Party Prep: Nutcracker Christmas Tea Party | Bigelow Tea

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MeAndMyTea #CollectiveBias

Christmas is only 10 days away, and that means that celebrations are in full swing -- from traditional Christmas parties to Cookie Exchanges to "Ugly Christmas Sweater" Parties. Though I'm usually all about a laid back entertaining style, the holidays make me want to get gussied up and set out the pretty china to make guests feel extra special.

Since my life is surrounded by snips and snails and puppy dog tails as a "boy mom" these days, I was craving something dainty for my Christmas celebration. And nothings says "pinkies up and pearls on" like a gorgeous tea party with a Nutcracker Ballet theme!

The Nutcracker has always been one of my favorite Christmastime traditions. I danced in it as a kid and have seen it performed many times throughout the years. Even when I haven't been able to attend in person, I've played Tchaikovsky's captivating music while I bake, wrap and decorate to get me in the Christmas spirit!

So, this year, with a little help from Bigelow Tea and a few visits to some of my favorite home decor stores {let's face it, I should just set up a cot and move in!}, I upped my party game and set up a magical Christmas tea featuring the enchanting wooden figurine we all know and love.

This tea party was all about the tea! From using Bigelow's beautifully packaged teas as a part of the decor to sipping some of their delightful seasonal flavors and even incorporating the tea into the beautiful bites, Bigelow was the star of the spread. {The tea matching the color scheme was a complete coincidence!}

Though putting on a themed tea party may seem like a daunting task, it doesn't have to be difficult! Follow these tips and your tea party will be as good as planned.

1. Make a guest list. A party is nothing without partygoers! Try to think of those who would enjoy a little fanciness and frills.

2. Skip the stamps and send a beautiful e-vite! No one loves luxe paper goods more than I do, but you will regret stepping into a post office or having another postage expense during this time of year! There are amazing options you can send with the click of a button from the comfort of your home computer or even phone! I loved these from Paperless Post:

3. Create a menu. We already know that tea is the star of the tea party, but Bigelow has tons of flavor options from their signature "Constant Comment" blend to their seasonal flavors like Salted Caramel and festive options like Peppermint or Cinnamon! Pick a few to go with your theme, then think of bites that would pair well with your selections.

I picked up a few boxes of Bigelow from my local Walmart {after much debating... so many choices!}, and then came up with the following menu:

Menu

Bigelow Tea Assortment

Constant Comment, Salted Caramel, Peppermint

Christmas Tea Sandwiches

Classic Cucumber, Green Olive-Pimento Spread

Christmas Tree Cheese Tray

Salted Caramel Tea Pots de Creme

Peppermint Tea Bag Sugar Cookies

Assorted Chocolates & Small Pastries

Here's an "pro" party planning tip: Give yourself less work to do by choosing make-ahead bites {like sugar cookies and pots de creme}. Better yet, make one or two things to whip up yourself and buy the rest of the goodies from a local bakery or cafe! They'll have lovely ready-to-go options that you can pick up and serve without breaking a sweat. Done and done.

4. Set out the good stuff! Dust off that pretty china and that ceramic teapot you have swaddled in three layers of bubble wrap. Choose festive linens, exquisite chargers {yep, this is the time for those things you think you'll never use!} and, most importantly, tasteful teacups! Never registered for those fancy dishes? You can find inexpensive but elegant pieces at stores like Homegoods or TJ Maxx. Your table will look like a million bucks, but your bank account won't feel like it spent it! 

5. Get creative. Details are what set apart the good parties from the great ones, in my opinion. Since I'm into crafty things, I like to DIY some of the decor to add a special, personalized touch. Not into hot glue and paint? No problem! Crafts don't have to be complex. Something as simple as giving your silverware a ballerina "tutu" {just a cupcake liner and some ribbon} or making "Tea Trees" {scroll to the bottom of this post for a quick photo tutorial} takes little to no time for those of use who run short on patience for artsy projects!

