Halloween Cupcake Ideas

I readily admit that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays as my birthday is the day before. 

If you've decided at the last-minute to go ahead and do something festive for Halloween--whether for friends or family, the kids or their school party, the office, or wherever--, we have three ideas for dressing up purchased cupcakes so they'll look fabulous.

Of course, the first step is to purchase the cupcakes from a reputable source.  A reputable source is never a supermarket, no matter how upscale.  Trust us, if you knew how they make their baked goods...No, better to buy from a pastry or cupcake shop, a restaurant, a caterer, or a small-batch baker.  At least you'll know that 1) the cupcakes will taste better and 2) they won't have trans fats or tons of artificials in them.  All the better if wherever you buy them puts them already in Halloween-themed cupcake papers.  Ask wherever you buy them to not make the frosting so peaky.  Here's why:

For the cool piece de resistance, decorate the cupcakes with any or all of the following three easy ideas:

• Buy Milano-type cookies and with a squeeze bottle (a good investment if you entertain at less than $1.50 each at party and restaurant supply stores) write RIP on the cookie, then cut a horizontal slash in each cupcake and insert the cookie about 1/3 of the way in the slash so it looks like a tombstone. 
• Cut a small round hole in the top of each cupcake and insert a marshmallow about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way in; before doing so cut little holes in the marshmallow near the top and insert chocolate chip "eyes" so it now looks like a ghost. 
• Cut a chocolate wafer thin mint into fourths, place two pieces on each cupcake to make cat ears and finish the cat face with jelly bean eyes and nose (mouth too, if you want) and black licorice strings cut into cat whiskers.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

For the holidays cool & easy way 2 make whipped cream w no artificials iSi's Mini Whip @
SLT, Williams Sonoma &
http://ping.fm/vMj6u

Halloween Goody Buffet Ideas

If you're looking for serving ideas for a casual Halloween get together, here are ideas for a cool Halloween goody buffet you can put together in minutes with no cooking.

Serve goodies on or in orange and black serving bowls and decorate the goody buffet with Halloween-themed paraphernalia to your heart's content.

Choose from the following:

• Boo cups (fill bottom of glasses up to about halfway each with crushed Oreos or chocolate cake or cupcake crumbs, top with peaked dollops of whipped cream and two chocolate chip eyes to look like ghosts)
• Cheetos "worms" (especially in a black bowl!)
• Orange and/or black  M & Ms
• Gummy worms
• Trick-or-treat bowl with mini candy bars or other pre-packaged mini candies--guests of all ages will indulge!
• Witches' brew punch--So many witches' brew punch recipes are lovely but complicated.  No worries.  A super easy one: Orange sherbert+lemon lime or pineapple or kiwi-strawberry soda--add more sherbert if you start to lose the orange color with the soda

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Susty Party biodegradable plates fall order going out

Small Foods Ideas for Your Party

The idea of using small foods for entertaining brings a smile to most people's faces.

By small foods we don't mean Spanish tapas or Greek meze--these are more correctly called "small plates" foods as the foods themselves are not specifically small.  Instead, it's the plates (and the portions), not the food size, that are small for tapas and meze.

No, small foods are foods made as or cut into small size, and there is something fun and comforting at the same time about them.

Don't believe that small foods can't be used at more formal occasions like weddings and fundraisers--if done right, they add flair and make guests happy.

Here are 14 ideas for small foods that add a wonderful touch to parties:

• Small custard cups of macaroni and cheese
• Beef or crab cake sliders
• Mini quesadillas cut out with a cookie cutter or (easier) cut into triangles
• Mini sweet and savory pies--So easy nowadays with wonderful little pie makers like the one from Sunbeam
• Mini puff pastry empanadas--Also easy to do with a cookie cutter, just cut out circles with a cookie cutter, add filling, fold over, seal edges, and bake (don't forget to baste with butter for the full decadent experience)
• Mini soup cups or shooters (cold soup for any size group and hot soup for a small group)
• Mini desserts--cupcakes are popular but also look into small sizes of any dessert. Some bakers specifically make well-known desserts like cheesecakes or layer cakes in small sizes, perhaps 4" or 5". 
• Shakes or smoothies shots
• Mini dessert shots
• Mini pizzas
• Mini skewers of any kind
• Frittatas and quiches cut out with a cutter into small rounds
• Mini (individual) ramekins of lasagna
• Mini creme brulees or other custard desserts (use the smaller size of custard cups)
• Any type of tartlet

And here's how to make a great easy mini dessert display in 10 minutes:

1. Buy cakey brownies, at least one inch thick, from a reputable baker
2. Cut out small circles from the larger brownie squares with a cookie cutter
3. Dust tops of these rounds with powdered sugar or frost the tops with cream cheese frosting
4. Serve.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Another Easy Dessert for Fall Gatherings: Cheese&Wine Course

At this VERY busy time of year, many people would like to have guests over and want to serve a dessert, but are unsure of what to serve, where to buy it, don't know how to bake, etc.

