Tagged ‘Entertaining’
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How To Throw a Kentucky Derby Party
I have the heart of a true New England girl, but there is just something about the Southern tradition of the Kentucky Derby that I cannot resist. I look forward to the first Saturday of May all year— of course quite a bit for the races (and the fancy hats and fun sundresses)— but I have to admit, mostly for the food + drink.
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Hosting Made Easy with Fondue
If you’re hosting a get together, fondue is the perfect main course to serve your guests. Why?
- -Serves a lot
- -Relatively inexpensive
- -Looks fancy
- -Goes well with alcohol
- -Brings people together
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Disco Cake Balls
By Dede Wilson
Recipe: Disco Cake Balls
Summary: These are very colorful and sparkly, hence the name. This is all about the decoration, which is provided by colored sugar and/or edible glitter. You can use several different colors, or multi-colored or even metallic options. I like using superfine sugar or Disco Dust. You could also go thematic: reds and greens for Christmas; Mom’s favorite colors for Mother’s Day; the birthday girl or boy’s favorite colors—you get the idea. This is a great project to make with kids during school holidays or as a birthday party project for all the guests. Adults will want to pitch in too with this fun, crafty recipe.
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Baked Fudge
By Ellen Wright
Recipe: Baked Fudge
Summary: The Garden Room in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the inspiration for this recipe, which was a favorite of my mother-in-law and has been enjoyed by all “in-the-know” cooks since. This is quite easy, and, make no mistake, this is candy.
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A salad dressed to impress
By Ellen Wright
Recipe: Arugula and Endive Salad
Summary: Ellen’s Tips: I like to serve arugula because of its slight bite and good taste. Endive adds a nice crunch and color to the salad. You can wrap the greens in paper towels and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. Try this with chopped fresh chives or red onion instead of scallions. You can make the dressing several days ahead of time. I keep some in the cupboard at all times to use as needed (no need to refrigerate).
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Escaping the Heat
I’m not an extreme outsdoors woman; I don’t mountain bike, I’ve never been surfing or rock climbing, and I don’t even like running that much. But I love to be outside. I get antsy and uncomfortable if I sit inside for too long, so summer quite obviously makes me very happy. I love that I can take walks without a sweatshirt and sit outside for hours with a book.
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Cool down with a July 4th cocktail
While the grill is heating up, why not cool down with some refreshing summer cocktails? Here’s a fruity tea sangria, a summer beer, and a non-alcoholic frozen lemonade for the kids in the group… well, adults too if you’re feeling adventurous…!
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Famous Cinnamon Toast
By Ellen Wright
This is simply the best cinnamon toast, another wonderful no-recipe recipe from my husband, Joe. I like to use Pepperidge Farm bread.
Makes 1 toast
Ingredients
1 slice white bread
1 tablespoon butter, softened
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Chocolate Chip Scones
By James Villas
Unlike smooth chocolate chip drop cookies, these thick, buttery, hand-formed scones have a fairly rough texture that I find curiously appealing. The dough should be just crumbly and the scones baked a full twenty minutes in a moderate oven. For even richer scones, you can use half-and-half instead of milk, and if you get tired of chocolate chips, substitute dried red currants, chopped candied ginger, or minced crystallized fruits.
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Sausage and Cheese Biscuits
By James Villas
Both Southerners and Midwesterners love this type of composed, rugged biscuit for breakfast. The biscuits might not be the prettiest in the world, but served with creamy scrambled eggs or plain omelettes and fresh fruit, their flavor is unforgettable. I like these biscuits well seasoned, but do adjust the red pepper flakes to your own taste. If you don’t have self-rising flour, simply whisk 4 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt into 2 cups bleached all-purpose flour.
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Denver Omelette Casserole
Traditional Denver omelets have a filling of sautéed onions, peppers, and ham. Some cooks gild the lily and add cheese or other ingredients, but I think the original combination is best. On a morning like Christmas you don’t want to be flipping omelets on the stove while everyone else is busy opening presents, so this combination is just the ticket for a lazy morning breakfast or brunch. The entire casserole can be baked and then refrigerated or frozen, and reheated before serving either hot or at room temperature.