30-Minute Party Planning

This post is intended for an audience of adults age 21 and older.  This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Bacardi.  All opinions are mine alone.  #SignatureSips #CollectiveBias

Mike and I absolutely love hosting at our home, and our mantra is always, "the more the merrier!"  We'll be at the bar with friends and plan an impromptu party for the next day to play corn hole or watch a game on tv.  Always encouraging friends to bring more friends, we never really know how many people will show up.  We make sure we always have tons of food on-hand, and what a better way to make game day entertaining easy and quick than with take-out?!

Mike's absolute favorite for food fast has always been Wendy's.  Not only do they have a great variety of food for a party but also a new line of signature drinks, only available at Wendy's.  For our last-minute party, these drinks made the perfect mixer for Bacardi spirits.

In addition to the mixed drinks, we also decided on a chili and baked potato bar.  Putting together a "bar" is my favorite way to serve food for a party - it's so easy to do and honestly, it looks like you put in so much time and effort.  Only you need to know the secret!  Guests can fix their own plates and eat whenever they're feeling hungry.

Here was our Wendy's order for our party:
- 3 large Strawberry Passionfruit FruiTea Chiller® beverages
- 3 bowls of Chili
- 4 Baked Potatoes

We also shopped for:
- Bacardi Dragonberry
- Bacardi Limon
- Grey Goose Original
- cheddar cheese
- avocados
- tomatoes
- tortilla chips

First, we set up our food station: slicing avocados and tomatoes, shredding cheese, and pouring Chili and chips into bowls.  

Next, we iced down our drinks.  I poured the signature drinks in pitchers and set out the liquor for guests to choose their favorite - another way to make sure everyone is happy and can enjoy their favorite!

Now, we're ready to party!

Pour a drink, starting with the Strawberry Passionfruit FruiTea Chillers®, hand shaken with freshly brewed, organic Honest ® Tropical Green Tea, real strawberry passion fruit flavored juice, and add in a splash of Bacardi.  Rum Cocktails are among the ten most popular drinks.  If rum isn't your guests' style, another great option to have on-hand is vodka, and Grey Goose Vodka is known as the world’s best tasting vodka!

Load a Baked Potato with Chili and all the fresh toppings!

Now you're ready to entertain friends!  Isn't this the best type of party?  Ready in 30 minutes, easy for the hostess, delicious, and self-serve.

What's your favorite food or drink for a party?

Weekending + The Ultimate Party Menu

Happy Monday!  Here's a quick rundown of our weekend adventures...

Friday, I skipped out of work a little early to golf with Mike and a couple of our friends.  We love starting the weekend off with 9-holes, but before the clocks change, it requires starting mid-afternoon.  Oh well, leaves time for more fun in the evening :)

We went out to our favorite spot on Friday night, Charles Towne Fermentory, for a can release, and on the way, we bought a new Betta fish!  Say hello to Charlie.  Bravo passed away a couple of weeks ago but lived over two and a half years!  Here's to a long life, Charlie.

Then, there was the Super Bowl!! Mike is a huge Eagles fan, and I'm happy to wear an Eagles shirt and support him!  After all, my first ever NFL game was an Eagles game for our first anniversary trip.  We had friends over for the game, and as you might know - EAGLES WON!!!  I thought I'd share our menu for the night - it was perfect for a big group!

• Calzones:
• Pepperoni bread
• Chicken parmesan calzone
• Meatball parmeson calzone (same as chicken parm, but with sliced meatballs)
• Dips:
• Buffalo Chicken dip
• Corn and Jalapeno dip
• Queso (from the book Queso - review below)
• Dessert
• Coca Cola cake
• Vanilla Rice Krispies treats

Blogging for Books is my absolute favorite way to see new books (especially cook books, and the Queso book I received this winter is amazing!  Queso... I have a question - have you ever found a queso you didn't like?! Nope? Me either. And this book has a whole bunch (50, to be exact) of queso recipes to love. And there's everything from your traditional tex-mex to vegan queso, and even dessert ideas. So far, I have made two of Lisa's recipes, and both are amazing. Personally, I also love a beautiful hardcover cook book, and I swear, this one could be a coffee table book it's so pretty!

