A Wedding Reception, A Magical Evening: Welcome to the 176th Tablescape Thursday!

Recently, my friend Maree, who blogs at  Tales from an OC Cottage, shared some wonderful photographs taken when her nephew, Joe (son of her sister, Bee) and his sweetie, Katie, were married back in November.  The wedding reception was held in the backyard of Maree's sister (Kae's) home.  Maree has posted pictures on her blog in past showing Kae's gorgeous gardens and landscaping, but I had no idea her back yard was so beautiful!  Add to that a stunningly beautiful wedding, and it must have been an evening not soon forgotten.

Maree said, "The bride (Katie) knew she wanted the cake in the gazebo...the basket ball court would be the dance floor and little white lights every where like in Stars Hallow {the little town where the Gilmore Girls lived.  We know it's not real, but we still want to live there one day!"

Maree said, "The grooms only request was the hanging paper lanterns.  He still has NO idea how we had to "MacGyver" them that morning.  The proper instructions were just TOO MUCH...we were already up to our eyes in glasses, napkins and tree branches! So I said we can just bend this to secure it...bend that to hang it...no lights had to be restrung, none fell, and they looked very cool."
Click HERE to continue reading...

Yummy Key Lime Pie Recipe: Welcome to the 154th Metamorphosis Monday!

If you're new to BNOTP, every Sunday evening (by 9:00 P.M.) our Metamorphosis Monday party begins. MM is a chance to share a "Before and After" you may have been working on this past week/month. Click on the category heading Parties at the top of this blog for more details.

I'm sharing an edible "Before and After" for this Metamorphosis Monday. This past Christmas I decided to shake things up a bit.  I made the traditional Coconut Cake and Ambrosia (recipe for Coconut Cake HERE) but I decided to make a pie, too.  Years ago, I used to make a Lemon Meringue pie using a recipe from  an old Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk recipe booklet.  I came across the recipe again recently and decided to give the Key Lime version a try.

The coconut cake took a lot more effort since I made it from scratch, including grating fresh coconut. When all was said and done, there was plenty of cake left and not a single piece of Key Lime pie.   Something tells me I've just started a new tradition for our Christmas feast.

Click HERE to continue reading...

New Year's Eve Champagne Punch, Delicious and Easy to Make

While we continue enjoying all the beautiful tablescapes linked for this week's Tablescape Thursday, I thought I'd share a wonderful recipe for a Champagne Punch I make every Christmas and New Year's.  It's easy to make and always a big hit.  (If you don't care for champagne, substitute chilled club soda, instead.)

If you are making this for a small gathering of 2-4 people, one batch will do. If you're having a larger gathering, you'll want to make several batches because it's always a big hit and goes quickly. I went through 4 batches (with none left over) when I had a party with 25 in attendance. (So, that works out to be around 1 batch for every 6 folks in attendance.)

Click HERE to continue reading...

Help! It's Holiday Party Time!

I love this time of year. It's crazy busy but oh, so much fun! With Thanksgiving behind us, it's time to focus on getting ready for Christmas and the upcoming holidays. Do you have an office party coming up? Any neighborhood parties to attend? Or, perhaps you'll be the one hosting this year's holiday gathering.

Photo from O Magazine online

Remember this awkward "social" visit in the hysterical movie, The Burbs?   I've often wished there was someone to turn to for the "how tos" and "what ifs" of holiday entertaining. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have someone knowledgeable in the field of etiquette to bounce all those questions off we have about hosting and attending holiday parties?

Scene from movie tour, The Burbs

Well, wish no more because BNOTP is fortunate to have a Sponsor who is an expert in the field of etiquette.  Cindy Haygood, the Training Director with the Etiquette & Leadership Institute is visiting today and she's helping us out with questions we sometimes have about hosting or attending dinner parties and holiday events.
Click HERE to continue reading...

Tutorial: Carved Watermelon Party Centerpiece

Carved Watermelon Party Centerpiece

This past Tablescape Thursday, I shared a table setting with a carved watermelon centerpiece.

For a party many years ago, I cut the top off a watermelon and hollowed it out to hold fruit.   That was cute, but I've always wanted to try my hand at carving one into a fun shape.

The cookbook below provided the inspiration I needed for this centerpiece.  I've had this cookbook for many, many years and I've always admired the carved watermelon on the front.  I've carved designs in pumpkins as shown in THIS post where I managed a reenactment of the burglars sliding on the ice-covered stairs in the movie, Home Alone. ;)

Click HERE to continue reading...

