LilSugar

Mom-Me Time: Margarita Mama

LilSugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:31:51 -0700

Even those with expanding tummies like to tie one on once in a while. Since babies-to-be and booze don't mix, expectant mommies can now reach for a mocktail. Serving up over one hundred of nutritional libations for moms in the making, Margarita Mama: Mocktails for Moms-to-Be ($11) can be put to good use at a baby shower or summer barbecue. Pregnant women can party it up with the Bed Rest Banana, Big Belly, Raging Hormone, Nothing Fits Fizz and Materni-tini.

Delilicious: Mocktails for the Kiddos

babysugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:00:07 -0700

Growing up, I always LOVED it when my mama let me order a Shirley Temple or a virgin daiquiri.

On special occasions, she made my favorite -a kid–friendly grasshopper (vanilla ice cream with a touch of creme de menthe). Thanks to PartySugar, I might have a new one to add to the list.

To find out how to make the delilicious concoction, read more.

The gurus at Williams Sonoma have dished on the perfect Fresh Fruit Kiddie Cocktail.

Fresh Fruit Kiddie Cocktail
Williams–Sonoma

Ingredients

1 cup water, sparkling water or club soda (to make it fizzy)
2 or more fl. oz. fresh-squeezed seasonal fruit juice
1 fl. oz. fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice
1 fl. oz. simple syrup
Fresh fruit slices for garnish

Directions
An electric juicer works great for preparing the fresh-squeezed juice called for in this recipe. Or you can simply mash the fruit in a bowl with a wooden spoon, then pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer to capture the excess pulp, skin and seeds. Simple syrup is made with equal parts sugar and water. You can prepare a big batch by simmering sugar in water in a pan on the stovetop, and stirring until the sugar dissolves.

In a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, combine the water, fruit juice, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake vigorously, then strain into a durable tumbler filled with ice. Garnish with slices of whatever seasonal fruit you used for the juice. Serves 1.

Fun Tip! Kids are great at shaking cocktails. Have them count about 10 shakes to do the trick. Just make sure they hold the lid on tight!

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When a Shower Isn't Appropriate, How About a Sprinkle?

LilSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:00:25 -0700

While every baby deserves to be celebrated, some mamas-to-be are uncomfortable with big bashes hosted for their subsequent children. I am one of them. Four fetes were thrown in my honor when I was expecting my daughter. Awaiting the birth of my son, a close circle of friends treated me to an unexpected, festive brunch. Now, nine months pregnant with my third child, I've again been spoiled rotten. First, my fabulous co-workers treated me a sendoff complete with one of BabySugar's incredible diaper cakes, and yesterday, a few friends threw me a surprise sprinkle!

A low-key alternative to a baby shower, a sprinkle is a casual get together. Three friends hosted the lil soiree for me, and the guest list rounded out at six as my daughter and a friend's baby also attended. We enjoyed mocktails and munchies - fruit salad, spinach dip, and miniature cupcakes - while chatting about the impending babe. I was gifted lovely presents from practical velvet space-saving hangers to postpartum hospital pajamas. If you want to make a mother-to-be feel special without all the hoopla of a formal affair, a sprinkle expresses the perfect amount of sentiment.

Source: Flickr User BL1961

Boozing For Expectant Moms – Sans Alcohol

LilSugar — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 04:00:00 -0700

What's not to celebrate when you're pregnant? While some mums-to-be indulge every once in a while, others are more wary and don't even indulge in alcoholic foods.

For pregnant women with a barbecue bash, bridal shower or just an evening with friends on the calendar, two new books filled with non-alcoholic drink recipes may shake up your beverage of choice. Zero Proof Cocktails ($14) is filled with100 recipes for nonalcoholic aperitifs, mocktails, martinis, infusions and wine alternatives, such as the Raspberry Razzletini and Strawberry White Sangria. Preggatinis ($12) includes fresh juices, herbs and garnishes in its recipes for moms-to-be, many with fun names like the Folic Fizz and the Mamarita.

