Sucessful Party Hosting

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A birthday party in Oregon. Taken by me.

Image via Wikipedia

The idea of hosting a party may seem overwhelming at times, but with a little planning, you can pull off a successful party without a hitch.  Your hosting duties start long before your first guest rings the doorbell.  Your first important duty as host is to make the guest list.  A successful guest list will include people that will get along and enjoy each other’s company.  They don’t necessarily need to know each other before hand.  A successful party will give the guests an opportunity to meet new people and form new relationships.  Make sure the invitations include the means to RSVP.  Knowing how many guest are going to attend the party, makes the planning easier.  With a few days notice, you can prepare for the big day and shop for the necessary food and supplies.
Food  plays a major role in the success or failure of a party.  As the host, you need to take into account the many food preferences of your guests.  In a large group you may have, vegetarians, vegans, and those with allergies to certain foods. It may not always be possible to talk to all of your guest in order to find out their particular food needs.  A buffet can be a good solution when trying to fill or anticipate your guest’s food needs.
Alcohol seems to be a staple at most parties, but for those who don’t drink or chose to be a designated driver, a good host will supply specialty drinks for them too.  “Virgin” versions of the cocktails you serve, will help make these guests feel more welcome and part of the party.
Though elegant parties have their place, most guests will feel more comfortable in a more casual atmosphere.  Whenever appropriate, keep your party low key, offering your guests the opportunity to mingle, get to know each other, and enjoy each other’s company.
A successful party will be one in which your guests feel comfortable, take pleasure in the offered food and drinks, and spend time with people they enjoy.

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Double Crock Cooking

December 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

If one crock cooker is good, two is better. How many times has a recipe gone beyond the capacity of one crock cooker? How many times has a holiday meal not had enough burners to do all the side dishes at once?

No More Overflows

The tendency is to fill the crock cooker right up to the brim. This doesn’t give the cooker any room to breathe, so it overflows. What a mess that makes, and it doesn’t smell good at all. With two crock cookers, each can be filled half way or even three-quarters of the way with plenty of breathing room. The cookers stay clean and the kitchen smells delicious, not burned. The food will turn out better too.

Two Side Dishes at Once

Crock cookers don’t take up very much counter space, and two of them can be set side-by-side. During the holidays, this allows for two side dishes to be cooking at once without taking up a single burner on the stove. This is also a good way to go for regular meals too, allowing for more variety while giving all the advantages of crock cooking.

Buy Them Together

Crock cookers are very inexpensive these days if all they do is slow cook with a high and low setting. The fancier cookers can be expensive, but they do about the same thing. Two inexpensive cookers of the same make and model might differ in their temperatures when set on low for all-day cooking. One can be marked as the hotter cooker and used accordingly for meat recipes, while the cooler cooker can do the vegetables. It’s just the luck of the draw if the cookers are not exactly matched. Usually the difference isn’t enough to return one. Anyway, that’s just asking for a whole crock full of frustration. Adjusting to the differences is probably an easier way to handle the situation. After all, people once did slow cooking on a wood-burning stove!

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Cooking Under Pressure

December 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Many people are afraid of pressure cooking, and for good reason. The old style of pressure cooker was known to explode, sending scalding water and food all over the place. The lid would go flying through the air too, and getting hit by that meant a visit to the emergency at the closest hospital.

Safe Modern Pressure Cookers

Today the pressure cooker has been entirely redesigned for some makes and models. One type is made out of thick cast aluminum and has a lid that locks into place from the bottom. The design is very clever. Both the lid and pot are elliptical in shape. This makes it a little tricky to fit together, but with practice it can be easily done. Since the steam pressure pushes upward, and the gasket is jammed between the pot and lid, there is no possibility of an explosion.

Reducing Cooking Time

Pressure cooking greatly reduces cooking time. Dry beans become completely cooked with fifteen to thirty minutes at full steam, depending on how big the beans are. Black beans only take from five to ten minutes.

Bringing Up to Full Steam

Once the food and water are in the cooker and the heat is on high, full steam can be heard as a shush-shushing sound. The heat should be turned down to maintain a steady shushing for the time allotted at full steam. Once the time runs out, turn off the steam and let the cooker cool down. Excess steam can be released by pressing the valve.

High Altitudes

Beans refuse to cook at high altitudes without pressure cooking. This is because the higher the altitude, the lower the boiling temperature of water. At very high altitudes, boiling water is merely hot as if from the faucet.

