Fabulous Food

Great recipes and ideas for serving food in fabulous ways.

Mar 19 2015

A Fresh Look At Hot Cross Buns

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments

With Easter just around the corner I have been on the hunt again for some great Easter ideas. Many of these you can see on our Pinterest page, click here if you want to have a nosey.  For me every celebration has it’s essential things and if those things are missing I find myself questioning whether that celebration ever really happened.  For example Christmas needs decorations and family, birthdays must have a cake and for Easter it is Hot Cross Buns (and maybe Easter eggs).  I love a good Hot Cross Bun.  The aroma of the spices bring back happy childhood memories and all the good feelings of being on holiday – so you can imagine my excitement when I saw all these wonderful ideas that take Hot Cross Buns beyond the toast then butter.

Hot Cross Bun Cupcakes

Yummy Hot Cross Bun Cupcakes – much quicker to make because you don’t have to wait for the dough to rise.

As seen on: BBC Good Food

 

Hot Cross Bun, Pear and Toffee Trifle

These Hot Cross Bun, Pear and Toffee Trifles look mouth-watering. This is one I’m going to have to try.

As seen on: Woolworths.co.za

 

Microwave Hot Cross Bun in a Mug

Microwave Hot Cross Bun in a Mug. Now you can have them any time – quick and easy.

As seen on: losebabyweight

 

Hot Cross Bun Loaf

Hot Cross Bun Loaf – instead of making the dough into buns, here they roll it with a tasty filling inside. Yum, yum.

As seen on: Williams-Sonoma

 

Hot Cross Bun - Bread and Butter Pudding

This is a great way to use up any leftover Hot Cross Buns after Easter. But I’m not sure I can wait that long. Definitely another ‘must try’.

As seen on: Amuse Your Bouche

 

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© 2014 As You Wish Events Ltd.  Want to use this article in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Auckland, New Zealand – Event Planner & Designer Nadine Crozier publishes the ‘As You Wish Events’ blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.asyouwish.co.nz.  As You Wish Events is an event planning and design company based in Auckland, serving the Auckland region and certain areas of Northland.

Mar 12 2015

Inspirations for St Patrick’s Days Celebrations

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments

With St Patrick’s Day coming up next week on the 17th of March, we thought we’d round up some inspiring ideas to get your party planning juices flowing. Here are our 5 favourite ideas.

Shamrock Garland

This homemade shamrock garland will look great hung along your window sill or anywhere else you like.

 As seen on: Hoosier Homemade

 

St Patricks Day Free Printable

Adding an Irish blessing or two to your home décor is a great and simple way to embrace the holiday.

 As seen on: Five Heart Home

 

Green Ribbon Table Setting

This may not depict what most of us would think of when someone says ‘St Patrick’s Day party’ but adding a theme to a dinner party can be a lot of fun.

 As seen on: Martha Stewart Weddings

 

Shamrock pretzel pops

I love these easy to make treats. Such a great idea for the young and the young at heart.

 As seen on: Jessica Weible Blogs

 

Guinness Cupcake

Another tasty treat but this time for the adults. It fits perfectly with St Patrick’s Day celebrations, don’t you think?

 As seen on: My Baking Addiction

For more St Patrick’s Day ideas click through to our Pinterest page here.

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© 2014 As You Wish Events Ltd.  Want to use this article in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Auckland, New Zealand – Event Planner & Designer Nadine Crozier publishes the ‘As You Wish Events’ blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.asyouwish.co.nz.  As You Wish Events is an event planning and design company based in Auckland, serving the Auckland region and certain areas of Northland.

Feb 18 2015

Blue & Gold Awards Evening

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments

At the end of last year I was approached by a non-profit organisation to organise their annual awards evening.  With their request for light refreshments, an ideal location with appropriate décor and a well organised programme we set to work at creating a formal occasion for all the guests to enjoy.

Event Highlights:
  • We were very pleased with how the table centrepieces came together and really liked that we could incorporate their logo into the design.
  • The mini brownie trifles in shot glasses where another favourite, not just of ours but of everyone’s – super yummy!
  • Because a number of guests had children we organised an onsite babysitting service.  Karitane babysitting service provided us with two wonderful ladies who did a fantastic job, all we had to do was organise a few activities.

