Party-Planning - Making Cocktails for a Crowd

Whether youre entertaining 10, 20, or even 40 or more guests, the special occasion experts at Celebrate with Style know that preparing large quantities of delicious cocktail coolers will please everyone and help you relax a bit and enjoy your party.

Some people mix large quantities of these tasty drinks in plastic storage containers or large coolers, which safety experts understandably frown on. However, you can mix these coolers in large stockpots or punch bowls, and ladle the beverages into large individual pitchers. Cover all containers and if possible, chill them in the refrigerator before guests arrive.

Another good idea: Dont add ice to the serving bowl or pitcher. Pour coolers over ice in individual glasses. That way, you wont dilute the drinks before anyone has had a chance to enjoy them.

For a pretty serve-yourself bar, put out pitchers or bowls and ladles for different cocktails, along with a large tray or platter holding a variety of fruit garnishes, such as pineapple wedges, lemon, lime or orange slices, and fresh ripe strawberries. Colored glasses and straws will add just the right festive touch.

Here are a number of fabulous hot weather cocktail crowd-pleasers. Theyre simple to make, but elegant enough to add flair to any casual outdoor affair.

Note: Weve figured the recipes for 40 servingsplenty for a crowd. Also, of course, be sure to have plenty of water, soda, and lots of other non-alcoholic beverages on hand.

TROPICAL ICED TEA

Makes 40 servings
2 64-oz. containers unsweetened iced tea
2 64-oz. containers orange juice
1-1/3 750-ml. bottles coconut rum
3/4 cup honey

Garnish with slices of orange, lemon, or both.

WHITE SANGRIA

Makes 40 servings
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
4 750-ml. bottles Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Chablis.

Slice assorted fresh fruit: oranges, lemons, pineapple, peaches, and whole strawberries or raspberries.

Combine sugar and water. Simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Pour the hot syrup over fruit and refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, put the fruit mixture into serving container and add chilled white wine.

SUMMER COOLER

Makes 40 servings
2-2/3 750-ml. bottles raspberry vodka
1-1/2 two-liter bottles lemon-lime soda
2 46-oz. cans pineapple juice
4 cups fresh mint

Garnish with lime slices or fresh raspberries.

PEACH BLISS

Makes 40 servings
2-2/3 750-ml. bottles light or dark rum
2-2/3 750-ml. bottles peach schnapps
2 64-oz. bottles cranberry juice
1 liter bottle club soda

CITRUS TWIST

Makes 40 servings
1-1/3 750-ml. bottles dark tequila
1-1/3 750-ml. bottles dark rum
1 46-oz. can grapefruit juice
2 46-oz. cans pineapple juice

2007 Celebrate with Style, LLC. All rights reserved.

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About Celebratewithstyle.com:

Celebratewithstyle.com is the first guide to creating the celebrations that make life so much richer. It features advice on planning memorable parties for family members and friends, as well as holiday, business, social, and fundraising events. The site offers ideas and advice from experts on festive foods, stylish dcor, dress-up fashion, and beauty. It also provides party planning tools for kids birthdays, coming-of-age celebrations, and wedding-related festivities.

Remedies for Prostrate Health Problems

The health problems associated with the functions of the prostrate are very complex and effect middle-aged and elderly men all over the world; the prostrate gets larger and presses on the outflow tube, creating the sensation of more frequent urination, particularly at night. Usually, such a prostrate condition is benign, but left untreated it can be really troublesome, and there are not few the cases of prostrate cancer. Scientific studies in the field have brought some conclusive data about special herbs that can reduce prostrate inflammation, improving mens life significantly. The result of German research was the discovery of the prostrate healing properties of a plant known as the Small-Flowered Willow herb, with its varieties: Great Willow herb or Dark-green Willow herb and so on.

Hardly mentioned by herbalists a few decades ago, willow herb has got Europes and the worlds attention by its popularization in Maria Trebens book about herbal remedies. The willow herb flowers are small, a little reddish, and pinkish or even white. From all the varieties, the whole plant can be collected and used for teas or herbal supplements; for instance in the severest health conditions two cups of tea should be drunk on the empty stomach, one in the morning and one in the evening. However, keep in mind the fact that a doctors opinion of the health condition is an absolute must, since any serious ailment requires close medical investigations and observance.

