Bananas Over My Baby Shower

Forgive me for writing a short post.

Tonight my dear friends threw me a sock-monkey-themed baby shower. I am humbled by the love that has been shown to my family during the adoption process. 130+ people gathered to eat egg rolls and open gifts and discuss blessings. (Life can't be better than when you are surrounded by 130+ of your favorite people.)

Simply put, my heart is full of gratitude and my house is full of kid stuff.

I anticipate opportunities to encourage other people like people have encouraged me.

So, so happy ...

Spring Flowers Bring Baby Showers: Favor Idea

Photos from my sister's baby shower; idea pilfered from my friend.

'Tis the Season for Showers

Tonight I bring you an idea that is both incredibly cute and delightfully simple. Introducing the baby bootie favor. I discovered this creative idea at my sister's shower last week. The instructions are simple.

Collect the following:

1. Paper ketchup cups (such as you might find at your local fast food store)
2. Cotton balls
3. Colored tissues (pink, green, blue, white, patterned)--travel tissue packs work well!
4. Goodies (trail mix, candy, mints)

Follow these instructions:

1. Glue one of the cotton balls to one side of the ketchup cup.
2. Take one tissue and wrap it around the ketchup cup (and the cotton ball), carefully tucking the ends of the tissue inside the cup.
3. Take a second ketchup cup and slide it inside and fill with goodies.
4. Use these cups as a centerpiece, display on a tiered tray, use as individual favors at each seat.

Enjoy!

I Scream. You Scream. We All Scream (for Gourmet Caramel Corn).

Photo by Steve Snodgrass

Today I got to participate in the creation of 2 new ice cream flavors to be sold for charity at an ice cream shop in the city where I work. I love when my job involves test kitchens. (Almost seems criminal.)

Because I have sweetness on the brain, I bring you a recipe that can be served before a meal, after a meal, or in lieu of a meal at any hospitality event. Taste it and weep.

Baked Caramel Corn
(from The Joy of Serving Others By Pat Ennis, Lisa Tatlock, Dorothy Kelley Patterson)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light or dark corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
24 cups popped popcorn

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Prepare 2 shallow baking pans, with sides, by spraying with baking spray or buttering.

Sort popped corn to remove any unpopped kernals. Put in a large container. (I purchased a large plastic dish pan that I save for big mixing projects.) Melt butter in a large sauce pan. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in soda a vanilla. (You'll get a reaction similar to one of your chemistry labs.) Gradually pour over popped corn, mixing well.

Turn into 2 large shallow baking or roasting pans. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes. Trade oven rack position each time the mixture is stirred.

Remove from oven. Cool completely. Break apart and store in a tightly covered container.

Makes about 5 quarts of caramel corn.

Rumor is, it tastes gourmet.

Hospitality: Not a Picnic for One

Photo by gamene

Wow. I am posting late tonight. I've been burning the midnight oil on a new editing project. Yikes. Even the dog is snoring.

Last week I received an e-mail from a faithful reader who said that--while she would love to participate in hospitality--she has no opportunities to do so. Her house is small, she doesn't like to cook, and she doesn't have a family.

This got me thinking.

What IS hospitality? Have we put it in such a confined space (having people over for a meal) that we're missing hundreds of OTHER ways we can participate in it on a regular basis?

Consider these ideas . . . which I believe are hospitality:

1. Host a baby or bridal shower.
2. Take cookies to local firemen or police to show your gratitude.
3. Take a treat or plant to the neighbors.
5. Share produce from your garden with people on your street.
6. Host a housewarming party for someone else.
7. Start a welcome wagon for your church, street, school, or community.
8. Visit people in the hospital.
9. Start a book club.
10. Host a block party.

There are MANY ways we can participate in hospitality that don't involve heavy planning or serious cooking. There are hundreds of items I didn't even list here tonight.