Here's an idea that will definitely add a cool factor to your gathering and is easy to pull off: serve a cheese course as the finale with some fruit and wines paired to the cheeses.

In Europe a fruit and/or cheese finale to a meal is the order of the day except for big Sunday lunches or holidays, when sweet desserts are served, and then they are quite rich and spectacular, often bought from the artisan pastry shops in every village and town.  Nostalgia bite: our old fave pastry shop, run by a kindly and phenomenal Belgian immigré baker on General Aranda Street in Madrid's upscale Rubén Darío neighborhood, and its individual apple puff pastry tartlets glazed with apricot jam.

But if you're looking for an easy, interesting, sort of edgy way to end a meal at your gathering this fall--or even a stand alone food idea for your gathering--a cheese/fruit finale with wine is cool.

How Tos

Ask your wine store to recommend 1 or 2 wines for the cheeses you want to serve.

With Red Wines, Serve:

• Goat cheeses
• Young Cheddar
• Camembert
• Gruyere or any of the Swiss-type cheeses
• Aged Gouda
• Manchego

With Dessert Wines, Serve:

• Aged Cheddar
• Blue cheeses
• Dry or regular Jack

One ounce of type of cheese per person is enough.  Take cheese out one hour before serving.

Fruit to Serve:

• Grapes (champagne grapes are pretty if you can find them)
• Sliced pears
• Quince paste (Spanish membrillo)

Use salad plates, forks, and knives for this course.  Or go casual and eat as finger foods.  Plate the cheese and fruit and serve to your guests, or have guests serve themselves from a platter.

Done. And a cool way to end your meal, or as a cool light spread itself.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Private ckg. class: Tiramisú

Cool for fall, holiday or anytime events: Rabbit wine corkscrews:
http://ping.fm/ox4aL

Creating a Super Easy Small Dessert Buffet

If you're looking for ideas on creating a dessert buffet at your event this year and your gathering is not too large, one way to do this is to buy some small desserts from either a reputable baker or food establishment, or there are now even some frozen options that are of high quality.

It's all in the details, so find a space to put your desserts that's not too small or crowded, preferably away from the savory food, if you're serving it. 

Or why not consider an all small desserts buffet with some nice wines or champagnes or some regular and/or specialty coffees (such as cappucino).  This is great if you're really busy but still want to host a gathering of some type.  Done with style but easy.

If your serving area is on the small side, try this: buy or borrow a cake stand and put it with some of the small desserts on top on the table, then arrange the other desserts on the table--any type of pedestal will increase your use of serving space.  Plus it looks better--we avoid all flat surfaces because it doesn't look as appealing as if you have a little height.

Put all the same types of desserts together on your serving area, but don't be afraid to put more than one type on a tray, for example--just keep them separated, on the tray, by type. Or skip trays altogether! Keep in mind, though, that trays protect your furniture from crumbs and spills.

There are so many great small desserts that it's hard to choose! But a variety is always good (at least three different types), and if one has frosting, such as mini or full-size cupcakes or brownie bites, that's always a bit hit with guests.   Here's another tip: ask your baker or wherever you buy the cupcakes to make sure the entire surface of the cupcake is pretty much covered with frosting, even if the frosting is piped or swirled to peaks--one of our real pet peeves is to see cupcakes with frosting only basically in the middle.  Not.

Before your event you may want to try out some small desserts from several sources...At the retail level, Whole Foods is always of high quality, as is Trader Joe's (coming to Houston, yay!) and a new one we learned about that's a nice option if you don't have any good bakers nearby, Daphne Baking Company, which makes artisan small dessert tarts with no preservatives or trans fats that are frozen: www.daphnebaking.com

To finish your dessert buffet, lay your small desserts out nicely with some nice little plates in a style you like, forks, napkins, and beverages, and you're all set!

Enjoy!