For this party, I also used mini Nutcracker ornaments at each place setting and also found Christmas Crackers/Party Poppers to give as party favors.

Your food can also reflect your theme with just a few creative twists! I made cut-out sugar cookies that look like tea bags and turned a simple cheese tray into Drosselmeyer's growing Christmas tree with some creative arranging and edible embellishments. Christmas cookie cutters transform even ordinary tea sandwiches into whimsical treats. 

See? Simple details can go a long way to reinforce a theme, and you don't have to go bonkers with time-consuming touches... Unless, of course, you're the type that doesn't mind going a little overboard every once in a while! ;)

I'll be sharing my Bigelow Peppermint Tea-Infused Cut-Out Sugar Cookie recipe later this week, but before you head off to plan your own tea party, make sure you check out the recipe for these Salted Caramel Tea Pots de Creme! 

These rich, creamy custards are infused with Bigelow's wonderful Salted Caramel Tea and have a sweet surprise at the bottom!

If you're looking for a party theme that's "steeped in tradition" this year, give this playful tea party your own spin and watch guests sip their way into the Christmas spirit!

What theme would you choose for your Christmas Tea Party?

Salted Caramel Pots de Creme 

Adapted from Martha Stewart 

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup half and half or whole milk

3 Bigelow Salted Caramel Tea Bags

4 egg yolks

Scant half cup sugar 

1 tablespoon jarred salted caramel sauce, plus extra for each ramekin

Pinch of salt

1. Prepare four 4 inch ramekins {or smaller ramekins if you have them!} by filling each with about a teaspoon or two of salted caramel sauce. Place the ramekins in a square or rectangular cake pan -- this will be filled with boiling water before baking, so make sure they fit well but also have enough space to allow for the water to be poured into the pan. Set aside.

2. Heat the cream and half and half until just simmering {either in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove top}; add tea bags and allow to steep for 15-20 minutes. 

3. Preaheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl {or to make it easy to pour, in a large liquid measuring cup with a spout}, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, caramel sauce and salt. 

4. Remove the tea bags from the cream mixture and discard. Heat the mixture to simmering once again. 

5. Pour a small amount of the hot liquid into the egg mixture and whisk vigorously. Continue to whisk in the liquid a bit at a time, until it is fully incorporated.

6. Place the cake pan holding the ramekins in the oven with the oven rack pulled out slightly. Divide the custard mixture evenly between the ramekins, pouring carefully so that the caramel at the bottom of the ramekin is undisturbed. Carefully pour enough boiling water to come about half way up the sides of the ramekins into the pan, making sure not to splash the hot water into the custards.*

7. Cover the entire pan with a piece of foil and create a few slits so that the steam can escape. Bake about 30-40 minutes or until the custards are mostly set -- they will jiggle in the center slightly, but should not slosh around. If they do, they're not ready just yet.

8. Remove ramekins from the pan carefully and allow to cool for about 30 minutes before refrigerating and chilling for at least 2 hours. {They will become more firm after they're chilled.}

*This is just the method I use to avoid having to move a pan full of various liquids any distance. If you have confidence in your ability to move a pan of boiling hot liquid, feel free to fill it while it's still on the counter top!}

How to Make a "Christmas Tea Tree"

1. Gather materials. You'll need a Styrofoam cone, pearl headed pins, about 18 Bigelow tea bags in their foil packet, a toothpick and a chocolate truffle {or any other "topper" that can be pierced with a toothpick.}

2. Beginning at the very bottom of the cone, carefully pin tea bags into place with pearl headed pins.

3. Continue pinning all the way around the cone, overlapping each bag slightly. I had a small cone and it took about 6 tea bags to cover the whole way around the bottom.

4. Repeat the same steps one tier up, make sure to slightly overlap the next layer over the bottom bags. This layer should take about 5 bags.

