ARTICHOKE PEPPER SPREAD

1 can (14-oz) artichoke hearts, drained
1 jar (6-oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (4-oz) diced green chili peppers, drained

Place all the drained artichoke hearts in a Montel Blender container or food processor. Cover and process until finely chopped. Stop machine and scrape down sides of bowl when necessary. Transfer artichokes to a medium saucepan; stir in the cheese and chili peppers. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted. Serve warm with party breads and/or assorted crackers.

QUICK AND EASY CRACKER APPETIZERS

Graham crackers
Whole-Grain crackers
1 tub cream cheese
orange marmalade
jalapeno jelly

Spread the crackers with the soft-style cream cheese. Top the cream cheese on the Graham crackers with the orange marmalade. Top the whole-grain cream cheese crackers with the jalapeno jelly. With this one quick and easy recipe, you have appetizers for two very different tastes to serve your guests.

EASY SPINACH-PARMESAN DIP

1 pkg (10-oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup mayonnaise style salad dressing
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 can (8-oz) water chestnuts, drained & chopped
1/8 tsp ground red pepper

In a medium bowl, blend the salad dressing and sour cream together. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and red pepper. Add the spinach and water chestnuts, stir to blend well. Cover and chill. Serve with assorted crackers and/or fresh vegetables.

Yield: 4 cups

Enjoy!

So what are the basic party accessories and equipment you need to hire for an event?

• Once you have decided on the number of people and venue half the battle in won. Deciding on the venue is the most time consuming process. Once that is done you can concentrate on all the other details.

• If you are having the party outdoors you may require a tent. Make sure you know the correct number of people attending the event because the tent has to be big enough to accommodate all the people. There are many options of color, style and fabric for all tents. Pick one according to the occasion.

• Party decorations are a nice way to add to the visual appeal of your event.  Balloons, banners, centerpieces, and flowers are usually employed i this manner.  The decorations should match the theme of your event.  If your event is a casino party, you’ll want red, white and black balloons.  Large cards and dice usually add to the festivities as well.

• Depending on the event, decide on the number of tables and chairs you need. If you are having an event where there is going to be a sit down dinner make sure you have the correct amount of tables and chairs with the name cards. If you have decided to go with a buffet setting you can have an informal seating arrangement and don’t need as many chairs and tables because some people prefer standing.

• The next is choosing the flooring for the tent if there is going to be some dancing for your event.  You’ll also have to consider the weather and if the tent may flood if it rains heavily.

• If the restrooms are too far from the tent you can also hire portable toilets that can be placed closer to the tent so your guests don’t need to walk too much!

• Sometimes you may need to rent extra serving equipment for your event. For example you may need pie warmers, chocolate fountains etc. If you don’t like the cutlery that your caterer is giving you, hire your own! Many event hire companies provide everything from cutlery, trays, plates etc. You can also choose silver for a formal occasion.

• Make sure you have a music system that is powerful enough and a public address system in case you require it for your function.

Chocolate fountains have become quite a favorite at many parties and events over the past few years. Many caterers now offer them as part of their services, or they can be purchased inexpensively at most retailers or party supply stores. Basically they work by melting chocolate for guests to dip their favorite foods into, much like fondue but with a more appealing display.

If you’re considering having one of these at your next party, here are some ideas for you to use for different foods to serve with it:

Fresh Strawberries: Strawberries and chocolate have long been a great pair and compliment one another well. Choose medium sized berries and wash them thoroughly before serving.

Pineapple: Not all guests will like the taste of pineapple, but it can be a nice variety and something unusual to include.

Marshmallows: Chocolate dipped marshmallows are another popular choice and often get eaten up rather quickly!

Pretzels: You can choose to use pretzel sticks or traditional shaped pretzels, though the pretzel sticks may create less of a mess.

Banana Slices: Another popular choice, banana slices are also a delicious favorite.

Cookies: Whether chocolate chip or sugar cookies, these can also be a great accompanianment to your fountain.

Thick Potato Chips: This one may sound strange, but for those who love a crunchy, sweet, and salty combination it can be quite good!

Cereal Bars: There are many cereal bars available that offer great flavor and variety. Some are peanut butter flavored, others may have dried fruits such as cranberries in them. Cut them into small little cubes for dipping and serving.

When serving a chocolate fountain, you will also want to also make sure that you have plenty of necessary supplies on hand. You will need an ample amount of skewers or long toothpicks, as well as plenty of napkins since the fountain can get a bit messy at times!

Don’t be afraid to be creative and try other foods as well. Sweet pickles, pound cake, candies, and others are all just a few of the endless possibilities of things you can serve. It’s a great and unusual treat that you and your guests will be sure to enjoy at your next party or event.

Begin by making a blueprint or sketch of the space where you plan to hold your party. With this sketch (include the dimensions!), you’ll be able to work with your vendor on which equipment will be best for your party.

