Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on July 5, 2012

One of my favorite party favors to give out are decorated cut-out sugar cookies in plastic treat bags.   I have made sugar cookie party favors before for my flood party, my nephew’s 1st birthday party (picture below), and they were one of my 12 Christmas cookies last Christmas.

As you can see from my pictures, I am gradually getting better at making these cut-outs. I don’t have the steadiest hand when I am trying to pipe straight lines but I am definitely getting better and faster.

The whole process to prep for these cut-out sugar cookies started the Saturday before the party.   I made three batches of cookie dough and make assorted sizes of stars.
Check out this post for the recipe

Place cooled sugar cookies in stacks in airtight containers.   These will be iced the following day.

Pipe the edges of the cookies with royal icing.

I use a combination of table space and stacking cookie sheets while the icing dries.

Once piping is dried, you can start the flooding process.   I use squeeze bottles to make the process quicker.

Allow the cookies to dry after the flooding step. Once cookies are completely dried I like to pipe the edges again so they have clean lines, this part is optional.   Let cookies dry completely and then put cookies in airtight containers layered between wax paper.   Keep the cookies in the containers until the day before party.

To make the sugar cookie party favors on the day of the party, place the cookies in treat bags and tie with ribbons or twist ties. For this party, I placed three different size stars, in red, white, and blue and tied them with red, white and blue ribbon to go with the theme.

You can easily customize these cut-out cookies to match your party’s theme by the cookies cutters you select, how you decorate them, and how you package them together. For my flood party, I placed a boat cookie and an umbrella cookie in each bag and tied them with a silver twist tie. Then, for my nephew’s party I just placed one birthday cake cookie in each bag and tied them with bright polka dot ribbon.

One of my favorite places to buy cookie cutters is The Cookie Cutter Shop. Check out their cookie cutters to get inspiration for for your next party!

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on July 4, 2012

Happy Fourth of July everyone! I had quite the busy weekend preparing for a luncheon at my parent’s house for our extended family. Every year on 4th of July weekend, my entire family on my Dad’s side get together for a family reunion. We meet at retreat center in Syracuse that is only 20 minutes from my parent’s home. For the last two years we have hosted a lunch and wiffle ball tournament at my parent’s home.

With all of the blogs my mom, my sisters, and I read, we had a lot of great ideas for the party. I will be posting about the party for the next couple of days. This first post is about how to make a pennant banner which is something I created with Patriotic fabrics to be a decoration at the party. I was so pumped about the results, I want to make one for every holiday now!

How to Make a Pennant Banner:

Supplies
2-6 different types of fabric
solid thin ribbon (match fabrics)
Pennant Pattern
Pins
Fabric Scissors
Pinking Shears
Sewing Machine
Iron and Ironing Board

Iron fabric and then on cutting board, pin pattern to folded fabric and cut out flags. (I used straight fabric scissors to cut the top and pinking shears to cut the sides.)
If cutting out two layers on a fold, be sure to cut the folded line after to make 2 separate flags.

Cut as many flags as you need. I made 36 flags total, 6 of each type of fabric.

Iron the pennant flags, folding over the edge (line showed in pattern.)

With sewing machine, sew ribbon so that it is sandwiched between the fabric in the turned over edge, making sure to catch the ribbon in the stitch.
Continue with rest of flags putting them right next to one another and repeating the order of the fabric (ex. red, white, blue, red, white, blue, etc. )

Cut off excess folded over corners so that they aren’t seen from the front of the flag.

Hang up and enjoy! The best thing about the pennant banner is that it can be used over and over again. This patriotic banner is perfect for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Flag Day, and Labor Day! You could also make a pennant banner for birthday parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, St Patrick’s Day, etc. You could also color-coordinate the flags to match a baby’s nursery or child’s room!

Can you see my helper in the window?

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Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on June 28, 2012

We’ve been trying so many great sumer recipes lately and I wanted to pull together some Fourth of July menu ideas in case you are still looking for something for the upcoming holiday. Since the 4th falls on a Wednesday this year, why not kick off your patriotic festivities this weekend and continue it for the next week? Cook up some hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill and add some of these additional summer menu items:

15 Fourth Of July Menu Ideas

Breakfast:

Appetizers & Cocktails:

Sides:

Desserts:

Also, if you need more Fourth of July Menu inspiration, be sure to check out our Memorial Day Menu Ideas post as well! Check back in to 2S2C soon…K has some more Fourth of July ideas up her sleeve!

