Gourd Flower Vases

G Gourd vases for Fall decorating are so pretty and so super easy! When I say easy, you know I mean it because I don't like complicated projects.

Here's all you have to do:

Cut the gourd at the top to create the neck of the vase. Use your knife to cut an X deep into the flesh of the gourd.

Then use a large spoon to scoop out the inside of the gourd. Make sure to get it as clean as you can but don't pierce the skin or your vase will leak. It might leak anyway so be sure to place it on a dish just in case.

The alternative is to put a zip top bag into the gourd once you have hollowed it, making sure to fold 2" of the bag over the top. Secure with a rubber band. Fill the bag with water. Arrange your flowers. Pust the bag and the rubber band up so it is hidden beneath the flowers.

Once you have the gourd completely hollowed out, add water and flowers of your choice. I used goldenrod from the yard and then added thistle, mums and roses. It only took about 20 minutes and the result? You tell me what you think. My friends loved it.

Party on, ya'll.

Favorite Fall Cocktail- Caramel Apple Martini

Fall. Crisp air. Pumpkins. Caramel apples. I got this cocktail idea from CPK. While I really liked theirs, I am perfecting the recipe and the testing is a great way to kick off the weekend!  Here's my own recipe--- great for your next party or an after dinner drink by the first fire of the season.

CARAMEL APPLE MARTIE-NI

Put martini glasses into the freezer to chill them. Drizzle caramel sundae syrup into the chilled martini glasses and put them back into the freezer while you mix your drinks. Make a design like this flower, polka dots, a spider web for Halloween parties, etc. Be creative!

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice mix:

2 parts Butterscotch Schnapps

2 parts Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps

1 part vodka-- use plain vodka or adjust the recipe by using vanilla vodka for a sweeter drink or Vox Green Apple vodka for an extra apple kick. I prefer the vanilla vodka but it may be too sweet for some people.

Shake and pour into the chilled and decorated glasses. Yum.  Now go enjoy the weekend. This will certainly make it better.

Party on, Ya'll.

The Great Pumpkin, Gourds and Fall Party Decorations

Fall decorating supplies are very expensive these days so I decided to see if I could make my own decorations and keep the price low, low, low. I went to the farmer's market and found everything I needed for fall party decorations. I hope I can use these through Thanksgiving. Pumpkins and gourds of all shapes, sizes and colors were everywhere--- it's the season. The colors were so vibrant--- yellows, oranges, rich reds, dark copper and brown. And they were cheap, too. We brought home our haul and started hollowing out gourds to use for party decorations. The large gourds are perfect for vases and the small gourds are ideal containers for votives and tea lights.

To make the candle holder: Use a paring knife to cut the top off of the gourd then scoop out the inside. You can put the tea light into the bottom of the gourd, which accomplishes two things. It keeps the wind from blowing out the flame and it results in a softer glow. You can also fit the tea light into the top of the gourd. Use a toothpick to keep the candle from falling in like I did in the picture below.

For our flower arrangements, I was lucky enough to find a farmer selling bittersweet. I love bittersweet-- these yellow and orange berrylike branches. They are perfect for centerpieces and look great in the yard as an accent to mums and other fall flowers. The mums were so vibrant and full-- we loaded up the car with them. Here's a sneak peak at some of the goodies we picked up.

And this was all very affordable, too! I looked at pumpkins at the grocery and even at  the "big box" store and I paid less at the farmer's market for all of these gourds and 3 big pumpkins  than I would for one large pumpkin at the other places. I was even able to pick up a few large yellow mums , too. I spent less than $40 for all of it.  You can find decorative pumpkins and gourds almost anywhere  and at every price. I made these for less than $1 each and it was a fun project, too. Just make sure to give the kids a spoon to hollow out the gourds. The Band-Aid around my right thumb is proof that you need to leave the knife work to the skilled adults.

Party on, ya'll.  

Fall Party Recipes: Pumpklin Cheesecake, Caramel Apples and more

 As I was planning some of the food and decorations for parties  I have coming up this fall, I remembered that my niece Kaitlin had ordered pumpkin cheesecake at our annual "October Girls" birthday party last year at California Pizza Kitchen and raved about it. The October Girls is our little group with October birthdays and my niece's is coming up next week so I decided to recreate Kaitlin's favorite fall dessert for our party. It turned out fantastic and really wasn't very hard. Here's the secret to a fabulous pumpkin cheesecake: ginger snaps! Who knew? 

photo: Good HousekeepingTry this yummy looking  Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake 

MORE FALL FOOD AND DECORATING FROM MARTIE KNOWS PARTIES:

TRIPLE A SALAD: ARUGULA, APPLES, AND ALMONDS

GRILLED APPLE & CRISPY CAYENNE MAPLE BACON PANINI

GOURDS & FALL PARTY DECORATIONS

CARAMEL APPLE MARTINI

CARAMEL APPLE CAKE

EASY TO MAKE PUMPKIN PEOPLE

FOLLOW MARTIE ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE RECIPES, COCKTAILS, PARTY IDEAS, AND MORE!

Argentine Asado and Chimichurri Sauce-- Great for Tailgating!

While I am planning my fall schedule, I automatically start thinking about my annual trip to Argentina--- I go every December with a group of friends for a non-stop two week party that always includes lots of great food. Beef seems to taste better in Argentina than anywhere else in the world and so we have an asado (BBQ) almost every day. No asado is complete without chimichurri--- a sauce that you put on grilled beef. This sauce isn't used as a marinade or for basting although it would be very good as either. it is used as a condiment. Here's my chimichurri recipe-- try some the next time you grill steaks. It is sooo good and easy to make. It's perfect for tailgating. Just add a fresh loaf of bread and a good Malbec (try the Zolo Malbec if you can find it) and you're all set to party Argentine style!

Chimichurri

1 large bunch of parsley, finely chopped (usually makes about a cup)

6 cloves of garlic, minced well (about 3 Tablespoons)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup finely diced white onion

Salt and pepper to taste

I never mix my chimichurri in a food processor because it gets too runny. A sharp knife will do the trick. put dry ingredients in a bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar. Mix together and let sit at room temp for at least an hour before serving. That's it!