party food - Around My Family Table

Lego Party Ideas

May 13, 2013 · by amft · 10 Comments

A couple of weeks ago my little man celebrated his 4th birthday. He was very adamant that he wanted a lego party, even though party themes like this are not my favorite type of party I happily planned a fun lego party for him. I decided to keep this birthday party on a budget, so I didn’t go overboard on birthday party supplies, birthday party games, party invitations, or party decorations.

I love coming up with kids birthday ideas for my little ones. They are only small once, but that doesn’t mean the parties need to break the bank. There are tons of great kids party ideas around and I know there are a bazillion lego party ideas, but these are my ideas for a budget friendly, yet totally amazing kid’s lego birthday party.

I have a friend who is very handy with photoshop and so she makes my party invitations (and I make her birthday cakes). This invite was pretty simple so I thought I would share with y’all. She used a flat lego board and used legos to create the initial. She took a picture with her digital camera and then used photo editing software and a free lego font to add the party details. Such a creative idea! (Note: some of it looks a bit off because I edited out our personal info.)

Since we weren’t having our party at the house (and because my son loves cupcakes), we opted not to have a huge lego cake, but lego cupcakes! Aren’t these super cute? They were so simple. I used my favorite amazing white cake recipe plus almond buttercream frosting and then topped them off with edible lego candies! Technically, the candies were supposed to be able to be stacked and used to build things, but I couldn’t get them to work so I just shoved them in the frosting.

Instead of buying the premade cheap looking party bag favors, I made these cute lego bags. All I used was a small gift bag with a handle and 2 inch circles cut in the same color cardstock. I used my silhouette, but scissors or a 2 inch punch would work too. Then just use double stick tape or scrapbook adhesive to stick the circles on the bag. So cute and super easy!

I did buy lego hats because the kids begged for them at the store. They added some nice color to the table! Check out Amazon for a ton of Lego Party Supplies…they have a huge selection.

For a fun and easy game that was totally free (because we have about a bazillion legos) was this hurricane that I filled with hundreds of legos, stuck a note in it asking everyone to guess how many were in the vase. Cute centerpiece, fun game, and colorful too! The winner got some extra edible lego candies (not the legos).

The kids loved these cute lego head marshmallow pops! I will be sharing a step by step on how to make these cute pops soon. The kids had a blast helping me make them and picking out what faces to add to the pops. I could see these being a fun craft for the party, but I just had my kids help while I did other party planning.

The super duper happy birthday boy!

Filed Under: birthdays, holidays and activities, kid friendly, parties, party food, party themes · Tagged: legos, party, party food

1 Minute Dixie Cup Cakes

February 25, 2013 · by amft · 16 Comments

I think I have created a monster! Making individual serving cakes in a coffee mug with a cake mix in the microwave is nothing new. However, many of the recipes call for regular cake mix plus the addition of angel food cake mix (for the egg), put it the microwave on 50% power for a couple minutes and ta-da there is a small cake. I think this is even better. Did you know, it works just as good without the angel food cake mix? Yep, you don’t need it! Plus cooking it in a paper Dixie Cup saves on clean-up. So, without further ado, let me introduce you to my little friends that I call 1 Minute Dixie Cup Cakes.

Apparently, I have some sort of paper cup buying problem and had a gazillion of them in the pantry. {Please, don’t judge me!} Some quick google searches led me to a couple sites for baking cakes in these little handy paper cups, which got me to thinkin’…could I “bake” my cake in the microwave.

I have a huge package of the tiny 3 oz cups from a Costco impulse buy when my 8yo was little. I had grand plans of cute little snacks in them…which obviously didn’t work. What I did realize is that the 3 oz size is the perfect…I mean the PERFECT size for little mouths!

I can see this size working out nicely for after school snacks, a quick after supper treat, fun slumber party treats, and on and on. I bet my 8yo could make these without any help at all….in fact I know she could!

Stop the presses! There is one problem though…the 3 oz cup size was not a good size for Mommy! I dug around until I found the mother load …the 12 oz paper Dixie Cups hiding in the far corner of my pantry. There she should in all her glory, waiting {no, begging} for me to fill her with cake mix. And so I did. It was a glorious site as I watched that cake batter get all bubbly as it turned and turned in the microwave for what seemed like an eternity Luckily, this size only takes one minute and ten seconds….and then…that wonderful chocolate cake hit my mouth. {Who knew I was only 70 seconds away from chocolate cake all this time?}

Really, any size cup will work for this, you might just need to play around with your batter amounts and microwave times.

