3 Mother’s Day Party Ideas For Mother’s Day 2012

Posted on May 7, 2012 by admin

Hey everyone, don’t forget, Mother’s Day is this Sunday May 13th!

If you want to make your mother smile and feel extremely loved and happy on this special day, then maybe you should consider throwing a Mother’s Day party just for her!  If you are looking around for party ideas we have assembled some fantastic ones, and we’re sure your mother will be appreciative of them if you follow through with our ideas!

Mother’s Day Decorations

If you are planning an actual Mother’s Day party, decorations will always play a key role in its planning.  Decorations should always be selected in accordance to the taste of the person for whom the party is being hosted, and in this case—your mother!  Therefore, you should decorate the party site, whether it is a home or any other venue, with flowers that your mother loves.  After all, what is a Mother’s Day party without flowers?!?!

If you decide to have the party at a catering hall (or you are located near our Philadelphia, PA Banquet Hall, Cottage Green) then you should adjust the look of the hall by putting up some familiar and beautiful family photos.  Also, you should consider putting up a banner that says “We Love You Mom,” or “Happy Mother’s Day.”  Sometimes even the clichés will merely work the best when it comes to decorating for a Mother’s Day party!

Food Ideas For Mother’s Day

Food will always be the most important part of any holiday or party.  So, when it comes to having a Mother’s Day party, the menu should definitely be made up of food dishes that your mother or close relatives love to eat.  Also, you should consider a custom Mother’s Day cake—there is no doubt that your mother will love a custom-baked cake made for her, and with her name on it showing just how much you appreciate her!

Mother’s Day Themed Party

Want to have a Mother’s Day party, but don’t have the time for it this Sunday?  You can always put together a Mother’s Day themed party the following weekend, or another… The theme you consider should of course mirror Mother’s Day, but it should be suitable for any kind of age group!  What is a party without taking the time to invite some guests?

Considering some of our ideas, but need the assistance of an affordable Philadelphia, PA Catering Company?  Get in touch with us immediately!  We will know exactly how to make your Mother’s Day themed party a party your mother will never forget!

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Who to Follow on Twitter

Posted on April 18, 2012 by admin

Chefs
Jamie Oliver @jamieoliver: This inspiring chef has his own foundation with the purpose of educating, empowering, and inspiring people to become more informed about nutrition and be able to make better decisions. Follow him for healthy recipes and to learn about his mission for a food revolution.

Guy Fieri @GuyFieri: Guy is a food lover who travels around looking for the best restaurants and the best dishes. You can check out his Twitter to see where he’s going next and what great new foods he has discovered.

Giada De Laurentiis @GDeLaurentiis: A favorite food network star, Giada is an Italian chef who was born in Rome. She’s charming and has great recipes. Have cooking questions? She’s great about responding to followers!

Planning
Martha Stewart @MarthaStewart:  A household name, Martha has been sharing fun home and party ideas for years. For those who like to host guests, following Martha could help you find some great ideas to make your next party a huge success.

Village Catering @AlansVillage: Follow us to read our latest blogs and news. We share recipes and great catering ideas as well as retweet cool stories and news!

Recipes
Taste and Share: @TasteAndShare: From recipes to reviews to photography, when it comes to food Taste and Share has it all. Follow them for great food entertainment.

Recipes Idea @RecipesIdeas: If you need recipe ideas they have it all. Whether it’s the main course, a side dish, or dessert they share great ideas every day.

Healthy Home Recipes @Home_Recipes: If you’re looking for something you know will be nutritional, this is the place for you. They have many easy and great tasting recipes as well as plenty of healthy ideas to choose from.

Food Network @FoodNetwork: From recipes to tips to news, Food Network has everything food. Hear from their chefs, keep updated with their news and events, and join great conversations all about food.

Information
Eat This Not That @EatThisNotThat: Great for learning new facts about healthy options. Eat This Not That teaches you ways to swap food options and save yourself hundreds of calories. If you’re interested in losing weight, their advice could make a great difference in your life.

