PARTY THEME: HOST A BIG AND EASY MARDI GRAS PARTY!

Break out the beads, it’s Mardi Gras! You may not have the parades, floats, Krewes, and crowds of Mobile or New Orleans, but you can still have the best of Mardi Gras right in your home---the music, the mood, the food, and all the fun! Hosting a Mardi Gras party is painless because all the components are easy to find or make. We planned our party in just two days. You can, too, even if you’ve never been to “Nawleans.”

If you are planning a trip to the Big Easy, read my post about where to go, where to eat, and where to stay in New Orleans. Read more...

THE FOOD

Gumbo and boiled shrimp can easily be made in large quantities so this is one of the best party themes for a big crowd. Your regular grocery like Publix, Whole Foods, even Winn-Dixie will have most of what you need. Stop by the seafood counter for shrimp. They can steam it for you or you can do it at home using my shrimp boil recipe. You'll also find cocktail sauce there but I always make my own. If you stop as you first enter the store and ask them to steam the shrimp for you, you can pick it up just before you check out. Always ask for fresh Gulf shrimp; it makes a big difference!

A Mardi Gras menu of gumbo, boiled shrimp, Muffuletta sandwiches, Sazerac cocktails, and King Cake.

TIP: I always take an ice cooler with me to the store so I can keep the shrimp cold on the way home. Or if it has been steamed, the cooler will help keep it hot, too. Pack with newspaper or brown paper to keep heat in.

If you don't want to cook, you can find surprisingly good frozen gumbo chock full of sausage and shrimp along with some really spicy crawfish (just for fun) in the frozen seafood section of the store. My own Gumbo recipe is easy to make and everyone loves it. I always make a big (giant) batch a day before and freeze some for later. On party day, make sure to heat the gumbo to at least 140 F -It takes longer than you  might think to heat a big pot of gumbo thoroughly so make sure to start early. See my video tips on Food Safety.

Serve the gumbo with rice. I always follow the standard recipe: 1 cup of rice to 2 cups water. And salt the water first and add a little butter. You can always use boil-in-bag rice if you have to; find it in the rice aisle. Who knew? I have a large rice cooker I use specifically for this.

You might have to educate the deli counter on the art of the Muffuletta sandwich: a round loaf of Italian bread sliced in half, scooped out, then slathered with a thick layer of olive salad and stuffed until overflowing with several different meats and cheeses. My favorite Muffuletta can be found in New Orleans at Central Grocery. The bread is what makes the real difference but you won't find that anywhere outside of New Orleans. Any round loaf can substitute in a pinch.

I always scout the store in advance to make sure I can find everything I need well before party week. That way I'm not frantically trying to source something at the last minute.

You can make your own Gumbo in advance and freeze it in zip top bags. That's what I do. Early in Mardi Gras season, I make a huge batch then chill and freeze. I take out only as much as I need to serve, that way I have gumbo when I want it!

THE DECORATIONS

The decorations were even easier than the food. Balloons, string lights, feathered masks, and beads are inexpensive and readily available in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. If you want to spend a little more, you might get a Bourbon Street sign and street lights at a rental store to complete the feel of the French Quarter. If you have time to order online, Oriental Trading Company has a great selection of Mardi Gras essentials.

I get or order my Mardi Gras beads from Toomey's in Mobile, Alabama. They have a great selection of hand-strung beads, cheap beads, collector's beads, and theme beads to select from.

ENTERTAINMENT

Jazz, blues, and the unique sounds of Zydeco are a big part of any Mardi Gras celebration. Make a playlist of traditional favorites and don’t forget native sons Harry Connick, Jr., Aaron Neville, Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Wynton Marsalis.

You’re all set to join the world’s largest party from the comfort of your own home. No middle seat or layover in Atlanta required!