Saw palmetto is another natural remedy for people who suffer from prostrate problems. By the official name of Serenoa Repens, saw palmetto is one of the most common palm species growing in the U.S. Its great reputation comes from the extraction of a specific chemical known under the drug form as Serenoa which is obtained from fresh or even dried saw palmetto fruit. This is the active principle that works wonders for the prostrate swelling and various forms of urinary tract infections. It mainly acts as an inhibitor of some enzymes that deal with the processing of testosterone, regulating the biological processes in the prostrate cells.

If you want to receive weekly information on other herbal remedies and homeopathic treatments, please subscribe to the silver bulletin e-news magazine HERE.

Peter Salazar's source for quality supplements is http://www.utopiasilver.com

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Ease Menopause Symptoms with Aromatherapy

Menopause can be a physical, psychological and emotionally challenging time for many women. They will spend half of their adult lives in menopause, according to statistics which show the average life expectancy of women at 79.5 years nowadays.

By 2050 women will probably live to be at least 95 years old. A new generation of health-conscious women today is looking forward to a new phase of life with physical, spiritual and personal growth.

Most women think of menopause as the point when they cease to menstruate. They do not link irritability, anxiety, memory lapses, or mood swings to hormonal imbalance caused by this process of biological change. About 75% of all women experience some temporary symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, increase in level of cholesterol, decreased libido which may last for years; long term ones may include vaginal dryness and urinary problems. To know more about menopause, you can visit http://www.1menopause.com

Fortunately, these unpleasant complaints or symptoms can be prevented, reduced and relieved by making some changes to daily lifestyles with the right diet, nutrition supplements, regular exercise and adopting some complementary therapies such as yoga, tai chi, spa therapy or holistic aromatherapy, which all help to achieve a healthy, balanced lifestyle with natural medicine. They also offer a safer alternative compared to Hormone Replacement Therapy. They also to reduce the risk of future age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes.

For a list of detailed menopause symptoms please visit http://www.1menopause.com

Aromatherapy, which has been well used for over 2000 years, is the practice of using distilled essences obtained from the leaf, stem, flower, fruit peel, bark or root of a tree. As the aromatic molecules from essential oils disperse in the air, they:

• carry pleasant fragrances to your nose
• come in contact with the olfactory receptor cells in the nasal cavity
• transmit the information to the olfactory bulb which is a structure just above the nose.
• cause a response in the limbic system of the brain which works in conjunction with the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus region to regulate the hormonal activities.
• trigger the production of hormones that govern appetite, body temperature, insulin production, overall metabolism, stress levels, sex drive and conscious thought and reactions.

Essential Oils can have a positive effect on all these functions through the sense of smell which happens to be the most complex and sensitive of all the five senses. The sense of smell is over 10,000 times more sensitive than your sense of taste and researchers have shown how aroma causes a brain reaction by activating the hypothalamus gland, the pituitary gland and the bodys hormones as well as stimulating the emotion and memory.

Aromatherapy is particularly effective for stress, anxiety and psychosomatic induced problems, muscular and rheumatic pains, digestive disorders and womens problems such as PMS, menopausal problems and postnatal depression. It is a natural and non-invasive therapy designed to help a person enhance the body's natural ability to balance, regulate, heal and maintain oneself.

Essential Oils are very concentrated and their properties potent as they contain molecules small enough to enter your skin; except for essential oils of lavender and tea tree, the oils need to be diluted with a carrier oil, usually with a vegetable oil such as sweet almond or jojoba, to avoid skin irritation. The oils can be used in a vaporizer, sprays, bath, hot or cold compress, perfume or for topical body application or massage. Some recommended essential oils for menopausal women:

• Bergamot uplifts mood and reduces anxiety and depression.
• Clary Sage eases hot flashes and night sweats and PMS.
• Roman Chamomile has calming effect, ease tension, anxiety and headaches.
• Frankincense helps psychosomatic problems and anxiety.
• Geranium is a hormone balancer and reduces stress.
• Jasmine is euphoric and eases tension and anxiety.
• Juniper Berry regulates period and relieves water retention.
• Lavender is sedative and aids sleep.
• Rose is a womb tonic and provides relief from pre menopause to post menopause.
• Sandalwood stimulates the development of sex hormones and promotes vaginal secretions.
• Ylang Ylang is aphrodisiac and relaxes the nervous system.

Copyright 2005

Elena Leong is a certified aromatherapist by International Federation of Aromatherapy (IFA) and the founder of http://www.1menopause.com - a website on menopause information and its associated symptoms and problems which can be prevented or reduced by some natural Chinese herbal supplement, complementary therapy and other natural treatment options to ease and enjoy the menopause transition.