Whether it’s a happy hour party with drinks and appetizers or a full sit-down dinner with main course, sides and desserts, get all the estimates and planning tips you’ll need to have an amazing party that has plenty of food and drink for everyone.

Party Planning Food Amounts

If you’re planning a party and have no idea how much food and drink to plan for you are going to love this post! There’s nothing worse than running out of food and drinks halfway through the party. It’s also painful to blow your budget because you planned for more than you need! So, I’m taking all of the guesswork out and sharing a handy-dandy guide for planning your next party.

I’ve got you covered in all departments – wine, beer, mixed drinks and even ice! In the food department I’m breaking it down for you whether you’re serving simple appetizers or a sit-down dinner or buffet including how to estimate main courses, side dishes, and, of course, desserts.

This guide will help you better estimate what you’ll need and you can adjust based on your guests. You know, because we all have the friend who loves the champagne a little more than the next person or the family member who takes more than their fair share of chicken wings. 

This party food guide is customizable and flexible – use it as a starting point and you’ll be confident you have the right amount of food and drinks to serve your guests.

How do you calculate drinks for a party?

Assume each guest will have a one alcoholic drink per hour, but you know your guests best so use it as a starting point. 

For non-drinkers estimate two drinks in the first hour with one drink an hour after that. 

Tip: Planning a summer party? Estimate more drinks if it’s hot outside!

This list covers the type of drinks per person if that’s the only kind of drink you’re serving. Use it as a starting point depending on your guests and the variety of drinks you want to offer.

Tip: The more drink choices you offer, the less you need of each choice. So, keep this in mind while you’re planning!

• Wine: 2 to 3 glasses or approximately one (750ml) bottle per two guests.
• Champagne: 2 to 3 glasses on average, estimate more if you have a bubbly-loving friend (don’t we all?!).
• Beer: 1 to 2 bottles per hour.
• Punch: 2 glasses. In my experience, people usually switch to wine, beer or cocktails after a couple glasses.
• Cocktails: 3 drinks per person. A 750ml bottle makes approximately 16 drinks if you are doing an average pour. Also, don’t forget the mixers! Plan for a quart of mixers per three guests depending on the kind of cocktails you are serving.
• Non-alcoholic drinks: 2 drinks in the first hour, 1 drink every hour after that.

It’s always a good idea to have extra beer and wine on hand in case you run low on other drinks you’re serving.

How much ice do I need for a party?

It will depend on the kind of drinks you are serving but a good rule of thumb is approximately 1 pound of ice per person. If it’s hot outside you may want to have more.

Great drinks for a party:

• Fruity Vodka Party Punch
• Lemonade Prosecco Punch
• Pineapple Party Punch
• Cranberry Champagne Punch
• Blue Hawaiian Punch

How to Calculate Food for a Party?

Whether it’s appetizers and snacks for a game-day party or a fancy sit-down dinner for a special occasion or holiday dinner one thing is for sure – you don’t want to run out of food! Use my guide for how much food to serve and I think you’ll feel a lot more confident in planning food for your party.

Depending on what you’d like to serve the amount of food will differ. Appetizers only? Buffet-style with main dishes and side dishes? Or a full meal with appetizers, main dishes, side dishes and desserts? I’ve laid it all out here for you so you don’t have to worry about running out before the party is over.

How many appetizers for a party?

Depending on the type of party you’re having you’ll want to estimate different amounts of appetizers to serve.

• Appetizers only: If you’re only planning to serve appetizers and snacks plan on 16 to 20 appetizers per person.
• Appetizers with a main dish: If you’re planning to serve appetizers before a main dish estimate approximately 8 to 12 appetizers servings per person.

Of course, take into account the type of appetizers you’re serving. If they’re light you might want to estimate a few more per person. If they’re on the heavier side you can estimate a little less. Also, like drinks, the more variety you have the less you need to serve of each.

Plan to serve bowls of chips, crackers, nuts or olives that people can snack on, too, in case someone gobbles up your best appetizer!

How much food per person?

If you’re planning a main dish with side dishes here are some estimates to start with as you’re planning your dishes:

• Plan for 6 to 8 ounces per person for your main dish protein.
• For side dishes, estimate 1 cup per person.
• For bread, it’s a good idea to estimate 1 to 2 slices or rolls per person.

How many desserts per person?

Want to offer a sweet treat? Here’s a guide if you want to serve desserts at your party, too!

• For small desserts like cookies estimate 3 to 4 pieces per guest. 
• For big desserts like cake estimate 1 slice per person.

What are good party foods? 

• Pepperoni Pinwheels
• Pizza Dip
• Peanut Butter Football Dip (can be made into a cheeseball!)
• Ham and Cheese Sliders
• BBQ Turkey Sliders
• Any Cake Roll
• A variety of cookie recipes!

No more guessing! This guide will take all the stress out of planning your party. Everyone will think it was catered and you can focus on having FUN at your party instead of worrying about running out of everything. I hope you’ve found it helpful!

The post How Much Food Do I Need For A Party? appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

This is my guide to Amazon Prime Day 2020. I’m going to share all the best kitchen deals and deals for my favorite things. Be sure to check back on this post often because I’ll be updating it as I get notifications of new items that pop onto the list.