Hospitality--at its root--is simple, home-inspired thoughtfulness for the encouragement of others. And this time of year is perfect for trying out unique hospitality ideas. What is the most creative idea YOU can think of for practicing hospitality?

. . . and the dog just glared at me for making too much noise.

[Quietly closing my computer now]

Hello, Cupcake!

Photo by Trisha

In the words of NPR, "There's a nationwide cupcake boom
underway."

What's new, right? This "cupcake proliferation" has obviously been baking for the past few years. You can hardly visit a bakery or bookstore (or convenience store for that matter) without being inundated by these tiny orbits of sugary goodness.

But after attending a recent wedding where the bride served "Mr." and "Mrs." cupcakes at her reception, I began thinking about why cupcakes work so well in terms of hospitality.

Consider the following. Cupcakes:

1. are relatively cheap to create
2. are versatile
3. (usually) come in healthier proportions than planet-sized pieces of cake
4. are easy to make
5. are completely customizable

I think I am going to consider making cupcakes for my next gathering.

And now for some (actual) flavors I am not ready to try:

Red velvet cake with chili powder
Chocolate macadamia with sea salt and olive oil
Chocolate and bacon
Vanilla and green tea

Happy Cupcake-ing,

The Paperless Post

Photo by kimubert

So perhaps I am opening a can of worms today, but I am interested in discussing the advent of online invitations.

Ten years ago, I doubt online invites even existed. (Perhaps they did and I was living under a rock. Feel free to enlighten me.) But it seems--at least when it comes to my own e-mail inbox--I am receiving more of these paperless invites all the time.

And truly, I don't mind.

Maybe it's a sign of my age. Maybe it's an indication of the times in which we live. Perhaps I have a raging desire to preserve the trees. Chalk it up to whatever you like, but I think online invitations are the way to go.

Consider the following online invitation sites:

Anyvite (Import your guest list from your address book)
Atomeet (Full party planning features)
Evite (Lots of designs to choose from)
Paperless Post (Great "stationery" feel--envelopes included)
Pingg (utilizes Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, and other options)
Smilebox (includes music and photos)

Perhaps, for that little summer shindig you know you want to host, you can try the paperless post and let us know how it goes . . .

Grab a Bucket and Follow Me

Photo by Taste of Home

Today we open the Hospitality File. And man, do I have a deal for you!

As you may know--if you've followed this crazy blog for any length of time--I am a magazine connoisseur. (Is that possible? Whatever. No matter.) Very little compares to receiving a brand new magazine in the mail filled with ideas I can try in my home.

(I also love clipping the articles and tossing the magazine before it clutters my office. I am a total fan of building an actual hospitality file. Consider using scissors and filing magazine articles in a binder or folder.)

Because I work for the mother of all magazine corporations, it is my privilege to receive free magazines in the mail every month. Truly, it's like collecting money that falls right out of the sky. Imagine me, with a bucket, running around my front yard screaming, "Yippee!"

So today I'm going to share the love.

Between now and Tuesday, the following magazine subscriptions are on sale for $5 each.

Taste of Home (Real food from real home cooks)
Healthy Cooking (All flavor, no guilt)
Simple & Delicious (Quick cooking with everyday ingredients)
Every Day with Rachael Ray (Great food and good fun)

No, these magazines do not belong to my place of employment. So I am not collecting kickbacks or padding my pension. I am just passing along an opportunity to get a little bit more out of life ... and broaden your hospitality file while you're at it.

Enjoy!

To: The Reluctant Entertainer

Photo by Jo Naylor

Tonight I'm going to keep this simple. Below are 10 hospitality tips that I have collected over the years from people who know a whole lot more than I.

