It is hard to think of hosting a party as you walk through Whitefish Bay and see the  basement treasures of so many people on the curb. The flooding made a mess for a lot of residents. Our basement was ok but looking at all of the loss has encouraged me to clean out my basement and keep only what I use and not what I will someday use. I had stored chargers that I bought for a great deal to use for Christmas or Valentine's day  - still stored and never used after 5 years while my daughters American Girl Dolls were on the floor. Time to reorganize. I would hate to lose those dolls.

Flood your neighbors with friendship by inviting them to dinner. Here is a quick and easy recipe that is yummy and peaches are perfect right now. 

Grilled Chicken and Peaches with Chipotle-Peach Dressing

Bon Appétit  | July 2010

by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

yield: Makes 4 servings

active time: 30 minutes

total time: 30 minutes

• 1/3 cup peach preserves
• 1/3 cup peach nectar
• 4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro plus sprigs for garnish
• 3 large peaches, rinsed, fuzz wiped away, each cut into 8 wedges
• 4 boneless chicken breast halves with skin

Coat grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Stir preserves, next 3 ingredients, 2 teaspoons oil, and chopped cilantro in medium bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper. Transfer 1/4 cup dressing to small bowl.

Brush peaches, then chicken with oil and dressing from small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Grill peaches until slightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.

Place 1 chicken breast on each of 4 plates. Surround with peaches. Drizzle dressing from medium bowl over chicken and peaches. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Chicken-and-Peaches-with-Chipotle-Peach-Dressing-359530#ixzz0vAKI7YeN

 

 

Serve with rice, sugar snap peas and a salad.

In times of hardship there is no better place to be than Whitefish Bay, WI. Kind and caring neighbors are everywhere.

The weather forecast for the next week is HOT! I like hot but not being stuck inside with the AC cranked all day! Around 7pm or so the weather cools off a little and everyone emerges from inside. Try this recipe for Margaritas for a refreshing cocktail and friends will be on your patio right away!

Margarita
(I love this recipe because the result is not too sweet)
1/2 can frozen limeade
1 beer
triple sec
lime juice
tequila

Scoop 1/2 of a can of frozen limeade into a blender. Add 1/2 cup beer, splash of triple sec, 3/4 cup tequila and a splash of lime juice. Add ice and blend. Serve.

Looking for a fun place for happy hour and an opportunity to support the WI Humane Society, consider attending Feasting for Fido.

On Thursday, July 15, the Wisconsin Humane Society will host the 2nd Annual Feasting for Fido, a tasting of Milwaukee's best vegetarian people food. Restaurants include: Bartolotta Restaurants, Charro, Swig, Tess, Water Buffalo and many more.

The WI Humane Society does an amazing job of finding homes for dogs, cats and rabbits. Most animals are placed in a home after spending just a few days at the shelter. Animals are brought in from other shelters in the South because they do such an amazing job of placing animals. I have been volunteering with my daughters for about 5 months as a dog walker and we love it. The animals are so well taken care of by the staff and the facility is top-notch.

Here is the link to register online for Feasting for Fido:

July 15, 2010 | 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | 4500 W. Wisconsin Ave.

• Tastings from 25 of Milwaukee’s finest restaurants
• Live Music by Milwaukee’s own Frogwater
• Raffle

$45 in advance | $55 at the door | includes food, drinks & fun

All proceeds benefit animals in need.

Happy July and what a beautiful weekend we had in Milwaukee! I hope everyone had a great 4th and enjoyed the parade, Klode and the fireworks.

On Friday we went to a new restaurant, The Horny Goat Hideaway, located at 2011 S. 1st Street, Milwaukee. You can travel there by car or boat and bring a volleyball because they have beautiful sand volleyball courts. On Friday, the wait was about an hour but the bar is open and airy so the hour passed quickly. Our group tried the pizza, wings, nachos and fries and all were excellent. We ran into another WFB group who traveled by boat, and they raved about the burgers served on pretzel buns. Horny Goat Beer was very good too!