What is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day is a 48 hour sale across all categories of Amazon. Prime Day 2020 delivers in a big way with more deals than any Prime Day event before. Additionally, members can shop featured lightning deals, which offer jaw-dropping prices on top-tier brands and products.

You do have to be an Amazon Prime member to get the deals. The service is totally worth it: not only do you get fast free shipping all year long, but you also get access to all the Prime Video content. It’s only $12.99/month or $119 for the year if you pay it annually. Get a 30 day free trial just in time for Prime Day!

When is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day 2020 is October 13-14, a full 48 hours of deals!

QUICK SALE LINKS

KITCHEN PRIME DAY HUB

• Ring Doorbell + Echo Show for $149.99
• Echo Dot for $18.99
• Instant Pot Sale
• Le Crust Griddle $89
• CORSORI Air Fryer XL $99
• Pyrex Deals (I love the 3-set bowls, measuring cups and pie plates!)
• Crockpot Deals

Small Business Prime Day Sales

• Save up to 20% on handcrafted gifts and décor from Amazon Handmade

• Save 20% on pumpkin bakery soy candles from Lorenzen Candle Co
• Save 20% on rose embossing rolling pins from Algis Crafts
• Save 20% on blue simulated turquoise hoop earrings from MJLuLu

Best Prime Day Sales for Kitchen/Baking

This list will be updated as the deals go live – so be sure to check back!

• Save over 40% on select KitchenAid Items
• Save up to 50% on some Instant Pot models
• Save up to 30% on some Cuisinart items and cookware
• Save up to 37% on some Ninja Kitchen items
• Save up to 40% on kitchen essentials from some of my favorite brands: Le Cruset, Pyrex, and more

Favorite Things Prime Day Sales

This list will be updated as the deals go live – so be sure to check back!

• My favorite home assistant, the Echo Dot (3rd Gen) is 60% off at only $18.99
• Watch recipe videos and more with the Echo Show! Get the Echo Show 5 for $44.99, Echo Show 8 for $64.99, and Echo Show (2nd Gen) for $149.99
• Save 30% on Ring Video Doorbell devices and get Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) for $69.99 – I love our Ring Doorbell SO much.
• Get your smart home started with Ring Video Doorbell 3 and Echo Show 5, just $149.99 – this is such a great deal and you can see who is at your door even without your phone.
• Save up to 33% on iRobot Roomba vacuums: If you have a dog, or hate vacuuming, get your own iRobot! I may get a new one, our Maude gave out after years of use.

Amazon Services I Love

Kindle Unlimited – this is how I read lots of Kindle books practically for free. For only $9.99 a month you can read as many books as you like that come free under the Kindle Unlimited umbrella. You can try it free for 30 days too!

Audible – listen to audio books anywhere and anytime. I love these in the car! Now if you try Audible FREE for 30 days you get 2 FREE books.

Amazon Music Unlimited: For just $0.99, Prime members who haven’t yet tried Amazon Music Unlimited can get four months of the premium streaming tier with unlimited access to more than 60 million songs ad-free, and now a wide selection of popular podcasts.

Prime Video: Enjoy a selection of titles to rent or buy at up to 50% off and for a limited time, customers will be able to subscribe to select channels for $0.99 per month for up to two months if they are not already subscribed. Only pay for the channels you want and cancel anytime. A full list of Prime Video deals, including the offer window for each, can be found at amazon.com/primememberdeals.

Amazon Gift Cards: On October 13 and 14, Prime members will receive a $10 promotional credit when they purchase an Amazon Gift Card of $40 or more (including newly-launched Amazon Video eGift Cards, available on mobile) or reload their own gift card balance with $40 or more. This limited-time offer is available while supplies last and has a limit of one per Amazon customer account. The promotional credit will expire on November 29, 2020. Other restrictions apply.

Amazon Gift Guides

Not sure what to buy for gifts? Amazon Gift Guides have launched in time for Prime Day!

The post Amazon Prime Day 2020: Best Kitchen Deals + Favorite Things appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

I honestly don’t even know where to begin this post, so I’ll just dive right in. If you’re taking the time to read this, you probably have been around for awhile. Maybe you’ve been following me since the beginning, or maybe you’re new-ish. Maybe you’re another blogger or maybe you’re a mom or a grandma reading this from your couch with your coffee on a Sunday morning.

Whoever you are, wherever you are, thank you. Without YOU, the die-hard fan, the one who reads my words and the recipe, are the reason I’m sitting here writing this love letter.

You probably already know how this blog started, how I didn’t know what blogging was but wanted to do something for myself, how I created a site and posted recipes on a whim, and learned how to blog and do all the blogging things as I went along.

I’ve spent the last few months looking back at old posts, old designs, and taking stock of who blogging has helped me become and really, when I look at 2010 Dorothy I don’t even recognize her.

2010 Dorothy was a stay-at-home mom to a 5-year-old, unhappy in her SAHM-ness, itching for something else, something bigger, something that didn’t involve crayons or Barbie or carpool.