Foodimentary @Foodimentary: These guys share facts that are helpful and fun. They keep you posted every day on national food days, so you’ll never miss national peanut butter and jelly day, or national animal cracker day.

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Fun Ideas For Easter

Posted on April 11, 2012 by admin

Are you hosting Easter dinner, or just looking for some fun ways to celebrate? Here’s a couple of fun and simple ideas that take Easter traditions and add a little twist to make the day just a little more special!

Dessert: What dessert is more perfect for Easter than carrot cake? Not only does the Easter Bunny love carrots but your tummy will too! Use your favorite carrot cake recipe but make it better by baking the cake, then before frosting use a cookie cutter to make fun shapes, like bunnies. Now you have the perfect single serving cakes for everyone!

Egg Dying: If you dye Easter eggs every year we have some neat ideas for making them even more fun. Put a spin on traditional egg dying by cutting out rabbit ears and drawing faces on the eggs to make them look like bunnies. Or hard-boil the eggs, then decorate them with names and fun designs to turn them into fun, individualized table place settings.

Easter Baskets: It’s always exciting to wake up Easter morning and see what’ s in your Easter basket – but add a little more excitement by making a scavenger hunt that leads to the baskets. Start with a clue or riddle that will lead to the next and bring the kids along a path in search of their hidden basket.

Table Setting: Looking for an idea to make your table a little more attractive? Use cloth napkins and fold them to look like a bunny! There’s many tutorials that can be found online and it’s a fun and simple way to add just a little more flair to your preparations.

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Do It Yourself Wedding Ideas

Posted on March 28, 2012 by admin

Weddings can get expensive; so don’t spend more money than you need to! Here are some great ideas for a do it yourself wedding that will not only save you money but are eco friendly too!

Save the date: A fun idea for invitations is to find some cool postcards – maybe a black and white scene or a postcard from the location of your wedding – and use them as save the date cards or wedding invitations. It’s an inexpensive and unique way to share the good news.

Table placements: In the months leading up to the wedding, collect empty wine bottles to be used as centerpieces on the tables. Paint the bottles using your wedding colors and place a flower in the bottle to make them extra special.

Another idea for table placements, that’s also eco friendly, is to find smooth, dark rocks outside. Use some chalk to write the table number on the rock then place these on the tables. The rocks can be put back outside afterwards and you can practice being green.

Favors: One cool idea for a favor is to find individual and inexpensive flowerpots to fill with favors. Use chalk to write a note on the pots, such as your names and the date of the wedding. Fill the pot with seed packets and any other knickknack you want to include. Tie a bow around the outside and add a little thank-you note.

Something you could include in the flowerpot would be a personalized matchbook. Buy small matchbooks and craft paper then create a Word template with the front and back images or messages you want to use. Print, cut, and glue the craft paper around the matchbox to create a traditional yet personalized gift for your guests.

An awesome idea for a wedding favor that will last a lifetime is to “plant a memory”. Go green by purchasing tree seedlings and wrapping the bottoms with burlap and tying a fun ribbon with a note around the bag. Guests will love this idea and you’ll be helping the environment so it’s money well spent.

Desserts: The cake is expensive enough, so if you want other desserts find a recipe that you can make your own! Know a great buttercream frosting cupcake recipe? Use it and personalize it by incorporating your wedding colors in the icing and other details for the decorations that go along with your theme (such as leaves for a fall wedding).

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Best (Free) Food Apps

Posted on March 14, 2012 by admin

In trying to stay up with the times, and realizing the importance of Smartphones for businesses, we thought it would be fun to share what we think are the best free food apps.

Yelp: This app is helpful for finding places nearby. Usually used to find restaurants, the app can also be used to search for anything from shopping centers to beauty salons to repair shops. This app is helpful when you’re in an unfamiliar place looking for somewhere to grab a bite to eat. You can read reviews, get tips, see price ranges, and even get directions through the app.

