Holiday Cookie Tasting

Hello Loves!

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post, but between final projects, exams and planning my Cookie Tasting I pretty much had my hands full! This whirlwind all begun around thanksgiving when I begun the decorating for my Cookie tasting from putting up the tree to helping my dad set up the lights outside (and doing my studying, papers and projects in between!) The three days leading up to the party were my baking days, but it was all worth it! Okay so I'm sure your all wondering what this Cookie Tasting was all about and the best way to explain it is to tell you all about it from the beginning. It all started out as a family tradition that I turned into a business venture. Every christmas since I was little my mom sister and I would make your traditional sugar cookie and butter cookies. A few years back I decided to go to my italian roots and attempted to make the traditional Italian cookies like the oh so loved tri color cookies and pignoli cookie (which were my families personal fav). I had a pretty good response back from family and friends so I decided to make it a tradition. Every year I would add a new cookie or created something of my own to mix it up. Last year I made 14 different types of cookies and made platters for my parents, sister and I to bring to family and friends. A few people asked my parents if I owned a bake shop. I thought it was sweet that people really liked my cookies. Being a marketing major it only comes natural to me to turn a good thing into something more so I thought that if they were really that good I could probably sell them, which is exactly what I put into play this year. I knew that no one would buy my cookies without tasting them first since so I had the idea of having a "Holiday Cookie Tasting" where people could actually try the cookies so they would know what they would be getting before making a purchase. I came up with 23 different types of holiday cookies so their was something for everyone. For the chocoholic I had a Hot Chocolate Chip cookie, for the white chocolate lover I had a White Chocolate Pecan cookie. Italian cookie lovers had their choice of rainbow,pignoli, fig or love knots and for the more adventurous cookie connoisseurs I made a Rosemary Shortbread cookie. I thought the party was extremely sucessfull and my touches made it a great mini production. I had my guest greeted with champagne and the house was full of christmas decor and christmas music to set my ambiance and made my guest get into the christmas mood! I added a few pictures so that you can see how I set up the house and get an idea of that 23 different type of cookies on one table actually looks like! I hope you all have a fabulous christmas and a wonderful New Year to all of my lovely followers!!! Being in the christmas spirt, i'll leave you with a bit of "New Year/New You" insight.

Always believe in your ideas no matter how big or small they may be because the amount of success you achieve will only go as far as your mind thinks your able to accomplish and if you have the mentality of always thinking you can achieve whatever your heart desires the possibilities are endless!

till the next Ana Lucia Production xox

-ALR

Wild Child

Hey loves,

I hope you all had a great weekend and stayed warm because it was chilly in n.y! I stayed warm and busy, between planning for my cookie tasting party and finishing up school you'd think I'd have a full plate, well I do, but I can always squeeze in some creativity... especially when its for my sister! Her birthday isn't until the 15th, but since I wasn't going to be home I figured we could do an early b-day dinner for the b-day doll. This time I didn't cook (everyone helped), I just made the cake and set up the decor. Okay so I have to admit this whole decor idea came about because I lost her amazing birthday card from papyrus (my fav card store) and I was thinking what am I going to do with no card?? So of course I went to Michael's and while I was there I remembered that earlier this year her and I went there she adored this glitter cheetah print paper. I knew that would be the prefect paper to make her a card out of. When I was making her cake (strawberry shortcake w/pink frosting of course) I saw that I had scraps of the sparkling cheetah paper from making the card. It was to cute to through away so decided to decorate the cake stand with it and once I did that I caught the cheetah bug and just went with it! I made everyone name tags out of the cheetah paper and attached it to the napkin with black ribbon. Then I made costars and spelt out a characteristic about the b--day doll on each one in gold glitter letter. After that I used various things from around the house to add to the ambiance. I found 3 candle goblets 2 candle sticks, red decor balls on top to pull out the color in the plates, 3 twig decor balls and 2 small candles and 2 cheetah pillows for the end chairs. I created my table and just knew that she would love, love, love it!!  Since she's turning 20 I brook out the bubbly aka sparkling apple cider and celebrated. This was a fairly easy look to pull together and if you have a relative or friend who loves animal print this is the prefect set up!

To my wild child sister, 

Happy 20th Birthday Doll!!

stay fabulous and cheetahlicious <3

Thanksgiving Table and Decor

Hey loves! I know I haven't been posting, but I've been sooo busy between school finding a co-op and well planning my first Holiday Cookie Tasting yea i've been beyond swamped, but its all good stuff! You can be sure that I will be posting more as soon as it's all over and you will deff get to see a ton of pictures from the tasting which btw is December 4th at my house so if you want more info let me know!! okay so enough about me lets get taking about Thanksgiving and how it's right around the corner (which means black friday for all of you super shoppers out there) Okay so I'm going to show you how to achieve this look and make your guest be in owe at your decor skills! To make this adorable centerpiece all you have to do is purchase 4 mini white pumpkins, and choose 3 gourds here is a type for picking them out the more detail they have the better! just make sure that they can sit up right on a flat surface. Once you pick out your pieces using a pumpkin carver cut a hole at the top of each gourd and 2 of the mini white pumpkins. Make sure that you make the hole big enough to place a candle inside of it. Now that you have the hard part over with put down a neutral tone or thanksgiving inspired table cloth, put out your place settings and have fun with it! I added some colorful fruit to my center piece and a few red and yellow leafs to add to the ambiance. Okay so your table looks fabulous now make sure that when your guest arrive you have some decor outside! You don’t have to go crazy, but adding some corn stock some hay stacks a festive wreath and don’t forget to fill your planters with rustic colored mums! 