She was a woman with anxiety but didn’t know she had anxiety, someone without the confidence to make a decision or speak her mind or make close friends. She was shy, and timid and nervous, and let people railroad over her whenever they chose.

I’ve often said that deciding to start a blog was the one and only time in my life that I have had a spiritual moment. Maybe it was God, maybe it was the psychic part of my brain, I don’t know, but something or someone whispered in my ear that I needed to start a blog, so I did.

To say that doing that was out of character for my 2010 self is an understatement. That girl didn’t take chances, or do anything not known or planned. That girl would never have started something that would have become…THIS…but she did.

Moral of the story: listen to your gut.

Would I have become the person I am today without blogging? Maybe. But I don’t think so.

While I am not perfect, and I still suffer from anxiety, and depression, and I still struggle with confidence and self-esteem, I know who I am now. I know what I want, I know what is important, and I really owe that all to that moment I decided to push publish on my first blog post.

Every Accomplishment starts with the decision to try.

Unknown

That is one of my favorite quotes because it’s SO true! Before blogging I was afraid to try, afraid to be me, afraid to do what wasn’t expected of me.

Over the last 10 years I have tried and succeeded, tried and failed, and tried again. I feel like on a daily basis I make decisions for my business that make me question myself – but in a good way. Trying and sometimes succeeding has given me the confidence I always longed for earlier in my life.

If I had never had the courage to publish that first post, and to keep going when no one was reading, I wouldn’t be here today. I remember so many times being upset about my lack of following, or a lack of shares on a social post, or being frustrated because no one understood my job or thought I actually worked, when I was working 14 hour days. But never once did I think about quitting – I knew that THIS was what I was meant to do.

What’s the best part about blogging?

That’s a question I get asked a lot and it’s funny because I don’t have just one answer. I mean of course, I love being my own boss. I love making my own hours. And at the core of my job, the work is pretty fun: I make dessert and take pictures. When it’s safe, I get to travel and work with brands I love. It’s a pretty cool gig.

There is a lot I don’t like about blogging (social media, never really getting a day off, mean commenters, the drama that sometimes happens) but the things I do love are the things that have made the biggest impact on my life.

Internet friends are real friends

Unkown

I first saw that on a meme around 2012 and it really resonated with me. Back then it was weird to have “internet friends” and believe me, my friends in real life gave me quite the looks when I’d talk about all the people I met online.

One of the best parts about blogging are the friendships I’ve made.

As an adult I struggled with friendships. We moved a few times, and I am shy, and it’s really hard for me to open up to people. Blogging allowed me to talk about myself and be who I really was, something I struggled with in real life.

In real life I was a mom without an in-person job, so all my interactions were because of my kid. If you’ve done the mom-group or school-friend thing, you know what I mean. It takes time and effort and a lot of patience to find a group of people who you can really open up to – and even then you’re lucky if you can weed through the sea of them to find even one person who can be the friend we all need.

One of the best things about blogging was that all I had was time. We weren’t working around playdates – we could text and message each other whenever and that was normal.

Over the last 10 years I have met several women that I consider family. Sisters, even. As an only child, I replace siblings with friends, and I’ve found some really good ones. We are friends outside of blogging; we travel together and celebrate milestones with each other.

Through blogging I truly found my people, my circle, the people that love me for me. And that is probably the best thing that’s happened to me, because through them I’ve managed to find myself, and that is priceless.

I’m not going to name names, but I’m pretty sure they all know who they are, and if you’re reading this then know I’m sending you hugs and kisses.

Never underestimate the influence you have on others.

Laurie Buchanan

It would be remiss if I didn’t mention all of YOU reading this too. Knowing that I’ve reached people of all ages, all over the world – there’s something amazing about that.

I’ve written posts about anxiety and about fertility, and those are the ones that have resonated with so many people. Knowing I can open up about how I feel and have it help someone – that is empowering and inspiring.

When I get DMs or emails from people with snapshots of my recipes they’ve made, and comments about how their dad/mom/child loved it – those make my day. I love knowing that my cakes and pies and brownies have held candles for birthdays, been given as gifts, and put smiles on so many faces.

10 Years of Learning

Kind of like that kindergarten poem, I’m going to end this with Everything I’ve learned about life, I’ve learned through blogging:

Listen to your gut – it’s rarely wrong.

Don’t be afraid to fail; failing is just part of trying. If you’re not failing, you haven’t tried.

You don’t have to be perfect at something to start. Just start – then work on working up to perfect. (Also: nothing is ever perfect!!)

Be yourself. Be authentic, always.

If someone doesn’t like you because you’re being yourself then let them go. They aren’t worth your time or energy.

Celebrate the milestones and the accomplishments – big and small. They’re worth it, and so are you.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey – readers, bloggers, friends, family…I couldn’t have done any of this without you.

xo,
Dorothy

The post 10 Years appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

I have 8 ways to keep busy right now, new things to learn, try and do that will keep your mind occupied (and off the news app). These ideas are the perfect distraction!

During the first few weeks of this weird time, I became a pro at:

• Eating
• Drinking
• Scrolling Facebook
• Watching Netflix

Now that this is our new normal for awhile, I’ve started focusing on working out at home, planning my next trip, and finding something for my kid to do that isn’t making a TikTok.

