Saturday I held my third annual Muppet Party.
I had the idea (3 years ago) to get some friends together for an adult kid's party...where we would eat food we loved as kids (but in a healthier form), have some drinks, watch The Muppet Show, and maybe play some games...basically be silly and childlike for an evening.
Reflecting on my parties over the past years, I realize how far I've come with relaxing while entertaining...I used to get pretty stressed out.
The most important thing to remember? These are you friends, and all is well.
Be yourself in every aspect of planning...meaning, have fun yourself and all else will fall deliciously into place! Create a party you would want to attend...
I started the day by getting up and having a leisurely breakfast and waiting for my fresh direct order (
freshdirect.com). Ordering groceries cuts down on my stress (whether I'm throwing a party or not)...it's fabulous! Oh, and paper cups and plates get a huge thumbs up from me too. I'm not a big supporter of plastic, but I had some leftover plastic utensils that also came in super handy.
After a little cleaning and putting away the groceries, I pre-chopped veggies, grated cheese, and made pizza dough for later. I even had time (or rather, made time) to do a little yoga and reiki before I hopped in the shower!
My Beautiful pizza dough:
The Menu (this year was by far my favorite):
*Ale Cheeseburger Pizza
*Spicy Veggie Pizza
*Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
*Black Chocolate Stout Ice Cream
Menu Items supplied by friends:*PB & J appetizers
*Bailey's Chocolate cake
*The AWESOME Muppet Cupcakes pictured at the beginning of this blog, supplied by my über talented Cousin, Elana (Sweet E's Bakery)Beverages consisted of copious amounts of Red Wine, Grape Vodka (smelled like bubble gum!) Prosecco, and Scottish Ale ;)
Friends started arriving around 7 (except for Elana who had come to hang out earlier :) and the party got under way! The mac and cheese was done and I started assembling the cheeseburger pizza...when my veggie friend Kim arrived, I was assembling the veggie pizza, put it in the oven...and then, BAM! "Disaster Struck!!"
The spicy veggie pizza was too top heavy and it slid backwards and off the pizza stone...ending up on the back wall and floor of my oven! I quietly shrieked a slow motion "OH NO" as I saw it go. But I wasn't going to give up that easily...I pulled the racks out and salvaged what I could of my creation...it might have looked a mess, but it sure was tasty.
Remember the motto?
All is well.
And all was more than well...it was Muppet-tastic....
We watched some old clips of the Muppets on the
Ed Sullivan Show and
The Muppets Take Manhatten...all the while fabulous silliness and friendship abounded...
XOXO
And to finish it all up, I did goodie bags in the form of a packed lunch. This included a tiny PB &J and cup of mac and cheese with a sprinkle of M&Ms....
And now, the recipes:For the pizza toppings I used one large onion, 1 can of Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1 can Muir glen tomato paste...split in half (for the two pizzas)...I browned the onion and then:
Veggie Pizza:
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 cup chopped broccoli
Handful Fennel Seeds
A Sprinkle of crushed red pepper, Chili Powder, sea salt, Worcestershire pepper blend (to taste)
Shredded cheese blend (I used Organic Valley Italian Blend)
Spread on pizza (you can make your own crust or buy frozen), top with bake for 15 minutes @ 400 degrees.
Ale Cheeseburger Pizza:
1 pound antibiotic free ground beef
1/2 Cup Ale (I used Bellhaven Scottish Ale...and then drank the rest :)
1 Teaspoon organic Worcestershire sauce
Season to taste with salt, Worcestershire pepper, Chipotle Tabasco
Shredded Sharp Cheddar (Organic Valley Raw Cheddar)
Brown the beef with the onions and then add all other ingredients...let simmer and then assemble pizza and bake just like above.
Put all ingredients in pan and simmer
I used a Martha Stewart recipe (and used canned squash and vegetable stock) for the amazing:
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese(click title for recipe)
and last, but certainly not least:
Black Chocolate Stout Ice Cream
1 pint heavy cream
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
12 tablespoons chocolate stout (I used Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout)
Make sure all ingredients are well chilled.
Whip cream with mixer until it stands up in peaks...then fold in condensed milk and stout. Pour into a container and put in freezer. No ice cream maker needed! Serve right from freezer...it will melt rather quickly.
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