PARTY THEME: PLAN A GIRLS NIGHT ‘IN’ PAJAMA PARTY!

NEED A BREAK? CALL THE GIRLS FOR A PAJAMA PARTY COMPLETE WITH ALL YOUR FAVORITE GUILTY PLEASURES!

Photography: Arden Ward, Arden Photography

You’ve shuttled the kids, cleaned up after the new puppy, crammed for a test, put up with some real pain in the neck at work, and/or got your heart stomped on yet again. Your whole attitude needs an overhaul. There’s nothing better than a night with the girls to kick back, relax, and talk it over. Instead of going out on the town, why not stay “in” and indulge in all of the guilty pleasures you don’t get to enjoy very often? Junk food favorites, gossip magazines, Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives, and Cosmopolitans were on the agenda for this party but your gang can design your own brand of fun. Cooking, cards, karaoke, or your favorite cheesy romantic comedies can be the cornerstone for your girls night in party. Everyone can wear their pajamas and come ready to relax!  

HOST A GIRLS NIGHT IN PAJAMA PARTY FULL OF GUILTY PLEASURE FUN WITH FAVORITE MOVIES, JUNK FOOD, CANDY, AND COCKTAILS ON THE MENU!

FOOD

Mini Cheeseburgers and Pigs in a Blanket are so easy, you don’t  need a recipe. Nachos are always a hit but cheese or chocolate fondue is even better. Ask everyone to bring their favorite guilty pleasure treat but double check with everyone to make sure you don’t end up with four plates of Rice Krispy treats. 

MAKE A LUSH CANDY DISPLAY OF HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE TREATS PLUS FAVORITE CANDY IN YOUR PARTY COLORS

OLD SCHOOL PIGS IN BLANKETS ARE EASY AND ALWAYS A FAV

SLIDERS ARE SIMPLE TO MAKE OR YOU CAN GET THEM FROM YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT.

FONDUE IS FUN-DO! WHITE AND DARK CHOCOLATE FONDUE IS SIMPLE AND DECADENT. DIP FRUIT, MARSHMALLOWS, OR BITES OF CAKE, ETC

DRINKS

Serve a signature cocktail or drinks that fit the theme for the evening. Since Sex in the City was on the agenda for our party, Cosmopolitans were on the menu. Rim each glass with pink sugar found in the cake icing section for a festive touch. Pre-mix a large pitcher of your signature drink so you don’t have to play bartender all night. That way, you only have to refill the serving pitcher when necessary.

SOMETHING PINK DRINK BAR WITH COSMOS, SPARKLING ROSE,  AND INDIVIDUAL BOTTLES OF ITALIAN SPARKLING SODA

Get my recipe for a classic Cosmopolitan.

DECORATIONS

Put out lots of pillows, throws and comfy blankets so guests can cuddle up on the coach to watch the movie. You don’t have to go to a lot of trouble for decorations, just use the food and drinks to dress up the table. Colorful candies and treats in one color can be used as decorations by displaying them in clear bowls and vases. Lollipop sticks from the craft store make a doughnut or marshmallow sculpture to add height and interest to your table. Grab a bouquet of flowers in your party colors at the grocery and pull it apart to use in assorted vases. For an informal party like this one, use stylish paper plates and napkins to cut down on clean up.

ADDING LOTS OF HEIGHT AND DIFFERENT TEXTURES MAKES ANY BUFFET LOOK BETTER

USING CRAFT STICKS FOR SKEWERS GIVES VISUAL INTEREST AND HELPS GUESTS TAKE ONE EASILY...

I ALWAYS USE MY FOOD AS DECORATIONS WITH A SIMPLE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT LIKE THESE HOT PINK GERBERA DAISIES TO PULL IT TOGETHER

MAKE ANY STORE BOUGHT BOUQUET LOOK EXPENSIVE BY PULLING IT APART AND PUTTING IT IN SOMETHING UNEXPECTED LIKE THIS CANDLE HOLDER

ENTERTAINMENT

In addition to watching your favorite movies, you can easily make and watch your own! Use pictures of your past good times and make your own movie using an app or software. With iMovie, you can even do this on your iPhone or iPad. Add your favorite tunes from back in the day as a soundtrack.