I have a feeling you’re in the same boat, so today I’m sharing some new fun things I’ve recently found to pass the time (and I’m learning something too!)

Each of these resources is completely FREE. They’re email courses I’ve been taking over the last week, and they’ve been super helpful.

1. Cookie Baking Hacks to bake better cookies!

This is my free email course that I know you’ll love, because who doesn’t love cookies?

In this course you’ll learn:

• My EASY Hacks for baking better cookies
• Some of my favorite easy cookie recipes

2. For Disney Lovers: Crafts, games, and activities!

These stay-at-home activities all have a Disney theme! You’ll get crafts, Disney-themed games, and screen-free activities to engage your child’s imagination.

You might not be able to GO to Disney right now, but you can still enjoy Disney fun!

3. Learn Culinary School Secrets to Transform your Cooking

Once you master a few basics it’s a lot easier to whip up dinner with whatever you have in your pantry. Right now, that’s really important!

This course will teach you about cooking chicken perfectly, grilling the best steak, how to make the perfect rice PLUS the secret formula for roasting vegetables!

4. 14 day Kids Activities Challenge

If your kids are bored then THIS is the guide for them!! Are you looking for activities that are easy to set up, easy to do, and might actually teach them something?

This email course includes 14 days of FREE kids activities, from science to engineering and art and so many more. Keep your kids busy for the next two weeks!

5. Stress Free Travel Planning

I know, we can’t travel right now, but we will be able to again. This email series is perfect for you to do NOW so that when we can book travel again you can go for it right away.

Learn how to save money, how to get started, and so much more! If you’re ever thinking of planning a trip you don’t want to miss these ideas.

6. Learn to use that Instant Pot!

Is your instant pot still in the box? Well, use this time to get it up and running. These 5 easy recipes will for sure get you going and give new Instant Pot cooks the confidence to use your pressure cooker!

7. 2 weeks of FREE Home Workouts

We can’t go to the gym so we’re ALL stuck working out from home right now. If you’re like me that can get boring or confusing FAST. Don’t give up your workouts – this series not only shares free workouts but also tips for making home workouts easier AND sample meal plans!

8. Keep your kids reading – without the library!

Public and school libraries are great resources for kids and a great place to get new reading material if you’re like me and don’t buy books. But what do you do if your library is closed? This 5-day course, No Library? No Problem: 5 Secrets for Reading During Quarantine is going to help you keep your kids interest in reading even now!

The post 8 Ways to Keep Busy Right Now appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

This post is sponsored by Mirum. All opinions are my own.

PIN IT NOW TO SAVE FOR LATER

I’ll never forget walking downtown and getting ice cream during the summer when I was young. First we’d go as a family and as I got older I’d go with friends and it was always an event I looked forward too.

In fact, the only reason I didn’t hate camping as a kid was because we’d go to the campground store and get ice cream and snacks. Ice cream can make even camping better!

Every year I have all sorts of goals for the summer. This year I decided to compile them all into one fun Summer Bucket List! This list is geared towards my favorite kind of people: foodies and ice cream lovers, just like me and my family.

All of these ideas are fun and simple and can be done super inexpensively, especially when you stock up on ice cream from Breyers, Magnum and Ben & Jerry’s from Albertsons.

This FREE printable Summer Bucket List for foodies and ice cream lovers is the perfect family fun this summer!

Be sure to click here to get the FREE printable PDF download!

Have you heard of Albertsons Ice Cream Rewards? It’s back for summer so be sure to check out IceCreamRewards.com, where you can earn a $5 reward when you spend $20 on your favorite Unilever ice cream brands! And – you could be one of 21 weekly winners of a year’s supply of ice cream from your local Albertsons Companies store! Check out all the details below.

I cannot wait to stock up on my favorite ice creams for summer:

• Breyer’s 2-in-1’s (two flavors in one carton!)
• Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Core (GASP)
• Magnum Minis and Double Tubs (minis are the perfect after dinner treat!)

We’re going to celebrate summer by working our way through my summer bucket list for foodies!

Some of my favorite items on the list are:

Make s’mores with ICE CREAM! Sandwich Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Core ice cream with melted marshmallows and graham crackers for a new and fun type of s’more. My daughter proclaimed this the “BEST IDEA EVER” – ice cream s’mores are going to be a hit this year.

Make Ice Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Make homemade lemonade.

Eat pizza for breakfast.

Pack a cooler full of Magnum Minis and Magnum Double Tubs for a beach or picnic day and have an ice cream bar picnic!

These ice cream bars are perfect for small hands (or for big hands too – if you want a small treat!)

Pick a new recipe to try for dinner.

Host an ice cream social.

Skip dinner and have an ice cream sundae instead! (Your kids will thank you.)

Have pancakes for dinner.

Make cupcakes for your dog.

Have an ice cream scoop fight.

Make root beer floats with Magnum Double Tubs: the chocolate and vanilla pair so well with root beer!

Plus those double tubs are fun to crack!

Watch an outdoor movie with popcorn.

Make homemade iced coffee (and add ice cream!)

The best part about this printable Summer Bucket List are the memories you’re going to make with your family!