5. For the third tier up {which should only take about 4 bags, you may need to use some extra pins to secure the tea bags to the cone since the cone will be getting smaller as you get to the top.

6. When you reach the top {you'll need about 3 bags}, secure the tea bags to the cone by pinning all the way around so there are no gaps.

7. Insert a toothpic into the top of the tree.

8. Slide chocolate truffle or topper decoration onto the toothpick, pressing down to pierce the bottom slightly and adhere it to the top.

That's it! You made a beautiful tree and you didn't swear once! {Hopefully!}

Pumpkin Crackers

Every Friday morning, Cole and I head to Trader Joe's and do our grocery shopping for the following week. It has become such a part of our routine that the store employees recognize him and ask where he is if I ever pop in without him.

Now that the novelty of shopping at the uber-popular retailer has worn off {our location opened a little over a year ago}, it's become a lot easier to shop without distraction. I see you, Cookie Butter... but we've only got room for fruits and veggies in this basket.

I do, however, enjoy browsing the aisles for TJ's seasonal items because they often have creative twists on ordinary foods that inspire me to make my own spin-offs in the kitchen.

Now that we're halfway through October, shelves are filled with all sorts of pumpkin-filled treats. {For the record, the Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes are the only item that have managed to sneak into my shopping cart. They were good.} From Pumpkin O's cereal to pumpkin bagels to pumpkin soup... the most popular gourd of the season is in no short supply at TJ's.

When I spied their Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps last week, I felt inclined to try my hand at homemade crackers.{Naturally.} The only time I ever think to buy crackers is when I'm entertaining because they go well with spreads and cheeses and round out a party tray nicely. Plus, crackers and bread = my husband's kryptonite, so I try not to have them readily available to keep temptation at bay. Even though I probably wont make homemade crackers very often, I figured it's still a nice skill to have under my belt.

Three ingredients, no funny stuff, and way cheaper than those fancy "artisanal" crackers that come 5 to a package... I couldn't think of a reason why I shouldn't give it a try.

These really couldn't be simpler to make. Just toss flour, pumpkin and water in a mixer to whip up a simple dough, then roll, roll, roll those babies super-duper thin {and engage your core while you're at it for a quick "ab roller" style work out}, then bake until brown and crisp.

Voila. Seasonal crackers. {Admittedly, they really don't taste much like pumpkin, but do get that nice orange hue for some fall flair.}

I kept mine pretty plain -- just a sprinkle of sea salt on top -- but you could get creative and add fresh herbs to the mixture or sprinkle some seeds on top if you really want to jazz them up. And if you want to get really cute, punch out some shapes with a cookie cutter to drive the pumpkin point home.

Pumpkin perfection without any risk of falling into TJ's clever end cap snares! Sounds like a deal to me.

Pumpkin Crackers

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt {plus extra for sprinkling}
3 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
About 4 tablespoons water*

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking pan by lining with parchment paper, or simply use a pizza stone. Let the pan or stone heat up with the oven.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, salt and pumpkin puree. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until a firm dough forms -- you don't want it to be too wet or sticky, so adding water slowly and watching for the desired consistency will help ensure that you don't add too much liquid.

3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead it a few times until slightly elastic, shaping it into a ball. Set it aside and let it rest for about 20 minutes.

4. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece out as thin as possible using a rolling pin -- you want it to be as thin as you can get it so they bake up nice and crisp. Give it some elbow grease & work those abs, then you won't feel as bad as eating a few extra crackers. {If desired, cut out pumpkin shapes using a cookie cutter or a pizza cutter, or simply roll out into one thin, "artisanal-looking" piece.} Repeat with remaining dough.

5. Optional: Spray dough with a little olive oil {I just use my Misto} or non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle with desired seasonings like salt or sesame seeds.

6. Place rolled dough onto hot baking pan or pizza stone and bake for about 8-10 minutes or until they are browned and crisp.