New Year's Eve Champagne Punch, Delicious and Easy to Make

If you've been reading BNOTP for a little while, you may remember a Champagne punch recipe I shared a few weeks ago. I'm posting it again today because it's also a great punch for New Year's Eve, too.

If you are making this for a small gathering of 2-4 people, one batch will do. If you're having a larger gathering, you'll want to make several batches because it's always a big hit and goes quickly. I went through 4 batches (with none left over) when I had a party with 25 in attendance. (So, that works out to be around 1 batch for every 6 folks in attendance.)


Champagne Holiday Punch

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
2 cups cranberry juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 bottle champagne (Korbel Brut works great)
Small amount of Grand Marnier (or any orange liqueur you prefer)
Red sugar
Green sugar

In a saucepan, bring water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and cloves to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Discard cinnamon and cloves.
Cool to room temperature and pour into a large pitcher.
Add cranberry juice and pineapple juice.
Chill in fridge until ready to serve.
At serving time, add 1 bottle of chilled champagne.

Right click on pic below to save it to your computer, then just print it off...much easier than having to write it all out.

Dip the Rims in Nonpariels for a Festive Occasion:

For a New Year's Eve party or a birthday party, I like to dip the rims of the glasses in nonpareils, instead of the the colored sugars I use at Christmastime.




When you get ready to serve this punch, just pour a little Grand Marnier or any orange liqueur into a shallow dish. Pour some nonpareils into a bowl.




Dip the rim of the champagne glass into the Grand Marnier, then into the bowl of nonpareils. Then pour the punch into the glass.

You can serve the punch from a punch bowl and ladle it into the glass, but since the opening of a champagne glass is so small this can be pretty messy with the punch ending up running down the sides of the glass. I found it's much easier to just pour it from a pitcher.




Or, if you have a beverage server similar to the one below, that will work well, too.




You may wish to print off some copies of this recipe because your guests are going to be asking for it. :) Or, just tell them it's an old family recipe and you've been sworn to secrecy. ;)



Your Reviews:

Some of you tried this recipe after I posted it before Christmas and here's what you said:

I made your champagne punch and served it before a luncheon I hosted yesterday! It was a true hit, and oh so very delicious! The addition of using the red and green sugars to rim the champagne glasses is a very nice detail! Thank you for sharing this with us! Loved it! It's a recipe that goes straight to my favorites file! ~At Home with a Country Lady


Made this Friday night for our annual neighborhood Holiday Party.
It got RAVE reviews and a request to make it again for Saturday's Cookie Swap. Thanks a million for an EASY, WONDERFUL treat!! ~Anonymous

Christmas Holiday Centerpiece You Can Make in 15 Minutes

Wow! You guys are amazing! Yesterday, I started reading all the "thankful" thoughts you have shared on Mikasa's Facebook Wall and I couldn't stop. I am so very blessed to have you visiting here at BNOTP. I am thankful for YOU today and everyday. Thank you for sharing your friendship, ideas and inspiration!

I can't wait for Thanksgiving but I must admit, my mind has been spinning with all the excitement of decorating for Christmas. I'll be starting my own decorating around here this weekend. Can't wait! :)


Beautiful Christmas Centerpiece or Table Decoration, Ready in 15 Minutes:

To get you in the mood for a little holiday decorating, I'm sharing a super easy and inexpensive decorating idea. In fact, this is so simple and easy to do, you could create it the day of your holiday party or family gathering in just 15 minutes using a few items available at the grocery store and from your yard. Ya gotta love that! :)



To make this table decoration or centerpiece, you'll need a glass container or vase, some small oranges, small green apples, red berries and a little greenery.


You can use tangerines instead of regular oranges. That's what I did since they were a deeper orange color. Also, you can substitute limes for the green apples, if you like...or use cranberries instead of berries from the yard. My nandina had very few berries this year...not sure why. I had just barely enough to create the arrangement.




For greenery, if you put up a fresh tree each year, save the scraps that you cut off from the bottom. Or, ask for extra scraps when you are purchasing your tree. If you have artificial trees (like I do now) visit one of the places that sells the fresh trees and ask for their scraps. They are always happy to share since the scraps are just going to get mulched or burned up anyway.




I'm sharing this now so you'll have to time to plan in case you'd like to make it. Since tree scraps aren't readily available yet, I just cut a little greenery from my Leyland Cypresses to use in the top.



