Easy Entertaining: Make The Perfect Playoff Drinks

So.... You're hosting the gang at your place for the playoffs this week and you're bored with the same old beer-in-the-cooler routine. Here's a great drink recipe for your game day get-together that can work for any menu. Best of all, this cocktail is easy to make and serve... especially if you mix up a batch in a large plastic dispenser before guests arrive. I'm also giving you the 411 on pre-party prep and simple plastic serving solutions so you can have fun at your own party!

SIGNATURE COCKTAILS

Serve a signature cocktail for your party. Choose one or two pre-mixed drinks which pair well with the menu you are serving. My favorite drink recipe starts with lemonade as a base which works for any occasion.

GAME DAY LEMONADE

Makes 1

4 ounces fresh lemonade (use frozen or powder mix if you must)

1 1/2 ounces of your favorite liquor: Plain vodka, citrus vodka, raspberry flavored vodka, bourbon, Irish Whiskey, or rum all work well with this recipe. Make your choice based on your crowd and menu.

1/2 ounce Limoncello

Mix and serve in a tall glass over ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint or a lemon wheel.

For a crowd:

Serves 15+ guests depending on serving size

1 gallon fresh lemonade

1 bottle (750ml) of your liquor of choice. (I prefer raspberry vodka with an additional shot of raspberry liqueur)

2 cups Limoncello or other lemon liqueur

Add more or less alcohol to your taste. Mix ingredients in a large plastic or acrylic dispenser like the one shown below. You can add ice to the dispenser but I always freeze the lemonade base and use that in place of ice so you don't water down or dilute the drink. Add mint or lemon wheels to the dispenser to add some color and style to the presentation. You can also make these variations:

Margarita: Substitute limeade for the lemonade, use tequila for your alcohol and exchange orange liqueur for the limoncello.

Mojito: Substitute limeade for the lemonade; use light rum for your alcohol and exchange seltzer or club soda for the limoncello. Add a handful of fresh chopped mint.

Large plastic dispensers make serving easy for a partyPARTY PREP: MIX DRINKS IN ADVANCE AND FREEZE

When I'm entertaining, I want to make everything as simple as possible so I can enjoy time with friends and have some fun. I don't like to set up a bar and ask guests to mix their own drinks but I don't want to play bartender, either. The solution is to mix up drinks a few days in advance and freeze them in plastic jugs. You can find large restaurant-style plastic jug containers at a restaurant supply store or you can reuse plastic juice or milk containers.

Remember that alcohol does not freeze solid so if your drinks have a high alcohol content, they will not freeze completely. If the drinks do not have alcohol, they will freeze solid and take longer to thaw.

Remove the containers from the freezer an hour or so before you need them and let them sit at room temperature. This will give them a chance to thaw slightly. Pour the mixture into large, easy to pour plastic pitchers or acrylic beverage dispensers so that guests can serve themselves.

DRINK SERVING SOLUTIONS

For some occasions, plastic glasses and serving pieces just make sense and a game day party is one of those times. I stack up plastic cups in my team colors so that guests can serve themselves easily. One smart hostess trick I employ on game day is to start with a large cup and then switch to smaller size cups as the party goes on. This tip will help you control consumption; smart from both a budget and a safety perspective.

Smart plastic Tervis Tumblers are perfect for parties!I really love Tervis Tumblers for game day parties- both at home and when tailgating. These "smart" plastic glasses are virtually unbreakable. Their double wall technology keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. I love the cups for serving soup or chili on game day. Best of all, when you are entertaining at home, you can forget your coaster anxiety: these plastic cups and glasses do not sweat so they won't leave a water mark on your coffee table! You can get them monogrammed or in team logos for both NCAA and NFL teams. www.tervis.com

More cocktails for a crowd from Martie Knows Parties:

STRAWBERRY PEAR SANGRIA

THE PERFECT BLOODY MARY

SWEET TEA VODKA & LEMONADE

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My Favorite Beer Cocktail plus Easy Toss Away Cooler Idea for Game Day

When I want to keep it light... for a long day at the game, beach or pool, for example, I often drink a beer on ice to keep it really cold and to slow down the pace. I will often take it a step further and turn my beer into a cocktail. Simply salt the rim of your glass, like you would for a margarita. Add ice. Squeeze in a bunch of lime wedges... about 5. Pour in your beer. Add a little dash of hot sauce if you like but I usually don't. Or you can add a shot of tequila...:)

Now, here's a simple and easy idea if you don't want to take a cooler to the game. Just tear off the top, remove the beer. Add a garbage bag (I always use two so it does not leak) return the beer and add ice. Afterwards, just toss in the trash.  

