Brunch + A Sparkling Lemonade Bar - Pour More Fun with Country Time Lemonade Starters

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. The serious love for lemonade is all mine, as well as opinions expressed below. #PourMoreFun #CollectiveBias

Who else is excited about spring?

I know, I know... I've been going on and on about the season change and how much I love spring time, but I'm a huge fan of warm weather... and there's a slight possibility I'm counting down the days until summer break! I can't wait to sit back on the patio with a glass of lemonade and a good book while absorbing some vitamin D, without the worry of school!

Another thing I look forward to this summer is having little parties on my patio. While I'm longing for the hot, fun summer nights, I'm glad I had the chance to organize a small brunch time get-together this weekend and we were able to celebrate the holiday weekend in style.

I was lucky enough to be at Wal-Mart while they were hosting a demo for Country Time Lemonade Starters and I just fell in love with the way the pink lemonade tasted! I knew it had to be included in my brunch menu the second the first sip hit my lips!

I also knew I had to jazz up the lemonade with my own touch, I just wasn't sure how... then I saw flavored water on an end cap just a few aisles away from the free lemonade sample. Then that's when it happened, I decided to make a Sparkling Lemonade Bar.

Instead of opting for the standard mimosa bar, this weekend we chose to offer something a little more family friendly during brunch and served up a Sparkling Lemonade bar! Boy, the concoctions we put together  are not only delicious but absolutely beautiful... I mean what's not to love about a "sparkling" drink?

Need more reasons to love this spring (and summer) time favorite? You'll be glad to know it's super easy to make (just add water), flavored with real lemon juice, and contains 50% less sugar than leading regular sodas! What more could a girl ask for?

This tasty treat comes in three flavors you'll definitely want to stock up on: Classic Lemonade, Berry Lemonade, and lastly Half Lemonade & Half Iced Tea.

As I mentioned, I combined my lemonade with flavored water to create a beautiful sparkling lemonade, this pairing of two of my favorites is mind-blowingly good and the perfect beverage to enjoy on a warm, spring day.

I'm going to simply break down each drink, so that you'll know exactly how I mixed each beverage together.

Just a little side note: You should probably ask yours guests to gather around and help you prepare the bottles, since it looks SO beautiful being poured! I took pictures while hubby poured and I oooohhhhh'd and ahhhhhhh'd as I watched the Berry lemonade pour into the pineapple coconut water, such a sight to see... Sparkling lemonade is some pretty neat stuff, isn't it?

The Sparkling Lemonade Bar Drink Selections:

Cactus-Lime Lemonade
(Country Time Classic Lemonade Starter + Cactus-Lime Water + Lemon Slices)

Berry Tropical Lemonade
(Country Time Berry Lemonade Starter + Pineapple Coconut Water)

Strawberry Lemonade
(Country Time Classic Lemonade Starter  + Strawberry Water + Fresh Strawberries)

Raspberry Palmers 
(Country Time 1/2 Lemonade  & 1/2 Iced Tea Starter  + Raspberry Water + Lemon Slices)

I decorated my Sparkling Lemonade Bar with a few other fun items including "sparkling straws", an adorable sparkling lemonade themed printable (you can download it for free here), shimmering white tulips, and sprinkle dusted cupcakes with butterfly gummy accents! I also used ribbon, clothespins, and paint swatches to make a bunting banner that matches my set up perfectly. That's all you need for the perfect brunch set up!

You know what they say: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade that sparkles... or something like that! So while I'm in the midst of a million projects for the blog, planning holiday festivities, preparing and prepping our meal plans, applying for school next semester, organizing taxes, getting ready for our trip to the midwest next month, and working on homework, it was nice to drop everything for a little bit and enjoy a glass (or two - okay, maybe three) of sparkling lemonade.

While this little brunch lemonade shindig was a blast, I can't wait to sip on this lemonade all through out the summer on my patio with friends and family enjoying our time together. I'll definitely be making the Raspberry Palmers again as well, they were a HIT!

I'd love to know, What spring (and summer) activities are you excited about? I think your activities should include a delicious glass of sparkling lemonade or two, you won't regret it!

The Perfect {Light} Cocktail

This St. Patty's Day I wanted to have a beverage that made me feel good but didn't have an overload of calories or sugar. While I was walking through the liquor store I had a few ideas but when I noticed they had a new coconut flavored vodka, I was all over that nonsense... This drink was what I sipped on while running through the streets of New Orleans, a tasty and light beverage that keeps you hydrated while also allowing you to get a buzz - what more could you ask for?

