Fondue Fun (Guest Blog Post)

Meet my friend, Kauri Tallant...

Isn't she so pretty?! And this is how good she looks at 5AM the morning of running a half marathon! I know, right?? She's a natural beauty that is also hilarious, deep, wise & just one of the coolest people on the planet. She always has the best recipes & is THE person to call if you're planning throwing a fondue party. She agreed to guest blog this week about fondue parties...

Take it away Kaur...

Please let me introduce myself: my name is Kauri Tallant, and I am guest blogging for Heidi, due to the fact that she just got hitched last weekend and has more important activities to engage in than blogging. Nonetheless, she will return next week as Mrs. Stoudt!

Heidi and I met for the first time during our freshman year of college, while on a hay ride. I knew that we would be best friends when we both started singing Tim McGraw’s Something Like That, rehearsing every word of the lyrics in unison. Shortly thereafter, we would begin the ritual of weekly line dancing at Boots & Roses. 

Enough of the history of our relationship, let’s get into the subject of planning cheap parties, since that’s what this blog is about. This week’s topic is planning an affordable…

FONDUE PARTY

I was first introduced to fondue as a young child. I recall being at the home of my parents’ friends and being in the basement with all of the other kiddos at the party, eating pizza and drinking pop (which I would soon learn is translated “Coke” in the South). I walked upstairs to talk to my parents and was shocked to find the adults dipping bite-sized pieces of food into chocolate and cheese dips while they sipped on wine. That very night I made a pact to myself that when I was old enough to host parties, I would not serve pizza and coke but would introduce my guests to the finer things in life. 

I began hosting fondue parties in college and have continued to host at least two yearly. This past weekend, I hosted a dessert fondue party at my house for the purpose of a fundraiser for some friends who are traveling overseas to serve the less fortunate. 

Here’s what I did: I told guests that I would make the dips if they would sign up for dippers as well as bring a donation for our friends’ trip. I took a flower vase and printed a sign for donations to be place on the food table to remind guests that this party was not just about chocolate:

I prepped everything before guests arrived, placing many empty bowls and plates on the serving table, so that as guests brought in their dippers, they could place them directly in containers on the table. 

I made Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate  fondue dips. I have never purchased a fondue pot over $2.00 (I have seven, which I have picked up at yard sales or have been given as gifts). Here are my favorite sweet recipes:

Dark Chocolate Fondue

1 cup heavy cream

½ stick unsalted butter

1 (12 oz) package semisweet chocolate morsels

1 (12 oz) package milk chocolate morsels

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine cream and butter. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. Stir in morsels until melted and smooth. Transfer to fondue pot. 

(www.foodnetwork.com)

White Chocolate Fondue

12 oz. white chocolate morsels

2/3 cup heavy cream

2 T. brown sugar

1 T. corn syrup

2 t. butter

2 t. heavy cream

Melt morsels and heavy cream in a saucepan. Place sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small pan and blend; add in the 2 t. of heavy cream. Pour the first mixture into a fondue pot. Then pour the second mixture on top of the white chocolate mixture in a swirl. 

I recruited my friends in the stirring process so that I could greet guests:

I created a Facebook event for the party and made a list of dipper suggestions for guests, asking them to write on the wall what they would be bringing. Here was my list of suggestions: Bananas, Strawberries, Pineapple, Apples, Peaches, Cheesecake, Pound Cake, Angel Food Cake, Rice Krispie Treats, Doughnut Holes, Animal Crackers, Vanilla Wafers, Marshmellows, Graham Cracker Sticks, and Pretzels. I asked that guests cube their food beforehand. Knowing that some would not follow the instructions, I set up a cutting station. 

As with my fondue pots, I have picked up fondue forks at yard sales or at home goods stores. Here were my serving suggestions for guests:

“You are more than welcome to eat the fondue traditionally, which would mean standing around the table and dipping dippers into the pots. I don’t mind exchanging saliva, but others may, so I would suggest that you load up a plate of dippers and pour chocoalte over them”. I had a bowl of crushed up graham crackers so that guests could dip marshmellows into the chocolate fondue and then dip into the graham cracker crumbs to make s’mores.  

When I first began doing fondue parties, I would have trouble with the attendance of male guests. They would make comments such as, “a couple strawberries and pieces of bread are not going to fill me up”. I think that I have managed to break that stigma. Look at these manly men with tattoos dipping away: 

As a matter of fact, at one point during the party, I stepped in the kitchen, and several guys had scooted their chairs around the table to dive in.

