ready for summer Archives

Summer Entertaining: Party Pitfalls

July 2, 2015July 2, 2015 Rachel Sherwood

(Summer picnic plate)

Happy 4^th of July! With all the celebrating and gathering of people this weekend there is much fun and food to be shared. Don’t let one of these most common summer party pitfalls ruin your day.

Congested Areas:

People tend to gather where there is food, beverage, or an activity. When these are put near each other people tend to settle in and not move making it hard to get around and access items. To keep people moving and mingling separate your food, beverage and activity areas.

Bugged by Bugs:

Don’t let the bugs control the party. Keep trashcans covered and away from main food and gathering areas. Put a half open can of soda pop away from the party to attract bugs to a different location. Also, provide a few cans of bug spray so guests can help themselves if needed.

Trashy Tables:

Make it easy for guests to help clean up by having covered trashcans that are easy to access. Also, double line cans with an extra bag making it easy for quick trash removal and extra protection if soothing gets too heavy or breaks.

Wasted or Spoiled Food:

No one likes tossing out “good food” but holing on the leftovers after an outdoor gathering is risky. You never know exactly how long it has been sitting out or what may have gotten into it making it a potential breeding ground for bacteria. To avoid potentially hazardous foods and wasting them serve items in small batches and refill, as needed keeping the food cool and clean. For safety keep food out of direct sunlight. As a general rule perishable food should not be left out for more than 2 hours; cold food should be kept below 40 degrees and hot food above 140 degrees out of the Temperature Danger Zone.

Too Much Sun:

The summer sun can be fun, but too much of a good thing can have your guests miserable. Make sure there is ample shade for guests to sit in, be creative with trees, tents, and umbrellas to fit your needs. If there is not much option for shade think about hosting the party earlier or later in the day to avoid mid-day heat. Provide a basket with sunscreen so guests can help themselves if needed. For really hot days make sure you also have plenty of regular water and maybe consider passing out a few paper fans.

(summer garden party)

Interested in more on Summer Party Success? Check out these articles.

Easy Summer Entertaining, Quinoa Salad

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015 Rachel Sherwood

It is full swing summer entertaining time. The thing I love most about easy summer entertaining is that is it so casual. A nice evening on the deck with a few snacks, drinks and friends makes a perfect evening of fun and conversation.

(family dinner for 4 turned to 15 in just a few hours)

This week my mother and father in law came to visit, as well as my cousin from France was visiting with her family, and a few more friends from Philadelphia were in town. With so many people, schedules and things to do I just put out an open invitation to call before you come but stop by anytime. You may wonder how I handle the potential of having a group of 4-10 extra people just stop by anytime and not stress out about it. The key is to have a well-stocked pantry and a few pre-made batch items ready to go. Whenever I have houseguests, I plan a few meals but also have on hand 2-3 premade bulk items that can serves as salads, side dishes and quick meals at anytime. Try out this healthy favorite using quinoa for your next gathering.

Sweet Quinoa Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing

1 cup quinoa, cooked to package directions
1 medium red pepper small diced, about 1 cup
1 medium sweet red apple, (anything but Washington would be fine) small diced, about 1 cup
½ cup raisins
1 bunch Italian parsley finely chopped
1 head romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped, optional

Dressing:

2 tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon honey, optional
salt and pepper to taste

(note, if you don’t have yogurt on hand or want a dairy-free version use sour cream or olive oil in place of the yogurt.)

Mix all dressing items together in a large bowl. Add the warm cooked quinoa and mix until coated. Add the diced red pepper, apple, raisins and parsley. Mix well, cover and refrigerate.

Sweet Quinoa Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing over Romaine

Serve as is or spoon over fresh romaine lettuce and drizzle with extra dressing or balsamic vinegar.

Want more like this? Try one of these other favorites.

Peanut Pasta Salad
Thai Peanut Pasta Salad
Penne Pasta Toss
Looking for more summer entertaining resources? Check out the Summer Entertaining Series here.

Bacon S’mores

June 11, 2015June 11, 2015 Rachel Sherwood

The weather is finally starting to warm up. This summer mix up your classic s’mores with a savory twist, add bacon! You can make it gluten-free by using the bacon lattice as the base or simply tuck a few pieces of cooked bacon in with the marshmallow and chocolate between your traditional graham crackers.

(Bacon S’more)

Bacon S’mores

16 thick-cut slices of bacon
8 large marshmallows
8 small bars chocolate (about 1in x 2in pieces)
8 large graham crackers broken in half (optional)

To make the bacon lattice:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut bacon pieces in half. On a foil-lined sheet pan create lattice squares. Using 4 of the cut pieces alternate them creating an overlapping lattice in a small square about 4x4inches. Repeat with the remaining bacon pieces.

(raw bacon lattice)

Bake for 10 minutes and carefully flip squares. Bake another 5-10 minute until crisp, drain on paper towels.

To assemble on one crisp bacon lattice place a chocolate bar, top with hot roasted marshmallow and top with another bacon lattice piece and enjoy! Repeat with the remaining pieces.

Makes 8 servings.

*You can also just cook the bacon normally and add it to the traditional s’more as you would add the chocolate.