This arrangement doesn't have water inside, so your greenery may only last 2-3 days. It is best put together the morning you wish to use it. It's super fast and easy and only took me 15 minutes.

I used a glass container I already had. It measures approximately 7 inches wide and 14 inches tall. I used 9 small green apples, 11 small tangeries and all the berries I could find on my sparse nandinas.

Just layer your apples (or limes) in the bottom. Add your berries next and top it off with your oranges. You could mix the layers however you wish...so play around with it. :) Then just add your greenery to the top. I also tucked a few magnolia leaves under the bottom.




So easy, inexpensive, and done in 15 minutes. Beautiful! :)




Deck the Halls Linky Party:
Speaking of decorating for Christmas, we have a linky party coming up on Monday, December 6th. Since Metamorphosis Monday is all about Before and Afters, that seemed the perfect day to share our homes all dressed out for the season. You could share something as simple as your mantel or front door decorated for Christmas...or give us a tour of the whole house. :) Please mark your calendar for our "Deck the Halls" party on Monday, December 6th. InLinkz will go up by 9:00 PM the Sunday evening before, so come on by and link up your beautiful holiday decor!

Here's a party button you can post to your sidebar, if you'd like. To post it just right click and save it to your picture file or desk top. Then upload it to your sidebar as a picture. Or, even easier, just copy the code beneath the button and add it to your sidebar as an html gadget.

<center><a href="http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNjomqu1T8mRTv3zNEoNR-LmeqsLHU8o7X5gA89E68xCZZyrACkd32k35IYax13YCbtn_-JcwAsyQoW0vjZxRlbpiK5e4yIKsJoIIMuTnbNfu_trlkDfV40MZsykn6lW2HJvgwsBv8qAb/s400/deckthehalls3.jpg" /></a></center>

Create Your Own Ice Bucket or Ice Chiller...Welcome to the 95th Metamorphosis Monday!

Recently, I received a catalog in the mail and it showed this pic/ad. I was tempted to order it until I realized the silver bowl was plastic. I remembered I already had a silver bowl...so I decided to try and make the ice chiller with things I already had and save myself $29.00.

The Before:
The only thing I had to purchase was a bottle of wine, cranberries and distilled water. You don't have to use distilled water so you could save the expense of buying that, if you like. But I learned back when I made "flower ice cubes" that distilled water will usually freeze pretty clear, and it's only $1 for a gallon...more than enough for my ice chiller. If you'd like your ice chiller to be more frosty looking like the one in the catalog...just used tap water.





I searched around the house and decided on this tin for my mold. (It measures 6 1/2 wide by 7 1/2 tall.) This worked fine except for two snags. 1. It leaked very slowly, so I had to add a little more water to it after about 45 minutes. It was such a slow leak in the freezer that the water froze as it leaked out, so I just broke it off and tossed it in the sink. I think that could be prevented by running a bead of hot glue around on the inside bottom where it meets the sides prior to using it.

2. The other little snag is the indention near the top made my ice mold a little tricky to get out. A container that is completely smooth at the top would work better. Just DON'T use glass. It would be very difficult to get your ice chiller out because you'll need to run warm water over it and glass would most likely break.)



I found a plastic container to use in the center...it's an old Tupperware container/pitcher. (Again, please do not use glass for this part either...same reason...it would break with the temperature change.) I placed the wine inside to make sure it was the right size for a bottle of wine. It was perfect. (It measures around 3 1/2 inches wide by 8 1/2 inches tall.)




I knew I needed something heavy to go in the center container so it wouldn't float. Clay cat litter almost worked, but wasn't quite heavy enough. Next I tried pennies from a huge penny jar collection and that worked great. Sand, marbles or even pebbles/rocks would work fine, too.




I stuck the container (filled with pennies) into the cannister and poured distilled water all around saving just enough room for 1 full bag of cranberries at the top. You can pour some of the water off or add more...whatever you need to do to get your cranberries right up to the top.




After it had frozen overnight, I took the lid off and poured out all the pennies. Next I refilled the center container with warm water, being careful to not get it on the ice inside. In this pic I had just dumped the pennies out into the big container you see on the left. I ran just a little warm water into the center container, it came right out.

I didn't take any pics of me fighting the ice chiller out of the tin container. (LOL) It was loose toward the bottom but that blooming ridge at the top of my container got wedged with a cranberry. I kept running warm water on the outside of the container near the top and it finally let go.