I am excited to announce that the party was a SUCCESS: it cost me under $20.00, it fed 17 people dessert, and it raised $270 for my friends. 

Side note: I really enjoy fondue parties where cheese and chocolate are served so that I don’t feel like I’m going to have a sugar attack. I decided to just do a dessert party this time in order to cut costs. But, for your benefit, here is the recipe for my favorite savory dip as well as dipper suggestions for savory dips. 

Parmesan Fondue

1.5-2 cups milk

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, cubed

1.5 cups grated Parmean cheese 

½ tsp. garlic salt

In a large saucepan, cook and stir milk and cream cheese over low heat until cheese is melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Cook and stir until heated through and pour into fondue pot. 

Dippers for Cheese Fondue:

Breads (Hawaiian, Italian, French, Beer), Tortillas, Chips, Pretzels, Meat Balls, Chicken, Ham, Turkey, Little Smokies, Potatoes, Asparagus, Broccoli, Tortelini, Pretzels. 

Thanks so much Kauri! Next Saturday (August 20th) will be our outdoor wedding reception but I'll try & post one of my projects from the reception next week! AND...you guys are going to be the first ones to see a wedding picture of Mike & I! Check out the blog next Sunday August 21st! 

Where to Shop for Parties (List of Places I Got my Wedding Goodies From)

In two days, my fiance Mike & myself leave for Kaua'i (Hawaii) to get hitched & enjoy our honeymoon. (Whoo hoo & a little shake of the booty :-)) Mike brought me a Kaua'i guidebook yesterday & the book said, "It is prohibited by law to bring your worries." And since I am the law-abiding citizen I am...I will fully comply with this law. :-)

Are you a little confused? Are you thinking, "But, Heidi...I thought you were busy getting your PP (party planning) on for your wedding reception??"

We're backwards, not exactly go with the flow kinda people, so we're getting married FIRST (in Hawaii just the two of us), honeymooning & then August 20th we'll have a backyard wedding reception with all our peeps.

Seeing clearer now? :-)

I can't wait to show you the before/after of the backyard reception. The only thing that could completely derail everything? RAIN! Some prayers would be much appreciated! I may/may not be doing my "stay away rain dance" in the backyard. (If you're wondering what it looked like, click on the video below...Sandra Bullock & Betty White in The Proposal)

Okay...maybe I fibbed...Sandra's dancing was a lot more graceful than mine. :-)

For the backyard reception, I'm trying to make a lot of things & do things as cheaply as possible. There are some things I've had to purchase, though. I thought it may help you guys to see where I got some of my "goodies."

1. Whisker Graphics

I got the yellow bakers twine from here. They also have printables, paper goods & cute packaging. 

2. Sweet Lulu

Straws just make life happier, don't they? :-) You will be in love with Sweet Lulu as soon as you click on this link. Visions of pretty parties will be dancing in your head.

3. Ruffled Blog

I didn't actually end up purchasing anything from here but I still wanted to share this cool site with ya. It's a blog that posts pics from real weddings & they oozing with creativity. If you got to this blog, look on the top right hand side. You'll see something called "Recycle Your Wedding." You can find all kinds of fun things...like the typewriter above, wedding dresses, accessories, milk jugs & more. Even if you aren't planning a wedding, it's still a fun place to check out for party accessories.

4. Vivian Elle Invitations

The best place to find invitations, programs, table number, etc. I am a little biased. :p This is my friend Jenny Haddad's company but she is honestly one of the most creative people I know. She did my invites & is also doing a little program for the reception.

5. Sambellina

I didn't get anything from this site but I was really contemplating it. I'm 100% sure I'll be spending some moolah here. They have adorable plates, cups, gift tags, etc. So cute! 

Here are a few more sites that I found some great items -

6. Craigslist - I am renting my table linens from a girl I found on craigslist! She is getting married in the fall so she bought a ton of white table linens & is renting them out. I got them for 60% less than any other rental place. Just use precaution when dealing with craigslist...this world is just not what is used to be. :p (My mom used to say that all the time)

7. Amazon.com - I found some supplies for my favors here & even something to enhance the catering. :-)

8. GOODWILL - Love this place! Besides stocking up on Mason jars, I also found a WHOLE bolt of yellow fabric for $12!! Oh my goodness...I literally squealed, out loud, in the front of the store. I wish I was talented like my friend Kauri & could do the side, heel click jump...but alas, I am not...so I just shook my booty. I can do that! :p

I hope this helps you plan your parties! Do you have any websites you love for party supplies? Or any tips?? Please share! :-)

 



Souper Jenny!

