Host a Summer Lawn Party

All of the Wimbledon buzz has inspired me to plan a Lawn Party.... British style!

Some of the traditions of Wimbledon have been in place for 100+ years! Wimbledon is played on grass, so even if you don't have access to a tennis court, if you have a patch of grass, you can host this great summer get-together complete with badminton, croquet, lawn darts, or make up your own lawn games.

The Invitation

Since a strict all-white dress code is in place for players at Wimbledon, it's always fun to stick to an all-white theme for the party. Ask guests to wear white attire and mention that lawn games will be involved so the ladies don't turn up in high heels. I always like to start this party late in the afternoon or early evening, after the temperatures have dropped slightly. A 6pm start time will give you several hours of daylight for games during the summer. White linen paper or card stock is just right for your party invite. A casual, handwritten note (very old school) is perfectly acceptable for this casual gathering.

THE PARTY MENU

A Wimbledon Tradition: Strawberries and Cream

Strawberries and Cream are a tradition at Wimbledon.There are a couple of traditions at Wimbledon that you are a must for your party menu. Strawberries and Cream are a Wimbledon staple so dessert is going to be easy! In England, cream is always single or double cream and it is difficult to find the English version in the US. If you want to make it easy on yourself, just get some really good vanilla ice cream, let it melt until it pours. Pour some cream in the bottom of each dish and fill the bowl with strawberries. Serve with a pitcher of the cream for those who want extra. Make sure to get extra fresh and really delicious berries.... Try Driscoll's Berries. Always fresh, always reliable!

Another option is to whip up some fresh cream and add some orange flavor to it. This is simple and delicious- the perfect compliment to the berries.

ORANGE WHIPPED CREAM

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup Confectioners sugar

1/4 cup Grand Marnier (or orange flavored liqueur)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 teaspoon very finely grated orange zest

Add the whipping cream to a large bowl and whip with electric mixer for a moment at high speed. Turn it off and add the sugar. Whip at low to incorporate the sugar, otherwise it will dust you with white powder! Once you have it incorporated, add the other ingredients and whip on high until stiff peaks form. Chill until serving time.

CHECK OUT 7 WAYS WITH STRAWBERRIES FROM MY FRIENDS AT MYRECIPES.COM FOR MORE GREAT STRAWBERRY RECIPES!

BEVERAGE OPTIONS

Another staple at Wimbledon or at any other British event is a Pimm's Cup. Pimm's is to Wimbledon what the Mint Julep is to the Kentucky Derby. I love a good Pimm's Cup! Pimm's is a gin based liquor and it's so refreshing on a summer day. 

PIMM'S CUP

1 ½ ounce Pimm's #1

4 ounces lemon-lime soda-- 7-Up or Sprite

1 ounce club soda

Wedge of lemon

Cucumber spears

Optional: shot of premium vodka

I like to mix these in a pitcher and serve over ice in a tall glass. They're really unique and refreshing but watch out! They really sneak up on you.

Another great British beverage is the Shandy. A Shandy is half lager (shown below) and half lemon-lime soda. Believe me, I was a skeptic but it's delicious and refreshing on a summer day!

BRITISH SHANDY

For 2

One pint cold lager beer

One can chilled lemon-lime soda

Chilled tall glasses

Slowly pour half of the beer into the chilled glasses. Top with soda. Serve.

BRITISH PUB FOOD

Serve traditional British pub food for this party; fish and chips are a pub staple and always a favorite. Sandwiches and crisps (what we call potato chips) or maybe Cornish pasties... delicate meat and potato pies are delicious. Make what is easy and will keep well for your outdoor party.

The ENTERTAINMENT

This party starts with the lawn games so if you don't have access to a tennis court, set up a badminton net instead. Since croquet is also played at Wimbledon, you can also set up a croquet course in the backyard or at the park. Other fun lawn games include horseshoes, bocce ball. or lawn bowling. The game I came to know in Chicago as "baggo" is also fun for a lawn party. I always find lots of great lawn games at Target during the summer. Set up your game course in whatever green space you have. If the party is in the late afternoon, I like to string little while lights all around my game course.

This is a great summer evening party theme... try it for a rehearsal dinner or engagement party, a girls night out or guys night out party, a neighborhood party, family get-together, or anyone's birthday party! You can make it kid friendly or invite the adults only, but no matter who attends, my Summer Lawn Party is perfect for any occasion!

How to Host an Outdoor Movie Night Party Video from Talk of the Town in Nashville

I was so excited to be in Nashville again today for Talk of the Town, Nashville's top rated talk show! We talked about lots of fun ideas for summer entertaining and fun around the house including how to host an outdoor movie night party, complete with snack bar and your own big screen. This is the easiest party to host; make lots of serve-yourself snacks, add popcorn and movie candy and you've got a drive-in in the back yard. Thanks to all of the great people at NewsChannel 5 in Nashville... we hope you had as much fun as we did!

THROW AN OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT PARTY VIDEO FROM NASHVILLE'S TALK OF THE TOWN

SOURCES:

Gemmy Airblown Inflatable Movie Screen about $200 from Wal-Mart.com

Red Carpet novelties, movie clapboards, and popcorn boxes from Oriental Trading Company

Girls' Night In Party: Throw a Pajama Party

Watching Kathie Lee and Hoda on the Today Show right now and they've got a pajama party on that looks like a lot of fun... They have champagne, cookies, cake, wine, beauty products, chocolate, etc. Well, I think they got their idea from us! Perfect for a bridesmaid's party, a bachelorette party, best friend's birthday party, or for the next time it is your turn to have your gang over, our Guilty Pleasure PJ Party is simple to host and totally affordable, too. Who doesn't need a chocolate covered attitude adjustment on occasion?

