RECIPE: CLASSIC MINT JULEPS FOR YOUR DERBY DAY PARTY!

Whether you are headed to the Derby or just watching the best two minutes in sports on your television, be sure to have my Mint Julep recipe on the menu!

I am a horse fanatic, I have been since I was a kid. So much so, I'd fall asleep with my entire plastic horse collection in my bed. I get excited about the Derby even though I don't follow horse racing. I've only been once but it was quite the experience... no other sporting event can compare. The hats, the pretty women, the dashing guys, the Southern charm, the majesty of the horses, and of course, the Kentucky bourbon and the Mint Juleps! I always crack up because the Mint Julep is THE drink associated with the South more than any other. When I meet people from other countries and they find out I'm from Alabama, they tell me their impression is that we all sit around on the porch, sipping Mint Juleps..... So in tribute to the horses and most magnificent race in sports, here's a classic Mint Julep recipe my way, just in time for Derby Day. 

MARTIE'S MINT JULEP RECIPE

A silver or pewter Mint Julep cup does make this cocktail more authentic and yes, even more delicious.

To begin, make a simple syrup infused with mint. This will really bring a wonderful mint flavor to the cocktail and you can also use it to sweeten tea. For the simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water. For 6 drinks, I am using 1 cup each sugar and water. Bring it to a boil, and turn off the heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add 15-20 fresh mint leaves. Stir. Allow the syrup to cool completely. Strain and pour into a canning jar, secure the lid, and chill. This will keep in the refrigerator for a week.

For one cocktail:

3 fresh mint leaves (plus more for garnish)

3 tablespoons mint syrup (depending on how sweet you like it, I like 3)

1  1/2 ounces Kentucky bourbon (I like Four Roses bourbon)

Crushed ice

Powdered sugar for garnish, if desired

Chill your glasses prior to serving. A traditional silver mint julep cup makes this cocktail so frosty and delicious. Add the syrup and mint leaves to a pitcher or shaker. Use a wooden spoon to muddle (not tear) the mint into the syrup to release the oil. Add the bourbon. Fill the cup with crushed ice and strain the bourbon over the ice, almost like a snow cone. Add a straw, a mint sprig, and a dusting of powdered sugar over the top, if you like. Serve immediately.

For a lighter, less potent version, add 1/2 cup of unsweetened tea to fill the cup after you add the bourbon.

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DIY CRAFTS: HOST A CENTERPIECE PARTY

With Easter just days away, I've got a fun (and productive) party idea for a Girls Night In get-together. Why not host a DIY centerpiece party? Each year, a few weeks before Easter, I get lots of emails and questions about Easter decorations and tablesettings. Here's a party theme that will not only allow you to spend time with your friends, you can go home with a beautiful centerpiece... just in time for your Easter Sunday celebration. It's also a great party plan for that DIY bride or class reunion, too!

Get the girls together for a perfectly creative way to craft your own Easter centerpieces, party decorations for a class reunion, wedding or baby shower or even for that DIY bride.

THE SET UP

This is a very simple party to host. You provides the drinks, the food, and a large workspace with plenty of room. Guests will bring what they need for her own centerpiece plus tools like floral wire, floral sheers, ribbon, etc. You can all share supplies. Ask guests to email a list of what they are bringing- you may need to make a trip to Michael's, Hobby Lobby or a local floral supply store to pick up the basics if you don't have them. NOTE: If you are planning this party for the week of Easter, you might also set up a station to dye Easter eggs. That way, you can have eggs already dyed for the kids to decorate.

Pick up plants and flowers from the garden center to create an Easter centerpiece you can plant and enjoy all summer.

In the Spring, I always like to use herbs or flowers from the garden center for my centerpieces... that way, after the party is over, I can plant them in the yard and enjoy them all summer long. I picked up a few bunches of tulips at the store, too. I got a twig wreath and some bird nests at the craft store and found floral foam, wire and twine there also. If you want a rustic look, use Mason jars in several sizes. If you are using metal containers, they tend to leak. To avoid this, fit a small jar or plastic container into the bottom and fill that with water. 

Cover your work space with a plastic backed drop cloth from the home improvement store or use brown craft paper... I used did both to make clean up easy. It is important to use layers of newspaper if you will be dying eggs; they make a mess and the stain is virtually impossible to remove.

FOOD & DRINKS

Girls Night is soooo about the cocktails and quality time catching up with friends but since this party is centered around an activity, I wanted to keep the menu very simple.

A cheese board with 3-4 cheeses plus crackers, fruit, honey, jam and other pairings is the perfect way to start the party. It is easy to assemble and there's no cooking required. Make one of your party favorites that is easy to eat standing up or while working. I made Puffy Party Squares because they are easy, fast and inexpensive but also because everyone loves them. You can also do some lovely egg salad sandwiches because you'll have a ton of eggs on hand.

Pretty, colorful drinks and easy food make hosting duties simple!

THE ACTIVITY

Making centerpieces and decorating eggs can be as easy or as complex as your time and patience allow. If you look at Pinterest, you can see a million different ideas for every taste and every budget. I love the look of speckled eggs. Get the how to here... I'm a big fan of cheap that looks expensive so that's what I was aiming for with my flower arrangement. I also like the idea of repurposing the flowers in the garden or container after the party is over.

