Favorite Summer Salad Recipes

Hello there!  We are hosting a few BBQs on the horizon, and I would love some advice or suggestions on your favorite summer salad recipes to share!  The produce at the Farmer's Markets these days is bountiful, and rich and vibrant with color, I'd love to try out a new recipe on friends.

What is your go-to summer recipes to capitalize on summer produce?

image/cannelleetvanille

1st Birthday Party

How is it that my baby is already ONE?!  We celebrated her first birthday last weekend amidst family and a few close friends.  Here are some details from her party!

Originally I was going for a giraffe theme, since she LOVES giraffes, however that morphed into a jungle theme once I discovered these jungle invites by Tiny Prints.

She sported this darling birthday t-shirt, paired with this polka dotted head band.  Doesn't she look adorable?  With her polka-dotted jeans, knotted tee, and headband, she really rocked her "hipster" look.

We did a smash cake, but this was the reaction we got when she sampled the frosting…

Guests dined on lunch, followed by giraffe topped cupcakes

All in all, it was a spectacular party!  The sun came out just in time for cake and singing.  Happy birthday baby girl, we love you to the moon and back!

invitations c/o tiny prints

Surprise!

This weekend, fiance and I attended a surprise 30th birthday party. It was our friend Jason's birthday - one of my fiance's closest friends and fellow groomsmen. His fiance had t-shirts made, and we all leapt out and yelled "surprise!" complete with party hats, noise makers, and the whole shebang. He was totally stunned!

We had a BBQ at our other friend's condo before heading to the Sounders Game to the club level - which is all you can eat food and beverages for the entire game. Talk about junk food indulgence, pretty sure I gobbled at least 2 of everything; hot dogs, pretzels, and ugh...does my stomach hate me now! All in all - a great little Saturday!

Wine and Cheese Puzzle

Wine and cheese party anyone? I love to own a set of these puzzle boards. Grab a baguette or two, an antipasti platter, capped off with a robust white or red, and you've got yourself a party!

image/oooms

♥ Cornbread

My fiance, he loves him some cornbread. I swear, he'd eat cornbread with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert too if he had the chance, (or it was socially acceptable). I'm convinced he used to be obsessed with the Dave Matthews song "Cornbread," simply because of his fondness for its edible namesake.

As such, I'm convinced he is going to love these: Chili + Cornbread in a jar. Looks easy enough, pour in some chili, pour in some cornbread batter, and bake. Add a little pat of butter on top and boom you're good to go. Hoping to try this on a sweet summer day!

I'm sure fiance is going to be salivating the second he reads this post...

images/giverslog

Potted Pudding

On my week off school, I'm looking forward to checking many things off my to-do list including hitting up the nursery for some spring flowers and herbs to pot and plants to brighten my window boxes. While blog browsing to select my plants du jour, up I came across Martha's edible potted puddings. These adorable desserts are cleverly disguised as seedlings. Chocolate mint pudding topped with cookie crumb "dirt" and flowering herbs. What an appropriate treat for a Spring garden party!

images/marthastewart

Snowball Fight Survival Kit

Isn't this the coolest? Snowball Fight Survival Kit, complete with hot cocoa with all the fixin's, spiced cider, and some sweet treats to nibble on. Makes me wish it would snow, just so I can enjoy some cozy snowday treats!

images/hiphiphooray

Cook du Jour

Last night my girlfriends and I celebrated my friend Carla's birthday with a group cooking class. It was such a great time! We signed up for Hipcooks, "hands-on cooking classes for the novice and seasoned cook...Measuring implements are banned, tasting is encouraged, and your inner chef is invited to play!"

It was so much fun, we tied on our aprons and got our hands messy while creating an Iranian feast, as our class theme was "Persian Immersion." Carla is a self-proclaimed Hipcooks "junkie," and chose the class because being a seasoned cook herself, she admitted knowing very little about Persian food.

We made

• Maast-o Khiar: Cucumber salad with herbed meatballs
• Shirin Pollo: Chicken and saffron rice jeweled with almonds, pistachio, orange peel & barberries. Tadig, too.
• Khoresht-e-fesenjan: Luscious chicken stewed with walnuts & pomegranate.
• Rosewater-cardamom ice cream

Everything was delicious! Can't wait to take another class!!

image/freshlypicked

Ice Skating Party

Doesn't this winter ice skating party look delightful? The crisp, chilly air, the click of skates on fresh ice, cozy mittens and knit caps covering cold ears. If only I had a pond nearby where I could host such a gathering...