Kristina

(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Ths wk Tomato & Swiss Mini Puff Pstry Pies Bf Tndrln w Rosemary Chimchrri Chkn in Berry & Feta Sauce more:
http://ping.fm/c6k93

Chefs leaving private client just finshd 2day's brunch Ham & Pepper Jack Burritos w Roasted Tmto & 'peño Salsa Fruit Skewers Ornge Tea Bread

Add fun foods to your event:
http://bit.ly/9OepuP

Add Fun Foods to Your Event

If you're looking for a way to add excitement to your event, why not consider adding some fun foods?

The fun foods trend has become increasingly popular in the last three years, and it makes sense if you're looking for a way to add a lighthearted touch to your event.

Fun foods touches are now popular at weddings, but are also increasingly popular at fundraisers, corporate and non-profit events (at everything from conference refreshment breaks to evening social hours), and private events for guests of all age groups.

And these are touches--generally they are served in addition to the food of the main menu for the event.

Why Fun Foods?

Adding a fun foods touch to your event will add an unexpected level of lightheartedness that guests of all ages can enjoy.  And since it often IS unexpected by guests, the combined element of surprise and whimsy or fun will make guests smile and put them in a relaxed mood. 

This can be especially important for certain events, such as corporate conferences, fundraisers, or weddings, where there might be a little tension or anxiety.  But in any case, if it puts guests in a relaxed mood, that's a good thing.

Here are some fun foods ideas:

• Popcorn (plain and flavored), popcorn balls, or Cracker Jack
• Hot pretzels
• Cake pops
• Hot dogs or sliders
• Cookies
• Brownies (especially if cut into shapes and/or frosted)
• Mini pies (mini pie makers available from Sunbeam and Breville, or you can also use a Babycakes Cupcake Maker)
• Ice cream sandwiches, cones, or popsicles
• Root beer or sherbert floats (use straws)
• Cones filled with sweet or savory fillings
• Chocolate milk or fruit smoothie shooters
• Donuts (so easy to make, and so superior in taste, to commercial donuts: make holes in refrigerator biscuits or a biscuit dough cut out as for biscuits and fry in hot veg oil until golden on both sides, then roll in regular or cinnamon sugar)
• Cream-filled cupcakes (similar to Hostess Twinkies and cupcakes but more elegant and with no trans fats; you can make them yourself with a special mold available at www.bryanlanehome.com or at large retailers and fill with regular or chocolate whipped cream or Nutella, or have a baker prepare for you)
• Mini Mexican bites (mini taquitos, flautas, quesadillas, or gorditas)
• Macaroni and cheese or bread pudding in small individual custard cups

Serving Fun Foods

To serve your fun foods you can either go with a high/low mix of serving them on elegant trays of your choice or, if appropriate to your event, on more "fun" type serving pieces such as colorful platters, or certain foods can also be served in small colored takeout boxes, or on stacked colored glass cake stands.  Or you may want to go all out and set up a canopy of some type, even indoors, to mark off your fun foods area, and decorate the area.

Be aware that companies exist that offer to cater fun foods at events, but often their food and setup are of the type more appropriate to an outdoor festival, and so may not be right for your event.  In addition, their food often contains trans fats.  Better to create or have done for you your own fun foods with food you can trust, and a setup to serve them that's right for your event.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Private interactive ckg class dinner @ client's home 2morrow Gambas al ajillo Euro lasagna w bechamel dssert duo lava cakes, tiramisú shots

How to Set Up a Coffee Bar at Your Party

If you'd like to add flair to your home party this fall, another way to do this is to set up a coffee bar for your guests.  You can hire someone to do this for you or do it yourself.

If you do it yourself...

First, set up an area near your desserts.  Lay out spoons, cups, and napkins.  Saucers are often optional these days at events held in venues (event spaces for rent), but saucers are a good idea for coffee at home parties so your guests won't ruin your furniture by putting a hot or dripping cup on it.

Consider brewing the coffee with strips of orange zest for added flavor. 

Then set out cream in a decorative pitcher, brandy, and several other liqueurs such as kirsch, Kahlúa, Triple Sec, Tía María, and amaretto to stir into the coffee.

In small bowls offer loose sugar or sugar cubes (if cubes provide tongs), whipped cream, grated chocolate, and cocoa powder.  Lay a small spoon in each bowl for guests to serve themselves.  Add cinammon sticks as stirrers in another small bowl.

Impressive and fun for guests as they decide what they want in their coffee, without being too much work.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Must see for coolest eco partyware!
http://ping.fm/GVmEG

4 Last-Minute Easy Centerpiece Ideas

As cooler weather arrives many of us are thinking of having or planning home gatherings this fall.  A quick way to make your gathering festive and to add pizzazz is with a quick and easy centerpiece idea.

