Can you help me plan my birthday party?

Question

My birthday is coming up and we are settled on a garden party with a barbecue etc.

I always try to do something different - last year my cake was a pyramid made of swiss rolls - and I need some suggestions for this year.

I'm looking for:

1) Food and drinks recipes (perhaps non-alcoholic cocktails for my younger guests and those driving) that may be quite obscure but truly scrumptious;

2) Things for my guests to do. I thought about a guestbook for messages. Any other ideas?

3) Decor. I don't really want a theme, but if you know of some affordable garden furniture available in UK or other garden items, I would appreciate your help.

On your marks, get set..............start planning!

And what gifts do I ask for?

Answer 1

GRILLED PINEAPPLE WITH BUTTER-RUM GLAZE AND VANILLA MASCARPONE

If you can't find marscapone, good-quality vanilla ice cream will taste just fine.

1 cup dark rum
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 vanilla bean
8 ounces mascarpone
1 ripe pineapple, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1. Combine the rum, butter, and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer, whisking often, until the sugar has melted and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. (The glaze can be made a few days in advance, cooled, covered, and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.)

2. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise in half and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a sharp knife. Whisk the mascarpone and vanilla seeds together. (The mascarpone can be made a day in advance, covered, and kept refrigerated.)

3. Heat your grill to high.

4. Grill the pineapple slices, brushing frequently with the glaze, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

5. Remove the pineapple to a platter or serving plates and top each slice with a dollop of vanilla mascarpone. Garnish with a few fresh blueberries. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings; can be doubled for 10 or 12 (no need to double the glaze).
Bobby Flay's Boy Gets Grill

FLAMING FRUIT KEBABS

This recipe is from Brini Maxwell's Guide to Gracious Living.

2 quarts fresh fruit such as pineapple chunks, strawberries, grapes, orange sections, and mango
12 soft bread cubes
1 bottle lemon extract
4 metal kebab skewers

Prepare this dish right before serving. Start by cutting up the fruit into bite-sized pieces (this can be done in advance), then soaking the bread cubes in the lemon extract. Anything soaked in lemon extract will burn with a lovely blue/yellow flame — that includes your clothing, the Formica, and this book, so be careful. Stack the fruit on the skewers, interspersing a cube whereever you'd like a flame. Be sure not to put a bread cube too close to the handle of the skewer. When the kebabs are all stacked, light the bread cubes. They'll burn nicely for a few minutes, but be sure to blow them out before trying to eat the fruit. Also, it's probably not a good idea to serve this dish in bed.

Makes 4 servings.

PASSION FRUIT ICED TEA

6 Orange Pekoe tea bags
6 1/4 cups cold water
1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
2/3 cup thawed frozen passion-fruit juice concentrate
or thawed frozen passion-fruit purée*
1/4 cup honey
sugar to taste, if using passion-fruit purée

Put tea bags in a heat-proof pitcher. In a saucepan bring water just to a boil and pour over tea bags. Steep tea, covered, 3 minutes and discard tea bags. Chill tea, covered, until cold. Stir in remaining ingredients, stirring until combined well.


LEMON VERBENA SODA

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
10 fresh leaves lemon verbena
4 cups chilled club soda or seltzer

In heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and add lemon verbena. Let steep 10 minutes, then strain. Fill 4 tall glasses with ice. Divide syrup among them, pour in club soda, stir, and serve.

JICAMA SLAW WITH LIME-ANCHO DRESSING

For the dressing:
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup mild vegetable oil, such as canola
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the slaw:
1 (2-pound) jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 head napa cabbage, cored and shredded
2 carrots, coarsely grated
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Make the dressing:
Whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, ancho powder, and honey in a bowl. Whisk in the oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. (The dressing can be made a day in advance, covered, and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Make the slaw:
Combine the jicama, cabbage, and carrots in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the jicama mixture and toss to coat well. Mix in the cilantro. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings.
Bobby Flay's Boy Gets Grill

GARLIC-MUSTARD-GRILLED BEEF SKEWERS

Be sure to leave the skewers on the grill long enough to get the beef nice and crusty on both sides. This means you have to be patient, and remember: Don't turn them often.

Garlic-mustard glaze
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Grilled beef skewers
2 pounds beef tenderloin
Twelve 6-inch wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes

For garlic-mustard glaze:
Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl,cover,and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before using.

For grilled beef skewers:
1. Heat your grill to high.

2. Cut the tenderloin lengthwise in half, then cut the halves lengthwise in half again. Slice crosswise to make 24 equal pieces. Skewer 2 pieces of beef onto each skewer, keeping them together at one end of the skewer. (This will make the grilled skewer easier to hold and eat.) Place the skewers in a baking dish or on a baking sheet, pour half of the glaze over the meat, and turn to coat.

3. Grill the meat, turning once and brushing with the remaining glaze, for 4 to 6 minutes until golden brown, slightly charred, and cooked to medium-rare. Transfer the skewers to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

4. Place the skewers on a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.


YELLOW TOMATO GAZPACHO WITH CILANTRO OIL AND AVOCADO

1 3/4 pounds yellow tomatoes, halved
1 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium jalapeño chili with seeds, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)

Cilantro Oil
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, chopped
Squeeze tomato juices and seeds into strainer set over bowl. Press on seeds to extract all juice. Chop tomatoes. Set aside 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, 1/4 cup cucumber, and 1/4 cup bell pepper.

Combine remaining tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper in processor. Add tomato juices, onion, orange juice, oil, vinegar, garlic, and jalapeño; process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer soup to bowl; add reserved vegetables. Cover and chill overnight.

Divide soup among 6 bowls. Drizzle with cilantro oil. Sprinkle with avocado.

Answer 2

Garden party, eh? Would these guests sneer too much if you floated some edible flowers in a bowl of punch? Actually, it's summer; skip punch and make it lemonade or limeade.

I've been telling everybody about the "roasted red peppers stuffed with goat cheese and basil" appetizer. It's honestly simple enough that you could probably reconstruct it just from that sentence. =) The barbecue will of course be the main focus, but some good appetizers and sides are always welcome.

As far as activities...I think that depends more on your friends. Not everyone is up for a thrilling round of "Cam-Phone Bingo", where you attempt to complete a bingo on your card by taking pictures of the things described on said bingo card.

Simple idea for the decor is to help light up the space with a bunch of votive candles in empty glass jars. Seriously, just save them up as you acquire them, maybe scavenge from your friends and family.

Answer 3

rice pudding for a dessert-it's different and not used all the time.For drinks get something that people of all ages LIKE and WILL DRINK-soda!Stuff to do?Charades-that's fun,and twister would be fun.if you don't know the recipe for rice pudding e-mail me and i'll tell [e-mail]

Answer 4

wot about a fancy dress party i went to one it was great here are some ideas famous people, vicars and tarts ,cow boys and Indians , policemen and woman have a nice birthday

Answer 5

Make sure to play good music. Do you know of a local band who would play at your party or are any of your friends musicians?

Happy Birthday!

Answer 6

mcdonalds do partys?and you get a reefa on in the toilets,sorted ok.

Answer 7

HOW RUDE. YOU DO N.O.T. ASK FOR GIFTS.

Answer 8

idk