GUILTY PLEASURE FUN: ASK ALL THE GIRLS TO BRING FAVORITE GOSSIP OR FASHION MAGAZINES TO SHARE

Call the gang and treat yourselves to a girls’ night IN party; it’s a chocolate covered attitude adjustment just when you needed it!

RECIPE: LYNNBO’S FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

In the South, sharing recipes is a part of life. I’ve known Lynn about as long as I’ve known anyone, I think. We went to elementary school all the way through high school together. Lynn had the most amazing parties back in the day… she was a big time party-thrower, even as a kid! I cannot hear Sly & the Family Stone to this day without thinking about spend the night parties at her house. I saw a Facebook post where someone was asking Lynn to make this cake for them and they were raving about it… so I asked her to share it with us. It has been a spring tradition for several years now and is the perfect cake to kick of strawberry season!

LYNNBo’s FRESH STRAWBERRY CAKE with STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

INGREDIENTS

1 strawberry cake mix (plus eggs and oil as required by the package)

1 1/2 cups fresh chopped strawberries plus more strawberries for garnish

1/2 cup of unsalted butter (1 stick) softened

12 oz cream cheese, softened

3 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons heavy cream or evaporated milk

1 small box strawberry Jell-o; add this to taste. (I used about half of the box)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 (or to package directions)

Prepare or spray your pans as directed on the package

First, chop up 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries and mash them so they resemble a puree.

Make the cake mix as directed except exchange the mashed strawberries for the water the package directions call for. Pour evenly into the prepared pan (s). Bake as directed or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Lynn recommends using a 9×13 pan but I used two 9″ round pans for mine. Allow them to cool before frosting.

For the frosting:

Cream together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and Jello at medium speed of your mixer. Add the milk and vanilla and mix well.
Garnish with lots of strawberries. Lynn recommends adding them just before serving because there is so much moisture in the strawberries, they will slide all over the cake if you add them too soon. She also recommends to pat the strawberries dry before topping.

Hope you enjoy this one…. perfect for Spring and strawberry season!

RECIPE: MARTIE’S LOWER ALABAMA SHRIMP AND SAUSAGE GUMBO

Like our BBQ sauce, deviled eggs and potato salad recipes, most Southerners living near the Gulf coast will also have a gumbo recipe they claim as the world’s finest. Well, I’ve had some amazing gumbos in my time and I’d put this one up against them. You can make the roux lighter if you like and some people do. I prefer a dark brown, chocolate-y colored roux flavored with layers of bacon, sausage and the Trinity. Gumbo is a great way to feed a lot of people and when you serve it with rice, you can really stretch it even further. Try your own flavors and add hot sauce to your taste. 

MARTIE’S LOWER ALABAMA SHRIMP AND SAUSAGE GUMBO RECIPE

Prep Time: 20 minutes       Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 pounds 26-30 count raw Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound Conecuh brand smoked sausage cut into ½ inch-thick slices (use Andouille or kielbasa if you can’t find Conecuh)

2 tablespoons plus ½ cup vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 medium onions, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 pound fresh okra, cut into 1/4“slices (you can use frozen)

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

7 cups chicken broth (use low sodium)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoon Kosher salt

4 bay leaves

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 cup thinly sliced scallions plus more for garnish 

DIRECTIONS:

In a large cast iron Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook well browned. About 7 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.  Add the shrimp to the drippings and cook until pink, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. 

Keep heat medium high. To make the roux, add the remaining ½ cup oil to the pan and heat until it starts to smoke. Then, whisk in flour, a little at a time. Cook the flour for about 20 minutes, whisking constantly so that it does not burn. The roux should be dark brown. Be patient. If you rush or cook it less, it will result in a lighter roux. 

Next, add the onions, celery, okra, and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Then add the garlic, salt, pepper, white pepper, cayenne, paprika, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves, cooking for about 2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn. Now, slowly whisk in the chicken broth, adding it in a little at a time; cooking until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for about an hour. Add the sausage and shrimp and heat it through. Skim off any excess fat from the surface as it cooks. Fish out the bay leaves and discard before serving. Stir in parsley and scallions. Serve over white rice with hot sauce and more scallions on the side.