What were you up to this weekend?  What was your favorite Super Bowl commercial?  We loved the Eli Manning/OBJ one, Alexa losing her voice, and the Doritos/Mountain Dew commercial!

Setting the Scene for Valentine's Day

Looking for a special way to celebrate Valentine's (or Galentine's) Day this year?  I have some wonderful inspiration today for the perfect setting!  I have said before how much I love the Charleston Blog Society and the fun events Gillian puts together, but this night of styled shooting, desserts, and champagne at the Gadsden House really took the cake.  We were all invited to this historic Charleston manor, which finished a full restoration only a couple of years ago.  In addition to beautiful rooms for events, the Gadsden House has amazing architecture throughout the exterior and a lovely courtyard.  

The room where we were hosted was decorated with an inviting seating area and long, farmhouse table, perfect for entertaining.  The table setting perfectly fit the Valentine's day theme with gold and pink rentals from Eventhaus and paper goods from The Silver Starfish.  We enjoyed sweet bites from Swank Desserts and sipped on champagne cocktails made with One Hope Wine by the Cocktail Bandits, all while snapping photo after photo.

The ladies and I had such a fun evening, and I hope that this has inspired you to create something fun and festive for your own Valentine's Day!

While I had fun taking my own photos, you can take a look at all of Coastal Bride's amazing styled shoot photos here.

Keeping Resolutions on Game Day

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #ReadyForKickoff #CollectiveBias

The first test of my New Year's resolutions is always football playoffs and the big game.  We love bringing everyone together to watch all the excitement on tv, and with parties always come the best food and drink.  Because we are all still on the healthy-eating bandwagon, I have come up with some better-for-you alternatives for big game parties that I, as a hostess, don't feel guilty serving to my guests.  Add all of it to the perfect football-themed table, and we are ready to party!

The first step was to set the tablescape.  This tablecloth wass so much fun (and easy!) to make, using x's and o's as players to draw football plays all over the brown butcher block paper.  You can find rolls of this paper in the craft section of your local Walmart.  Above the table, I hung my favorite astroturf-inspired yard line banner that I made myself!

After the table was completed, next was adding the serving platters, plates, jars (each with a cute green or black-striped straw), and yellow "penalty flag" napkins to it.  This is a great step to do the night before so that you're less stressed on game day and have plenty of time to lay everything out the way you want it.

Now, all this table needed was the food and drink before the games begin!  I did all of my shopping at Walmart, picking up all the fresh items and pantry staples needed for my recipes, especially RITZ Crackers and Coke Zero.

The main dish for my football party was a delicious Skinny Spinach and Artichoke Dip.  This dip is better for you than traditional spinach and artichoke dips.  With only 64 calories and 9.5 grams of protein per half cup, you won't feel guilty enjoying it throughout the big game, and it's the perfect compliment for the original RITZ Cracker!

Ingredients (makes 7 servings):
1/2 cup less fat cream cheese
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (grated)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
9 ounce package of frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
1 cup marinated artichoke heart quarters (drained and roughly chopped)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese (grated)
RITZ Crackers for dipping

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Using a hand mixer, combine cream cheese, yogurt. parmesan cheeses, and garlic.
3. Fold in spinach and artichokes.
4. Transfer dip mixture into a pie plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with mozzarella.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until edges are bubbly.
6. Turn up the broiler to 450 degrees, and broil for 2-3 minutes, until the top browns.
7. Serve with RITZ Crackers.

The final step before the party was to get the Coke Zero chilling.  This was another piece of the party that definitely won't break our resolutions either.  Delicious Coca-Cola taste but with zero calories - what a perfect drink to cheers to the new year.  To add a little extra healthy fun, I paired the Coke Zero with a variety of chopped fruit to make the drinks feel even more decadent.

