Mother’s Day

 Entertaining Ideas And Tips  642 Responses »
Apr 272012
 

As a mother of two wonderful children and a step-child, I find Mother’s Day to be one of the most special days of the year for me. Let me share a few thoughts to help you make Mother’s Day special for your mom. Think about her favorite food; you can make it at home and make it special by serving her in bed or allowing her to watch an afternoon movie while you cook. Other options would be to order in and set the table at home with special decorations or take her to that favorite local restaurant. Maybe it’s time for a bigger break than just a meal and you want to take Mom to a special place for the weekend. If that’s the case, you usually have to plan ahead because places book quickly. It doesn’t usually take much to make Mom feel special; her favorite flowers, a card, or a relaxing day will give her memories she’ll cherish forever. So whatever it is that you do for Mom this year, tell her you love her! Whether she’s in the next room or thousands of miles away, you can say “I love you, Mom”.

Easter Menu Part 2

 Easter, Entertaining Ideas And Tips  439 Responses »
Apr 052012
 

I thought it might be helpful to suggest a sample menu for those of you who might be cooking for the holidays for the first time. I hope you’ll notice the variety in color and texture with each of the menus. For finger foods: spiced bacon twists, asparagus ham roll ups, deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, brie with apricot topping, chicken salad puffs, and citrus pound cake. For a brunch you might serve: spiced bacon twists; asparagus,brie, and parma ham crostini; applesauce oatmeal pancakes; bacon quiche; chicken salad puffs; and citrus pound cake. For dinner may I suggest: applesauce pork loin recipe, glazed orange carrots, never fail scalloped potatoes, and Easter pie. These menus vary different flavors and don’t focus too much on one ingredient in case you have guests that don’t like a particular food. And most of these menus will have you out of the kitchen in less than an hour to prepare the entire menu (not including cooking time). Let us know which of these have become your favorites. We’d love to hear. You’ll find the recipes on http://www.pamperedchef.com and http://www.tasteofhome.com 

Easter Menu

 Easter, Entertaining Ideas And Tips  202 Responses »
Apr 022012
 

 

Whether you are entertaining many friends or serving your family for Easter, here are some simple tips that have served me well over the years. There are three basic menus: finger foods, brunch, and dinner. Depending on the size of the group the menu can be scaled back. If you are serving finger foods or brunch it is best to have between 4-8 choices. For  dinner a main dish, 2 side dishes, and a dessert is enough. When choosing a menu try to remember to vary color and texture in your dishes. When the kids were little finger foods were a fun way for them to eat; but, if you have teens the dinner idea might be more filling!

For recipes try http://www.pamperedchef.com and http://www.tasteofhome.com

Entertain With Ease

 Entertaining Ideas And Tips  579 Responses »
Oct 312011
 

Put more love and less labor into cooking and entertaining.

 

Did you know that one out of every two new brides and brides-to-be say they feel more pressure to cook and entertain compared to when they were single? It’s no wonder. As a new bride, you’ll inevitably be faced with entertaining “firsts,” like hosting your in-laws, throwing couples’ dinner parties, and upgrading your usual gatherings to elegant parties.

In this guide, you’ll discover tips and ideas from entertaining and lifestyle expert Debi Lilly, and simple, yet elegant recipes from our Test Kitchens, to help make those firsts as easy as can be. 

Whether you’re newly engaged, a newlywed or just new to entertaining, enjoy learning how to entertain with ease!

 

Click here for the entire guide for your reference.