I'm so excited about this post because Souper Jenny! is my favorite place to eat in All. Of. Atlanta. To give you an idea of how deep my admiration is for this heavenly place, the first time I met the owner & founder, Jenny Levison, my face turned red & I turned into a bumbling idiot. I have interviewed Sarah Palin, talked to tons of musical artists, come within inches from Josh Lucas (sigh)...never got that nervous...ever. Embarrassing moment documented here. :-)

Not only is the food creative & fun but the passion that Jenny & the rest of the staff has for arts, for people, for giving, for creating...it spills over into every inch of that restaurant & leaves you nothing less than inspired.

And hopefully you'll be inspired by these great tips from Marcie, the general manager of Souper Jenny! I was able to sit down & ask her a few questions the other week & she has some great summer entertaining tips that are charming, easy & affordable.


Marcie, tell us more about you...


       Well, I'm a professional actress. I've been acting since I was 3 years old. I've performed in every
       theater in the city, except for the GA Shakespeare theater. I love animals. I volunteer at FurKids
       which is a no-kill cat shelter & I clean the cages at Petsmart once a week.

How long ago did you start working at Souper Jenny?

       I've been here 9 years after I met Jenny while doing a [theatrical] show together. I was a server for 4 years. When Souper Jenny started getting bigger than they could handle, Jenny moved me into   management. Since then, it continues to grow. Since I've been the general manager, we've published a cookbook, been on the Today show 4 times, been on every local morning show, most radio programs, started a food truck (see below) & started an underground supper club.

  

       For a woman that wanted to sell soup in the South, we're doin okay.

What's the underground supper club?

We try to do 4 a year. It's a secret dinner that 25 are chosen to participate. We have over 300 people

asking for an invitation right now. We choose a unique venue & a well-known chef & the guests

don't find out where they're going until that morning. Some of the chefs we've had have been Jerry

Klaskala from Aria, Linton Hopkins from Restaurant Eugene, Richard Blais. We've done a supper                on  Halloween night at Oakland Cemetary. We had one at Antico Pizza based on the movie Big Night with Stanley Tucci. The whole movie is based around a meal so we recreated that meal.

Sounds like you guys know how to throw a party. Since it's the middle of summer what are some must-have menu items for a summer party?

Jenny is the ultimate hostess. I'm the detail person. Jenny comes to me with an idea & I can run with it.

For a summer party, I love sliced watermelon & feta. Drizzle with olive oil, fresh mint or basil & sprinkle 

with a little sea salt. I also love an heirloom tomato open-faced sandwich with real mayo & argumato

(Marcie explained that this is lemon olive oil). Serve it on Ezekiel bread or another thick bread. Put

a little basil on top.

Any other simple, easy appetizer ideas?

Take fresh figs, slice enough to create a hinge. Take a spoonful of goat cheese & put it inside then add a

sprig of basil on top of the goat cheese. These keep really well & look beautiful.

Good hummus with homemade pita chips is really easy & there are some great store bought brands.

Publix has some great ones.

Since it is summer, I love a fruit salad or sesame noodle salad. Add a little peanut butter, julienne

carrots, ginger & scallions. You can put it in the fridge the day before & it's great.

One question that I always wrestle with when I throw parties is How Much Food Should I Estimate? Is there a formula based on the amount of people?

       There isn't really a formula. It does help if you know who's coming. Are they a picker? A big eater?

(Here's what Marcie goes by)

Salad/fruit salad/couscous - plan on 8 oz/per person

Sandwiches - 1/per person

Soup - bowl/per person or if it's a cocktail affair cup/per person

       If I'm doing a big catering job, like we have one we're doing for 200 people or so, I split the salads in half. If we're serving a fruit salad, I'll do it for 100 people & a green salad for 100-125 people. If there is a big crowd & people are walking around with a plate, they're not going to mound the food.

What are some tips for staging a food display?

Levels are very important

I stack books that platters can rest on. You could also cover them with a cloth napkin.

