice cubes

fresh mint leaves, optional

ice cream, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add ice to the glasses

2. Pour Green Crème de Menthe

3. Add the coconut milk

4. Stir well and serve :)

IRISH GOLD

thekibitzers.com

INGREDIENTS:

2 parts Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey

2 parts Ginger Ale

1/2 part Peach Schnapps

Splash of Orange Juice

Lime wheel for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Fill a tall glass with ice

2. Add whiskey, schnapps, and juice

3. Top with Ginger Ale

(optional) Garnish with a lime wheel

BAGPIPER'S MELODY

thekibitzers.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz Whiskey

1 ounce Green Crème de Menthe

Ice

Old-Fashioned glass

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add ice to old-fashioned glass

2. Pour Green Crème de Menthe

3. Add Whiskey

4. Stir well

CARUSO COCKTAIL

thekibitzers.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz gin

1 oz dry vermouth

A dash of green crème de menthe

Sunglasses (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pour ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice

2. Stir well

3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass

(optional) Say a one-liner, put sunglasses on drink, and yell “YEAH”

EMERALD ISLE COCKTAIL

thekibitzers.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 oz Gin

1 tsp Green Crème de Menthe

2 Dashes bitters

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled

with ice cubes

2. Shake well

3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Vesna ♥

Super Bowl Party Food

Just a couple more days until Super Bowl!!!  Now is a good time to start your grocery shopping and buy the items you'll need to serve your apps and snacks.  If you wait too long, the items will be gone - trust me, I just went shopping and the ground beef (for our chili) was almost gone!  If you're making chili, order some fresh buns in advance as well.  

Below are some fun food ideas to serve your football fans for the big Super Bowl party this Sunday.  Enjoy the game...and the food!

GUACAMOLE

Ingredients:


•  3 ripe avocados
•  1 Roma tomato (diced finely)
•  1 bunch of cilantro (chopped finely)
•  4 green onions (chopped finely)
•  1 tbsp. jalapeno (chopped finely)
    use 1 tbsp. juice from jar for added flavor
•  1 fresh lime (squeezed)
•  Add salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Mash together with a fork.

Serve with tortilla chips and pita triangles.

GRILLED BUFFALO CHICKEN BREAST

Ingredients:

   
•  Skinless, boneless chicken breast
•  1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
•  2 tbsp. olive oil
•  1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preparation:

Place chicken breast in a zip lock bag with Frank's, olive oil and black pepper.  

Massage chicken/sauce in bag until well mixed and covered.  Let sit for 1 hour to marinate. 

Take chicken out with tongs and place straight on a pre-heated grill at medium heat.

Cook for about 15 minutes or until the outside of the chicken is starting to char on the edges. 

Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing.  Also works well in a bun.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

Ingredients:


•  1 (4-pound) whole chicken
•  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
•  3 tablespoons seasoned salt
•  1 can beer

Preparation:

Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken lightly with oil then rub inside and out with seasoned salt. Set aside.

Open beer can and take several gulps (so the can is 3/4 full). Place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

RIBS

Ingredients:

•  4 pounds pork spareribs
•  1 cup brown sugar
•  1/4 cup ketchup
•  1/4 cup soy sauce
•  1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
•  1/4 cup rum
•  1/2 cup chile sauce
•  2 cloves garlic, crushed
•  1 teaspoon dry mustard
•  1 dash ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cut spareribs into serving size portions, wrap in double thickness of foil, and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Unwrap, and drain drippings. (I usually freeze the drippings to use later in soups.) Place ribs in a large roasting pan.

In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rum, chile sauce, garlic, mustard, and pepper. Coat ribs with sauce and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Position grate four inches above heat source.

Brush grill grate with oil. Place ribs on grill, and cook for 30 minutes, basting with marinade. 

Vesna ♥

Super Bowl Party Decorating Tips

Super Bowl is this Sunday and it's time to start thinking of how you will be decorating your party area  for game day.  Below are a couple of pictures from last years Super Bowl.  We kept it simple, using streamers, balloons, and decorative stars in the colours of the teams (New England Patriots and New York Giants).  Note: I'm not American but these decorations would have been perfect for Independence Day as well.

Remember, you don't need to go all out for your Super Bowl party, just be unique with what you do choose to decorate with.  For instance, try and think of fun and interesting ways to present your food and drinks - this is what will catch the eyes of your fans most, then the game, right? :P
 

Now for some of my favourite Super Bowl decorating pics I've come across on the Internet...

Redesign Revolution

Redesign Revolution

Anatomy of a Dinner Party

Redesign Revolution

Crafts Unleashed

Tiny Prints

Anatomy of a Dinner Party

Celebrate and Decorate

Tiny Prints

Crafts Unleashed

Celebrations

Anatomy of a Dinner Party

Redesign Revolution

Crafts Unleashed

Redesign Revolution

Vesna ♥

Super Bowl Desserts

I know football lovers may disagree with me, but it's dessert that will grab your guests attention, not the big game!  OK, ok, maybe they will receive equal attention ;P

Below are a couple of desserts I've made for our Super Bowl parties. Look further to find some of my favourites on the Internet.

Alright, these I actually made for Grey Cup 2012, but it's our version of the Super Bowl! lol

I made these a couple of years ago for a Buffalo Bills game but you can design based on the teams competing at Super Bowl.

Here are my Internet favourites:

CAKES

Babble

Donna Belle Desserts

CUPCAKES

Redesign Revolution

Cupcake Post

Sugarcraft

Attention to Detail

cfbsection.com

Babble

Jeanne Benedict

COOKIES

Redesign Revolution

Sugar Loco

Desserted Planet

Brown Eyed Baker

BROWNIES

Desserted Planet

CHOCOLATES

Debs Blog Spot

Babble

CHOCOLATE-COVERED STRAWBERRIES

Calligraphy by Jennifer

RICE KRISPIE TREATS

Jeanne Benedict

Desserted Planet

DESSERT DIP

Crazy for Crust

ICE CREAM SANDWICH

Desserted Planet

POPCORN

U Create

Vesna ♥