Tag: bunco dessert

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Favorite Bunco Themes: Formal Bunco

The holiday season is quickly approaching.  With all the busyness of the holidays, it is fun to take a break  and play Bunco with the girls.

One year in November my Bunco group held a Formal Bunco.  It was so much fun!  We all dressed up.  Some of us were fancier than others but we all wore dresses.  Our potluck was done differently as well.  We had people sign up for food which included a variety of appetizers, salads, bread and dessert.  The hostess provided pasta as the main dish.  For added fun we had a sit down dinner instead of our usual buffet.

For dessert we had a chocolate fountain. People brought decadent dippers for the fountain.  Cheesecake pieces, cookies, pretzels, strawberries, marshmallows and dried fruit all tasted delicious dipped in the chocolate.  For my small fountain, it takes two packages of chocolate chips melted and mixed with 3/4 cup of vegetable oil.  I love a mix of premium bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate, yum!

Typically we use paper plates, plastic utensils and plastic cups at our Bunco games. Formal Bunco is the time to break out the fine China, actual silverware and glasses.  It really was nice for a change.  We spent extra time socializing and enjoying each others company.

Whenever someone rolls a Bunco we pass around a necklace, usually one that pertains to the theme.  At this Bunco we passed around a feather boa for a more formal touch.

The prizes were for pampering the Bunco Babe.  Bubble bath, shower gel, mud masks and nail polish were some of the items that people won that evening. Formal Bunco was a fun time for all.  It was a nice change from the casual approach we usually take and a wonderful indulgence, especially for a busy mom like me.

Have you ever attend a Formal  or even a Black Tie Bunco?  If so, please tell us about it on The Bunco game Shop Facebook Page.

Keep Calm & Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

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Favorite Bunco Themes: Hawaiian Bunco

Photo Originally Published in Family Fun Magazine

I started my Bunco group 3.5 years ago, I didn’t know anyone at that game. Now, quite a few of those players are friends of mine. Our very first game was a Hawaiian theme.  It still comes up in conversation occasionally, it was really fun.  Of course everyone needs to wear a lei, the hostess can provide one at the door or each person can wear their own. A Hawaiian shirt or grass skirt is a nice touch too.  There is always the fun-loving Bunco Gal who will wear a coconut bra!

Food is also key for a successful Hawaiian Bunco.  Think tropical: teriyaki, pineapple, coconut, macadamia nuts (chocolate covered please!), even SPAM.  Drinks are important as well.  The Blue Hawaiian, a frosty alcoholic concoction is festive and delicious.  For those guests that do not drink alcohol, here are some recipes for some mocktail treats such as Pina Coladas, Mai Tais and Sunny Hawaiis.  Don’t forget the mini umbrellas for the drinks!  I made these Sweet Sandal cookies to our Flip Flop Bunco and they were a big hit!

Some fun variations of a sunny tropical Bunco theme include Flip Flop Bunco and Beach Blanket Bingo Bunco.  For Flip Flop Bunco have guests wear their most blinged out Flip Flops, the most bedazzled pair wins a prize!  We had some very creative ladies with mad glue gun skills at our Flip Flop Bunco night!  For Beach Blanket Bingo Bunco we played Bingo along with our Bunco game.  There were prizes for both games.  Of course for any tropical theme Bunco, ladies can wear beach attire (floppy hat, shorts, tank top, etc.).  To make this theme even more fun, you can switch things up and hold a tropical theme Bunco in the winter!  I live in the desert, so winter is the best time of year here. In other parts of the country, ladies may need to wear a jacket over their shorts or wear boots and change into flip flops at the party.  It is a great diversion from winter and a reminder of what’s to come in the future.

Has your Bunco group had a warm weather themed Bunco party?  If so, let me know about it on The Bunco Game Shop’s Facebook Page.

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

 

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Fall Bunco: Sweet Treats and Football

Salted Caramel Cake Pops

I asked our Facebook followers to let me know what their favorite fall themed Bunco ideas were.  There were some very creative ideas!  The most popular fall themes were Pink Ribbon and Halloween Bunco.  Some groups do a variation of Halloween theme, such a Howloween and Buncoween.  A group does Halloween with a Pink Twist.  That sounds so fun!  I think I will give that a try next year since I already have our Pink Ribbon Bunco planned for this month.

One Bunco player said that she hosts a Football Bunco each fall.  How fun!  I have seen some cute football themed plates, napkins, bowls, etc. at discount stores.  Guests can wear their favorite football jersey, t-shirt, hat or colors.  It would also be fun to have a game on in the background (perhaps your hometown team).  The best thing about Football themed Bunco is the food!  You can’t go wrong with dips kept warm in mini slow cookers along with some tortilla chips and crackers.  My favorite dips to make (and eat) are Spinach and Artichoke and Buffalo Chicken.  Both are really easy to make.  However, I have a sweet tooth and my favorite food at a Bunco game is usually dessert.  Salted Caramel Cake Pops would be a delicious addition to any fall Bunco theme (or any time of the year!).

