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!}

Layered Potato Cake {Pommes Anna} | U.S. Potato Board

Raise your hand if you are looking for ways to wow your guests this holiday season!

Listen, I know the pressure -- that unspoken expectation to host a shindig that looks like it came right out of the pages of your favorite lifestyle magazine. The stress is all-too-real.

But here's a little something for you to remember: Those pictures are styled. Staged. Fake. A sham! There are professionals and lighting experts and prop budgets and chefs who all work together to produce that image that you long to reproduce in your apartment kitchen/tiny dining room/shoestring budget.

And yet, there are simple ways to make things pretty and tasty without going over the top or blowing a gasket; little tricks you can have up your sleeve for those times when you want to impress your mother-in-law or make a name for yourself among your siblings.

If the thought of competing for the title of Fluffiest Mashed Potatoes is giving you anxiety, I've got the perfect solution: Ditch the predictable dishes and start a new food tradition that will steal the thunder from the old reliable holiday favorites!

You might overlook the simple potato as an ingredient for creating something impressive. They're not "truffle fancy" or Himalayan pink salt trendy, but they sure are tasty and versatile. {And contain more potassium than bananas, broccoli and spinach with 45% of the daily value for Vitamin C... who knew?!} They're almost a guaranteed hit for even the pickiest of eaters and they're extremely affordable, even when you're feeding a crowd.

Here's a simple -- yet beautiful -- dish that is sure to get some attention at your table this year: Layered Potato Cake.

Isn't it pretty?

I promise you I didn't have a stylist work their magic to prepare this beauty for her close-up, she's just a natural. Layered slices of Russet potato stacked and seasoned and roasted until tender. Here I used the simple combination of salt and rosemary {and a tiny hint of garlic}, but you can flavor this in a variety of ways with your favorite herbs, spices and even cheese.

The most difficult part of this dish is slicing the potato into thin rounds, but buying a mandolin makes this task a breeze. {Just watch your fingers, those things are sharp!}

This holiday, you can have your {potato} cake and eat it, too! But not before you show it off at your dinner table. Even if this doesn't turn out magazine perfect, it'll still be delicious!

For more amazing potato recipes like this one {or the marvelous Caramelized Fingerlings in the video below} check out the U.S. Potato Board's website!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and I was compensated for my work. As always, all opinions here are my own! And boy, do I love potatoes! 




Layered Potato Cake {Pommes Anna}

Makes a medium sized potato cake if you use a medium to small skillet or 4-6 small slices

1 tablespoons olive oil

3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried

4 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, smashed

Salt to taste for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary {or your favorite herb}

Prep Potatoes: Using a sharp knife or a mandolin, thinly slice potatoes into rounds. Work quickly {but carefully!} as potatoes will begin to discolor once they're cut.

Prep Butter: In a small saucepan {or in a small bowl in the microwave}, melt butter with the smashed garlic clove to infuse the garlic flavor. Discard the garlic clove and set aside.

For Potato Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet {I used an 8 inch} over medium heat. As the oil is heating, begin to place potato slices in a circular pattern, starting with the center. Continue to fill the skillet with potato slices until the entire thing is covered with one layer of potatoes. {Do a nice job as this is the layer that will be the top of the cake.}

2. Once the first layer is complete, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and rosemary.

3. Repeat the process with the remainder of your potato slices, layering then brushing with butter and seasoning with salt and herbs until the skillet is almost full {or until you run out of potato slices}.

4. Let the potatoes brown on the stove top, about 15-20 minutes, then cover the skillet with a sheet of aluminum foil and place in the oven.

5. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. {You should be able to insert a knife easily.} Remove the foil, and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the top is slightly golden.

To invert potato cake: Place a plate that is slightly larger that the skillet over the top -- wear an oven mitt or use a kitchen towel. Carefully tilt the skillet over the sink, leaving a small gap for the excess oil to pour out. Invert the plate completely. The whole potato cake should slide out onto the plate. {If it doesn't, flip it over again and run a small spatula along the outside edges of the skillet to loosen.}

*The potato slices fused together enough to flip and cut, but there may be a few rogue pieces that want to get away. Using cheese does act as a "cement" for the pieces, so consider the addition if you're worried about an unstable structure! ;)