How to Party Plan Like a Pro // If You Feed Them, They Will Come

I just love random, little holidays...such as Cinco de Mayo! It is actually surprisingly difficult to decorate for without buying a million aztecy/southwesterny printed things. But I found a couple of bright and colorful Cinco de Mayo weddings and that game me a little inspiration.

So, the central goal of this party was to feed people. Being that there was a large group...and it needed to be Mexican food of some sort, I opted to make "carnitas" and give people the option to do nachos or tacos. My friend Blair (co-worker, marathon runner, expert dinner-maker) had made this delectable spicy shredded pork for me before, so I knew that's what I had to do. Unfortunately, mine didn't turn out as good. Her's was soooo flavorful and mine was like, eh. So, my recommendation for this recipe is to go crazy on the rub - you can't have too much.  

Then I set up all kinds of toppings: cilantro, sour cream, queso fresco, jalapenos, limes and salas, as well as some queso dip going on in the mini crockpot. People said nice things about it, but like I said...I was disappointed with the pork.

 And in the other ring! I had my Uncle Steve's famous margaritas going on. They were hit and super easy to make and manage. Along with the blending station were limes, sweet/sour salt and little lime drink markers I doodles and printed.

Uncle Steve's Marg Mix

Ingredients:

• 1 can - frozen lime concentrate
• 3/4 can - tequila
• 1/4 can - triple sec
• 1 Tbsp - powdered sugar
• Lots of ice  

 Directions for Marg Mix:

1. Empty one can of frozen lime concentrate into a blender.
2. Fill the same can from the concentrate 3/4 with tequila and add to blender.
3. Fill the same can from the concentrate 1/4 with tripel sec and add to blender.
4. Add 1 Tbsp powdered sugar and blend.
5. **This can be made prior to and refrigerated until needed for marg making.

Directions for Margs:

1. Fill the blender or Magic Bullet container 1/4 way with marg mix.
2. Fill the rest of the container with ice.
3. Blend and enjoy.

To better incorporate my wall gallery into the shenanigans, I doodled and printed little word bubbles of Cinco de Mayo puns...

I did a ton of prep work for this party (I basically only host parties to force myself to do the really deep house cleaning), but for once I was totally ready before the start time. So, I could actually enjoy a little quality marg time on the patio before any guests arrived.

Oh! And the invites! I doodles those too, so that's kind of fun...

10 Office Lunch Hacks

I work in an office. My Marketing department is in the basement where the only "kitchen accessories" is a mini-frig in the fitness center. On the second floor are the coffee makers, ice machine, dishwasher and filtered water faucets. The third floor is home to well-stocked breakroom and kitchen: commercial (double-door) refrigerator, dishwasher, ice machine, oven, toaster, two microwaves and filtered water faucets. In addition to appliance, the cabinets offer a variety of dishes, cookware, utensils and seasonings.

Let it also be known that I live about twenty minutes from work and don't have the dough to eat out every meal. So, the office lunch life for meeee! I've been at it a while, the whole lunching-from-my-desk routine, and have learned a thing or two about how to do it right.

1. Get one of these. A personal, 20-ounce food warmer is exactly what you need to save a trip to the microwave. Not to mention, it plugs in anywhere and is super discrete, so you can anticipate your meal from the aroma of it warming slowly behind you you while you work.

2. Dude, leftovers. Do not underestimate the value of a warm, homemade meal...even if it is a re-heated, homemade yesterday meal. When I make pasta or plan a crockpot meal, I do so with the intention of having leftovers.

3. Be fancy! I haven't even considered some of these portable office lunch ideas. I'm not sure I'm up to the time commitment here, but these recipes look like they would be so fun to try! As of right now, my idea of "fancy," is when I take the time to make a "grilled" ham and cheese sandwich instead of my standard sandwich.

4. Pack the night before. Of course you can't do this with everything, but you can do it with a lot! I'm sure you know all about the meal-prepping that's taking the country by storm, but it can be more simple than that too. I've started making these overnight oats for breakfast (they're like bland in a really good way). If you do salads, you can make them the night before by stacking the layers in a mason jar so that your dressing doesn't sog everything up and the lettuce stays nice and crisp on the top.

