Yummyday Tuesdays - Smoked Salmon Spread & Secret Cheese Ball Recipes

The following post is a contiuation of my Simple Party Planning Course and these menu items are from my Simple Brunch Selections.

It's Yummyday Tuesday! If you've read our Intro to Party Planning, then you know how this works. If not, click over and start this party planning course from the beginning. Be sure to also read the Pre-Planning post as well. Now - on to the recipes!

Smoked Salmon is a staple on my appetizer table. To add a "little something extra" I serve it with chopped red onion, capers and lagniappe (which means, a little something extra!)

Lagniappe (for Smoked Salmon)
4 oz. cream cheese
Lady & Sons Seasoning - add to taste (see Recipe below)

Lady & Sons Seasoning
1 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Our Family Secret Cheese Ball
Cream Cheese 3 – 8oz. pkg. (room temp.)
Onion, Chopped 2 C. (1 Lg)
Worcestershire 3 Tbsp.
Accent 3 Tbsp.
Sandwich Beef, Chopped 4 Pkg. (Best if chopped in food processor)


Mix all ingredients together, using only 3 of the 4 packages of meat. Shape into ball and use the reserved meat to cover the outside. Served best with Tollhouse or Ritz Crackers








Coming up next Tuesday....Spicy Tomato Grits and Sauteed Spinach! For more great recipes, visit The Kendal Companies.

Thinking Thursday - RSVPs - What is that?!

We all are guilty of it. Not RSVPing, or waiting until the last minute to call, or worse - showing up after not RSVPing. Why do we do this and why is such a crime?

In my business, everything depends on the guest count. From how many tables and chairs to how many individual hand-made appetizers I have to roll - believe me, it matters.

Let's talk about why most of us have such a hard time picking up the phone, or emailing, or sending in the pre-stamped RSVP, or any other forms of letting the hostess know you will or won't be there:

Commitment phobia. What if something better comes along? What if I can't get a sitter? What if Brad Pitt shows up at my door and sweeps me away? What if? You can always call and let the hostess know (I promise she'll understand if you're on your way to France with Mr. Pitt.) The whole reason for RSVPS is so that the hostess can plan on how much food, beverages, chairs and space she will need AND how much money she needs to budget for all of it. If she knows she is having 100 guest instead of the 250 she invited, she may serve lobster instead of chicken. Likewise, if she does have all 250 RSVP, she knows she can never afford lobster for everyone and will have to go with the chicken.   

You want to help the hostess with her budget.  Don't try to save the hostess that per-person catering fee by saying "I won't eat" or  "my child can share off my plate" because the truth is, you WILL pick up a couple of pieces of cheese and your five-year-old will visit the dessert table at least twice. If you show up unannounced and do eat, there may not be enough food. It's better to have too much food than to not have enough so go ahead and say "yes" even if it's a "maybe." If you wait or don't RSVP you could be left empty-handed. You CAN change your mind but at least you will be covered

You simply forgot. Solve this problem by immediately responding the minute you get the invite. Don't put it in the pile on your desk or leave it in the car. Go ahead and pick up the phone or mail in the card. If it's an Evite, immediately respond online.  If your hostess was gracious enough to put a pre-stamped RSVP card in the invite, at least mail it back to her. That's alot of postage down the drain if you don't!

You're afraid you will hurt her feelings by responding "no." Yes, this is a possibility but hostess know that not everyone can attend her event. She does expect some "No's" but I also know that she would rather hear something from you than feel like you are avoiding her by not responding. For big events such as weddings, the hostess is going to make around of phone calls to those she has not heard from. Don't ingore her to save her feelings, save yourself (and her) the grief by simply being honest and RSVPing your regrets. You don't have to say "I'm going to Jenny's wedding instead." or "I'm allergic to your cat and can't come to you home Christmas party." Just a simple, NO on the RSVP will suffice.

Holiday Party Planning Course - PRE-PLANNING

The following post is a contiuation of my Simple Party Planning Course....

So you’ve decided to have a party. Now What?

PRE-PLANNING

Don’t be overwhelmed by planning your event. Sit down and put the following down ON PAPER:


-DATE: Getting your guests to attend takes more than just an alluring invitation. Think about your own obligations and apply it to your guest list. Consider more than just choosing whether a Friday or Saturday will work. Scan the local newspaper or school websites to find out what is going on in the community that might be a conflict for your guests. Sports schedules, school concerts and local community events such as holiday parades and tree lightings should be taken into consideration.



-TIME & DURATION: For evening events your starting time should be late enough to give yourself time to prepare and give your working guests time to get home and change but should also be early enough that your party doesn’t run late into the night. 7 or 7:30 is usually standard for evening affairs. For afternoon events, be considerate and don’t choose time frames that take up your guest’s entire day. Plan for brunch time 10:30 – 1:30 or late afternoon 5 -7pm.. You will have more people attend if they see that they still have time to accomplish their own agendas.