Now the party was ready to go!  We just love time with family and friends, delicious food and drinks, and, of course, the game!

Because we want our guests to have a variety of healthier options to snack on, the food table also included easy bruschetta (diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, olive oil, salt, and pepper) and caprese crackers (fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomato).  Both were the perfect healthy toppings for RITZ Crackers!

How are you going to watch the big game this year?  As you can tell, refreshing drinks and finger foods are definitely my favorite way!

Looking for extra game day party inspiration?  Check out even more ideas for snacks and sips at #ReadyforKickoff!

Summer Hostess Gift Ideas

Traveling over the next couple weeks, you know there are lots of places to visit and people to see: friends' new house, lake cabin party, girls night, family adventures, and, of course, the occasional couch to crash on.

If there is one thing my mom instilled in me growing up, it's: never go anywhere empty handed.  Bring a dessert, bring a side dish, bring a gift.  Well, I really like cooking and baking, but bouncing from place to place so much while we're in the Northeast might not make those options very feasible.  I also reeeally like shopping, so I decided to round up a few favorites that I'd consider giving (and will be giving) to friends and family this summer as tokens of my appreciation.

With hostess gifts, I always try to purchase things in one of two categories: things that a hostess might not buy for herself or things that include some homemade love.

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First, start with a cute card to expression your appreciation of the invitation!  To me, the more floral the card is, the better!

If it's a dinner party, how about some emoji cocktail napkins?  If you want even more excitement, they also make "naughty or nice" or "emotional roller coaster" sets.

A day at the pool certainly calls for that cute pineapple towel.  What about adding in this fun ice cube tray or a homemade ice cream sandwich maker, too?

Looking for a gift for the whole family?  This s'mores basket is so perfect!  Throw in all the fixin's for s'mores and you have the perfect fireside or camping party!

Everyone loves a bouquet of flowers, so how about something that will last even longer than those traditional blooms?

Last, but not least, don't have time to throw together a basket on your own? The Hostess Box has everything she'll love!

What's your favorite hostess gift to give (or receive)??

Nautical Bachelorette On Cape Cod

Two weekends ago, myself and 9 of my closest friends headed to Cape Cod to celebrate the upcoming wedding of my sister-in-law.  I'll be a bridesmaid for her in just over a month, and it was such a pleasure to help plan this wonderful weekend for her!  We rented a beautiful and historical four bedroom home that we found on Airbnb.  It had four bedrooms, two living areas, and a huge kitchen.

By far, my favorite part of the whole house was the porch that wrapped around the whole thing.  There were so many cute sitting areas, and it was the perfect place to set up our breakfasts and lunch.  When the rain cancelled our Saturday beach plans, we happily sat outside, played card games, and watched the rain come down for hours.

We went with a nautical theme for the event, since we were on Cape Cod!  One of the maids of honor went above and beyond and created so many adorable banners and photo booth props for us to enjoy!  How cute is that little crab mask or the "Bridesmate" speech bubbles?!

The other MOH put together these amazing goodie bags for each of us in attendance: sunglasses with "bridesmates" written on the side, mints, ibuprofen, Swedish fish, and a first aid kit.  Everyone especially loved the leis and gold tattoos, and the bride wore her sailor hat all weekend!

On Saturday night, we headed to downtown Falmouth for our dinner out.  If you're ever on the Cape, I highly suggest Bear in Boots - the service and atmosphere were fantastic and the food - just wow!  Our table ordered everything from homemade pastas to barbecue and enchiladas to grilled pizzas.  We were all so impressed with the selection and attention to detail.  The staff even brought us out complimentary prosecco at the conclusion of our meal to celebrate the bride-to-be!

We woke up early the next morning to pack up and drive to central Massachusetts for the bride's shower.  I'll be sharing more on that fun event next Wednesday!  So excited to be back linking up for Wedding Wednesday with the lovely Macy and Nikki!