In between the levels, I'll put whole pieces of fruit or clip hydrangeas. I've even gotten stems of monkey grass & tufted them in between the levels or ivy. Just becareful of bugs when pulling things from the yard. Place a few tea lights around the table & you're set to go.

No matchy matchy either. I don't have any platters that match.

Thank you so much, Marcie, for taking time out of your busy day to give us great tips!

Marcie is such a beautiful person on the outside, as well as on the inside. You can tell from her love of animals & people. If you'd like to visit Souper Jenny! just click here to go to their website. A heads up, they do close for the month of August (I think that's such a great idea to give the employees a break) but you can catch them at my wedding reception August 20th. Yes...they're catering it & I'm so freakin excited! :p Jenny also just opened Cafe Jonah & the Magical Attic. It's a coffee, breakfast & lunch cafe. I just ate there yesterday & it never disappoints.

Here are some more pics I couldn't squeeze in above...

Outdoor patio area

At any given moment, the staff...like Eric...may break out in song! They're all soo creative & talented. 

Such a simple solution & yet adds such character!

I have never tried anything from Souper Jenny! that I didn't love!! 

They serve special house dressing with all their salads that has become my all-time favorite. I bought Jenny's cookbook so I could make it & now I don't use any other salad dressing. 

These soups don't exactly look appetizing...but I promise you they are famous for their soups! They make you wish it was 40 degrees outside. ;p 

That little girl was so cute! I'm gonna train my children in the way they should eat, too! :p 

I think everyone should have a sign somewhere in their house that says this! :-) Where? Wherever your heart desires! :p 

Regarding the interview, I had to condense a little so while most every word was exactly what Marcie said...for the sake of shortening it, I altered it slightly. 98% of this interview was verbatim. I just wanted to clarify that. :-)

Thanks again to everyone at Souper Jenny! that allowed me to snap pics & steal Marcie away for a bit. I want to be like Jenny & the rest of the staff when I grow up! :p

What did you think of the tips? Did they sound easy to you? Do you have any more questions you wished I had asked? Thanks for stopping by!

10 days until I leave for my wedding ceremony & honeymoon (don't worry I asked a friend to post the week I am gone...and you are going to love it!) & 31 days until my backyard wedding reception...oh man...I can't wait to show you guys! :-)

      

Burlesque Bachelorette

My original plan for this weeks post FAILED...not once, not twice, but three times. By the third time, I gave up on the mantra "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Sometimes you just have to know when to let a dying chicken lay...or something like that. :p

So...instead of the failed kids party idea...we're heading in the OPPOSITE direction to a more adult-themed party. Bachelorette party to be exact.

When planning themes/activities for parties, I always think of these two things -

1: Is it unique? A different spin on a classic idea? Like my Trimmings & Tapas party here. It was a classic Christmas party but I gave it a different title & put a unique spin on it.

2: Offer something that will allow everyone to participate. For the Trimmings & Tapas party, we had each girl 1) wear a bow somewhere on either their outfit or themselves 2) & bring a piece of jewelry that they never wore anymore but could put into our jewelry exchange.

For my Bachelorette Party, after I watched this movie....

I thought it would be fun to learn a "Burlesque" routine to one of the songs from the musical. Instead of just going dancing where there'd be weirdo guys asking to dance with you, it would be something unique that everyone could participate in & do together. 

I called a dance studio I had taken a couple classes from called Dance 101 & told them what I was thinking of doing. They were wonderful! There happened to be an instructor there that has choreographed Burlesque shows & actually performs in them too. His name? Apollo. :-)

Here are some snapshots from the party -

I'm not sure if I was confused or that was actually part of one of the dance moves. :p 

That's my sister with the blonde hair, in the corner. She organized the whole thing & did a great job!!! 

Look at that poor lonely feather boa in the floor. I think we were all just trying to get the moves down. :p And please take note of my friend Kauri's getup. Pink leggings, jean skirt, pink scarf & tee shirt that said, "You Crank my Tractor." She wins best outfit!! Loved it!

Do you remember Legally Blonde? The part where Elle teaches the "bend & snap" move? There was one move we did that was soo similar. It cracked me up every time. 

Me & Apollo. I have to give props to my friend Kareena who got me that cute tank. It said "Bride" on it & was perfect for the party!

The whole group! Everyone did sooo good & I'm pretty sure everyone had a good time. 

By the looks of this pic, Deb & Jo did! I have to admit...I'm a little jealous of Jo's flexibility! 

