Hosting a Fab Memorial Day Soiree

Photo by Hosstess With The Mosstess

Summer is my favorite time of the year! It's officially 29 days until the first official day of Summer and  Memorial day marks the beginning of endless fabulous parties. Hostess with the Mostess shared a cute theme and free printables to make sure your party is memorable among your guests. To make sure you enjoy your party and to spend time with your guests, make do-it-yourself stations and let your guests create their own creations. I think themed parties are a lost art and when done right show the passion and sophistication that the host possess. Be a leader among the pack and show your guests how to party.

 

 Along wit the decor, food, and drinks, a lady must dress the part.When you look your best, you feel you best and your confidence will bring all the boys to the yard or keep them there.

 Planning a last minute party? Here are a few tips to make sure you and your guests have a fabulous time:

• Stick to 1 or 2 signature cocktails and fill in the gaps with wine, beer and fruit infused water
• Keep it Simple- The host should only be replenishing, NOT slaving away over a hot stove! Have a spread of assorted cheese, crackers, gourmet chips, dips and finger foods.
• If you don't have a DJ, make sure you have an impeccable play list. The music controls the flow of the party. Keep it sexy and skip the Top 40 tunes. Make sure the play list is several hours long and put it on repeat!
• Skip the smokey hair and clean-up as you order a few dishes from a caterer or your favorite restaurant. Having a few items catered saves time and your sanity.You'll thank me later!
• If your guests ask can they bring something, tell them yes! Have them bring the selected spirit  of choice for your themed drink or anything that will keep the party going. If you need extra bites to nosh have them stop and pick up a treat.
• Include your guests in on the fun and opt for potluck style party. Your guests will not arrive at the same time so make sure you provide the key items.
• Have fun and take lots of pictures. Parties are meant to be enjoyed and we all love looking back on priceless moments.

Photo by weddingpaperdivas

Photo by luciapaul

Photo by Marth Stewart

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Photo by brightboldbeautiful

Looking back on the best Memorial Day parties you've attended, what elements  made it your pick for "Best Memorial Day Party?"

A Few Kitchen Tips to save Time & Money

Photo by Wary Meyer

I compiled a small list of kitchen tips that have been not only helpful to me, but to my friends and family. I few of them might seem familiar and you might know them  but, In my experience, we tend to forget the most simple things!


Here ya go:

1. The best time to clean out your fridge is before you go shopping for groceries. You'll know exactly what you need and won't have double items sitting in the fridge.

2. Before going to the store, make sure you have a LIST made from the meals you plan to prepare for the week. Time saver = Yes! Money saver = Heck Yeah!!!!! That leaves more money to save or snag a pair of shoes at the Barney sale!

3. When making your own chicken stock, keep the onion peel on the onion to lend a richer, more appetizing color to the stock. To make the stock fat-free, after it has chilled, skim the fat off the top!

4. You know not to wash your cast iron skillet with soap, right? Just give it a good rinse with water and make sure it’s dry. You want that seasoning to stay on the skillet so food won’t stick to it.

5. Using a digital food scale makes your baking better and faster. If you don't know, I'm not a huge fan of baking because it requires such precise measurements. Using a scale will lead to consistent recipes every single time!

6.  Want a 2 for 1 deal out of dinner? Make sure you set aside your lunch portion first before you serve dinner.

7. When juicing, place a trash bag in the pulp collecting receptacle for easy clean-up.

8. Place used lemon peels in the garbage disposal to help clean and freshen your sink.

9. To keep celery fresh, trim it and put it in a container full of water in the fridge. It will last a long time while it’s covered with water.

10. To keeps herbs fresh in the fridge, wash and pat them dry. Place them in a small container fill with water and change the water every 3 days.


I'm always looking for additional ways to save time and money. What tips can you share that save you time and money?

Mother's Run The World

I just want to say Happy Mother's Day to all my beautiful women who have the most rewarding job in the world. I will keep all of you in my prayers daily and salute you. For those women who are single parents doing it all by yourself, shower your children with love and remind them often how special they are. Now it's time for me to hop in the kitchen and start on some crab cakes and the batter to my Red Velvet Waffles for my friends and family Mother's Day Potluck Brunch. I will take lots of pics for you all and will post the recipe later this week.