Also be certain that you can have games of chance at a private party. They key to this is usually playing for phony money rather than real cash. Your vendor should be able to tell you what’s legal for your Georgia Casino Night.
You can alert your guests that your Georgia Casino Night will be for fun, not profit, by including some fake bills in your invitations. Be sure to set up a bankers window at the party so that your guests can trade in their fake bills for faux coins or poker chips.

Speaking of poker and other card games, be sure to have a couple of tables for card games along with any other gambling equipment you might rent. After all, tournaments for Texas Hold ‘Em poker draw big-name stars as competitors, so having your own Hold ‘Em table will give your guests a chance to test their poker skills. Blackjack is another card game that draws many players’ interest. Everyone loves to see if they can beat the house.

It’s a good idea to hire some dealers as well as rent equipment for your Georgia Casino Night. Having a professional bartender and servers also will relieve you of bartending duties and help make sure that no one drinks too much alcohol. You might even have some friends who’d enjoy dressing up as “cigarette girls” from the heyday of swanky nightclubs to distribute party favors, candy, gum or snacks.

When your Georgia Casino Night party ends, you might want to give your guests some gambling-themed favors or goodie bags as a parting gift. That way they’ll always remember what a grand time was had by all!

The mathematical odds of winning are affected by the length of your visit. The longer you stay, the poorer your odds of winning are. The casinos, then, use psychological methods to persuade you to stay longer – the longer you stay, the greater the odds that they win.

Casino games give the advantage to the house every time – so the basic thing is to realize you are not going to beat these games. Learn from the mistakes that are been made and do everything possible to avoid them. To make the casino experience more fun and safe for beginners a Georgia casino night party is the prefect solution.

The dealers will be able to teach the basics of the games and you’ll be using play money instead of your own cash.  So, there’s no risk and you’re learning at the same time.  Some casino dealers will even teach some advanced techniques and systems to give you the edge over the house.

Stick with the games you know and have learned. Perhaps the biggest mistake is to play a game that you do not know. Most casinos offer free lessons for many of the table games including Poker, Blackjack, Baccarat, and Roulette. Another advice is to choose the games that have the lowest house advantage on the odds..

Most professional gambler do not rely on luck or luck alone to help them beat casino games. But they do set themselves realistic win-loss limits. When they play, most have or use some sort of betting or wagering system. They will pull or drag some of their winnings. This helps offset their loses when they do hit a losing cycle, and believe it or not every gambler will have losing cycles when nothing seems to be going their way. Do your best to keep a portion of your winnings and then just gamble with the remainder.

If you’re looking to host a party soon, you’re probably racking your brain for the perfect party foods that everyone will enjoy. Finding great recipes isn’t too difficult, as this article is going to gear you up for a veritable party-army; what MIGHT be a problem is recruiting a clean-up staff for after the party! The following appetizer recipes are great whether you’re having a small get-together or a huge shindig—just double (or triple, if you have to!) the ingredients if necessary.

Zesty Chip Dip

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) bottle of Italian salad dressing
1 (16 oz) pkg of shredded Monterey jack cheese
4 (4.5 oz) cans of diced green chilies (drained)
1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes (drained)
2 (4 oz) cans of sliced black olives (drained)
1 (10 oz) can of white corn (drained)
1 bunch of green onions (chopped)

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the Monterey jack cheese, green chilies, tomatoes, black olives, white corn, and green onions. Mix well, then add the Italian dressing. You can adjust the amount of dressing to as little or as much as you like. Mix it well, cover it up, and chill until the party.

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
6 hard boiled eggs (peeled)
1 tsp prepared mustard
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika to garnish

Directions:
Cut each egg (lengthwise) in half. Remove the yolk balls, but be sure not to damage the egg white. Place the yolk balls in a bowl and mash them. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Use a pastry bag (or a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off) to fill the hollow portion of the egg whites. Sprinkle with a pinch of paprika, if you like. Cover and refrigerate until the party.

Cajun Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup barbeque sauce
1 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
1/2 cup peach preserves

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, bread crumbs, milk, egg, onion, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Shape the meat into ball form (about the size of a golf ball). Set on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes (or until the meat is no longer pink in the center). In a large bowl, mix together the peach preserves and barbeque sauce, then toss in the meatballs and coat them well. Cover and refrigerate until the party. Just before serving time, you can place a toothpick in each meatball for ease-of-serving.

Cheese Stuffed Olives

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) jars of extra large olives
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of goat cheese (softened)
1 bulb roasted garlic
8 fresh basil leaves (chopped)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Blend together the cream cheese, Parmesan, goat cheese, roasted garlic, basil, salt, and pepper. It’s best to use a blender or food processor for this. Transfer the cheese mixture into a pastry bag or a sandwich bag with the corner snipped, then fill the olives. Cover and refrigerate until the party.

1. DON’T procrastinate.  Get started right away.  Give yourself enough time to come up with ideas, do the planning, and order anything custom or personalized.  Make sure all the details come together with time to spare.