Don’t forget to head over to IceCreamRewards.com! One weekly winner will be chosen at random (one a week for 21 weeks) to receive a year’s supply of free ice cream (awarded as a $250 gift card to your participating Albertsons Companies store).

Just remember BUY, SNAP, CHOOSE:

The post Summer Bucket List for foodies appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

The kids will love decorating their own cookies and these tips will keep you sane during the entire thing. Using Walkers Shortbread cookies is an easy way to keep your prep to the minimum and everyone will have a great time.

Every year for the past several years we’ve hosted a Christmas party for a bunch of Jordan’s friends. She looks forward to planning this party every year (well, until now, she’s too cool for it as a 7th grader) and we always have some fun activities like games or an ornament exchange to get the kids in the mood for the holidays. The activities and food might change year to year but the two constants at her holiday party are decorating cookies and drinking hot chocolate.

Between her Christmas cookie decorating parties and class parties, I’m pretty much a pro at not going insane during cookie decorating. I mean, that first time you’re in the classroom while the kindergarteners are building gingerbread houses out of graham crackers it’s pure chaos, am I right? As an experienced mom, I’m here to tell you that hosting these fun parties are doable, easy, and won’t kill you, as long as you follow my easy tips and tricks for the perfect cookie decorating party.

Tip #1: the invitation.

Whether you just email or text the parents or send out an actual invitation, plan to invite the kids a few weeks ahead of time. The holidays can be stressful with lots of commitments. I actually found that doing the party after school on a Friday or before the holiday break worked best for most kids. Unless they’re young, plan that kids will be dropped off (moms don’t have time to go to parties for their kids in December!) so think about that when you make your invite list. Can you handle 8 pre-teen girls? Or preschoolers?

This free printable cookie decorating party invitation is yours to personalize. Download it and print it out, bonus points if your kids fill it out on their own!

Download a PDF of the Cookie Decorating Party Invitation HERE.

Tip #2: Use Shortbread Cookies

To save yourself some time preparing for the party, use Walkers Shortbread Festive Shapes cookies instead of trying to make your own sugar cookies. They taste SO GOOD and hold up to frosting. I can easily go to town with a box of these cookies and a can of frosting so I guarantee the kids will love them. They come in several shapes to keep the kids busy decorating and you’ll be happy too: using Walkers Shortbread is a convenient and delicious way to avoid spending your precious holiday time making cookies from scratch.

Tip #3: Have a seating chart.

It’s easy to skip this step and just give it a free for all when the kids go to sit down, but I don’t recommend that. Kids, especially girls, are notorious for being cliquey (believe me, it started in first grade!) so we always do a seating chart. Makes my life easier because there are so many less squabbles that way.

A cute way to do a seating chart is to write each child’s name on their hot cocoa mug with a dry erase marker. It’s a fun way to let your kids do something “evil” like write on the glassware, plus it makes it fun for them to drink and stops everyone from “losing” their mug.

Tip #4: Use a table cloth and/or runner on your table

Now that Jordan is older, I can get away with a cute burlap or Christmas themed table runner, but when she was younger a full paper tablecloth was a MUST. Kids spill – a lot – especially when sprinkles are involved. Get yourself a white paper tablecloth and throw some crayons on the table. The kids love to draw all over it too! (Or better yet, get this cute one that looks like a coloring book!)

Tip #5: Lots of decorating options

Kids get territorial so make sure to have lots of little bowls of the same kind of sprinkles scattered throughout the table. And by all means, do not give them the entire sprinkle bottle. I guarantee you one kid will pour the ENTIRE thing on their cookie.

Tip #6 Hot Cocoa Bar

The amount of DIY hot chocolate you do kind of depends on how old and how responsible the kids are. For younger kids, pour the hot chocolate for them and add the toppings, asking them what they like. As the kids get older you can give them more reign with that, but expect them to pile on the whipped cream if left to their own devices.

What to have at a hot chocolate bar:

• Hot chocolate, obviously! You can use the powder to make a pitcher or use k-cups, but I love making slow cooker hot chocolate. It feeds a crowd!
• Whipped cream (save time, buy it in a can).
• Sprinkles
• Marshmallows
• Chocolate sauce
• Mini M&Ms or other candy
• Candy Canes

Tip #7: Give them their own knives and frosting

This is something I learned after Jordan’s first cookie decorating party back in Kindergarten. Some mom handed each table a can of frosting and a bunch of plastic knives. Before I knew it the kids were double dipping knives after licking them and it was all I could do not to pour lysol all over Jordan.

Save yourself the flu bug at Christmas and give each kid a dollop of icing and their own plastic knife. You can control how much icing they use AND if they lick the knife there is no double dipping. As they get older this is less of an issue, and they might also want piping bags to do more intricate designs.

As for the frosting, feel free to make my favorite cookie icing but really, a can works just fine for the kids.

Tip #8: Cookies to go

Depending on what other things you’re doing at the party, you’ll want to limit how many cookies they eat. If cookie decorating is just one activity, I’ll give each kid two cookies and they just eat them. But if that’s the main thing keeping them busy, you’re going to want them to make more than 2. These make a great gift for a neighbor or a grandparent, or even to take to a nursing home for seniors. If you have older kids who want to decorate lots of cookies, give them each a box of the Walkers Shortbread Festive Shapes so they can decorate all of them. Then package them up in cute little boxes or tins that are great for giving.