The Horny Goat Hideaway would be a perfect place for a party and can accomodate 250+people. A great spot for my daughter's 13th birthday. Volleyball and pizza. Fun and easy!

Fun, new spot for Milwaukee and hope their business does very well. One unique thing about the Horny Goat is that every Sunday 10% of sales from 11:00am - 5:00pm are donated to a featured charity or foundation.

Here is the link to the Horny Goat Hideaway web site:

http://www.hghideaway.com/index.html

They are having their grand opening July 10 and 11th.

Happy Summer!

You know you are a WFB resident if... July 4^th is one of the most anticipated, fun days of the year for you and your family. July 4th in the bay is the best. From dawn until dusk the festivities are in full swing. Since July 4^th is a Sunday there is plenty of time to gather with friends over the weekend.

This year we are going to a "Bagels and Bloodies" pre-parade party and then have friends over for lunch at our house and then to a pre-fireworks cookout. A perfect day!

 If you are planning to entertain on July 4^th here are a few ideas for easy entertaining:

Pre-parade Party
Party 9am-11am and then walk to parade.
Serve Bloody Mary, Juice, water, bagels, fruit, breakfast burritos.

The pre-parade party is a lot of fun and can easily be organized. Since the party is just two hours, food and drink costs can be kept at  a minimum. Try a bloody mary bar, coffee bar or a yogurt sundae bar for the kids. We have served handheld burritos and they are easy to prepare and taste great. Provides guests with a substantial pre-parade snack so they can head to Klode park after the parade.

Breakfast Burritos
recipe by Frank Phillips

6 dozen Scrambled eggs
Crumbled bacon and sausage to taste
Shredded Cheddar Cheese to taste
Small flour tortillas
Hot sauce (optional)
Aluminum foil cut into squares

Place tortilla on the foil square and fill with eggs, cheese, bacon and sausage. Make a variety of cheese only, bacon only, etc. Roll up tortilla and wrap in foil square. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until warm. Place burritos on a platter in foil to keep warm.
 

Tip:
Drinks for kids. Kids have a habit of taking a sip out of a cup and putting it down and then coming back tor a new cup 10 minutes later. Save cups by decorating with names and star stickers. I found this idea online  and love it.

Recipe and photo from familyfun.com

One way to make a splash this Fourth of July is by treating your kids to tall glasses of Patriot's Punch. Simply fill an ice cube tray with a red or blue fruit-flavored beverage (such as Powerade, Gatorade, or Kool-Aid) and let the cubes freeze solid. Then drop three or four colored cubes into each glass, pour in flavored seltzer water or clear soda, and watch the special effects. As the cubes melt, colored bubbles will swirl through the seltzer.

_{Happy 4th of July and Happy Entertaining!}

The progressive dinner last Saturday night was a lot of fun and I highly recommend this party to all blocks within Whitefish Bay. An advantage of so many houses in one block - instant large party.

So our party had about 24 and some came for appetizers or just dessert which was great. The weather was ok. No rain but chilly. Appetizers at my house. The amount of alcohol was good but would add more beer next time. I served vodka & lemonade too.  We changed the dinner format from my last post - everyone dined together in one backyard. That was my favorite part. It was great to stay together and easier to keep food all in one spot. The food was great and we had just the right amount. No leftovers at all. Margaret Marshall tried a citrus tarragon marinade for the kabobs and it was awesome! She also included small red potatoes on the kabobs and they were really good. Nice way to add starch to the meal. The parmesan rice was well liked (recipe in last post) and easy to bake and serve. On to the Strye's for dessert and cocktails - a great end to a fun evening.

If I could change anything for next time I would:

• Push the party back one weekend. A lot of conflicts with graduations/sports/etc.
• Try a new menu. Loved the kabobs but fun to try a different cocktail/dinner theme.
• Send a Save the Date months in advance.

It was a really fun party and I hope a new annual event for our block. If your block has a great party idea, Please share!