Modern pressure cooking is safe and convenient. The technique saves a great deal of time, especially for beans. Other foods can be cooked this way as well.

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Recipe Ingredient Substitutions

December 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

One of the most frustrating experiences when trying to learn new recipes is coming across an oddball ingredient that is only available in specialty grocers or perhaps not even there. The stuff just isn’t available. Rather than abandoning the recipe, substitutions can be done. This doesn’t work well if the mystery ingredient has never been experienced, so practiced guidance is needed.

The Food Substitution Bible

Fortunately, a book is available called the Food Substitution Bible. A search in any major online bookstore will bring it up. While some recipes include suggestions for substitutions, sometimes the substitutions themselves are mysterious items not commonly found in the regular grocery store. Time to head to the Bible!

Cheese-us Darn!

So along comes this ingredient, explorateur. Sounds interesting, probably French, but what the heck is it? Turns out that explorateur is rich cheese sold in cylinders made of cheese rind. All right, so what other kinds of available cheese will work? According to the Bible, brie or Camembert cheese will do fine. Those are usually available at the supermarket in the gourmet section. Other cheeses will work too and are listed. It’s just that hardly anyone has ever heard of them.

No, You’re Kidding

Panko isn’t some hot new Japanese trading toy, but it is Japanese. It’s basically coarse bread crumbs. Papaw is actually from North America, but try to find it in the fresh fruit section. A fruit that tastes something like bananas and pears combined, several kinds of bananas can be used instead. Try the red ones.

When it comes to exploring new recipes, half the work is gathering together all the ingredients. Frustration comes in when one or more ingredient simply can’t be found, and no amount of imagination can fill in the gap if the ingredient has never been experienced. Going to the Food Substitution Bible will save the day.

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Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

December 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

For many women, the holidays are a time for spending time with loved ones at parties and celebrations. Traditional holiday foods usually play a large role in these gatherings and many of these special dishes are only served once a year. However, although these foods are delicious, they can also be very fattening and lead to holiday weight gain. Women shouldn’t be expected to avoid these tasty treats completely, but understanding which foods are the worst of the worst can help you make smart choices at your next holiday party.

First, eggnog is a traditional drink that is usually served warm and may include alcohol such as rum or whiskey. Unfortunately this sweet and creamy beverage is also loaded with an average of 12 grams of fat and 530 calories per class. A healthier option would be a mug of hot chocolate. Next, desserts can certainly be hard to resist, but try your best to avoid the pecan pie because it has over 500 calories in each slice. Carrot cake is another bad choice with a misleading name. This dessert actually has a whopping 650 calories per slice. A healthier dessert option is pumpkin pie.

As for appetizers, a cheese ball may sound like a great option, especially when it is covered with nuts, but each small serving actually has up to 400 calories. This number doesn’t even include the buttery crackers served with the cheese. Finally, the favorite comfort food of macaroni and cheese is another fattening choice with over 400 calories in just one serving. This high calorie count is due to the heavy whole milk and fattening cheese.

If you simply can’t resist the temptation of these holiday dishes, keep your portion sizes small and don’t go back for seconds. By making these smart food choices, you can avoid holiday weight gain.

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Cooking with a Crock Pot

December 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

For the busy working woman, it can be difficult to find the time to make a home cooked meal. Many women resort to serving takeout or fast food at dinner. However, cooking with a crockpot is a quick and easy way to create healthy, delicious meals. With this handy appliance you can start a meal in the morning and have it ready and waiting when you get home. Before you begin preparing these meals, there are a few tips to keep in mind.

First, when purchasing a crock pot, make sure to choose one with a removeable dish for easy cleaning. There are also disposable plastic bags that can be used to line the inside of the dish and eliminate the need for cleaning all together. Next, choose a crock pot with high, low and warm settings. Usually the high temperatre setting will cook at 300 degrees and the low temperature setting will cook at 200 degrees. The warm setting will not cook the food, but will keep it warm until you are ready to serve it for dinner. A good rule of thumb is that one hour on the high setting is equals two hours on the low setting.

When cooking your meal, it is best not to use frozen foods. Instead, defrost them before putting them in the crock pot. Also, do not fill the crock pot to the top with food, because it may not cook properly. Try it keep it at a level of about 2/3 full. Anything less than this may cause the meal to cook too quickly. Finally, try not to lift the lid of the crock pot to check on your food. Each time you do, heat will escape and it will slow the cooking process. Instead, spin the lid untill the condensation falls off, which will allow you to easily see inside.

