Bread Pudding

This was the biggest RAVE of the Harry Potter party...there were NO leftovers!

Bread Pudding

3 large eggs, slightly beaten

1 ½ cups sugar

2 TBSP light brown sugar

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ cup butter, melted

2 ¾ cup whipping cream

4 cups cubed French bread

¾ cup raisins (optional)

Vanilla sauce (see separate recipe)

Combine first 4 ingredients.  Stir in butter and whipping cream.  Gently stir in bread (and raisins if desired).  Pour into a 2 quart soufflé or deep baking dish.  Bake at 375° for 50—55 minutes, shielding with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to avoid excessive browning.  (DO NOT SKIP THIS SET!!!)  Let pudding set for 10 minutes before serving with warm vanilla sauce.

Vanilla Sauce

½ cup sugar

3 TBSP light brown sugar

1 TBSP flour

Dash of ground nutmeg

1 large egg

2 TBSP butter

1 ¼ whipping cream

1 TBSP vanilla extract

Whisk the first 7 ingredients in a heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 10-12 minutes, or until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Serve at warm or at room temperature over bread pudding.

Crock Pot Corn Pudding

This was one of the BIG raves at the Harry Potter party.

2 cans whole kernel corn (do not drain!)
2 cans cream style corn
2 boxes corn muffin mix
8 oz. sour cream
1 stick butter melted

Mix all ingredients together in the crock pot.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until thick.

Thank you to my friend, Donna from MA, that shared this recipe with me!

Punch Recipe

This is the punch recipe that I used at the Harry Potter party.  It was VERY yummy!

1 can frozen orange juice
1 can frozen fruit punch
1 can frozen lemonade
1 can frozen raspberry juice
8 cans water
2 (2 liter) bottle of ginger ale

Mix together all frozen juices.  Add the 8 cans of water.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

In punch bowl, fill halfway with punch mixture and top other half up with ginger ale.  Add ice if desired.

Chess anyone?

At the Leaving Feast, the last dinner of the school year, Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts' Headmaster, awards Ron fifty House points to Gryffindor for "the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years."

Wonder who can earns housepoints for their house?

Last minute...Geocache and housepoint opportunities

Needless to say, it's been a little busy around here preparing for the party! 

Here are some Geocache coordinates...you can easily locate these on your way to the party!

HP 101:  In Godric Hallows, Harry found his parents.
N42 20.520
W088 37.115

HP 102:  Luna had a way of losing these.  (Virtual)...need to show proof you were there.  25 housepoints for the first to show me.

N42 20.533
W088 35.143

HP 103:  While attempting to depart from King's Cross station, Harry and Ron find themselves unable to enter the barrier to access Platform 9¾. With Harry, Ron conceives the idea of taking the flying Ford Anglia to Hogwarts. The plan is successful, but the Anglia loses power at the end of the journey and crashes into the (name the object).

N42 16.288
W088 33.616

A little preview of costumes to come...

Harry Potter Costumes
Just wanted to show you a preview of some of the people that are coming to the Harry Potter movie and party on Saturday! 

Platform 9 ¾ Trivia

Platform 9 ¾, where Hogwarts students catch the train that takes them to school, was actually filmed between Platforms 4 and 5 at London's King's Cross station – Rowling meant for the platform to be placed in the inner city and not out in the suburbs, which is where Platforms 9 and 10 are. If you visit the real station, however, there is now a Platform 9 ¾, between 9 and 10, for Potter fans.

Harry Potter Trivia

Of the three leads, Daniel Radcliffe was the most experienced actor prior to Sorcerer's Stone, having appeared in The Tailor of Panama with Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush and in a BBC adaptation of David Copperfield, as well as on stage. Emma Watson appeared in a few plays but had never acted professionally before taking on the role of Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint also had only amateur theatricals on his résumé.

20 Things to Do Before the Final 'Harry Potter'

1. Read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Since the last book was split into two movies, it's a good time to go back and read or revisit the entire Potter finale again to get immersed in the epic emotion of the series conclusion and get reacquainted with what didn't make it into the movies.