5. Bring the whole damn bag. It takes a little self control, but it's one less thing you have to tote to the office each morning. I keep a stash of something munchie (white cheddar Cheez-its, almonds, trail mix) at my desk and a bag of baby carrots and box of half-n-half in the fitness center mini-frig. When you use half-n-half like I do, you kinda gotta bring your own. My co-worker, Mark, brings the sandwich "fixin's" and makes it right there at his desk - that could be you!

6. Keep your desk-drawer stocked. Even if you don't stuff whole bags of almonds into your desk, don't forget to keep your essential condiments handy: salt and pepper, hot sauce, soy sauce, mustard, ketchup (packets obviously), olive oil, peanut butter.

7. Invest in a grown-up lunchbox. If you don't have access to a double-door, commercial refrigerator (or a mini-frig for that matter), it's time to get a grown-up lunchbox. I was going to find some cool lunchbox ideas, but then I found this post from Brit + Co and I think they've got 'em all.

8. Try a wrap instead. It's hard being one person. Even if you make a sandwich everyday, you can't really use a whole loaf of  bread in a week. Sure, if you don't buy Aldi bread, it probably lasts a little longer. But, if you do buy Aldi break, or struggle to use all your bread before it stales, try making wraps instead! They're lighter, healthier and the only change is using shredded cheese (which I KNOW you have). Bonus round: once you notice your bread going stale, remove what is left from the bag and set it out to harden. Crumble it up and you've got bread crumbs! Never buy those. They're too easy to make.

9. Keep emergency lunches on hand. Cans of hearty soups and a couple frozen meals are good to have in backstock. These aren't ideal, since they're more expensive and usually less healthy, but they work in a pinch. Depending on what you've got left at the end of the week, you may consider a simple cheese, meat and cracker combination for lunch.

10. Treat yourself, sparingly. It's ok to eat out or order in for lunch evyery now and again, but don't make a habit of it (Blair, I'm looking at you). While a freaky fast sandwich delivery or lunch out for a department birthday are not only fun, but easy, you can save a pretty penny by making it a habit to make lunch. Additionally, it is a bit more tricky to eat healthy when you aren't making your own food. Bonus round: make your meal out into two lunches! A large order at a sit down restaurant can easily be leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Now, that's a win.

Does anyone else have any good lunch hacks they put into practice?

Party Plan Like a Pro // Pick a Theme and GO WILD

For my 25th birthday, I decided to take a page from my mother's book and GO BIG. Since I'm younger and way more self-centered, I planned my party to be strictly Kait-themed. First move was easy: GINGER. This set the pace for the totally random menu...

Gingerbread Kaits
with orange gel to decorate them yourself

Philly, California and Cucumber Rolls

with plenty of ginger on the side

Kait's Favorite Funfetti Cake Bars

(not ginger, but stupid delicious)

Ginger Veggie Shots

including orange peppers, carrots and cucumbers (for good measure)
and delicious cheesy bacon ranch dip

Logboat Shiphead Ginger Wheat

Gin(ger) Buckets

one for each of the four teams

TRIVIA

After that began the games. Twelve guests were divided into four teams by color. We opened with Kait Trivia, a simple PowerPoint I created and set-up on the TV. Quick tips for creating a low-budget trivia presentation:

1. Separate questions into three to four categories with ten questions each. 

2. Consider your audience and how they will respond the difficulty of the questions.

3. Ask each question on it's own slide and then repeat the question when you show the answer.

4. Look for loop holes in questions. If they are there, your competitive friends WILL FIND THEM.

5. Do not forget index cards and pens for each team. Boy, that would be embarrassing.

PICTIONARY

Trivia was a hit! I think? Even if it was all about me. Then, we played a little variation of pictionary...that I could never think of a name for. Anyway, here's out it worked: I created like 20 cards with a (mostly) identifiable photo from my Instagram, the name of the event that was occurring and a point value. Then teams had to draw only what was in the Instagram (not what they thought would help team members guest the correct event). I think it was fun...fun for ME at least!

BEER PONG + BATTLESHOTS

Finally, we teams out into smaller teams of two, for beer pong, and one, for battleshots. Beer pong cups all had pretty selfies of my face and the battleshots was played with redheaded slut jello shots. FUN. This went down in tournament style, so there was plenty of fun down time for photo booth pictures.

PHOTOBOOTH

You cannot go wrong with a photo booth. Party trick: throw in a wild card prop, such as over-sized whitey tighties.