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on June 21, 2012

As you all know, we are nearing the Fourth of July holiday. In preparation for my family’s annual reunion, I have tried to think of cute patriotic desserts that I can make to give out to everyone. I have also been meaning to post the classic “White Trash Party Mix” recipe that I have referred to several times in past posts, but have never given you all the recipe for it. Killing two birds with one stone, I decided it would be a fun idea to make Red, White, and Blue Trash Party Mix simply by using only red and blue M&M’s in the regular white trash recipe.

Let me tell you a few things about this White Trash, since the name may sound suspicious to you. I make this party mix quite often to bring to parties and it always a huge hit. My other older sister, C, is the queen of this recipe and as an elementary school teacher is always bringing it in for her students and co-workers. For some reason, I always lose the recipe and have to ask C for the recipe again every time I make it. I am finally writing the recipe down on my blog so that I don’t lose it and C won’t have to keep sending it over and over. Also, just a tip, M&M’s don’t actually come in Fourth of July packages, but you can buy the colors separately at party store, like Party City, or do what I did and sort out all the red and blue from the regular packages. I bagged all the remaining colors of m&m’s in snack bags in 4 Weight Watchers Points Plus servings. Now I have pre-packaged desserts for weeks!

White Trash Party Mix

Author: K

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

5 cups of Cheerios
2½ cups rice Chex
2½ cups corn Chex
2 cups pretzels
2½ cups salted peanuts
16 oz. Milk Chocolate M&M’s (in Red and Blue if you are aiming for Patriotic)
2 packages of white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand preferred)
1-2 tablespoons of canola oil (if needed)

Instructions

In a double boiler (or a metal or glass bowl over a pot of boiling water) melt the white chocolate. If the white chocolate gets dry, add in the canola oil to smooth it out.
In a large bowl mix together Cheerios, Rice Chex, corn Chex, Pretzels, peanuts, and M& M’s.
Pour melted white chocolate over cereal mixture and stir until the white chocolate covers all the pieces
On 2 baking sheet lined with wax paper, pour out mixture on to baking sheets and let cool.
Once hardened break into pieces and serve
Store in an airtight container or large storage bag.

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on June 9, 2012

I have never really been in to making mixed drinks, though but not because I don’t like them. Usually I keep it simple with a nice glass of wine or a beer. There is something about mixed drinks and frozen drinks that instill an “I’m on vacation!” kind of feeling in me. Over Memorial Day weekend, I was striving to relax on my vacation and instantly thought about making some fun mixed drinks I had seen on all the blogs I read. I made a different drink each night and served them to my family. The drinks were a lot of fun and a bit of a mess to clean up after. (Thanks Mom!)

One of the favorites that I made was the strawberry daiquiri. The timing was perfect since strawberries happen to be the produce of the week at 2 Sisters 2 Cities. I found this recipe on the Food Network website on my phone when I was at the grocery store determining what I needed to buy.

This recipe called for fresh strawberries, which I thought sounded awesome since there is an abundance of fresh strawberries for such a great deal at the groceries stores this time of year. Wegman’s (the most amazing grocery store ever) happened to have 2-quart containers of strawberries for $3.49. Then, at the liquor store I bought a bottle of rum which was recommended as the brand they use in Puerto Rico, DonQ Cristal. It was cheaper than the Bacardi I had planned on buying. I am all about a good deal and since I was mixing this in a frozen drink, I wasn’t too hung up on getting the best or most expensive rum.

Strawberry Daiquiri

Author: K

Recipe type: Beverage

Ingredients

Ice Cubes
2 parts Light Rum
1 part Triple Sec
¾ cup Fresh Strawberries, cleaned and tops cut off
4 small strawberries, cleaned with a slit cut in the side
1 tablespoon Lime juice
Lime wedges
1 tablespoon of Granulated Sugar, plus more for rims

Instructions

In a blender pour in rum, triple sec, strawberries, lime juice and 1 tbsp. of sugar. Blend together. Gradually add in ice to your liking (I added about 1 cup of ice.) Take a lime wedge and rub along the rim of the glass. On a small plate spread some sugar and then swirl rim of glass in sugar. Pour the strawberry daiquiri and serve with a straw.

Source- Adapted from Food Network

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on May 24, 2012

It’s the unofficial kick-off to summer this weekend and I have been trying to pick out a menu that captures this essence. I’ve looked through the 2 Sisters 2 Cities recipe index to find the perfect Memorial Day Weekend menu ideas:

On The Grill:

On The Side:

Orzo and Spinach Salad with Lemon-Cranberry Vinaigrette
Sweet Potato French Fries
Nantucket Birthday Clam Chowder
Sausage, Pepper, Onion and Potato Bake (this could definitely be served as a main course as well)

Dessert:

Make up a batch of red wine sangria and it’s shaping up to be a great Memorial Day weekend! What are your menu plans for this patriotic holiday?