IMAGES PROVIDED BY ARDEN WARD UPTON/ ARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

PARTY THEMES: HOST AN EASTER EGG HUNT WITH CRAFTS AND GAMES

Easter always signals the end of a dreary winter and the rebirth of spring.  Why not have some fun with the kids and make memories that will last a lifetime? A cute and crafty Easter Egg Hunt that includes egg decorating along with a craft station is interactive and creative… much more fun than simply stuffing plastic eggs with candy and throwing them around the yard. Add an easy to assemble kid friendly buffet with a mix of healthy and fun treats to make this party hopping good fun for everyone. Get one of your kids to write their own Easter story. Print and let the kids have one to take home. Make this a family party, a neighborhood get-together, or just plan some fun with your own kids. They’ll never forget it!

DECORATIONS

To keep decorating costs to a minimum,  I used items from around the house or yard. A collection of borrowed birdhouses were used to help bring the outside indoors. I made an indoor egg tree by using a pot of pansies as a base and added tall branches from a shrub. Daffodils (about $2.99 each) from the garden center were potted in colorful tin pails ($1 each at Target) and can be planted in the yard after the party. We added branches of yellow Forsythia, straw bunnies, and decorated eggs to a flat of wheat grass to create a preview of spring days ahead.

FOOD

After surveying the kids, we put together a buffet of their favorites. To keep it simple and safe, we didn’t include hot dishes. Since we were boiling lots of eggs for decorating, deviled eggs were an obvious choice. To give the adults options, I included my signature DYI toppings bar so everyone could create their own deviled egg creation.

The kids requested peanut butter and jelly sandwiches which were made on white whole wheat bread and cut into Easter shapes with large cookie cutters. Lots of “rabbit” food was on the menu: a platter of carrots and ranch dip and red and green apple wedges with peanut butter fluff were healthy choices.

Because Easter traditionally includes lots of candy, we kept desserts to a minimum. The marshmallow Peeps® cake we made using tiers of brightly colored Peeps® was the hit of the party. At about $1 per box, they are a cheap and fun decorating accessory, too.

ENTERTAINMENT

In addition to the egg hunt, we came up with a few games that were easy to manage. A wind-up bunny race and carrot shaped balloon racers ($5.95 per dozen at Oriental Trading Company) were a hit with the kids and adults, too. An activity table loaded with pre-dyed colored eggs for decorating and other crafts kept little hands busy between games.

MARTIE’S PARTY TIPS

1. A  colorful craft table is always a good way to keep kids busy at a party and it’s a great idea to have designated people to lead the fun. We found a former teacher and craft expert willing to don a bunny suit to assist the kids with craft projects and help keep them focused. Hire an artsy teenager if you aren’t crafty.
2. We dyed the eggs in advance to avoid a big mess but gave the kids lots of  stickers, glitter glue, flowers, and ribbon to customize their own eggs.
3. We put  down a strip of indoor/outdoor carpet purchased by the yard at a home improvement store ($2.99 a yard) to define the play area. The kids enjoyed  a variety of easy to contain games.
4. Bring  the outside in with daffodils, pansies, and branches from the yard to  create a spring-like setting. If you don’t have a yard, you can find what you need at a florist, garden center, or craft store floral department.
5. Get extra mileage out of food or beverages by using them as decorations. These plastic glasses filled with colorful drinks make a bright and cheery display.
   

No matter if you’re expecting rain, snow or sun this Easter, make some memories for your family and friends with this simple party plan that can easily be recreated indoors or out.

Photography: Arden Ward, Arden Photography

PARTY THEME: HOST A WINE AND CHEESE TASTING PARTY

Looking for the easiest party plan? Why not host a cheese tasting or a wine and cheese pairing party the next time you want to have friends over? It is simple, delicious and guests will have the opportunity to try something new! You can provide all of the wine and cheeses or you can ask your friends to bring their own favorite.

A wine and cheese tasting can serve as both food and entertainment. Guests will love discussing what wine pairs best with what cheese, debating the best wine for the price, and you will all love finding new favorites for your next get together. Try a mix of old favorites with new finds for both the wine and the cheese offerings.