The best part is the lack of clean up. There is no mixer, no pans, no oil cup, or egg shells…heck there isn’t even a coffee cup to clean. Just one tablespoon and a fork. That makes this a winner for me any day!

Disclaimer…..this is NOT a sponsored post. Dixie Cups has no idea who I am and that I created this fabulous treat using their cups! LOL!

You have to tell me if you make these and what you think! My kids thought I was the best mom in the world!

1 Minute Dixie Cup Cakes

1 package cake mix (any flavor)

water

3oz or 12oz paper Dixie Cups

Toppings: frosting, sprinkles, ice cream (opt)

For the 12 oz cup:

1/2 cup plus 1tbl cake mix

1/4 tbls water

1:10 min in the microwave

In a 12oz Dixie Cup combine cake mix and water and stir well. Batter should be thick. Place in microwave for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Let cool for one minute or so and then add toppings.

For the 3 oz cup:

3 tbls cake

1 tbl water

45 seconds in the microwave

In a 3oz Dixie Cup combine cake mix and water and stir well. Batter should be thick. Place in microwave for 45 seconds. Let cool for one minute or so and then add toppings.

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/02/1-minute-dixie-cup-cakes/

Filed Under: birthdays, cakes/cupcakes, desserts, ef desserts, ef parties, ef snacks, egg free, kid friendly, kids in the kitchen, parties, party food, snacks · Tagged: cake, desserts, egg free, kids, microwave, party, party food

Buffalo Meatballs with Dairy Free Ranch Dressing

January 28, 2013 · by amft · 7 Comments

I love all things with buffalo sauce! Really, just the mention of it makes my mouth water and start to jump for joy. I needed a super quick and easy appetizer for a recent party a couple weeks and I came up with this gem.

I think these Buffalo-Style Meatballs would make a great addition to any party, in fact they will be the main dish at my Super Bowl party next Sunday. They are easy to cook, serve, and eat. All you need is a slow cooker and some toothpicks! Seriously…this can’t get any easier folks!

However, what good are spicy meatballs (or chicken wings for that matter), if there is not yummy ranch dressing to dip them in. I had to come up with something, so I tried my hand at making a dairy and egg free ranch dressing (yes, that makes it vegan, but the addition of meatballs takes away the “vegan-ness” of the dish).

I used a gluten free, dairy free, egg free meatball (tasty, I know), but you can use whatever pre-made meatball you want or keep it vegan by using a vegan meatball. I really wanted this to be super easy, so I used pre-made meatballs, but if you are feeling extra adventurous then make your own. I bet chicken or turkey meatballs would be lovely as well.

Go check out the full recipe for my Buffalo Meatballs in the slow cooker over at Zak Designs. And keep reading for the Ranch Dressing recipe.

Dairy Free Ranch Dressing

This dressing is great by itself or is easily customizable with chipotle peppers, bacon bits, BBQ sauce, and more. Even though it is "vegan" you won't realize it.

1 cup vegan mayonnaise (I prefer Vegenaise brand)

1/4 cup soy milk (or more)

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp fresh chopped chives

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp dried dill

Place all the ingredients in a large mason jar and shake until well blended. Add more or less milk to reach desired consistency (more milk = dressing, less milk = dip)

Store dressing/dip in the refrigerator; dressing will thicken some as it cools (so more milk might be needed before using).

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/01/vegan-ranch-dressing/

Filed Under: appetizers, beef, condiments, df appetizers, df sauces/mixes, ef appetizers, ef sauces/mixes, gf appetizers, gf sauces/mixes, party food, sauces/mixes, slow cooker · Tagged: appetizer, beef, dairy free, dressing, gluten free, party food, slow cooker, vegan

Pizza Fixin’s Bar Party Ideas

September 27, 2012 · by amft · 65 Comments

We have family parties all the time and love to have friends over for dinner. I love cooking for other people, but sometimes I love to let people create their own masterpieces…like with a hot dog bar, nacho station, or these fun pizza fixin’s bar party ideas.

I was already planning on having family over on Sunday, but after the drama of our house almost burning down on Saturday I decided to keep the party relatively simple. Basically, I purged my fridge and came up with some awesome pizza ideas using the new Flatout Pizza Bread. It has like 7g of protein and only 150 calories per flatbread. So they are really pretty healthy.