{For even more Memorial Day weekend menu ideas, be sure to check out our 2013 Memorial Day weekend menu round-up, our 2012 Fourth of July round-up, and the menu and decor ideas from our 2012 Fourth of July party!}

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on May 14, 2012

We have been working on our backyard for several weekends in a row to get it ready for summer and for a pig roast we hosted this past weekend. It had rained for much of last week, but we lucked out with beautiful weather on Saturday. My husband has wanted to do a pig roast for years, but the logistics in our city condo just didn’t work out. Now that we have moved out to the ‘burbs, we have a pretty good set-up in our backyard for it. After pricing out a few “pig-roasters” in the Boston area, we hired Big Pig Barbecue & Catering.

An hour or so before the event began, a big van pulled up with a large grill in tow and this slogan stamped on the side:

If you grill it, they will come!

The guys did a great job of setting up the large grill and banquet tables while we continued to prepare for the party. Little Sister M was visiting us for a few days and she was really helpful with watching Baby T and helping us set up everything. She also made all the cute blue and green signs in the pictures below.

I bought a few outdoor party decorations at Home Goods…they had a great selection of table runners, table clothes, galvanized buckets, outdoor pillows, cocktail napkins, and citronella candles. I tried to stick to a blue and green theme. My husband also bought me some Mother’s Day flowers a day early so they served double duty as party decor and my present.

When guests arrived, the kids played in the backyard with some toys I had set-up (balls, pool noodles, bubbles, etc). One of our guests brought a bouncy house that they owned, which was a huge hit with all the kids. I put out juice boxes on ice for the kids using K’s duck she used for her hurricane party (that duck sure does get around!):

We had the Big Pig guys serve the food about an hour after guests arrived and it was all ready to go after a small presentation of the pig (which my husband loved):

I had hoped the roasted pig would be delicious, but I was blown away by all food – the baked beans, pasta salad, coleslaw, cornbread, and of course, the pork were all amazing. I didn’t get a chance to try the barbecue chicken on the day of the party, but I had some leftovers of it yesterday and it was also extremely tasty. I was able to freeze some of the leftover pork from our little piggie so we can continue to enjoy the meat a few more times.

Since most of the food was already being taken care of by the Big Pig guys, I wanted to just make a few small things for the party. I decided to make a signature cocktail and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. The weather was pretty warm out so I decided to make a red wine sangria for the event’s signature cocktail. I searched for a quite a few recipes to find one that was similar to an authentic Spanish sangria and adapted it to make this recipe:

Red Wine Sangria

Author: m

Recipe type: Cocktail

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 15

A great warm-weather drink

Ingredients

5 large juice oranges, washed; three oranges sliced; remaining oranges juiced
3 large lemons, washed and sliced
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup Triple Sec
4 (750 ml.) bottles of Spanish red wine, chilled (I used a rioja with tempranillo grapes)

Instructions

Start to prepare the sangria 2-8 hours before serving so the flavors begin to meld together.
Divided evenly, add sliced orange and lemon slices and and sugar to two large pitchers. Use a wooden spoon to mash the fruit slices and sugar for about 1 minute. Stir in orange juice from juiced oranges, Triple Sec, and wine (again, divided evenly between the two pitchers). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Add some ice cubes and stir to redistribute fruit before serving.

Source: Adapted from Recipe Girl

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on May 4, 2012

Baby T and I were upstairs in his playroom this afternoon and we noticed a blue and white van heading down our driveway. It was official- the 3-month supply of Pretzel Crisps I won at the Blog Better Boston conference had arrived! I am now the proud owner of 36 bags of Pretzel Crisps and all seven of their Deli Style flavors- Original (Baby T’s go to flavor), Everything, Garlic Parmesan (which I can’t stop eating), Chipotle Cheddar, Jalapeño Jack, Buffalo Wing, and Sesame. I also won a featured post at the Pretzel Crisps blog so I need to come up with a Pretzel Crisp-related recipe. Can’t wait to start taste-testing various recipes and all seven flavors!

So, who wants to invite me to their party this weekend? I’ll bring the Pretzel Crisps!

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on March 13, 2012

If you are looking for a fun treat to celebrate St. Patrick’s day this weekend, try making this Chocolate Chip Soda Bread. I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a huge fan of corned beef and cabbage, but soda bread is an Irish tradition that I can stand by (as well as the occasional Guinness.) If you are throwing a St. Patrick’s Day Parade Party, chocolate chip soda bread would be a great brunch addition.

