Drinks

Party Recap

Another client soiree has come and gone. I’m too pooped to pop, but it was well worth it. Being able to treat these wonderful ladies that have been so good to me is the least I could do. I push them to the limit during their workouts and they are always up to the challenge. And of course I reminded them to savor the indulgence now because come the first of the year I have a new round of challenging workouts for them. The wine was flowing and the food seemed to replenish itself, which made for a fun and relaxing party. We had such a good time and as usual the party lasted until very late in the evening.

I decided to get a couple rolls of red & white wrapping paper from Michaels to cover the chargers I had made at Home Depot. I also used it to make the lollies that were part of the backdrop for the dessert table and to cover some of the bases the desserts sat one. Wrapping paper is an inexpensive and flexible way to decorate. I also hung silver and red ornaments from the top of the backdrop to dress it up a bit more.

I ended up with a table for the savories, one for drinks, extra dinnerware and extra sweets. Then there was the dessert table which I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. For some reason I didn’t take pictures of the savories, and I seem to forget them more often than not. Here’s the savory menu:

Southwestern Venison Dip with Multigrain Tortilla Chips
Marinated Olive Bruschetta
Cheesy Garlic Chicken
Ginger Soy Pork Tenderloin with California Blend Vegetables
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar Glaze
Tossed Salad

The Dessert Buffet
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes
Brownie Bites
Banana Pudding Parfaits
Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Topping
White Chocolate Thin Mints
Sugar Cookies
Assorted Candy

My guests really got a kick out of their punch choices. One was labeled Nice and the other was Naughty. The base was cranberry juice, fruit punch concentrate and lemon lime soda. The naughty of course had vodka mixed in and I added some almond extract.

As much as I wanted to make all the desserts from scratch I knew that wasn’t happening. Everything except the sugar cookies were from a mix with a few enhancements here and there.

For the carrot cake I combined carrot and spice cake mixes and used a premade cream cheese frosting. I made rolled butter cream (recipe to come later), which works almost as well as fondant to cut out toppers for the red velvet minis. The brownie bites were topped with chocolate frosting and red and green M&M’s.

My banana pudding parfaits were a surprise that not even I seen coming. When I was planning the party I went through the pantry and found out that I had lots of instant banana pudding. I don’t have the faintest idea why I bought it, but it was time to use it. I layered it with a blend of cream cheese, whipped topping and powdered sugar. Topped them with Heath bits and a vanilla wafer. Super yummy!!

In all honesty I must say the vanilla cake with strawberry topping was a last minute addition that really could have been left out. It’s one of those things that get eaten when everything else is gone. Luckily I only made a few and the cake that’s left will get a new life as cake truffles later on.

Gilding store bought cookies is an easy way to dress them up. I dipped Girl Scout thin mints in white chocolate and sprinkled them with red, green and white sanding sugar. And what’s a Christmas dessert table without a decorated sugar cookie.

Idea

Party Highlights

  • Best Dressed

    Yvonne in black leather pants and 5" heels.

  • Desserts

    Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes Brownie Bites Banana Pudding Parfaits Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Topping White Chocolate Thin Mints Sugar Cookies Assorted Candy

  • Activities / Games

    At each soiree we always share our goals for the rest of the year and reflect on if the previous ones have been met. It sounds stuffy but we are very supportive of each other and it ends up being a "please pass the tissue" moment.

  • Budget

    $200.00

  • Party Favors

    The guests filled their treat bags with goodies from the dessert buffet.

  • Best Moment

    Ann shared her South Africa adventures. She was attacked by two tigers and took it in stride.

  • What People Ate

    Southwestern Venison Dip with Multigrain Tortilla Chips Marinated Olive Bruschetta Cheesy Garlic Chicken Ginger Soy Pork Tenderloin with California Blend Vegetables Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar Glaze Tossed Salad

  • What People Drank

    Naughty and Nice Punch. The base was cranberry juice, lemon lime soda, and fruit punch concentrate. The Naughty version included vodka and almond extract.

  • Most Touching Moment

    The entire event was one big love fest.

  • Funniest Moment

    Ann recounting her reaction to the tiger attack.

Hand

Party Helpers

  • Charisse L. Garth

    Assistant

    My daughter who was responsible for decorating the dining tables and chairs.

  • Anders Ruff

    Printables

    Free printables that were fabuloushttp://andersruff.com

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