Remove from oven and allow to cool -- they'll crisp up a little more. Once cooled, break large pieces into smaller shapes. Serve with spreads, cheese or dips.

Loaded Chicken "NOTchos"

 

I've noticed that over the past few years that more and more friends have redefined their diets in an attempt to live healthier lives. While that's a big "yay!" it can make it interesting to entertain and feed everyone things that fit into their food lifestyle. Vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy intolerant, Paleo, Whole 30 or just "health conscious"... there's always something to consider when preparing dishes for friends.

It can be tricky when your goal is to serve something that the masses will enjoy all while "keeping it clean." Luckily, I'm always up for the challenge!

Many of you will be throwing or attending Super Bowl parties this weekend and you may be finalizing your menus and grocery lists and finding yourself in the same food-prep predicament. Before you write "tortilla chips" on that little piece of paper, consider this: Chip-less nachos.

Or, as I like to call them, "NOTchos." Because they're NOT what you're used to. They're better {for you}!

Who doesn't love a platter piled high with crispy tortilla chips, gooey cheese and all those hearty toppings while they're watching some football? {My husband, that's who. Not a fan of nachos. But we already knew he was weird -- the man hates chocolate.}

The problem is, when you serve up a mountain of naughty nachos to friends who are trying to keep things healthy, not only will you get the stink-eye, but you'll also end up eating most of them on your own. Not good.

These "not-chos" are the perfect solution! A game day favorite, healthied up by using crisp, fresh peppers as the vehicle for all the stuff you want to shove in your face. So smart, right?!

Topped with shredded chicken, black beans and all kinds of good stuff, you won't even think about the fact that you're not eating traditional nachos. I swapped out the sour cream for thick, Greek yogurt and used just a tiny sprinkle of cheese for decadence. The black olives and pickled jalapenos give these a briny zing to keep it interesting.

These are totally customizable and can be made to fit in to any specific diet preference. Leave out the yogurt and cheese for non-dairy eaters. Sub out the chicken for shredded lettuce or chunky salsa for veg-heads. The rest is totally up to you! There's no wrong way to pile on the goodness.

Your game day will be guiltless, and your friends? They may never leave. Serve with caution. ;)

Loaded Chicken "NOTchos"

This recipe is more of a suggestion as you can top these with whatever you'd like! Each pepper makes 8 "NOTchos", so plan accordingly & adjust the topping amounts to suit your serving size.

2-3 red peppers, sliced in half, seeded and diced
Shredded chicken
Black beans
Mexican shredded cheese blend
Plain Greek yogurt
Pickled jalapenos
Sliced black olives

1. Cut red pepper halves in quarters to form 8 little pepper cups. Place on a foil-lined baking pan.

2. Top pepper pieces with a mound of shredded chicken and a scoop of black beans. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Place in the oven under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. {Keep an eye on them, I tend to forget when things are under the broiler!}

4. Remove from oven and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt, pickled jalapenos and black olives.

Enjoy without guilt!

How to Host a Chocolate & Wine Pairing Party | Lindt Chocolate + J. Lohr Wines

I have had a little love affair with Lindt Chocolate for quite some time. I can't tell you when it first began, but I can tell you that it probably started the first time I bit into one of their Lindor Truffles. If you haven't ever had one, run, don't walk to any place that sells them and remedy that problem immediately.

The truffles aren't the only things I've come to cherish from Lindt. I started buying their Lindt Excellence 70% Cocoa bars for baking. Except, most of the "baking chocolate supply" never actually made it into baked goods, and the majority made it straight into my belly as an after dinner treat. It's hard to resist.

So, you can imagine that when the opportunity was presented to me to work with Lindt, it was with great enthusiasm that I accepted. But guess what? They wanted to know if I would host a wine pairing party to showcase their yummy Lindt Excellence bars and their buddies J. Lohr Wines.  And, of course, I've traded wine for prenatal vitamins these days, so -- while the idea sounded fabulous -- I needed some assistance.