I’m not sure if it’s the lack of carbs from being on the 17 Day Diet, but I thought this turned out fantastic! I highly recommend making it this upcoming Saturday morning for a St. Patrick’s day tradition that’s sure to stick in your house.

Chocolate Chip Soda Bread

Ingredients:
-cooking spray
-6 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into cubes
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-1/3 cup sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-1 teaspoon fine sea salt
-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
-1 cup Greek low-fat plain yogurt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prep a 9-inch round pan with cooking spray and set it aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Work 6 tablespoons chilled butter into flour mixture with your fingers. Stir in chocolate chips. Stir in yogurt until just combined, and then knead in the bowl just until a dough forms.

Shape into a 6- or 7-inch loaf and transfer it to the prepared pan. Bake until cooked through and golden brown, about 50 minutes. Set aside to let cool.

Source: Adapted from Whole Foods March 2012 Whole Deals

What St. Patrick’s Day tradition do you carry out in your house?

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Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on March 11, 2012

Well hello everyone, long time no see. I am sorry it has been so long since I have posted, but I have been very busy with traveling to Las Vegas for a trade show for work. I got back early in the morning on Thursday and then went to work for the full day. It’s funny how such a short trip like that can affect your energy levels. I finally recovered after sleeping in late on Saturday morning.

Before leaving for Vegas on Monday, I did however throw a 60th birthday party for my boyfriend’s mom. She always goes out of her way to make holidays special for us so I wanted to do something really special for her to celebrate such a monumental year. During the week before, I planned for the party and made a list of all the things I wanted to do. My boyfriend had to bring me back to reality at some points with my ideas. What?? I really wanted a limo!!

On Thursday night I had a little energy after dinner, so I went ahead and made a half of a batch of cupcakes. I used the Magnolia cupcake recipe I use all the time. My boyfriends mom loves these cupcakes so I didn’t want to change it up too much. I had flower petal cupcake papers from Wilton’s which I got from my mom for Christmas. This was really where I came up with my theme for the party- since the wrappers were pink flowers, I wanted everything to be pink. My boyfriend’s Mom (lets just call her R) has lived the majority of her life with men, my boyfriend and his father/her husband. I thought a perfect way to ring in a 60th birthday would be a pink party since it is so feminine and pretty.

At Party City I bought:
–Pink Fluffy Pom Poms– I have seen these in Martha Stewarts Magazines and in her showrooms in NY
-Two tones of Pink streamers
-3 tones of pink balloons
– Pink napkins
–60th Birthday Plates– they had pink in them so I allowed them
– Pink birthday Tiara
–Pink Boa– this was just something I thought would be fun addition- nothing makes you feel like a princess or queen like a feather boa and tiara!
–Pink 60th Birthday Button– This button can be customized by age- I personalized it with a big pink 60!
– Wilton’s Clear Treat Bags
– Assortment of Pink Candy*
–60th Birthday Candles

At A.C. Moore I bought:
– An assortment of pink ribbons- in different shades and sizes. I found them all in the clearance bins for a dollar and the thinner ones were only 50 cents.

At the grocery store the day of the party, I bought:
-Assortment of Pink Candy*
– Assortment of 60 Pink Roses (I got about 30 regular roses and 20 small spray roses)

*Pink candy included- Pink Kit Kats (it’s Easter time so I was able to find these), Pink Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, Smarties, Pink Lollipops, Pink Starburst, Pink M&Ms, Pink Cotton Candy, Pink button candies, and Russell Stover Chocolate Marshmallow Eggs in a pink wrapper.

I placed all the candy into the candy bags and tied them with pink ribbons and created a tag with a personalized party message. I used a tag paper punch to cut these tags out and punched the hole with a heart shape paper punch.

I then made R her favorite dessert- Extreme 3-Layer Brownies and then frosted the Magnolia Cupcakes I had made on Thursday Night with a pink butter-cream frosting and pink sanding sugar.

Next I filled 2 vases filled with the assorted pink roses and tied thick pink ribbons around the neck of the vases.

Once I got to R’s house, I had her distracted in another room while my boyfriend and I decorated the dining room with the streamers, balloons, pink puffs, vases of roses, candy bags, and the plates of brownies and cupcakes. When she came into the room, we greeted her with the boa and tiara! She was so shocked and so happy about all the decorations. My gift I gave her even fit into the theme- a pink Swarovski crystal bead for her charm bracelet so she can remember her 60th Birthday Party!

Throwing parties can be easily put together with a theme and good planning. No matter the size of the party, people will notice all the details you put into everything. I love, love, love planning parties! :)

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