AllRecipes: This is an app that helps you find recipes. You can search by food, or choose random and the app will pick a recipe for you. There’s even an option to find recipes with certain ingredients, which is great for using up leftovers.

Restaurants: This is an app that has nutrition information for large restaurant chains. You can use this app to help yourself make healthier choices when dining out.

MyFitnessPal: With this app you can track what you eat as well as how much you exercise. It calculates your caloric needs based on weight, age, and activity and is a great weight loss tool.

Fooducate: Fooducate is a fun app to use when grocery shopping. With this app you can scan barcodes on food products and the app gives a letter grade for each item based on its ingredients and nutritional value.

FoodGawker: This is another app that is helpful for finding recipes. All you need to do is sift through the images of delicious foods, and then choose one you would want a recipe for.

Ratio: Ratio is great for those who enjoy baking. If you don’t have enough of an ingredient or you want to make more or less servings than the recipe calls for, this app will help you adjust the remainder of the recipe to keep the ratio between ingredients.

Hello Vino: For those who love wine, this app helps you choose the wine that will go best with food, taste, or occasion. So if you’re ever unsure of when wine to choose you can use this app to help decide.

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Do It Yourself Bite-Sized Party Foods

Posted on February 24, 2012 by admin

Looking to throw a small do-it-yourself party, get-together, or other event? We found a few simple recipes for finger foods that will delight your guests while keeping you stress free. They’re time saving and easy to make recipes for appetizers, the main course, and dessert. Enjoy! 

Dessert

Bite Sized Apple Pies – Put a spin on the traditional dessert!

1/2 cp. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 pkg. (14.1 oz) refrigerated piecrust
3 tbsp. melted butter, divided
2 medium tart apples, each cut into 8 wedges

Combine sugar and cinnamon then set aside 1 Tbsp. Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface and brush with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Then cut each sheet into 8 inch strips and wrap one strip around each apple wedge, with the sugared side against the apple. Last, place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar mixture. Bake at 425 for 13-15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. 

 

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries – Simple and creative!

20 Strawberries
8 oz pkg. softened cream cheese
1/2 cp. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 sleeve of graham crackers

Start by washing the strawberries and cutting off the tops, then core the strawberries. Next, make the filling by beating the cream cheese then adding the powdered sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until smooth. Last, using the cream cheese filling, fill the strawberries. Finish by sprinkling with graham cracker crumbs.
For a little extra flavor top with mini chocolate chips or drizzle the strawberries with chocolate.

 

Appetizers

Taco Cups – So easy…and tasty!

1 can refried beans
1/2 lb. cooked taco-seasoned meat
1 cp. shredded cheddar
1 cp salsa
1/2 cp. sour cream
1/2 cp. sliced black olives
1 bag Tostitos “Scoops!”

Set chips on a large platter and layer with beans, meat, cheddar, salsa, sour cream and black olives.

 

Cheesy Tomato Slices – gotta get those vegetables in!

1/2 cp. shredded mozzarella
1/2 cp. grated Parmesan
1/4 cp. mayo
1 tsp. dried oregano salt
Pkg. cherry tomatoes

Slice tomatoes in half and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Mix the remaining ingredients together and spread on top of the tomato slices. Broil 3 minutes until cheese is melted.

 

Main Course

BBQ Shrimp & Bacon – A delicious combination!

30 shrimp, peeled and deveined
15 strips bacon, partially cooked and cut in half
Vegetable oil,  as needed
1 cp. barbecue sauce

Wrap each shrimp with a bacon slice then thread each shrimp on a small skewer and brush lightly with oil. Place the skewers on a wire rack and broil the shrimp until the bacon cooks. Then, brush with barbecue sauce, broil, and rotate for another 3 to 6 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked.