LOCATION – It is most cost effective to host your party at your own home. Think about how many guests your home will accommodate. Consider removing furniture out of the entertaining rooms and place folding chairs around the areas. Everyone likes to show off their home décor, but scale back your cherished items for a crisper, cleaner look for entertaining. You will benefit more by saving your favorite collectible from being broken than from displaying it for your guests. If you are planning an outdoor party, be sure to think about the weather. On porches and in garages, bring in extra fans to circulate the air and keep bugs away. Outdoor tents are very elegant for winter outdoor parties and save your home from the mess, but can be expensive to rent.



THEME- When choosing a theme, think outside of the box. Just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean you have to have traditional themes. Try “July in Christmas” for a fun theme (see Party Starter page for details.) With traditional parties, add another dimension by having a centralized event such as having Santa stop by or have Christmas carolers stop by. Focus more on what you can offer your guests that is different than just the theme’s décor.



ATTIRE (cocktail, casual, dinner) – This one is your personal preference. Most people like to have a reason to dress up a little bit, but sometimes you just want to be comfortable.



GUEST COUNT/LIST –Is this just neighbors? Your company holiday party? Don’t mix guest list. Business parties should not be combined with less formal occasions. No one wants to see their slightly obnoxious neighbor chatting with your biggest client. It is also too stressful to try to be professional and hang out with the girl next door at the same time. Again, consider how many your home will comfortable hold.

Coming Next..... the "Menu".......

Yummyday Tuesday - Sweet Potato Balls

Sweet Potato Balls

Bake, Peel and Mash 4 large Sweet Potatoes

Mix together:
2/3 C. Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Orange Juice
1 tsp. Orange Zest
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

Add to potatoes.

In a seperate bowl toss together:
2 C. Coconut
1/2 C. Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon



Press the mixture around a large marshmellow. Roll ball around in the coconut mixture. Place in a large paper cupcake wrapper and bake in muffin tin for 20 mins. at 350 degrees.

Be careful not to overcook or the marshmellows will pop.

For more great receipes visit http://www.thekendalcompanies.com/Recipes---DIY-Projects.html

YOU ASKED - YOU GOT IT - Holiday Party Planning Course

Last holiday season I did a series of seminars for local businesses and civic groups on simple holiday party planning. It was a great success and I have had emails from several attendees requesting  a "reminder" course. I added a slideshow to my website and thought it would be a great idea to add it to my blog during the month of December.

Starting this week, I will be breaking down my series into three posts per week. On Tuesdays I will post "Yummyday Tuesdays" which will consist of recipes from my family, friends and personal catering company. I will start with the brunch menu I used as a guide in my seminars.

This will be complimented by "Why Worry? Wednesdays." These posts will cover the  "Things women worry about the most when planning a party." 

Finally, "Thinking Thursdays"  will highlight party planning shortcuts and tips. Sort of my own "thinking out of the box" series.

By the end of the month you should be able to hold a simple, but elegant, brunch for the holidays or for a festive NewYears Eve Gala. If you are short on time and need to fast-forward, visit my website for the complete course via slideshow. To look ahead, in January, the topic will change from Simple Party Planning to Simplifying YOU and Your Clutter.

Simple (but Elegant!) Brunch INTRODUCTION/SCHEDULE

Yummyday Tuesdays:

MENU:

Beverages - Posting on Tuesday December 1st

Mimosas

Hot Russian Tea

Coffee Bar

Starters - Posting Tuesday December 8th

Smoked Salmon

Served with Capers, Red Onions and Lagniappe

Maries' Cheese ball

Served with Artisan Crackers

Main Course - Posting Tuesday December 15th

Spicy Tomato  Grits

Thick Cut Bacon and Sausage Patties

Sautéed Spinach with Onions and Garlic

Sweets   -Posting Tuesday December 22nd

Lemon Glazed Scones

Homemade Pound Cake Served with Chocolate Gravy and Grand Berries

Why Worry? Wednesdays4 Things Women Worry about When Planning a Party

Schedule:

Who to Invite and Will Anyone Show Up? - Wednesday December 2nd

How Clean Is My House? - Wednesday December 9th

What Food will I Serve? -Includes Printable Shopping List Wednesday December 16th

What Will I Wear? - Wednesday December 23rd

Thinking Thursdays

PARTY PLANNING TIPS AND SHORT CUTS

Schedule:

Party Themes - Thursday December 3rd

Decor Ideas - Thursday December 10th

Party Starter Ideas - December 17th

Final Notes - December 24th

I am very excited about this series and hope you will leave lots of comments for me! You can always visit The Kendal Companies for more great recipes, tips, crafts and more!

Stay tuned for the first post: Party Pre-Planning....