Champagne Cocktail Party - Bridal Shower

How to...

Throw a Champagne Cocktail Party

We threw this champagne cocktail bridal shower for one of my dearest friends before her wedding.  The location could not have been more stunning - the Montage Hotel in Laguna Beach, CA.  See below for the easy, beautiful do-it-yourself tips and ideas!

Cocktail Bar

   Champagne (Prosecco, Sparkling White Wine is equally fine)

   3 or 4 different Champagne Cocktail Recipes (we chose a Classic Champagne Cocktail, Pimms Royale, Mimosa, and Poinsettia)

   Garnishes and mixers based on recipes chosen.

Food

   Assorted cheeses with crackers and torn up french bread

   Grapes to garnish cheese plates

   Crudite platter

   Pita chips and hummus

Decor

   Scour vintage shops, antique stores, and specialty shops for all different champagne glasses.  Give each guest their own glass to take home with them.

   Candles, candles candles!  My go-to decor.  Tea lights, pillars, tapers, use them all.  We were outside for this party, so we had to be creative in our placement - out of the ocean breeze.

   Silver seashells make gorgeous paper weights.  And real sea shells hold down the drink recipes.

   Wooden Skewer Sticks tied with fun ribbon make festive stirring sticks.

   Undo a pre-made bouquet from a flower store to make a more modern arrangement - place a single stem in each vase.

   Hand tear ribbed card stock, and write down the names of the cheeses - then attach to a wooden skewer and stick in each cheese.

   Write out each recipe for every cocktail you plan to serve.

   Get creative with garnishes:  Berries got poured into wine glasses, vintage cake stands hold cucumber slices and mixers, a martini glass serves up sugar cubes.

Tuscan Panzanella Salad

My dear friend Ann introduced me to this recipe, and now I can't stop making it.  It's full of good-for-you veggies, delicious homemade croutons, and salty feta cheese - all of which make it extremely addictive!  This salad is called "Panzanella" because of the homemade croutons.  "Pane" = bread in Italian.  I'll make this salad on a Monday, and it will feed me lunch for the rest of the week.  Or you can add it to a greens at night to spice up your regular dinner salad.  I personally like when the dressing soaks in to all the veggies over the week.  But if you like a crisper salad, don't toss the dressing right away.  Pour it into a mason jar with a lid, save in the fridge, and toss it in as you eat.

Tuscan Panzanella Salad - serves 6

1 cucumber, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved

8 oz feta cheese, chopped

1/2 red onion, sliced

**Homemade Croutons (recipe here)**

Dressing

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

1.) While the croutons are toasting, begin to chop up all the vegetables, cheese, and olives.  

2.) Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together.

3.) Pour dressing over salad and toss.

4.) Add in toasted croutons and mix together. Serve immediately or cover and put in fridge.

Homemade Croutons

"So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, 

"The good outnumber you, and we always will."

- Patton Oswalt

When I first read the above quote I couldn't believe how perfectly a stranger had put my thoughts in to words.  I'm sure many of you have read where it came from (if not, see here).  To me the truth is in the last line - "The good outnumber you, and we always will."  It's pure human hope and optimism...

I tend to turn to food when comfort is needed (well... food, wine, friends, family!).  We can discuss the health (or lack there of) of that later, but facts are facts - I'm obsessed with bread.  There's nothing better then the glorious aroma of a big ol' fresh loaf of rustic bread.  Mmmmmmmm.  I always have a loaf on hand to pair with pasta, salads, soups.  Lately I've been making my own croutons from the not quite so fresh remnants at the end of the week.  They are perfect to pair with salads and soups and oh so easy to make!

Ingredients

Loaf of bread (any kind) - torn or cut into small bite-sized pieces

Extra Virgin olive oil

salt

Drizzle a good amount of olive oil in pan.  Toss in the torn bread and sprinkle liberally with salt.  Saute bread at med-high heat until well toasted.  Add more olive oil and salt to taste.

Tomorrow I'm posting a delicious Mediterranean salad recipe that these guys star in - it's fantastic!

Glitter Me

Sometimes you just have to jump on the bandwagon, right?  I couldn't help myself - the glitter manicure happened.  Most people who know me well know I don't tend to...shall we say over decorate when it comes to a manicure? I leave that to Kacey :>)  However this trend is just so stinkin' cute!  Have you tried it yet? It is so easy (not to mention much more budget friendly) to do at home.  Especially when your 24 color set of Martha Stewart Glitter arrives in the mail.  Then you don't have a prayer.

