party food Archives - My Capital Plate

A high tea baby shower

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on October 18, 2015 | 2 Comments

I think it was only a matter of minutes after my brother and his fiancé shared their wonderful news that they were having a baby – before I asked whether I could throw them a baby shower. For welcoming my own two girls into the world has shown me just how magical babies are, and how much joy and happiness this newest addition will inevitably bring to the whole family.

After finding out they are having a little boy, and that K will soon be inundated with all things trucks, trains and football, I couldn’t resist making the baby shower as girly as possible. An afternoon tea with lots of dainty nibbles, lace and roses. Yes that was the theme of the day.

So a few weekends ago, it was go-time. We cleared out the lounge-room and created an impromptu cafe. Tables were set, food was prepared and the camera was at the ready.

The food

Being an afternoon tea, we didn’t go too overboard with food. We filled tiered stands with chocolates, macarons, lemon tarts, scones, sandwiches and quiches (not pictured).

We made the scones and the tarts, but ‘cheated’ and purchased the other items. To drink there was a selection of tea, mineral water and champagne.

The games

I wanted to steer clear of some of the regular baby shower games, so went with a few new ones instead. The first being a ‘pass the parcel’ game, which was a great ice-breaker.

We also ran a ‘what’s in your purse’ tally along with and old favourite – ‘guess the lollies in the jar’.

My favourite game of the day was ‘play-doh’ babies – when each guest was asked to model a baby out of play-doh and the mum-to-be chose a winner.

There were so many creative entries – although a certain 3.5 year old was less than impressed when she did not win….

The favours

My mum had the great idea to order cupcakes instead of a large cake, so that each guest could take one home. The wonderful Sarah at My Little Cake Dream created these beautiful white chocolate cupcakes, that we displayed with pride on the present table.

I also separately ordered white boxes, which proved to be the perfect carrier for guests to take a cupcake (or two) home when they left.

And as for the bub, well we had one final gift. Each guest completed a ‘wishes for baby card’ which will hopefully be something nice for him to look back on over the years.

Overall, the mum-to-be was absolutely radiant, and it was a delight to share the occasion with her and her family and friends.

The details…

Cupcakes from My Little Cake Dream
Macarons from Frankie’s Patisserie
Furniture / crockery and glassware hired from ACE Party Hire
Cupcake boxes from Flavour Box
Games from Notable Affairs
Wish cards from TracyAnn Printables

Father’s Day 2015

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on September 8, 2015 | 2 Comments

This year, like most years, we celebrated Father’s Day with a little international flair. We’ve previously had Chinese, and Turkish, but this year it was all things Mexico!

We actually had a ‘linner’ in place of brunch, so that everyone could attend. And we ate, drank and chatted into the early evening.

We served a variety of dishes – including slow-cooked pulled pork tacos, coleslaw, salsas and enchiladas.

While to drink, there were a few options on offer. From Mexican beers, to mango margaritas and Mexican softdrinks.

I had a lot of fun with the vibrant Mexican colours – with this pretty table runner and some potted cacti setting the scene.

Dessert was a little fun too – with our piñata cake revealing a secret sweet surprise inside.

And so our Father’s Day celebrations came to a close for another year. Deliciously filled with family and food (not to mention the extra addition to our family too!)

What about you? How did you celebrate Father’s Day this year?

Our 4th of July Party

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on July 6, 2015 | 6 Comments

It’s no secret that I love cooking. And parties. So when a craving for all-American food struck, and we realised that the 4th of July fell on a Saturday, well the stars (and stripes!) had aligned for our very own ‘4th of July’ party. We invited a few of our close friends to join the festivities, where the American theme was strong – and food was in abundance.

On the menu? A selection of mains and sides (or ‘entrees’ and sides, if I was in the USA) – many of which I pleased to be able to adapt to be gluten free for one of the guests.

* BBQ beef brisket (that was slow-cooked for most of the day), Southern fried chicken (which was actually oven baked) and ribs. Served with macaroni cheese, blue cheese dip, cornbread muffins (my favourite!), coleslaw, greens and sweet potato casserole. Served communally – with the invitation to ‘help yourselves’.