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5 Unique Ideas for Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 1, 2012 by admin

Looking for something special to do on Valentines Day and just can’t think of the perfect idea? Whether you’re dating, married without children, or even have a family, here are some tips on cooking ideas and fun ways to spend the day with the ones you love. You can follow them exactly or use them to help you come up with your own special idea, hope they help!

1. Cook Together: Cooking with a loved one is a great way to spend time with them and a fantastic way to bond. With everyone’s busy it’s difficult to sit and eat dinner together on a regular basis let alone prepare the meal together. Pick something that’s a favorite for both of you or something that reminds you of a meal you’ve shared together before. Time spent enjoying one another’s company really helps to remind you of why it is that you love them. Not to mention food always tastes better when you prepare it yourself : )

2. Scavenger Hunt: Lead them to their gift by setting up a scavenger hunt. Make the hints something only your loved one would understand. Think of some of your favorite memories and where they happened and have each clue lead them to a new place. This is a great way to show them that you really care by bringing up old memories. The hints can be serious or funny, lead them to the place where you first told them you loved them or where they tripped over a shoe and sprained their ankle. Give it some thought and make the hints personal and meaningful.

3. Make heart shaped foods: This idea is pretty easy, try to think of foods that can be either cooked or cut into the shape of a heart. Bake a sheet of brownies or cookies and use a heart shaped cookie cutter. For breakfast make heart shaped pancakes and for dinner make your loved one’s their favorite flavor pizza baked in the shape of a heart. Besides using the shape of a heart, try to incorporate the color red into the meal. Make red jell-o or add red food coloring to mashed potatoes. Choose a favorite meal and put one of these special twists to it.

4. For the Family: Put notes and a treat in your children’s lunch boxes so when they get to school they are reminded of how much you care about them. Have the kids make Valentines Day cards for each other, for your spouse or their Grandparents, or anyone special to them. Let them help make dinner bake a special dessert. There are so many great activities to do with kids, just make sure you include them in your celebration to make the day extra special.

5. Keep it simple: It’s the small things that show you really care. It isn’t necessary to spend a lot of money by taking them to the most expensive restaurant in town or by buying them an expensive gift. It’s the little things that are important. Showing them that you care by remembering and making their favorite dessert or renting their favorite move is enough.  Relaxing and just spending time together is a great way to share the day together.

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3 Helpful Guidelines For Eating A Diet-friendly Dessert

Posted on January 6, 2012 by admin

Interested in preparing diet-friendly desserts but still feel the need to satisfy your desire for something sweet?  If so, follow these three guidelines to help you find/prepare a diet-friendly dessert that can end up being just as sweet as a regular dessert!

Picking Out Which Dessert Recipe Is Best For You

The best way to get a diet-friendly dessert on your table is to pick a dessert recipe that is for health or diet-conscious people.  This strategy will always save you the trouble of trying to replace ingredients—especially if you aren’t confident about doing that.  Also, many creators of dessert recipes have already taken the trouble to make their “normal” recipes more diet-friendly.

To find a diet-friendly dessert you should initially seek out explicit dessert recipes that are classified as being low-fat, sugar-free, guilt-free, light, or healthy.  You should also try to look for dessert recipes that are for diabetics, people with milk allergies, and so on—these recipes are usually lower in sugar, carbohydrates, and milk fat.

Furthermore, recent studies have indicated that as new recipe books come out, the number of calories for each recipe increases by half.  Therefore, when seeking out a dessert recipe, acquire older cookbooks as they have the original recipes—ones that have not been tampered with by adding extra ingredients, for example, extra sugar for taste.

Eat Smaller Portions

This goes for every meal…if you eat smaller portions of a dessert you will be able to train yourself on how to eat less and feel full faster during any meal.  In most cases, just a few mouthfuls of any type of sweet should be enough to satisfy your desire for something sweet.

Always remember that moderation is the key to succeeding with any diet.  Consuming one small piece of chocolate dessert won’t make you gain weight—it’s eating more than one small piece of chocolate dessert in a sitting that could make you gain weight!

Use A lot Of Fruits!