This tasty treat is the best way to celebrate spring nights on the patio or summer days on the beach. Perfect for those that like girly drinks but don't want all the calories and sugar from fruit juices.

To make this drink, all you'll need is sparkling flavored water and coconut vodka. Garnish with some fruit if you like and sip, sip, sip until your hearts content!

I'd love to know, what's your favorite light and tasty drink?

Celebrate The Chinese New Year with Random Acts of Kindness + Tai Pei® Restaurant Inspired Appetizers

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NewYearFortune #CollectiveBias

I literally thrive on sharing fun ways to make everyday better and today I'm sharing how I plan to celebrate The Chinese New Year with random acts of kindness and delicious appetizers from Tai Pei®.

While I'm no authority on Chinese New Year, I have been a part of a few celebrations and been lucky enough to be handed a red envelope. You may be thinking I'm speaking in code, if you aren't aware of this tradition, but a red envelope is a customary gift around this time of year. It's typically stuffed with $$$ and symbolizes good luck and prosperity in the coming year. Chinese New Year as a whole is a giant celebration, that celebrates the wish of "good fortune". What could be better than spreading that good fortune around my community?

This year, I wanted to spread the tradition of the red envelopes to those that may not know about it while also spreading some joy. I could have given these red envelopes intentionally, which I believe is the tradition. But I really wanted fate to find someone to bless with good luck and prosperity and so I decided to hide them in random places all over town - from the picnic tables at my favorite park to the little freebie "take-one-leave-one" library at my favorite beach,my Chinese New Year cheer can be found all over town.

While hiding the envelopes was fun, I had even more fun stuffing them. Choosing an appetizer was super easy, I browsed the aisles at Wal-Mart and as soon as I saw Tai Pei's® selection of egg rolls and spring rolls, I knew exactly what to make while embracing the celebration at home.

Tai Pei® has so many varieties (with chicken, pork, shrimp, and vegetable options available) it was hard to choose. I ended up narrowing it down to the chicken egg rolls and veggie spring rolls! Both were so good, I'll definitely be going back soon to grab some other options.

Within minutes, I had perfectly crispy and delicious egg rolls stuffed with the most amazing chicken I've ever tasted and spring rolls with fresh veggies stuffed inside. While these Tai Pei® apps are restaurant inspired, they are more authentic and delicious than anything I've ever ordered from take-out... I couldn't stop snacking on them, especially with the sweet sauce that comes with them. So incredibly delicious and all I had to do was place them on a baking sheet and bake them for a bit... the perfect treat!

There are several amazing traditions involved in the Chinese New Year that I would love to take part in, events like Lantern Day and the fact that everyone celebrates growing another year older as a national birthday celebration of sorts... but one tradition I really hope becomes part of America's mainstream culture is sharing red envelopes, especially with children. While the amount inside an envelope isn't the important part of giving, it's the meaning behind the envelopes that makes the tradition so fun.

Hubs and I have already decided that sharing red envelopes with our community and hopefully bringing good fortune to strangers is going to be part of our Chinese New Year celebration every year, as well as Tai Pei's® egg rolls and spring rolls! Tai Pei® is Good Fortune in Every Box™ and every bite!

Don't miss your chance to save on some delicious,authentic apps in celebration of the Chinese New Year. Head on over to the Tai Pei® Facebook page and check out The Red Envelope tab for a coupon (available for a limited time, while supplies last).

Stay Connected with Tai Pei®: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

If you live in my area, be sure to keep an eye out for the envelopes! :) You never know where you'll find good fortune!

Surprise Your Game Day Party Guests with Something Different: Alexia Pizza Fries!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GameTimeGrub #CollectiveBias

As we all know some days are busier than others and lately every single day has been packed full of activities in our home. With a steady stream of work coming in, planning a party for this weekend, a million Valentine's Day post ideas floating around in my noggin, statistics and macroeconmoics homework needing to be done, a husband who works full time, a kayak that is longing for the water, two dogs that love long walks, paintings to be painted, and about a thousand other items on my to-do list you could say I'm a busy little bee in 2015. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining - I love every second of this crazy (busy) life.

