Wednesday, June 20, 2018

The Best Way to Get Ready, Party Time is Here

In a couple of days Summertime will Officially be here! 

Along with Summertime comes Party Time! It's high season for Graduations, End of School Years, and let's not forget about the Fourth of July!  For Canadians that would be the First of July!

buffet table of food



Everyone is looking forward to being with friends and family especially when the weather is warm and sunny!  Let's Review some of the best ways to get ready for all of those wonderful outdoor BBQ's and Holiday celebrations. Summertime is a wonderful time for us to enjoy our company, friends and the great outdoors at the same time.

Party planning can be fun, but it can also be costly.  Dollar Tree is a great place to get all those party needs at a reasonable cost. Red, White and Blue party supplies can be had for the best 4th of July party ever!  Canadians can skip the blue and stick with red and white!  Everything from glasses, plates and cutlery for your table and all of it color coordinated, can be had right here!

decorative drink glass

Setting a table for an outdoor party is easy when you can get everything you need in one place.  From the decorations to balloons, napkins and snacks.  You can even get mixes and drinks for the kids without any problem at all.  Dollar Tree is a one stop shop for all things party related.


When I have been invited to a backyard party, I like to come with something in hand to add to the table.  I will buy a nice bowl or two and then fill one of  them with my special salad and another with a dessert!  The host and hostess are always happy to see my contribution to the party and they always go over really well.

My favorite salad is easy to make, looks really good and is a healthy alternative!  This comes from a friend of mine who is a Naturopathic Doctor! Take a look and see if you don't agree that it looks delicious.
salad


Dr. Amy Tung's Baby Arugula, Seaweed & Kale Salad with Roasted Almonds and Fresh Herbs 🌿 .

1 cup unsalted almonds
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 cups kale
3 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup soaked and drained dried kelp
2 Tbsp each chopped fresh dill, parsley and cilantro 
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
.
Dressing: 
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar 1 clove garlic, grated or pressed
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
.
Toss almonds with extra-virgin olive oil and salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350F oven for 15 minutes, turn every 5 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool.
.
In large bowl combine kale, baby arugula and herbs. Cover with damp paper towels and reserve.
.
For dressing, combine lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk in olive oil.
.
Just before serving toss greens with dressing. Serves 6 - 8 people

party decorations

The other bowl is for fruits that I love to bring along to a backyard get together.  Summer is the season to enjoy all of the abundance around us! There is no better way to enjoy fresh and good for you food than to prepare a large bowl of summer ripe and summer sweet fruits.

My favorites are strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, watermelon cubed or balled, melons (honeydew and cantaloupes) cut into strips or cubed, apples and cherries.  Add a special Citrus Honey dressing (by that is just superb!  Just one warning,  do not place this dressing on the fruits until you are ready to serve.  Some of the fruits may become soggy if mixed too early.

Citrus-Honey Dressing Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice
• ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice

dollar tree

May your summer be wonderful, may you have many friends and family to share it with you and may you make memories that will keep you smiling for many years to come!  



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


10 comments:

  1. Salads and fruit are always great sides to bring to a party! Thanks for sharing those awesome recipes. I am sure they would be a big hit at any party. My mother loves the Dollar Tree. She has certainly made our family gatherings a lot easier on me this last few years. She finds the prettiest disposable plates for us to use. That means we get to enjoy each other more and not spend as much time in the kitchen cleaning up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is exactly why I decided to go with this company and highlight what can be had. I would rather spend my time having a good chat with my friends and family, than worrying about dishes being broken and the clean up afterwards. Memories are made when you can relax and enjoy your company without stressing! Dollar Tree has so much to offer!

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  2. Picnics and summertime food and celebrations go together. Terrific ideas for summertime foods for those get-togethers and having inexpensive supplies is a plus. I get all my greeting cards and shipping supplies for my craft shop from Dollar Tree and shop there frequently.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That makes a lot of sense Miss Elf. Crafts and shipping supplies can all add up and you know you have to charge more to cover those costs. So, if you can get a better price at Dollar Tree, why not! I myself love the idea of bringing a salad or dessert and being able to leave a nice bowl behind without a second thought.

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  3. Great ideas (and you know I love the Dollar Tree for holidays!)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you and I know a lot of people who love Dollar Tree! Why not, the selection is great and the price is right.

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  4. What an awesome salad recipe Olivia. Fran and Jamie are going to love that salad I'm sure of it. I had a small gift basket business years ago and bought a lot of basket supplies at the Dollar Tree. Thanks!

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  5. Yes I can imagine that would have been a great place to get basket supplies along with all kinds of other things too. The salad is really wonderful, I hope Fran and Jamie enjoy it! Let me know!

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  6. The salad looks beautiful. I'm not so sure about the kelp.... but the rest of that recipe made my mouth water.

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  7. We just had our summer family BBQ gathering and the food was the main thing we all gathered round. It's so much fun to plan outdoor food fun for the gang. Thanks for this, very handy.

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