Our neighborhhod progressive dinner is Saturday night. Weather forecast calls for scattered showers so hoping we stay dry. We have about 28 people coming for the evening - if the Whitefish Bay Girls Soccer team is playing Saturday night we will lose a few guests during game time. Go Blue Duke Girls!  The plans are coming together for a fun party!

I like to coordinate the party decorations with the invitation so have been on the hunt for lanterns. I will decorate the patio with tiki torches and candles too. We are hosting the appetizer portion so will coordinate napkins/plates too. The signature cocktail will be a margarita. We can make pitchers of the mixture before the party. The menu has been divided and each couple will bring a food item and a bottle of wine/beer.  Here is how I divided the menu:

Approx. 22 people will attend the dinner portion.

Cocktail - Margaritas, beer, wine
2 Appetizers
3 Salads
3 Parmesan Rice
3 bringing 12 kabobs each (found recipes for marinade on www.foodnetwork.com
3 Desserts
5 bottles of red wine
4 bottle of white wine
2 cases of beer

I am a little concerned we may not have enough alcohol - we'll see how much this crowd likes to party!

So...
decor - check
menu -- check
Now we just have to pray for nice weather!

Summer Progressive Dinner

 Today is a beautiful day and Summer is near.  Summer is my favorite season by far and our patio becomes our new family room. We love to have friends over and our block of neighbors is the best. This year our neighborhood is going to host a progressive dinner party. Will keep you posted on the success but here are the details so far:

Everyone meets at our house for cocktails and appetizers at 6:30. At 7:30 we will draw names to determine who goes where for dinner. Each dinner house will host 6-8 people and serve the same menu to keep it simple. After dinner we will move on to the next house for dessert and cocktails. Drawing names for dinner is a good way to mix up the group and encourages everyone to get to know someone new. Providing a menu and recipes also makes it easy for everyone. Each guest is asked to bring a bottle of wine, dinner item or a dessert. Looking forward to the party and keeping fingers crossed for a beautiful summer night!

Neighborhood Progressive Dinner Party Menu

Salad w/ vinaigrette

Parmesan Rice (recipe below)

Shish kabobs (make ahead or have dinner guests assemble their own)

Parmesan Rice

adapted from An Occasion to Gather - Junior League of Milwaukee

2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups long grain white rice
1 1/4 cups (5 oz) feshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup oil-pack sun-dried tomatoes cut into 3/4 inch pieces
 

Saute the onions in the butter in a large saucepan until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the broth, rice, cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Pour the rice mixture into a 2-quart baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, tightly covered with foil, at 400 degress for 45 minutes; remove the foil. Bake for 10 minutes longer or until the top is golden brown.

Serves 6 to 8
 

As my bio states, I own a personalized stationery business called Paper Celebration. I sell personalized invitations for all occasions. Next week I am travelling to New York for the National Stationery Show at the Javits Center. The show is amazing and attracts stationery designers from all over the country. I love going to see all of the new items and ideas. This will be my 5th or 6th show and I think this show will be very different from previous years. The economy definitely affected the party and stationery industry - if you were looking to cut back that was an easy place to start. Technology has also taken a bite out of the business. Evites are easy to send and economical. The economy and technology have forced the industry to analyze the trends and work hard to create new items that will encourage consumers to spend and encourage consumers to entertain again.

How do you send party invitations? Printed invitations in the mail? evites? phone? Do you feel invitations are a important piece of the event? Has your buying patterns changed over the past few years? Will you entertain this year more than last year? Would love to hear your feedback and hope everyone is gearing up for Summer entertaining! Next post will be a Summer Progressive Dinner!

Our family had a great weekend as we celebrated our son's First Communion. The weather was perfect for our families from Ohio, who are well on their way to hot and humid summer days and mass was perfect for all second graders and adults too.