Luckily, I have amazing friends who are willing to sacrifice a few precious hours to help me with the task I couldn't fully undertake myself in my current state. I mean, I know it's a lot to ask for them to drop everything and come over to eat chocolate and sip wine, but they still found the time and were even pretty nice about it. It's all about sacrifices. ;)

So, I put together a fairly simple little ladies night with a few fun touches here and there.

It's so easy to host a pairing party of your own! Here are some tips on how to set up a great pairing event:

1. Invite awesome people. The company really makes a difference! Try to invite folks who are willing to try new flavors and who, of course, enjoy chocolate and wine. {And reevaluate friendships with anyone who doesn't. Kidding. Sort of.} I used Paperless Post free online invites to let everyone know about the party.

They're the cutest!

2. Create a menu. The best thing about hosting a chocolate & wine pairing party is that you've already got the stars of the menu settled. But you want to make sure to give your guests something else to nibble on so they're not on a drunken sugar high at the end of the night. Simple, complementary bites like cheese, crackers, bread and a few dips or spreads can easily do the trick to round out your menu.

Here's what I came up with:

Mini Cheese Board

featuring New Zealander, Creamy Havarti & Blue Cheese

Crackers with Spread Trio

Kalamata Olive Tapenade, Caramelized Onion Spread

Ricotta-Pesto Cheese Spread
Served with Assorted Crackers & Almonds

Broccoli & Ham Phyllo Cups

Peach, Feta & Arugula Puff Pastry Bites

3. Decorate & set the scene! For decor, I picked up a few things at Michael's -- kraft paper gift bags, chalkboard tags & name clips, decorative paper napkins, an ampersand -- and also used a lot of things I already had a home. {Like old wine corks & candles and even my chenille throw from college to double as a tablecloth. Be resourceful!} I set the table with appetizer plates, Riedel glasses and Pairing Party placemats and I was pretty pleased with the result! {Now, to get myself a real dining room table that seats more than 4 at a time...} I also had relaxing jazzy and big band era tunes playing in the background to give some atmosphere.

4. Make it fun. Sometimes fine products like good chocolate and wine have the tendency to make people get all snobby and use big words and fancy terminology, but it doesn't have to be that way! {Unless you want it to be.} Pairing parties are about sending your palate on a tasting adventure and discovering flavors you enjoy and foods that elevate them to a new level. I loved that the Lindt tasting cards told us exactly how to experience the chocolate, but that we made it fun and casual! Lots of laughs and lots of chatter.

5. Sip & Savor.  There's actually a method and a proper way to experience a pairing to get the maximum flavor experience, believe it or not {if you can keep yourself from devouring all the chocolate immediately}. Here's how it's done:

Click on the image to enlarge.

Following the suggested order {progressing from whites to reds} is the ideal way to move through your pairing. Provide water and bread or unsalted crackers for guests to cleanse their palates between tastings.

Side Note: The crowd favorite was the Lindt Excellence A Touch of Sea Salt chocolate paired J. Lohr Estates Falcon's Perch Pinot Noir. Everyone went nuts over the Lindt Excellence Pineapple chocolates as well... so good! I'm a big fan of the Intense Orange, but not everyone is into orange chocolate. More for me!

I was definitely bummed that the baby bump restricted me from fully participating. {Though it did not stop me from deeply inhaling the aroma of each wine. Yum.} But luckily, just because I couldn't indulge in the wine portion of the party didn't mean that had to abstain from the fun. Chocolate happens to pair perfectly with tea and coffee, too! No one should ever have to sit out from a party that revolves around chocolate -- especially not a pregnant gal. If you're more a tea drinker than a wine lover, or if you're taking a break from alcoholic beverages, you can try out these tea pairing suggestions!

I had so much fun with this tasting and I think my guests did, too! Everyone left with a little Lindt chocolate goody bag and a big smile on their face.