My own style is very relaxed and easy so my centerpieces tend to be rustic and take about 6 minutes to create. When making a centerpiece for a dinner table, I want it to be low so guests can see each other across the table. Here's what I came up with using annuals and one bunch of tulips. After Easter is over, I'll plant the annuals in containers to brighten up my deck this summer. 

Carefully wrap the root ball in plastic and keep the roots damp so you can plant and enjoy long after the party is over.

Carefully remove the annuals from their plastic container, keeping the root ball intact. Put it into a plastic bag and secure with a rubber band. Use one plastic sandwich bag for each plant. Make sure the soil is damp- but not too wet. Arrange the flowers in a platter, basket, wreath or other short container. Add some fresh cut flowers also for a little height. Done!

This could even be a wonderful family get-together with the cousins or a fun annual neighborhood party. The adults can make flower arrangements and the kids can decorate eggs at a craft station set up with stickers, glitter, glue and other supplies.

PARTY THEME: HOST A SPRING PLANTING PARTY AND BUILD A GARDEN!

Need a great party plan for SPRING? When the weather starts to get warm, most of us are ready to freshen up outdoor spaces or get the garden started after a long winter. My Planting Party is one of my very favorite party ideas. It is not only fun- my number one criteria for a party- but it's also a great way to get kids and adults together to grow vegetables which will result in greater interest in healthier eating and the benefits will  continue to grow and grow! Any occasion is right for a planting party: a birthday, wedding, bridal shower or wedding party at your house, neighborhood party, family reunion, or community garden day. You really don't need a reason to host a planting party. It's one of those do-good, feel good types of parties that I love!

Other dates to consider are Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (the last week of April in most states) coming up and Mother's Day.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to makeover your mom's patio or yard with some colorful new flowering or vegetable plants? Get my ideas for a spring yard makeover get-together...

GETTING STARTED

Many schools, youth organizations, and neighborhoods are growing community gardens. But if you don't have that movement happening in your area, start one! You don't need a lot of people. You can start small. Ask a couple of neighbors to participate and split the cost and the responsibilities of maintenance.

There are plenty of sites with information on community gardens including tips on everything from getting started to funding. First you'll need a site. Once you have that, the rest is easy.

AMERICAN COMMUNITY GARDENING ASSOCIATION

URBAN HARVEST

ABC NEWS: HOW TO START A COMMUNITY GARDEN

THE PARTY PLAN

Think old-timey barn raising-- remember when neighbors would help a family build a barn? Friends would show up with tools and the barn would go up. The family would feed the guests or everyone would bring pot-luck. This is the same premise. Invite friends to come build a garden or plant an existing space.

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GUEST LIST

If it is a community garden, invite the neighbors who will want to share in the chores and in the results. Start small; with one or two families. Once the garden is established, you can add to it each year and the planting party becomes an annual event.

If it is your own backyard garden, promise friends some of the harvest in return for lunch and a fun day outside. If the party is for a birthday or Mother's Day, guests can bring plants as gifts or contribute to a fund to supply them.

SUPPLIES

Provide all the tools you will need to plant and ask guests to bring what they have, too. You will want to have the ground tilled and prepared before guests arrive. Tillers can be rented in many home improvement or equipment rental stores. You will want to have a "survival kit" for guests including sunscreen, bug spray, wipes, bandanas, and inexpensive gardening gloves. You can find all of these supplies at the dollar store.

FOOD AND DRINKS

The host provides lunch and plenty of cold beverages. Keep it simple. Offer a picnic menu of sandwiches, a chilled salad, some fruit, and some homemade treats. My salad in a jar is perfect for a quick lunch on work day. You can prep in advance and store in the fridge or a cooler until it's time to eat. Put the dressing in the bottom of the jar. Guests simply shake it up and grab a fork. Get the how-to for my salad in a jar...

Have some Popsicles on hand for a mid-afternoon treat and for the adults, my Sangria Pops are refreshing and fun. Get the recipe for my Sangria Popsicles...

A big dispenser with chilled water, lemonade, and/or Sweet Tea (I'm from the South where Sweet Tea is essential) will keep everyone hydrated and happy. Plus, the serve-yourself option always makes hostess duties easier. Or, if you don't have a large dispenser, fill up a tub, wheelbarrow, or large planter with ice and chill your favorite beverages. I personally like the wheelbarrow because you can move it around easier. As the sun shifts, you can move the drinks into the shade so the ice won't melt.

DECORATIONS

While not mandatory, decorations certainly make the event more festive. Look at the pretty decorations from our own Garden Makeover party. Garden supplies that guests can take home after the party are a great idea. I love these colorful ceramic toadstools from JJ Potts. You don't have to set the table if you have a big crowd- just let everyone serve themselves. The place settings look fancy but they are paper or melamine- very easy for clean up afterwards.

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Neutral colored painter's dropcloths found at the hardware store make an easy tablecloth (even the edges are hemmed) and your flowers for the garden can be used as a centerpiece.