Hostess with the Mostest
I recently taught you how to be popular, and today I would like to share with you my secret on how to be the hostess with the mostest. It has taken me years of hosting countless parties to glean what I would consider a wealth of knowledge on the subject of hostessing.
Fine. I admit it. I know nothing. I just got lucky by accident the other night at Tim’s 40th Birthday Bash.
I wanted to serve a delicious punch - I had the recipe and everything. But the store didn’t have any of the ingredients. So, I improvised. Instead of Welches white grape concentrate, I bought Welches white grape raspberry concentrate. Everybody loves stuff with raspberries in it. How could that do anything but improve the punch? Then, to my dismay, the store didn’t have grapefruit soda. (I know, it is a strange item…but they’ve carried it before.) So, I replaced grapefruit soda with pineapple soda. Everybody like pineapple more than grapefruit anyway. Seemed only a step up from the original recipe.
So, I combined the juice, the pop and a bag of ice in a lovely punch bowl. It was a HIT! I used all the punch supplies I had purchased (three punch bowls worth) and sent a friend to the store for MORE!! Truly, if that isn’t a badge of honor, a medal of accomplishment, a hostess with the mostest trophy…then I don’t know what is.
Try it at your next party. (And…don’t add any water…just those three things…juice, pop, ice.)
The party, or should I say, open house, was really fun! We had great food and WONDERFUL friends and family come by. Tim had a great time! Here are a few pics from the party.
Tim with his fantastic parents. I’m so grateful for the son they raised. He is an amazing husband.
The spread.
More spread. We had so much food left over! I kept making plates for people and beggin them to take some home! Always better to have too much than too little!
Blog to you soon!
Hilary
November 9th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
So… did you make all that food too??? That is a lot of work! The punch sounds delish, I am going to give it a try!
November 9th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Oh yum. I want some of that punch. I wonder what it would taste like with Canberry juice…
November 9th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
I bet you could still mix ice cream in!!!
I think you need to make the boxed lunches for TOFW.
November 9th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
You really are the hostess with the mostest….when the store didn’t have any of the ingredients, I would have just panicked and then ended up begrudgingly doing Kool-aid mixed with Sprite. I’ll have to try the punch, it sounds delish.
November 9th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
WOWZAS! Looks like you spent a few days in the kitchen. And I love the different height platters that you had your treats on! so cute! HB to your hub!
Thanks for chattin with us at St .George TOFW. You made our whole year!:) I sent you an invite to my blog, if you get a chance you should check it out. There is a funny story on there about me & Melissa driving Chieko & Carolyn back to their hotel and your Christmas CD! HAHA
Thanks again and we will see you at another TOFW!
Brandi here in SG
November 10th, 2009 at 9:00 am
That is seriously your husband’s mom? She looks good for her age (whatever age that may be)
Hi Hilary, I’m a Fran of yours (Fran=I am NOT a fanatic, but I am friendly…..so I’m a FRAN). Anyways I saw you at TOFW in Seattle this year and I fell in love with your music and personality. Then about a month ago I stumbled across your blog. Yay me! I wanted to tell you at TOFW, that I wanna be just like you when I grow up, but I didn’t…..but I guess I’m telling you now.
Thanks for being YOU!
November 14th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Well I always love a successful wingin’ it!
November 16th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
I agree with Cheyenne you should make the lunches for TOFW! All that food looks great, but you are an amazing cook so that is not too big of a surprise!
November 18th, 2009 at 10:50 am
You are amazing!!!! What a wonderful job you did this past weekend at TOFW in SLC!!!!!! Never am I disappointed in your performances and the music went so well with all the talks that you must have planned it our something!!!!
Thank you for sharing your talents with so many….you truly have a gift from God and I am thakful that you use it to bless my life! Your music has been an inspiration for many years to me and gotten me through some challenges! Thank you, Thank you , Thank you!!! And may the Lord continue to bless you in your endeavors!! Love the new Christmas Cd, my niece does too….she sings along!!!
November 21st, 2009 at 10:00 am
That food looks amazing. I’ve got some high school voice students that are in love with your song “Christmas Once Again,” and want to sing it for our recital in December, but I can’t find the sheet music anywhere. Is it available? Thank you!!!
December 7th, 2009 at 9:29 am
I talked my sister into trying the punch for her Christmas party this past Friday and it was a hit! Everyone loved it and she loved that it was so easy to serve! It will definitely repeated again! Thanks for sharing!