BeWitching Evening

Hey Everyone, sorry that their was no post last week I was so busy getting ready for this weekends halloween party! I hosted a BeWitching Halloween party, costumes were mandatory so I was a ballerina. I started planning the party about 2weeks ago and to put it all together it took 48hrs. From the desserts to the decor I did it all with the help of my party planning helpers of course (thanks mom, dad & T). Before I started cooking I wanted a spooky ambiance so last week I made paper lanterns, skull candle stick holders and curtains as well as spider web curtains with bats to add to the spookiness. Once the ambiance we set I made tons of sweet treats and found a few games for everyone to participate in. As guest arrived they were greeted with some witches blood (red fruit punch) which was served in these fantastic spooky goblets (shown bellow) and after some mingling it was time to sit down to a delicious dinner. Once we finished with dinner it was time for the games to begin. I set up the donuts on a string and bobbing for apples, both were a huge hit and everyone enjoyed playing the games. After everyone dried off from bobbing for apples it was on to the dessert table or my younger cousin called it willy wonkas table. Their was BeWitching cupcakes, Ghost pOp's, Severed Fingers, Spun Treats, Poison Apples, Skeleton Bones, Candy Corn Cookies, Vampire Bites, Mummy Special, Goblin Warts, Tombstone Dirt Pie, Eyeball and Worm Jello and Cookie Tree's. I loved putting this party together It really tested the creativity buttons so i hope you enjoy the pictures and let me know what you think!

Mini Wedding Cake

Hey everyone, I hope you had a great extended weekend I know I did. Over the weekend I was tossing around ideas for you guys and i'm working on a spectacular BeWitching evening in a few weeks that I'm sure you guys will love and inspire you all to throw an amazing Halloween party of your own!

Okay so back to what I created this week. This wednesday is my boyfriends parents 25th wedding anniversary. Doni and I were kind of stumped as to what we should get them, so I got a little creative and created them a mini wedding cake with a yummy nutella buttercream filling. It was really adorable and I loved putting it together for them, they are such an amazing couple and after 25 years of marriage they deserved something special. To go along with the cake we wanted to find a picture of them. We looked all over for a wedding picture and we stumbled upon a picture of them cutting their wedding cake, I couldn't imagine a better picture to go with our gift! We had the original photo enhanced and blown up. We placed the picture next to the cake and left it for them as a surprise.

Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary! I hope you enjoy your day and your cake :-) 

Mother's Day High Tea

For a while I have been wanting to put together a tea party. I kept marinating the idea until my Mom asked me what I thought we should do for Mother's Day. I automatically went right to the idea of holding a Mother's Day High Tea. My Mom fell in love with the idea, so I made up the invite list and starting thinking about a menu. The invite list included grandmothers their daughters and if they had a daughter she was invited as well, it was three different generations at one table. Once the party was set I did my research on the menu and found out the proper time, foods and etiquette to accomplish an authentic High Tea. Through my research I found out that a High Tea is usually held around four and includes a five course menu. The first course is quiches and crepes the next is a salad after that comes tea sandwiches, then some delicious scones and finally an AnaLucia production is never finished without a few types of deserts! I catered the whole event from the baked goods to the devonshire cream and lemon curd that went on top. However; I did get help from my Dad aka my waiter for the day :-). Everything was displayed on mixed vintage trays and platters as for the tea set itself, I used my moms vintage tea set. My sister an I also bought a few extra pieces which were gifted to my Mom as she saw them. I had a Tea Bar set up with an array of tea flavors from an English tea to African Rooibos tea, which on a side note was quite tasty. We also had mimosas to celebrate the day and each guest went home with a flower with a quote that stated "A Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible."~Marion C. Garretty. This has been my favorite party thus far probably because it was for such amazing women in my life.

Peony's made a classic center piece.
&
 I found these adorable glass holders,
 in which I placed the jams in.

Each guest had their own prefix menu
to let them know about each course

The second tables center piece 

Tea Bar

The water is our favorite
cucumber, basil and lime 

The crepes were served with strawberries
& devonshire cream 

on the top was a mini 3 cheese quiche and
on the bottom was a mini mushroom and sausage quiche

strawberry pecan salad with a strawberry vinaigrette

They nibbled on 5 different types of tea sandwiches including a

Mozzarella Prosciutto and pesto butter,

Crisp vegetable, Smoked Salmon and Endive,

Cucumber, & a cream cheese and Strawberry 

Desert was bite sized treats including:

Mini ricotta cakes

Blueberry pound cake

High tea lemon cookies

Petit fours with various fillings

Shortbread tarts

Rosemary and pine nut cookies &

Chocolate covered strawberries

The Petit fours had a sign on them that stated
Marie Antoinette Infamous words,
"Let them Eat Cake"

Burgers and Shakes

Last weekend was my dad's birthday. Whenever we have a birthday in my family we usually make a special dinner for that person. Usually it's whatever that person wants, but in my dad's case its more like "do whatever you want," so that's exactly what I did. I was feeling inspired by the 50's so I thought why not make gourmet burgers, fries and milkshakes? I found a great butter burger recipe online that I thought would be perfect and I wanted to make the fries extra special too. I cut up a bag of potatoes and separated them into 3 trays. One was a garlic parmesan cheese (everyones favorite), the next was a rosemary, thyme and sage, and the last one was your everyday salt and pepper fries. Then I whipped up some vanilla and strawberry milkshakes the birthday boys favorite! Now since it was a 50's inspired birthday party and my dad is a huge dessert fan I was torn as to what cake I should make. I decided on his favorite pie...blueberry, it fit the theme and I got to tryout a new recipe. Everyone was fighting over the last piece so i guess it was a hit :-)

Happy Birthday Dad, I hope you enjoyed your 50's inspired Birthday party!