Progressive Party - House Pub Crawl

You may have heard of Progressive Dinner Parties – this is a variation on that. A Progressive Dinner Party is when each course of a meal is served at a different home. Kind of like a traveling potluck dinner. On Wikipedia, I read about a more complicated Progressive Party where the guests also change from house to house, so you get to party with a whole new crowd at each stop. The overly complicated directions (and pretty diagrams!) for that are at this link. Good luck explaining that one in an invitation!

My friends threw a Progressive Party/House Pub Crawl that the group still talks about today. I wanted to impart this idea to you in hopes that you will have an equally epic night.

Once upon a time, in a college town not far away, there were four friends who lived within a two block radius of each other. Each friend was given the responsibility to come up with a Drink and a Food for the progressive party that represented the country/place of his/her choice. Hosts and guests would then go from house to house together to sample the food and drink.

About twenty guests converged on the first house. There, the host provided Bailey’s shots and green jello. This was supposed to be representative of Ireland. The guests appreciated that instead of going with the obvious food choices of corned beef or potatoes, the host chose to go with green jello, the national dish of the Emerald Isle.

After eating their fill of gelatin, the mob of guests walked to the second house. The host at the location provided Sangria and Tortilla Español so the guests could explore the tastes of Spain. She also “entertained” the guests with an album of photos taken during her recent Study Abroad experience in Toledo, Spain and played some Spanish pop music.

The third host home provided some much appreciated food from the tropics. Teriyaki chicken and pineapple skewers and piña coladas were served - and by this time the tipsy guests were willing to laugh at jokes about getting lai’ed. (Drunken guests may or may not have also devoured an entire box of Samoa Girl Scout cookies that was inadvertently placed in plain sight on top of the refrigerator.)

No one needed to drink or eat any more at this point, but motivated guests gamely traipsed to the fourth and final party house. There they courageously imbibed Hurricanes and Jambalaya made by the host, a native of New Orleans. After the Hurricanes, no one can actually recall what else happened that night. Legend has it that the guests walked to a local bar to sober up and tried to remember all the places they had been to that evening.

Green jello - synonymous with Irish Pride

If you are over the age of 24, you may want to tweak this party idea so your guests don’t die of alcohol poisoning. (Our livers seemed stronger back then, didn’t they?) But I think the basic concept still works.

1. Have a theme for the party to keep it cohesive. Each host provides food from their home state or ancestral home. Each host has to serve a vegetable that they’ve grown in the garden. Each host has to pair their favorite wine with an appetizer. Each host picks an awesome scene from a movie to watch, then serves a coordinating beverage and food. (“Mystic Pizza”, anyone? Anyone?)

2. The hosts must live near to each other. Either walking distance or short driving distance. (Designated drivers!)

3. Limit the number of host houses to three or four. Three is probably better. (See above cautionary tale.)

4. Each host can invite a few guests. Decide ahead of time how many guests that will be so each host knows how much food and drink to prepare. It’s a great way for guests and hosts to meet new people!

5. Since guests are only going to be at each house for less than an hour, you don’t need to plan on table seating for every guest. Thus, appetizer type foods work better than foods that you need to sit down to eat with a knife and fork.

6. As a host, choose food that can be prepared ahead of time to reduce the wait time when everyone shows up at your house. The idea is that each party stop flows into the next. Plus, you will be at the previous homes, enjoying yourself, and won’t be at home to do the last minute things you normally would before a party. Have all the plates and cups arranged and ready on the table. Something in a crock pot or that can be served cold are great choices.

Tropical Dinner Party

I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but we have gotten tons of snow and cold weather this winter – much worse than usual, it seems – and I am ready for some sunshine!
A cure for the winter blahs? Why not host a dinner party that evokes the tropics!? Warmth, beaches, rum.... Yes, please!

Here are a suggested menu and other party touches to add the right "island oasis" atmosphere.

Start with a Bob Marley, steel drum band, or Hawaiian music CD playing over the stereo system. Spread out your most cheerful tablecloth. Buy some fresh flowers or tropical fruit for a centerpiece. Get real crazy and turn up the thermostat an extra degree! Whoohoo!!

My mom made the Coconut Cheesecake (recipe below) - how cool is the star fruit on top? (Photo by Pat Hamilton.)

Menu: (click the links for recipes)
Appetizers – Sweet and sour meatballs or Coconut shrimp. You can totally get either one of these all prepared in a bag in your grocery store's frozen food aisle. I won’t tell! (Hey, this site is for PRACTICAL party tips. It's not Martha Stewart!)

Salad - Spinach and strawberry salad with poppyseed dressing

Main Course - Teriyaki chicken skewers on the grill. The grill still works when it’s below freezing outside, did you know? It will only take two minutes of actually standing outside to cook this food, and your guests will really appreciate the luxury of grilled food in the middle of winter. So, suck it up and turn on the grill! Toss a couple red peppers on the grill for extra color.

