My BFF’s Baby Shower

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appetizers on a stick, Baby, baby books, baby shower, baby shower theme, brownie bites, caprese kabob, Centerpieces, cupcake tree, cupcakes, hostess, hosting, lollipop bouquet, mini brownies, mini pizza, mini quiche, party appetizer, party food, shower food, skewer appetizer, strawberry rosebud bouquet, sweet and sour meatballs, teriyaki skewers

Don’t get confused, yes, I used a similar title for a earlier post. Same concept, my other best friend is the lucky mother-to-be this time. As soon as her pregnancy was confirmed, her sister and I began planning her baby shower (being the planners we were). We decided where to have it (church basement) and when (May). We both loved the build-a-library (look here for book suggestions) concept for the shower; every guest brings a baby book and writes a message for the baby inside, in lieu of a shower card. Her sister quickly selected invitations, decorations, plates and cutlery. We talked about the favors and food. We also made a pact not to play the gross poopy diaper game.

The main colors on the invitations were green and purple. Since my BFF is having a boy, I decided to incorporate the purple but play it down using more green and adding blue. I carried this color palette into the desserts and favors.

I thought it would be a good idea to serve tiny food to go along with the baby theme. Fingers food are always easy at showers and parties. I thought that sandwiches wouldn’t keep (if made ahead of time) or travel well. So I asked my BFF’s sister to order the sandwich trays for the shower and get the ice.

Menu

Desserts & Centerpieces
I immediately planned to make white chocolate lollipops in the form of baby carriages and baby bottles for the favors. My BFF is planning an

My BFF has an airplane theme for the nursery (her husband is a pilot) and I wanted to reflect that in the shower somehow. I found cute airplane candy molds and made airplane gummi candy in the shower colors.

I made chocolate topped pretzels (stolen idea from my other BFF’s sister) that continued the colors.

I planned to make chocolate covered strawberry rosebud bouquets for the table centerpieces. Having to travel further, I planned to make the chocolate dipped strawberries before the trip and wait to place them on skewers and arrange them until I got to the church. Then I dropped my vat of chocolate on the floor… I turned out to be plain strawberry rosebud bouquets instead.

Something I wanted to include, but didn’t have time to make was mini eclairs and mini cream puffs. They were store-bought and somehow didn’t disappear like the rest of my food.

Once again I got to pull out my cupcake tree and icing press, to make cupcakes that were just as appeasing to the eyes as they were to the palette.

Cute Cupcakes

I made brownie bites with cream cheese frosting (I believe the desserts are becoming my signature for baby showers).

Food & Snacks
I thought the vegetable tray would be very fun if it was stocked with baby veggies; baby carrots, baby corn, cherry tomatoes, mini cucumbers, baby and mini bell peppers. The veggies were served with my ranch dip which is way better than any store-bought dip and just as easy.

Baby Bell Peppers

The cheese tray included baby swiss, mini pepperoni, small crackers, baby goldfish.

I made grape and cheddar kabobs and served them with a honey lime yogurt dip (and idea stolen from my other BFF).

Caprese Kabobs were an easy was to turn the classic salad into a finger food.

Caprese Kabobs

I made mini Quiche ahead of time, as I could heat them quickly before serving. Some were turkey ham & cheddar, some were plain swiss.

The salmon puffs (one of my favorites) were a big hit and disappeared quickly.

Salmon Puffs

I served hot cocktail weenies in a sweet chilli sauce.

I prepped Teriyaki chicken skewers, marinated for 24 hours ahead of time. I grilled them before hand and heated them quickly before serving.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs were served, with three meatballs skewers on a stick.

I kept the hot food  warm using my buffet warming trays and chaffing dishes.

Tea sandwiches do not travel well, so I asked her sister to order a tray for the shower. I had baby gherkins and baby dill pickles to serve with them.

Beverages
I served lemonade and iced-tea in 3 gallon dispensers. I provided half pint water bottles and mini orange juice containers in an iced galvanized tub.

Several people asked me for my business card, many people asked for recipes and almost everyone complimented me on something they ate. The ultimate compliment I actually heard several times, “This is the nicest shower I’ve ever been to.” I so glad that my Bff’s sister and I were able to give that to the momma-to-be.

I’ll share some photos over the next few days.

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BFF’s Baby Shower

Tags

baby shower, baby shower desserts, baby shower theme, brownie bites, candy bouquet, cream cheese frosting, cupcake tree, cupcakes, dessert, dessert table, edible arrangement, fruit bouquet, rock candy bouquet, white chocolate covered pretzels

One of my best friends is due with her first child on Dec. 30th and today is her baby shower! Her shower is a blue, green and chocolate brown theme shower (although, her nursery is going to be sports theme). I am in charge of the desserts! Yum, yum!

Finger food at parties definitely make hosting parties/showers (and eating at them ) easier. Plus, smaller desserts play into the whole “baby” theme of a baby shower.

Cupcake Tree
I was itching to get out my cupcake carriers, cupcake tree (it holds 38, perfect amount for the shower), and icing press, so I decided to make cupcakes. I used a confetti cake mix, overfilling the cups to make large cupcakes. I split the buttercream frosting into three batches; I left one white, tinted one blue and one green. I used my icing press to pile the delicious buttercream frosting onto the yummy cupcakes. To embellish the cupcakes, I used light blue sparkling sugar crystals and slightly smaller light green sanding sugar. I placed my cupcakes into the carriers and waited to arrange them on the cupcake stand until I arrived at the shower location.

Yummy Cupcakes

Cupcake Tree

Fruit Bouquet
I always wanted to try to make a fruit bouquet. I used my wooden kebob sticks and stuck strawberries on some sticks, several grapes on others, and peeled & sliced kiwi rounds. I used a cookie cutter to shape pineapples into flowers. I used floral foam inside of a clear vase, but it was covered with light blue, light green and chocolate ribbon (you could just use a solid colored vase). I stuck each stick into the foam, arranging my bouquet. Then I used endive (most bouquets use parsley) to fill in between the sticks and make it look pulled together (I once saw someone use a lettuce head instead of floral foam, and loosen the outer leaves instead of using parsley).  I was hoping the store would have some star fruit, to slice and use for beautiful flowers…  This was so easy and fun to make, I can’t wait to make another one when more fruit are in season.

Fruit Bouquet

Candy Bouquet
I made two small bouquets of light blue (cotton candy), light green rock (watermelon), white and brown (rootbeer) rock candy swizzle sticks. I arranged them into two small silver square pots.

 

Rock Candy Bouquet

Brownie Bites
I decided to use my mini muffin pans (non-stick) to make miniature brownies (don’t most women love chocolate?), I used my favorite brownie recipe and baked for about 12 minutes at 350°F. My icing press came in handy to place a little dollop of cream cheese frosting on top of each bite (I had seen a store bakery do this before, yum!).

Brownie Bites

Cream Cheese Frosting (This is a small batch for little bursts of frosting on the brownie tops) Ingredients: 4 oz cream cheese, 2 Tbs. softened butter, 1 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Directions: Mix together cream cheese and butter until combined. Slowly add sugar, mixing one minute. Add vanilla and mix on medium speed until fluffy.

White Chocolate Covered Pretzels
I dipped small pretzels into white chocolate and then placed on a wax paper lined cookie tray and left in the fridge to set. I then set them out in a shallow bowl.

Toting all these goodies was my excuse to drive the X-terra this weekend. I grabbed my folding table, pressed my white table cloth, packed up the back of the SUV and now it’s time to decorate and set up everything for the beautiful momma to be.