After:
This is the only pic I have with the lamp off, and it shows the shape of the ice chiller best. It's the shape of the small tin I had used. See how much clearer distilled water freezes than regular ole tap water?




The rest of the pics are a bit harder to see due to the light reflecting inside the bowl, but I think you'll get the idea.

Wouldn't this be a fun way to serve your white wine for a dinner party or holiday party, or really any party? I bet there are lots of other things that could be added besides cranberries. Lemon or orange slices?

I'll be keeping my eye out for a better container than the tin one for the future...but I am happy about saving $29. :)

Metamorphosis Monday:
If you are participating in Metamorphosis Monday: Please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on your post name, then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar at the top, into the "url" box for the picture linky. You'll also need to put your e-mail address in, but don't worry, it will not be visible to anyone.

Let's try something fun today! Please visit the person who linked before you and after you...that way everyone will get some visits. Hope you'll visit more, of course. 

Slaying the Top 10 Reasons For Not Hosting a Holiday Party

As our Party Planning Week comes to a close, I thought we'd take a look at our Top 10 Reasons for not Hosting a Holiday Party again. Hopefully, I've given you a few ideas/tips that will help slay some of those reasons. :) (I've included links back to many of this week's posts that have included weapons you can use against those objections.)

1. I work full-time...no way I have time to host a party.
The secret is just starting early and doing a few things each evening and on weekends to get your home ready. It's not so overwhelming with just a little planning.

2. The furniture is looking worn and the house needs painting.
Have your party in the evening using lots of lamp light and candlelight. No one will ever notice...they will be having way too much fun. My house is far from perfect. I do my best to get it in good shape before a party, then I don't worry about the rest. I think folks actually feel more relaxed when they come to your home and notice some things aren't so perfect. It puts them at ease and they know they can invite you to their home, too. :)

3. My house is just too small, where would everyone sit?
Have a buffet style party instead of a sit down dinner. Folks will usually stand throughout most of the party talking to one another. If someone decides to sit, they can head to the family room. I find folks rarely sit down...they are too busy eating, catching up and making new friends to sit.

4. It's too expensive and the budget is tight this year.
Host a neighborhood party or a group party and ask everyone to bring a dish. Folks are usually more than happy to do that since you have provided your home for the event. Then you can just make the dessert and beverage. If you'd like to make a few dishes that's great, too.

5. I don't have enough dishes or the things you need to have a party.
Paper plates are fine....no need for actual dishes. If you'd like to start collecting some china to use for future parties, let your family/friends know what pattern and just ask that for upcoming birthday/Mother's Day/Christmas, you'd love a few plates of the china pattern you've chosen.

Or, even easier, shop the thrift stores/garage sales/flea markets/eBay. There are definitely bargains to be had! A few weeks ago, I found 8 place settings (and a few serving pieces) of Valerie Parr Hill's, 12 Days of Christmas china for $45 at a local antique shop. This is a great time of year to shop the thrift/antique shops for Christmas or holiday china. You'll be ready for a holiday party next year!

6. The kids are too young and would act up or get in the way.
As we talked about earlier in the week, hire a sitter for the night or maybe let your children spend the night with friends that night. You'll be able to relax, enjoy the party and have a little fun.

7. I don't know who to invite...everyone is so busy anyway.
The first two Fridays and Saturdays in December tend to be the busiest nights for parties. If you're concerned about folks being too busy or having other commitments, trying planning your party on a different day. Sunday afternoons are great for neighborhood get-togethers.

Invite neighbors, garden club members, your book club members, friends from church and work. You most likely know more folks than you realize. It doesn't have to be a large gathering to be a great party. :) Some of the most fun parties I've had were small groups of 6-8. You really get a chance to share and know each other with smaller gatherings.

8. I don't know how to plan it...where to even start.
Hopefully this past week's posts have helped with this. :)

9. It's just too much work, too overwhelming to think about!
The key again is just starting early...breaking it down into small doable parts. Make lists or use the lists I've created as a guide for starting early. If some things don't get done...it's no big deal. The important thing is not getting "stuck" in the details and missing out on the fun.

10. What if I fail?
What is failing? To me, failing is when you let the fear of the unknown stop you from trying new things...from enjoying and living your life as you wish. When you throw a party, things won't go perfectly. Thankfully, perfection is not the goal. The goal is simply getting together with friends to celebrate and enjoy life. Right? :)

See you this evening for Metamorphosis Monday! I'll be sharing a little "before and after" that you can use at an upcoming holiday party.