Just because you aren’t indulging in a night of drunken debauchery, doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun yourself.

For the Preggatinis recipe for Mamarita, read more.

Mamarita
From Preggatinis by Natalie Bovis-Nelsen

Ingredients

1 ounce agave nectar
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce orange juice
3 ounces organic limeaid
1 lime wheel
rimming salt

Directions
Rim a margarita glass and set aside. Stir agave nectar and lemon juice in the bottom of a mixing glass until nectar dissolves. Add orange juice, limeaid, and ice, then shake vigorously. Strain into the margarita glass, and serve with a lime wheel on the rim.

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Texts and Tunes: Kidz Bop Halloween

babysugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:00:22 -0700

An evening spent carving pumpkins and roasting seeds always puts me on cloud nine. The only thing that betters the experience is inviting friends over for some cocktails (mocktails in my case) and playing some festive music for the wee ones.

The Kidz Bop Halloween CD ($14) is sure to be a hit with tiny tots and parents. Moms and dads will appreciate nostalgic tunes like "Ghostbusters" and "Thriller" while the newbies pick up the lyrics and invent dance moves in between mushing the pumpkin innards.

To see the full playlist of songs, read more.

Ghostbusters
Monster Mash
The Addams Family
Witch Doctor
A Nightmare On My Street
Thriller
Scooby Doo Where Are You
Werewolves Of London
Purple People Eater
Haunted House
Time Warp
This Is Halloween
Somebody's Watching Me
Who Let The Ghosts Out
Little Shop Of Horrors
Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead

Guide to Four Great Baby Shower Themes

babysugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:00:19 -0700

'Tis the last day of April, which means our April Baby Showers must come to an end. But before you go off to plan your own festive bash, here's a quick recap of our ideas.

Good Things Come in Small Packages
We gave you ideas for invitations and then dished on what to serve up and what to serve it on. Guests will delight in the lip balm favors and clothespin game and the hostesses will love the manicure and pedicure gift idea.

To see the rest of the clever notions, read more.

Tea Party Shower
Create your own invitation using supplies from a paperie like Paper Source. Dress up the table using floral filled tea pots and festive assorted tea cups. Once your guests have gobbled up the mini sandwiches and tea, send them on their way with decorated sugar cubes or a package full of candy.

Bedrest Baby Shower
Send out edible invitations with the announcements on a Hershey's type wrapper. In keeping with the sweet theme, bring a diaper cake for a perfect centerpiece. Keep things simple by ordering in the food and prepping a soda bar station for the pajama bash. Add a fun factor to the party by playing a few fun but low key baby games with the mama–to-be.

Couples Baby Shower
Send out some funky fresh baby shower invitations in the form of a concert ticket. Sass up the place with pink or blue cigars and bottles full of peanuts or candy. Offering up creatively named mocktails and appetizers will add to the baby chic atmosphere.

Recapping the whole month of showers, I used some of our own lilsugar ideas when I hosted a baby shower this past weekend. I crafted the diaper cake, a candy wheel and made some nursery themed Paper Source invitations. Thankfully, it was a cinch to plan and a huge success.

Couples Cocktail Party: Food and Beverages

LilSugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:00:22 -0700

Like any other fete, there should be ample food at a couples cocktail party and of course, a signature drink to wash the nibbles down.

Ask the bartender to concoct a beverage that reflects both the baby and the parents-to-be. If the nursery is in shades of pink and the father-to-be is a fan of Stoli, perhaps a renamed vodka cran fits the bill. Or if the soon-to-be mama used to sip on champagne and orange juice, go for a "mom"osa. And, of course make sure there's a delicious mocktail version for the expectant guest of honor.

For more edible ideas, read more.

Set up a table of prepared eats so guests can serve themselves and you can enjoy the soirée, too. Italian food is always a nice option since Caprese salad on skewers, spicy meatballs, focaccia squares, stuffed mushrooms, and cozzi are all crowd pleasers.

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