Making the best Memories

August 1, 2014August 18, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

After all the planning, the food is eaten and guests say their good byes. At this point, all that is left are the memories. Those moments that you will never forget, the stories that you will share time and time again those moments are the memories that make our lives richer and keep the festivities living on.

So how do you create the best memories? How do you get people to talk well about the parties you host? It’s simple to make them feel welcome, special and have something unique.

Do your best to plan ahead. Create a party friendly menu or hire help so that you can have time to greet guests, make a few introductions and thank them for attending. As a host you will most likely know most of the guests attending so it is easy to be pulled in many directions. Make a point to have the focus on just your guests at the beginning and end of the event. All the food and beverages should be set just before they arrive so that you can welcome guests and then slip away for simple refills throughout the party.

Choose one thing to create a “wow factor”. Think about your guests and the experience you want to create for them. As they leave your event, what is it that you want them to say of their experience? What is it you want to be remembered for? What are those best memories you want to leave them with? Whatever that is, create a “wow factor” around it. Not everything has to be over-the-top and perfect. To be honest, some of the best memories usually come from things that go wrong.

Pick one thing to completely excel at. No one will remember if they drank out of plastic cups or normal glassware, but they will remember if you had custom crystal glasses. They may not remember the food but they will remember the perfect popovers or a unique sushi-making party. Simple candles are great decorations, but you could make a grand impression with beautiful, fresh flowers and stunning centerpieces. Or send them home with unique personal favors.

Pick one thing and do it very well, normal is normal, so think outside the box and do something uniquely you. It will long be remembered.

I truly hope you enjoyed the Summer Entertaining series with all the tips and entertaining secrets to get your next summer bash off to the great start. May every party you host, simple, grand and everything in between, be one that adds love, laughter and lasting memories to your life.

Summer Entertaining Series

The things you need to know to ensure summer fun for all:

#1 Food: easy, delicious and safe, read this before dishing up
#2 Relaxing Refreshments, don’t break a sweat keeping hydrated
#3 Easy Breezy, decorate with casual summer style for less
#4 Keep Your Cool, comfort is everything
#5 Party in an Instant, have these on hand to welcome guests at any time

One last tip: Keep a camera close by and use it often, ask a friend, or hire a photographer to capture the moments. Smiling faces make it easy to remember why we get together. I never regret taking too many photos and capturing the best memories of a lifetime.

Leave a comment! What’s your favorite party memory?

Pick up your copy of The Pretty Plate for more simple techniques and recipes, and learn about the five elements to make your everyday meals magnificent.

Party in an Instant, Pantry Essentials for Easy Entertaining

July 25, 2014August 18, 2014 Rachel Sherwood

Having a well-stocked pantry means you can have a party in an instant. The summer is always a special time for casual gatherings. In addition to my everyday pantry I like to keep a few of these special summer treats ready for an impromptu get together. It is easy to have confidence in the kitchen when you know you already have what you need on hand to make quick, easy, delicious meals at home.

Quick Breads: Banana bread in the beginning of summer and zucchini bread for the summer-end and into fall are perfect for a simple breakfast or snack on the go with fresh fruits and yogurt. You can make multiple loaves one for now and one to keep frozen for when you need it later.

Cheese: Cheese is wonderful for simple grilled cheese sandwiches, addition to green or pasta salads, simple snacks or my favorite for entertaining cheese plates. Cheese plates are the best, no-cooking-required entertaining appetizer, first course or dessert. Get your Cheese Wheel Paring Guide to easily choose delicious pairing combinations.

Out of Hand Snacks: For on-the-go snacks or putting together a simple elegant cheese place for appetizers keep a variety of cheese, smoked sausages, crackers or chips nuts and dried fruits available.

Pizza Dough: You can get this already prepared, in 5-min mixes or make your own. Pizza dough is so versatile! Use it for pizza with any topping or as flatbread with dips and spreads. In the summer I love to grill it and keep all the heat outdoors.

Citrus: lemons, limes, oranges add flavor and freshness to water, make lemonade and easily mix up a batch of lemon curd for dessert or breakfast.

Canned Beans: Beans are great to have at any time of the year to quickly mix up a bean dip like hummus or a spicy black bean dip for appetizers or a side dish. They are also a quickly prepared and inexpensive protein source to mix in with fresh vegetables for salads, tacos, quesadillas, or salsa.

Fruit: especially melons like watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew. These are great for breakfast with yogurt and granola, snacks, side dishes and even dessert with a little ice cream. Melons in the summer are sweet and large, which makes them perfect for many people to share.

Something Special: Everyone loves a little sweet in the summer and if you have a campfire s’mores are a must have. I like to keep the fixings sealed in mason jars to have a party in an instant. This is a nice approach for a DIY snack. The jars keep ingredients fresh, clean and easy to handle and they are quite darling if you want to wrap with scraps of fabric or ribbon to match a theme.

Other freezer treats: like Ice Cream or Popsicles for children, and a batch of Brandy Smash for the adults are sure to please a summer crowd.

Pick up your copy of The Pretty Plate for more simple techniques and recipes, and learn about the five elements to make your everyday meals magnificent.