Right after you paint your second coat of color on the finger of choice, simply sprinkle the glitter on top.  Wait several minutes, then swipe a normal top coat over the glitter.

Nail polish: Essie "Feed Me" Base coat, Sally Hansen "All Fired Up", Seche Vite Top Coat

xo,

Kate

Kitchen Sink Pasta

If you are anything like me, figuring out dinner at the last minute can be a trifle daunting.  Ya know, it's exactly one day before you were supposed to hit the grocery store, you've just gotten home from a trip, your honey's business dinner got cancelled, or it's just been a plain old lousy, long day...

....and suddenly everyone's hungry, they're looking at you (yes you!) and asking...

"What's for dinner?"

Gulp.  This is when I guiltily trudge to the fridge, open it up, and hope that a hot and fresh out of the oven casserole pops out at me, screaming "Eat me! Eat me!!"....

Yeah that never happens.

Needless to say I've gotten fairly good at using whatever I have laying around and making some sort of dinner out of it.  Here is the meal I made last night.  I literally threw everything I could find in my fridge BUT the kitchen sink into this meal.  Hence the name:)  

SO! Either from my freezer, fridge, pantry or spice drawer....voila!!

Kitchen Sink Pasta:  Serves 4

3-4 nice sized chicken breast

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

goat cheese

parmesan cheese

2 avocados

olive oil

whatever spices ya got:)

whatever pasta ya got! 

(I used rotini, but a box of fettucini, rigatoni...anything would work!)

In a greased baking dish, toss the chicken breast in and season.  I drizzled some olive oil, garlic salt, Tony Chachere's, and pepper on mine.  Cover with tin foil and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, or until juicy and done!  Thinly slice up the bell peppers and saute them in olive oil and some seasoning until tender (15ish minutes).  Get the pasta going and cook according to the package and drain.  Slice up the avocado.  Chop up the chicken once it's done.  Add that and the juices left over in the baking dish to the pasta.  Crumble the goat cheese with a fork and toss in with pasta (the amount of goat cheese is according to your taste...I like the whole package because it makes the pasta creamy and yummy).  Fold in the avocado, and sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top for an extra kick.  Serve and watch your husband's face go into culinary heaven!!

Mangia!

Kacey

Side note:  This dish turned out so tasty and very pretty too.  The colors of the bell pepper and avocado mixed with the neutral pasta and chicken was very appealing. You can add whatever you want to this dish...seriously.  Slice up and saute onion with the peppers, add some shrimp, use lemon pepper instead of Tony's...whatever!  It's fun to just experiment in your kitchen!

New Year - Pamper Yourself!

Before Christmas, I was asked to be a guest blogger on Wedding 101's website...as a West Coast Contributor, if you will!  The original post was a holiday gift guide for the special people in your life.  Now, it can be a post about New Years Gifts for YOU (or someone special).  There is no time like the present to pamper yourself!

See the original post here .

1.)  Yummy Coconut Mango Candle from Maison Luxe in Hermosa Beach, CA is perfect for your bedroom or home office - set the mood with a delicious scent. $24

2.)  Agate Slice Trivet from Gumtree in Hermosa Beach, CA will look gorgeous on your new (flea market score!) coffee table. $69

3.)  Anything from Everlane in California  - this company makes the most comfortable t-shirt he (or you!) will ever wear, not to mention affordable! They have great products for all the men in your life.  I purchased some for my husband for Christmas and they are fab!  $15 t-shirts.

4.)  City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte at Pages Bookstore in Manhattan Beach, CA - a whimsical novel about love, magic, danger, and suspense.  The local authors just had a book signing here in California. Call to get a signed copy sent to your sister – she’ll love escaping with this one! $16

5.)  Lavender Laundry Soap from Old Faithful Shop in Vancouver, BC. Not only does it smell delicious, it looks so beautiful sitting on the shelf.  Laundry has never looked so good. $29.95

xo,
K

Gift Idea - Notebooks

What to buy for a hostess gift? A stocking stuffer?  A thank you for a sister or a friend who has been especially thoughtful of you this year?

A Rifle Paper company notebook - $7.95 for 2:

One can never have too many notebooks….leather bound, fabric covered, silvers, golds, bright turquoises, moody purples.  Collect them all.  Write your thoughts.  And don't worry about filling them up in order, keeping them organized, or writing everyday.  Any time you need inspiration, a pick me up, or a reminder of just how far you've come, simply pick one up and open at random.  

It will show you how time is your friend.