Side – Tropical Rice

Dessert – Coconut Cheesecake with Passion Fruit Glaze from Bon Appetit. This was a fabulous cheesecake. The best part was it didn’t crack due to the innovative cool down method in the recipe. NOTE: passion fruit was not available in my city – not fresh, not frozen, not canned, and not juiced. I substituted a can of Dole Tropical Fruit (it's pineapple and papaya in passion fruit juice) for the glaze. I also found a can of Goya Guava Nectar and added a little bit to the glaze. It worked great and tasted divine. TIP – I doubled the recipe for the glaze and it was a wise choice. You may want to add additional gelatin because the glaze was more of a syrup and didn’t quite gel for me. We did find fresh star fruit, mangos, and pineapple and they were all wonderful in the compote.

Drink ideas:
Mai Tai1 (1.5 ounce) jigger spiced rum
1 (1.5 ounce) jigger coconut-flavored rum
1 tsp grenadine syrup
5 ounces orange-pineapple juice (or you can buy the two juices separately, but who wants to
end up with extra pineapple juice?)
ice cubes
Shake and Strain into a glass of ice.
Piña ColadasStrawberry Daiquiris

Name This Cocktail

From several years of bartending, I know that alot of people want to order a cocktail, but really don't know what to order. It's difficult to remember the names of all the drinks and you might not know what tastes good mixed together. Many people will chicken out and get a beer or glass of wine at this point. But believe me, any bartender worth their jigger would love to create a cocktail for you, or suggest one you might like. Don't be intimidated! It's your money, be adventurous.

Holding an interesting drink is a great conversation starter. You might even start a trend throughout the party!

The best time to make a request for a custom cocktail is NOT in a mega-crowded, four-deep at the bar, blaring music kind of place. Wait until the line at the bar thins out so you can make sure you have the bartender's full attention. He/she might even let you sample a couple different things, especially if they are really bored! Look for the most competent and/or friendly bartender.

If a bartender makes something fabulous for you, give a good tip!

Here's a new one I've created, based on my love of a classic cranberry-vodka, and my preference for a bit of carbonation. Also, I enjoy having a tall glass because it lasts longer! This cocktail does not have a name yet. If you have any suggestions, leave them in the comments. My mom thought of "Cosmo Kiss," which I like, but no man would ever feel comfortable ordering that in a bar! And it's really not a particularly "girly" drink. I searched the internet and the closest I could find was a drink called a "COD", but that drink calls for a splash of Sprite, instead of filling half the glass with Sprite. If nothing else, a bartender will be able to figure it out if you order "A Cranberry Vodka with orange vodka, and about half full with Sprite."

NAME THIS COCKTAIL

1.5 oz orange vodka

cranberry juice

Sprite

lime garnish

Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour orange vodka over the ice. Fill half the glass with cranberry juice (or cranberry juice cocktail). Fill the glass to the top with Sprite. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Do not shake in a cocktail shaker or you will flatten the carbonation. Plus, it will make the drink pink instead of the cool effect of clear Sprite sitting on top of red juice.

TIP - If you make this at home with Diet Sprite and Diet Cranberry Juice Cocktail, it will save you a bunch of calories. Most bars don't have anything diet on hand except Diet Coke.

Bring out the Bubbly!

Today I just want to make a recommendation for a beverage to serve during the holidays. It's a festive time of year, so you can't go wrong with something a little bubbly. Personally, I enjoy myself ten times more when Champagne or sparkling wine is served at a holiday gathering! (And if I'm happy, everyone's happy.)

It's probably best to keep a couple bottles on hand this time of year, just in case guests stop by. And if they don't get used (shame on you!) you can always bring the extras to the New Year's Party. If you are unfamiliar or uncomfortable choosing a wine, don't be afriad to ask the wine store clerk to point you towards some good choices. They are experts and love making suggestions! These bottles aren't all crazy expensive either. (Well, Champagne is, but ooohlala, worth it!) Really, you only need to start the meal or party with something bubbly, and after everyone gets a glass, you can move on to regular wines or cocktails.

My long-time favorite is Asti Spumante, at about $14 a bottle, it's a delicious and affordable option. And you can find it in any grocery store. I have a fond memory of getting tipsy on the stuff at my grandmother's birthday party when I was 17 years old. Grandma and her friends got a little giddy, too! If you want to branch out a bit, try a Spanish Cava or Prosecco ("Champagne's Sexy Italian Cousin," according to this article) that are charming to serve but won't break the budget.

Cheers!


An Asti Christmas Tree. Santa got my letter!!!