And now I'm about to put a big smile on your face, too: Lindt Chocolate wants to give you the chance to host your own tasting... or indulge in some chocolates all by yourself! They're giving away this amazing gift box of assorted Excellence chocolates to one very lucky reader, and all you have to do is enter below using the Rafflecopter widget provided. Woohoo! I'll be randomly selecting a winner on Monday, September 1!

Disclosure: This post & party was sponsored by Lindt Chocolate. I was compensated for this post and received chocolate, wine and wine glasses for the party. As always, all opinions seen here are my own!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tin Foil Shrimp Boil!

Has summer arrived where you live?

It's here in South Florida. How do we know when it makes its appearance here in the Sunshine State?

There are a few tell-tale signs:

- The namesake "sunshine" disappears every afternoon like clockwork and is replaced with sudden rainstorms and torrential downpours instead. Magically, they only happen when you're far from cover and forgot your umbrella.

- Your perfectly straightened hair is curly within 3 minutes of stepping out the door.

- All pools within a 10 mile radius are filled to the brim with groups of extremely wound-up children. {And a thin, oily film from sunscreen & tanning oil. BLEH.}

- You can walk in to restaurants that would usually overflowing at other times of the year. Expensive hotels begin to offer ridiculously cheap special rates.

- Walking outside immediately reminds you of a sauna... without the benefit of being able to shed your clothes.

- Jeans = NO.

- The mere suggestion of a potential storm sends people into a tizzy and clears store shelves of bottled water, batteries, and candles in an instant.

Ahh.... Florida summers. ;)

Sure it's hot, and sticky, and you barely want to move without the promise of a cold rum drink being at your desired destination...but we still love it. {Though we can't wait until it's over just as quickly as it's here.}

I love the thought of cookouts and summer gatherings, especially when the recipes are low-effort crowd pleasers like this fun version of an old fashioned Shrimp Boil.

The first time Steve & I ever had anything like a shrimp boil was during college football season when we were tailgating with friends in Louisiana. They had a giant pot cooking with all kinds of seafood goodies. And we were in love with the idea.

We attempted having our own shrimp boil a few years later during one of our tailgates, but found that our equipment was lacking... we were barely able to get a "Shrimp Simmer" let alone a "Shrimp Boil" with our puny grill. Wah, wah, waaaaah.

Had I given it some thought, I would have traded in that giant pot for these convenient little foil packets! I recently made these in the oven at home {I know it's hot, but that's what air conditioning is for folks!}, but you could definitely throw them on the grill just as easily for an outdoor party. The best part is that you can make these ahead and have them ready to go once your guests arrive.

I'm all for anything that makes for less work on a hot summer day... I'm saving my energy for muddling mojitos! ;)

Tin Foil Shrimp Boil

4 small pieces of corn, either fresh or frozen*
4 small red potatoes, quartered
4 pre-cooked all natural chicken sausage links, cut into chunks {I use  Casual Gourmet brand}
32 pieces of uncooked shrimp {peeled if you'd like, but isn't necessary}
Olive Oil
Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 cup white wine {divided} - or beer, or chicken broth as alternative
Lemon Wedges for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In the center of a 12x17 inch piece of foil, place corn, potatoes, sausage pieces, and shrimp.

3. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and liberally sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning.

4. Fold the foil over the contents, then repeat on the other side, lifting and sealing one of the sides tightly. Leave the other side unsealed and pour about 1 tablespoon of white wine into the packet. Seal tightly and place on a sheet pan. Repeat with the other 3 packets.

5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Carefully {the steam will be hot!} unfold one packet to check potatoes for doneness.

6. Serve in packets with a lemon wedge.

*I cooked the frozen corn beforehand by boiling until tender.

Race Day Pie

Well, you guys, today's my last day to prep for tomorrow's big Derby celebration.

I've been trying to stick to my party planning timeline all week in an effort to avoid a major meltdown at the 11th hour, but you know how it goes... something always comes up last minute!

