Plan your party in advance, here’s how
When it comes to parties and gatherings we all like to be prepared, but sometimes we just simply run out of time if we aren’t organized. Here’s a quick way to bring everything into check and help pull of a great gathering with great food.
Step #1: Keep your party simple: Don’t try to out-do yourself you will just end up stressing out and the party will become known as the big dive instead of the big fun. Don’t try to pull off 12 step recipes during a simple party. Use fresh ingredients and if you have a garden, pull some things from the garden to make it seem like you slaved all day.
Step #2: Go with good choices: This goes for decorations and for the food. Don’t throw a bag of BBQ store discount chips into a bowl and call it good, really put forth the effort and go with quality food choices for your guests. The summer season is a great chance to experiment with things such as kiwi fruit pinwheels, avocados, chickpeas, and a watermelon bowl. Be sure and put the watermelon balls back into the shell of the melon to add even more fun to the table. Go with power foods that will increase chemicals in the brain. Learn more about these foods here.
Step #3: Pace yourself: Don’t try to fit in your shower, setting the table and preparing the foods all at once. Set the table in the morning, hang the decorations after that and then take a shower. Start preparing the foods about an hour before guest arrive. If you have things planned out with the foods the night before, there should be not much to do. Recruit family members to help out too. There should be no reason why you should do it all. But, the key is to make it look as if you did.
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Earthly Eating Recipe
Cranberry-Nut Chocolate Cookies
Makes: 2 dozen large cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tbs. white vinegar
1 large egg
1 tsp. baking soda
1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries, packed
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
1 cup slivered walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, shortening, sugars, vanilla, salt and vinegar. Beat in the egg then add the baking soda, flour and then oats. Stir in the cranberries and chocolate chips, finally add the nuts.
Drop dough in mounds onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly and bake cookies for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Happy Eating!
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