Girls Night In Movie Party

Sometimes it's nice to just kick the guys out of the house and have a Girls' Night In. One of the best excuses I've found for this is a DVD Release Party. In addition to providing cheap entertainment, movies instantly create a theme for the night. I'm thinking Sex and the City, the latest Harry Potter, the Sound of Music re-release, or my personal pick, Eclipse (the third Twilight movie). Go ahead and make all the cougar jokes you want, I love the romance and adventure of Bella, Edward, and Jacob! I've hosted parties for the previous two DVD releases, so when Eclipse comes out on Dec. 4, you'd better believe my friends and I will be ready for it!

Step 1 - Choose the movie for your party. Eclipse is actually the perfect choice for Girls' Night. The men in your lives will be more than happy to stay home and even watch your kiddos, as long as they don't have to watch this movie.

Step 2 - Invite friends who love the movie, or at least can appreciate it ironically, or at the very least, won't make fun of your love for it!

Step 3 - Food - Helps to choose a few appetizers that go with the theme. Maybe a dish they serve in the movie. In any case, remember that many women are watching their weight, so always provide a healthy option. On the other hand, this is a party for the ladies, so chocolate or some kind of dessert should definitely be served. For Twilight:Eclipse, I'm making little sugar cookies that have phrases like "Bite Me", "Imprint on Me", and "I *heart* E.C." written on them in icing. It's okay to be nerdy, you're among friends.

Step 4 - Decorations - Alright, so Girls' Night doesn't really demand decor, but your friends will appreciate a couple little touches. Put out a nice tablecloth and make sure all the paper plates and napkins are a fun color that goes with the theme. (Red for Eclipse, with a big bowl of red apples as the centerpiece to evoke the Twilight book cover art. Or maybe a red ribbon circling around the dishes on the table. Or a life-sized cardboard cut-out of Edward. Or not.)

Step 5 - Drinks - Girls' Night demands a great cocktail. Sex in the City - serve cosmopolitans, of course. Harry Potter - maybe a butterscotch schnapps cocktail, reminiscent of Butterbeer? Sound of Music - hmmm... champagne? (The only reason I say that is Liesl's line, "I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne!" Plus, champagne is awesome.) Eclipse - blood red wine.

Step 6 - The (Drinking) Game - Of course you can always substitute M&Ms or something instead of shots if your friends aren't big drinkers, but a Movie-themed drinking game can keep everyone's attention focused on the movie, and can be a laugh riot. Other movies, like Rocky Horror Picture Show and the Sound of Music have developed non-drinking audience participation that you could do instead.

Here are some links to drinking games for popular movies and TV shows out on DVD: (I did the Google search for you!!)

Eclipse

Sex and the City Movie or Sex and the City TV show

Harry Potter

X-Files

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Non-drinking audience participation movies -

Rocky Horror

Sound of Music and additional prop ideas

Pudding Shots

 Thank you to my dear friend Julie who introduced me to pudding shots! I'm going to make a bold claim here - Pudding shots are the new Jello shot. If these have not made an appearance at any of your friends' parties yet, then prepare to become an instant hero among your group. These are imperative for any Girls' Weekend or Bachelorette Party. They are also going to be amazing at my upcoming Halloween Party.

Pudding shots are creamy little alcohol-infused spoonfuls of HEAVEN. They are great for you, the hostess, because you can make them a week ahead of time and freeze them. There are a million flavor variations to suit your party and your tastes.

Here is the basic recipe:

1 small box of INSTANT chocolate pudding

3/4 C Milk (skim works fine)

1/4 C Vodka

1/2 C Bailey's Irish cream

8 oz Extra Creamy Cool Whip

Mix the pudding mix with the milk with an electric mixer. Then add the booze and mix. Then add the cool whip and mix. Put into small cups and freeze. Serve with little spoons. Makes 24 2oz. servings.

Variations:

• White Chocolate instant pudding mix with Kahlua instead of Bailey's. (Use slightly less than 1/2 Cup or it will taste too boozy.)
• Turtle instant pudding mix (they only carry this flavor around X-mas, so stock up when you see it!) with Caramel Bailey's.
• Chocolate instant pudding mix with Mint Bailey's or peppermint schnapps.
• French Vanilla instant pudding mix with 1/3 C Amaretto instead of the Bailey's.
• I haven't tried this one yet, but imagine that Banana instant pudding mix and Brandy or Rum would be divine. If someone tries this combo, let me know how it turns out!
  

HOSTESS TIPS:

1. You can get 2 oz plastic cups with lids at GFS or other restaurant supply stores. I know GFS has mini spoons, too. The lids are key because then you can stack the shots in your freezer.
2. If you have a hard time getting the pudding shot mix into the little cups, you might try putting the pudding shot mix into a large plastic bag and cutting off the corner of the bag, thus creating a way to "pipe" the mix into the little cups. Personally, I did okay just scooping the pudding shot mix with a measuring cup and dripping it into the little cups.
3. Top the shot with a little dollop of whipped cream for extra flair.