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Finding Fashion

December 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Clothing in the ancient world
Image via Wikipedia

Sometimes it is not a fashion find that makes a new outfit super special, it is the money that you buy it with. I know that sounds crazy, but if you have ever bought some sweet shoes with the fifty dollars your favorite grandma gave you, or bought a beautiful sweater that quickly became your favorite on cold winter days with a $20 bill that you found tumbling through the street on a windy day, then you will understand what I am talking about.

I have these jeans that are amazing. They were not on a particularly good sale. They were not a one-of-a-kind pair. They were bought with money I won after picking the Superbowl winner last year after visiting some sports betting sites on a whim.

I almost never gamble. This was was just a fun thing I decided to do. I guess you could say I got really lucky. I was the closest in the whole office to picking the actual score. Anyway, my point is that those jeans are a favorite of mine because of the way I won the money to buy them!

There is one other way that I find fashions that excite me. When it happens, I almost never tell anyone where the item came from. But I guess I can tell you. It is not like I see any of you in real life, right?

My best fashion finds come from the second hand store. I don’t care if it has been worn by someone else who has outgrown it. I don’t care if it was in someone’s grandma’s closet for the last 25 years. If it has come back into style and I can score it for $5, I am ecstatic.

So, next time you are out shopping, remember that the price is not always what makes it a fashion find.

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Survival Kits for New Mothers

December 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Survival kits are no longer just for adventurous explorers or soldiers in the field. New mothers now have survival kits made especially for them. Survival kits can be put together too, and instructions abound on the Internet regarding what the kits might contain and how they can be assembled.

Symbols and Gags

Rather than overly practical things like diapers and a doting grandmother to take care of the baby while Mommy takes a nap, new mother survival kits contain small items that symbolize something or are meant to elicit a chuckle. Since the symbols or gags may not be obvious, the survival kits generally come with a nicely printed key of explanations. A penny may be for thoughts, and a notepad and pencil for recording the thoughts of a new mother. Tissues may be for drying the tears of the baby and the mother. A pacifier could be intended for comforting either the baby or the mother.

Room for Creativity

Home-assembled new mother survival kits open the possibilities for using creativity with the symbols and gags. Very personal meanings can be given to common items that can be found in drug stores, craft shops or just laying around the house. An eraser can be included to rub out the common mistakes that new mothers make, which would be quite appropriate for a grandmother to give her daughter who has become a new mother.

Chances for Connections

The beautiful part of the survival kit for new mothers is that the symbolism can forge connections between family members and friends that did not exist before. A simple symbol like a penny for the mother’s thoughts can open up communications at a depth never before attained. Simply the act of putting together a survival kit brings a powerful message about caring.

Survival kits are easy to assemble and will cause the new mother to smile appreciatively.

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Women’s Style and Clothing Tips

November 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Portraits of a boxer
Image by Fabio Macòr via Flickr

There may come a time when you are either unhappy with your wardrobe or your body changes necessitate a new wardrobe. Choosing new clothing for yourself should start with picking outfits that fit your shape and your style. Every body type can be stylish if you keep a few things in mind.

Know the shape of your body. You can better dress yourself if you know how to dress your body shape. A pear shape has a bigger bottom area and are smaller up top. For a pear, flattering clothes include vertical lines, darker bottoms paired with lighter tops, and a dress or shirts that include shoulder pads to balance out a fuller bottom half. Apple shapes are the opposite, with a wider top half. Loose clothing works well for this body shape.

Dress for your height as well. If you are short, big prints and pants with belts, shirts with long necklaces attached are all appropriate for a smaller woman. For taller women, long skirts and knee length skirts, and big bold belts are all flattering. Pants that are overly tight or overly loose are not appropriate for any height or body shape.

When starting a new wardrobe, just as important as dressing for your body type is starting with the basics. Every woman should have a few key items in the closet. A black dress, dark neutral slacks, a white button down shirt, and a fitted blazer are a few of the items that should be in the closet of every woman.

Creating a style that works for you does not have to be a difficult process nor does it have to cost you a lot of money. Slowly buy the pieces that are going to be the staple of your new wardrobe and add to it as you can. Just a few smart choices that fit your body and budget can make your style just right.

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