Tip #9: Make sure there is a firm end of party pick-up time!

Because really, after 2 hours, you’re going to need a break, lol. (And if you’re me? A glass of wine.)

This post was sponsored by Walkers Shortbread. All opinions are 100% my own.

The post How to Host a Cookie Decorating Party for Kids appeared first on Crazy for Crust.

And click HERE to download the Holiday Bucket List!

Every single year I feel like I don’t get anything done I want to do at the holidays. With the rush of back to school then Halloween and Thanksgiving, by Christmas I’m tired. Add in school events and dance events and work events and there is zero time. Unless I plan, nothing fun happens. This year I decided to make a Holiday Bucket List for myself so I wouldn’t forget to do anything we wanted to do. And I’m sharing this list with you as a FREE printable! (Scroll for the link.)

I added some easy things to the list, like decorate the Christmas tree and wrap presents. Whenever I make a list I like to add a few no-brainer items I know will get checked off so I feel better about myself. I also added some Santa items this year (writing a list and sitting on his lap) because, well, Jordan is 12. I still want the magic of Santa to continue!

Along with the normal Christmas things like watching Elf or Home Alone, I added some things I want to do to share the meaning of Christmas with Jordan. Things like donating to Toys for Tots, telling each other we love each other, paying it forward, and delivering surprises to neighbors, teachers, and the fire house. It’s always important this time of year to show our thanks for all the things that the people in our world do for us.

After all that, there’s the food. Of course, for me, the holidays are about the food, whether it be the traditional sides at Thanksgiving dinner (Cornbread Stuffing and Knoepfle) or making our favorite cutout sugar cookies or Mom’s Pecan Pie. You’ll also see having fondue for dinner as an item – we always do that for New Year’s Eve. Last year we added Peanut Butter Fondue and this year…NUTELLA Fondue is on the list. And don’t forget cupcakes. I know Christmas is a cookie holiday but did you know that Red Velvet is a traditional Christmas recipe?

This year I’ve partnered with The Home Depot and their new blog to share two new favorite recipes, Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cupcakes and Nutella Fondue. The recipes are live over on The Home Depot blog and I know you’ll want them ASAP.

Get the Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cupcake Recipe here, which uses this muffin tin.

Get the Nutella Fondue Recipe here, which uses this fun old fondue pot!

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Back to school is in full swing here, how about with you? I think there are still a few schools that don’t start until close to (or after) Labor Day but we started two weeks ago! I’ve been dutifully packing Jordan’s lunch each day and it’s getting harder and harder to find things she likes. She’s picky when it comes to lunch so I end up with the regular old things like salami or turkey or peanut butter, but I’m constantly trying to find new extras to go along with them. From veggies to fruit to snacks and treats, I like to vary her lunches each day so she doesn’t get too bored.

Besides just food in her lunch, when I remember I like to add a little fun note or joke for her. I know that she’s all cool and stuff now that she’s in middle school, but she’s still my kid and I like surprising her with a note once in awhile. Even if she’s embarrassed by it, I think a little part of her appreciates the little hello from me during the day.

Sometimes, if I’m in a rush, I just jot down an “I love you” on a post it note. Other days, when I’m feeling like I have more time, I print up little fun jokes or printables for her. This free printable is one I made a few weeks ago to start off her school year right. She is obsessed with emojis right now (I mean, who isn’t?) so I incorporated her favorite emojis into some fun lunchbox notes. And now you can use them too!

Emoji Lunchbox Notes will make your kid smile when they see the free printable in their lunch at school!

Get the FREE PRINTABLE Emoji Lunchbox Notes HERE.

Besides just notes, I have to make lunches too. If only a note were all I needed to send! Here are a couple of ideas for easy lunchbox recipes that Jordan loves and will eat! If you have a picky eater these ideas are for you.

Jordan always gets a protein or two, some fruit and vegetables and a small treat in her lunch. One of my favorite treats to send with her are Walkers Shortbread. She loves their shortbread and they fit easily into her lunchbox.

Lunch #1: Salami and a cheese stick, carrots and cucumber slices, pretzels and Walkers Shortbread Fingers.

Lunch #2: Turkey sandwich on wheat, carrots and apples, cheese crackers, and Wakers Shortbread Fingers.

Lunch #3 (this is also a great after school snack): Peanut butter on celery, soft cheese with cheese crackers for dipping, carrots, and Walkers Shortbread Rounds.

How to pack the perfect school lunch:

1. Start with protein (meat and/or cheese, peanut butter, egg, etc.)
2. Add some fruit and/or vegetables.
3. Throw in something crunchy.
4. Add a little treat like Walkers Shortbread Cookies!
5. Don’t forget the emoji lunchbox note!

Find the free printable here.

This post was sponsored by Walkers Shortbread. All opinions are 100% my own.