There are times (or rather, lack of time) and occasions when a quick and easy centerpiece idea is just the thing you need to make your party or gathering look more finished or polished as well as festive, and less of an amateurish attempt at entertaining.

Here are 4 centerpiece ideas that will take less than 10 minutes to set up--and the results are surprisingly beautiful:

1. Pile seasonal fruit in a glass bowl--Select 5-12 of a single fruit such as apples, oranges, clementines, pears, pomegranates, quinces, or even lemons.  Or use small pumpkins or squashes.
2. Buy several large bunches of fresh herbs--e.g., rosemary, basil, mint, dill--and gather them in a pitcher, jar, julep cup, or small-ish Asian porcelain vase (ginger jar-type).  But be careful that none of your guests (like me) are allergic to fresh herbs.
3. Have a small or medium-size sculpture you like (obviously, nothing very expensive)? Put it as a centerpiece.  Maybe gather some vines (ivy, passionflower, any climbing vines) from your yard and wind them around the statue base.  Or for a minimalist look, leave the unadorned statue as your centerpiece to make a statement on its own.
4. Float 3-4 fresh flower blossoms in one large or three small bowls with water.  Place at the center of your table.

In all cases, make sure served food, napkins, plates, cutlery, and glasses are not pushed up right next to the centerpiece or it will spoil the look.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

To add flair to fall & holiday entertaining we like the beautiful rimmed stemware at Pottery Barn:
http://ping.fm/vbZNq

Add Pizzaz to Your Party with Desserts in Shot Glasses

A way to add pizzazz to your party or gathering is to serve desserts in shot glasses.  This is an increasingly popular trend that is also fairly easy for even people who don't really cook to do.

There are several desserts you can serve in shot glasses, and several types of glasses that you can use for this.

Generally, a mousse or creamy-type dessert or dessert layers (like a trifle or parfait-type dessert) can be served like this.  Here are a few:

• Berry Cheesecake Shots: Buy a good quality cheesecake, cut in pieces, layer in shot glasses, top with sweetened whipped cream, then top with blueberries or blackberries in syrup (pour some of the syrup on too).
• Make or buy a chocolate mousse.  Spoon into shot glasses, top with whipped cream, then top that with a fresh berry or cocoa powder.
• Crush cookies into large chunks and mix with ice cream, gelato, or sweetened whipped cream.  Top all with candies or a small, rolled long cookie.
• Even easier: Mix mascarpone or sour cream with sugar or honey and put in the glasses, top with cocoa powder and chocolate curls or bits.  Or make a tiramisú (there are some good mixes imported from Italy for this if you don't know how to make tiramisú) and just spoon it into glasses and top with cocoa powder.

For more ideas and recipes, including one for pudding shots with Bailey's, see:

http://bit.ly/oRDmTp

http://bit.ly/nUxoVp


Dessert Shot Glasses
You can use several types of glasses to serve desserts like this.  Square tumblers are trendy now, but you can also use short round tumblers, short round tumblers with a pedestal, small schnapps glasses, or even martini glasses.  Note that it's easier to spoon desserts like this into short round or square glasses than it is into martini or schnapps glasses.

Line up the dessert shots for your guests or put them on a cake stand--looks very cool.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

Perfect homemade ice cream maker for 1 or 2: Hamilton Beach Half Pint Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker

Choosing Serving Pieces to Add Flair to Your Party

In the past few years so many wonderful and unique serving pieces--bowls, platters, trays--have become available, and choosing a striking serving piece or two (or three, four, etc.) is one of the easiest things you can do to add flair to your party.

Designs, shapes, and colors for every taste and style from traditional to mod abound, so you're sure to find at least one style to please you.

The trick is to have at least one standout serving piece at your party, rather than all white or all silver or all anything--after all, you want to jazz up your party!

We like to combine serving piece shapes at our events, such as oval or round with square or rectangular.  In general, what looks pleasing is one (or some) of the serving pieces in a round or oval shape (some handmade pieces are not exactly round or oval, but are more round or oval than square or rectangular, so we'll consider them in the round-or-oval family) and one (or some) in square or rectangular or triangular or trapezoid-ish shapes.  All the pieces the same shape doesn't look as good.

