Fun with pancakes

Have you noticed an increase in expensive kitchen gadgetry for kids, like bendy man spatulas and mouse measuring cups? The aim is to make cooking fun for children. Hello! Put away the credits cards and just do this: Clean an empty plastic ketchup bottle and fill it with pancake batter.

The opening is perfectly sized for making funny pancakes. Before the ketchup bottle discovery, the most I could do to impress my toddler was drop two blobs of batter into the skillet to make a lopsided snowman. Now I can spell names and create turtles, flowers, puppy dogs, caterpillars and bunny ears (well, that one looks more like the “peace sign” hand gesture, but whatever). The point is, the sky’s the limit, almost.

Here are a few tips:

• If you’re spelling a name in batter, write backwards so the pretty, golden brown side will be on top when you flip it.

• Since the batter expands, it's best to stick to shapes with rounded features, avoiding sharp angles and triangles. Sadly, that means no kitty ears.

• Use ¼ more mix than your recipe calls for. Otherwise the batter will be too thin to hold a shape.

• To fill a standard 24-ounce ketchup bottle, use about 3 cups of batter.

• Add a tablespoon a flaxseeds for a tasty health boost. Flaxseeds are a great source of Omega-3s, but they also add a mild nutty flavor to pancakes.

Chickens are the new black

Sure, the Obamas planted a Victory Garden, and these days urban and backyard gardeners from Brooklyn to the Midwest to San Fran are impressing their guests with salsas and salads plucked from their own sunny plots.

But can a tomato plant decorate your party? Will it entertain your guests? Certainly not. That’s where chickens come in. They’re budget-friendly — we paid $11 for each of them, plus a coop — and they even supply food!

Plus, chickens bring:

• An element of drama. Where will they run next? What are they scratching at? Can I pet them?
• The ultimate eco-friendly appetizers. From the backyard to the kitchen, there is no carbon footprint for fabulous deviled eggs!
• Coolest kid on the block status. Sure, your friends have the newest iPhone, but chickens? That’s the next level.
• Children love chickens! For petting, have an adult hold the chicken, beak facing away, while the tyke pats the smooth back feathers. Kids love chasing them too; don’t sweat it, chickens outrun little ones. Warning: My birds peck at beak-level food; when kids eat ice cream cones, put your feathered friends in the coop.

Ultimate, No Carbon Footprint Deviled Eggs!
Match the herb to the cuisine you’re serving. Going Greek? Add oregano. Good old American? Chives or dill will do. Italian? Try basil.

• 1 dozen fresh eggs
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (low-fat will taste just as good)
• 1 teaspoon. dried herb of your choice, plus a dash for sprinkling (got fresh? Use about 3 times as much, minced)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Place eggs in pot; add cold water until eggs are covered by an inch. Bring to boil over high heat. Cover, remove from heat and let sit 17 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and water. Transfer eggs to bowl, and chill until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes (this makes eggs easier to peel and prevents the dark coloring around the yolk).

Crack shells gently; peel, rinsing if necessary to remove shell. Slice each egg in half lengthwise. Transfer yolks to medium bowl and whites to platter.

Using back of fork, break up yolks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon dried herb and mustard; stir to blend thoroughly. Correct seasoning if necessary.

Using small spatula or spoon, portion yolk mixture evenly into halved whites. Sprinkle yolk mixture with herbs and serve.

Serves 12 as appetizer

just chillin'

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White wine might be the perfect accompaniment to a summer dinner party. But how many times have you realized only moments before your guests arrive that you've forgotten to chill your bottle of wine? We've got a tip that'll give you ice-cold wine in less than 10 minutes with nothing more than ice, water and salt.

Here's what you do: Fill an ice bucket about a third full of ice cubes. (Staying true to my statement above, if you don't have an ice bucket, you can always use a large mixing bowl or even your kitchen sink.) On top of the ice, spread a generous handful or two of salt — about a third of a cup. Work the bottle of wine into the ice cubes, then fill the ice bucket the rest of the way with cold water making sure as much of the bottle is submerged as possible. Violà! You've got super-cold wine in no time. And trust me, this works a million times better than shoving it in the freezer for a few minutes.