1. Stick to easy recipes on nights when you have guests in your home. (The crock pot is your friend!)

2. Consider playing quiet music. (This cuts down on awkward silence.)

3. Let people bring something if they ask. (Save on cost and prep time.)

4. Nervous about preparing a full meal? Invite guests for dessert and coffee.

5. Make sure there is an extra roll of toilet paper in the bathroom. (Enough said?)

6. Find a way that each member of the family can participate in the preparation. (Don't go it alone!)

7. Ask guests about allergies or preferences ahead of time. (Think pets or nuts. Or both.)

8. If you're nervous about the timing of everything, put out a small appetizer (think crackers or fruit or pretzels) and guests will assume any delay is intentional.

9. Create a high-level agenda for the evening. (Write it down if you feel inclined.)

10. Keep in mind the reason you are inviting people to your house.

I still have miles to go as it pertains to hospitality, but I consistently remind myself of this: Even if the evening doesn't go as planned, I can always fail better next time . . .

Take One Down and Pass It Around.

Photo by Dawn Huczek

As far back as I can remember, my parents have entertained in their home.

Growing up, I knew the tell-tale signs that company was on its way.

My mom had a standard "hospitality meal" that she served on Sunday nights after church when company came to the house. (Think sloppy joes, chips, vegetables, pickles, and cookies).

Mom always dabbed a few drops of scented oil on the light bulb ring--which thereafter became known as the "company smell"--and the whole family was given instructions on our roles for the evening.

Some of my clearest and fondest childhood memories resolve around Sunday nights.

Mom and Dad still entertain. And recently, they've added a game to the mix that I want to pass along to you. At some point during the evening, Mom passes a bowl of M&Ms around the circle of guests and instructs everyone to take a small handful. After the bowl has completed the rounds, she explains that each color M&M represents something the guest will have to tell about himself/herself.

For instance:

Blue = favorite book
Red = favorite food
Yellow = favorite hobby
Green = favorite place
Brown = item for which to be thankful

Depending on the number of M&Ms each person took from the bowl, he/she will have to share a corresponding number of answers to the question.

The goal of hospitality is simple. Get to know your guests. And there's no better way than with a bowl of candy . . .

Hospitality File: (Bridal) Showers Bring May Flowers

Photo by Trisha: This was the travel table


Photo by Trisha: This was the math table


Photo by Trisha: This was the heritage table

Does anyone say "stoked" anymore? Because I am pretty happy about kicking off this new hospitality file.

According to the dictionary, I am intensely enthusiastic, exhilirated, and excited.

(In short, I am stoked.)

On Saturday I had the opportunity to host a bridal shower for a friend who is getting married in June. I decided to go with the theme: A bride's life in 10 tables.

I rallied a group of girlfriends (who are also friends of the bride) and we each decorated a table or two. The themes were: childhood, heritage, high school, music, college, engagement, favorites, math (she's a math teacher), school spirit, and travel (she loves to travel).

Walking into the room where the shower was held, it was a giant museum of the bride's life. Each table reflected a different facet of her life. (Which, consequently, led to a lovely mixer!)

Here are 2 things I learned through this shower:

1. Pick a posse. Hostessing a shower takes a village. Don't try to do it alone.
2. Write out your minute-by-minute schedule for the day of the event. Less to think about when your knees are knocking.

Welcome to the hospitality files.

Introducing: Hospitality File

Photo by LifeSupercharger

I almost cried today.

Which, I realize--for some of my friends (particularly those who love Oprah and the Hallmark Channel)--isn't that big of a deal. But understand, I almost sat down in the parking lot and wept like a fool.

The cause? The sun was out, the breeze was blowing, and spring was in the air.

After months of surprise blizzards (and not the kind made with mint and chocolate chip) I am ready for green grass and flowers . . . and outdoor entertainment.

Which leads me to this. After serious contemplation and conversation with some of you who frequent this site, I have decided to swap out Wednesday's "Book of Mom" for a new weekly theme.

Introducing Hospitality File.

Each Wednesday, we'll discuss hospitality ideas: meals, guests, entertainment, and decorating. We'll talk timelines, strategies, timesavers, and conversation starters.

You are invited.

No RSVP needed.