I am Super Bowl obsessed. We are throwing a small party at the house and I can’t wait to have everyone there, hollering at the television and eating and drinking inordinate amounts of food and beer. And cocktails.

Time to start thinking about the decor. Hmmm…what to do?

Our friends have come to expect the weird and unusual from me. I can’t help myself. Give me a theme and I will run that thing into the ground trying to make it come to life.

It’s a sickness. Please don’t try to cure me.

So off to interweb land I go – searching for the best and the brightest. Also, the easiest. Because as much as I like to throw a party, I want it to be easy.

What did I find?

How much do you love these drink charms? So adorbs!

I need these.

These terrific ideas come from Paper & Cake – love! There’s even napkin rings and everything you need to make your table super footbally.

I think I might have found someone who loves this day more than me. Isn’t this the cutest? This comes to us from Creative Party Ideas by Cheryl. Thank you, Cheryl.

I think this is the cutest thing ever.

This might be cheesy, but I can’t help myself. I love it.

Just add cheese. Or something. Pigs in a blanket. Just grab a beer!

Step aside – I found FOOTBALL LANTERNS! Could you just die!?

I freaking love these.

Not sure what it is about this centerpiece – it just looks so high-end. And easy. Color me impressed.

It's so tidy. And not made of food.

Party City has little jackets for your beer. Cute!

Too cute!

What are you whipping up for your Super Bowl Party? Tell me, I can’t wait to hear!

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to They Might Be Giants – Particle Man

This is my fantasy centerpiece for Super Bowl. With all the calories removed, of course.

I don't think I have enough guests to build this.....

What are you serving at your Super Bowl soiree?

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to Bad Company – Rock and Roll Fantasy

Ok, I’m all refreshed after taking the day after Super Bowl to tidy up and plan what I am going to do with the leftovers. I thought you might enjoy seeing how we celebrated.

This might have been the most relaxing party we have ever given. I bought all disposables (not very green of me, but wow, it took off a ton of pressure), pulled out frozen bbq pork I had in the freezer, bought a few ingredients for 7 layer dip and grabbed one of the cakes that did not work out two weeks ago from the freezer that I had saved specifically for cake balls. Mmmm, cake balls.

Have you jumped on the cake ball band wagon? They are insanely easy to make and are totally tasty. Here’s the deets if you haven’t made them yet.

Cake balls sharing the plate with Michelle's yummy banana cream puffs.

Cake Balls

1 cake made from boxed cake mix or homemade – plain
3/4 container of frosting
2 bags of chocolate chips – semisweet or any flavor you like
2 tsps shortening or butter

Sprinkles

Crumble cake into crumbs into a large bowl

Move out of the way as everyone rushes to grab said cake ball.

I made mine with yellow cake mix combined with lemon frosting and coated in semisweet chocolate. They were sooooo good. If you haven’t tried them yet, this might be the time. With Winter weather keeping a lot of us indoors, take a moment to play in your kitchen and have some fun with a friend.

Eric’s contribution to the party was my favorite – 7 layer dip, but with an artistic twist.

7 layer dip for the big game.

Don’t you just love the football field? With black olives for the Steelers and green olives for the Packers. So cute. And it was so luscious. Especially after dipping into Rick and Denise’s fab dip made with sausage, cream cheese, jalapenos and more cheese.

Jay and Valerie brought some of the best wings I have ever eaten. I believe I ate 5 of them, rounded out by Michelle & Byron’s wowie deviled eggs, Crystal’s yummy mini-cheese biscuits, Sarah’s freshly made rice krispy treats and a mountain of assorted chips, washed down by several varieties of beer, wine and soft drinks. It was a delightful day of excess.

And commercials – oh how I loved the Doritos and the little one dressed up like Darth Vader.

About 15 of us gathered to watch, eat and drink on Sunday.

Looking down the table, desserts first!

Eric does a check to make sure the beer is good. It is.

Sarah's rice krispy treats. So yummy.

Michelle, Rick & Denise check out the game.

Shane snags the comfiest seat in the house.

I hope your party was just as much fun. What were your favorite commercials?

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to The Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling

How was your Super Bowl Sunday? Did you party with all your favorites and holler at the television? Good, that’s the American way. Me, too. And I have a bit of clean up to do before I can report back on the activities and yummy goodies everyone brought, so here’s a fun video Barry and I made with a super easy recipe for a ridiculously delicious pie for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day.

Enjoy!

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to my silent house.

Whooo Hooo! It is Super Bowl Weekend! Second only to Christmas and the Academy Awards (Feb. 27, if you were wondering). The most fun time for everyone to get together, eat, drink and holler at the television.

Everyone is coming to our house this year and we have asked everyone to bring an appetizer to share and some booze. You need booze for a good Super Bowl party. Just ask Don Draper.

Or, you could ask our resident NYC party-girl-about-town, Esther, who is always coming up with the tastiest cocktails. This time they are hilariously named after players from both the Packers and the Steelers. Just in time for Sunday.

If you live in Georgia, please remember to buy your libations on Saturday. When are they going to lift these blue laws already?

Inspired by the Green Bay star-quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, this cocktail packs a Latin punch, using mixologist favorite Flor de Cana rum. Featuring liquid smoke, this cocktail’s smoky flavor is on fire, just like your favorite team!