For dessert, it was all about pie. A key lime pie (GF) and a rather rustic pecan pie (not GF – just loaded with sugar!) – to be precise.

To drink we served a selection of American beer, wine and soft drink (found at a new USA confectionary store that has opened).

And, well I couldn’t resist adding some blue, red and white to our house itself – for that extra party feel.

(blue food dye = blue water!) Kid’s table included!

Overall – we had a grand time – feasting our way through the evening – and catching up with friends over a beer or two. I think everyone went home with full bellies, and I know Miss C was well and truly in a sugar-coma by the end.

A fun evening all round! What about you? What is your favourite American dish?

An ‘enchanted forest’ 3rd Birthday Party

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on March 11, 2015 | 8 Comments

Somehow, just somehow, our little girl turns 3 today.

Clichéd as it may sound, it seems like it was only yesterday that we welcomed her into the world. Yet here we now are – 3 years later – with a spirited and adventurous daughter who make us laugh every single day.

For months now, Charlotte has been telling me that she wants a ‘Ben and Holly’ party. So I ran with the fairy and elf theme, and before long we had ourselves quite the ‘enchanted forest’ soiree.

Despite all appearances, we kept the food relatively simple (and appropriately sugar-laden!).

The gorgeous toadstool cupcakes were courtesy of Little Miss Cupcake (my fondant skills still being in their ‘developmental phase’) while most of the other goodies (jelly, fairy bread etc) could be made in advance…

As for the cake – well I must admit that I cheated a little. While I made the green ‘grassy’ base using chocolate cake and fondant – the castle itself was actually a cardboard cutout!

The little Miss was still super excited when she saw the finished product – so I’m calling it a mama win – cheats and all!

Fortunately we were also blessed with a beautiful sunny day – meaning we could set up the backyard for the kids to run amok.

The little toadstool set was hired from a local party company – while Mr BBB got creative and adapted a regular trestle table into “kids” size (we figured we’ve got plenty more kids parties ahead of us!!). As for entertainment, we had a lovely fairy entertainer drop by and read stories, play games and ‘glitter-fy’ the kids. The trampoline was also a hit, as always, and there was no shortage of snacks and dressups.

Overall – it was so very wonderful to celebrate this milestone with our nearest and dearest. For decorations and cakes aside, it was having all her family together that really brought a smile to the birthday girl’s face!

Wishing you a very happy 3rd Birthday my beautiful girl. May the year ahead be filled with wonder and adventure! — Oh – and just because I can’t help but take a trip down memory lane…

Where did our baby girl go???

Chocolate mousse ‘muddy puddles’

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on March 19, 2014

Truthfully, I’ve been a little flat since my family headed back to Melbourne on Monday. Work has been a tad crazy – I missed a couple workouts – and I’ve generally felt rather ‘blah’. But in an attempt to snap out of it – Charlotte and I have been looking back at all the photos taken during last weekend – and laughing at a couple along the way… Segway anyone? Another photo that caught my attention was of these yummy little chocolate mousses we put together for C’s party. And while I am normally a huge fan of mousse in its original form, these were really easy and convenient – and contained no raw egg (which I know some people dislike). Simply – chocolate, custard !?) and cream – resulting in a mousse that tasted somewhat like chocolate yogo (remember those!?) but were still delightfully rich and creamy. You can find the recipe here. Thanks to Easter and the early injection of chocolates into the supermarkets – I topped the mousses simply with a lindt chocolate carrot. And I’m thinking our fellow party goers were also chocolate mousse fans – as there was not a single one left by the end! Shame really, for I have no doubt a little chocolate fix would be just perfect right now… What about you? Are you a fan of chocolate mousse?

A farmyard 2nd birthday party

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on March 18, 2014 | 3 Comments

Well what a wonderful weekend that just was. One that was filled to the brim with family, friends and a llama….

Say what?! For when Miss C’s love of animals became apparent a little while ago – so did the theme for her 2nd birthday party.