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Last week, I had the opportunity of a lifetime: I got to visit the HGTV® Dream Home 2017! It’s located in St. Simon, Georgia which is the largest island in the Golden Isles, just off the coast near Jacksonville, Florida. It’s a stunning island that’s bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and several creeks and lagoons. It’s a stunning place to vacation and I can’t wait to share all about it with you, but today I want to talk about the HOUSE!

First, before we go any further, don’t forget to enter for your chance to win this fabulous home, all it’s furnishings, a new Honda Pilot and $250,000 provided by Quicken Loans®. You can enter twice a day through February 17, 2017.

There is so much I want to tell you about this house, but first, the best part: THE KITCHEN.

While visiting the home, we got to meet the designer, Brian Patrick Flynn. The exterior of this home is probably my favorite part (it’s truly an entertainers paradise) and Brian wanted to bring the outdoors into the inside of the house. He did this by adding lots of green touches to the house. I would never have thought choose green as an accent for a designer kitchen, but Brian pulled it off magically. Every single piece works so well together and I have some things I want to replicate in my own home.

Here are 7 decorating tips for bringing GREEN into your home kitchen

FYI: almost everything you see in the kitchen can be found on Wayfair, the furniture sponsor:

1. A neutral cabinet color.

Green is a bold interior choice, so you need to soften the color with accents and cabinets. Brown stained cabinets would make the home look like an indoor tree, so stick with a light neutral color. Brian went with a light gray, which was perfect with the dark green pulls and backsplash. A white cabinet would make the green pop too much, so the gray is perfect.

2. Go bold with a green backsplash.

A backsplash makes a statement and this one screams bringing the outdoors in. The subway tile was simple yet beautiful, done in an easy subway pattern.

3. A POP of counter color.

Instead of settling for a neutral white or brown counter, why not bring green into the very surface of the kitchen? These concrete counters were created with shells just for this home.

4. Green Accents

Afraid to go all the way with green? Start with accenting some items with a dark hunter color. The green pulls for the cabinets was a nice pop of color against the gray cabinets.

5. Stainless makes a statement.

White or black appliances would make the room seem too harsh. Stainless appliances seamlessly integrate into the room, almost disappearing into the cabinets.

The faucet is a touch faucet from Delta – my favorite!

6. Pops of color and modern decor.

If you’re going all the way with the green accents, you need to add in some pops of color. A wooden bowl or cutting board, fresh lemons or oranges add in that color to offset the green.

These wall hangings are a fun and unexpected wall piece that seem like they wouldn’t fit the kitchen, but totally do.

7. Rustic Decor to bring the outdoors in.

Brian designed this kitchen to bring the outdoors in; the green seamlessly melds with the greenery and stunning lagoon views out the back door. To offset the green and bring in some modern yet rustic outdoor decor, he finished some gorgeous stools, an antique looking light fixture, and wicker chairs at the breakfast table. These touches complete the green kitchen look.

Now you have the decorating tips to achieve GREEN in your kitchen…

Want this kitchen for yourself? Enter for your chance to win the HGTV DREAM HOME 2017!

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Want to see how it looks? I know you do!! Let’s get going, because I can’t wait to share it all with you.

First, let’s remember how it looked before. In a word, ugly. It was not functional for my needs…and did I mention it was outdated and ugly?

Thanks to the fast and professional work of KitchenMart only 4 weeks after demo I have the kitchen of my dreams. I keep pinching myself: is this really real? Is this my kitchen? How am I allowed to have something so nice??

Ready? *drumroll*

I cannot even tell you how excited I am about this kitchen. It’s just so pretty!! I knew it would look better but I had no idea how much space I would gain. We couldn’t change the footprint or make it any bigger but we made just a few simple changes and now my small kitchen seems so much larger.

(Links to all finishes used in the kitchen are linked at the bottom of the post in case you want them for yourself.)

One of my main goals in this kitchen was to give myself more work space. Whenever I had a heavy baking day I felt like I was constantly running out of counter space. I couldn’t have all my ingredients out and be running two mixers and have food cooling at the same time. And there was no way two of us could work in there at the same time.

You can see in the “before” shot above that we had a weird space under the window. There was no counter there and it was totally wasted space. We also had no eating area in the kitchen; Jordan ate her breakfast at a cheap Ikea table in front of the island.

My #1 goal with this kitchen was to add counters and cabinets all along that wall. As a result? I have an uninterrupted space from my sink all the way down to the peninsula. It’s several feet of open area that I can use for baking and photo shoots. And we added an overhang so that we can sit in the kitchen for meals.

That area, where we added space, is now my baking area. I can have all of my ingredients lined up, be using both mixers, and have bowls all over the place and not even notice it.

I decided to put all of my baking items in one area. That’s a big tip for you if you’re designing a kitchen  – group all your items in one area for easy access. For me, that’s baking. Instead of having to go all over the kitchen for my bowls, measuring cups, and mixers, it’s all in one place, all within an arms reach.

The other BIG move we made was the refrigerator. Before, as you can see in the image above, it was in the middle of this wall. If the refrigerator door was open you couldn’t walk into the dining room, and we had two small counters on either side, not enough to really do anything on either one. We moved the refrigerator a few feet and now I have one long cabinet/countertop run to the dining room door.