Salted Caramel Cake Pops

1 Yellow Cake Mix baked in 13×9 pan according to package and cooled

1/3 cup canned vanilla frosting (or homemade)

1/2 cup salted caramel (I used Trader Joe’s brand)

1 bag chocolate melting wafers

1 cup white chocolate melting wafers

1 cup caramels (such as Kraft) unwrapped

1 tsp. water

Sea Salt for topping

32 lollipop sticks (available at craft stores)

styrofoam block (available at craft stores)

Shred the cooled caked and add frosting and salted caramel, mix well.  Shape mixture into balls.  Meanwhile, melt 1/2 cup of chocolate melting wafers in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted.  Dip a lollipop stick into the melted chocolate and then stick it into the cake ball.  Line small cookie sheet with parchment paper and put all 32 cake pops on the cookie sheet (use two if you need to).  Put cake pops into freezer for about an hour.  When you are ready to dip the cake pops, put the remainder of the chocolate melting wafers into a microwave safe bowl and microwave at 30 second increment until desired consistency is achieved.  Dip the cake pops one at a time into the chocolate mixture.  Stick the dipped cake pops into the styrofoam block and let dry.  Microwave white melting chocolate at 30 second increments until thin consistency.  Put a small dollop of white chocolate on each pop.  Next, put caramel and 1 tsp of water into microwave safe bowl and stir every 30 second until smooth.  Drizzle on top of the cake pops.  Finally, add a light pinch of sea salt onto each cake pop.  Enjoy!

Do you have a sweet tooth?  What is your favorite dessert to make (or eat) at a Bunco game? If you prefer savory food, what is your favorite? Please share your answer on our Facebook page.  Let me know if you make the cake pops!

Keep Calm and Play Bunco,

Bunco Betty

 

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Favorite Bunco Themes–Dirty Dancing Bunco

I was thinking about the (many) Bunco games I have played in the last eight years.  One of my most favorite Bunco games that I planned was Dirty Dancing Bunco.  It was the 25th anniversary of the beloved movie and I thought it would be fun to throw a Bunco party with a  Dirty Dancing theme.

Of course we had, you guessed it, the Dirty Dancing DVD on in the background.  We had the sound turned down and the movie soundtrack CD playing.  Everyone loved it and sang along!  I also gave Dirty Dancing DVDs and CDs away as prizes for Snake Eyes as well as  first and last Bunco.  Our group gives the first person to get a Bunco her $5 back as well as a prize.  They get to wear a fun themed necklace until we hand out prizes at the end.  If you roll triple ones when you aren’t rolling for ones, it is called Snake Eyes.  Whoever rolled it loses all of  her points in that round and must yell Snake Eyes. Whoever rolled the last Snake Eyes throws the plush fuzzy die (like this awesome one from Bunco Game Shop) to her and the person who has the die at the end wins a prize.

I brought watermelon cake pops for dessert (remember when Baby carried the watermelon into the dance hall?) They were so cute and a big hit.  Here is the (easy) recipe:

1 box white cake mix (or your favorite recipe)
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1/4 teaspoon pink paste food color
3/4 cup vanilla frosting (ready made or your favorite recipe)
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
32  Lollipop sticks
1 bag (16 oz) green candy melts or coating wafers, melted
1 bag (16oz) white candy melts, melted
block of foam or cakepop holder

  • Heat oven to 350°F.
  • Spray 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray.
  • Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13×9-inch pan, using water, oil and egg whites and adding pink paste food color.
  • Cool completely.
  • Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. I like to use two small cookie sheets from the dollar store. They fit nicely in my small freezer.
  • Crumble cake into large bowl.
  • Add frosting and mini chocolate chips; mix well.
  • Shape into 32 oblong balls to look like watermelon; place on cookie sheets.
  • Freeze until firm, at least an hour.
  • When cake balls are firm, transfer to refrigerator.
  • Remove several cake balls from refrigerator at a time.
  • Dip tip of 1 lollipop stick 1/2 inch into melted white candy and insert stick into 1 cake ball no more than halfway.
  • Dip each cake ball into melted candy to cover; tap off excess.
  • Poke opposite end of stick into foam block.
  • Let stand until set.
  • Dip each cake ball into melted green candy to cover; tap off excess.
  • Return sticks to foam block. Let stand until set.

What is your favorite Bunco theme? Do you use  Snake Eyes in your Bunco game?  What are some of your favorite Bunco rules? Let us know.  We would love to hear from you.
Keep Calm and Play Bunco,
Bunco Betty