This Guilty Pleasure PJ Party featured everything you love but don't indulge in every day... Chick flicks, gossip magazines, fashion magazines, Sex in the City reruns plus loads of our favorite old-school pajama party foods: chocolate cupcakes, homemade truffles, doughnuts, candy, sliders, pigs in a blanket, chips, fondue, and more. Throw on some pink drinks like our Cosmopolitans and a beautiful rose' Champagne and you're done! The best thing about this party was the friends: Arden, Jessica, Ashley-Rose, Jenna Lee, and Charlotte made this girls' night party so easy and so much fun!

Take a look at some of our ideas for a pajama party for the perfect girls get-together. This is one of the most fun and most relaxing parties ever.

 

PERFECT GROWN UP PJ PARTY HOW-TO

The menu was pure indulgence. Mini cheeseburgers and pigs-in-a-blanket are so easy to make, we didn’t even need a recipe. Nachos are always easy but chocolate or cheese fondue is even better. Ask the girls to bring their favorite “guilty pleasure” candy or dessert plus a favorite DVD. Check with each guest to see what they’re planning to bring so you don’t end up with four plates of Rice Krispy treats and six copies of Grease. (Admit it, you know every song)  Serve a signature cocktail or drinks that fit the theme for the evening. Since Sex in the City was on the agenda for our party, Cosmopolitans were on the menu. Pre-mix a large pitcher of your signature drink so you don’t have to play bartender all night. That way, you only have to refill the serving pitcher when necessary.

All photos taken by Arden Ward/Arden PhotographyCLASSIC COSMOPOLITAN RECIPE

Makes 5 servings

5 oz premium vodka
2.5 oz Grand Marnier
2.5 oz fresh lime juice
2.5 oz cranberry juice

Shake vodka, Grand Marnier, lime and cranberry juice vigorously in a shaker with ice. Strain into a pitcher. Serve in chilled martini glasses garnished with a lime. Serves 5. Double or triple as necessary for a party.

DECORATIONS

Use colorful candies and treats as decorations by displaying them in clear bowls and vases. Lollipop sticks from the craft store make a doughnut or marshmallow sculpture to add height and interest to your table. Grab a bouquet of mixed flowers in your party colors at the grocery and pull it apart to use in assorted vases. For an informal party like this one, use stylish paper plates and napkins to cut down on clean up... pity to have so much fun and then have to do the dishes:)

ENTERTAINMENT

In addition to watching your favorite movies, watch your own! Start by scanning pictures of your past good times and make your own movie using your iPhone or FlipCam. Add your favorite tunes from back in the day as a soundtrack.

So call the gang and treat yourselves to a Girls’ Might IN party; it’s a chocolate covered attitude adjustment just when you needed it! 

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Irish Beer Cheese Fondue

Perfect for St. Patrick's Day parties, this beer cheese fondue is made with Irish cheddar and Guinness, the stout Irish beer. Your friends will loooovvee this recipe. And once you have it made, you can leave it on low in a crockpot or fondue pot and forget it! Best of all, it's self-serve; you just need to make sure you have enough because your guests will scarf this down. Seriously, it might be my new obsession. And don't worry if St. Patrick's Day is long past, this is a wonderful starter for a party, an appetizer for a dinner party, or a nice dinner for two in front of the fire.

Use Irish cheddar and an Irish stout like Guinness for a full, hearty tasteGuinness Beer & Cheese Fondue

Makes about 2 1/2 cups, enough for an appetizer portion for 8 guests

Serve with a brown hearty bread or French baguette cut into cubes

2 lbs cheddar cheese (Irish cheddar, like Kerrygold, is great. Find it at most Whole Foods stores.)

1 1/2 cups Irish beer, like Guinness stout

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dry mustard  (like Coleman's)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Dash cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

In a 2 quart fondue pan or heavy pot over medium heat, warm 1 cup of the beer until bubbles slowly rise to the surface. About 5 minutes. While you are waiting, mix the cheese, cornstarch, and mustard and toss together. Add the cheese mixture to the hot beer, a handful at a time, stirring until all the cheese is melted and the fondue is smooth and bubbly, adding the other 1/2 cup of beer a little at a time to thin the mixture slightly, stirring constantly. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and Worcestershire. Stir well and transfer to a fondue pot or lower heat and let the the mixture slowly bubble. Dip chunks of hearty bread, veggies, or fruit into the mixture. Warn guests that the mixture will be hot and do check the temperature from time to time. 

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Martie's Double Drizzle Kettle Corn

DOUBLE DRIZZLE KETTLE CORN

Photo: Tamika Moore/The Birmingham News...dark and white chocolate drizzle!

Makes a lot:)

¼ cup vegetable oil

¾ cups popcorn kernels

3 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt

½ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

½ cup white chocolate chips

In a large pot or stock pot with a lid, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the popcorn. When the oil begins to hiss, sprinkle the sugar over the kernels. Cover with the lid. When the popping starts, hold the lid with a potholder and shake the pot over the heat until the popping begins to slow down. It goes from popped to burnt very quickly, Remove from the heat; toss with the salt. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the popcorn out onto the pans, being careful not to overlap the popped kernels.

Melt the chocolate separately in a heatproof bowl over a double boiler. Stir frequently and keep the heat low because the chocolate will burn easily.

Dip a fork in the chocolate and drizzle it over the popcorn. Do the same with the white chocolate. Allow to set until dry. Break into pieces and store.

Also delicious with toasted, chopped pecan pieces!