So, I guess that plan is not to expect to stick with the plan.

{I'm learning to be a little more flexible.}

Anyway, I've been working my way through the menu this week, starting to chop, assemble, and make anything that I can do ahead of time so that I can have fun with everyone else on Saturday. It's taken me many, many parties, events, and gatherings to learn how to plan things out so that this is possible. I can't tell you how many times I've wound up in the kitchen during an entire party, which makes for a very sad hostess & very neglected guests.

This time around, I've made things ahead and have a good mixture of items that can be served cold or at room temp to balance out those that need to be baked or heated through the day of.

Life would be much easier with a double oven, I'm not gonna lie. But we'll make do with what we've got!

I can't keep it to myself anymore... I've got to share my Southern inspired menu for Derby Day. The rest of the details will just have to stay under wraps until after the party. {Rats.}

Kentucky Derby Menu

Beverages

 Mint Juleps

Classic, Blackberry-Mint, Grapefruit-Honey, & Peach-Basil

Oaks Lily Cocktail

Governor's Mansion Peach Tea Punch

Appetizers

Classic Cheese Straws

Benedictine Dip 

Served with Pumpernickel Toasts

Blue Cheese-Bacon Dip

Served with Crackers & Grapes

Pineapple Julep Fruit Salad

Mains

Chicken & Waffle Bites 

with Horseradish Peach Syrup

Country Ham on Homemade Biscuits 

with Pepper Honey

Sides

Cheese Grits Casserole

Beer Mac & Cheese

Corn on the Cob 

with Chili-Honey Butter

Southern Baked Beans

Blue Cheese Roasted Potato Salad

Dessert

"Derby Pie"
Maple Cupcakes with Maple Caramel Buttercream
topped with Candied Bacon & Candied Pecans

Just about everything is homemade because: A.) I only feed my friends the best. B.) That's just how I roll. and C.) I'm crazy. 

But I'm also really excited. {In case you couldn't tell.} 

I still have lots left to do before "go time" tomorrow... but I guess there's no event more appropriate to race against time. ;) 

Enough yammering on. It's time to get to work & pull together the last details. But before I go, I've got one more thing to share: A recipe for Race Day Pie, a.k.a. "Derby Pie".

Did you know that you can't actually call it "Derby Pie" because it's a registered trademark of Kern's Kitchen? They're famous for the official Pie of the Derby, and they sure take it seriously. Their recipe is super top-secret, and they're very picky about other people claiming to make the real thing. So, out of respect, I'm calling mine "Race Day Pie" ... no need to tick anyone off. ;)

The pie is a delicious blend of chocolate, bourbon, and walnuts, though I've also seen many recipes made with pecans. I stuck to walnuts because that's how Kern's does it, and they're obviously the most official!

It's almost like a chocolate chip-walnut cookie baked in a pie crust with the sweet flavor of bourbon shining through. Nothing wrong with that!

No matter what you call this sweet treat, it's sure to be the ideal ending to Derby day... though winning a few bucks on the race wouldn't hurt, either. ;)

.... And they're off! 

Race Day Pie
Found at The Chattanoogan

1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted & slightly cooled
2 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon {I used Jim Beam, but Early Times is the official Derby bourbon}
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips {I accidentally used milk chocolate, but no harm done!}
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Pie Crust -
I used this recipe, but you can certainly use your favorite or buy a pre-made pie crust. {I won't tell.}

1. Make pie crust. {Or unwrap, if cheating!} Arrange in a pie dish. {At this point, I pierced it a bunch of times with a fork just to make sure it didn't puff during baking. It may not be necessary because there's a filling, but I didn't want to risk it.} Refrigerate until needed. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter, bourbon, and vanilla extract.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until just combined. Gently mix in walnuts and chocolate chips.

5. Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is slightly puffed and lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted into the pie comes out mostly clean. {Not super batter-y.}

6. Cool before slicing.