A farmyard frolic!

As always, I had so much fun planning and preparing for this special occasion. Some things I purchased, some were handmade, and some were a combination of both. Pinterest became my best friend, and it wasn’t too long before the theme really began to take shape.

(Idea taken from here).

With pink gingham as my colour inspiration, I couldn’t resist creating a dessert table with farmyard inspired treats…

Including fruit and jelly cups, chocolate mousse ‘muddy puddles’, trail mix ‘chicken feed’, pretzel ‘ropes’ and a beetroot dip and‘veggie patch’. And as for the all important cake – well this was a prime example of how homemade + store-bought can often work well together.

For while I made the actual mud cake, and (with the assistance of my niece) managed to apply the green fondant and fence posts – the adorable animal toppers and plaque were purchased from here.

As were the cute cupcake toppers that I placed onto mini muffins.

And while the cake was certainly a little rustic in parts – at least the bits that we made – Miss C seemed thrilled and even managed to blow out her own candles!

For beverages we served a fruit punch, made simply with tropical juice, ginger-ale, fruit and lemonade.

Along with the other usual suspects….champagne, beer, soft drinks and “moo juice” for the kiddies. And as for the goodie bags, well these were simply brown paper bags, finished with some gingham ribbon and a handmade thankyou note card. Filled with lollies and toys – and an advance apology to the parents for any lolly-bag induced sugar highs.

And not even a last minute sign painting fail could dampen our spirits, particularly when the stars of the party arrived shortly thereafter. For what farmyard party would be complete without the animals? Lambs, chickens, baby goats and even …

Hamish the llama!! Not to mention Mamma rabbit and her two week old babies!

Needless to say – the kids (and adults, for that matter) had a lot of fun patting and playing with these beautiful and gentle creatures throughout the afternoon – when our normally boring backyard was transferred into a farm for the day!

It was so very wonderful to have our house filled with the laughter and squeals of 11 little kiddies – as they frolicked with the animals, painted and jumped to their hearts content on the trampoline.

And as for the birthday girl, well she didn’t rest for a moment. Between stealing chippies, blowing bubbles and ripping open presents…. well I think she was in her element the whole time.

(Her gorgeous skirt + hair bows came courtesy of an ever-talented friend….) Needless to say, the birthday girl didn’t need much encouragement to go to sleep when it came to bed time that evening (nor did I)!

Overall – it was a fun day – and one that I hope C and her little guests enjoyed. I still can’t quite believe she is two. For it feels like only yesterday that we had her Cheeky Monkey 1st Birthday Party!

Goats cheese, prosciutto and pear bruschetta

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on February 18, 2014 | 2 Comments

The fun didn’t end when we crossed the finish line of the Color Run on Sunday. No, after a much needed shower to de-colour and warm up – we headed straight out to a post-run / birthday party – where the cocktails were flowing. Knowing that I would have little time to prepare a dish to contribute, I went in search of something savoury that wasn’t too difficult, and could be prepared relatively quickly. And I’m pleased to report that this goats cheese, prosciutto and pear “bruschetta” worked just beautifully. I bought some thinly sliced Italian bread, that I drizzled with oil and then toasted in the oven for 3 or 4 minutes. Topped with goats cheese (to which I had added a splash of milk to aid with spreading), sliced pear, prosciutto and a few sprigs of fresh oregano. Then right before serving, I added a little drizzle of caramelised onion balsamic vinegar, and our party platter was complete! Definitely a “bring a plate” that I will be making again! What about you? Have a favourite bruschetta topping?