But when we actually have the chance to unwind, I like to take it easy! Time spent cuddling on the couch with my sweetheart is probably my favorite activity, in the world (I think that means I'm officially "old" but I'm totally okay with this fact). I also like spending as little time in the kitchen as possible on days when I take it easy, so when we decided to throw a Game Day Party on Sunday I wanted all of my recipes to be easy.

Then I realized I had a couple bags of Alexia Smart Classics Crinkle Cut Fries and Alexia Sweet Potato Fries in the freezer and instead of giving my guests just regular ol' fries, which are already delicious - I decided to add a twist with a football fan's favorite food, pizza!

Coming up with a creative way to make pizza was incredibly easy! This delicious recipe is a new favorite - one pan prep, personalized combinations for every picky eater on the planet, in whatever portion size you may please, and beyond heavenly flavors made with barely any effort; this may become a daily meal in our home!

I whipped up several different versions of pizza fries. Some with onions, spinach, and less cheese and some stacked to the brim with extra cheese. I decorated a few with pineapple, a couple with mushroom, and even made a handful of batches of Alexia Sweet Potato Pizza Fries for those that aren't fans of normal french fries!

I can't wait to make all kinds of new combinations for The Big Game on Sunday, because the possibilities for these little fries are endless!

Now that I've bragged about my inventive new recipe, let me go ahead and share how simple these Pizza Fries are to prepare:

Ingredients:
Alexia Smart Classics Crinkle Cut Fries and/or Alexia Sweet Potato Fries
Pizza Sauce

Pizza Toppings - Pepperoni, Sausage, Onions, Peppers, Spinach, Mushroom, etc.

Italian Cheese

1. Bake Alexia Smart Classics Crinkle Cut Fries or Alexia Sweet Potato Fries as instructed on bag, remove with 5 minutes left on the timer.

2. Section the fries into separate portions. Add pizza sauce (I use homemade but you can always buy store bought), any toppings your heart desires, and cheese.

3. Bake for 5-7 more minutes or until cheese is melted to your liking.

Enjoy!

I hope your game day is full of fun and yummy food... If you aren't sure what you'll be eating this Sunday, grab a couple bags of  Alexia Fries from Walmart and let your guests delight in the perfect crinkle cut and delicious flavors!

If you decide to whip up a batch or two of Pizza Fries for your guests, I'd love to hear what combinations you enjoyed the most so I can try them as well!

Happy Football Game watchin', everybody -
may the best team win!

Stay Connected with Alexia:
Facebook | Pinterest

The Big Game Party Planning - Throw an Epic Party on Game Day with Recipes, Printables, and DIY Projects!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GameTimeMVP #CollectiveBias

As I shared in my most recent party planning post, I'm excited to be hosting a party next weekend and as you probably picked up on if you read that post - I'm prepping for The Big Game this year, in a big way!

With everything from "championship rings" and gift cards won from participating in silly party games to Double Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter Butterfinger Cup Brownie Touchdown Sundaes (jeeeez, that's a delicious sounding mouthful of a name isn't it?) and DIGIORNO® Cheese Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza, my party is going to be the bomb dot com... and today I'm sharing all the printables, game ideas, recipes, DIY crafts, and decorating tips that are going to make my party so amazing, so you can host an epic game day party as well!

Whether you typically host a party on a whim or are a professional party planner, be prepared to take notes and turn your printer on because these recipes and printables are sure to win the hearts of all your guests!

A video posted by Lauren Paints (@sunkissed_sweetheart) on Jan 26, 2015 at 9:41am PST

Double Chocolate Brownie Touchdown Sundaes
made with Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cup Minis

Ingredients:

3/4 cup baking cocoa     

1/2 teaspoon baking soda    

2/3 cup butter, melted, divided    

1/2 cup boiling water     

2 cups sugar    

2 eggs     

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour     

1 teaspoon vanilla extract  
1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 cup Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cup Minis

1 cup Chocolate chips
Limited Edition Edy's Grand Touchdown Sundae Ice Cream

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine cocoa and baking soda; blend 1/3 cup melted butter. Add boiling water; stir until well blended. Stir in sugar, eggs and remaining butter. Add flour, vanilla salt. Stir in Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cup Minis and chocolate chips. Pour into lined cupcake pans.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of "cupcake" clean. Cool and apply a helping of Limited Edition Edy's Grand Touchdown Sundae ice cream to the top!