Tasting My Way to a Perfect Cheese Platter

At some point in my Pinteresting, I got it in my head that I need to make a cheese platter. Once I started searching for ideas and tips, I just could stop...and 11:45 a.m. with a growling stomach was not the ideal time.

I'm not gonna pretend I made one cheese platter and now I know enough to tell you how to do it. But, I would love to show you where I got good advice from and what I learned along the way.

Here is where you start. What makes up a cheese platter?
Anatomy of a Cheese Platter (Eats and Beats)
Elegant Entertaining: How to Make a Sophisticated Cheese Platter (Craftsy)
How to Make the Perfect Party Cheese Platter (Ambitious Kitchen)

Then, you're just gonna want to hop around and see what combinations people are suggesting and what accompaniments they use besides cheese and meat.
How to Make a Cheese Plate (Andie Mitchell)
How to Build the Perfect Cheese Tray (Julia Ryan)
How to Build the Perfect Cheese Plate (William-Sonoma)
How to Build the Perfect Cheese Plate (Style Me Pretty)

Get some final tips to make sure you aren't missing anything.
5 Tips for Creating the Perfect Cheese Platter (A Beautiful Mess)
Tips for Setting Up a Cheese & Charcuterie Spread (Celebrations at Home)
Cheese Platter Basics: Tips for the Perfect Spread (Food, Folks and Fun)

Some that I learned, for example include:

• Be sure to let your cheese come to room temperature before serving in order to get the full flavor.
• Instead of serving on a plate or platter, consider using craft paper as a "table cloth" and serve right off it. You can write on the paper to label each cheese and meat.
• Keep in mind your guests' preference. Since this was the first time we have done this, I just picked a couple that looked good as a jumping off point. But, I learned that essentially no one liked brie (except me), so we'll probably try something different in its place next time.
• Provide one knife per cheese to keep the flavors straight.
• Choose "vehicles" (crackers) with very mild flavors as to ensure you get the full flavor of the cheese.
• Offer at least one familiar cheese. Not everyone will be so adventurous, so be sure to have a classic on standby.

Then, don't forget your wine pairings! Entertaining Guide: Wine and Cheese Pairings (Little Family Adventure)

Or your options for labeling the cheeses... Forks? Stemless Forks? Craft Paper? Wine Corks? Wine Corks? Chalkboard Plate? Flags on Toothpicks? Plain Old White Porcelain? I bought mine on clearance at, believe it or not, Gerbes.

I loved the cheddar, but I opted for aged, instead of white this time...which was a mistake. The spicy gouda was good to have on hand as an option, but not one of my favorites. As I told you, the brie wasn't a hit, so I will leave it off the next platter. The Asiago was that familiar cheese that was good to have on hand for the less adventurous. Most all of the accompaniments were a success, but only because Trever liked olives so much that he ate an entire party's worth of them.

We'll see what the next platter has in store...I am thinking I would like to try at least one more obscure cheese option and definitely more prosciutto.

Friendsgiving: Beg, Borrow and Craft

First of all, you should know that I tried to be on a budget starting November and running through December. Except, then I went to NYC and everything was shot, because...well...travel is expensive. So, back when the budget was still in place, we hosted Friendsgiving! And I was determined not to buy anything that wasn't food related, which is difficult for me because I LOVE TO DECORATE. Which, isn't all that difficult, because it meant I had to spend more time crafting cute decorations with what I already had and less time buying more decorations I definitely don't need!

Let me just say, sorry about the photos...
1. It's dark out now and the lighting in my house does not do well for photos.
2. Once everyone showed up and the gravy starting giving my problems (and the wine was uncorked) I got a little distracted from taking photos and more focused on eating...call me crazy.

In order to decorate when you can't buy anything, you have to really see the table laid out before you to know what you need. So, I set the table like the weekend before. Embarrassing.

I did have to settle on pretty boring place cards...but at least I had them!
Next year I'll have the time (and monies) to do something fun.

The dinner was a potluck, so we all got to try delicious sides and desserts from all our friends. Since I hosted, I decided to do the turkey, stuffing, ham and gravy. The latter of which kind of boiled over the pot and made a mess of the oven...but not to worry! We cleaned up and had plenty of gravy by dinner time. I'm pretty proud of the turkey [recipe here] and was extra excited because Hyvee had a deal where you buy a ham and get the turkey free. Woohoo! I had never barely tried stuffing before (let alone made it), but I really liked the way this one turned out [recipe here]. I know you wouldn't think BuzzFeed is the most reliable source for recipes, but they had the most user-friendly timeline for making an entire Thanksgiving dinner [here]. Finally, the ham was delicious...but that's pretty hard to mess up [glaze recipe here].