I had traditional goodies on hand too for the kids (and the adults) who didn’t want to get creative. The flatbreads really made quick work of everyone’s pizza. Hubbyman pre-cooked one side on the grill before everyone arrived, so everyone just had to top their pizzas and throw it back on the grill for a couple more minutes. We used a pizza stone on the grill, but it’s not necessary.

Here are the four fabulous pizzas we created:

Greek Pizza
Carne Asada Pizza
Chicken Fajita Pizza
BBQ Pork Pizza

I think the favorite of the day had to be the BBQ pork pizza.

Greek Pizza

Topping Suggestions for the Greek Pizza:

garlic olive oil
feta
black olives
kalamata olives
spinach
onions, peppers, tomatoes
gyro meat
tzatziki sauce

Carne Asada Pizza

Topping Suggestions for the Carne Asada Pizza:

garlic olive oil
carne asada meat (or thinly sliced cooked steak)
caramelized onions
green onions
shredded mozerella cheese

Chicken Fajita Pizza

Topping Suggestions for the Chicken Fajita Pizza:

pizza/tomato sauce
fajita chicken meat
jalapenos (fresh or pickled)
mexican blend shredded cheese
bacon bits
veggies

BBQ Pork Pizza

Topping Suggestions for the BBQ Pork Pizza:

garlic olive oil
caramelized onions
bbq pork
slices of mozzarella cheese
drizzle of blue cheese dressing

Disclaimer: Flatout Bread and the Motherhood provided me with the pizza bread and compensation to buy toppings for the party. All opinions and recipe ideas are my own.

Filed Under: beef, grilling, main dishes, party food, party themes, pork, poultry, vegetarian · Tagged: grilling, party, party food, pizza

Cinnabon Party Snack

June 29, 2012 · by amft · 24 Comments

I have to admit it, I love Cinnabon. Do I eat it…not often…it’s so sweet and tasty and wonderful. I usually only get one when I’m traveling as a little treat for me and then share it with the family. There is no way I could finish one by myself! Enter my Cinnabon Party Snack..now I can have the flavors without as much as the guilt. It’s still not good for you and a quick warning that this is super duper addictive!

So, I was really excited when I was contacted to try the new Cinnabon Sprinkle Topping and Cinnabon Syrup. I knew I had to come up with a fun and unique way to use these little treasures, but I didn’t want to go the traditional route of cinnamon rolls or pancakes with the syrup. So I came up with this tasty little gem that will be perfect for your next party or get together.

A little warning….it is loaded with tons of sugary goodness! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

My 7yo daughter learned how to make origami cups in 2nd grade last year. I never learned cool stuff like that, but that’s another story. Anyway, I grabbed a cool piece of paper, called her into the room, and had her teach me how to make the cup. I think it made a fun way munch on our new Cinnabon Party Snacks! What do you think?

Cinnabon Party Snack

6 oz (~1/2 bag) white chocolate chips

5-6 cups toasted corn or rice cereal (or a mix of both)

4 tbl Cinnabon Syrup

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 1/2 tbl Cinnabon Sprinkle Topping

opt: extra cinnamon for garnish

In a medium, microwave safe bowl, melt white chocolate chips for 30 seconds in microwave. Stir, then microwave in 15 second intervals until the chips are completely melted and smooth. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine confectioners sugar and Cinnabon Sprinkle Topping and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine white chocolate and cereal until well combined. Drizzle Cinnabon Syrup over the cereal and stir gently to coat. Put coated cereal in a large gallon-sized zip top baggie along with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Seal it up and shake! Keep shaking until all the cereal is coated.

When serving, sprinkle with a little cinnamon to add a little color!

Note: Do not add syrup to melted white chocolate chips. It will seize the chocolate.

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2012/06/cinnabon-party-snack/

Disclosure: I received the Cinnabon products used. All opinions and the recipe are my own.

Filed Under: candy, desserts, parties, party food, snacks · Tagged: chex mix, cinnabon, dessert, party food

Monster Truck Birthday Party

April 30, 2012 · by amft · 13 Comments

Yesterday, was my son’s 3rd birthday and we celebrated with a Monster Truck Party. He is into everything Monster Trucks, so I knew he would just love this party! A friend of mine is wizard on Photoshop and she made invitations that looked like a ticket to a Monster Truck show. She also sews and made the cute Monster Truck shirt that Gavin is wearing!