Rodgers En Fuego
2.5 oz. Flor de Caña 7 year rum
.5 oz. Maple Syrup
2 Dashes Liquid Smoke
Salt
Baby corn
Salt rim of small rocks glass. Add Flor de Caña, maple syrup, and liquid smoke to shaker.
Strain over ice. Garnish with baby corn.

We all know that Green Bay’s Donald Driver is an acclaimed wide-receiver – and we can definitely count on him to catch the ball thrown by Rodgers! We’re loving this screwdriver, using Russian Standard Vodka, Russia’s number one premium vodka, adding a nice kick to show the other team who’s in charge! Mix-up a batch and let this cocktail is flow like Clay Matthews golden hair.

Donald Screwdriver
1.5 oz Russian Standard Vodka
3.5 oz orange juice
1 dash lemon juice
1 orange twist

In a highball glass, combine Russian Standard Vodka, orange juice, lemon juice and ice. Stir well and garnish with a twist of orange.

Celebrate yellow fever and of course, Polamalu’s outrageous hair, with a cocktail that could not be easier to make. The Polamalu Lemonade combines Lucid absinthe with fresh lemonade. A simple garnish of a slice of lemon really demonstrates your Pittsburgh alliance.

Polamalu Lemonade
1 oz. Lucid absinthe
3 oz. Fresh lemonade
Slice of lemon

In a tumbler, combine 1 oz Lucid absinthe, 3 oz of lemonade and ice. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

Last but not least, toast the Steelers with a cocktail – straight from a copper mug!
This cocktail uses trendy ginger beer and is sure to be a winner!

Black & Yellow Mule
2 oz. Russian Standard Vodka
5 oz. premium ginger beer
Wedge of lime
2 muddled blackberries
Candied ginger

Muddle two blackberries in a chilled Russian Standard copper mug or Collins glass. Fill the glass with ice and pour two ounces of Russian Standard Vodka. Add 5 ounces of ginger beer and stir gently. Garnish with a squeezed wedge of lime and candied ginger.
For additional recipes, please visit www.RussianStandardMoscowMule.com

I don’t know about you, but I think I will be making some black and yellow mules at my house!

What’s shaking at your place for the weekend?

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to Hank Williams Jr. – All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight

I have been on a crusade to save money recently. And I bet you might be, too. Let’s help each other, shall we?

There are more than a few websites and blogs that specialize in just this thing. One site I found recently that I have fallen in love with is “Budget Bytes” written by an adorable blogger named Beth. So it is “Beth’s Budget Bytes”! She dissects each recipe and tells you how much each ingredient costs and it all looks mouthwatering. I am making one of her dishes tonight but I am surprising Eric so I will share it with you tomorrow.

My sweet friend Aimee is the author of the blog “The Coupon Diva“, another amazing way to watch your pennies. She works very hard to bring you the best deals, so go check her out.

For flat out fun and all out hilarity, visit my friend Susan at her blog “The Frugal Hostess” – she is a hoot and has some wonderful ideas to boot. Hey, that rhymes!

What am I doing to save? Well, I am certainly throwing more interactive parties. We really debated over having a Super Bowl party, and decided to invite everyone over to share their favorite football watching snack, bring their own beverages and we will rev up the Pop Corn Machine (did I tell you about the POP CORN MACHINE? We bought it for a song at a yard sale. In fact, when they told us the price, Eric and I just howled because it was exactly the amount of money we brought to the yard sale. To the penny. And it is the big kind – like at the movie theatre. So now my house always smells like pop corn. But that’s not a bad thing.) We will whip up another snack or two to share and we will open our home. Because that’s what matters – having everyone together. Not how much you spend. If you treat each guest like royalty and greet them with a huge smile and a hug, they will always be happy to contribute.

And if they don’t  - well, you don’t want them in your home anyway, now do you?

Please share your money saving tips with me!

xoxo, Patti

Today blogging to Ginger Rogers – We’re In The Money

I imagine many of you will be throwing parties this weekend for what is, for the most part, a national holiday – Super Bowl Sunday.

The commercials are the draw for me. But the game can be fun to watch, too. What’s the key thing for the day, though? Let’s say it together, shall we?  The FOOD, of course!

Your crew has already tried the wings, the take out pizza, the onion dip out of a container.  How about switching it up a bit this year? I am going to give you some recipes that will make you look like the star I know you are – and easy! Because no one wants to be stuck in the kitchen when the party is in the living room, right?

How about these beauties?

Super Bowls!

Aren’t they adorable? The recipe is from darling Paula over at Paula Does Pasta. So go on over to her site and give these a try. Doesn’t the photo just make you want to jump in?

Another easy dish (although it takes some planning) is to take a pork butt, put it in your crockpot with a bottle of Mojo sauce (or two, depending on the size of your butt…the pork butt, silly!), put it on high for about 3 hours and shred. Serve on tiny dinner rolls topped with cole slaw. This is crazy tasty and easy!

My Choice of Mojo Sauce

How about some Mexican Hummus? From over at My Kitchen Addiction – doesn’t that sound great? And healthy (shhhh…we won’t tell…)

A Nice, Healthy Nosh

And you are absolutely going to need a dessert – I love making cookies since you can walk around with them. Giant cookies. Don’t feel like baking? Pick them up at your favorite bakery – there is no shame in getting some help.

May the best commercial team win!

xoxo, Patti