After surfing the web , I have put together links you’ll love for some of the hottest Summer Party Ideas around!

Easy Summer Party Menus – Dinner Party Recipes – Delish.com

Planning a summer party? We’ve got perfect menus for a grilling feast, an easy lunch, and a delicious dinner.

Summer Party Ideas – Backyard BBQ Ideas – Country Living

It’s summertime and, as the saying goes, the living is easy. Or at least it will be when you steal Country Living’s 10 fast, fresh tips for your next …

Backyard Party and outdoor entertaining ideas from iVillage Home

Find backyard party ideas and outdoor entertaining tips at iVillage.com. … Get the summer party season started with these fresh, fabulous entertaining …

Summer Outdoor Party Ideas – Backyard Patio Party Ideas …

Planning an outdoor get-together with friends and family? From decorating your patio to getting your lawn in shape to finding the perfect recipe, our summer …

Summer Party Ideas – Indoor & Outdoor Fun

Summer party ideas…bring the beach into your home – or grill outdoors! … Make Life More Meaningful · Hot Fashions – White Denims …

Looking for a simple, special and inexpensive way to host a DIVA style soiree for the girls?  Well, here is it – compliments of Lifetime Television’s Drop Dead Diva!

The economy is bad, the world is going broke – we hear it everyday in the news and feel the pain  in our own lives.   So this summer, if you need to skip the vacation or cut back on some of the extras,  make sure you still indulge the Diva in you.  Let “Drop Dead Diva” make Sunday night special this summer. Set aside one Sunday night to host a viewing party for the girls or take turns hosting and make it a weekly event.    Invite the ladies over for a “Diva Night“  or make it “Mother and Daughter Diva Night“,  as the series has a great message for young girls!  You can stay in touch with all things “Drop Dead Diva” on the facebook fan page and on twitter and be sure to check out our interview with Brooke Elliot go>

Tips for Hosting

1. Invitation: Invite the ladies over from 8pm- 10pm for A Diva Night of Sweets and Treats.   Start an hour before the 9pm show time to give the girls a chance to mingle, plus Divas are notoriously late. In your invitation, include a request for the girls to glam it up by dressing like a Diva.  It should be fun not stressful, so pick one Diva item to focus on, like ‘”bling” or shoes or provide pink boas like the ones pictured below.   An invitation by phone call or email will suffice. If it isn’t an impromptu party, try one of these really retro Girls’ Night electronic invites from: http://sendomatic.com/girls-night-invitations.html.

2. Cocktail: Serve Sealed With A Kiss Cosmos by The Cocktail Deeva as your signature cocktail.(recipe> ) or red wine it pairs perfectly with chocolate. You should also provide a cool pitcher of water with sliced orange.

3. Menu: Serve up sweet treats for the Divas to nosh on as they watch.  Assorted chocolates, macarons, fresh berries with whipped cream and pound cake or white sponge cake are perfect. Arrange them on pretty platters or cake stands of varying heights.

4. Tablescape: Buy a bunch of daisies, hydrangeas or any flower that’s on sale at your market. Any color will do as long as you like it, but stick with one type. From the bunch, create several small arrangements (you only need one or two flowers in each). Put them in vases or glasses of various heights and group them in a few different spots throughout the room. Add a candle to each grouping and keep the artificial lights low. This will give the room the a “Diva” glow.

5. Music: Play your favorite tunes and set the mood.  You can order  “Music from the Original Television Series Drop Dead Diva” at amazon.com

6. Favor: Treat the Ladies to Swag Bags early in the evening so they can enjoy them all night long.  Any true Diva demands her swag! Fill them with goodies guests can enjoy at the party, through the next few days and once they’ve exhausted the contents, the bag serves as a shopping tote.

Ideas for Swag Bag Fillers:

• Silver or Gold Shopping Tote on a key ring (at Pier 1 and pictured above) – $3.50
• Flip Flops (Target) – $.70 or Cozy Socks (local drugstore) – $.99
• Alba Lip Balm (local drugstore) – $3.49
• Junior Mints 12 oz. movie style box (Target) – $2.69
• Assorted Nuts (Target) – box of 5 for $4.49
• Smartfood popcorn clusters – Gourmet Popcorn Mix (Target) – box of 5 for $3.00

Checklist

• Make sure your television is in good working order.
• Create a comfortable viewing area, all with a good view of the televised event.  Bring in extra chairs, stools, ottomans, beanbag chairs, and over-sized pillows to intermingle with existing seating.
• Place cozy blankets on the backs of sofas and chairs  – Divas like to be comfortable.
• One of the greatest treats growing up, was eating in front of the television so indulge your Divas.  Make sure there are surfaces and coasters for them to set glasses and plates while viewing.
• Prepare and display beverages and food ahead of guests’ arrival, so you can enjoy the ladies and the party.