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Easy Tailgating and Game Day Ideas: New Recipes, Tips and Serving Suggestions!

IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON! What I usually hear this time of year is: “I’m tired of our same old game day plan” and “I don’t want to grill- I want to relax and enjoy my friends” So, here are some ideas for your game day that will keep everyone happy and let you have some fun, too. Big thanks to Dandy RVfor the use of the awesome RV for our tailgate party!

VARIATIONS ON A THEME: MIX IT UP…one week Mexican with hats and decor, the next week you can take it to New Orleans with a Mardi Gras menu, the following week make it a Lowcountry crab boil, Italian, Pirate Party, Chili cook-off, beach party, etc. You don't have to go with BBQ or typical tailgate food every weekend.

MULTI-PURPOSE FOOD: For example, chili works for a variety of different foods... chili pie, tacos, hot dogs, nachos, and more. You can host a chili throwdown where everyone brings a Crock-Pot with their favorite recipe. Add a condiment and hot sauce bar so everyone can add their favorite toppings.

Serve chili in a Fritos bag! Instant chili pie!Serve chili in individual Fritos or Doritos bags.... yes, serving right in the bag makes yummy Frito chili pie or nachos! This is so good and makes clean up a breeze. Best of all, no dirty dishes to take home! 

MARTIE KNOWS PARTIES TAILGATE TIPS

1. When it is still hot outside, make sure to take an extra cooler filled with ice so you can keep drinks and food items cold and have plenty of clean ice for drinks.

2. Use multi-purpose glasses like the insulated glasses from Tervis Tumblers – they keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold. LOVE THEM... especially when I have a party inside. No condensation rings and no broken glass. Plus they go right in the dishwasher.

3. A great way to keep hot food hot is to wrap and store them in a cheap Styrofoam cooler and pack it with newspaper. This will keep it hot until you are ready to serve.

4. Do most of the prep at home so you just have simple assembly or grilling when you get to the stadium.

Make a toss-away beverage coolerRe-use a drink holder for dipsUse the 6-pack carrier for condiments5. If you don’t want to take a cooler- get a case of your favorite drinks, empty it and line with a white or clear garbage bag and put the drinks back and fill with ice. Afterwards, put the whole thing in the trash. I always double the bag so I don't have any leaks. You can also use a beer carton as a condiment holder. Works great! Save the carton from your next 6-pack!

6. Another use for a cardboard drink carrier- is to use it for a condiment carrier or a dip holder!

7. Pre-cook what you can. You can even pre-cook ribs and finish them on the grill. Just make sure to keep them well chilled.

8. Get in on the Crock-Pot craze…. Plug it in before you go to bed the night before and you’ve got a good start on lunch when you get there.

9. One of the most frustrating things about going to the game is not being able to find your friends or their tailgate! Use a cluster of helium balloons and fly them way over the top of your tent so your friends can spot you from a distance! I got huge balloons and wrote on them with a marker to define our tailgate and help friends locate us easily!

Make a game day table runner from a rug, placemat or tablecloth with white electrical tape and stick on numbers10. You don’t have to buy special football items or tableware- you can easily make a football field runner from placemats or some other item. I used a green chenille kitchen rug I got on sale for $4 at Target and lined it with white plastic electrician's tape. I got the numbers at Wal-Mart in the mailbox section but you can get stick-on numbers where you get scrapbook supplies also.

11. Bring items in a large plastic tub. When you are ready to pack up, line the tub with a garbage bag and then put your dirty dishes inside. Makes for super easy clean up when you get home!