Since this is a food site, let’s start there! LOL! Hubbyman was out of the country, so I was on my own for the party and all the preparations. I took a few short cuts, but I think it turned out cute anyway. Sandwiches with checkered flags, Energy Bite licorice sticks, Mud Shots (crushed oreos, chocolate pudding, and an oreo on top), chips and salsa, and individual veggie cups!

I first saw these individual veggie cups on Pinterest a while ago and then Janice over at Celebrating Family had them at her daughter’s party last year. They are super fun and easy. Just put some dressing in the bottom of a little cup and fill with chopped veggies. EASY!

Well, the cake is not my best work at all! I spent 6 hours the day before the party in the hospital with the little man. So my time to make the cake was shortened from an all day activity to an hour before the party. I made a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. The “dirt” is crushed graham crackers with a little cocoa powder added to darken it up. The dirt ramps are actually large blocks of fondant covered in frosting/dirt. And of course, the monster trucks and cars! Don’t forget to wash the cars before placing them on the cake. I “drove” the trucks over parts of the cake to give it the look that it was actually a used MT course.

I decorated with red and black and strung up a checkered flag banner around 3 sides of the ramada. The kids went to “body shop” for temporary tattoos and MT coloring pages. But mostly they just ran around and played on the playground. The kids all went home with a goodie bag filled with a monster truck, tattoos, a curly straw, and more!

Me and my little man! Happy 3rd Birthday!

Filed Under: birthdays, parties, party themes · Tagged: party, party food

Crescent Cranberry Wreaths

December 19, 2011 · by amft · 5 Comments

Are you wondering what I ended up making for my Pillsbury Potluck party? I polled everyone and several dishes got the top votes but the number one recipe was the Crescent Cranberry Wreath. It was really easy to make and everyone (especially the kids) loved it. It went together super fast, I started making on 30 minutes before guests arrived. I love dishes like that.

I invited several of my favorite girlfriends over for the brunch. Our kids all played while we chatted about parties we were going to, Christmas, and of course ate a TON of food. Everyone brought a dish created using a Pillsbury product. We did a recipe swap too and all walked away lots of tasty new recipes to try.

We played a little game for prizes too! It was guess Wendy’s least favorite pie. Any guesses? I’m starting to think my friends only like me for my parties, food, and prizes. LOL!

Crescent Cranberry Wreaths

1/3 cup finely chopped sweetened dried cranberries

2 tbls cherry or strawberry preserves

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1 tsp shortening

Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix cranberries and preserves.

If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough into 2 rectangles. Press each to form 8x6-inch rectangle, pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut into 2 rectangles. Press each to form 8x6-inch rectangle.

Spread cranberry mixture over 1 rectangle to edges. Place second rectangle on top; press lightly. With sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut lengthwise into six 8-inch-long strips. Twist each strip 3 times, and shape into ring on cookie sheet; pinch ends to seal.

Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave baking bar and oil uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir until melted and smooth. If necessary, microwave 10 to 20 seconds longer. Drizzle over warm wreaths. Serve warm.

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2011/12/crescent-cranberry-wreaths/

Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury. I made a slight modification but mostly kept to the original recipe that I was supposed to use.

Disclosure: The Pillsbury product, information, food ideas, online coupon link, and prize pack have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.

Filed Under: appetizers, brownies/bars, christmas, desserts, holidays and activities, party food · Tagged: appetizers, baking, dessert, holiday, party food

Cake Truffles

December 16, 2011 · by amft · 6 Comments

For my long time fans, you might remember that I wrote about my Cake Balls (ummm…Cake Truffles are the fancy way to say cake balls) last year. These are the same thing, but with a fancy name. However, I have a new version that is probably a better version for beginners. It is very easy and forgiving. No need to worry about thinning the chocolate or coming up with the perfect flavor combo (although, check out the Cake Balls recipe if you want some ideas for a more “gourmet” cake ball). The names should probably be reversed…oh well.

I sersiously get requests for these from all over the country, though I haven’t mastered the shipping aspect. And local family and friends beg me to make them. Really it’s super easy, but isn’t it always better when someone makes your favorite treat for you.

Here is the cute little goodie bag I made for the Ladies Holiday Treat Exchange at church. Trust me…two was enough, they are super rich and sweet! Want to know what was in the other bag? Peppermint Chex Mix.