About Drop Dead Diva: The highly anticipated second season of Lifetime Television’s hit series “Drop Dead Diva” will premiere Sunday, June 6, 2010, at 9 pm et/pt. Praised by critics as one of 2009’s top new series, the one-hour, comedic drama tells the story of a shallow wannabe model who dies in a sudden accident only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-size and recently deceased attorney, Jane. Produced by Sony Pictures Television, “Drop Dead Diva” features breakout star Brooke Elliott (“Wicked,” “Taboo”), Margaret Cho (“Ghost Whisperer,” “Notorious C.H.O.”).  The second season of “Drop Dead Diva” will feature 13 new episodes and the premier episode will feature Paula Abdul reprising her role as Judge Paula Abdul, a figment of Jane’s subconscious.

Here at the Partybluprints Blog, we have done some polling of friends and family online and off and have discovered that a large majority of you participate in activities ( parades, fairs, races…) on Memorial Day and then head home or to a family member or friend’s house to celebrate.  With that in mind, we have come up with a Marvelous “Make-Ahead” Menu that will be perfect for your party!  This one can pretty much be done the day before, leaving you FREE to have FUN all day and still be able to  host a memorable Memorial Day bash!

So here’s the line up of recipes, we hope you enjoy!  Be sure to check out Memorial Day Party Activities with Meaning>

Lazy Man’s Barbecue Pork Sandwiches

(Recipe Serves 10-12)

Ingredients:

• 4-5 pound boneless pork butt (shoulder)
• 1 14 1/2-oz can beef broth
• 1/3 cup hot pepper sauce
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
• 10-12 sandwich buns

Preparation:

• Place pork butt in bottom of large slow cooker. Combine broth, hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce, and pour over pork. Cover and cook on high setting for 5 hours (or 8-10 hours on low setting) until pork is very tender. Meanwhile, for sauce, combine all ingredients in large saucepan; set aside.

• Place pork on cutting board; reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Coarsely chop pork; combine with reserved cooking liquid and sauce in saucepan; heat over medium heat until warm. Spoon pork onto sandwich buns to serve.

Napa Cold Slaw

(Recipe Serves 10-12)

Here is a light and refreshing version of cold slaw.  This slaw is the perfect picnic side dish.  It’s also the ultimate condiment for BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 1 head napa cabbage – washed, dried, shredded
• 1 small carrot – grated

Dressing:

• ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ cup olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

• Combine shredded cabbage and carrots.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to dress and serve.  Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar or blender.  Shake/blend well.  Cover and set aside until ready to dress salad and serve.  Dress salad lightly, toss to fully coat and serve.  You want to serve it nice and crunchy, so don’t let it sit too long with dressing before serving.

Hot Dog Kebabs (for the kids)

Ingredients:

• Hot Dogs – sliced into 1 ½” pieces
• Tater Tots – frozen
• Kosher Dill Pickles – sliced into 1 ½” pieces
• Cherry Tomatoes – washed and dried
• Red Onion – cut into wedges
• Optional: Biscuits (recipe for a light version here>)

Preparation:

• Soak skewers in water (this will keep them from burning on the grill).  Prepare kebabs ahead of time.  Cook hot dogs and tater tots according to directions on package, set aside to cool.  When cool, slice hot dogs into 1 ½” pieces.  Cut other items and set aside.  When ready to assemble simply start skewering hot dogs, tater tots, pickles, cherry tomatoes and onion.  Grill to warm through and serve.

• A good rule is 1 kebab per child, 2 kebabs for children over 12.

Optional: Serve biscuits (whether you make these from scratch, box mix or refrigerated canisters, they’ll be a hot ticket item) with the kebabs.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

(Recipe serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 can, 14 ounces, black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped in small uniform pieces
• 1/2 red onion, chopped chopped in small uniform pieces
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper and chopped cilantro to taste

Preparation:

Below we have listed a few Memorial Day party activities for the kids that are fun and meaningful.  Without the sacrifice of our brave soldiers, we would not have an opportunity to celebrate this holiday as freely as we wish. With that in mind try out these fun ideas and let your red, white and blue spirit shine…

How happy are you when you arrive at a party and there’s an activity all set up and ready for the kids to dive into?  Depending on the age of the children, you may need to walk them over and introduce them to the activity and other children.  This instant icebreaker allows the children to get comfortable and make some “party friends” – once they connect they’ll play all party long.

Package some patriotic love and gratitude and send it overseas.

• Cover the kids’ tables (or activity table) with white butcher paper.  Create centerpieces using galvanized buckets filled with crayons, markers and stickers.  Put out other fun craft supplies along with red, white and blue construction paper.  Ask everyone, even the adults to write a letter or make a card for a soldier.  The following day, pack up the letters and cards in a large envelope and send them overseas.  Here are some tips on how to send:

• Go> http://www.penpalsforsoldiers.org

Express your patriotism with a parade

• Prepare an area filled with props and instruments for a parade.  Gather the kids and make sure all select a prop (pinwheels, flags, hats) and/or instrument (drums, kazoos, plastic flutes and bells).  Have a patriotic playlist ready to go, organize your parade (plan a parade route around the yard), hit the play button and let them march.  You may need a Grand Marshall to lead the parade, so get an older child or adult who likes to have some fun and give them their marching orders – make sure to give them a great hat and instrument.