After Mass, everyone came to our house for dinner. We had 15 or so guests for dinner and I tried a new entree for dinner - Baked Ziti w/Italian Sausage. It was excellent! The recipe was easy and I prepared everything in the morning and just baked for 30 minutes when we returned from church. I made three desserts and wanted to share this recipe for a Blueberry Citrus Cake, which would be perfect for a shower or graduation.

Blueberry Citrus Cake Recipe

Now that First Communion is over,  we move on to graduation!

April showers are in full swing and parents are looking ahead to June graduation parties. Do you have party tips to share for a  baby shower, bridal shower or graduation party? Share your ideas, favorite businesses to work with or even a great party recipe. The more the merrier and everyone benefits!

My suggestion for a perfect party is to make it as personal as possible. For a baby or bridal shower create a book and present to guest of honor. A baby shower could be a book of "Tips for the new mom" or a bridal shower could be "Holiday Entertaining Recipes". Graduation parties should have lots and lots of photos. Create collages of family and friends. If the graduate is heading to college, fly a flag of the University. 

I would love to hear your ideas! You can post here or email papercelebration@gmail.com.

One of the most fun events you could ever attend is the Kentucky Derby. The combination of the warm weather, people watching, crowds, beautiful horses and the 136 years of tradition make the day exciting and memorable. I have gone to Derby 5 or so times, in the infield (very, very casual) and to the bleachers (casual). I have yet to make it to the grandstand and wear a hat, but will someday. 

I asked some of my college friends who live in Kentucky for some Derby Party ideas and received great tips. My AOPi roommate,  Amy, gave me these ideas for a fun in-home Derby Party:

Décor – The Derby is the “Run for the Roses” so incorporate roses into décor. For a formal party combine roses and silver, for a casual barbecue party,  pair roses and red checked linens.

Attire – Hats are a must. If children are attending set up an area where they can decorate their hats.

Food – All of the these menu suggestions can be made ahead (perfect):

Kentucky Hot Brown

Country Ham w/ bourbon glaze sandwiches

Beer Cheese w/veggies

Kentucky Bread Pudding

Derby Pie

Mint Juleps – must have and easy to make (recipe below)

Derby Racing – This is a great idea because it is easy to execute and requires no knowledge of the Derby horses. Throw all of the Derby horses names into a Derby hat and each family/guest draws a name. Have everyone contribute $5-$20 for the prize. Have 3 prizes Win-Place-Show.

The Derby and all of the prior races are televised throughout the day beginning at 11am on ESPN and the Derby will be televised from 5-6pm on NBC.

Recipes:

Mint Juleps 
recipe courtesy of Kentucky Derby

2 Cups sugar
2 Cups water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Crushed ice
Early Times Kentucky Whisky
Silver Julep Cups

No Derby Party is complete without the Mint Julep which has been the traditional beverage of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby for nearly a century. Each year, almost 120,000 Early Times Mint Juleps are served over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. This is a feat that requires over 10,000 bottles of Early Times Mint Julep Ready-to-Serve Cocktail, 1,000 pounds of freshly harvested mint and 60,000 pounds of ice.

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Early Times Kentucky Whisky. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

The official mint julep glass is the most popular souvenir for Derby guests and will become a collector's items.  They make great gifts for your guests and look even better with the drink inside!

For more information on the Kentucky Derby including recipes and party supplies visit www.kentuckyderby.com

The Wisconsin chapter of the American Cancer Society will hold its 35th Annual Spring Benefit Ladies’ Luncheon on Tuesday, May 4^th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Milwaukee Country Club.  This benefit, one of the Milwaukee area’s premier charitable events, has been a successful fundraiser for the American Cancer Society for many years, and all proceeds from the event go toward research, education, advocacy and services for all forms of cancer.

2010 Committee Chair Jennifer Anderson explains  "This year’s theme is “Friends for Life” and I can think of no better way to support this terrific cause than to surround ourselves with wonderful, loving, supportive friends for a lovely spring luncheon!"