 

A big thank you to Travis from Forgiven Photography for sharing with us these beautiful photos from their special occasion.

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Vendor Credits:

 

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© 2014 As You Wish Events Ltd.  Want to use this article in your E-newsletter, blog, or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: Auckland, New Zealand – Event Planner & Designer Nadine Crozier publishes the ‘As You Wish Events’ blog filled with secrets, tips and how-tos for planning your fabulous event. Get your exclusive inspiration, tips and tricks at http://www.asyouwish.co.nz.  As You Wish Events is an event planning and design company based in Auckland, serving the Auckland region and certain areas of Northland.

Nov 24 2014

Pretty Punch for Summer

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: 1 Comment

12 Days of Christmas Ideas 2014 – Day 8

 

Pretty drinks, with fancy garnishes and swizzle sticks are a perfect picture of summer.  Whether it’s served by the glass or set up as a help-yourself drink station, you can guarantee your guests will appreciate it on a hot summers day.

For today’s idea I want to share a couple of pretty easy punch recipes.  The first was introduced to me by a friend a few years back and it couldn’t be more Kiwi, as the main ingredient is the iconic NZ soft drink, L&P.

Pineapple Punch

Pineapple Punch

Pineapple Punch
Ingredients: 
  • 1L Pineapple Juice
  • 1.5L Bottle of L&P
  • 2-3 Tbsp Canned Crushed Pineapple
  • Mint leaves to garnish.

Mix all of the ingredients together, garnish with a few mint leave.  Serve chilled (Makes approx. 2.5 Litres).

 

 

For the second punch recipe I wanted it to be pink in colour and without any fizz – just to be different I guess.  After a lot of trial and error I think I have a winner in this Pink Lemonade recipe.

Pink Lemonade

Pink Lemonade

Pink Lemonade
Ingredients:
  • 2 cups of Sugar
  • 2 cups of Boiling Water
  • 3 cups of Lemon Juice
  • 2 cups of Cranberry Juice
  • 12 cups of cold water

Place the sugar and boiling water into a large saucepan or heat proof bowl.  Stir until the sugar has fully dissolved.  Then stir in the lemon juice, cranberry juice and cold water.  If it is still too sweet for your liking, just add more water.  Serve chilled or over ice (Makes approx. 4.5 Litres).

I hope this inspires to you enjoy a refreshing glass of pretty punch this summer.  And if you have a favourite punch recipe that you’d like to share with us, we’d love to hear from you – either send us an email or type it into the comments box below.

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Nov 23 2014

A Bowl of Chocolate

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments

12 Days of Christmas 2014 – Day 7

CB4

Here is another simple, yet stunning dessert option for you to impress your friends with over the Christmas season and beyond.

CB3

To get started you’ll need a packet of Chocolate melts or buttons, some water balloons, non stick baking paper and a tray.

Begin by inflating the water balloons.  Make sure each balloon is clean by rinsing them under warm water.  Be sure to dry them thoroughly as water and chocolate do not like each other.  Line the tray with the non-stick baking paper – and then you’re ready for the next stage.

Melt the packet of Chocolate melts in the microwave, cook for short periods of time (1 minute or less) and always at 50% power.  Stir well between each cooking time and be patient.  If you rush this process you are likely to ruin the chocolate.  When the chocolate is of a smooth consistency take a balloon and press it into the chocolate until it reaches about half way – high enough to create a bowl. Then lift the balloon out of the chocolate and place onto the tray and leave to set.  Repeat the process until you have your desired number of bowls.

Once the chocolate has set hard you will need to carefully deflate the balloons.  I did this by snipping a hole near the balloon’s knot and then carefully peeling the balloon out to reveal the bowl.

CB 1

You can then fill your chocolate bowl with whatever filling you like.  I opted for a chocolate mousse with a cream and berry garnish.  Other ideas could be Ambrosia or for a healthier option, a fresh fruit salad.  I hope you enjoy this idea and have some fun making your own.

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Nov 19 2014

Mini Layered Cakes

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments

12 Days of Christmas Ideas 2014 – Day 3

Christmas is synonymous with entertaining and when is come to entertaining I think there is nothing better than a simple way to create a delightful and memorable experience for my guests.  These beautiful Mini Layered Cakes are one of those ways.