You guys. This space is amazing. I have no words.

I put all my “everyday” appliances on that wall. The mugs are now with the coffee maker so I’m not trekking across the kitchen for a mug. Same goes for the blender and the glasses, and I’m not in danger of electrocuting myself with my toaster (it used to be right next to the sink).

I have so much counter space now I rarely run out, which is something I NEVER thought I’d say in that kitchen.

Another thing that makes the kitchen look bigger? That 1990s style lightbox is GONE. In it’s place, can lights. They make a huge difference. If you’ve ever wondered if your kitchen would look better without that light box, stop wondering and call the electrician.

Let’s talk about storage.

Because we couldn’t add much space to the kitchen I was figuring we wouldn’t get more cabinet space. I figured I’d have the same amount and still have to go to the garage for most of my stuff. After all, my cabinets already went to the ceiling and so much more fits in cabinets without pull-out drawers, right?

I was wrong.

While I did purge as I was cleaning out the kitchen, I put everything back and I still have empty shelves. Each upper cabinet has 4 shelves now instead of 3, which makes a HUGE difference. Also? Drawers were sent from heaven to make my life easier, in case you were wondering.

My old kitchen had just a few drawers. The silverware was practically in the family room and every other drawer was STUFFED and overflowing. I haven’t even filled all the drawers I have now!

I didn’t think I’d like putting everyday stuff in drawers that I was used to putting in cabinets, like pans and tupperware. But I was wrong. The muffin pans lay flat and are easily accessible. The tupperware is now below me so it’s not cascading down over my shoulders when I reach for a container. I’m also loving the pull out pot shelves. It’s forcing me to put things back orderly instead of just throwing it all back into the too-full cabinet while muttering expletives.

If you have a corner cabinet, spring for a lazy susan. All of the items I use a lot but don’t need on the counter are in my corner cabinet now. My favorite cabinet? The one next to the stove for my cookie sheets and cutting boards. No more dusty top-of-the-refrigerator cutting boards!

I never knew how excited I’d be about garbage.

In all seriousness, this is one of my favorite parts of the kitchen. Mel’s too; he was worried the trash would take up too much space and didn’t see the need for a trash cabinet. Now we can’t live without it!

My sink. Oh, my sink. It’s almost too big, if that’s possible. Pot stacking just got real – I’d take gold at the Olympics. (And I kept my Delta touch faucet – love that thing!)

One other thing about lighting – I am loving under cabinet lights. I didn’t want it at first because it was an added expense I didn’t think we’d use, but often they’re the only lights I use. And they highlight my pretty backsplash.

I knew going into this remodel that I wanted an all white kitchen. In fact, the entire kitchen was modeled after this pin. I wanted simple white cabinets and counters that looked like marble. I didn’t actually want marble, because I knew I would ruin them. My amazing designer, Lianne, introduced me to DuPont Zodiaq Quartz and I fell in love with the Coarse Carrara. It really does look like marble!

While I kind of wanted white backsplash too, I knew the kitchen needed some color and a statement. I really wanted the tile in that pin I linked above, but it was discontinued. When I saw this glass Lucente Cascade glass subway tile, I fell in love. And I really do think it made the kitchen.

I had an amazing experience going through this remodel. It was hard – aren’t all remodels? – but the folks at KitchenMart are really amazing. They were professional, prompt, fast, and did great work. I feel like they were part of the family by the end of the whole thing. Also? They totally loved on Ginger. (Love my dog, I love you.)

Connect with Kitchen Mart: Web / Facebook / Twitter / Houzz

Oh! One last piece I forgot. The fireplace!!

Since we were doing construction, we figured we’d do it all at once. Our old fireplace was dated and had cutouts suited only to 1990s televisions.

(Ugh, horrible before photo, sorry!)

And this is the fireplace now:

We had extra quartz left over for the surround to tie it all together, and the cabinets match too.

All in all, it was worth it. The time, the money, the stress. I can now work so much easier in my kitchen. It brings me to tears when I look at it, really. Mel and Jordan laugh at me because I’m so happy in there.

Here’s a link of all the items we used in our kitchen:

Counters: DuPont Zodiaq Quartz in Coarse Carrara

Backsplash: Emser Tile Lucente Cascade

Sink: KOHLER Vault Double Basin Stainless Steel Apron Sink

Faucet: Delta Touch Faucet

Pulls: Martha Stewart Bookend Cabinet Pull for Home Depot

Pendant Lights: Pottery Barn Paxton Glass Single Pendants

Counter Stools: Tabouret 24-inch Metal Counter Stools (they come in lots of colors)

Refrigerator: we went with a Kenmore French Door, it’s about 25 cu. ft. (not counter depth) and I’m loving it so far.

Range: It’s a GE Profile Double Oven Slide-In Gas Range. At this time I cannot recommend it – it came with a broken touchpad and it doesn’t cook evenly. I’m probably going to replace it.

Thanks for reading! What would you put in your perfect kitchen?

Disclaimer: KitchenMart gave me a discount on my remodel for working with them on these posts. We were also given discounts on backsplash tile and countertops. All opinions are 100% my own, of course. 

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