Cowboy Party {Eats and Drinks}

No cowboy fete would be complete without appropriately themed eats and drinks.

Git Yer Grub Chuck Wagon
As soon as the cowboys arrived, we sat em down and served up barnyard dogs (hot dogs), farm fresh apples and carrots and tomatoes (for yer ride) in open boxes lined with striped, waxed paper.  The fare was super easy to prepare in advance, and since we ate as soon as the party started, the hot dogs were ready and warm.

Chuck Wagon Sweets
Ugh…I just hate it that the lighting was so crazy for these pictures.  It was kind of the crowing glory of the whole fete.  Anyhoo, sweets were presented buffet style in front of our carriage style garage doors.

The PCP insisted on having cake push pops for the affair.  And I couldn’t argue with this fantastic choice.  Hence, red velvet “cowpoke cake pops” were served to the littles in attendance after singing happy birthday to the guest of honor.

Since I absolutely cannot have a birthday party without candles to mark the occasion and since I had a crew of adults to feed as well, a birthday cake was a must.  I purchased a yellow cake with buttercream icing from my favorite local bakery and then spruced it up with red sixlets, a horse from the dollar store that I spray painted to look a little more updated (and to go better with the party scheme) and a mini bunting that spelled out the birthday boy’s name.

The rest of the dessert table featured sweet treats for happy trails.  We packed the loose candy, Snake in My Boot sour straws and Rope a Steer licorice sticks in bandanna print cello bags.  And then, in each cowboy’s bandanna, we tied up the cello bag along with a Bonfire S’more and Swing Yer Partner swirly pop.

Cowpoke Cake Pops
Once you procure the push pop containers, the rest is a breeze!  Bake your favorite box cake mix in a well greased mini muffin pan without liners.  Once cooled, place one mini cupcake in the bottom of each push pop container.  Pipe in the canned icing.  Layer in a second mini cupcake.  Pipe icing to top and decorate with sprinkles!  I have two half ball shaped foam pieces from Michael’s that I place inside of a serving bowl when I make these.  I then carefully push in the push pops and cover the foam with paper shreds.  I set aside a bucket for the used push pop containers to wash and reuse them.  I also reuse my foam pieces and paper shreds for all sorts of other things.

Bonfire S’mores
2 square graham crackers
one large marshmallow (I used the new marshmallow stackers.)
Hershey bar pieces
Chocolate candy melts
Sprinkles
Lollipop sticks

Preheat oven to 350.  On foil lined baking sheet, lay out graham crackers, wrong side up.  On half of them, place a marshmallow in the center.  On the other half, place chocolate bar pieces.  Bake in oven for about 5 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and slightly browned and chocolate is starting to melt.  Watch them carefully!  Pull them of the oven and, working quickly, push a lollipop stick in each marshmallow and then top with a chocolate covered graham cracker square.  Let cool.  To decorate, heat up the chocolate candy melts per the package instructions.  I then add a little bit of canola oil to thin it out.  Using a spoon, drizzle with chocolate and then decorate with sprinkles.  Cool in fridge and then bag in cello bags.

Wet Yer Whistle Watering Hole
The Watering Hole invited guests to wet their whistle on Lucky Lemonade, Cowpoke Chocolate Milk, Sioux City Sarsaparilla and W Corral Water.  Drinks were served up in the PCP’s radio flyer wagon (that Sister and her Mister gave him before he was born…awww).  The lemonade and chocolate milk were presented in re-purposed Starbucks Frappuccino bottles (to which I have become slightly addicted) topped with bandanna print cupcake liners secured by rubber bands.  This made it super easy for little hands to get into.  I used premixed chocolate milk so that I could fill the bottles the night before and not have to worry about it separating.  Red striped paper straws were just plain fun.

Sources:
– striped waxed paper – Michael’s
– bandanna print cupcake liners and toppers – Oriental Trading Company
– horse figurines – Dollar Tree (and then I painted them to all match)
– Sour straws and Twizzlers – Dollar Tree
– Bandanna print cello bags – Hobby Lobby
– Swirly Pops – Oriental Trading Company
– Bandannas – Oriental Trading Company
– Lollipop sticks and clear cello bags (for s’mores) – Michael’s
– Push Pop containers – I lucked out with mine on one of those deeply discounted deal a day sites.  But this is the official site.
– Mini hay bales – Hobby Lobby
– Bandanna print bowls – Hobby Lobby
– Half ball foam pieces (to secure push pops) – Michael’s
– Paper shreds – Dollar Tree
– Sioux City Sarsaparilla – TJ Maxx
– Paper straws – Williams Sonoma
– Invitations, food tags, favor tags, bunting – designed and printed by me

I’m off to nuggle with the baby.  More on the cowboy badges tomorrow!
xoxo