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To make these amazing little cakes all you need is a flat cake (approx. 4cm deep), a yummy icing or filling and a round cookie cutter (approx. 7cm diameter).  Use the cookie cutter to cut out rounds from the cake, then split them horizontally through the middle.  Add some of the filling to the middle and some on the top.  Then garnish to finish.

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I have tired this idea here with a Red Velvet cake and Cream Cheese and Mascarpone Filling.  But I could also imagine it working well with a Chocolate brownie and Mascarpone cream or even a Chocolate Cake with a Ganache.  I’m sure the options are endless and if you came up with a good one we’d love to hear about it.

 

 

Sep 24 2014

5 Creative DIY Food Stations

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments

There is no doubt that DIY food stations have become a hugely popular choice for special occasions around the globe.  I must say I’m in love with this idea – to the point that if I’d thought of it 10 years ago our wedding would have most likely featured some of the ideas below.   Why are the so popular?  I think it comes down to three things:  1) They allow simple favourites that are generally easy to make and inexpensive, to be served at even the fanciest of occasions.  2)  The way they are presented intrigues people, it doesn’t matter who you are. 3) It’s food that entertains, giving guests a shared experience as well as a full belly.

So without further ado here are 5 Creative DIY Food Stations that have caught my attention.

1.  The Popcorn Bar
The Rustic Popcorn Bar

It is all in the presentation.

As seen on: Pen N’ Paper

2.  Ice Cream Sundae Buffet
Ice Cream Sundae Buffet

Such an easy dessert option, that will keep your guests coming back for more.

As seen on: As You Wish Events

3.  S’mores Bar
Smore Bar

S’mores make a tasty dessert or even a fancy supper. I can just imagine serving one up to guests at a summer BBQ, once the sun has gone down and the cool night air moves in.

 As seen on: Waffle Design

4.  Make your Own Burger Bar
Summer BBQ Idea

What a great way to dress up a summer BBQ. A ‘Make Your Own Burger Bar’ could be ideal for any occasion be it dinner with friends, Christmas dinner or a backyard wedding.

As seen on: Cardstore

5.  Hot Chocolate Drinks Bar
Hot Cocoa Bar Party

I love how this bar takes an everyday beverage and makes it extra special.

As seen on: Paperblog

Sep 18 2014

VeggieTales Pirate Party

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: 3 Comments

VT Header

As promised in last weeks post, today is all about the remaining details of my son’s VeggieTales Pirate Party.  I had so much fun putting this party together.  A lot of effort was made to have as many of the party details match scenes from ‘The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything’ movie – needless to say, I lost count of the number of times I watched the movie and my son still comes out with an ‘Arrrgh’ at the most random of times.  But that is all just part of the fun.

Party Highlights:
  • The theming of the food was definitely a highlight for me, in particular the little fish and chips boat dishes.
  • I thought I would have a go at making the birthday cake as well as all the modelled chocolate figurines.  I was pretty pleased with how it turned out even though there were moments of great frustration.  Let’s just say I have a new found appreciation for those who do this for a living.
  • The recycled pallet furniture and the barrels did a really good job of setting the party scene.
  • The way I managed to dress the soft toy, Larry, to look like his character, Elliot, from the movie.
  • Lastly, I loved the little treasure chest favour boxes.

Veggie Pirates - Page 046

Party Décor:

The furniture played a big part in setting the party scene.  With help from my husband, we used some old shipping pallets to make bench seats for the children to sit on, and for the ‘lemonade stand’ style food table.  We also hired some barrels from First Scene prop hire.  These came in handy for displaying the favours, as well as adding to the décor.  At either end of the children’s table we constructed two ship masts and then hung bunting from one to the other.  The bunting was from the As You Wish Events ‘Simply Nautical’ printables collection.  From this collection also came the ‘Happy Birthday’ banner, bottle wraps, cupcake wrappers and toppers, toothpick flags, buffet labels and the fish and chips boat dishes.  The overall look was finished off with a tea stained tablecloth, hessian runner and a few themed props for the centrepiece.

Party Favours:

To help set the atmosphere, as each guest arrived they were given a spotted bandanna to wear, just like Elliot’s. I had managed to find the perfect fabric for this at Geoff’s Emporium in Dominion Rd.  In addition to this each guest received their own little treasure chest, which I had found on Trade Me.  Each one held a small bag of gold chocolate coins, a Veggie Pirates bookmark and a Veggie Pirates sticker.  The bookmarks and stickers were among the free printables on the Veggie Pirate website.

