Tropical Graduation Party

Tropical Graduation Party

Do you have a child graduating this year?  A great idea is to throw a tropical luau themed graduation party.  Here are some steps to get you started with a few ideas. 

Plan ahead – allow 6 weeks for planning your party

Pick a location – Remember to make accommodations for all types of people.  Not everyone wants to dance, not everyone wants to listen to the music, some people just want to talk and relax. Accommodate for different interests and levels of social comfort and different age groups.

Decide a budget

Make out your guest list

Invitations:  there are many sites to have really nice invitations made or you can print some at home.  Here is a website that has a printable one.   http://party.lovetoknow.com/Printable_Luau_Invitations

Decorations:  Order your decorations 4 weeks in advanced to make sure you have everything in time.

Here are some decoration ideas.

Table cover: this really cute table cover features tiki guys, flamingos and  cockatoos with graduation caps along with the tropical décor and flowers. http://www.amazon.com/Graduation-Tablecover-Paradise-Supply-Tropical/dp/B0072X1D0E

Card Box: This is a festive tiki hut card box to put on your table.  Everyone will love it. http://www.ebay.com/itm/TIKI-HUT-CARD-BOX-GRADUATION-BEACH-WEDDING-LUAU-PARTY-/220928965347

Balloons:  These are great photo personalized luau grad balloons. http://www.hallmark.com/products/graduation/party-plates/luau-grad-5pbd3452_dk/

And more balloons at http://www.ebay.com/itm/LUAU-GRAD-Class-2012-Graduation-Party-balloons-Decorations-Supplies-Tropical-/380429247910

http://coolglow.com/3/1189/1189/Luau-Balloons/

Centerpieces:  A great centerpiece idea is to get plastic pails and put sand in them. Tie some balloons to the handle of the pail and place some shells and a plastic shovel into the sand.  It’s festive with your grad balloons and beachy at the same time.

Or you can purchase a tiki hut center piece http://coolglow.com/3/1199/1200/Luau-Table-Decorations/1523/Tiki-Hut-Centerpiece/

And make a grand entrance!!! Place tiki torches down your driveway leading to the house . Make the doorway entrance into a big sandcastle. Build sandcastles out of cardboard and spray paint them with faux-sand, available at craft stores. Make flags out of lightweight cloth to fly from the castle top and attach them to small wooden rods, also available at a craft store. Write your custom message on the flags, like  "Bob's Graduation Beach Bash." Consider making enough to line the driveway or sidewalk with your sandcastle flags. Use the colors of your grad's school.

As your guests walk in offer them a flower lei.

Table top tiki hut:  You can make a Table top Tiki Bar or Hut out of bamboo and Mexican rain cape from www.suncoasttikihuts.com and maybe some other supplies to make your party look authentic. they have rain cape umbrella capes that you can put over regular store bought umbrellas.

www.suncoasttikihuts.com also has authentic tiki masks and tiki poles for great party decorations

Photo op area:  A way for everyone to take home a memory from your amazing party is to have a photo op area. http://www.shindigz.com/party/personalized-hibiscus-arch/pgp/6u020a

Of course you can t have a luau graduation without a good game of limbo….

Music:  A good idea is to have a DJ playing reggae or island music.  Or you can buy a cd with luau music on it http://www.amazon.com/Drews-Famous-Authentic-Aloha-Party/dp/B00004SYI6

Food: Decide on the types of food you want to have.  Make a shopping list.

Hawaiian Baked Ham and Swiss sandwiches

 

Ingredients

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1 12 pack of King's Hawaiian Original rolls

1 lb. deli ham, shaved

1 lb. swiss cheese, thinly sliced

1 1/2 sticks butter

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

3 teaspoons of poppy seeds

1 onion, chopped

How to make it

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1. Heat oven to 350. Melt butter and mix in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onion and poppy seed. Simmer for several minutes.

2. Cut the entire pack of rolls in half, horizontally (keeping all top and bottom halves in tact).

3. In a greased 9x13 pan, place bottom half of rolls and spread 1/3 of the onion mixture over the bottom of the rolls followed by the ham and cheese.

5. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes and, once finished, separate for serving.

Fruit tray:

Hawaiian Luau Burger: 

add ham and pineapple to your burgers to make them a little more Hawaiian

 

Hawaiian chicken wings

 Ingredients

2 lb. wingettes or drumettes

1 C. soy sauce

1/2 C. brown sugar

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs. sesame oil

2 Tbs. sesame seeds

4 green onions, chopped

flour (enough to coat chicken)

oil (enough for frying)

Directions

Flour chicken the night before and store in paper bag in refrigerator. Fry wings in 1 inch of oil to lightly brown. Cool. Mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and onions. Dip wings in sauce and place on cookie sheet. Warm in oven to set sauce and reheat wings.

 

Hawaiian slaw

 Ingredients

1/2 16 oz. bag cole slaw

1 small red pepper, julienned

6 green onions, cleaned and sliced

1/2 C. macadamia nuts

3 Tbs. sesame oil

1 small can pineapple tidbits, reserve juice

Dressing:

1/4 C. each sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar

2 Tbs. sugar

Reserved pineapple juice

Directions

Toast macadamias in 3 Tbs. sesame oil until golden. Cool and add to salad mixture. Make dressing, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Toss salad, pour dressing on, toss again and refrigerate 1 hour. Toss again and serve.

Tropical rice

is a popular luau side that pairs well with chicken and pork dishes. For simple island rice, cook white or jasmine rice in coconut milk instead of water, and add mandarin orange slices, pineapple chunks, and cashews once cooked.