When was dinner was over, we started "The Emperor's New Groove" ...I have no idea why. It's hilarious and it's on Netflix instant watch right now, so you can't argue with that.

Hope your Thanksgiving was relaxing and delicious. If you haven't done one before, I highly recommend a Friendsgiving celebration next year--you never know what you'll end up watching after dessert!

Dips on Dips on Dips on Dips

We're pretty fond of dips.

They are the perfect snack before any meal or stand alone great with a sporting event. You can easily try them without committing to a full plate if the dip doesn't suit your fancy. As a standard, they're loaded with cheese. They almost always come with chips, which are also pretty great. AND their base ingredient is usually cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise...or a wonderful combination of the three.

So, we got a little dip crazy.

In lieu of dinner, the Andersons, Aaron and I decided to throw ourselves a little dip night; each of the couples bringing two dips to the table for a smorgasbord of fatty, creamy goodness (with chips). Keep in mind that we all halved our recipes so we wouldn't have a ton of left over dips we'd be forced to eat all week...though Aaron is still devouring the Beefy Taco Dip and he's not mad about it.

  

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BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
This is one of my favorites that Jordan makes. Warm and melty, piled on a tortilla chip...I literally cannot stop consuming this stuff.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz - cream cheese (softened)
• 1 can - white chunk chicken breast (drained)
• 1 1/2 tablespons - Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
• 1/3 stick - margarine
• 1/4 cup - ranch dressing
• 8 oz - shredded mild cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Spread softened cream cheese in bottom of serving dish. Should spread approximately 1/4" thick and even on dish.
2. In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, place drained chicken and margarine. Microwave until margarine is melted and blend. 
3. Add ranch dressing. 
4. Slowly add wing sauce until consistency is creamy and taste is as hot as desired. 
5. Spread chicken mixture over cream cheese layer. 
6. Sprinkle lightly with 4 oz of shredded cheese and microwave for approximately 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted. 
7. Sprinkle remaining 4 oz of shredded cheese and serve.

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BACON CHEDDAR DIP
I mean...bacon + cheddar + (spoiler) ranch...how could this be anything but delicious? And it is. It's stinkin' scrumptious and simple and so worth a try.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz - sour cream
• 3 oz - bacon bits
• 1 packet - ranch mix
• 1 cup - shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Mix it.
2. Eat it.

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BEEFY TACO DIP
The Andersons have their own version they usually make of taco dip, but I wanted to try this tasty treat courtesy of Grandma Rose's recipe book. I had to take out the tomatoes and green peppers for some of the pickier eaters in the group, but it still turned out to be "always a hit" as Grandma promised.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz - cream cheese (softened)
• 1 cup - sour cream
• 3/4 cup - mayonnaise
• 1 pound - ground beef
• 1 package - taco seasoning
• 8 oz - tomato sauce
• 2 cups - shredded Mexican cheese
• 4 cups - shredded lettuce
• 2 - medium tomatoes (diced)
• 1 - small onion (diced)
• 1 - medium green pepper (diced)

Directions:

1. Combine cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in a bowl. Spread mixture in layer on serving dish and refrigerator for one hour (or not...I didn't and it was fine).
2. Brown beef in skillet. Add in taco seasoning packet (without water) and tomato sauce and cook for five minutes. Let cool.
3. Sprinkle beef mixture on creamy layer.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle cheese on beef mixture, then shredded lettuce, then tomato, onion and green peppers.

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HOT CRAB AND CHEESY ARTICHOKE DIP
Now, I should've thrown a Spinach Artichoke Dip into the mix, because I LOVE SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP. But as I said before, I am working with some very picky people, so I thought I might trick them with this...crab and cheesy artichoke dip...horrible idea. They were not tricked. I liked it just fine, but if you have picky eaters--this is a NO GO.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup - sour cream
• 1/2 cup - mayonnaise
• 1 can (14 oz) - artichoke hearts (chopped)
• 8 oz - crab meat
• 1/2 cup - shredded Parmesan
• 1 - small lemon (juiced)
• 1 teaspoon - garlic (minced)
• 1/4 teaspoon - dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon - dried basil
• sat & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine sour cream, mayo, artichokes and crab meat and stir to combine.
2. Add Parmesan cheese (save 1 to 2 tablespoons), lemon juice, garlic, parsley, basil and salt and pepper to taste and mix well.
3. Spread mixture in a large baking dish. Sprinkle reserved Parmesan cheese over dip.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly and top begins to brown.
5. Serve warm with crackers or sliced baguettes (or chips).

