Having a party is indeed fun for both the host and the invited guests since you get to celebrate and recreate with friends, relatives, and colleagues. However, including a theme for your party makes the celebration more fun, memorable and unique, making it a party beyond compare.

Having a party theme brings out the creativity in the host. Your guests get to wear costumes that fit the theme and you can serve them party food and beverages that correspond to the theme as well.

One example of a theme party is the Safari Birthday Party, which is perfect for kids and adults alike. Decorate the place with jungle themes by posting safari banners and other safari decorations. Provide the guests with safari hats or straw pith helmets and you may also give them jungle beads to create the feel of a jungle fever. For your food, pizza and chicken fingers are the popular choices. You may also serve animal-shaped cookies as an addition to your menu. You may serve non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages from iced teas and smoothies to cocktails and punches.

If you want to have an elegant party and wish to experience how Hollywood stars gear up for the night, then having an Oscar’s Award Theme Party is the answer. Indeed you can roll out a red carpet along with a backdrop for the guests to walk through before entering the venue so they can have the feel of being Hollywood celebrities for the night. You may serve hors d’ oeuvres as well as custom-made chocolates that are formed like Oscar statuettes. For the drinks, you may serve cocktails or champagne, wine, and spirits.

Hosting a party is absolutely much better if it comes with a theme because it allows the participants to indulge in an escapist experience in a venue that is also conducive for socializing. However, in order for your party to be really good, then you have to think of ways of putting decorations and serving food and beverages that all fit the theme. Below are examples of party recipes to make your party an event to remember:

Entrée:

Lobster-Stuffed Tenderloin Recipe

Ingredients:
1 (4 to 5-pound) beef tenderloin
1 cup vinaigrette salad dressing
1 (2-pound) lobster, cooked
OR
2 (1-pound) lobsters, cooked
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
2 tablespoons minced shallots
3 tablespoons vermouth
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place beef tenderloin in a plastic bag set into a shallow dish. Pour salad dressing over tenderloin. Close bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours, turning bag from time to time. Remove meat and tomalley (green liver) from lobster. Cut lobster into bite-sized pieces. In a 10-inch skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter. Add tomalley and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add shallots and cook for about a minute more.

Mix the remaining butter, vermouth and tarragon into the tomalley mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until liquid is reduced to half. Stir in cream. Continue to cook and stir until thick. Stir in lobster meat. Season with salt and pepper. Set lobster mixture aside.

Preheat oven to 500. Drain tenderloin. To butterfly the meat, make a lengthwise slice down the middle of the meat, cutting to within 1 inch of the other side and within 1 inch of its ends. Spread meat open slightly and spoon in lobster mixture. Fold in the thin end portion. Bring the sides of the tenderloin together and tie with a thick enough string at 1 1/2-inch intervals to secure.

Place tenderloin on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer. Roast, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and roast about 30 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Remove string; slice, and serve.

Appetizer:

Crispy Wontons

Ingredients:

3/4 lb Ground Pork
1/2 tsp Grated Fresh Ginger Root
8 Chopped Water Chestnuts
1 lb Wonton Skins
1/4 cup Chopped Green Onions & Tops
Vegetable Oil For Frying
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
Catsup
1/2 tsp Salt
Hot Mustard
1 tsp Cornstarch
Sweet & Sour Sauce

Instructions:

Combine pork, water chestnuts, green onions, soy sauce, salt, cornstarch and ginger in medium bowl; mix well. Place 1/2 teaspoon pork mixture in the middle of each wonton skin. Fold wonton skin over filling to form a triangle. Turn top of triangle down to meet fold. Turn over; moisten one corner with water. Overlap opposite corner over moistened corner; press firmly. Heat oil in wok or large saucepan over medium-high heat to 375 F. Deep fry wontons, a few at a time, for to 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm with hot mustard or catsup or sweet & sour sauce, as desired.

Dessert:

Berry Tiramisu Cake

INGREDIENTS

4 cups assorted fresh berries

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/8 cups sugar, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 eggs, separated

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 cups whipping cream, whipped

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl, combine berries, sugar and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Gently press berries; drain, reserving juice. Set berries aside. In a large saucepan, combine cornstarch and reserved juice until smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk the egg yolks, water and oil. Add to dry ingredients and beat until smooth. In another bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks take shape. Slowly add remaining sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Spread into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 38 minutes or until cake is firm and springs back when touched lightly. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pan. Let it cool on a rack.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Split cake into three layers. Place one layer on a serving plate. Spread with a third of the filling. Top with a third of the berries and drizzle with 1/4cup berry syrup. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Mojito:

Frozen Mojito

INGREDIENTS

1 (6 ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate

8 (1.5 fluid ounce) jiggers rum

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

1 tray ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

Place the lime juice concentrate, rum, mint, and ice cubes into the container of a blender. Cover and pulse briefly to get started, then process until smooth. Pour into 4 cocktail glasses.

Margarita:

Raspberry Margarita

INGREDIENTS

5 fluid ounces sweet-and-sour cocktail mix

2 fluid ounces premium tequila

1 fluid ounce cointreau

1 fluid ounce Chambord (raspberry liqueur)

2 cups ice cubes

margarita salt

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

DIRECTIONS

Pour the sweet and sour mix, tequila, cointreau, and raspberry liqueur into a shaker filled with ice. Shake until the shaker is frosty on the outside. Rub the rim of a margarita glass with a lime wedge, then dip in salt. Add a few ice cubes to the glass, then filter the liquid from the shaker carefully into the glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Strawberry Daiquiri:

Strawberry Daiquiri Slush with Honeydew Melon Recipe

Ingredients:
1 (12-oz) package frozen unsweetened strawberries
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup light white rum
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/3 ripe honeydew melon, seeded and flesh cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Garnish: lime slices

Directions:

Puree frozen berries and add them together with corn syrup, rum to taste, and lime juice in a blender. Mix until the mixture becomes slushy. Spoon into 6 (8 ounce) wine glasses or other stemmed shallow glasses and top with melon.

Want a little sauce and sizzle with the sweet? View desserts with Bacardi rum and other delectables, especial;y our favorite: Bacardi Rum Cake.