Drinks: recipes

Tropical fruit punch for your graduation party! 1 - 2 liter bottle of ginger ale 1 can of frozen lemonade {thawed} 6 cups chilled Dole brand Pineapple-Orange juice {or can substitute just pineapple or just orange juice} 2 heaping scoops of pineapple sherbet 2 heaping scoops of orange sherbet

Hawaiian Volcano Drink

1 gallon cold Hawaiian fruit punch

2 cups guava juice

2 bottles cold ginger ale or lemon-lime soda

1/2 gallon rainbow sherbet

Combine the fruit punch and guava juice, then slowly add the sherbet. Pour the ginger ale directly on top of the sherbet, which will make the punch foam like a volcano. Make sure you do this in front of the kids at the Hawaiian Luau Party. You’ll get lots of ooh-aahs from this!

Tahiti Club Cocktail And a drink recipe for the adults/…

oz. gold rum

1/2 oz. maraschino liqueur

1 oz. pineapple juice

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

Orange slice – garnish

Combine all in shaker.  Pour into chilled old- fashioned glass and garnish with the orange slice.

Cake: Pina Colada Cake Recipe

Ingrediants:

1 (15.25 ounce) yellow cake mix

1(15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained (save liquid)

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

8 ounces cream of coconut

1 ½ cups shredded coconut

 

Directions: Make cake in a 9 x 13 pan according to directions on the box. When cake is done, poke holes all over the top of the cake. I used the end of a wooded mixing spoon

 

Mix pineapple juice reserved from crushed pineapple (about ½ cup), sweetened condensed milk, and coconut cream. Pour mixture over top of the cake making sure the top is covered and try to pour it into the holes. Then let the cake cool completely. Top with drained, crushed pineapple. Then top with the sweetened whipped cream and flaked coconut

Sweetened Whipped Cream Ingredients:

2 cups whipping cream

8  TBSP powdered sugar

Directions for whipping cream:

Beat whipping cream and powdered sugar together until it starts to thicken, You’ll want it to be thick enough to stand on it’s own. Then spread over the crushed pineapple. Top with shredded coconut.

 

This is another option.  This  great cake ( above picture) can be ordered from publix.  Order 2 weeks in advanced.

Make sure to have your camera and video camera batteries charged and you have plenty of memory or film

A relaxing weekend by the Tiki Hut needed....

After a long work week, of taking great care of all our customers, I'm ready to just relax.  Grilling by the tiki hut and laying by the pool on our bamboo lounge chairs sounds perfect.  Yes, this is just what I need.  I can make tropical smoothies and have some friends and family over to enjoy the sun.  Lunch can be served at the tiki bar... we're having Grilled citrus chicken with grilled tropical fruit.  Sounds yummy!!!  Below is the recipe.

 

Grilled Citrus Chicken with Grilled Tropical Fruit

Ingredients
7 pounds chicken pieces, excluding wings, washed and dried
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup dark rum
6 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 Chipotle chiles, canned or rehydrated in vinegar
3 red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large mangos, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 ripe bananas, peeled and cut on the bias into thick slices
1 pineapple, peeled and sliced
Juice of 1 lime
Vegetable oil, for the grill
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish. In a blender, combine the citrus juices, rum, garlic, sugar, chipotles, red peppers, onion, vinegar and olive oil. Pulse gently. Pour marinade over the chicken pieces, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken once. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat the grill.

Place the mango pieces, banana slices and pineapple on a sheet of foil and brush with lime juice. Set aside.

When the grill is ready, brush with vegetable oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the chicken pieces, cavity sides down, on the grill and cook for 10 minutes. Turn and baste with the marinade and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Baste and turn chicken every 5 minutes for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender.

Lightly brush the fruits with melted butter. Set the foil on the grill during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Perforate the foil to allow the heat to reach the fruit, then fold the foil into a packet and cook until the fruit is slightly limp and lightly charred.

Place the chicken on a platter and arrange the fruit along the edges.

Tropical drink recipe

BLUE HAWAIIAN

Ingredients you need

• 1 oz. LightRum
• 2 oz.Pineapple Juice
• 1 oz. BlueCuracao
• 1 oz.Creme de Coconut
• 1 slicePineapple
• 1Cherry

How to make a Blue HawaiianBlend light rum, blue curacao, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut with one cup ice in an electric blender at high speed. Pour contents into a highball glass. Decorate with the slice of pineapple and a cherry.Type of drinkCocktailRecommended glassHighball Glass

TROPICAL PARTY IDEAS as seen on taste of home

No plane ticket required.. Turn your living room into the tropics.
Luckily, you can bring them home faster than hopping a jet to the islands. Break out the fruity drinks and island music, and invite some friends over. Who can be in a funk while partying it up, beach-style? Use these tips to turn your living room into a tropical oasis.
Lighten up.
Bright colors are key when it comes to decorating your party room. Use paper garlands, honeycomb fruit decorations, colorful fish, hanging foil palm trees, silk flower garlands and raffia table skirts. Lots of light will boost everyone's mood.

No shirt, no shoes, no problem!
Encourage guests to wear flip-flops, Hawaiian shirts, sarongs and sunglasses. To really get the beach feeling, slather on coconut-scented sunblock, and you'll almost feel the rays of sunshine.

Do the limbo rock.
Crank up the reggae music and let the fun begin! Have a limbo contest. Award the best hula dancer or hula hoop expert. Hold a tropical trivia contest with questions about the Caribbean islands, tropical fish or plants.
Don't forget the tropical menu.
Fruity, blended drinks are a must, and remember to add a tiny umbrella in each one. Feast on fresh pineapple, mango and papaya. Grill shrimp or prepare a spicy jerk chicken. For dessert, serve refreshing key lime pie.

Stay tuned to our next blog when we will have recipes for some fun and fruity drink recipes.