There are so many wonderful things about dips...but you know what un-wonderful thing about dips I forgot...DISHES. Good GOD dips make a lot of dishes.

Food Truck Friday Fail

Last, last Friday, Inside Columbia hosted the first ever Food Truck Friday. Sounds awesome, right? That's what I thought when I heard about it. I thought that it would so very big-city of Columbia and my attending it (and Instagramming the filtered photos) would pretty much make me cool. So, I invited along the boyfriend and we planned to skip the crowd and go a little later at one. Unfortunately, this meant that almost all of the trucks had sold out. Woe is meeeeee! It was unbearably hot and the few trucks with food had unbearable lines. Aaron was a pretty grumpy and after a 30 minute wait for my nutella waffle...I was too. Only guess what. I didn't get a nutella waffle. I got a corn dog with an insufficient amount of syrup. I may or may not have come to tears.

Hot, sad, hungry and late for work, I left in a huff.

A while later, Aaron texts me to say he's outside my office. I come out to his truck to find that he's made a trip to Waffle House...and to the grocery store...to prepare me...a nutella waffle...WITH BACON.

It has to be the sweetest thing that's ever happened because he was just as hot and upset as I was with our Food Truck Friday Fail. It was such a thoughtful thing for Aaron to do. It made me put down my phone, and be really grateful, not for the added photo to my Instagram collection and the cool points it would get me for attending, but for a great friend who is willing to put up with my unpleasant displeasure and take care of me. He's my favorite.

Ozark Mountain Biscuit

COMO Dough Woodfired Pizza

Jamaican Jerk Hut

Kona Ice COMO

Of course, Pepe's of Columbia was there...

Ranch House BBQ

Jersey Dogs

Playing With Fire Woodfired Pizza

Sunflower Waffle Company

Want more details on the trucks? Inside Columbia has it here.
And great news, it happens every Friday before a football game. Check out the Facebook group...

New Apt Party

So, we had a little shindig last weekend. I decided this was my first, official attempt at a real, Pinterest-worthy party...which meant we provided food and drinks. Oh yeah. We're #grownup. So, here's the table:

Top left: I made cake balls...NOT successful. I burnt the white melts and ended up having to just ice them like regular cake. Still tasty, not as pretty.

Top right: $1 tin buckets with chalkboard label from Target. Those should be handy for tailgating!

Bottom: The lovely table.

So, I went a little dip crazy. The spinach artichoke dip was incredibly easy! Just threw it all in a crockpot and started working on another thing. Bacon Cheddar Ranch dip...well, I cheated and just cooked bacon that I crumbled into ranch. But, the Pico de Gallo was the easiest. I had every intention of making it...until Lindsey brought the Sam-sized pre-made dip out and I caved.

Tell me you love that cooler (left). Garage sale, $8...I win. And the drink cart (right) was only $15 at a thrift store. Just needed a fresh coat of spray paint, and to be stocked with booze. Found the ice bucket (which was gold before) for a $1 at a garage sale the day before the party.

We made sangria, which was good. We thought making it the night before would help the fruity taste soak in, but it was too fruity. Lesson learned. On the other hand, check out that ADORABLE mason jar pitcher...bought it at Sam's. That bottom part comes off and can be flipped over as an ice bucket!

My favorite idea: Build-You-Own Kabobs! I just cut the veggies and wrapped the beef in bacon (DUH). Then I used washi tape (first role I've ever bought) to make the labels. **TIP, Apparently...wood burns. Trever suggested soaking the kabob sticks in water over-night. Who knew? Veggies used: red and green pepper, onion, zucchini.

And now for guest shots...

The hostesses.

First guests to arrive, and fellow Katy Place residents.

The Girl and The Grill Master.

Kelly, Lindsey, Emily.

Ugh. Gross guys...Noel and Eliza.

Of course, there was a Mario Kart tournament. Which Zak promptly dominated. And then we played a little Balderdash. It was a fun time and we thank everyone who came! Interested in visiting? Here's the change of address cards we had (and no one took)...