We're filing this under another one more way that salt saves the day.

hey, mr. dj, put a record on

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Are you adding music playlists to your invitations? Here's why we love them: It's not just the host who gets to play DJ — guests can also add songs to create the perfect party soundtrack.

Setting it up is easy. When you're entering your party details, open the invitation options and select "Add Music Playlist." Follow the instructions to search our music database and add your songs.

Rock out while you check out the invitation's guest list and leave your comment. And hosts, you can use these songs as requests to help you decide what to play at your event. Handy!

Wanna know what songs are on other people's playlists? Here's the current top 10.

10. Girls Just Want to Have Fun — Cyndi Lauper
9. Happy Birthday — Stevie Wonder
8. Just Dance — Lady Gaga
7. I Kissed a Girl — Katy Perry
6. Round Round — Flo Rida
5. If I Were a Boy — Beyonce
4. Celebration — Kool & the Gang
3. I'm Yours — Jason Mraz
2. Hot 'N Cold — Katy Perry
1. Poker Face — Lady Gaga

Requests? Long-distance dedications? Let us know in the comments....

top it off

I’ve learned the hard way that no matter how delicious your dish, people are not going to eat it if it doesn’t look delicious. (Don’t even get me started on the pecan pie incident.)

So over the years I’ve paid close attention to the best way to make my table and food look awesome. Here’s what I’ve picked up:

• Like a big (but extremely prepared and party-savvy) dork, the night before the party I set my buffet table. I place all the serving platters where they’re going to sit on the table, put out corresponding utensils, and then stick Post-its on the dishes indicating which food item goes where. This is helpful in soooo many ways. It makes sure the look of the table doesn’t get lost in the last-minute details of throwing a party. It forces you to make sure all the servingware is available (and not, for example, languishing in the fridge filled with other contents). And if friends come over beforehand to help you with the party, they can just follow the Post-it notes and fill empty dishes without stopping you in your last-minute party-throwing frenzy.
• Group guests’ plates, utensils, napkins, etc., together in an easy-to-spot place. I stumbled upon a new way to present these essentials by placing the plates and napkins upright in a copper basket whose purpose I’ve never understood and putting utensils in short crystal and silver vases.
• Cheese can be downright artful if you vary cheese shapes, such as cubes, small wedges and slices. You can arrange cubes and wedges (for wedges, think slightly larger than a cube) in rows like a little army of cheese. I’ve also seen cubes mounded on top a round of a different type of cheese. Go for a fallen domino effect with slices. Use strawberries and grapes as colorful garnish.
• Melon balls can be ho-hum, but I’ve seen them become adorable when served on skewers. Thread four melon balls on a skewer and serve them sticking upright either in a patch of wheatgrass or in a Styrofoam base placed in a pot.

cheese it up

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A cheese plate is a welcome addition to any party. But creating one can be intimidating if you don't know your way around the wheels. Here are answers to the basic cheese questions:

• What kinds should I get? There's no right or wrong cheese — you can buy a brie or a cheddar and call it a day. Or, you could choose a variety of cheeses, based on one of these attributes:
  • texture: soft, semi-firm and firm
  • milk: sheep, goat and cow
  • country/region: Spanish, French, Italian and US cheeses are among the easiest to find
• Okay...but what should I get? For soft cheeses, brie (cow's milk) is always popular. Wow brie fans by upgrading to a triple-cream cheese like the French Saint-Andre (cow) or adding a bite with cambozola (cow), a combination of French triple-cream cheese and the sharper Italian blue cheese gorgonzola. Another option: a goat cheese like the California crowdpleaser Humboldt Fog, a runny, creamy cheese bisected by a line of edible ash. You have lots of great choices for semi-hard cheeses: nutty Spanish manchego (sheep), sweet French cantal (cow), mild Dutch edam (cow) and sweet-salty Swiss gruyere (cow) are all winners. Hard cheese options include the salty Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano (cow), sharp aged Italian asiago (cow) or earthy UK aged cheddar (cow).
• Where should I buy them? You'll get the best selection from a cheese shop, but you can also find great cheeses in a higher-end supermarket or store like Trader Joe's. Do not be afraid to ask the cheesemonger (yes, that's what they're called) for help choosing. They'll not only steer you toward cheeses you'll like in the price ranges you want, they'll give free samples to help you make your selections.
• How daring should I get? Know your audience. If your guests are not stinky-cheese people, you probably won't convert them. Either skip the stiltons altogether, or serve one "scary" cheese alongside some "safe" cheeses. And give the scary one its own knife.
• How much should I buy? The general rule is about 3 to 6 ounces per person, depending on how much other food you're serving. 
• What temperature should I serve them at? Cheese should be served at room temperature to get the full flavor. An average-size soft cheese should warm up from the fridge in as little as a half hour, but a larger piece and/or a harder cheese could take as much as 2 hours.
• How do I plate them? Put the part of the cheese people will be cutting into facing the edge of your plate. If you like, cut a few pieces of each cheese. That will prevent guests from being too intimidated or polite to take the first piece, and it will show them how the cheese should be cut.
• What kind of knife should I put out? Setting out the wrong kind of cheese knife could cause injury — or just embarrassment if pieces go flying. Harder cheeses need a sharper knife. Knives specifically made for harder cheeses often have a forked tip (to pick up pieces) or a serrated edge. A cheese plane is preferred for some firmer cheeses, like aged cheeses. Knives for softer cheeses look more like butter knives, with rounded edges, and double as cheese spreaders. Do you need to have special knives just to serve cheese? Nope. Just make sure the knife you choose can safely cut through the cheese.
• Bread or crackers? Whichever you like. Or both. If you're serving a variety of cheeses, a selection of crackers and thinly sliced crusty bread complements them nicely. One cheese? One type of cracker or bread is fine.
• What should I serve alongside? Sweet and savory accompaniments, like grapes, apple and pear slices, dried fruit, quince paste, nuts, cornichons, sliced meats and olives.
• Where do I store leftovers? In your mouth. Or, if you have more willpower, wrap leftovers in clean parchment paper, wax paper or plastic wrap and pop into your fridge's crisper.

steal this look, part 2

I’m a complementary color sort of girl — give me a yellow shirt, and I’ll pair it with a red necklace. I go for same sort of opposites-attract color scheme with party décor, so when I saw the image of watermelon martinis above, courtesy of Washington-based Occasions Caterers, I had to rethink my go-to game plan. 

Next time I serve cocktails, I’ll likely follow Occasions' lead. If you want to do the same, follow these tips:

• Serve a drink with a vibrant hue, and go for a one-two color punch with a garnish of the same color. Or, achieve a similar effect by matching the color of the cocktail napkins to the cocktails.
• Get creative with garnishes. I thought for sure the above was some sort of homemade colored sugar wafer, but no — it turns out it’s an (infinitely easier) thin slice of watermelon cut with a cookie cutter. Slicing the watermelon near the rind gives it that interesting gradation effect. Other stiff-ish fruits (honeydew, cantaloupe, maybe even kiwi) can be cut with cookie cutters of all shapes. Or, if you like the layering of a single color but don’t want to deal with slicing and/or cookie-cutting fruit, go with the crowd-pleasing colored sugar rim.
• Opt for white tray to make the bright colors of the drink pop and twisting greenery to warm up the presentation. If you don’t plan on carrying around a tray of drinks (truth be told: I don’t), place a little greenery around a pitcher or punch bowl to keep the drink area from feeling spare.
• Serve your colorful cocktails in tall glasses for an exceptionally pretty presentation. I like how these have the martini glass effect at the rim, but they’re longer and without teeny-tiny stems. This allows you to give a guest a healthy pour and still leave space at the top of the drink — and lessens the chance for spillage. (Hurrah!)

