Innehållsförteckning för Celebrate Easy Spring Parties 2013 från Southern Lady

Have you noticed the beautiful flowers this spring? It seems a bit early, but who can argue with gorgeous blossoms? Those magnificent orange roses on the cover make me smile. In this issue, we have some wonderful celebrations planned, including one of my favorites—tea! There is something about having tea that makes us all feel like royalty. From my very first afternoon tea, I was hooked. When I host a tea, I am able to slow down and enjoy the moment, especially if I pull out my blue-and-white china. One of the most exciting parties for this year is our “An Everyday Bouquet Party.” Being creative and trying your hand at flower arranging is a most fun time. How can you mess up flowers? Just putting them together is such…

FRESH CRAB AND AVOCADO SUSHI Makes 6 sushi rolls or 48 pieces sushi 1. cups sushi rice or short-grain white rice 2 cups water . cup rice-wine vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 avocado Juice of 1 lime 6 (8x7-inch) toasted nori sheets* . cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into matchsticks 8 ounces lump crabmeat, picked free of shell Soy sauce (optional) Wasabi paste (optional) Pickled ginger (optional) In a large bowl, place rice; rinse with cold water until water runs clear. Drain well. In a large saucepan, combine rice and 2 cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Immediately spread rice in a thin layer onto a large baking…

Spring is here, and she brings with her those wonderful carefree weeks that allow us to relax outdoors and to slow down a bit to enjoy our families and friends. There is something about this season—the warmth of the sun and the gardens coming into bloom—that takes me back to my childhood and my most precious memories of family gatherings. My love for flowers grew out of watching my mother over the years piddle in her garden every morning. She would then artfully arrange and place the blooms around our home, and today, it’s the grandchildren who follow her around making “tussie-mussies,” small handheld clusters of flowers. For a complete, colorful, and creative lesson in making arrangements, check out “An Everyday Bouquet Party” on page 27. Bring in an expert,…

as warm spring days replace wintery weather, celebrate by inviting f riends to a flowerarranging party. Gather a variety of colorful blooms, vessels, and flower-arranging essentials, and learn alongside your guests the art of crafting beautiful arrangements that will suit any occasion. No need to go all out when planning décor for this party. Simply cover a work table with craft paper, and let flowers serve as the main focus. Set up a spot for each guest, and provide her with her own vessel. Then place floral foam, floral tape, and scissors in the middle of the table for everyone to use. Group the flowers in crates, buckets, and bins, and label each so guests will learn the names of the blooms as they construct their designs. Invite a local…

?hat little boy isn’t fascinated with bugs? An insect-themed birthday party gives your little one playtime with his friends while celebrating his big day. Use shades of green and natural hues as the palette for the table, and be sure to mix a few creepy crawlers into the by forming the number out of metal garland. Complete the look by adding striped wrappers and creative tags as toppers on the cupcakes (both available at celebratemag.com). Secure the wrappers with burlap ribbon, and glue the toppers to wooden picks, using double-sided tape. Show off the birthday boy’s age by making a metal number for the table. Simply bend metal garland to form the number. Wrap bottled water with our “Bug Juice” labels. ?e nu barbecue-honey mustard dip with chicken tenders marinated…

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES Makes 6 servings 1 (16-ounce) package frozen pound cake, thawed and cut lengthwise into thirds 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries . cup sugar, divided . cup amaretto, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided 2 cups heavy whipping cream . teaspoon almond extract Garnish: toasted sliced almonds, fresh mint Using a 2. -inch round fluted cutter, cut 12 rounds from pound-cake layers. In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, . cup sugar, . cup amaretto, and . teaspoon vanilla. Let mixture stand for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in a separate medium bowl, beat cream, remaining . cup sugar, remaining . cup amaretto, remaining . teaspoon vanilla, and almond extract at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. On a serving plate, place 1 poundcake round;…

The tradition of teatime, which extends back generations after being lent to us by the British, is the quintessential offering of hospitality and grace. It is friendship and kindness at its finest as you enjoy your guests and indulge in a cup of aromatic perfection. It certainly takes some practice to create an unforgettable teatime experience, but an adept hostess learns from each opportunity, and I’m delighted to share with you a few of my tricks. The first rule of thumb is to be sure to make each guest feel welcome and at ease as she or he arrives. Do this by greeting each person individually and sincerely. Invite them to make themselves comfortable, and then direct conversation to each of them throughout the time together around a table you’ve…

on a day that welcomes all things bright and new, it is only fitting to enjoy a special family meal on the lawn. While a brunch is perfect for Easter morning, work around family schedules by hosting it the day or even the weekend before, if necessary. Mints, corals, and soft pinks create a lovely, muted color palette played out in the clever arrangements with roses, cabbage, and carrots. Complete the tablescape by interspersing simple white and brown hardboiled eggs throughout the décor. A water-colored tissue-paper flower sits at each setting (see page 51 for the how-to), and our Party Art package boasts this motif throughout. A menu of sweet and savory options is complete with a grand carrot cake topped with fresh carrot curls for dessert. After brunch, an…

“THE WORKS” PIZZA Makes 10 to 12 servings Yellow cornmeal 1 (1-pound) package prepared pizza dough ¼ cup olive oil, divided 1 (14-ounce) jar pizza sauce 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese ½ cup sliced pepperoni 1 (19-ounce) package sweet Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled ½ cup thinly sliced yellow onion ½ (8-ounce) container sliced baby portobello mushrooms 1 large green bell pepper, sliced into rings ½ cup sliced black olives ½ cup sliced green olives with pimientos 1 cup grated Pecorino-Romano cheese Spray a grill rack with nonstick, nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium-high heat (350° to 400°). Sprinkle a clean, flat surface heavily with cornmeal. Roll dough into a ¼ -inchthick round. Brush top of crust with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Place on grill, olive-oil…

SPRING FRUIT PAVLOVA Makes 6 servings 4 egg whites 1 cup superfine sugar 3 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon white vinegar 1 cup coconut-flavored rum 1 cup sugar ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, scraped and seeds reserved 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple 1 cup chopped fresh kiwifruit 1 cup orange slices 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries 1 cup fresh blueberries Preheat oven to 300°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form, about 1½ minutes. Gradually add superfine sugar, beating until mixture is glossy and sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Turn off mixer. Lightly sift cornstarch over beaten egg whites; add vinegar. Using a rubber spatula, fold cornstarch…