What's your favorite kind of holiday party?

image/hiphiphooray

Brilliant Birthday

What a brilliant party theme! I saw this India themed birthday party over at Marvelous Kiddo, and was immediately intrigued by the vibrant colors, festive costumes, and elaborate decor. All in addition to a group dance lesson! What fun! I'm impressed with this little girl's unique idea and how creatively and well the theme was executed.

images via marvelouskiddo

Alice in Wonderland

We have now officially entered bridal shower season. I helped my mom co-host two weekends ago, and I have 2 on the calender for April. While bridal shower themes vary from bride to bride, I quite like this whimsical theme - Alice in Wonderland. Perfect in light of the recent movie and it makes for darling table displays with "eat me," and "drink me," place settings, hanging mason jars brimming with flowers, and the lovely blues and purples. So creative!
images/everours

Swingin' 60's

I'm always game for a costume party - but it was so much fun dressing up in 60's glam for my friend's Mad Men themed birthday party. We were so impressed with our elegance, we wondered, why don't we wear red lipstick more often?? It was so much fun to get all dolled up in elegant dresses, pearls, and heels. We ate 60's-era food, puffed on fake cigarettes, and did the twist! Here are some pics from the swingin' evening...

Pierogis + Mad Men

Have a great weekend my friends - I'm off to explore Polish culture and cuisine tonight. My bf's mom is in town and we're taking her to the local Polish community center for some Polish beer + pierogis...should be a fun and filling evening!

Saturday is my friend Anna's birthday and she's hosting a Mad Men themed party. I'm super excited to break out my 60's apparel. It's a dress to impress kind of occasion: suits/slacks for the guys and pearls, white gloves, and elegant dresses for the ladies. Should be a swingin' time for drinking Old Fashions, eating cheese balls and jello molds, and puffing on candy cigarettes. I'll report back! Have a great weekend! Any big plans?

image/amc

Oscar Gold

The Oscar's are this weekend! In honor of the little golden statues that'll be passed out Sunday night, I've been rounding up all things gold from around the blogosphere.

Gold Hunter welliesGold flatwareGold bar doorstops
gold Sarah Magrid treats

And in case you're hosting an Oscar party - download your Oscar ballots here!

images/dailycandy

Homemade Valentines

In case you've forgotten, Valentine's Day is Sunday - which means, in-school Valentine's Day party on Friday!! Woohoo, so excited. As an elementary school teacher, this is my favorite party of the school year. Tomorrow we're making and decorating Valentine mailboxes with little red flags.

I just love these homemade Valentines I saw over at Blonde Designs. I always strive to make homemade Valentines but this year there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Hopefully next year, I'll make some felt ones like these for my students (hearts for girls and arrows for boys) - so sweet!
images/blondedesigns

The Return

It's been 9 long months but the beginning of the end finally arrived. LOST, the final season. Dun Dun DUN!

My friends and I've made a tradition of gathering together to watch. Last night we celebrated chips, guacamole, and other goods pasted with Dharma food labels, played LOST bingo which was pretty hilarious, I highly recommend you try. You'll find yourself rooting for "cry Jack, CRY!" or "Sawyer, take off your shirt," or "John Locke, rub your bald head!!!"

If you're not a LOST fan, there is no way you can possibly understand the obsession. If you are, I'm curious what you thought of last night's premier...Supposedly all our questions will be answered, but it definitely did not feel that way last night, as I walked away with more questions...(sigh). Can't wait for next week!

Friends Thanksgiving

Our 3rd annual Friends Thanksgiving was a roaring success. This year we even had 28 people in attendance! This holiday party started 3 years ago, stemming from the fact that a good percentage of my friends are not from the Seattle area. With a few from Canada, one from England, and the rest scattered around the US, many of our friends are "transplants" to the Seattle area.

This potluck-style party brings everyone together to celebrate our friend "family." It's such a fun tradition, everyone brings something to the table, we had everything from ham to turkey to mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, gingerbread, all the fixings! I'm very thankful for my friends!

image/hornblowerholidays

Creepy Jello

Love the idea of adding spook to the party favorite - jello shots. Thanks to Sarah's Fab Day for passing along the clever idea. Add eye ball, brain, or creepy gummy candies to your fave jello flavor and voila! - the greatest Halloween party beverage ever!

Recipe below via Hostess with the Mostess

Creepy Jello Shots

1.5 cups boiling water
1 cups vodka
2 (8-oz) pkg. JELL-O Gelatin, any flavor

STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 3 min. until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool for a 3-5 minutes, then add vodka. Pour into 13×9-inch pan. Let mixture cool to room temperature, then add gummy candies. (Use a spoon to help guide gummies into the spot you want them, if desired.) Pour into 13×9-inch pan.

REFRIGERATE at least 3 hours or until firm.

DIP bottom of pan in warm water 15 sec. Cut jigglers into squares, making sure to cut all the way through gelatin to bottom of pan. Lift JIGGLERS® from pan. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

images/hostesswiththemostess

Say Cheese

I've never had the privilege of hosting a housewarming party to date. Now that I have a home I need to "warm," I'm exploring some different ideas of how to celebrate with my closest friends.

While reading Real Simple yesterday, I came across an easy but delicious choice - A Cheese Party. While I like to think of myself as an amateur cheese connoisseur, I appreciate the direction RS gives the hopeful party planner. Shopping lists, ideal cheese and food pairings, what to sip - they've covered it all. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out!

image/realsimple

Give Green

I love these! What a darling, unique way to say thank your guests for coming to an event. Not only is the thank you flag simple and sweet, but it's a great way to literally pass it on, and make the world a little greener.via ohappyday