• Flags for Parade – http://www.americanflags.com/sahafl.html Looking for a little more safety when distributing handheld flags? Then try the Saf-T-Ball flags, which come with a red ball topper rather than a traditional speartop.
  

Pick Patriotic Tunes

• Patriotic Fathers Album: 4^th of July Go to > (enter Patriotic Fathers in the search field)- Perfect for a parade!
• Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
• American Girl – Tom Petty
• All American Man – Kiss
• R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. -  John Mellencamp
• All American Girl – Carrie Underwood
• American Baby – Dave Mathews
• God Bless the U.S.A. – Lee Greenwood
• Surfin’ USA – The Beach Boys
• Back in the U.S.A. – Chuck Berry
• American Pie – Don McLean
• America – Simon & Garfunkel
• Living in the U.S.A. – Steve Miller Band
• We’re an American Band – Grand Funk Railroad
• American Land – Bruce Springsteen
• Bon Jovi – Miss Fourth of July
• American Made – George Thorogood
• Freedom – The Isley Brothers
• America the Beautiful – Ray Charles

You can enter any of these songs in the search field on iTunes to buy and create your own playlist.  Go to >

Other Great Picnic Activities

• Potato Sack Races – where to buy  go>
• Kick Croquet where to buy  go>

IMAGE ABOVE: COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Bo Iacobbo, age 5, of Colorado Springs, proudly waves his flag in a parade  (U.S. Air Force photo/Lorna Gutierrez) http://www.brookhillchurch.com/vets/

Labor Day is the last chance to celebrate summer, so invite friends and family over and head to the backyard for some fun! Try this “make-ahead” menu and be a guest at your own party! Ribs are a great idea after a summer of hamburgers and hot dogs, your guests will welcome the change (and they can be cooked ahead of time). Add a Tomato Salad, Napa Style Cole Slaw, Corn Bread Poppers and sliced Watermelon to round out the menu and compliment the spicy meat. The only thing to do when guests arrive is heat up the ribs and put out the sides. Enjoy your day too. Make a plan, prepare ahead and be sure to celebrate in the true spirit of this holiday – No Labor!

Spice-Rubbed Baby Back Ribs

Here’s why you’ll love them – 5 minutes prep time and pop ‘em in the oven. This means less time standing over a hot grill at your party and more time enjoying a cool beverage with your guests!

Recipe and Image from McCormick.com
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

• 3 to 4 pounds pork baby back ribs
• 6 to 8 tablespoons McCormick® Grill Mates® Pork Rub

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place ribs on foil-lined baking pan. Rub Pork Rub evenly over both sides of ribs. Cover with foil.

2. Bake 1 hour or until meat starts to pull away from bones. Transfer ribs to grill or cover and refrigerate until you are ready.

3. Grill over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes per side or until evenly browned. Cut into portions to serve.

Note: Use 2 tablespoons Pork Rub per pound of ribs.

Fresh Summer Tomato and Onion Salad

Here’s why you’ll love it – Prepare ahead of time and enjoy tomatoes now at the height of their freshness and flavor!

Recipe and Image from McCormick.com
Makes 6 servings.
Prep Time: 10 minutes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Italian Herb Seasoning from McCormick® Italian Herb Seasoning Grinder
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, sliced (about 3 medium)
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Mix oil, vinegar, Italian herb seasoning and sugar in small bowl.

2. Layer onion and tomato slices on serving plate.Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Cornbread Poppers

Here’s why you’ll love it – Make-these simple bite-sized muffins the day before. The mini-size saves you time because they bake faster. They are a real crowd-pleaser, you can pop them in your mouth and young and old alike will love ‘em!

Ingredients & Preparation:
Prepare cornbread from your favorite recipe or use a box mix. Grease mini muffin tins and fill ¾ of the way with batter. You’ll need to adjust cooking time since the mini muffin tins are much smaller than regular muffin tins. Cut the baking time by at least half. Cool slightly and remove from pan. Line a basket with a cloth napkin or tea towel, arrange the Cornbread Poppers in basket and cover with cloth.

Napa Cold Slaw

Here’s why you’ll love it -it is a light and refreshing version of cold slaw and it doesn’t get any easier than this!!

Ingredients:

Salad

• 1 head napa cabbage – washed, dried, shredded
• 1 small carrot – grated
• or buy the pre-shredded bag

Dressing

• ½ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ cup olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:
Combine shredded cabbage and carrots. Cover and refrigerate until ready to dress and serve. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar or blender. Shake/blend well. Cover and set aside until ready to dress salad and serve. Dress salad lightly, toss to fully coat and serve. You want to serve it nice and crunchy, so don?t let it set too long with dressing before serving.