Veggie Pirates - Page 048

Party Entertainment:

For this party we decided to keep the entertainment rather simple.  We set up a colouring-in station with pictures download from the Veggie Pirates website.  We also had a barrel of fish which could be caught by a magnetic fishing line.  Lastly we finished off the party by watching the ‘Veggie Tales: The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything’ movie.

The Party Food:

As mentioned earlier, we worked really hard to make all the food connect to some part of the movie. As a result this is what we had on the menu:

  • Fish Bites and Chips with tomato sauce served in the boat dishes
  • Evil Cheese Curls – aka ETA Cruncheese Corn Snacks
  • Fudge Cupcakes with themed cupcake toppers
  • Rocks of Malabar Sundaes – aka Vanilla Ice cream, coloured with blue food colouring and rocks made from modelling chocolate.
  • Cannonball Munchkins – these were from Dunkin Donuts
  • Pirate Pea Cakepops
Veggie Pirates - Page 047Summing Up:

Because the weather wasn’t great we had to squeeze all the guests into our smallish house – but I wouldn’t have changed this as I think there is something special about entertaining guests at home, and no one seemed to mind.  There were enough places to sit, plenty of food for everyone and the hush that came over the children as they ate, said to me “Job well done!”

Vendor Credits:
Aug 27 2014

The Fantastic Fudge Cake

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments

Food is such a big part of any celebration, and one particular food item that usually makes it onto the menu is cake!  So this week I thought I would share one of my favourite cake recipes with you.  As children my sisters and I loved to help mum with the baking.  One year we were given a kids recipe book which had this lovely fudge cake recipe in it.  It was probably the first cake I ever baked on my own and because it was so easy to make it quickly became a family favourite.

There are so many reasons why I love this recipe.  Because this cake has no eggs, butter or milk it makes it a very economical cake to make, as well as making it a great recipe for those who are on a dairy free diet.   I also love the versatility of this recipe.  It can easily be baked as a Bundt cake, cupcakes or even a fancy birthday cake.  Not to mention it makes a delicious dessert on a cold winter’s night simply by pouring a hot chocolate sauce or custard over it while it is still warm.  But of course the most important reason is that it tastes great!

Digger Birthday Cake

I used the fudge cake recipe to make this digger birthday cake.

 

Fudge Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups of Flour
  • 2 Tbspn of Cocoa
  • 1 cup of Sugar
  • 1 cup of Water
  • 6 Tbspn of Oil
  • 1 Tbspn of White Vinegar
  • 1 tsp of Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp of Vanilla
  • ½ tsp of Salt

 

Method:

Mix flour, sugar, cocoa and water together in a bowl.  Add Vanilla, Vinegar, Oil, Baking Soda and salt.  Mix together well.  Pour into a floured or lined tin and bake in the oven for 35-40 mins at 180C° or in the microwave for 6-7mins (cover while cooking) on High.

Variation:  Make as cupcakes. ¾ fill Patty Pans and bake for 20-30mins.  Makes 12

Jul 30 2014

Fabulous Fudge Favours

Author: Nadine Crozier • Discussion: No Comments
 New Zealand Made Wedding Favours from The NZ Fudge Farm

 

I believe that Oprah Winfrey was right when she said ‘Love is in the details’ and as an event designer I believe that favours are one of those details. As a result I often find myself helping my clients to source favours for their events and if they have a large number of guests coming from overseas then they are often keen to have something that is New Zealand made.

Recently I was pleased to discover that the New Zealand Fudge Farm, based in Whangarei, sells a two piece pack that works perfectly as a wedding or party favour.

Fudge Farm Favours

The New Zealand Fudge Farm’s fudge has to be my all time favourite fudge.  The perfect fudgy texture just melts in your mouth.  Their standard two piece pack has one piece of their Chocolate Fudge and one piece of their Russian Fudge, giving your guests some added variety.  They are very reasonably priced and the staff there are always very helpful and friendly.

So if you are looking for a sweet treat to add as your wedding or party favour, consider giving the New Zealand Fudge Farm a call to place your order.