Enjoy!

The next item on the menu for my Big Game party is sure to be a crowd pleaser and since it's so easy to make, you'll be left with minimal clean up efforts! More time to play, less time to worry thanks to DIGIORNO® Cheese Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Pizza!

Always be prepared for your game day party with freshly baked pizza straight from your oven - Can I dare to even call this "Pre-Giorno"-ing instead of pre-gaming? I think I might. Pizza and Football heaven for your guests and a quick, easy clean up for you! Life is good!

Other items on my menu include homemade and delicious gluten-free breaded and heavily sauced garlic hot wings (I'll be sharing the recipe soon),my healthy spinach dip recipe, and of course, the staples of any adult party - beer and party punch!

Now that we've gotten the food situation figured out, it's time to get down to business... Just a heads up, if you attend my game day party this year - you will be joining in on the fun! The good news is, the game is actually entertaining and I'm giving out candy and gift cards as your prizes... any objections? I didn't think so!

If you want to host a Big Game party that everyone will enjoy (including women who don't really get the football hype and children who just simply can't sit still long enough for the game), then plan an interactive game that's stimulating yet uncomplicated - like my Big Game Party Game below! Print off a copy of the rules, if you'd like and get your game day started out on the right foot!

The Big Game Party Game:

Rule #1:When your guests enter the party they'll receive a warm hello, a sticker, and a team assignment (Team Blue or Team Green). Regardless of whether or not they will be watching the Big Game on TV or actively participating in the Big Game Party Game, they will receive their sticker and team assignment.

They will also be notified of the word you can't say during the entire game, such as "touchdown" or "field goal." If someone hears another person say the word, they can and should take their sticker. The team with the most stickers at the end of the game gets an extra 100 points.

Rule #2: Each time a player scores a touchdown, members of the opposing team must sit down wherever they are in the house. So if Team Blue scores a touchdown, then all members of Team Green must sit wherever they are - whether they are out on the patio or getting a drink at the bar, booty must hit the ground! For each person that doesn't sit on Team Green, Team Blue gains 10 points.

Rule #3: Each time a team achieves a first down, everyone should try to be the first to set their drink down in the designated area. Points rewarded are based on the age of the person who sets their drink down first. For example, Team Blue achieves a first down in the big game, that means all players from both teams should try to set their drink down within the designated area. Whoever sets their drink down in the area first stipulates the amount of points the team will receive based on their age. So let's say Sally, your 79 year old grandmother who is on the Blue Team, sets her drink down first - Blue team is awarded 79 points! WIN!

Rule #4: This rule is commercial based and the most fun and simple! When commercials start, grab a (soft and foamy) football and start tossing it around the room! This portion of the game is a little like hot potato, you don't want to be caught with the "potato" in hand when the game comes back on or your team loses 20 points!

If this game sounds a little too involved, just play one portion of the game like Don't Say It or Touch Down, Drinks Down - it's your party, after all! Do what makes you happy!

Football Bouquet Centerpiece:

Speaking of things that make you happy, I've created the prettiest football themed flower center piece ever and just have to share my simple DIY video to make a bouquet that will make even the toughest football fan wish he was sent this bundle of flowers! All you need is a few decorative straws and a paint swatch from a hardware store to make a pennant, check it out -

Once your center piece is finished, find a home for it and get to decorating the rest of your place! I made a few items, bought almost all of my decor and food supplies from Walmart, and then bought the rest at a local store. You can find awesome deals at Walmart right now, especially on the items in my recipe today! DiGiorno is on rollback for $5.95 and you should be able to score a coupon for a $1 off until March 31, 2015!

You can find all the free printables I made for the labels, flags, pennants, stickers, and more here. Be sure to pin link back to me if you decide to use any of these at your party and take pictures, I'd love to see them in action at your party!

 Punchbox & Party Favors:

Now that you know how you can achieve the look of my party, I'm going to share how I plan to reward the winners of my "Big Game"! Each member of the winning team will get to retrieve their prizes in a super fun way - a punchbox! Check out how you can make a punchbox like this one for your guests here.

I also made adorable "Good Game, Dude" graphics to go on top of baggies full of Peanut Butter Butterfinger Cup Minis - the most delicious goodie bag in the world!

So that's how you throw an epic party to celebrate The Big Game in style! What tips do you have to make your party even more amazing? I'd love to hear all about your plans!