We had a cooking party for my daughter, Kenna's 8th birthday. She only invited 5 girls so there would be room for everyone in the kitchen and at the table. Hot pink and orange were our main colors so we sent out INVITATIONS in those colors made on the computer with some clipart of cookies and cooking utensils on them.  Before the party we bought kitchen towels and grosgrain ribbon (in pink and orange) and sewed the ribbon on to make aprons. We added a loop at the top for their heads and two at the waist to tie. They turned out very cute and they made a great FAVOR to take home. We also got chef hats and glued paper punched flowers on them to make them match the color theme. We didn't do much for DECORATIONS other than a pink table cloth and cut out orange flowers in random spots on the table. The centerpiece was a clear vase with lots of kitchen utensils in it and some more spread around the table. We also had pink and orange foam flowers hanging from the chandelier. For the ACTIVITIES/FOOD, as soon as the girls started arriving and after they got their chef hat and apron they went to an extra table we had set up and they decorated a place card with their name on it and placed it on the dining room table. Next, the girls were going to make homemade macaroni and cheese  the entree my daughter chose. We wanted to do something different than pizza. I had an easy recipe and printed it up and taped it to the wall above the stove for all the girls to see with step by step directions. I had the girls in 2 teams and an aerobics step in front of the stove for them to be able to reach better. I had each team do the same thing in two different sauce pans. After each step (i.e. Melt butter and stir) they switched which girl was at the stove. They each got at least three turns. At the same time the noodles were boiling on the back burner and I was watching them but letting the girls stir it occasionally. When they were done with the sauce I took everything over to the counter were I had crushed Doritos and sliced hotdogs and everyone had their own individual aluminum foil loaf pan were they put in layers of noodles, sauce and the Doritos and hotdogs if they wanted them. I put ketchup in an unmarked squeeze bottle and called it mystery sauce� and encouraged them to use it to make their initials or smiley face or a heart on their pan of food so we would know whose it was when I took it out of the oven. Most of them made something and thought it was fun. When I put the pans in the oven the girls all went back to the table where they had made name cards. The craft stuff had been picked up and we had put out skewers and plates with cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices and cubes of cheese. The girls made their veggie kabobs and brought them to their plates and started eating them. Then I got the mac and cheese out of the oven and served it. We surprised them by not giving them forks or spoons. They all had to figure out how to eat it with the cooking utensils already on the table (whisk, spatula, etc.). They laughed a lot. After that each girl decorated a nilla wafer with icing tubes (hair icing and mini m&m's for eyes and nose etc.) and put them on the CAKE that was decorated with a bunch frosted Twinkies as a bed and put the decorated cookies on marshmallow pillows�. It looked good but the girls liked it best because it was personalized to look like them. Then, my daughter opened her presents. Next, came the crazy part of the night: FOOD FIGHT!! First, the girls all put garbage bag dresses on and plastic bag covers on their heads and feet. Then they all went out to our garage where it was covered in plastic drop cloths and tarps. Each girl had a large bowl of either oatmeal, top ramen, or rice (all had food coloring in them also just so they wouldn't be all the same mush color). When everyone was set, they all started throwing, laughing and screaming. It was fast but very fun. Afterward they peeled off their plastic protectors and cleaned up and changed into pajamas.  They all settled in for a movie and ate from our popcorn bar (popcorn, cereals, marshmallows, and candy). The next morning everyone made fruit smoothies and cinnamon rolls. We had a great time but the most memorable part was the FOOD FIGHT!!