Most of the time, having fruits for dessert (prepared in different ways) will be enough to satisfy your hunger for a dessert.  The natural sugars present in fruits are not only good for satisfying your sweet tooth, but are very good for your body and health as well!

You can use fruits as toppings on cakes and pies instead of whipped cream or icing.  You can also serve fruit juices for dessert and even freeze them into some delicious popsicles!

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4 Tips For Self Catering

Posted on December 5, 2011 by admin

Planning a party takes a lot of time especially if you are doing your own catering. Buying the food, preparing the meal, decorating your home, hall, or general organization can be a rigorous endeavor. If it is a big party you might have to rent cooking equipment, tables, chairs, and even a tent!  If you want there to be music and entertainment you may even find yourself seeking out a DJ or band!

Even though planning your own party or event is a lot of work, catering an event can be very easy and preparing it yourself can save you a good chunk of change.

Here are four self catering tips that may make preparing a meal for your guests a lot less time consuming:

1.  Organization:  You need some sort of an “organized system” that will allow you to effortlessly acquire everything you need for your party or event. To do this you can have organized lists, notes, and supplies on a spreadsheet on your home computer.

2.  Write Lists:  When you are doing your own catering, lists are very important!   You should have lists of contact information for all the people helping you with the party, and also a list of all those people who said they were coming.  Also, list out all of the exact the equipment you need to get, and list out all of the food you have to buy as well as supplies like tablecloths, napkins, utensils, etc.  Most importantly do not forget to make a to-do list to make sure you get done everything for the party or event.

3.  Guest Count:  Make sure you have enough food because having too much can be very wasteful. Do this by making sure you have a near to solid number of people who are coming.

4.  Get Disposable Dinnerware:  Things can be a great deal easier if you use disposable dinnerware.  It may not look as pretty, but you won’t have to deal with washing those dirty dishes.

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Popular Wedding Trends

Posted on October 28, 2011 by admin

Like decorations, invitations, the dress, and photography, catering trends change from year to year. When it comes to celebrating your wedding there is nothing more you wish for than an amazing day filled with great food, décor, and entertainment. The choice to go with a smaller and more intimate wedding with individual taste and personalized selections continues to be popular in 2011.

General catering ideas include offering a choice of main courses. This may include keeping the usual plate of potatoes and vegetables while offering a variety of meats and sauces. You can also get rustic by providing guests with a chopping board served with carved meats and sauces to dip into. Another option is to incorporate the wedding cake into the main menu. Not only does this reduce the cost but also minimizes decision making. If you choose to serve dessert why not serve platters with miniature desserts to each table for guests to help themselves? Some popular choices include miniature sherry trifle, chocolate brownies, fresh raspberry shortbreads, roasted rhubarb brule, limoncello panna cotta, miniature apple crumble and miniature lemon meringue. How about having a tier of different types of cheese cake as an alternative to the traditional wedding cake? The options are endless and depend on your likes and dislikes.

Other trends include the decision to have more cocktails and less food. Many couples are choosing to replace the traditional sit-down meal or buffet in favor of a cocktail style reception that allows guests to enjoy their food, drinks, mingling and dancing at their own pace. Some eco-friendly options selected by the groom and bride include producing edible centerpieces to cut down on the waste from the wedding decor. Not only does this option save on decor, but it makes a lasting impression on the theme and color scheme of your wedding. Food displays are as beautiful as they are delicious, and today’s caterer has an array of tricks, props, and equipment to make any food display creative and beautiful to the eye.

Some delectable wedding trends made by the bride and groom are the options to choose bolder flavors for their wedding menus. No more of the same old chicken, fish, steak or pasta options—couples are selecting to go with their favorite foods to give their meal at the reception a personal and inspired touch. This could mean Asian food for the entree and the couple’s favorite dessert instead of the traditional wedding cake. Remember your wedding day is one of the most special and memorable days of your life. Let the decisions you make appeal to your own personal touch and preferences.

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