Tuesday, September 1, 2009

PIRATE BIRTHDAY PARTY




How to Make an Easy Treasure Chest Cake

3-12 ounce pound cakes, 2 tubs-8 ounces Cool Whip, Assorted Candy for jewels, 3 pretzel rods cut to hold chest open, regular pretzels for chest handles

You can use any pound cake, I found mine at Sams Club. Cut a 1/2 inch slice off the top of the cake & set aside (this is the top of chest). Hollow out a little of the center of the cake to make room for cool whip & jewels. Spoon cool whip into center of cake and frost rest of cake. Add pretzel handles. Add broken pretzel rods to hold up chest lid. Place cake lid on top of pretzels & frost. After I hollowed out my cake I put it in the freezer for a little while so it was easier to frost and add the jewels. After you decorate your cake leave in fridge or freezer until ready to serve. I had mine in the freezer because it was summer time.







Pirate Birthday Party Ideas


How to Make a Treasure Chest: This is simple just buy a styrofoam cooler paint it with gold spray paint (it took 1 whole can for mine). Once paint is dry apply decorations jewels etc. (I glued the pirate napkins on the side of the chest). The kids loved finding this at the end of the treasure hunt.



Easy Treasure Hunt: I had 12 kids at the party so I took 12 pictures of items in my yard that would lead me to where I hid the treasure chest. For example: I started at the front bush went to the mailbox, to the side gate etc. taking a picture of each item.




Then I put 1 picture in each envelope. I number the envelopes (1-12) in order to take me to the treasure chest. Then I hid the number 1 envelope in the bush, the number 2 envelope on the mailbox, number 3 envelope in the gate etc.



Next I wrote a clue to find each envelope example: I am tall & green I live in the front yard my family puts christmas lights on me. (front bush) example: I am tall and silver people visit me 6 days a week I am in the front yard. (mailbox)


I give 1 clue to each child.


I tell them NOT to open the envelope everyone meet back at me.


When all clues are found then we all look for the chest, the child with envelope number 1 opens it to find the picture where we start (front bush) who has envelope 2 where do we go next (mailbox)...


TIL WE FIND THE TREASURE.


I did this with mostly 7 year olds and it was the hit of the party.


What did I put in the treasure chest, I was lucky and found 5 packages on pirate gear to fill the chest each contained swords, guns, treasure maps, tatoos, earings, hook hands and eye patches. When we found the treasure I had the kids line up and picked what they wanted.



GAME:


An alternative to musical chairs.


I purchased gem stone looking rings for this game, I put them on a table.


12 children 11 rings on the table.


Start the music when it stops who ever has a ring stays in the game, take a ring away each round til you have a winner. The winner keeps the ring & picks another gift from the treasure chest.











Thursday, March 5, 2009

PARTY MENUS

Birthday Party Menus

When I was growing up my Mom always went out of her way to make our birthdays & holidays special. Going beyond just gifts it was the time she put into the food the family and friends that I remember.

I now do the same thing, here are great menus & recipes you can mix and match to your own party. I like to make as much as possible from scratch but I'm not superwoman so I have some shortcuts & recipes that can be done ahead of time that are crowd pleasers.




Entrees


  • Hormell Honey Mustard Pork Loin (great to cook in oven or on grill)


  • Whole Bone In Ham


  • Rotisserie Chicken (Shortcut: order from your local supermarket have them cut the birds for you and all you need to do is keep warm in the oven & less expensive than pizza)


  • Pulled Pork (purchase pork shoulder/butt cook in crockpot, I cover pork w/ h20 & couple cloves of garlic cook on low overnight til cooked thru and pork falls apart. I drain h20 & add my favorite bbq sauce: Dinosaur sauce and serve w/ hamburg rolls.)


  • Tacos (you can prep all your ingredients ahead & keep meat warm in your crockpot).


Vegetable



  • Toss Salad (Shortcut & must have: BAG SALAD and add cheese, grape tomato & Italian dressing)


Sides




  • Cheese Potatoes *



  • Lasagna (Shortcut: buy Stouffers Meat or Vegetable when frozen put it in your own pan to dress up your table & bake)



  • Macaroni Salad (Prepare the night before just add extra mayo before you serve if it dries out a little)




  • Pasta Salad (1 lb of spirals mixed w/ Italian dressing cucumber, onion, and tomato plus McCormick Salad Supreme spice to taste, make the day before).



  • Chicken & Broccoli Casserole* (this can be made ahead & frozen)



  • Rolls & Butter depending on what entree you choose.


*Recipes


Cheese Potatoes


Mix 1 Stick Butter Melted, 1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup, 2 cups Shredded Cheddar, 2 Cups Sour Cream then ADD 2lb Orieda Hash browns Thawed.


Place in 13x9 pan. Cook uncovered 350 degrees for 1 hour. I make these the morning of party & place in fridge til I'm ready to put in oven.


Chicken & Broccoli Casserole


2 package frozen CHOPPED Broccoli, 3 cans Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken Soup, 2-3 Chicken Breasts Cooked and sliced thin, 2 Boxes Pepridge Farm Chicken Stuffing Mix, 2 Tbsp Butter


Cook Broccoli, layer on bottom of 13x9 pan. Next Add layer of Sliced Chicken then pour soup over layers. Make Stuffing Mix per directions then layer on top.


Cook 350 degrees for 30 minutes til heated thru.



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