This annual spring event includes a silent auction, raffle, cash bar and luncheon, as well as a speaker.  This year, the featured speaker will be Joyce Garbaciak from WISN 12 News. 

I love this event and was happy to serve on the committee working on centerpieces, publicity and the program. The committee is always dedicated to hosting a wonderful event and each year brings together over 350 guests and supporters of ACS. 

The cost per ticket is $75 per person.  Preferred seating tables of 10 may also be purchased for $1,000.  A percentage of the ticket price is tax deductible Tickets can be purchased through the American Cancer Society office by contacting Jessica Zeisse at (262) 523-5573 013 or Jessie.zeisse@cancer.org.  The Milwaukee Country Club is located at 8000 N. Range Line Road in River Hills.

Celebrate Friends for Life on May 4th.

Photo from An Occasion to Gather, Junior League of Milwaukee

Spring is in the air  - Today, March 18, I wanted to write this before the snow hits the ground this weekend! Anyway, time to pack away the black and unpack the pink & green and start the spring cleaning. To movitvate yourself to start the spring cleaning, set a date on the calendar and host a spring brunch. A brunch is a perfect way to kick off the season and bring friends out of hibernation. A brunch is also stress-free entertaining since all of the dishes can be made one day ahead.

Let's get started!

Start with an invitation full of bright colors and decorate the table with same color palette.

For the menu, offer eggs, meat, non-meat option, bread and fruit. Seems like a lot but try this:

• Quiche - meat and veggie variety, (Sendik's & Larry's Brown Deer Market offer wonderful quiche)
• Baked French Toast with Berry Sauce (Recipe below)
• Blueberry Crumble Bread
• Fruit Kabobs or a Fruit and Yogurt Parfait w/granola
• Coffee
• Amaretto Mimosa (Recipe can be found at epicurious.com)

Prepare all of the food one day ahead. If you don’t want to make coffee for a crowd, purchase a traveler at Starbuck’s for $12.00 which includes all of the cream and sugar.

Set the table one day ahead. Use potted plants as centerpieces and as a party favor. If you prefer cut flowers, you can find great values on tulips and daffodils this time of year.

When guests arrive offer coffee and Amaretto Mimosas. As guests chat you will have time to plate all of the food. Serve the food plated. Much less stressful.

Have all food come out of the oven at the same time, about 30 minutes after guests arrive. 

Voila! You have just treated your friends to an enjoyable morning, your house is clean and you were able to enjoy the party too.Gotta love Spring!

Baked French Toast with Berry Sauce
From An Occasion to Gather, Junior League of Milwaukee

French Toast

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (1stick) butter

2 T corn syrup

1 loaf French Bread, sliced

1 3/4 cups half and half

1/2 cup triple sec

6 eggs

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1/8 t. salt

Berry Sauce

2 cups raspberries

2 cups strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

2 to 3 T. lemon juice

For the toast, heat the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until blended, stirring frequently. Pour the brown sugar mixture into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer over the prepared layer. Whisk the half-and-half, liqueur, eggs, vanilla and salt in a bowl unitl blended. Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Chill, covered with greased foil, for 8 to 10 hours. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, removing the foil after the first 15 minutes of baking.

For the sauce, combine the raspberries, strawberries, sugar, orange juice and lemon juice in a saucepan and mix well. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Process the fruit mixture in a blender until pureed. Return to saucepan and heat through. Serve with warm French toast. Serves 6 to8.

Wishing you a Happy St. Patrick's Day! Enjoy this easy and festive appetizer recipe:

Looking for a good fish fry tonight? St. Monica is the place to be. Fish is provided by All Occasion Catering and it is very good. Happy Friday!

St. Monica’s Annual Fish Fry

Friday, March 12th starting at 4:30pm.
Attend the book fair while you dine on fish, or chicken fingers for children.

Cost: 3 piece dinner - $8
2 piece dinner - $6
Chicken Fingers - $4
All meals come with fries, coleslaw and bread. Free milk and water. Beer, wine and soda available for
purchase.