The cheese aisle has become so large and there are so many different options, selecting a cheese can be as intimidating as selecting a bottle of wine. Since both wine and cheese can be expensive, and because there are so many options, I think there is some fear of making a mistake. We’ve all gotten that bottle home and been disappointed. With cheese, some stores (like Whole Foods) have experienced help to guide you and many will let you sample before making a purchase. For a “tasting”—which means sampling, I will have five different cheeses to try, depending on the size of the crowd which will often include:

1-Sheep’s milk cheese

1-Goat’s milk cheese

1-Cow’s milk cheese

1-Soft cheese like Brie

1-Bleu, Roquefort, Stilton, Camembert or other “smelly” cheese

The following are some of my tried and true parings:

Manchego/Spain This hard sheep’s milk cheese from La Mancha, Spain is always my first choice. Everyone loves it and it pairs nicely with Spanish almonds, olives, Serrano ham, or chorizo. Serve with a Spanish red wine like a tempranillo or tempranillo blend. Osbourne Solaz is very good and very affordable, usually under $10 a bottle. Another nice option is Atteca at around $15 per bottle.  

Goat Cheese/ Belle Chevre / Elkmont, Alabama I always serve goat cheese prepared in a recipe on my cheese board. Goat cheese with chopped toasted pecans is about as easy as it gets. Serve it in Belgian endive leaves; your guests will rave. Other serving options are pears, honey, and wild mushrooms but you can serve goat cheese with almost anything. Pinot Noir pairs well with ripe or aged goat cheese. Try the Kendall-Jackson Pinot Noir for about $12 or the Wild Horse Pinot Noir for about $18. More goat cheese recipes are available from Belle Chevre.   

Parmigiano Reggiano/ Italy Most people think this famous cow’s milk cheese is just for cooking or grated over pasta, but it is wonderful alone or with crusty bread, dipped in good balsamic vinegar, and with olives. It has a complex nutty flavor and dense, slightly grainy texture. I could almost eat my weight in it. Slightly salty, it pairs well with Prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine. Try Riondo, about $11 per bottle or serve with a medium bodied Italian red, like Chianti. Try Ruffino’s Chianti Classico Aziano (around $12.99)

Saint Andre/ France This semi-soft, smooth triple cream cow’s milk cheese is also on every single cheese board I present. Very rich and creamy with a soft, buttery, almost spreadable texture, this cheese is best served with a fresh baguette and pear or apple slices. Sometimes, I serve it with fruit in place of a dessert course. Pair it with a sparkling wine or Champagne. Get the Krug if you have no budget; otherwise try Antech Blanquette de Limoux Grande Reserve, around $15.

Bleu D’Auvergne/France Bleu cheese is strong in both taste and aroma. From the D’Auvergne region in the South of France, this bleu cow’s milk cheese features a deep blue veining throughout, like most bleu cheeses but possesses a creamier texture and softer taste than many other bleu cheeses. Sauternes or other sweet wines, like Muscat or Riesling pair nicely with bleu cheese. Try Torbreck the Bothie Muscat, around $16.99. 

Make sure to have plenty of nibbles and small bites since guests will be sampling multiple wines. Presentation is everything for a wine and cheese party. A gorgeous selection of ripe fruit, crackers, French baguette, and other accompaniments look as good as they taste when they are artfully presented. Ask if the wine counter will give you the top of a wooden wine crate. Use it to serve your cheese board. Guests will love this unique idea, and you’ll love the price: free! You’ll want your guests to really taste and enjoy the wine, so use crystal wine glasses. Don’t be afraid to mix and match your patterns if you don’t have enough of one type.

Because I always get calls after the party from someone asking for the name of “that cheese I loved” as they stand in front of the counter at the grocery store, I provide guests with a list as they are leaving. Try this party the next time you quick solution for entertaining. Your guests will love it.