2. Get Sorted and Learn Spells

With the official Harry Potter Spells App (in iTunes for iPad and iPhone), you can get sorted into your official house and then start learning spells like Expelliarmus and Petrificus Totalus to use against other wizards in a dueling game.

3. Play Harry Potter Scene It

The second edition of the DVD trivia game covers questions from the films up through Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. See who earns the bragging rights of Potter-Know-It-All amongst your friends. 

4. Visit Harry Potter: The Exhibition

If you're local to the east coast, New York City's Discovery Times Square is now hosting this traveling show until September 5, 2011, when it will leave North America for an international tour. It features tons of props used in the films and fun interactive exhibits.

5. See Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway

Daniel Radcliffe is already moving on to his post-Potter career as the lead in the Tony-winning Broadway revival, How to Succeed in Business without Even Trying. Tickets are on sale or you can just buy the cast soundtrack and listen to Harry sing.

6. Bookmark Pottermore

Out-of-the-blue, J.K. Rowling announced a brand new website called Pottemore, that launches in October. You’ll finally be able to buy Potter e-books and read Rowling’s never-released Potter material. Check back on July 31st to get a chance to enter the site early.

7. Watch all 7 movies on DVD or Blu-ray

You haven't seen all the movies yet? What are you waiting for? All of the Potter movies are available in pan and scan, widescreen and deluxe Blu-ray editions with hours of extra features and material to keep you busy until July. (Available on Amazon)

8. Dissect the Last Trailer

It's the last Harry Potter movie trailer ever and it's legitimately epic. Watch it on a loop to pick out some of the most anticipated scenes including the Battle of Hogwarts and Harry vs. You Know Who.

9. Test Your Potter Knowledge

If your Potter knowledge lies more towards the books, then Rowling's publisher Scholastic has a fun Wizard's Challenge that allows you three strikes until you have to start again.

10. Play Harry Potter LEGO

Set to John William's iconic score, the Harry Potter LEGO videogame lets you play the characters from the first four films in block form as you travel around Hogwarts learning magic, battling foes like trolls and collecting bricks.

11. Get Matched to Your Wand at The Wizarding World in Orlando

You've still got some time pre-movie to visit Universal Studios Orlando to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The theme park features Ollivander's Wand Store where the wizard will match you to your own unique wand (for a charge, of course).

12. Collect Points to Gain Potter Swag

The official WB Harry Potter website is hosting a game called The Quest where you collect points to buy Potter swag and other fun stuff.

13. Meet New Muggle Friends

No one understands your Potter pain like your friends, and you can make some new pals at this website meant to connect like-minded Muggles.

14. Load Up on Potter News

The Leaky Cauldron is one of the oldest and most respected fan sites on the web, and it covers everything Potter related (including all the latest news). Head over there and see if you missed anything good.

15. Host a Potter Party

Celebrate the opening of the last movie in style by inviting your friends and family to a party feast featuring chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Cauldron Cakes and homemade Butterbeer.

16. Read "The Tales of Beedle the Bard"

Dumbledore bequeathed a copy of this fairy tale book to Hermione after his death. In 2007, Rowling released it to readers and it features five stories with original illustrations by the author.

17. Learn More about Harry's Creator

The author's story is just as fascinating as her boy wizard so explore J.K. Rowling's personal website to discover her story; get new project news, and the real story on any rumors swirling.

8. Follow the cast on Twitter

@pindippycave (Plays Lavender Brown)
@EmWatson (Plays Hermione Granger)
@WarwickADavis (Plays Professor Filius Flitwick)
@chrisrankin (Plays Percy Weasely)
@James_Phelps (Plays Fred Weasley)
@OliverPhelps (Plays George Weasley)
@Mattdavelewis (Plays Nevlille Longbottom)
@TomFelton (Plays Draco Malfoy)
@WillDunn_ (Plays James Sirius Potter)

19. Read our exclusive set visit reports and interviews

We've been to Hogwarts and returned to tell the tale. Check out our Deathly Hallows: Part 1 coverage: Set Visit, Daniel Radcliffe interview, and Matthew Lewis interview.

20. Turn Back Time

When all else fails, buy yourself a Time Turner. In the best case scenario, it may enable your denial as you try to turn the clock back from July. Worst case, you'll have an excellent memento for your room or office.