St. Monica Catholic Church is located at 5635 North Santa Monica Boulevard. Enter fish fry through rear parking lot doors.

Thank goodness for March Madness! The NCAA basketball tournament provides a great opportunity to get together with friends and get rid of the cabin fever we all have at this time of year. Kentucky is ranked #3, Ohio State #6 and Wisconsin #15 so three great teams for our household to cheer for.

March Madness entertaining is fun for the host because entertainment is taken care of and the menu is mostly munchies and appetizers. Here are a few ideas for planning a March Madness party:

1. Lots of TVs - Have a TV in each room. Provides great sound and encourages mingling throughout the house.

2. Brackets - Each guest can fill out a bracket and bring to the party. Post the brackets for all to see and discuss. It doesn't matter when you have the party during the tourney - you can award prizes to the person who has the most correct picks at that point. There are many online bracket manager sites. Start with www.cbspsorts.com . 

3. Dress for Success - Dress in sweatshirts or colors of a favorite team or Alma Mater.

4. Food - The menu is everyone's favorite  - lots of chicken wings, chips and dips with cream cheese. If serving dinner try chili, Italian beef sandwiches or sloppy joes. Whitefish Bay party guru, Peg Rolfs suggests asking guests to bring an appetizer related to their favorite team, so a Syracuse fan could bring chicken wings or a Kansas fan could bring a barbecue appetizer. 

Here is a great recipe that has had rave reviews:

 Buffalo Chicken Dip
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, poached and shredded
1 12 ounce bottle hot sauce
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 16-ounce bottle Ranch dressing
1/2 cup chopped celery
8 ounces Monterey Jack or Cheddar, grated

In a 13x9x2 inch baking pan, combine the shredded chicken with the bottle of hot sauce, spreading to make an even layer.  In a saucepan, combine cream cheese and ranch dressing over medium heat until smooth. Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle with celery, then shredded cheese.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly. (Watch that the top doesn't get browned.) Let stand 10 minutes.  Serve hot or warm with Doritos "Scoops" (you need a sturdy chip for this!) or celery sticks.

Selection Sunday is March 14 and the first rounds games start on Thursday, March 18. The first round games run for about 10 hours per day so plenty of time to party! Go Cats! Go Bucks! Go Badgers!

Hello and welcome to Time to Celebrate the newest blog on whitefishbaynow.com.

Time to Celebrate is all about entertaining and celebrating with friends. I love to entertain and love all of the planning that goes into a memorable and enjoyable event. It is truly the attention to detail that makes a difference between "we went to a party" and "We had a great weekend because we went to a fantastic party!" I have lived in Whitefish Bay for over 10 years and enjoy the hospitality of the community. Having friends over for dinner or in the backyard for a cocktail is the norm instead of an obligation. 

Time to Celebrate will gather great entertaining tips and give you party planning ideas for your next entertaining occasion. Since planning is key, I will try to talk about upcoming holidays 3 or 4 weeks ahead so the ideas can be implemented. I will share party successes from other entertaining gurus, hopefully with great photos too. If you have tips and ideas please share them by emailing papercelebration@gmail.com

A little bit about myself. Like I mentioned before I have lived in the Bay for over 10 years and am originally from Ohio. I have a Marketing degree from The University of Kentucky and love Kentucky Derby. I am married to Frank who is an Ohio State grad, who loves OSU Football. (Two party occasions right there) We have 3 children;  Morgan 13, Kate 12 and John 8. I own a party invitation and personalized stationery business, Paper Celebration, which helps drive a lot of entertaining in our home. I love to browse through all of the invitation catalogs and many party ideas are created there.   

I am excited to get started and hopefully meet others in Whitefish Bay who love to entertain as well!

Check back for our next post on March Madness!

Cheers to festive occasions!

Upcoming entertaining occasions for March/April/May:

March Madness

St. Patrick's Day

April Showers - Baby and Bridal

Mother's Day

Kentucky Derby