Burgers & BBQs

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on January 29, 2014 | 4 Comments

I mentioned it yesterday, but part of our long weekend was taken up with an afternoon BBQ. For Mr BBB’s birthday just happened to fall on a public holiday, and perfect Summer weather was forecast. So we couldn’t resist having some family and friends around to enjoy a few drinks, some delicious food, and a relaxing afternoon in the Sun. Rather than a traditional BBQ, we decided to hold a little “build your own burger” party. I made some homemade patties (ground topside, onion, dijon mustard, garlic powder and S&P), and while Mr BBB got to grilling – I set out the rest of the ingredients – a selection of rolls, grilled onion, bacon, cheeses, salads, beetroot, pineapple, tomato, lettuce and pickles. We also had a range of salads – potato salad, mango and avocado – and a lovely little tahini coleslaw that I pulled together (recipe to come). And let’s not forget the all-important condiments! I must have been so busy eating, that I didn’t even get a picture of my burger creation – although Charlotte certainly wolfed hers down with gusto! As for dessert – I cheated and bought a sachertorte from our local patisserie (unpictured) – but decided last minute to make a lighter option too. And nothing says Summer better than a big bowl of fruit salad! Layered and dressed simply with some lime zest, juice and a drizzle of honey. Overall, we had a lovely time with our nearest and dearest, and spent the afternoon (and evening!)enjoying this beautiful season that is Summer. Boy how I am not looking forward to Winter! What about you? How did you spend this recent long weekend? PS – Entries close soon for my recent giveaway! Don’t forget to enter here.

Bring a plate #1

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on December 11, 2013 | 5 Comments

Parties with friends, more than often, leads to that age-old request to “bring a plate”. Something to nibble on – perhaps a starter or even a sweet treat to end the evening. This last weekend, was no different. A cocktail party for some recent birthdays, where good food and good company is never in short supply. And my “bring a plate” was pretty straight forward, but possibly one of my favourites. A lovely little antipasto platter – using the best ingredients I could find at the markets. Savoury, no need to heat, and can be prepared in advance = winner! From left to right…. garlic and herb cheese log, sourdough breadsticks, pastrami, truffle salami (!!), smoked prosciutto, gherkins, marinated feta and some kalamata olives. The ‘hit’ at the party was definitely the truffle salami, which is no surprise because its pretty damn good As for me, I will always be a cheese girl, so tucked into the garlic and herb cheese log without hesitation. Definitely a winner when it comes to bringing a plate – all thanks to our local market! What about you? Any savoury ‘bring a plate’ ideas?

Yum Cha Brunch – the details

By Lisa @ My Capital Plate on September 4, 2013 | 5 Comments

If there is one meal that I love to share with friends and family, it would have to be yum cha. A meal of “entrees”, served en-masse and served communally.

So this year for Father’s Day, I wanted to create a Yum Cha brunch of our very own at home. Partly because Charlotte’s lunch time nap can make it difficult to eat out, and partly because I had some tasty recipes that I wanted to try.

The food

For the meal itself, we went with a collection of dishes. Some, like the pork and chicken that I could marinate in advance and then bake just before serving…

(Recipes here and here).

And others like pork buns, dumplings, spring rolls (purchased frozen) and greens, that required a bit of time-management to get them all heated and on the table at once.

But somehow it all came together, and we managed to get everything on the table at once. Then the feast began!

The drink

What Yum Cha meal would be complete without tea? And copious amounts of it.

I found some Green tea with jasmine that tasted just delightful – and we were sure to re-fill this little teapot on many occasions throughout the brunch. Oh but let’s not forget the other ‘adult’. beverages Chinese beer – in the cutest beer bottles I ever did see!

The added bonus being that they tasted pretty good too.

The dessert

Not being the biggest fan of Asian desserts, I went with a more European end to our brunch. Profiteroles!

Filled with crème patisserie, and dipped in dark chocolate…

A delicious, albeit a not-so-traditional, end to our yum cha brunch.

(Recipe to come)

The scene

Perhaps not quite the same as our local yum cha haunt, where the food is fast paced, the tablecloths are plastic and the waitresses are more on the ‘pushy’ side than pleasant, I went with a simpler theme. Chopsticks (of course!) and lovely little bowls and plates that I picked up at the local Asian grocer.

Not strictly necessary…no. But I am always on the lookout for new pretty bowls

Finished with a freak out for my employer if this fortune cookie insight comes true…

Or perhaps it was just a hint that I should open a yum cha restaurant lol.

What about you? Are you a fan of yum cha?