Yummy Cranberry Trifle for Your Christmas Holiday Party

Earlier today I posted the recipe for the Champagne Punch I always make when I have a Christmas Party. A couple of folks e-mailed and asked for the trifle recipe, too...so here ya go...




The recipe cames from the December 2008 issue of Everyday Food.




Cranberry Trifle

2 bags (12 oz each) cranberries, fresh or frozen (I used fresh)
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger (if using ground ginger, use much less or will be too strong)
1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
2 homemade or store-bought all-butter pound cakes, 12 oz. each, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
Candied Orange Zest (recipe follows for zest)

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 cups granulated sugar, ginger and 2 cups water. The ginger is the yellow looking stuff in this pic. At first I was worried that 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger would be overpowering, since ginger is pretty strong. It wasn't though...it was just right!




Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until cranberries begin to burst...8-10 minutes. They were just starting to burst when I took this pic.




Let compote cool completely. To speed up the cooling time, I poured the compote into a large bowl and stuck it in the refrigerator...otherwise it would have taken a really long time to cool because it is really thick and syrup like.

Make cream filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and vanilla on high until well combined. With mixer on medium, gradually add heavy cream; continue beating until soft peaks form.

Arrange 1/3 of cake in a 3 quart serving dish. I bought the boxed Duncan Hines pound cake mix when I made it...to save some time.




Spoon 1/3 of compote over cake; spread to sides of dish. Dollop 1/3 of cream filling over compote; spread to sides of dish. Repeat twice more, ending with cream filling. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 1 day). Garnish with Candied Orange Zest, if desired. (I highly recommend making and garnishing with the Candied Orange Zest...it was one of the best parts of the trifle!)

Recipe for Candied Orange Zest:
In a medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest of 1 orange (peeled into long strips with a vegetable peeler); simmer, swirling occasionally, until zest is tender...8-10 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a plate. Dredge zest in sugar, and thinly slice.

I found it tricky to cut the zest after dredging...felt like I was knocking some of the sugar off. Might be better to cut it first and then dredge it through the sugar. Or, better yet...cut it, put it back into the syrupy water you just drained off and then dredge it...that way the sugar will really stick well. You try it and tell me what works best. :-)


Here's the finished product...




When I made this for my last party, it was a big hit and began disappearing fast...you can see the layers in this photo...



You'll find all the Party Planning Posts under the heading Tablescapes for All Occasions at the top of this blog. (Just scroll down to the bottom of that page.) Enjoy!

Also linking this post to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.
Thanks Michael for hosting Foodie Friday!

Champagne Punch Perfect for a Christmas or New Years Eve Party

Several folks have asked for the punch recipe I mentioned in our last Party Planning post.
So here ya go...

The Recipe:

Champagne Holiday Punch

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
2 cups cranberry juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 bottle champagne (Korbel Brut works great)
Small amount of Grand Marnier (or any orange liqueur you prefer)
Red sugar
Green sugar

In a saucepan, bring water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and cloves to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Discard cinnamon and cloves.
Cool to room temperature and pour into a large pitcher.
Add cranberry juice and pineapple juice.
Chill in fridge until ready to serve.
At serving time, add 1 bottle of chilled champagne.


Right click on pic below to save it to your computer:

If having a party, I recommend at least doubling, tripling or quadrupling this recipe, because it's a huge hit and folks keeping coming back for more. When I had around 25 guests for a neighborhood cookie party, we went through four batches, with none left over!

When serving, put red sugar, green sugar and Grand Marnier in a three-part dish or in three separate bowls. I use this divided dish and it works out really well. Dip the rim of the champagne glass into the Grand Marnier, then into one of the sugars. Then pour the punch into the glass.




You can serve it from a punch bowl and ladle it into the glass, but since the opening of a champagne glass is so small, this can be pretty messy with the punch ending up running down the sides of the glass. I found it's much easier to just pour it from a pitcher.




Or, if you have a beverage server similar to the one below, that will work well, too.




Your guests will love the look of the sugar-rimmed glasses.

For large parties, I love to use little charms around the stem of the glass. I have a limited number of champagne glasses so it helps my guests keep up with their glass.




For a New Year's Eve party or a birthday party, I like to dip the rims of the glasses in nonpareils, instead of the the colored sugars.







I've placed the glass in front of the paper towels so you can get a better look...

Doesn't this just say, FUN?

Enjoy!