**Want to make the cute colored drizzle? Use these Decorating Squeeze Bottles and melt the colored candy melts in the bottles using a bowl of hot water. Easy!**

Print

Cake Truffles

1 9x13 cake prepared (boxed mix or scratch)
1 tub buttercream frosting
2-3 packages candy melts for dipping (additional colors for drizzling, opt)

Crumble baked cake, add about 1/2 a container of frosting, and mix well. You should be able to form a ball when gently squeezing a handful of cake together (like the way wet sand does). Using a cookie dough scoop out cake and roll into balls. Freeze. Meanwhile, melt candy melts in a deep medium sized bowl, dip frozen cake balls in melted candy using two forks, then place on wax paper. For easier dipping, keep balls frozen until ready to dip.
Store in an airtight container in the the refrigerator for up to a week.
**Balls can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. Dip as needed.
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http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2011/12/cake-truffles/
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Filed Under: cakes/cupcakes, christmas, desserts, holidays and activities · Tagged: cake, desserts, holiday, leftovers, party food

Stuffed Peanut Butter Pops

July 10, 2011 · by amft · 766 Comments

It’s that time again!!

We are SO THRILLED to share our display for the

Kellogg’s™ Rice Krispies™ Making Memories Challenge.
This challenges theme was:
FAVORITE SUMMER PASTIMES

We decided that one of our fondest Summer Memories was having a Lemonade Stand and Bake Sale.

{We built this beauty from scratch!}

What kid hasn’t done one and loved it, right?!

For our main recipe we were thrilled to come up with
something not only
ORIGINAL and KID-FRIENDLY (it’s on a stick!)
but something SUPER YUMMY!

What’s great about goodies on a stick is it really minimizes the mess, which is always a BONUS!

And speaking of bonuses, check out the yummy-ness
INSIDE our treat!
They are stuffed with white chocolate peanut butter cups!!
Here’s how you can make these
UNIQUE and DELISH Pops as well…

Rice Krispies Stuffed Peanut Butter Pops
yields: approximately 24 pops

1 cup light corn syrup

7 cups Kelloggs Rice Krispies

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup peanut butter

white chocolate peanut butter cups

white chocolate almond bark

24-30 long lollipop sticks

Pour Kelloggs Rice Krispies into a large bowl. Bring peanut butter, sugar and corn syrup to a boil on medium heat. Pour mixture over Rice Krispies and stir making sure all cereal is lightly coated. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.

Let your kids grab a handful of Rice Krispies mixture and add a peanut butter cup to the center and roll into a ball. Insert stick to the center of the ball and press around. Do the same for all pops.

Melt white chocolate bark in a pan on low heat stirring constantly. Drizzle white chocolate over the pops and let cool.

It was SO much fun to join forces in building a lemonade stand and creating all sorts of YUMMY Rice Krispies goodies for the table.

•Carnival Lemonade
•Rice Krispies Treats
•Chocolate Scotcharoos
•Rice Krispies Pinwheels
•Gluten Free Lemon Bars
•Rice Krispies Ice Cream Cones

Each member of our team has agreed to share detailed instructions on how to make all of the projects on the stand. Stay tuned to all of our blogs over the next week and a half so you can learn how to create the ultimate Lemonade Stand and Bake Sale too!

Ashley @ Cute as a Fox:
Rice Krispies Ice Cream Cone Treats{7/13}

Rice Krispies Pinwheels {7/18}

Jax @ Aly & Ash:
FREE Printable Price Tags {7/14}
Gluten Free Rice Krispies Lemon Squares {7/20}

Kristyn @ Lil’ Luna:
Lemonade Stand {7/19}

Me @ Around My Family Table:
Carnival Lemonade {7/13}
Chocolate Scotcharoos and Rice Krispies Treats {7/15}

Gluten Free Rice Krispies Lemon Squares {7/20}

And I’m sure you haven’t forgotten, but just in case you have…

We get to give away $100 to one LUCKY READER as a part of this challenge!

Who wouldn’t want ONE HUNDRED BUCKS!?

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED…see the winner announcement here!

Our whole team hopes that you are inspired to get in the kitchen with your kids and start making memories!
GOOD LUCK!

Abbreviated Rules. No Purchase Necessary. Begins no earlier than 12:00:00 AM (ET) on 6/14/11 and ends no later than 11:59:59 PM (ET) on 7/26/11. For complete Official Rules, go to http://web.mediacdt.com/docs/RKGiveawaySummer.pdf. Open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Subject to complete Official Rules. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: The Motherhood; www.TheMotherhood.com.