Bring Back the Cheese! And other fun Appetizers.

It's almost PARTY SEASON!

Here are some fun and easy ideas that let you get to the party on-time.

Nuts: great for snacking with cocktails
* Spiced Walnuts
* U Pick: Sweet or Spicy, and works with any nut combo

The Cheese Ball: fun, cute, and can be made ahead!
* Martha shows you how to do Cheese Balls Three Ways
* Amy Sedaris' Li'l Smokey Cheeseball

The Relish Tray: salty and martini-worthy
* What goes on a relish tray? All things pickled
        Try: baby pickles, jarred artichoke hearts, pickled cherry peppers, spiced apple rings, spiced pickled pears, pickled mushrooms, anything from your grocer's olive bar or pickle aisle!
* Make it Special
       Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives are fantastic - when they are fresh. The jarred version offers a bland, dry and crumbly cheese filling. However, you can buy a small chunk of blue cheese and a jar of big pitted green olives - and stuff them yourself! Just plug the hole with the cheese, and put the olives back into the original jar until you are ready to use them. They are TASTY!!
* Special Equipment
          A long tray, divided if you have one, with those tiny little forks - you can even get forked toothpicks from the grocery store if you don't have a mini relish fork on-hand.

Dreamy Popcorn - as simple as it gets

After an early dinner, I sometimes get the urge to just keep on eating. As I love food - it's not too surprising. However, I also like to fit into my clothes and not blow up like a whale - so I try to keep it under control. So - I've been resorting to popcorn at night. It's the PERFECT evening snack, easy to share or not and extremely easy to snazz it up with some "GOURMET" style flavors. *** Perfect for after holiday meals when the family is just hanging out - and you don't want leftovers!***

First: go for the gold and make the popcorn on the stovetop. Microwaves don't cut it here. It's easy and cheap - and makes your kitchen smell like a high school basketball game (in a good way.)

Old-School Popcorn

Let's Get Punchy!

punch [puhnch] –noun

1. a beverage consisting of wine or spirits mixed with fruit juice, soda, water, milk, or the like, and flavored with sugar, spices, etc.
2. a beverage of two or more fruit juices, sugar, and water, sometimes carbonated.

Make your holiday hosting a BREEZE by preparing a punch or other big batch beverage for your next gathering. Read More and Click on the beverage for the link to the recipe.



Mulled Red Wine (adapted from Barefoot Contessa and Gourmet)
- Main Tastes: Red Wine, Citrus, Kirsch,
- Serve Warm - will make your house smell delicious!

Admiral Russell's Christmas Punch (Bon Appetit)
- Main Tastes: Lemon, Cognac and Sherry

Sherry Eggnog (Esquire)

Homemade Hot Chocolate
- great to have on hand for the kids
- keep a bottle of peppermint schnapps handy for the adults

How do you find the right spot?

Right spot to eat? Right spot for a "fun and spontaneous" date? Right spot for a lazy Sunday afternoon? Right spot when you were too busy all day to find the right spot but still want to have a fun night with someone special?

 

I saw a posting on Shefzilla.com titled Pros vs. Joes. This raised a great point. When do you trust random people online (claims to be a foodie, but still makes boxed mac and cheese - GASP!) and when do you search out the 'EXPERT'? And who is really an expert?

So - how do you find your fun?

Minneapolis Sources:

reneeandsteve.com/
Citypages.com
Blogs, Online Newspapers, Minnesota Public Radio websites

How to be "A Good Wife" (a la 1954)

Betty Draper must have missed this class in high school.

"plug and play" tool for Thanksgiving Dinner

This is a must to check out! A simple quiz to see how exotic or traditional, easy or gourmet, many or few people - all to kick out a great menu for the great fall get together.

I love the idea of Thanksgiving. I love that it is non-secular - and based upon such a universal theme of being thankful. Traditions are there - but without the pressure of really sticking to just one. My favorite tradition surrounding this holiday would involve a ski trip...

No ski trip this November. However - since I have a lot to be thankful for - I'm sure that this year will be a great one! And - I'm sure it will include great food and great drinks.

So - check out this fun quiz if you need some help improving "Grandma's Stuffing" or if you want to find an asian twist on yams.

Thanksgiving Menu Planner

Drink Thanksgiving 101: Wild Turkey 101 on the rocks. Garnished with cranberries and rosemary. Doesn't it look like it would brighten the holiday?
For more drink ideas