If you choose a serving piece with a pattern (stripes, floral, mod, color block), you can combine it with another serving piece in a solid color or white.  Be careful, however, if you use a patterned serving piece--avoid combining with a patterned tablecloth or using in a room with a small, busy wallpaper, as your patterned serving piece won't stand out.  Better to use a patterned serving piece with a solid or no tablecloth and in a painted room or one with a larger wallpaper print.

Another trick: even if you only pick up premade food (the better kind, from a restaurant, say), such as sliders or crab cakes, serve it on your standout serving piece(s) and this instantly makes this food look stylish.

You can find wonderful standout serving pieces easily at places like Sur La Table, Pottery Barn, Macy's or any large better department store, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

Some other sources for unique serving pieces are:

www.dbohome.com
www.pineapplepostgifts.com
www.annieglass.com
www.uncommongoods.com
www.vietri.com
www.etsy.com --See "Makayla S"

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077

We like these chalkboard labels that can be used at parties (See Kitchen, Tools and Gadgets):
http://ping.fm/YuYzV

Creating a Wraps Party with Flair

If your party or gathering is not overly formal, here's an idea for a fun type of interactive event that your guests will like: a wraps party.

The basic idea is to choose 2-4 types of food wraps that people can make themselves, put out the ingredients and the wrappers, and let your guests choose their ingredients and wrappers to their liking.

By wraps we mean foods that can be placed in and eaten in flatbreads, whether tortillas, pitas, naans, Middle Eastern sponge breads, or other types of flatbreads that can enfold the ingredients.

You can choose fillings and wraps from different cuisines (not only Mexican or Latin, though these are great too) and then watch how your guests enjoy making their wraps creations!

Along this line, don't limit yourself to just fajitas to fill your party wraps--there are so many wonderful things that can be used for this!

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Pork or beef tenderloin, marinated, roasted, or grilled and sliced
• Tempura or grilled seafood
• Grilled or sauteed artisan sausages (slice for easier eating)
• A nice herb-crusted baked chicken (also sliced)
• Many entree-type foods such as the above, if not too drippy, make great fillings for wraps
• Grilled veggies and fresh mozzarella

Then add a few other things such as some nice grated cheeses (hopefully local?).  If no time to source local cheeses, just go to your gourmet supermarket and get some good cheeses and grate, then put out in bowls so people can add to their wraps.  Some cheeses we like for great wraps are Gruyere, Fontina, Emmentaler, and local cheddars. Or any cheese you and your guests like a lot.

Serve with an assortment of flatbreads, a dessert, some nice wines and non-alcoholic beverages--a fun and interactive wraps party with international flair.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com

USA made 100% recycled/recyclable Preserve plastic cutting board:
http://www.greenfeet.com

Choosing Green Disposables for Your Party

As many of you know we are an eco-conscious business.  This year we've been pleased that 1) more and more clients want to use biodegradable or other types of eco disposables and 2) greater variety than ever of designs for green disposables is now available.

Today we'd like to offer a list of sources for eco-friendly disposables that you can look into for your gatherings.  Or you can always use real china, glass, and cutlery too, because that's an eco choice also.

Disposables of course are not appropriate for formal events, but they are appropriate, fun, and even, now. eco-chic decorative for many types of gathering. 

Here are some great online sources:

www.greenfeet.com

www.restaurantware.com

www.biodegradableshop.com

www.cuptainers.com

www.yourgreen2go.com

www.missionrs.com (their BioPlanet line)

www.caterstore.com

www.sustyparty.com (and we love their new Party Pop Up Bins to hold recycling and garbage at even large parties with style)

www.webrestaurantstore.com

Our favorites among these online sources would have to be Restaurantware, Greenfeet, and Susty Party.  Restaurantware in particular has very cool designs, including safari print, little boats, small cones and cups, and all manner and shape of plates, which add such a great touch to your party! If you're looking to add a special touch to your party, do check out Restaurantware for many great serving ideas!

Can I just pick something up?
If you're near a Whole Foods store you can also just go in there and pick up biodegradable disposables from the line Terraware, which is made from corn. Or Google your city and see if a source that sells eco disposables in your area comes up--you might be surprised to find that one does. 

Generally the online sources sell both smaller packages and by the case, so you can find a size package to fit your party need.

The thing to remember with eco disposables, though, is that they're usually in neutral shades like ivory, white, tan, light brown...So if you use them the thing to do is add color in other ways to your party with a colored tablcloth or napkins or placemats or glasses or a centerpiece or colorful food (or some combination of these). Otherwise it looks too much like a "mushroom house" as my friend calls too much beigeness.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com