Photo by Dean Alexander

on the line

Whether the look is smoky and dramatic or a clean subtle line, black eyeliner has become my go-to product when it comes to getting ready for a cocktail party or a girls' night out. There’s just something about it that looks so chic and sexy. (See Angelina Jolie, not Amy Winehouse.) Celebrity makeup artist Amy Nadine (who dolls up The Hills’ Lauren Conrad) shares her tips for three easy ways to update your party face with a little black eyeliner:

• Kohl pencil. For a classic look, use a kohl pencil like Shu Uemura Drawing Pencil in ME Black 1. Start in the inner corner of the upper lash line and drag the pencil tip outward, slightly winging it up at the end. Draw a thin line across the bottom lash line and finish by rimming inside the lash line with the pencil. For a thin line, use the point of the pencil, holding it almost perpendicular to your eye. For a thicker line, slant the pencil to a 45-degree angle, using more of the side of the pencil’s tip.
• Wet shadow. For a softer look, take a slim, angled eye liner brush like NARS Angular Eye Shadow Brush 04 and wet it with water until it's soaked. Next, swirl the brush around in a black eye shadow until it’s loaded with color. On the back of your hand, draw a couple of lines to ensure you are happy with the consistency of the wet shadow while smoothing out any powder clumps. Sweep the brush across your lash line, starting at the inner corners and increasing the width as you approach the outer corners. For more intensity, re-wet your brush, load it with more shadow and go back over the line.
• Gel liner. For the ultimate definition without the extremity of a liquid liner, use a gel liner pot like Elizabeth Arden's Color Intrigue Gel Eye Liner in Black. It glides on smoothly and comes with its own liner brush. Use the same method as the wet shadow liner. One coat for a more subtle look, two to three coats for extra drama!

Whether you’re partial to pencil, shadow or gels, take a cue from the pros and have fun experimenting until you find the method that suits your party mood and perfectly complements that little black dress.

steal this look

You may look at this picture and think: “Pretty, but when would I serve a row of honeys?” Likely answer?  Never. But there’s still much to learn from this cleanly composed tabletop from Atlanta's Bold American Catering.

• First: White plates make food pop. A chef once told me this; photographs confirmed the tidbit; and I’ve regretted my blue tableware ever since. White plates against white linen with glass pieces mixed in looks especially crisp.
• Terra-cotta pots keep all the white from feeling too formal. Here, some pots hold centerpieces and others have sweet potato biscuits to go with the honey.
• Plants, as opposed to cut flowers, further the casual-chic vibe. Put a row of glass votive candles in front of them, and you have a inexpensive, reuse-able tablescape.
• Rows are striking. For example, store-bought dips (think pesto, tapenade, hummus, etc.) instantly become elegant when served in a row of low, white serving dishes. Place a terra-cotta pot full of baguettes beside your dips, and you’re set.

Photo by Ben Vigil Photography

tees for two

The birth of a baby represents new beginnings in many ways. And not only for your family, but for your clothes. Take, for example, the burp cloth you see above — made from an old concert t-shirt.

This clever idea comes from crafty new mom Christine Romero, who, while cleaning out some drawers to make way for baby clothes, was inspired to give her old tees and pajamas a new life as soft, sentimental and superpractical burp cloths.

We love this idea because it offers countless design options (featuring your favorite fabrics and images) and lets you recycle items you already own and love. Plus, what a unique, personal gift for a baby shower!

Here are Christine's step-by-step instructions for making your own:

1. Take your t-shirt, pajamas or fabric and lay it flat and smoothed out.

2. Cut 2 pieces of fabric that measure 13 inches by 18 inches. Try to center your design in the middle of these pieces.

3. Sew the 2 pieces together. If you are using a knit material, use a small zigzag stitch for this step. Sew the 2 pieces' wrong sides together at 2 inches from the long sides, then again 2 inches from that stitching. If you want the stitches to show, use contrasting thread. Note: You can vary the measurement a bit, as necessary, to avoid stitching directly over your design.

4. Sew ½-inch double-fold bias tape to the entire outside edge of the rectangle. It takes almost 1 package of this to fit around the edge.