After we became Burlesque dancing pros, we went to eat at a mexican restaurant & I got a whole bunch of "cute pajamas." ;p Thanks to everyone that came & for the gifts!

Do you have a unique/out of the box Bachelorette party idea? 

Coming up next week...I'm taking you on a tour of my favorite Atlanta cafe, Souper Jenny, & getting great tips from their manager Marcie. Good stuff...no...great stuff!  

The D.L. on the Y.L. (Yarn Lanterns)

Here at P4P (Parties for Pennies), I always like to take the biggest party trends & do them cheaper, easier & in less time than most of the other tutorials out there. I can definitely tell you some shortcuts that WILL. NOT. work when making the fancy twine/yarn lanterns that are so popular now. And I did find a small way to cut some $$$$ & a little time.

But FIRST, let's talk about what WON'T work (cus that's always so fun...or funny, in my case)

                  #1 Shortcut Failure - the use of spray adhesive instead of this concoction below

 My fingers were literally sticking to everything in sight, my feet kept sticking to the floor b/c of the "overspray". The only thing not sticking?? The yarn to the balloon. 

#2 Shortcut Failure - Using Modpodge after wrapping the yarn around the balloon. 

This was like that gift under the tree that looks very similar to a jewelry box, when in fact, it's a deck of cards. The modpodge looked like it was holding well, until the balloon was deflated & the "wrapping" began to shrivel up like...well, I could use a lot of things as an analogy for this...but I think I'll let your imagination do it instead. 

#3 Shortcut Fail. - Using only glue to uphold the shape of the yarn

Sure it cuts out a step but you will be left with a pile of yarn that resembles spaghetti. 

I tell you these things in hopes you will learn from my failures & grow & learn in life...or at least when making yarn lanterns. :-)

I am making yarn lanterns for my backyard wedding reception in August. I need about 12-13 lanterns...so I called for re-enforcement. 

Meet my Supermodel Team -

Wendy Wynne

model, actress, friend

& incredible cupcake baker

Meg Rew

Singer, partner in party planning

& sister

Yeah, so I only accept supermodels to be a part of my lantern-making team! :p I am super blessed to have both of them in my life. And what talent they have at constructing yarn lanterns! :-) They both rock. 

Here is what you need to gather for this project - 

I had no problem blowing these suckers up...got plenty of hot air.  Blow the balloons to the desired volume you want & tie the ends. (We ended up doing a few different sizes)

The 4 ounces of glue covered one balloon for us, so we brought the big daddy! 16 ounces...and I got two. Just measure this & set aside.

Go ahead & mix the cornstarch & water until the starch has dissolved. We used a painting pan to keep our concoction but an old bucket would work too. Once the starch has dissolved, add the glue & stir until combined. 

This is where I differ from other people. Most of the tutorials online use twine then they spray paint it the color they prefer. I didn't want to have to mess with that...plus I'm too impatient. 

I used yellow yarn & it worked great. It saved me a step & saved money by not having to get yellow spray paint. 

Step 1: Take the end of the yarn & tie it to the end of the balloon

Step 2: Take the rest of the yarn & dip it thoroughly into the glue & starch mixture. Do not dip the entire ball of yarn in there or it will get tangled. 

**BTW...I put down a plastic drop cloth b/c it is MESSY with a capital M. That's why I don't have any pics of the process! My hands were so filthy I couldn't take the pics**

Step 3: Begin wrapping the yarn around the balloon in several different directions. Try & hold the balloon steady & the yarn tight. This is the trickiest part. 

Step 4: After you've wrapped the balloon in yarn to your heart's content, hang the yarn wrapped balloon some where to dry. (I used two chairs with a string in between them on one occasion & our ironing board on another) 

Step 5: Wait for at least 24 hours for them to dry. Once they're completely dry, pop the balloon & clean up any remaining glue around the edges of the yarn. 

This is what you'll get - 

I can't wait to show you how they're going to look at my back yard reception. You'll have to stop by after August 20th to see all the fun & festivities of the wedding reception.

Here's a full shot...sorry for the bad lighting. :-(

I was being silly playing with my editing tools. It kinda looks freaky, doesn't it? 

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I appreciate you & all your comments & input. Please let me know if you feel there's anything I can improve on?! You want more of something party-related? Certain party questions answered? Need ideas? Let me know!