Arthur Weasley

A staunch believer in the equality of all magical and Muggle people, Arthur is a pure-blood wizard in the employ of the Ministry of Magic, a member of the second Order of the Phoenix and the patriarch of the Weasley family. After graduating from Hogwarts, Arthur married Molly Prewett and the couple had seven children: Bill, Charlie, Percy, twins Fred and George, Ron and daughter Ginny.

Kreacher

Left to Harry upon the death of Sirius Black, Kreacher is an aged house-elf who served the House of Black with fanatical loyalty for most of his life. He was particularly fond of “his mistress” Walburga Black, whose portrait still shrieks orders from the wall in the front hall of the Black house. After her death, Kreacher let the house fall into disarray, doing little, if any, cleaning.

Nymphadora Lupin (Tonks)

A half-blood witch and a Metamorphmagus, she joined the Ministry of Magic shortly after graduating from Hogwarts and trained to become an Auror under Alastor Moody. She fought in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and fell in love with Remus Lupin. Lupin felt he was too old, poor and dangerous for her and rejected her feelings. Tonks would later fight in the Battle of Astronomy Tower and, after seeing the love Fleur Delacour held for Bill Weasley despite his injuries, publicly declared her love for Lupin. She would fight in the Battle of Hogwarts and face off against her aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange.

George Weasley

Brother of Ron and son of Molly and Arthur Weasley, twin brother of Fred Weasley, he sustained injuries in the Battle over Little Whinging. George was an equally skilled and mischievous wizard who co-owned a joke shop, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, and was a member of Dumbledore’s Army. He also participated in the Battle of Hogwarts.

Dean Thomas

A half-blood wizard, Dean was a student of Hogwarts and a member of the Gryffindor House. His life was put in danger when Lord Voldemort took over the Ministry of Magic when he couldn’t prove he had any wizarding heritage. He was forced to go on the run to avoid arrest and imprisonment by the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, missing his seventh year of school. He was eventually captured by Snatchers but escaped from Malfoy Manor along with several other prisoners.

Madame Olympe Maxime

Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, her preferred mode of transportation when travelling with her students is a great powder-blue carriage drawn by 12 winged Abraxan horses, which are bred at the school. She attended the Triwizard Tournament, where she and Reubus Hagrid shared a short romance before her departure. She attends the wedding of her student Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley.

Dudley Dursley

The Muggle son of Vernon and Patricia Dursley and cousin to Harry Potter, Dudley was raised as a very spoiled child. He grew up fat and insolent and his group of friends often tormented Harry. Upon his first encounter with a Death Eater, he was saved by Harry, after which he became kinder to his cousin.

Percy Ignatius Weasley

The over-achieving third child of Molly and Arthur Weasley, Percy worked in the Department of International Magical Cooperation under Barty Crouch Sr. and later as the Assistant to the Minister of Magic. His rise within the Ministry caused a rift between him and his family following the return of Voldemort. His father thought the promotion to Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge’s office was a ploy to keep tabs on the Weasley family and through them, Albus Dumbledore. Percy denied this and remained fiercely loyal to the Ministry. When it was later proved that the Dark Lord had indeed returned, Percy did not reconcile with his family, until the Ministry fell to the Death Eaters.

Neville Longbottom

Throughout his years at Hogwarts, Neville grew from a shy, introverted boy to a courageous defender of the school. An important member of Dumbledore’s Army, he fought in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, and plays a key role in the final battles against Voldemort.

Minister Kingsley ShackleboltMinister Kingsley Shacklebolt

A wizard who worked for the Ministry of Magic, he served as an Auror and joined the reconstituted Order of the Phoenix after being convinced of the return of Voldemort. Working undercover within the Ministry, he fed the Order information and misdirected the Ministry in its attempts to locate Sirius Black.

Vernon Dursley

Harry’s uncle lived at Number Four, Privet Lane and was the director of a company called Grunnings, a drill manufacturer. When Harry received his invitation to attend Hogwarts, Vernon became very angry and detested anything to do with magic. He along with wife Petunia and son Dudley, left their house in order to be hidden from Voldemort and his Death Eaters.