2. DO send out great invitations.  The right invites will grab your guest’s attention, set the tone for the party and generate excitement for the upcoming festivities.  One good choice is photo birthday invitations with multiple pictures of the celebrant at different ages. Or, you could select a design that ties into your theme, highlights your guest of honor’s interests, is funny or nostalgic.  Just make sure it communicates that this is an occasion that can’t be missed.

3. DO ask guests to contribute photos and stories about the guest of honor.  Collect them all and put them in a memory book as a gift for the celebrant. Or, you could compile them into a PowerPoint presentation to be shown at the birthday party.

4. DON’T skip the birthday party favors.  It’s a nice gesture to give your guests a little parting thank you gift for sharing this happy occasion.  Look for something inexpensive, useful, unique and personalized; maybe even with a photo of the celebrant.  This kind of keepsake serves as a nice reminder of the wonderful celebration to all who attended.

5. DON’T make fun of the fact that he or she is turning 40.  An over the hill party, complete with Grim Reaper decorations and wrinkle cream gag gifts, may seem like a good idea, but some celebrants may be uncomfortable with the joke. 

According to a recent study conducted by MetLife, 65% of the population wish they were under forty.  So, instead of teasing him or her about this milestone, make this a celebration of another year of growth.  Why not throw a party commemorating the 19th anniversary of their 21st birthday.  Unless you are absolutely sure he or she has no qualms about their age, stay away from the jabs.

6. DO look into alternatives to traditional settings for this milestone.  A 40th birthday party at a restaurant, rented hall or even at home can be wonderful.  But if you’re looking for something unique, you might have the celebration at the zoo, botanical gardens, amusement park, ski lodge or beach.  How about inviting guests to join you for a tour of a winery, day at the spa, or a hot air balloon ride?  If there’s something that the guest of honor loves to do or has always wanted to try, think about building your plans around that activity.

7. DON’T rule out a smaller celebration. Take into consideration the guest of honor’s preferences.  Would he or she love to be the center of attention at a big bash?  Or is the celebrant the quiet type, who would enjoy a less crowded venue? You don’t have to go over the top to make this 40th birthday party memorable.  Plan a dinner cruise with a few close friends or an all night movie marathon featuring his or her favorite movies.  You can emphasize the quality over the quantity.

8. DO consider a theme party.  Invite your guests to a fiesta for the celebrant who is spicy at 40, and they will anticipate a fun-filled occasion. This celebration could be a tropical luau, retro 70′s dance party complete with a spinning disco ball or a costume party where guests dress up as their true inner selves.  Whatever direction you choose, everyone will imagine a lively night before they even get there.  Going with a theme will help break the ice when guests arrive and will keep them talking long after the event is over.

So, plan in advance.  Send out eye-catching, personalized invitations.  Ask the guests to share pictures and memories, then send them home with cool party favors.  Build the festivities around the celebrant’s personality and interests.  Make it unique.  And give that special person a 40th birthday party they will never forget.

• Do you want a party people will talk about?
• Do you want a party that makes everyone who didn’t come sorry they missed it?
• Do you want people to ask to be invited to your next bash?

You can have all of that, but you’re going to have to do a little work.

The Guest List

The first thing you’ll want to do is consider who you want to invite to the party. This is trickier than it seems. Many people have friends and acquaintances that differ greatly from each other. For example, you may want to invite your relatives, your friends and your co-workers to the same party.

• Do those three groups of people have anything in common?
• Will the different groups mingle with the others?
• Will each group stick to their own social pod?

This is what you have to consider when making the guest list. That isn’t to say you can’t invite a mixed crowd. The parties with mixed crowds, done correctly, are some of the best parties. But you must coordinate your other efforts to ensure whoever you invite has as much fun as possible.

Food and Decorations

Normally, you’d talk about food, and then you’d talk about decorations. But in all actuality, the two go very much together. It sounds silly but the food should be part of the decorations. If you’re throwing a theme party (like a casino fun party), you’ll want to present the food, and provide food, according to that theme. But even if there is no theme, present your food well.

Coordinate it with the decorations, or the décor; whatever your tastes are. Some like to hang streamers and blow up balloons, while others just like to clean the house and keep everything as it is. Both will work, but make sure the food goes with whatever decorations you decide on. Your guess will definitely notice.

Entertainment

This is the most important part. You want to bring people together.  A Georgia Casino Night is one of your best options.

You’ll also want music, so maybe people will dance.

You’ll maybe want a karaoke machine once people get comfortable. But for your entertainment to be effective, you have to get people loosened up. Alcohol works great for this, but if you have a party of teetotalers, no worries. Get up there and make a fool of yourself on the karaoke machine, or invite crazy people who you know have no inhibitions to get the others loosened up. Introduce everyone to everyone else and try to find things in common that they can talk about.

Once you have everything set, and people start to arrive, you cannot relax. You’re the host. Constantly stock the food, pour the drinks, work the room and enjoy yourself. Your guests certainly will.