Make giant sandwiches like a Muffaletta and just slice to serve. No more making lots of small sandwiches!12. Make giant sandwiches instead of lots of small sandwiches. Just take a large loaf of bread and make one large sandwich. Slice it up and you are good to go! If you make hot sandwiches, make sure to double the foil on the bottom so you do not burn the bread. Open up the top of the foil for the last few minutes to get the bread toasty. Add a little cheese on top for some extra yum!

 NEED MORE GAME DAY IDEAS? CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES AND TIPS FROM MARTIE KNOWS PARTIES:

Argentine Asado & Chimichurri

Host a Chili Cookoff for Game Day!

Game Day Grub: Steakhouse Steaks with Herb Butter

Make a Bloody Mary Bar for Game Day

FOLLOW MARTIE ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE RECIPES, IDEAS, AND FUN!

Wedding or Party Decorations: Easy Paper Lanterns

Need a fast, simple, and cheap table decoration for your wedding or party? Make these paper lanterns- they are so simple and add a pop of color to your table. You can use scrapbook paper, heavy wrapping paper, craft paper, or any stiff paper that will stand. Color coordinate with your party theme; you can personalize with stamps, punch a decoration, or ribbon trim.

EASY TABLE DECORATIONS: SCRAPBOOK PAPER LANTERNS

Scrapbook paper sheets

Double sided tape or glue stick

Mason jars or other jar, vase, etc

Candles: floating candles, tealights, or other light source

These lanterns are so easy to make and can really dress up a table or customize any party for very little money! Since scrapbook paper comes in all colors and patterns, you really have endless options. Here's the how to:

Get a sheet of scrapbook paper. If it is thick, you'll want to cut in some designs so light will shine through. If the paper is thin or you use vellum, you don't need to cut in a design. You can use a hole punch or a paper cutter- or a utility knife. Use a glue stick or double faced tape along the edge of the back side of the paper to form the paper into a cylinder.

Put the light source into the jar. LED lights work great but you don't want to see the clunky base through the paper so use a dense paper with a design at the top. You won't even need a container if you use the LED lights. If you opt for candles, including tealights or votive candles, make sure to put some sand or salt in the bottom of the vase, glass, or container to keep the candle off the bottom of the jar so that it does not get too hot. A great use for canning jars, you can cut the paper to different lengths to stagger the height of the

This is a great use for floating candles or even glo-sticks!

Place the paper cylinder over the jar.... and you have a customized lantern!

Design your paper lantern so light will shine through using a punch or create your own design!Use LED lights or flameless candles for long-lasting light! Put them in a clear canning jar or vase so the wind does not blow them over!

Make Easy Indoor S'mores

Do you love S'mores... just talking about them makes me want one. I have been showcasing new ideas for some of our favorite summer classics and I do think this is my favorite one.

 

Why wait for a campfire or fire for that matter to make up a batch of S'mores? I have perfected Indoor S'mores and I could not wait to share them with you! Perfect for a party or even just a night in front of the tv, make some of these up for the best-ever comfort food treat. They don't go soggy so you can make them for a picnic or take them to a party as long as you keep them in a cool spot. Make some up and let me know what you think!

INDOOR S'MORES

1 box of Graham crackers

1 bag of mini-marshmallows

Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut spread (you can find this at almost any grocery store- even Wal-Mart)

Fill up sheet pans with Graham crackers. Spread each with a thin layer of Nutella. Put 6-7 mini marshmallows on top of each. Put under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Watch to make sure they get golden brown. Take them out and let them cool slightly. Make sandwiches by pressing two together. Eat right that moment or let them cool completely and wrap each with plastic wrap. Keep cool until serving time but do not chill them in the fridge or the cracker will get soggy.

Put the tops and bottoms under the boiler for about 2 minutes until the marshmallows are golden.Let them cool slightly and assemble into sandwiches.Let the s'mores cool completely if you want to wrap them up. Wrap each individually in plastic wrap and store in a cool place. Don't put them in the fridge.